Epidemiology of tick‐borne pathogens in the semi‐arid and the arid agro‐ecological zones of Punjab province,Pakistan

Tick‐borne diseases (TBDs) have a large impact on animal health and the livelihood of livestock owners, particularly in developing countries. Although climatic and ecological conditions in Pakistan may favour the transmission of tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs), only a few systematic studies have been carried out on TBPs and the diseases that they cause in this country. To improve our understanding of the distribution of TBPs, 3,807 ticks were collected from ruminants (n = 369) on 108 livestock farms (semi‐arid zone = 36, arid zone = 72) in Punjab Province. After morphological identification ticks were pooled into 405 pools (Hyalomma anatolicum = 300, Rhipicephalus microplus = 89, Hyalomma dromedarii = 9, Rhipicephalus turanicus = 7) based on their species, locality of collection, and the host. DNA from each pool was screened by a Reverse Line Blot (RLB) hybridization assay for the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Babesia, and Theileria species. DNA from at least one TBP was found in 142 (35.1%) pools. Among the positive pools, 91 (64.1%) had a mixed infection with two or more TBPs, whereas 51 (35.9%) pools were infected with a single TBP. The detected pathogens not only included species that were known to be endemic in Pakistan, such as Theileria annulata (6.7%), Theileria orientalis (3.5%), Anaplasma marginale (5.7%), Anaplasma centrale (2.7%), Anaplasma ovis (1.5%), Babesia bigemina (0.7%), and Babesia bovis (0.2%), but also several TBPs that had not been reported to occur in Pakistan before. This included Ehrlichia minasensis (3.2%), an Anaplasma platys‐like organism (1.2%), Babesia occultans (0.2%), and Rickettsia massiliae (0.2%), as well as two previously uncharacterized species: Ehrlichia sp. Multan (18.0%) and Anaplasma sp. (BL099‐6) (2.22%). The pathogenicity of these novel species remains to be examined. This study shows that a much broader spectrum of TBPs is present in Pakistan than previously thought, including several zoonotic pathogens.     

Derived esterase activity in Drosophila sechellia contributes to evolved octanoic acid resistance

The dietary specialist fruit fly Drosophila sechellia has evolved resistance to the secondary defence compounds produced by the fruit of its host plant, Morinda citrifolia. The primary chemicals that contribute to lethality of M. citrifolia are the medium‐chain fatty acids octanoic acid (OA) and hexanoic acid. At least five genomic regions contribute to this adaptation in D. sechellia and whereas the fine‐mapped major effect locus for OA resistance on chromosome 3R has been thoroughly analysed, the remaining four genomic regions that contribute to toxin resistance remain uncharacterized. To begin to identify the genetic basis of toxin resistance in this species, we removed the function of well‐known detoxification gene families to determine whether they contribute to toxin resistance. Previous work found that evolution of cytochrome P450 enzymatic activity or expression is not responsible for the OA resistance in D. sechellia. Here, we tested the role of the two other major detoxification gene families in resistance to Morinda fruit toxins – glutathione‐S‐transferases and esterases – through the use of the pesticide synergists diethyl maleate and tribufos that inhibit the function of these gene families. This work suggests that one or more esterase(s) contribute to evolved OA resistance in D. sechellia.     

中医思维：中医药文化自信的内在逻辑

中医思维传承中国古代哲学的辩证思维传统，以独特的视角、方式和方法研究人类健康、生命及其疾病现象，表现出中华民族特有的原创思维特征。传承中医思维是坚定中医药文化自信的历史逻辑，创新中医思维是坚定中医药文化自信的理论逻辑，养成中医思维是坚定中医药文化自信的实践逻辑。中医药院校必须改革创新培养路径，培养出具有中医思维自觉的“铁杆”中医人才。     

中医皮肤病住院医师规范化培训存在的问题与改革

目的研究云南中医药大学皮肤病科住院医师规范化培训存在的问题,找到改革的关键。方法结合实际教学及规培现状进行分析:规培学员不够重视;规培内容多,规培时间短;规培学员水平参差不齐,轮转方案不够个性化等问题。近年来,皮肤科根据自身特点注重住院医师规范化培训工作的开展。通过对规培学员临床诊疗能力、学习能力、中医思维、师生沟通情况及规培满意度进行打分。结果对156位出科规培医师进行满意度调查及考核,大部分住院医师对所在科室科培训工作满意度较高,中医临床能力得到增强。在本科规培人员2月以上组80分以上的人数高于2月以下组(P<0.05)。结论通过加强考勤管理、制定适合的规培方案、改革教学内容及开展内容丰富的教学活动、加强业务学习,突出中医特色,不断促使学员进行学习皮肤病相关知识,皮肤科规培工作取得了一定成效。     

川黄柏和关黄柏全球产地生态适宜性分析

目的:黄柏是中国传统大宗中药材,"三木药材"之一,国家二级保护植物,是退耕还林、天然林保护工程和荒山造林的优良树种,具有较高的经济和生态价值。根据物种和产地不同,黄柏分为"川黄柏"和"关黄柏",通过产地适宜性研究分析其潜在的适宜分布区,为正确选择物种及栽培区域提供科学依据。方法:收集全球道地产区、主产区、野生分布区样点生态信息,其中川黄柏364个样点,关黄柏247个样点,采用《药用植物全球产地生态适宜性信息系统》(GMPGIS)分析其全球适宜生长区域。结果:川黄柏和关黄柏全球适宜分布区域有明显分界,川黄柏主要分布于亚热带季风气候区,在亚洲、欧洲、北美洲、南美洲、大洋洲均有一定面积的最大生态相似度区域,包括中国、美国、法国、巴西、日本、意大利、新西兰等65个国家和地区。关黄柏主要分布于温带季风气候区,在亚洲、欧洲、北美洲有一定的生态相似度区域,包括美国、中国、俄罗斯、加拿大等30个国家和地区。结论:GMPGIS分析结果能为黄柏引种时选择正确的基原物种和栽培区域提供科学依据。     

三轨教学模式在肿瘤内科临床教学中的应用价值

目的分析肿瘤内科临床教学中三轨教学模式的应用价值。方法采用分层抽样法抽选2018年1月-2018年12月在本院实习的学生共68名纳入本次实验,并用均等双盲划分法将其中34例纳入对照组(采取传统教学法),剩余34例纳入观察组(采取三轨教学模式),观察两组教学效果。结果观察组理论及技能操作考核成绩比对照组更高,同时在提升学习积极性、掌握理论知识、培养临床能力、培养思维能力、培养自学能力、提升文献查阅能力、提升团队协作力、提升分析解决问题能力方面评分均高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论肿瘤内科的临床教学中采取三轨教学模式效果显著,能调动学生的主观能动性,提升其理论知识及技能操作水平,培养其临床实践能力及临床思维能力,值得采用。