Profile of Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 and Presenting at Least One Comorbidity in the Epidemic Treatment Centers (CTE) of Benin: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Therapeutic Aspects

Introduction: 2019 coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19, is a highly contagious respiratory disease, rapidly expanding, caused by a new human coronavirus (SARS-COV-2). COVID-19, the main public health problem in Benin since March 2020, is marked by its impact on morbidity and mortality, and its significant socio-economic consequences worldwide. When associated with comorbidity, it can be fatal for the patient. The aim of this work is to study the profile of patients infected with the new coronavirus and presenting one or more associated comorbidities in Benin’s CTEs. Method: This study was carried out in the three (03) CTEs of Benin. It was a retrospective and descriptive study on patients infected with the new coronavirus and presenting at least one associated comorbidity over 11-month period from August 2020 to June 2021. We carried out a thorough recruitment of all patients who tested positive by PCR and were admitted to these centers, presenting at least one comorbidity and whose records were more or less complete during the study period. Results: Out of 819 hospitalized patients during the study period, 516 patients had at least one comorbidity. The hospital prevalence of COVID cases associated with comorbidities in the care centers was 63%. The male gender predominated (57.75%), with a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.37. The over-60 age group was the most represented (49.80%). Comorbidities were dominated respectively by arterial hypertension (68.60%), diabetes (40.31%), obesity (11.05%) and chronic renal failure (7.75%). The symptomatology was polymorphous, but respectively dominated by asthenia (57.56%), fever (51.55%), dyspnea (45.93%) and cough (45.16%). Patient treatment was based on two protocols: one using chloroquine and the other using antiretrovirals (ARVs). The progression was favorable for 76.74% of patients. Conclusion: It is therefore important to reinforce the means of combating comorbidities, in particular hypertension, diabetes, obesity, HIV and chronic renal failure. A particular attention must be paid to the old individuals.

Real-time Fluorescence Reverse-transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification for Detection of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

Porcine epidemic diarrhea,a highly contagious enteric infectious disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus(PEDV)with symptoms of vomit,diarrhea,loss of appetite of suckling pig,has led to serious economic loss to the global swine industry.In this study,a real-time fluorescence reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification(RT-LAMP)assay was developed to detect PEDV RNA.The real-time fluorescence RT-LAMP assay was performed at62℃for 60 min,using a simple and portable device,the ESE-Quant Tube Scanner.The detection limit of RNA was 2.9×10^(6) copies/μl,10 times as sensitive as RT-PCR,and the detection was specific only to PEDV.Application of this method to clinical samples yielded a positivity rate of 93%,which was higher than that of RT-PCR.This technique saves time and is efficient,and is thus expected to be useful for the diagnosis of PEDV infection in the field.

Risk Factors for COVID-19 Related Death during the First Three Waves of the Pandemic in an Epidemic Treatment Center at Dakar, Senegal

Introduction-Objective: COVID-19 is a highly transmissible but often mild viral infection. However, some patients can present severe COVID-19 and subsequently die. The aim of the present study was to assess the risk factors for COVID-19 related death during the first three waves of the disease at the Epidemic Treatment Center (ETC) of Dakar Principal Hospital (DPH). Method: We conducted a descriptive and analytical perspective survival study from April 4, 2020 to September 25, 2021, including adult patients with COVID-19, hospitalized at the ETC of DPH. Log Rank test and multivariate Cox model were performed to identify risk factors for death. Results: We included 556 COVID-19 patients with mean age of 57 ± 17 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1.26. The number of deaths during one month of follow-up was 41, representing a cumulative risk of 7.4%. The log Rank test showed that being from the third wave (p = 0.0056), advanced age (p = 0.00098), presence of at least one comorbidity (p = 0.034), High blood pressure (p = 0.024), d-dimer level ≥ 1000 IU/L (p Conclusion: Our study showed that elderly and third-wave of COVID-19 patients were more at risk to die. Knowledge of risk factors for COVID-19 related death could improve the prognosis of these patients.

Blood Count Abnormalities Associated with Death in Patients Infected with SARS-COV-2 at the Ziguinchor EpidemicTreatment Center (ETC)

Introduction: SARS-COV-2 infection is a real public health challenge for the World Health Organization and for our country. It is responsible for numerous hematological abnormalities in infected patients. Objectives: To describe the haemogram abnormalities in patients infected with SARS-COV-2 and to determine which ones are associated with death. Material and Method: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study from March 2020 to September 2021. The study included all patients hospitalized with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 who performed a blood count. We evaluated the blood count profile, the pathologies found and the associated blood count abnormalities. Results: A total of 263 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 63.77 years (range 12 - 90 years). The male sex represented 54.75% (n = 144) while the female sex was 45.25% (n = 119) (sex ratio = 1.21). The most common pathologies were: diabetes: 30.03% (n = 79), high blood pressure: 41.04% (n = 108), and Chronic kidney disease: 7.98 (n = 21). The abnormalities of the haemogram found were essential: anaemia 28.13% (n = 121), hyperleukocytosis with neutrophilic predominance: 29.3% (126), lymphopenia: 34.41% (n = 148), thrombocytopenia: 8.16% (n = 35). The search for hematological factors associated with death in patients showed a significant difference between hyperleukocytosis (p = 0.000) and lymphopenia (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: SARS-COV-2 disease was a mortality factor when associated with lymphopenia and hyperleukocytosis in our series.

Adaptive Fourier Decomposition of the First Three SARS-CoV-2 Infection Waves with Epidemic Intervention—London,UK,2020-2022

Background:This study provides a detailed analysis of the daily fluctuations in coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)case numbers in London from January 31,2020 to February 24,2022.The primary objective was to enhance understanding of the interactions among government pandemic responses,viral mutations,and the subsequent changes in COVID-19 case incidences.Methods:We employed the adaptive Fourier decomposition(AFD)method to analyze diurnal changes and further segmented the AFD into novel multi-component groups consisting of one to three elements.These restructured components were rigorously evaluated using Pearson correlation,and their effectiveness was compared with other signal analysis techniques.This study introduced a novel approach to differentiate individual components across various time-frequency scales using basis decomposition methods.Results:Analysis of London’s daily COVID-19 data using AFD revealed a strong correlation between the“stay at home”directive and high-frequency components during the first epidemic wave.This indicates the need for sustained implementation of vaccination policies to maintain their effectiveness.Discussion:The AFD component method provides a comprehensive analysis of the immediate and prolonged impact of governmental policies on the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).This robust tool has proven invaluable for analyzing COVID-19 pandemic data,offering critical insights that guide the formulation of future preventive and public health strategies.

Suggestions of management on emergency responses to epidemic outbreaks in outpatient or emergency departments of tertiary teaching hospitals

Background Patients infected with the alpha,beta,and delta strains of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)usually exhibit fever,dry cough,nasal congestion,sore throat,loss of taste or smell,runny nose,conjunctivitis,fatigue,myalgia,diarrhea,and other symptoms,[1]while patients infected with the omicron strain present mild symptoms,including nasal discharge,sore throat,sneezing,headache,and cough.[2]Some patients deliberately conceal the relevant medical history,which makes it difficult to find in the pre-examination screening in outpatient or emer-gency departments.Outpatient and emergency buildings are usually linked to each other,and some older floors are poorly ventilated.Once patients with COVID-19 see a doctor in an out-patient or emergency building,especially patients infected with the omicron strain,an outbreak of the epidemic in a large area is easily possible.

Emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8)clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in grebes in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia,China,in 2021

Highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI)subtype H5Nx viruses have spread globally and are a major concern for poultry,wild birds,mammals,and even humans(de Vries et al.2015;Zeng et al.2022).The hemagglutinin(HA)genes of H5 subtype viruses have evolved into multiple clades and some of these clades have been further divided into subclades(Cui et al.2022).Clade 2.3.4.4H5N8 HPAI viruses(HPAIVs)have caused several waves of disease outbreaks in wild birds and domestic poultry(Wang et al.2022).

Association of physical activity with risk of chronic kidney disease in China:A population-based cohort study

Background:Information on the association between physical activity(PA)and the risk of chronic kidney disease(CKD)is limited.We aimed to explore the associations of total,domain-specific,and intensity-specific PA with CKD and its subtypes in China.Methods:The study included 475,376 adults from the China Kadoorie Biobank aged 30-79 years during 2004-2008 at baseline.An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the information about PA,which was quantified as metabolic equivalent of task hours per day(MET-h/day)and categorized into 4 groups based on quartiles.Cox regression was used to analyze the association between PA and CKD risk.Results:During a median follow-up of 12.1 years,5415 incident CKD cases were documented,including 1159 incident diabetic kidney disease(DKD)cases and 362 incident hypertensive nephropathy(HTN)cases.Total PA was inversely associated with CKD risk,with an adjusted hazard ratio(HR,95%confidence interval(95%CI))of 0.83(0.75-0.92)for incident CKD in the highest quartile of total PA as compared with participants in the lowest quartile.Similar results were observed for risk of DKD and HTN,and the corresponding HRs(95%CIs)were 0.75(0.58-0.97)for DKD risk and 0.56(0.37-0.85)for HTN risk.Increased nonoccupational PA,low-intensity PA,and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA were significantly associated with a decreased risk of CKD,with HRs(95%CIs)of 0.80(0.73-0.88),0.85(0.77-0.94),and 0.85(0.76-0.95)in the highest quartile,respectively.Conclusion:PA,including nonoccupational PA,low-intensity PA,and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA,was inversely associated with the risk of CKD,including DKD,HTN,and other CKD,and such associations were dose dependent.

iTRAQ-based proteomics reveals the mechanism of action of Yinlai decoction in treating pneumonia in mice consuming a high-calorie diet

Objective:To uncover the underlying mechanisms of action of the Yinlai decoction on high-calorie dietinduced pneumonia through proteomics analysis.Methods:Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,lung tissue samples from normal and high-fat diet(HFD)fed mice in the GSE16377 dataset were selected as test cohorts to identify differentially expressed genes and conduct bioinformatics analyses.In the animal experiments,mice were randomly divided into the control(N),high-calorie diet pneumonia(M),and Yinlai decoction treatment(Y)groups.Mice in the M group received high-calorie feed and a 0.5 mg/mL lipopolysaccharide solution spray for 30 min for 3 d.The mice in the Y group were intragastrically administered 2 mL/10 g Yinlai decoction twice daily for 3 d.Pathological evaluation of the lung tissue was performed.Differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)in the lung tissue were identified using quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analyses.The drug-target relationships between Yinlai decoction and core DEPs in the lung tissue were verified using AutoDock Vina and Molecular Graphics Laboratory(MGL)Tools.DEPs were verified by western blot.Results:GEO data mining showed that an HFD altered oxidative phosphorylation in mouse lung tissue.The Yinlai decoction alleviated pathological damage to lung tissue and pneumonia in mice that were fed a high-calorie diet.A total of 47 DEPs were identified between the Y and M groups.Enrichment analysis revealed their association with energy metabolism pathways such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle(TCA)and oxidative phosphorylation.The protein-protein interaction network revealed that Atp5a1,Pdha1,and Sdha were the target proteins mediating the therapeutic effects of Yinlai decoction.Molecular docking results suggested that the mechanism of the therapeutic effect of Yinlai decoction involves the binding of brassinolide,praeruptorin B,chrysoeriol,and other components in Yinlai decoction to Atp5a1.Conclusion:The Yinlai decoction alleviated lung tissue damage and pneumonia in mice that were fed a high-calorie diet by regulating the TCA and oxidative phosphorylation.Our study highlights the importance of a healthy diet for patients with pneumonia and provides a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pneumonia through dietary adjustments.

PCR-HRM for Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: A Variant Detection Tool in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa

The rise of new viruses, like SARS-CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 outbreak, along with the return of antibiotic resistance in harmful bacteria, demands a swift and efficient reaction to safeguard the health and welfare of the global population. It is crucial to have effective measures for prevention, intervention, and monitoring in place to address these evolving and recurring risks, ensuring public health and international security. In countries with limited resources, utilizing recombinant mutation plasmid technology in conjunction with PCR-HRM could help differentiate the existence of novel variants. cDNA synthesis was carried out on 8 nasopharyngeal samples following viral RNA extraction. The P1 segment of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S protein was amplified via conventional PCR. Subsequently, PCR products were ligated with the pGEM-T Easy vector to generate eight recombinant SARS-CoV-2 plasmids. Clones containing mutations were sequenced using Sanger sequencing and analyzed through PCR-HRM. The P1 segment of the S gene from SARS-CoV-2 was successfully amplified, resulting in 8 recombinant plasmids generated from the 231 bp fragment. PCR-HRM analysis of these recombinant plasmids differentiated three variations within the SARS-CoV-2 plasmid population, each displaying distinct melting temperatures. Sanger sequencing identified mutations A112C, G113T, A114G, G214T, and G216C on the P1 segment, validating the PCR-HRM findings of the variations. These mutations led to the detection of L452R or L452M and F486V protein mutations within the protein sequence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. In summary, PCR-HRM is a vital and affordable tool for distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 variants utilizing recombinant plasmids as controls.

Detection of ARV-Resistant Mutants in HIV-1-Infected Individuals in a Context of Systematic Switching to an Association Based on Dolutegravir in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

The emergence of antiretroviral resistance mutations represents a major threat to the achievement of national and global goals for the elimination of HIV-1 infection. The global strategy in 2019 in Cte d'Ivoire is a new national policy for the management of people living with HIV with the administration of dolutegravir (DTG)-based fixed-dose combination. The aim of our study was to evaluate HIV-1 resistance to antiretrovirals (ARVs) in infected adult subjects in Cte d’Ivoire in the context of a systematic switch to a DTG-based combination. Between February 2022 and October 2023, a cross-sectional survey with random sampling was conducted in 06 services caring for people living with HIV. A total of 139 participants were included in the study. Adults with a viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL were tested for HIV-1 ARV resistance mutations. Molecular analyses were performed using protocol of ANRS-MIE (National Agency for Research on AIDS and emerging infectious diseases). The interpretation is performed by HIVGRAD (https://www.hiv-grade.de/cms/grade/). The frequencies of HIV-1 resistance to non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), integrase inhibitors (IINTs) and protease inhibitors (PIs) were 82%, 73%, 19% and 11% respectively. The main mutations observed in the different classes were K103N (45%), M184V (64%), E157Q (19%) and L10V/M46I/A71V/I54V (6%) respectively. This study reveals the emergence of resistance to DTG-based fixed-dose combinations, favored by high rates of resistance to NRTIs and NNRTIs. This finding underlines the need for enhanced viral load monitoring and HIV-1 genotyping tests to guide the choice of NRTIs for combination therapy. In addition, monitoring for mutations to second-generation NRTIs is essential, given the scale-up of DTG-based regimens currently underway in Cte d’Ivoire.

Tracking the Confiscated Green Sea Turtles in the South China Sea:Where Did They Come From?Where Will They Go?

The population of the green sea turtle(Chelonia mydas)is under decline,threatened by bycatch and illegal acquisition despite worldwide protection efforts.However,the confiscation of illegally acquired sea turtles could aid in tracking their origin and movement patterns,crucial for effective conservation strategies.Combining satellite tracking and genetic analysis offers an opportunity to investigate the relationship between the origins and migration directions of green sea turtles in the western Pacific.Here,we applied two methods to investigate the spatial ecology of 18 green turtles caught as bycatch in the South China Sea.Our results revealed the genetic origins and diverse movements of the turtles.Bayesian Mixed Stock Analysis(MSA)suggested that these turtles originated from the rookery of the Xisha Islands(49.6%),central Ryukyu(24.6%),NE Borneo(8%),and the Sulu Sea(5.2%),with other rookeries in meagre proportions(<2%each).Satellite tracking showed the ranges of their travel were smaller than the whole contributed rookery range,but diverse.The haplotype diversity of these turtles is high,and CmP19 stands out as both the most frequent and the most diverse haplotype in terms of swimming destinations.These results indicate that the South China Sea is likely an important transportation hub and mating spot for green turtles.Our findings provided evidence for the rehabilitation of these green turtles in the wild and illustrated the complexity of movement during the green turtle’s life history,and the“mixed backgrounds”of the green turtles also highlight the need for joint conservation efforts of neighbouring countries in the South China Sea.

Healthcare Worker-Related Factors Contributing to Tuberculosis Treatment Non-Adherence among Patients in Kisumu East Sub-County

Background: Treatment non-adherence poses significant risks to health outcomes and impedes the health system’s efficiency, hence curtailing progress towards the end Tuberculosis (TB) strategy under SDG 3.3. Despite interventions to address TB treatment non-adherence, Kenya still reports high TB treatment non-adherence rates of 35% and consequently poor treatment outcome rates. Health Care Workers (HCWs) play a critical role in linking the population to health services, yet little is known of their influence on patients’ TB treatment non-adherence in Kenya. Objective: To analyze HCW-related factors associated with TB treatment non-adherence among patients in Kisumu East Sub-County. Methods: Health facility-based analytical cross-sectional mixed-method study. A Semi-structured questionnaire on treatment adherence and patients’ perceptions of HCWs during the clinic visit was administered to 102 consenting adult (out of a total census of 107 adults) drug-susceptible TB patients. 12 purposively selected HCWs by rank from 6 health facilities participated in Key Informant Interview sessions. Medication adherence was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and then expressed as a dichotomous variable. Quantitative analysis utilized STATA version 15.1 while qualitative deductive thematic analysis was done using NVIVO version 14. Results: TB treatment non-adherence rate of 26% (CI: 18% - 36%) was recorded. Overall, patients who felt supported in dealing with the illness were 8 times more likely to adhere to treatment compared to those who were not (aOR = 7.947, 95% CI: 2.214 - 28.527, p = 0.001). Key HCW related factors influencing adherence to treatment included: friendliness (cOR = 4.31, 95% CI: 1.514 - 12.284, p = 0.006), respect (cOR = 6.679, 95% CI: 2.239 - 19.923, p = 0.001) and non-discriminatory service (cOR = 0.1478, 95% CI: 0.047 - 0.464, p = 0.001), communication [adequacy of consultation time (cOR = 6.563, 95% CI: 2.467 - 17.458, p = 0.001) and patients’ involvement in their health decisions (cOR = 3.02 95% CI: 1.061 - 8.592, p = 0.038)] and education and counselling (cOR = 4.371, 95% CI: 1.725 - 11.075, p = 0.002). Conclusion: The study results underline importance of patient-centered consultation for TB patients and targeted education and counselling for improved treatment adherence.

Comparison of Influenza Outbreaks in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Russia Induced by 2009 Yearly New Variant of А(H1N1) Influenza Virus

The aim of the work is the comparison of the epidemiology of influenza and acute respiratory virus infections (ARVI) in the Republic of Kazakhstan with the corresponding influenza epidemic in Russia induced by influenza pandemic virus A/California/07/2009 in 2009.Data on influenza and ARVI from the Republic of Kazakhstan and Federal Center of influenza was collected and investigated over the course of several weeks from hospitalized patients with the same diagnosis among all population and in age groups on 16 territories of Kazakhstan and in 49 major cities of Russia.The epidemic in Kazakhstan resembled the Russian epidemic in terms of its abnormally early beginning,expression of monoaetiology,the spread of the epidemic into all territories and start of the epidemics among adult population.High percentage of hospitalized people and lethal outcome were registered in this epidemic.Similarity of epidemic process character in corresponding border-line territories of both countries was found out.

Eddy Covariance Tilt Corrections over a Coastal Mountain Area in South-east China:Significance for Near-Surface Turbulence Characteristics

Turbulence characteristics of an atmospheric surface layer over a coastal mountain area were investigated under different coordinate frames. Performances of three methods of coordinate rotation： double rotation （DR）, triple rotation （TR）, and classic planar-fit rotation （PF） were examined in terms of correction of eddy covariance flux. Using the commonly used DR and TR methods, unreasonable rotation angles are encountered at low wind speeds and cause significant run-to-run errors of some turbulence characteristics. The PF method rotates the coordinate system to an ensemble-averaged plane, and shows large tilt error due to an inaccurate fit plane over variable terrain slopes. In this paper, we propose another coordinate rotation scheme. The observational data were separated into two groups according to wind direction. The PF method was adapted to find an ensemble-averaged streamline plane for each group of hourly runs with wind speed exceeding 1.0 m s-1. Then, the coordinate systems were rotated to their respective best- fit planes for all available hourly observations. We call this the PF10 method. The implications of tilt corrections for the turbulence characteristics are discussed with a focus on integral turbulence characteristics, the spectra of wind-velocity components, and sensible heat and momentum fluxes under various atmospheric stabilities. Our results show that the adapted application of PF provides greatly improved estimates of integral turbulence characteristics in complex terrain and maintains data quality. The comparisons of the sensible heat fluxes for four coordinate rotation methods to fluxes before correction indicate that the PF10 scheme is the best to preserve consistency between fluxes.

Effect of Pelleted Total Mixed Ration on Production Performance and Serum Biochemical Index of Growing Hainan Black Goats

[Objective] The paper was to investigate effects of pelleted total mixed ration on production performance and serum biochemical index of growing Hainan black goats.[Method] Twenty-four growing Hainan black goats with the same genetic backgrounds and similar initial weight of(10.05±0.049) kg were randomly assigned into two treatments, and supplied with Juncao + concentrate(control group), pelleted total mixed ration(experimental group), respectively. The trial lasted 50 d.[Result] The final weight, daily gain and feed intake of experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group(P<0.05), but the feed/gain ratio of experimental group was markedly lower than that of control group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the gross profit of experimental group significantly increased( P <0.05).[Conclusion] Pelleted total mixed ration led to better production performance of growing Hainan black goat.

Short-term entecavir therapy of chronic severe hepatitis B

BACKGROUND: Chronic severe hepatitis B patients often have limited survival. This investigation aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of nucleoside analog therapy on chronic severe hepatitis B. METHODS: We retrospectively, randomly collected the data of 129 chronic severe hepatitis B patients: 55 were treated with entecavir, and the remaining 74 were not treated with nucleoside analogues. RESULTS: No significant difference in short-term survival rate was found between the group treated with entecavir and that treated without nucleoside analogues. Although entecavir greatly reduced HBV replication in different periods of therapy (P<0.001), the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and liver function (alanine aminotransferase, albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) showed no significant change. No significant differences were found in MELD scores and liver function in patients with different HBV DNA levels (<= 10(4) copies/ml, >10(4) to <10(6) copies/ml, >= 10(6) copies/ml). Nor correlation was observed between HBV DNA levels and MELD scores in different periods of therapy (P>0.05). The HBV DNA levels of patients who survived for over 3 months or less than 3 months were not significantly different either. However, the MELD score and parameters of liver function (albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) were different between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that short-term suppression of HBV replication may not slow down the progression of liver failure in patients with chronic severe hepatitis B.

Effects on Growth Performance and Feed Digestibility of Hainan Black Pigs by Adding Lysine in Low Protein Diet

[Objective] The paper was to study the effects on growth performance and feed digestibility of Hainan black pigs by adding lysine in low prntein diet. [Method] A tntal of 36 Hainan black pigs with the body weight of （46.34±3.06） kg were randomly divided into three groups： con- trol group （protein level 15%, lysine level 0.83%）, experimental grnup 1 （protein level 13%, 0.83%）, and experimental group II （protein level 13%, lysine level 1.03）, each group had three replicates of four pigs. The trial lasted 35 d. [Result] The growth performance of Hainan black pig in grnup II had no significan! difference with that in contrail group （P〉0.05）. The apparent digestibility of chide protein and phosphorus of Hainan black pigs in Group II increased significantly （P〈0.05）, which were increased by 10.08% and 11.85% respectively compared to the control group; the apparent digestibility of calcium was increased, but the difference was not signifieant （P〉0.05）. [Conclusion] It will not reduce the growth performance of Hainan blaek pig when the protein level of diet is reduced by 2% and Ihe lysine level is increased to 1.03%. It is recommended that the diet can be used in the production of llainan black pig.

Effects of Dietary Concentrate to Forage Ratios on Production Performance and Serum Biochemical Indicators in Post-fattening Hainan Yellow Cattle

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the effects of dietary concentrate to forage ratios on production performance and serum bio-chemical indicators of post-fattening Hainan Yellow Cattle.[Method]Sixteen Hainan Yellow Cattles with the same genetic backgrounds and similar initial weight of(242.22 ±0.71 kg) were randomly divided into four treatments.Cattles were fed with diets of different concentrate to forage ratios(20:80, group Ⅰ;30:70, Group Ⅱ;40:60, group Ⅲ;50:50, group Ⅳ).The trial lasted 62 d.[Result]The daily gain in experimental group Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in experimental group Ⅱ(P<0.05), but the feed gain ratio in experimental group Ⅳ was lower than those in other ex-perimental groups(P>0.05).The feed intake in experimental group Ⅳ was also markedly higher than those in experimental groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ(P<0.05).Compared with the experimental group Ⅱ, the gross profit of experimental group Ⅳ was significantly promoted(P<0.05).The alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in experimental group Ⅱ were markedly higher than those in experimental groups Ⅰ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ.[Conclusion]When the dietary concentrate to forage ratios was 50∶50, the production performance of post-fattening Hainan Yellow Cattle was better.

Effects of Dietary Crude Fiber Levels on Growth Performance and Serum Biochemical Index of Dingan Geese Aged from 35 to 70 Days

[Objective] The study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary crude fiber on growth performance and serum biochemical in-dex of Dingan geese aged from 35 to 70 days.[Method] A total of 120 Dingan geese on day 28 with the same genetic background and similar initial weight(1 384.83.73±0.76 g) were randomly assigned into 3 groups, with 4 replicates per group and 10 geese per replicate. Geese were fed the diets containing 4.29%, 5.29% and 6.29 % crude fiber, respectively. The experiment lasted 35 d.[Result] Final weight and daily gain of 5.29 %CF group were significantly higher than those of 6.29 % CF group(P<0.05);Feed intake was markedly higher than those of 4.29% and 6.29 % CF groups(P<0.05);Feed gain ratio was significantly lower than that of 6.29 % CF group(P<0.05). Compared with 4.29% and 6.29 % CF groups, serum albumin concentrations of 5.29 % CF group increased significantly(P<0.05), while serum total protein and globin contents were higher(P>0.05), but serum uric acid level was lower(P>0.05).[Conclusion] 5.29 % crude fiber could lead to higher growth performance of Dingan geese.