Building capacity for improved veterinary epidemiosurveillance in southern Africa

A workshop to produce recommendations on training requirements for improved epidemiosurveillance of livestock diseases in southern Africa was organised at the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases in the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Pretoria. It was attended by 23 persons representing 10 different southern African countries. The majority of the participants were actively involved in veterinary epidemiosurveillance and many of them were members of the SADC Epidemiology and Informatics Subcommittee. Discussions focused on (i) epidemiosurveillance networks and their 2 main components, i.e. (ii) diagnosis and (iii) information flow. The debates were guided by 3 questions; (i) what are the requirements for an effective network, (ii) what cannot be achieved with existing capacity and (iii) how can the current capacity be improved. Workshop participants developed lists of realistic capacity building needs, which were divided into structural needs and training requirements. Structural needs mainly concerned communication means and quality assurance. With regard to training, the need for appropriate continuing education of all actors at the various disease management levels (non-professional, para-professional, professional) was expressed. Special emphasis was put on capacity building at the lowest level, i.e. the livestock owner and the para-professionals at the community level. At the international level, it was felt that special emphasis should be put on building capacity to improve the understanding of international agreements on trade in animals and animal products and to improve the capacity of negotiating such agreements.     

Pentoxifylline Decreases Serum Level of Adhesion Molecules in Atherosclerosis Patients

Background: Inflammation is involved in development, progression, and complications of atherosclerotic disease. Clinical studies have indicated that the level of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), IL-18, and adhesion molecules correlates with the severity of atherosclerosis and can predict future cardiovascular events. Experimental studies have shown pentoxifylline (PTX) reduces these factors in animal models. The purpose of the present pilot study was to evaluate effect of PTX on a group of inflammatory biomarkers in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Forty patients with angiographically documented CAD, who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria, were entered in the double-blind, randomized, pilot clinical study. The patients were randomly given PTX (400 mg three times daily) or placebo (3 tab/day) for 2 months. Serum concentrations of MCP-1, IL-18, intercellular adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) were measured before and at the end of intervention by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Results: Our study showed that the serum levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was decreased in the study population after two-month treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of our pilot study, administration of PTX in CAD patients significantly decreases adhesion molecules levels. Key Words: Atherosclerosis, Inflammation, Pentoxifylline     

Shrub yield and fodder quality variations in a non-tropical dryland environment in West Asia

Integration of shrubs into the smallholder crop-rangeland-livestock farming systems in non-tropical dry areas could reduce feed gaps, rangeland degradation and desertification, but data on yield and fodder quality of most native and exotic shrubs are scanty. The study aimed at identifying shrubs for dryland agroforestry based on agronomic and fodder quality attributes. Fodder and wood yield, percent fodder (FBR) and fodder quality of 26 non-legume shrubs were determined from 6 to 8 months regrowth in north-west Syria. Seed yield was estimated from plants that were not cut. Fodder (31–87 Mg DM ha⁻¹), wood (16-2064 Mg DM ha⁻¹) and seed (0-132 Mg DM ha⁻¹) yield, FBR (24–87%), fodder concentrations of crude protein (69–195 g kg⁻¹.), acid detergent lignin (ADL) (24–109 g kg⁻¹), acid detergent fiber (ADF) (102–267 g kg⁻¹), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (214–526 g kg⁻¹), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) (391–526 g kg⁻¹), and in vitro gas production after 24 h of incubation (25–39 ml 200 mg⁻¹ DM) varied (P < 0.05) among the shrubs. Atriplex halimus-halimus and A. herba-alba from Spain, A. canescens, A. ploycarpa and A. lentiformis from USA, A. halimus and A. herba-alba from Syria and A. nummularia from Australia and South Africa had greater potential for development of dryland agroforestry technologies. The promising shrubs could be integrated into the rangeland-crop-livestock systems in non-tropical dryland environs to provide fodder, fuel-wood, shade, medicine, stabilize sand-dunes, and sequester carbon; thereby contributing to mitigation of rangeland degradation and global warming; if major constraints to adoption of fodder trees such as agronomic problems, low multipurpose value, land shortage and quality seed supply could be overcome.     

Active transportation indicators and establishing baseline in a developing country context: A study of Rajshahi,Bangladesh

This paper shares the findings of an active transportation (AT) study conducted in the context of a city in a developing country. First, a list of AT indicators was developed based on the literature review and expert opinion survey. Second, a face-to-face survey was conducted to collect information on individuals' socio-demographic characteristics, travel behavior, AT mode choice, and their perceptions regarding the AT conditions in their neighborhoods. Analysis of the survey results suggests that several socio-demographic characteristics are associated with AT use. For example, young adults and individuals with low income are the primary users of AT. Also, results suggest that students are mainly active commuters. The ratio of AT use increases with the number of bicycles in the household. Individuals tend to walk more when travel duration is less than 10 minutes. Educational areas are perceived as safer and convenient areas for using active modes of transport compared to other land-use types. Also, a higher proportion of active commuters perceive local roads to be safer from vehicular traffic compared to main roads. Many sectors such as planning, transportation, health, and education as well as non-government organizations will be benefited from this study.