Identification of pathogenic Leptospira strains in tissues of a premature foal by use of polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Studies were carried out to determine the cause of death in a prematurely born Thoroughbred foal that died 24 hours after birth. Necropsy revealed gross lesions suggestive of septicemia. A commercial Leptospira polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay designed to specifically amplify the hemolysis-associated protein 1 (hap1) gene present only in pathogenic Leptospira strains detected the presence of Leptospira DNA in various tissues of the foal. Histologic examination of lung, liver, kidney, and myocardium revealed numerous spirochetes in Warthin-Starry-stained tissue sections. Results of PCR analysis and histologic examination suggested a leptospiral infection in the newborn foal. At the moment of death, the infection coexisted with a streptococcal-associated aspiration bronchopneumonia and postpartum septicemia. These findings indicate that the PCR assay based on the amplification of the hap1 gene represents a useful tool for specific detection of pathogenic leptospira in field samples taken from horses.     

用Dot—ELISA检测鸡新城疫病毒的研究

本文建立了检测鸡新城疫病毒的Ｄｏｔ－ＥＬＩＳＡ法。用该法检测自然发病鸡群的粪便样品和脾组织匀浆各８２份,鸡新城疫病毒的检出率（５１．２％,７４．４％）高于血球凝集试验（３６．６％,６１．０％）,且两种方法具有良好的平行关系。该法操作简单,结果明显,直观,适用于基层检测鸡新城疫病毒。     

Entamoeba histolytica--the virulence of imported strains

We tested the virulence of 15 strains of Entamoeba histolytica, imported to Czechoslovakia, by intracaecal inoculation of laboratory rats. According to the scoring system of Neal, none of the 15 strains possessed the virulence index greater than 2. This indicates that all the organisms tested should be classified as avirulent. However, it should be noted that all the strains produced infection of the caecum and thus should be considered infective for rat. For 7 strains, isoenzyme patterns were determined for PGM, HK and ME. One imported strain, obtained from student from Congo, demonstrated isoenzyme pattern for PGM and HK indicated that the strain was virulent. This organisms had the index of virulence 1.8 (avirulent) in animal experiment; it was isolated from cysts of clinically asymptomatic patient. Examination of the rectal mucosa of the donor of the strain indicated typical chronic catarrhal proctitis of mild degree. Examination of the patient's serum demonstrated the presence of anti E. histolytica antibodies by CIEP, while the ELISA test was negative. Twenty-one cyst carriers were examined by rectoscopy. Pathologic changes were observed in 20 of these, as follows: altered vascular structure (13X), roughened mucosa (12X), mucosal reddening (10X), decreased glistening (7X), mucus in mucosa (5X), inflammatory pseudopolypes (2X), ulcers (2X), enanthema (1X). Histological biopsies were obtained in 15 cases. One was considered normal. Remaining 14 biopsies exhibited following morphological changes: increased mucus secretion (8X), edema (7X), lymphocytic and plasmocytic infiltration (6X), lymphocytic and plasmocytic infiltration in addition to the presence of eosinophilic granulocytes (6X), presence of mucophages (5X), haemorrhages (4X), increased vascularity (3X), lymphocytic and plasmocytic infiltration with presence of extremely abundant eosinophilic granulocytes (1X), erosive-ulcerative changes of mucosa (1X). The changes observed indicated chronic catarrhal proctitis with expression to greater or less degree of signs of chronic catarrhal inflammation.     

植物乳杆菌N3发酵断奶仔猪料对断奶仔猪生产性能的影响

通过植物乳杆菌N3发酵断奶仔猪料对断奶仔猪进行饲养试验和消化试验,测定其生产性能、血清生化指标、组织学指标、饲料营养物质表观消化率等,初步探讨了植物乳杆菌N3发酵断奶仔猪料对断奶仔猪生产性能的影响。     

中国南方竹区4种竹笋夜蛾的形态比较研究

竹笋夜蛾是我国重要的一类竹子笋期害虫,种类多,形态相似,难以区分,为更为准确地识别主要竹笋夜蛾的种类,本研究通过野外取样和室内饲养,对竹笋基夜蛾Kumasia kumaso、竹笋禾夜蛾Oligia vulgaris、笋连秀夜蛾Apamea repetita conjuncta及竹笋秀夜蛾Apamea apameoides 4种竹笋夜蛾卵、幼虫趾钩、臀棘及成虫翅脉和生殖器形态进行了观察和比较。结果表明,竹笋基夜蛾在卵形态、幼虫体色和雌雄生殖器形态上与其他3种竹笋夜蛾形态差异明显,其余3种夜蛾幼虫体表背线和亚背线形态有差异,趾钩、臀棘、翅脉和雌、雄外生殖器形态差异不显著。本研究明确了我国南方竹区4种竹笋夜蛾的形态差异,为竹笋夜蛾的精准防控提供了参考。     

铁皮石斛PRC2复合体成员的鉴定及对胁迫响应的表达分析

为了探讨PRC2复合体在铁皮石斛生长发育和胁迫响应中的功能,通过生物信息学方法筛选了铁皮石斛PRC2核心成员DcCLF、DcSWN、DcEMF2、DcFIE和DcMSI1,借助酵母双杂交技术分析了它们之间的互作关系,利用半定量PCR分析了PRC2核心成员的组织表达谱,通过荧光定量PCR检测了它们对非生物胁迫(低温、高温、脱水)和病害胁迫(齐整小核菌、灰葡萄孢霉菌)的响应情况。结果表明,铁皮石斛PRC2复合体包含5个成员:E(z)同源基因DcCLF和DcSWN、Su(z)12基因DcEMF2、ESC基因DcFIE、p55基因DcMSI1,且这5个成员间的互作关系基本符合模式植物的互作模式,也存在物种特异性,表明PRC2复合体在进化中既有保守性也有特殊性。PRC2核心成员在铁皮石斛根、茎、叶、花蕾、成花中均有表达,但不同基因的表达存在组织差异性。同时,PRC2成员响应不同的环境和病害胁迫:DcCLF受低温、高温和脱水等各种环境胁迫的显著诱导;DcMSI1和DcEMF2在齐整小核菌侵染下表达明显上调,而DcSWN在灰葡萄孢霉菌侵染下受诱导程度最大。铁皮石斛PRC2复合体在生长发育和胁迫应答中...     

Testing MACRO (version 5.1) for pesticide leaching in a Dutch clay soil

Testing of pesticide leaching models against comprehensive field-scale measurements is necessary to increase confidence in their predictive ability when used as regulatory tools. Version 5.1 of the MACRO model was tested against measurements of water flow and the behaviour of bromide, bentazone [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide] and imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] in a cracked clay soil. In keeping with EU (FOCUS) procedures, the model was first calibrated against the measured moisture profiles and bromide concentrations in soil and in drain water. Uncalibrated pesticide simulations based on laboratory measurements of sorption and degradation were then compared with field data on the leaching of bentazone and imidacloprid. Calibrated parameter values indicated that a high degree of physical non-equilibrium (i.e. strong macropore flow) was necessary to describe solute transport in this soil. Comparison of measured and simulated bentazone concentration profiles revealed that the bulk of the bentazone movement in this soil was underestimated by MACRO. Nevertheless, the model simulated the dynamics of the bentazone breakthrough in drain water rather well and, in particular, accurately simulated the timing and the concentration level of the early bentazone breakthrough in drain water. The imidacloprid concentration profiles and its persistence in soil were simulated well. Moreover, the timing of the early imidacloprid breakthrough in the drain water was simulated well, although the simulated concentrations were about 2-3 times larger than measured. Deep groundwater concentrations for all substances were underestimated by MACRO, although it simulated concentrations in the shallow groundwater reasonably well. It is concluded that, in the context of ecotoxicological risk assessments for surface water, MACRO can give reasonably good simulations of pesticide concentrations in water draining from cracking clay soils, but that prior calibration against hydrologic and tracer data is desirable to reduce uncertainty and improve accuracy.     

Impact of foot-and-mouth disease on mastitis and culling on a large-scale dairy farm in Kenya

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly transmissible viral infection of cloven hooved animals associated with severe economic losses when introduced into FMD-free countries. Information on the impact of the disease in FMDV-endemic countries is poorly characterised yet essential for the prioritisation of scarce resources for disease control programmes. A FMD (virus serotype SAT2) outbreak on a large-scale dairy farm in Nakuru County, Kenya provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of FMD on clinical mastitis and culling rate. A cohort approach followed animals over a 12-month period after the commencement of the outbreak. For culling, all animals were included; for mastitis, those over 18 months of age. FMD was recorded in 400/644 cattle over a 29-day period. During the follow-up period 76 animals were culled or died whilst in the over 18 month old cohort 63 developed clinical mastitis. Hazard ratios (HR) were generated using Cox regression accounting for non-proportional hazards by inclusion of time-varying effects. Univariable analysis showed FMD cases were culled sooner but there was no effect on clinical mastitis. After adjusting for possible confounders and inclusion of time-varying effects there was weak evidence to support an effect of FMD on culling (HR = 1.7, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.88-3.1, P = 0.12). For mastitis, there was stronger evidence of an increased rate in the first month after the onset of the outbreak (HR = 2.9, 95%CI 0.97-8.9, P = 0.057).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0173-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

CoRoT measures solar-like oscillations and granulation in stars hotter than the Sun

Oscillations of the Sun have been used to understand its interior structure. The extension of similar studies to more distant stars has raised many difficulties despite the strong efforts of the international community over the past decades. The CoRoT (Convection Rotation and Planetary Transits) satellite, launched in December 2006, has now measured oscillations and the stellar granulation signature in three main sequence stars that are noticeably hotter than the sun. The oscillation amplitudes are about 1.5 times as large as those in the Sun; the stellar granulation is up to three times as high. The stellar amplitudes are about 25% below the theoretic values, providing a measurement of the nonadiabaticity of the process ruling the oscillations in the outer layers of the stars.