Methods to determine resistance to anthelmintics when continuing larval development occurs

The in vivo faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) is the most commonly used test to detect anthelmintic resistance (AR) in gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of ruminants in pasture based systems. However, there are several variations on the method, some more appropriate than others in specific circumstances. While in some cases labour and time can be saved by just collecting post-drench faecal worm egg counts (FEC) of treatment groups with controls, or pre- and post-drench FEC of a treatment group with no controls, there are circumstances when pre- and post-drench FEC of an untreated control group as well as from the treatment groups are necessary. Computer simulation techniques were used to determine the most appropriate of several methods for calculating AR when there is continuing larval development during the testing period, as often occurs when anthelmintic treatments against genera of GIN with high biotic potential or high re-infection rates, such as Haemonchus contortus of sheep and Cooperia punctata of cattle, are less than 100% efficacious. Three field FECRT experimental designs were investigated: (I) post-drench FEC of treatment and controls groups, (II) pre- and post-drench FEC of a treatment group only and (III) pre- and post-drench FEC of treatment and control groups.To investigate the performance of methods of indicating AR for each of these designs, simulated animal FEC were generated from negative binominal distributions with subsequent sampling from the binomial distributions to account for drench effect, with varying parameters for worm burden, larval development and drench resistance. Calculations of percent reductions and confidence limits were based on those of the Standing Committee for Agriculture (SCA) guidelines. For the two field methods with pre-drench FEC, confidence limits were also determined from cumulative inverse Beta distributions of FEC, for eggs per gram (epg) and the number of eggs counted at detection levels of 50 and 25. Two rules for determining AR: (1) %reduction (%R) < 95% and lower confidence limit <90%; and (2) upper confidence limit <95%, were also assessed. For each combination of worm burden, larval development and drench resistance parameters, 1000 simulations were run to determine the number of times the theoretical percent reduction fell within the estimated confidence limits and the number of times resistance would have been declared.When continuing larval development occurs during the testing period of the FECRT, the simulations showed AR should be calculated from pre- and post-drench worm egg counts of an untreated control group as well as from the treatment group. If the widely used resistance rule 1 is used to assess resistance, rule 2 should also be applied, especially when %R is in the range 90 to 95% and resistance is suspected.     

若尔盖高寒沼泽与草甸中脊椎动物分布规律浅析

描述了若尔盖高寒沼泽中脊椎动物的分布规律，沼泽脊椎动物分布受多种因素制约和影响，因而有关多样化分布的适应性与生活型，沼泽，草甸与共生脊椎动物可随外界环境与行为的影响和干扰而发生变化。在不利于沼泽，草甸的人为活动影响下，淄泽，草甸，动物自馈生态系统受到冲击，脊椎动物及其载体共生体系便会变得更加脆弱。如任其发展并失去有效控制，即会造成沼泽及其上脊椎动物及其载体共生体系便会变得更加脆弱，如任其发展并失去有效控制，即会造成沼泽及其上脊椎动物不可逆转的毁灭性消亡或大迁徙。     

云南省昆明市动物园大肠杆菌分离株毒力基因分布特征

为研究云南省昆明市动物园动物体内大肠杆菌(E.coli)分离株毒力基因的分布特征,从圆通山动物园37个动物种群粪便中分离出37株E.coli,采用生化鉴定方法鉴定大肠杆菌,PCR方法检测19种毒力基因。鉴定结果表明:37株E.coli中,ompA、iroN、fimC、aatA、vat 5种毒力基因携带率分别为100%、95.49%、83.78%、70.27%、51.35%,ibeA、neuC、iutA、traT、stx 5种毒力基因携带率为0,其他9种毒力基因携带率均低于40.00%;分离菌株普遍携带8种以下毒力基因,同时携带10种以上毒力基因的概率为8.10%;分离株强毒力岛基因携带率较高,分布较为普遍。结果表明,昆明市圆通山动物园内流行的大肠杆菌以致病性大肠杆菌为主,不同种类动物体内大肠杆菌的毒力基因携带率存在较大差异,其原因可能与动物的饲养环境以及动物自身的适应能力和抵抗力有关。因此,对于动物园内具有较高大肠杆菌致病风险的动物,要采取相应防治措施,防止大肠杆菌病发生与流行。     

The Schmallenberg virus epidemic in Europe—2011–2013

During the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) epidemic, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collected data on SBV occurrence across Europe in order to provide an assessment of spread and impact. By May 2013, twenty-nine countries were reporting to EFSA and twenty-two countries had reported cases of SBV. The total number of SBV herds reported was 13,846 and the number of SBV laboratory confirmed herds was 8730. The surveillance activities were based on the detection of SBV clinical cases (either adults or newborns). Malformation in newborns was the most commonly reported clinical sign of SBV-infection. All countries were able to provide the date when the first suspicion of SBV in the herd was reported and nineteen could report the location of the herd at a regional level. This allowed the spread of SBV in Europe to be measured both temporally and spatially. The number of SBV confirmed herds started to increase in December 2011 and two peaks were observed in 2012 (February and May). Confirmed herds continued to be reported in 2012 and into 2013. An increase during winter 2012 and spring 2013 was again observed, but the number of confirmed herds was lower than in the previous year. SBV spread rapidly throughout Europe from the initial area of detection. SBV was detected above the latitude of 60° North, which exceeds the northern expansion observed during the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2006–2009. The impact of SBV was calculated as ratio of the number of herds with at least one malformed SBV positive foetus and the total number of herds in this region. The 75th percentile of the malformations ratio in the various affected countries for the whole reporting period was below 1% and 3% for cattle and sheep herds, respectively. International data collection on emerging diseases represents a challenge as the nature of available data, data quality and the proportion of reported cases may vary widely between affected countries. Surveillance activities on emerging animal diseases are often structured only for case detection making the estimation of infection/diseases prevalence and the investigation of risk factors difficult. The impact of the disease must be determined to allow risk managers to take appropriate decisions. Simple within-herd impact indicators suitable for emerging disease outbreaks should be defined that could be measured as part of routine animal health surveillance programmes and allow for rapid and reliable impact assessment of emerging animal health diseases.     

IMPACT OF TISSUE INHOMOGENEITY ON DOSE DISTRIBUTION IN THE CANINE CARPAL AND TARSAL REGIONS FOR COBALT AND 6 MV PHOTONS

We quantified the effect of tissue inhomogeneity on dose distribution in a canine distal extremity resulting from treatment with cobalt photons and photons from a 6 MV accelerator. Monitor units for a typical distal extremity treatment were calculated by two methods, using equally weighted, parallel-opposed fields. The first method was a computed tomography (CT)-based, computerized treatment plan, calculated without inhomogeneity correction. The second method was a manual point dose calculation to the isocenter. A computerized planning system was then used to assess the dose distribution achieved by these two methods when tissue inhomogeneity was taken into account. For cobalt photons, the median percentage of the planning target volume (PTV) that received <95% of the prescribed dose was 4.5% for the CT-based treatment plan, and 26.2% for the manually calculated plan. For 6 MV photons, the median percentage of the PTV that received <95% of the prescribed dose was <1% for both planning methods. The PTV dose achieved without using inhomogeneity correction for cobalt photons results in potentially significant under dosing of portions of the PTV.     

安徽省奶牛隐孢子虫感染情况及分布特点

为查明安徽省奶牛隐孢子虫感染与地理分布情况,选取该地区１０个奶牛场进行了奶牛隐孢子虫感染情况的调研,在５２头奶牛的粪样中查到了隐孢子虫卵囊,其感染率为６．３９％（５２／８１４）;经鉴定,所获虫体为小隐孢子虫（Ｃｒｙｐｔｏｓｐｏｒｉｄｉｕｍｐａｒｖｕｍ）和鼠隐孢子虫（Ｃｒｙｐｔｏｓｐｏｒｉｄｉｕｍｍｕｒｉｓ）;奶牛的隐孢子虫感染存在年龄和地区性差异。     

高尔夫球场草坪地下害虫蛴螬的研究

本研究以北京市昌平县国际高尔夫球场为试验基地 ,依不同的植被种类及管理水平 ,将该球场划分为 3个区 :草坪区 (球道和高草区 )、水域区和林灌区。对高尔夫球场这一特殊生态系统中蛴螬 (White grub)的种类、种群动态及空间生态分布进行了系统的调查和分析研究。据调查 ,共有 7个属、13个种 ,分别属于丽金龟科 (Rutelidae)和鳃角金龟甲科 (Melolonthidae) ;在草坪草全年的生长期中 ,蛴螬种群动态数量有 2个高峰期 :5月上旬至 6月上旬和 8月下旬至 9月中下旬 ;蛴螬种群数量变化的年际间无差异 ,高水平的草坪管理措施对蛴螬种群数量的增长具有一定的控制作用。春季是防治蛴螬的最佳时期 ,高草区、结缕草草坪、槐树林是防治的重点区域。     

松嫩平原优势种羊草与其主要伴生种芦苇空间分布格局分析

芦苇是松嫩草地优势种羊草的主要伴生种,两者常常形成物种组成比较单一的混生群落或者与其他物种组成羊草 杂类草群落.选择羊草 芦苇混生群落,羊草群落和芦苇群落的交错区进行羊草、芦苇单物种格局分析.结果表明,1)混生群落和交错区中,羊草和芦苇均是以集聚分布的形式存在;2)羊草在混生群落中的格局强度小于交错区中的格局强度,芦苇在2种类型群落中的格局强度没有显著差异;3)除了考虑物种的生物学特性以外,混生群落种内、种间竞争也是影响羊草集聚分布和格局强度的主要因素,交错区中,环境异质性和种间竞争是影响集聚分布和格局强度的重要因子;4)芦苇在混生群落和交错区中格局强度没有明显差异,由此可以判定芦苇的空间分布格局形成主要受植物本身生物学特性的影响.     

退化高寒草甸优势植物根际与非根际土壤养分及微生物量的分布特征

根际是一类特殊的微生态系统,对研究土壤与植物群落间的相互作用具有重要意义。本研究旨在探讨高寒草甸退化过程中根际与非根际土壤的养分和微生物量分布特征,以及优势植物根际养分富集的相关性和差异性。结果表明：不同退化程度条件下,根际土壤中微生物量碳、氮、磷和养分含量显著高于非根际土壤（P<0.05）,且随退化程度加剧呈逐渐下降趋势;随高寒草甸退化程度的加剧,根际微生物量的碳、氮、磷和养分均出现富集效应,其富集率表现为重度退化草地 > 中度退化草地 > 轻度退化草地 > 未退化草地;由相关分析可知,根际与非根际土壤中微生物量碳和微生物量氮与全磷、全氮和有机碳之间均呈极显著正相关关系（P<0.01）。综上所述,草地退化过程中土壤的有效养分和微生物量在植物根际存在富集和活化现象,这对于人们进一步认识和调控根际的养分循环具有重要意义。     

黄河三角洲新生湿地不同植被类型土壤的微生物分布特征

为探明黄河三角洲新生湿地土壤微生物分布特征,选取盐地碱蓬(Suaedasalsa)、柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)、芦苇(Phragmites communis)和拂子茅(Calamagrostis epigeios)4种湿地植被土壤,分春、夏、秋3个季节对其中细菌、真菌和放线菌数量组成和分布特征进行了研究。结果表明:不同植被类型湿地土壤中各类微生物数量差别明显,但总体上均偏少,而且优势种类非常明显,以细菌为主,放线菌居中,真菌最少;不同微生物数量上具有明显的季节分布特征,除拂子茅湿地细菌群落外,其他各群落数量均为夏季高,春、秋低;湿地土壤中微生物总量分布存在明显的根际效应,其中细菌的根际效应最为明显;土壤中氮和磷(总氮、总磷、速效氮、速效磷)含量对细菌的数量影响最明显;真菌分布与氮的含量关系密切,但与磷素关系不大;放线菌分布与氮含量相关性小,与磷素呈负相关;微生物数量与土壤pH值和电导率呈一定程度的负相关。本区土壤微生物分布与植被类型、土壤盐分和养分关系密切,且具有明显的季节动态。