On the question of studying the examination system during the reign of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. The image of a student in the stories of Pu Songling

The stories of the Chinese writer Pu Songling about the extraordinary are well known all over the world: there are translations in English, French, German and Spanish. The article, based on the study of the stories of Pu Songling in the translations of the outstanding Russian orientalist Vasiliy Mikhailovich Alekseev (1881-1951), presents the image of a student and the features of the examination system (keju) during the reign of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China (1644-1911). The importance of fiction in the study of the content of the institution of state examinations is emphasized. Artistic images help to see the uniqueness and specificity of the keju system. Highly qualified translations of Liao Zhai's stories and V.M. Alekseev's comments create the image of a student - "a criminal in prison", "a bee frozen by the end of autumn", "a sick bird released from a cage", "a monkey on a leash", "a fly that has drunk poison", "a turtle dove whose eggs have broken". The materials of the article can be useful in preparing for classes in "History" study field. These stories allow considering the system of state examinations (keju) during the Qing Dynasty as a specific phenomenon of Chinese culture. The author considers three types of exams in the period of the Manchu Qing Dynasty - county-regional, provincial and metropolitan with a specific system of tasks and levels of difficulty for each level.

Changes in protein and mineral metabolism in broiler chickens with perosis

Perosis is one of the most common leg pathologies in broiler chickens, during the period of intense weight gain – at the age of 14–35 days. Due to manganese deficiency, the number of sick birds can reach up to 5% of the flock. These studies were carried out in order to establish changes in some indicators of protein, macro- and micromineral metabolism in the blood serum of clinically healthy broiler chickens and birds with perosis at 14, 21 and 28 days of age. A batch of 2,000 Cobb-500 crossbred broiler chickens was selected. Two groups of chickens were directly involved in the research, in which blood was taken at the age of 14, 21 and 28 days: healthy birds and those with perosis signs. Clinical studies showed that 8.0% of chickens on 28th day suffered from perosis. Trace mineral biochemical parameters of serum and blood of broiler chickens with perosis on the 28th day of life significantly differed from those of healthy birds (manganese and zinc). It was found that on the 28th day of life the weight of chickens with perosis was reduced by 42.7%, causing a loss of weight 88 kg per batch of 2000 birds, with a consumption of feed 140 kg. The obtained data will allow the development of early perosis prevention schemes in broiler chickens, which will help manage production losses and increase its profitability. On farms, to prevent the occurrence of perosis, it is necessary to take into account the technological factors of the production of compound feed. Also, an increase in the level of total protein and albumin in serum in the blood may indicate inflammatory processes and dehydration of the body. Therefore, it is better to site a sick bird separately for rearing or hand over to a sanitary culling.

Monitoring and diagnosis of poultry bacterial diseases in poultry farms of the Kyiv region

Bacterial safety in the modern poultry industry plays a key role and is one of the key factors in production effi ciency. In the structure of poultry infectious pathology, the leading place is occupied by such bacteria as Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus cecorum, Staphylococcus aureus, Gallibacterium anatis. The results of studies of samples of pathological material obtained from a sick bird are presented that indicate that most often Escherichia coli cultures were isolated from the heart (41,5 %), liver (22,0 %) and lungs (20,7 %), less often spleen (5,2 %) and kidney (2,0 %). Most isolated cultures of Escherichia coli (78 %) caused hemolysis when plating material on blood agar. The largest number of pathogenic cultures of Escherichia coli was isolated from adult chickens, signifi cantly fewer chickens under the age of 20 days. The associated course of bacterioses caused by two or more pathogens was noted in 89,8 % of cases. In 38,5 % of cases, Escherichia coli, bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus and Gallibacterium anatis were isolated from pathological material, in 27,3 % – a joint course of escherichiosis, staphylococcosis and enterobacteriosis was noted, in 15,7 % – escherichiosis, salmonellosis and enterobacteriosis, in 8,3 % – pasteurellosis and enterobacteriosis. In 13,2 % of cases with pathological material from chickens (liver, joints, in chickens – blind processes of the intestine) Clostridium perfringens was isolated. Three species of bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus were identifi ed: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus pluranimalium (51,7 % from the liver, 21,7 from the lungs, 18,3 from the spleen, 5,0 % from the kidneys). Enterococcus cecorum was identifi ed in 11,32 % of the studied samples from cloacal swabs, oviducts and bone marrow, and Gallibacterium anatis was identifi ed in 11,32 % (from the upper respiratory tract and genitals). Key words: poultry farms, monitoring, bacterial infection, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus pluranimalium, Enterococcus cecorum, Clostridium perfringens, Gallibacterium anatis.

Identification of Pasteurella multocida by polymerase chain reaction

Pasteurellosis having a fairly wide distri-bution can be a reason that hinders the suc-cessful development of poultry farming. The causes and conditions for the occurrence of this disease in farms are often not specific. Pasteurella multocida can manifest itself from an extremely weakened Pasteurella carrier to a highly virulent pathogen. A sick bird is a hidden carrier of this disease and is subject to further culling. All this ultimately leads to significant economic losses. Rapid and reliable detection of this patho-gen will reduce or completely prevent eco-nomic losses. The clinical manifestation of the disease in the form of a lightning course causes difficulties in its lifetime diagnosis. The aim of our work was to develop unique samples of oligonucleotide sequences of primers specific to the pathogen P. multo-cida. The proposed method will provide de-tection of Pasteurella multocida within 3-4 hours, as well as rapid and highly specific determination of the type of this bacterium. After analyzing the Pasteurella multo-cida genome, we selected a region of the ptfA gene for the construction of oligonu-cleotides. A pair of primers were selected for PCR: Pm0567 and Pm1321. Gene se-quences were aligned by selecting similar ones in absolutely all the studied Pasteurel-la multocida isolates. Using special com-puter programs, the specificity of the select-ed primers was evaluated. A search in the sequence database revealed 100% homolo-gy of the selected primers with only homol-ogous sequences in the Pasteurella multo-cida genome. The study of samples contain-ing pathologic agents of bacterial nature by PCR confirmed the specificity of the select-ed primers. Positive results were obtained only with samples containing Pasteurella multocida. Thus, the selected primers can be proposed for the study of samples of different compositions to identify the ge-nome of Pasteurella multocida.

Clinical Evaluation of Hyperimmune Serum for the Treatment of Newcastle Disease in Indigenous Layer Birds

The efficacy of hyperimmune serum for the treatment of Newcastle disease (ND) was evaluated in indigenous birds. A total of 20 indigenous birds (3 to 4 months old) were divided into three groups, namely group A (n = 9), B (n = 8) and C (n = 3). Birds of all the groups were infected orally with 0.2 mL (106.5EID50/0.1 mL) of virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Birds of group A were treated with hyperimmune serum (raised in chickens against NDV) @ 2 mL/bird IM after 6 hours of infection before commencement of clinical signs. Birds of group B received two doses of hyperimmune serum, first @ 2 mL/bird IV after commencement of clinical signs and second @ 3 mL/bird IM 5 hours after first dosing. Birds of group C served as infected control. Birds of group A did not show any clinical signs of ND except one (11%). However, the only sick bird recovered after one repeat dosing of 1 mL hyperimmune serum. In group B, 87.5% birds survived with two birds having nervous signs. Therefore, it may be concluded that hyperimmune sera was effective in preventing morbidity and mortality due to ND in birds when administered before or after commencement of the clinical signs. However, it is needed to conduct a field trial to explore the efficacy of hyperimmune sera raised both in chickens and rabbits.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v24i1-2.19103 Progress. Agric. 24(1&2): 79 - 84, 2013

Engaging the senses: Dirt, food and the home

Through its sensual and tactile evocation of dirt, eating and touching, The Cage produces an atmosphere of domestic intimacy and confinement which is disrupted by the appearance of a sick bird. This article explores how Mihaes' shift from initial disgust to a surprising tenderness is revealed in embodied terms.

Pandemic Influenza: Public Health Preparedness for the Next Global Health Emergency

The threat posed by avian influenza appears to be rising, yet global and national health programs are preparing only fitfully. A lethal form of avian flu has rooted itself deeply into the poultry flocks of poor Asian countries that will have a hard time eradicating it. Every so often a sick bird infects a human, who usually dies from the encounter, and on rare occasions the virus seems to have spread from one person to another before the chain of infection dies out. All it would take to set off a raging global pandemic would be for the virus to mutate into a form that is readily transmissible among humans.Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) garnered a great deal of public attention because it was novel and its potential for spread was unknown. However, the SARS corona virus is significantly less virulent than pandemic influenza viral infections.