Pilot study of the effect of acemannan in cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus.

Acemannan, a complex carbohydrate shown to stimulate interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor alpha and prostaglandin E2 production by macrophages, has also demonstrated antiviral activity in vitro against human immunodeficiency virus, Newcastle disease virus and influenza virus. A pilot study was undertaken to determine acemannan's effect in 49 feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infected cats with clinical signs of disease (Stage 3, 4 or 5), 23 of which had severe lymphopenia. Cats received acemannan either by intravenous (Group 1) or subcutaneous (Group 2) injection once weekly for 12 weeks, or by daily oral (Group 3) administration for 12 weeks. Upon entry into the study, cats were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Laboratory analyses were performed at the beginning of the study and at Weeks 6 and 12. Cats were allowed to continue with a predetermined maintenance regimen of acemannan after completing the 12-week study. Thirteen cats died during the course of treatment. Upon necropsy, the most frequent histopathologic findings were neoplastic, kidney and pancreatic disease. Friedman's two-way ANOVA test showed no significant differences in efficacy among groups administered acemannan by the different routes. Therefore, groups were combined and a signed-ranks test was used to determine changes over time. A significant increase was seen in lymphocyte counts (P < 0.001). Neutrophil counts decreased significantly (P = 0.007), as did incidence of sepsis (P = 0.008). When cats entering with lymphopenia were analyzed separately, a much greater increase in lymphocyte counts was noted (235%) compared with non-lymphopenic cats (42%). A survival rate of 75% was found for all three groups. Thirty-six of 49 animals are alive 5-19 months post-entry. These results suggest that acemannan therapy may be of significant benefit in FIV-infected cats exhibiting clinical signs of disease.     

Effects of dietary molybdenum on nematode and host during Haemonchus contortus infection in lambs.

The addition of molybdenum (0.05 mmol kg-1 dry-matter) to the diet of lambs given a trickle infection of Haemonchus contortus larvae (500 third stage larvae d-1 over six weeks) reduced mean faecal egg counts (epg) from 3952 to 2312 +/- 402 by 32 days (P less than 0.02) and greatly reduced the mean number of worms recovered from the abomasum 14 days after infection ceased (907 compared with 4167: P less than 0.01). Infection reduced haemoglobin concentrations less in lambs given molybdenum although the difference was small relative to the reduction in worm burden. Lambs not given molybdenum had low intraepithelial mast cell counts in the abomasal mucosa and less abomasal hypertrophy than expected from abomasal parasitism. Molybdenum did not consistently reduce the copper status of the host or the parasite. Previous exposure to molybdenum greatly reduced protein but not proteinase activity in, or secreted by, adult worms cultured for eight hours. It is suggested that molybdenum either increased the inflammatory response which preceded worm rejection or that it indirectly enhanced that reaction by reducing the effectiveness of copper-dependent, anti-inflammatory enzymes in the gastrointestinal mucosa.     

Ionic Ratios and Crop Performance: II. Effects of Interactions amongst Vanadium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Calcium on Soybean Yield

Because vanadium (V) is easily reduced to a cationic form within plant cells, data from resin-extraction of soil were analysed for evidence of interactions between V and the resin-extractable concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) on soybean seed yield. Three varieties, 9091, 9061 and 704, were grown over a 3-year period in a corn–soybean–wheat rotation. Surface soil samples (0–15 cm) were extracted with ion-exchange resins, extracts were analysed by inductively coupled plasma methods (ICP), and the results were regressed against seed yield using SAS PROC STEPWISE analysis using forward selection, backward elimination and maximum R² routines. The seed yield of each variety showed a correlation with a unique set of resin-extractable concentrations of V, phosphorus (P), Mg and Ca, and the V:(V + P), Mg:(Mg + Ca), Mg:(Mg + 1000 V) and Ca:(Ca + 1000 V) ratios. Variety 9091 was most sensitive to the Mg:(Mg + Ca) ratio. Variety 9061 was most sensitive to extractable V and to the V:(V + P) ratio. Variety 704 was sensitive to extractable P, V and Ca and the Mg:(Mg + 1000 V) ratio. For variety 9091, Mg fertilization (not currently practised) may be an economical practice, whereas P fertilization of 704 may not be economical. Each regression technique varied slightly in identification of important factors in seed yield. Concentrations and ratios of resin-extractable elements in soil provide insights into optimal genotype selection and possible management alternatives for a given soil.     

前景广阔的作物——速生葛根119

葛根又名粉葛、葛藤、甘葛 ,为豆科葛属多年生藤本植物的根块 ,形似红薯。在农村它是粮食、药材、饲料多用途的野生植物。葛根富含钾、磷、钙等微量元素、多种维生素、氨基酸和具有药物作用的化合成份 ,属卫生部公布的“药食兼用食品”。它全身都是宝 ,用途颇广 :一是食用价值 ,葛根块是优质蔬菜 ,它是广东向东南亚出口的传统蔬菜之一 ;葛根淀粉是理想的绿色保健食品 ,可作粮食食用 ,也可制成葛根粉丝、葛根晶、葛根冲剂等系列食品 ,在日本人均年食用量超过 3ｋｇ;二是药用价值 ,凡是中药店都少不了葛根片这味药 ,主要成分为异黄酮类化合物…     

Social, economic and cultural perspectives of European inland fisheries: review of the EIFAC symposium on fisheries and society

The contributions presented at the EIFAC Symposium on Fisheries and Society in 2000 are reviewed. There have been considerable advances in many sectors of inland fisheries over the past decade. Nowadays the value of inland fisheries to society is generally better understood and increasingly recognized. However, it was recognized that the allocation of fishery resources and their management could still be made more effective through more extensive application of the recent approaches and techniques discussed during the Symposium and reviewed in the paper.     

Evaluation of two N cycle models for the prediction of N mineralization from grassland soils in the UK

Abstract. The ability of two nitrogen cycle models, of contrasting complexity, to predict N mineralization from a range of grassland soils in the UK, was evaluated. These were NCYCLE, a simple mass balance model of the N cycle in UK grasslands, and CENTURY, a more complex model simulating long-term C, N, P & S dynamics in grassland ecosystems. The models were tested using field measurements of net N mineralization from a range of grassland soils (differing in soil type, history & management practice), obtained over a 2 year period using a soil core incubation technique. This method was considered to measure the total net release of mineral N from the soil organic matter over a specified time, including N which may have been recycled several times. NCYCLE consistently under-estimated mineralization rates at all sites. By contrast, there was some correlation between CENTURY predictions of net N mineralization and field measurements. This may have reflected the different abilities of the two models to simulate N recycling. Neither model, however, was able to predict adequately the effect of cultivation and reseeding on net N mineralization.     

奶牛繁殖疾病的调控

本文综述了奶牛繁殖疾病的发病原因和调控措施，分析认为奶牛的营养状况是影响奶牛繁殖力的重要因素。理想的奶牛管理应做到整个泌乳期始终监测奶牛的体况和奶牛日粮中微量元素的维生素的含量，避免营养素的不平衡而引发的奶牛繁殖障碍，同时应避免奶牛过肥或过瘦。适当补充某些维生素和矿物质十分重要。     

浅谈农业科研与农业物流

农业科研在农业物流中的作用日趋明显，分析农业科研与农业物流的关系，提出农业科研在农业物流中的作用，并针对农业科研与农业物流的关系现状，提出协调农业科研与农业物流和谐发展的几条对策。     

八种中草药体外抑制大肠杆菌的效果观察

选取马尾松、田基黄、艾草、雷公根、芭蕉芯、浮萍、野菊花、番石榴叶8种中草药，采用常规中草药药敏试验打孔法和试管法对猪大肠杆菌（K88）、大肠杆菌（0157）进行体外抑菌试验。结果显示，艾草、野菊花、番石榴叶对大肠杆菌呈高度敏感，其中艾草对大肠杆菌抑菌力最强；马尾松挥发油对大肠杆菌呈中度敏感；田基黄、雷公根、芭蕉芯、浮萍对大肠杆菌无抑菌作用。