Development of an efficient method for recovery of Puumala and Puumala-related viruses by inoculation of Mongolian gerbils

Puumala (PUU) virus and PUU-related viruses are difficult to isolate in cell culture. To determine whether animal inoculation would be a better alternative for virus recovery, the Sotkamo strain of PUU virus was inoculated into several animal species. Newborn Mongolian gerbils (MGs), mice, and rats were infected with the Sotkamo strain by intracerebral (ic), intraperitoneal (ip), and subcutaneous (sc) inoculation. Antibodies to PUU appeared in MGs at 30 days post-infection (dpi), and in mice and rats at 15 dpi. Interestingly, virus appeared at 7 dpi in lung and brain of MGs inoculated via ic and ip routes. Virus was detected in all tested tissues of MGs at 15 dpi, with a peak level of 1.36 x 10 (5) focus forming units (FFU)/g in brain tissue. The virus titer declined with the onset of the antibody response and became undetectable by 75 dpi, when the antibody titer reached the maximum level. The appearance of the virus in mice and rats was delayed as compared to MGs, and the virus titer was apparently lower, at approximately 4 to 8 x 10(3) FFU/g, at 15 dpi. In addition, lung homogenates of antibody-positive Clethrionomys (C.) rufocanus (captured in Tobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan) were inoculated into MGs by the ic route. PUU-related viral RNA was detected at 16 dpi in the brains of MG inoculated with the lung homogenate, and antibodies were detected at 45 dpi. These findings indicate that newborn MG inoculation is an efficient method to recover PUU and PUU-related viruses.     

Adipose triglyceride lipase contributes to cancer-associated cachexia

Cachexia is a multifactorial wasting syndrome most common in patients with cancer that is characterized by the uncontrolled loss of adipose and muscle mass. We show that the inhibition of lipolysis through genetic ablation of adipose triglyceride lipase (Atgl) or hormone-sensitive lipase (Hsl) ameliorates certain features of cancer-associated cachexia (CAC). In wild-type C57BL/6 mice, the injection of Lewis lung carcinoma or B16 melanoma cells causes tumor growth, loss of white adipose tissue (WAT), and a marked reduction of gastrocnemius muscle. In contrast, Atgl-deficient mice with tumors resisted increased WAT lipolysis, myocyte apoptosis, and proteasomal muscle degradation and maintained normal adipose and gastrocnemius muscle mass. Hsl-deficient mice with tumors were also protected although to a lesser degree. Thus, functional lipolysis is essential in the pathogenesis of CAC. Pharmacological inhibition of metabolic lipases may help prevent cachexia.     

生防制剂与呋喃丹颗粒剂防治根结线虫幼虫的效果

印度南方根结线虫广泛地分布于印度南部灌桑园，特别是轻质土壤的桑园，它严重地影响桑叶的产量和质量，人们曾采用农业和化学等防治措施进行桑园线虫的防治，但效果并不理想，为此，考虑用生物防治方法来进行试验研究，本研究采用拟青霉和轮枝孢真菌两种生防制剂及化学杀线虫剂呋喃丹颗粒剂对线虫幼虫进行致死性试验。每种生物制剂滤液设置3个浓度，分别为100％，75％，和50％，结果发现，该两种真菌制剂在滤液浓100％下72h后的杀虫率分别为73．55％和78．45％，两者无显著差异。虽然它们对幼虫的致死效果比化学杀线虫剂呋喃丹效果略微差些，但生物剂对自然环境，人畜安全，因此，生物制肯望成为更经济，更安全的杀线虫剂。     

Effect of supplementing different concentrations of organic trace minerals on performance, antioxidant activity, and bone mineralization in Vanaraja chickens developed for free range farming

An experiment was conducted to determine the performance, antioxidation activity, and bone mineral content in Vanaraja chickens fed diet supplemented with organic trace minerals (oTM) at reduced levels. A total of 360 day-old chicks were selected and distributed randomly into 60 battery brooder pens. A maize–soybean meal-based control diet was supplemented with inorganic trace minerals (iTM), i.e., Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu at 50, 45, 40, and 7.5 mg/kg, respectively, and varying concentration of oTM, i.e., Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, I, Se, and Cr at 45, 50, 7.5, 40, 2, 0.30, and 0.25 mg/kg (diet II); 33.75, 37.50, 5.63, 30.0, 1.50, 0.23, and 0.19 mg/kg (diet III); 22.5, 25.0, 3.75, 20.0, 1.0, 0.15, and 0.13 mg/kg (diet IV); 18.0, 20.0, 3.0, 16.0, 0.80, 0.12, and 0.10 mg/kg (diet V); and 13.5, 15.0, 2.25, 12.0, 0.60, 0.09, and 0.08 mg/kg (diet VI), respectively. Each diet was allotted randomly to ten replicates and fed ad libitum from 1 to 42 days of age. The body weight at 14, 28, and 42 days was not affected by reducing the supplementation of oTM concentration in the diets. Similarly, feed intake at 14 days of age was not affected but reduced significantly (P?<?0.05) in the group fed diet IV (50 % oTM) compared to that in the other groups. The higher feed conversion ratio and increased concentration of Ca, P, and trace minerals in tibia were evident in the group fed oTM-supplemented diets compared to the diet containing iTM. Activities of glutathione peroxidase and ferric reducing ability in plasma did not differ in the groups fed on lower concentration of oTM compared to those fed on diet I (control diet). Therefore, it is concluded that the dietary supplementation of trace minerals can be reduced greatly when supplemented as organic form without affecting growth and antioxidant status in Vanaraja chickens.     

Exemplifying rhizobacteria for growth stimulation and disease suppression in finger millet

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Of 111 rhizobacteria isolated from finger millet, 30 isolates exhibiting antagonism against Pyricularia grisea (22.22–44.44%) and Rhizoctonia solani...     

Antifeedant and growth inhibitory effects of some neo-clerodane diterpenoids isolated from Clerodendron species (Verbenaceae) on Earias vitella and Spodoptera litura

Antifeedant and growth inhibitory effects of various neo-clerodane diterpenoids having a furofuran moiety, isolated from Clerodendron spp., were studied using Earias vitella and Spodoptera litura. The compounds clerodendrin B, 3-epicaryoptin, 15-hydroxyepicaryoptin, and clerodin were effective antifeedants at 10 microg/cm(3) (30 microg/g) of diet against E. vitella and at 10 microg/cm(2) of leaf against S. litura. All of the tested compounds, namely, clerodendrin B, 3-epicaryoptin, clerodendrin C, 15-hydroxyepicaryoptin, clerodendrin B acetate, and clerodin, showed good insect growth inhibitory activity even at lower concentrations.     

Evaluation of chemical compounds for induction of male sterility in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The short-list of eleven chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) showing 98% or more induction of male sterility were identified following application at the pre-meiotic stage of wheat. Among ethyl oxanilates, 4-fluoro (CHA A1), 4-bromo (CHA A2), 4-trifluoromethyl (CHA A5), and 4-cyano (CHA A3) derivatives; and among pyridones, 4-chloro (CHA B3), 4-fluoro (CHA B1), 4-bromo (CHA B2), and 4-trifluoromethyl (CHA B6) derivatives were the most promising. These agents showed no adverse effects on plant growth and yield. Ethyl 4-fluoro oxanilate (CHA A1) was tested on 29 wheat genotypes at 1500ppm and induced 99.76± 0.37% male sterility. Ethyl 4-fluoro oxanilate residues were non-detectable in grain and husk and thus appeared to have no lasting residue effects. An erratum to this article can be found at     

In vitro culture of female date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) tissues

Summary Roots, leaf petioles, shoot tips and immature fruits of female date palm formed the source material for in vitro cultures. Isolated embryos excised from mature seeds were also cultured. Of all the tissues, some of the leaf petioles and fruit mesocarp gave rise to calluses in the media of Staritsky (1970) and Eeuwens (1976). Isolated embryos germinated to produce seedlings in MS (Murashige & Skoog, 1962) medium. Calluses were established from seedling sections but the growth conditions propitious for explants of seedlings were not suitable for female date palm tissues. The main problem in establishing long term tissue cultures has been the browning of the tissues and media. This problem was, at least partially, overcome by adding activated charcoal to the liquid media and cysteine to the solid madia. So far, shoot regeneration in the calluses could not be induced.