Stability of co‐composted hydrochar and biochar under field conditions in a temperate soil

Hydrothermally converted biomass (hydrochar) is evaluated as a carbon‐rich soil amendment in addition to pyrogenic biochar. After assessing the suitability of hydrochar for use in agriculture, its environmental safety and comparing its chemistry with that of biochar, we describe a field trial established at Halle (Germany) under natural conditions for a temperate climate and without further external management practices. The main objective of our study was to analyse the stability and hence the C sequestration potential of composted chars over a period of 2 years. Four treatments (no amendment control, compost, co‐composted hydrochar and co‐composted biochar) in fourfold field replication were chosen to make a direct comparison of biochar and hydrochar under field conditions. The total organic carbon and total N increased in all treatments in comparison with the control but only in biochar‐amended treatments were N concentrations more stable. Composted biochar showed significantly more black carbon content in topsoil, sampled some months after application, compared with all other treatments. We show that hydrochar is less suitable for long‐term C sequestration in comparison with biochar but has potential for soil amelioration because it delivers essential nutrients. On the other hand, biochar is richer in polyaromatic C than hydrochar and therefore is more stable in the long term. We assessed biochar stability using the black carbon analysis of the different soil samples.     

A faster inoculation assay for Armillaria using herbaceous plants

Armillaria (honey fungus) is a virulent necrotrophic pathogen that causes Armillaria root disease. Conventional Armillaria inoculation assays use young saplings as hosts and consequently are cumbersome, frequently conducted outdoors, and take many years from establishment to analysis of infection. We have developed and evaluated a faster inoculation assay for Armillaria that uses herbaceous plants as hosts, is carried out in controlled conditions, and reduces experimental durations to 3 months. Plant species of known susceptibility to Armillaria and comparisons between virulent A. mellea and opportunistic A. gallica were used to validate the assay. Mortality and diagnostic symptoms of Armillaria root disease such as epiphytic rhizomorphs and mycelial fans were used to assess levels of infection. We also attempted to reduce assay preparation time by substituting woody inocula with agar inocula, but typical symptoms of Armillaria root disease were only observed on plants infected with woody inocula. Through our assay, we identified five new potential herbaceous hosts of Armillaria: Kniphofia hirsuta, Hordeum vulgare, Lobelia cardinalis, Nicotiana tabacum and Helenium hoopesii – further expanding the extensive list of plants with susceptibility to Armillaria and suggesting infection of herbaceous species may be more widespread than currently acknowledged.     

Effect of Fermented Chinese Medicine Preparation by Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance,Biochemical Indices,Antioxidant Parameters and Ability of Anti-infection of Common Carp

The objective of this study was to evaluate of the growth performance, serum biochemical indices, liver antioxidant parameters and ability of anti-infection with Aeromonas hydrophila by adding the fermented Chinese medicine by Bacillus Subtilis to the carp fish feed, and to find out the appropriate supplemental level of fermented Chinese medicine in diets. Carp fingerling with an initial body weight of (35±0.5) g were set up to 6 experimental diets supplemented with 0 (control group), 0.1‰, 0.5‰, 1‰, 2‰ and 3‰ fermented Chinese medicine for 56 days, respectively. Each group had 30 fish and set up 3 repetitions. After the feeding trail,the fish were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila to calculate the relative percentage survival (RPS).The results showed as follows:Supplementing fermented traditional Chinese medicine by Bacillus subtilis, the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), condition factor (CF), the activities of lysozyme (LSZ), complement 3 (C3),total protein (TP),total anti-oxidation capacity (T-AOC),total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum of common carp were enhanced at different degrees, while the feed coefficient (FCR)and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were declined at different degrees.When the fermented Chinese medicine supplemental levels were 2‰ and 3‰,the effects were significant (P<0.05)(except for C3, ALP and Cr).The experimental results of the virulence of common carp infected with pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila showed that,the fermented herbal could obviously improve the ability of anti-infection, the immune protective rate of the group with 2‰, 3‰ doses of the fermented Chinese medicine could reach 77.23% and 74.63%, respectively. From what had been discussed above, the group with 2‰ and 3‰ doses of the fermented Chinese medicine had significant effect on the growth performance, serum biochemical indices, liver antioxidant parameters and Aeromonas hydrophila anti-infection ability. Considering the cost of adding fermented Chinese medicine, the recommendations for the best additive quantity was 2‰.     

我国玉米茎腐病研究进展

玉米茎腐病是一种世界性土传真菌病害，该病害在我国玉米产区均有发生。近年来，受耕作制度（如保护性耕作、秸秆还田等）的改变和气候变化的影响，生产中使用的高抗茎腐病的玉米品种不多等因素，致使田间病原菌数量增加，我国玉米茎腐病有逐渐加重的趋势。针对玉米茎腐病危害逐年加重的现状，本文系统综述了玉米茎腐病致病菌、发病症状表现、病情分级标准、病害侵染规律、抗性鉴定评价方法等方面的研究进展情况，并提出了玉米茎腐病的防治策略。     

A role for Toll-like receptor 4 in the host response to the lung infection of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in mice

Although a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Yptb) lung infection model has been developed to study Y. pestis pathogenesis, it is still necessary to establish a new animal model to mimic the pathophysiological features induced by Y. pestis infection. Here, we provide a new lung infection model using the Yptb strain, IP2777, which displayed rapid spread of bacteria to the liver, spleen, and blood. In addition, we examined whether TLR4 is involved in Yptb-induced pathogenesis in the lung infection model of mice we generated. Following lung infection of WT and TLR4-deficient mice with the Yptb strain IP2777, the survival rate, bacterial colonization, histopathology, and level of cytokines and chemokines in the lung, spleen, liver, and blood were analyzed. TLR4-deficient mice had a lower survival rate than WT mice in response to Yptb lung infection. Although the bacterial colonization and pathology of the lung were comparable between WT and TLR4-deficient mice, those of the spleen and liver were more severe in TLR4-deficient mice. In addition, the levels of TNF-α and CXCL2 in the liver and IL-6 and CXCL2 in the blood were higher in TLR4-deficient mice than in WT mice. Our results demonstrate that TLR4 is necessary for optimal host protection against Yptb lung infection and TLR4-deficient mice may serve as a better genetic model of Yptb infection for mimicking Y. pestis infection.     

Stilbene oligomer phytoalexins in grape as a response to Aspergillus carbonarius infection

Stilbenes are grapevine phytoalexins elicited by biotic and abiotic agents; Aspergillus carbonarius is a widespread ochratoxin A producing fungus present in warm conditions, such as in Southern Italy. To increase the knowledge on biosynthesis of stilbene oligomers induced by A. carbonarius infection, grape berries of the Southern Italian grape cv. Negro Amaro were inoculated. Significant increase of trans-resveratrol and resveratrol dimers and oligomers, such as caraphenol, E-ε-viniferin, ω-viniferin, δ-viniferin, α-viniferin, E-miyabenol C, and two tetramers, was observed, and concomitant decrease of glycoside derivatives. These findings improve the knowledge on the phytoalexin production as response against this pathogen.     

汝南县奶牛附红细胞体病的流行病学调查与综合防控

目的 附红细胞体病是由附红细胞体（Eperythrozoon）寄生于人及动物的红细胞表面、血浆及骨髓中引起的一种人畜共患传染病。方法 为调查汝南县奶牛附红细胞体病流行情况,2020年3月到2021年2月选取748 头奶牛采用现场调查、询问和实验室诊断等方法进行流行病学调查。结果 汝南县奶牛附红细胞体病感染率为10.03%,其中,泌乳牛阳性率最高,为13.02%,青年牛次之,为10.20%,犊牛最低,为5.91%,7、8月为发病高峰期,发病率分别为14.55%、14.28%,1月发病率最低,为6.67%。结论 调查为汝南县奶牛附红细胞体病防治提供了科学参考。     

1株感染多种致病性大肠杆菌噬菌体的生物学特性研究

旨在测定此前从断奶前仔猪粪样中分离得到的1株大肠杆菌噬菌体C6在致病性大肠杆菌上的生物学特性,并比较该噬菌体在不同致病菌上的感染特性。利用电镜形态观察和基因组测序确定其分类,用点滴法和双层平板法测定其在致病性大肠杆菌上的宿主谱,通过噬菌斑形态、最佳感染复数（MOI）、成斑率（EOP）、吸附率、一步生长曲线以及抑菌曲线等来评价噬菌体在多株致病菌上的感染特性。结果显示：噬菌体C6可感染1株非致病性大肠杆菌和4株致病性大肠杆菌,包括大肠杆菌O157（E.coli W1）、2株产志贺毒素大肠杆菌（STEC W3、STEC W5）和1株肠致病性大肠杆菌（EPEC 143）。通过比较噬菌体C6在4株致病菌上的各项感染特性指标发现：噬菌斑大小和成斑率E.coli W1>EPEC 143>STEC W3>STEC W5;吸附率E.coli W1>EPEC 143、STEC W3、STEC W5;最佳MOI EPEC 143、STEC W3、STEC W5>E.coli W1;液体LB中生长能力和抑菌能力E.coli W1>STEC W3>EPEC 143、STEC W5。噬菌体C6为T4样噬菌体,可感染多株致病性大肠杆菌,在不同致病菌上的感染特性存在差异,但均能显著抑制致病菌的生长。     

干扰素刺激基因对羊口疮病毒在OFTu细胞中增殖的抑制效应

羊口疮病毒（ORFV）是重要的人兽共患病病原,不仅严重危害养羊业,而且威胁人类健康。干扰素刺激基因（stimulator of interferon genes,STING）作为细胞的DNA感受器,在机体天然免疫中起重要作用。为探索STING在ORFV感染中的作用及其对病毒复制的影响,本研究构建了ORFV感染羊胚胎鼻甲细胞（OFTu）的模型,分析了ORFV感染细胞后对STING及其相关基因的动态表达,探索了STING基因在干扰表达和过表达状态下对ORFV在细胞上增殖的影响。结果表明,ORFV感染OFTu细胞后,STING、cGAS、TBK1、IRF3、IRF7、IL-6、IFN-β、IL-1β和TNF-α的转录明显升高。OFTu细胞过表达STING可导致RIG-1、DDX41、IFI16、IRF3、IRF7、IL-6、TNF-α、IFN-α和IFN-β等基因转录上调。OFTu细胞在STING过表达状态下感染ORFV可介导TBK-1、IRF3、IFN-β和TNF-α的转录升高,抑制ORFV的复制;在STING表达干扰的状态下,ORFV感染OFTu细胞降低了TBK-1、IRF3、IFN-β和TNF-α的转录,增加了ORFV的复制。这表明STING蛋白能够增强抗病毒细胞因子的表达,抑制ORFV在OFTu细胞中的增殖,研究结果为深入理解STING在羊口疮病毒感染和复制中的作用提供了科学的理论依据,也为深入探索ORFV感染和致病的分子机制提供了基础数据。