Infection with Menangle virus in flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) in Australia

Objective To examine flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) for evidence of infection with Menangle virus. Design Clustered non‐random sampling for serology, virus isolation and electron microscopy (EM). Procedure Serum samples were collected from 306 Pteropus spp. in northern and eastern Australia and tested for antibodies against Menangle virus (MenV) using a virus neutralisation test (VNT). Virus isolation was attempted from tissues and faeces collected from 215 Pteropus spp. in New South Wales. Faecal samples from 68 individual Pteropus spp. and four pools of faeces were examined by transmission EM following routine negative staining and immunogold labelling. Results Neutralising antibodies (VNT titres ≥ 8) against MenV were detected in 46% of black flying foxes (P. alecto), 41% of grey‐headed flying foxes (P. poliocephalus), 25% of spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) and 1% of little red flying foxes (P. scapulatus) in Australia. Positive sera included samples collected from P. poliocephalus in a colony adjacent to a piggery that had experienced reproductive disease caused by MenV. Virus‐like particles were observed by EM in faeces from Pteropus spp. and reactivity was detected in pooled faeces and urine by immunogold EM using sera from sows that had been exposed to MenV. Attempts to isolate the virus from the faeces and tissues from Pteropus spp. were unsuccessful. Conclusion Serological evidence of infection with MenV was detected in Pteropus spp. in Australia. Although virus‐like particles were detected in faeces, no viruses were isolated from faeces, urine or tissues of Pteropus spp.     

十二个李品种的花粉形态的研究

应用电子扫描显微镜,对12个李品种的花粉进行了形态观察.结果表明:12个品种的花粉均属于中等大小的花粉(25～50 μm),花粉粒两端均为圆弧状.一些李品种的花粉外部形态差异明显,赤道面观分别呈长球形和扁球形之分,扁球形花粉的萌发孔在赤道面凸出角端;极面观有三裂片圆形和三角形之分;均具三孔沟,外壁纹饰均为条纹孔穴型,具平行分叉条纹或平行条纹呈皱波状,脊表面有或少或多的孔穴.不同李品种在花粉粒大小、萌发孔、形态上均表现一定的差异性,对于李品种的区分、引种、选育和生产实践中具有一定的参考和应用价值.     

鸡蛋壳质量与超微结构关系的研究

研究使用常规方法测定蛋形指数、蛋壳相对重量、蛋壳强度和蛋壳厚度等蛋壳质量指标,使用X射线能谱仪测定蛋壳断面各层钙的相对含量,使用环境扫描电子显微镜观察蛋壳断面各层和内外表面的超微结构。结果表明:蛋壳强度与蛋壳相对重量、蛋壳强度与蛋壳厚度以及蛋壳相对重量与蛋壳厚度之间相关分别达到0.444(P<0.01)、0.700(P<0.01)和0.611(P<0.01),各相关系数不在同一水平。蛋壳各层钙的相对含量分别达到32.68%±8.62%、33.13%±6.58%和32.35%±.97%,之间差异不显著(P>0.05),几近匀质。环境扫描电子显微镜的观察发现不同强度的蛋壳,其各层和内外表面超微结构存在明显差异。由此得出:蛋壳超微结构的差异是蛋壳质量变化的重要影响因素。     

高分辨四极杆飞行时间质谱仪判别复原乳和超高温灭菌乳

采用高分辨四极杆飞行时间质谱仪,结合化学计量学方法,利用非靶向代谢组学方法,对超高温灭菌乳和复原乳进行检测。牛乳样品经过前处理后,经过C18色谱柱分离,采用FullScan模式进行一级全扫描,扫描结果通过数据预处理后,导入SIMCA-P14.1软件中进行主成分分析和偏最小二乘方差判别分析。结果表明:正、负离子模式下共找到14种判别超高温灭菌乳和复原乳的表征因子,进一步通过这14种表征因子建立区分2种乳的判别模型,通过该判别模型能够准确地区分超高温灭菌乳和复原乳,为复原乳的判别提供理论依据。     

Avoiding bites and scratches? Understanding the public health implication of human–bat interactions in Ghana

Zoonotic pathogens cause an estimated 70% of emerging and re‐emerging infectious diseases in humans, affecting various aspects of human development on a global scale. The significance of bats as a source of emerging infectious diseases is being progressively appreciated. This study was undertaken post‐Ebola virus disease in West Africa and assessed the public health implications of human–bat interactions by exploring the reasons for contact between humans and bats, as well as reported actions taken upon experiencing bat bites or scratches. The paper highlights the nuances of human–bat interactions, stressing zoonotic disease risk awareness as well as the sources of information. The study used questionnaires to solicit information from 788 respondents in five communities with significant bat populations. We show that bat consumption was one of the main reasons for human–bat interactions. More men across the various communities ate bat meat. Only a small number of respondents (4.4%) reported being bitten by a bat, and 6.1% had been scratched by a bat. More than 21% had come into direct contact with bat blood. An even lower number went to the hospital after been bitten or scratched by bats. There was little knowledge on post‐exposure management. The most common places human–bat interactions occurred were at home and on farms. Seventy‐three per cent of the respondents believed that bats carried diseases, with Ebola virus disease being the most mentioned. Respondents indicated that the way they interacted with bats had not changed, even though they believed bats carried diseases and 46% stated that they had not changed the way they interacted with bats over the last two years. Apart from providing information on avoiding bites and scratches, a more holistic framework is needed to reduce human–bat interactions. The paper recommends a comprehensive and coordinated approach to optimizing an effective response to a potential bat‐borne zoonotic disease spillover.     

Clostridioides difficile on Ohio swine farms (2015): A comparison of swine and human environments and assessment of on‐farm risk factors

Swine are known reservoirs for Clostridioides difficile, formerly known as Clostridium difficile, and transmission from swine to human farm workers is strongly suggested by previous studies. This cross‐sectional study evaluated the potential role of farm environmental surfaces, including those in worker breakrooms and swine housing areas, in the possible transmission of C. difficile from swine to farm workers. Environmental surfaces and piglet faeces at 13 Ohio swine farms were sampled in 2015. Typical culturing techniques were performed to isolate C. difficile from samples, and amplification of toxin genes (tcdA, tcdB and cdtB) and PCR‐ribotyping were used to genetically characterize recovered isolates. In addition, sequencing of toxin regulatory gene, tcdC, was done to identify the length of identified deletions in some isolates. A survey collected farm‐level management risk factor information. Clostridioides difficile was recovered from all farms, with 42% (188/445) of samples testing positive for C. difficile. Samples collected from all on‐farm locations recovered C. difficile, including farrowing rooms (60%, 107/178), breakrooms (50%, 69/138) and nursery rooms (9%, 12/129). Three ribotypes recovered from both swine and human environments (078, 412 and 005) have been previously implicated in human disease. Samples taken from farrowing rooms and breakrooms were found to have greater odds of C. difficile recovery than those taken from nursery rooms (OR = 40.5, OR = 35.6, p < .001 respectively). Farms that weaned ≥23,500 pigs per year had lower odds of C. difficile recovery as compared to farms that weaned fewer pigs (OR = 0.4, p = .01) and weekly or more frequent cleaning of breakroom counters was associated with higher odds of C. difficile recovery (OR = 11.7, p < .001). This study provides important insights into the presence and characterization of C. difficile found in human environments on swine farms and highlights how these areas may be involved in transmission of C. difficile to swine farm workers and throughout the facility.     

枯草芽孢杆菌发酵制剂对饲喂含黄曲霉毒素B1饲料肉鸡免疫功能的影响

本试验旨在研究日粮中添加枯草芽孢杆菌发酵制剂对饲喂含黄曲霉毒素B1(AFB1)饲料肉鸡免疫功能的影响。选择5日龄健康AA肉仔鸡180只,随机分为3组,每组5个重复,每个重复12只鸡。A组饲喂基础饲粮,B组在基础饲粮中添加100μg/kg AFB1,C组在B组基础上添加0.1%枯草芽孢杆菌发酵制剂,饲养至42日龄。结果表明:C组21、28、35日龄鸡血清中新城疫(ND)抗体效价较B组分别提高了0.6log2、1.1log2和1.3log2(P<0.05);C组21、28、35日龄鸡血清中法氏囊(IBD)抗体值较B组分别提高了37.16%、63.82%和79.50%(P<0.05);C组鸡胸腺和法氏囊指数分别高出B组38.73%和24.24%(P<0.05),A、C组间无显著差异;C组鸡血清中IgA、IgG和IgM含量与B组相比分别提高了57.16%、139.08%和114.86%(P<0.05);A、C组间各指标差异不显著。综上,枯草芽孢杆菌发酵制剂能显著改善AA肉仔鸡AFB1中毒对ND和IBD疫苗免疫效果、免疫器官发育及免疫球蛋白含量的影响,使其恢复至正常水平。     

Infection process of Rhizoctonia solani on Solanum tuberosum and effects of granular nematicides

The infection process ofRhizoctonia solani AG-3 was studied on potato sprouts, cv. Bintje, in growth chamber trials at 15 °C. Initially hyphae ofR. solani grew predominantly in the longitudinal direction of the sprouts (runner hyphae). They tended to follow the junctions between epidermis cells as was observed by SEM. The hyphae formed side-branches mainly half-way of the subterranean parts of the sprouts. They branched several times with short swollen cells to form infection cushions. Lesions developed only underneath the infection cushions and were first observed five days after inoculation. The necrotic area was proportional to the area covered with infection cushions on the sprouts. Depth of the lesions could extend up to the vascular bundle. Sprouts were colonized only in healthy tissue in the epidermal layer underneath the infection cushion and in necrotic tissue. A few days after appearance of the lesions,R. solani formed brown, uninfective mycelium on and in the circumference of these lesions.Aldicarb did not influence any part of the infection process. Ethoprophos delayed the emergence of sprouts, but increased the number of sprouts per tuber. As soon as sprouts had emerged, growth was considerably promoted by ethoprophos. Ethoprophos delayed the appearance of lesions and reduced their size. Oxamyl showed the same effects to a smaller extent.As the size of lesions appears to be proportional to the size of the infection cushions, any agents that change the size of the infection cushions, such as pesticides or antagonists, may alter the severity of the disease.Samenvatting Het infectieproces vanRhizoctonia solani AG-3 werd bestudeerd op aardappelspruiten, cv. Bintje, in een klimaatcel bij 15C. Aanvankelijk groeide de schimmel met runnerhyfen voornamelijk in de lengterichting van de spruit. Via SEM kon waargenomen worden, dat de hyfen hierbij vooral over de begrenzingen van de epidermiscellen groeiden. Het mycelium vormde veel zijvertakkingen, bestaande uit iets gezwollen korte cellen, welke voornamelijk halverwege op het ondergrondse deel van de spruit gevormd werden. Een dichte massa van deze cellen vormde een infectiekussentje. Lesies, welke vanaf vijf dagen na inoculatie werden waargenomen, bevonden zich slechts onder spruitoppervlak bezet met infectiekussentjes. De lesiegrootte was recht evenredig met het spruitoppervlak dat bezet was met infectiekussentjes. De diepte van de lesies reikte tot aan de vaatbundels. De spruit werd alleen door de schimmel gekoloniseerd in gezond epidermisweefsel onder het infectiekussentje en in necrotisch weefsel. Enkele dagen na verschijning van lesies vormde R.solani bruin, niet infectieus, mycelium op en rondom de lesies.Aldicarb had geen effect op het infectieproces. Ethoprophos vertraagde de opkomst en verhoogde het aantal tot ontwikkeling gekomen spruiten per knol in gestoomd zand. Direct na opkomst had ethoprophos echter een sterk groeistimulerend effect. Ethoprophos vertraagde de lesievorming en reduceerde de lesiegrootte, vergeleken met onbehandelde planten. Oxamyl vertoonde deze effecten in geringere mate.Daar de lesiegrootte direct gecorreleerd blijkt met de grootte van het infectiekussentje, mag verwacht worden dat elke beïnvloeding van de ontwikkeling van het mycelium van R.solani, bijvoorbeeld door pesticiden of antagonisten, een verandering van de lesiegrootte ten gevolge heeft.     

Detection and characterization of phytoplasmas in diseased stone fruits and pear by PCR-RFLP analysis in Turkey

During the late summer-early autumn of 2002, surveys were carried out in Turkey to determine the presence of phytoplasma diseases in fruit trees. Phytoplasmas were detected and characterized by PCR-RFLP analysis and TEM technique in stone fruit and pear trees in the eastern Mediterranean region of the country. Six out of 24 samples, including almond, apricot, peach, pear and plum, gave positive results in PCR assays. RFLP analysis usingSspI andBsaAI enzymes of PCR products obtained with primer pair f01/r01 enabled identification of the phytoplasmas involved in the diseases. Stone fruit trees, including a local apricot variety (‘Sakıt’) and a pear sample, were found to be infected with European stone fruit yellows (ESFY, 16SrX-B) and pear decline (PD, 16SrX-C) phytoplasmas, respectively. This is the first report in Turkey of PD phytoplasma infecting pear and of ESFY phytoplasma infecting almond, apricot, myrobalan plum and peach; ESFY phytoplasma infecting Japanese plum was previously reported. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 21, 2005.     

壳寡糖与草莓细胞结合过程的研究

 壳寡糖是一类能有效的诱导植物抗病性的重要激发子。本研究用2 - 氨基吖啶酮(22AMAC)标记壳寡糖, 应用激光共聚焦显微成像技术, 研究了壳寡糖与草莓细胞结合过程。结果表明壳寡糖能通过草莓细胞壁与细胞膜结合, 在细胞壁和细胞膜上有其结合位点, 与壳寡糖的结合具有专一性。