A new Brucella canis species-specific PCR assay for the diagnosis of canine brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, and the development of a rapid, accurate, and widely available identification method is essential for diagnosing this disease. In this study, we developed a new Brucella canis species-specific (BcSS) PCR assay and evaluated its specificity and sensitivity. A specific PCR primer set was designed based on the BCAN_B0548-0549 region in chromosome II of B. canis. The PCR detection for B. canis included amplification of a 300-bp product that is, not found on other Brucella species or, genetically or serologically related bacteria. The detection limit of BcSS-PCR assay was 6 pg/μl by DNA dilution, or 3 × 10³ colony-forming units (CFU) in the buffy coats separated from whole blood experimentally inoculated with B. canis. Using the buffy coat in this PCR assay resulted in approximately 100-times higher sensitivity for B. canis as compared to detect directly from whole blood. This is the first report of a species-specific PCR assay to detect B. canis, and the new assay will provide a valuable tool for the diagnosis of B. canis infection.     

The siderophore-interacting protein is involved in iron acquisition and virulence of Riemerella anatipestifer strain CH3

Riemerella anatipestifer causes epizootic infectious disease in poultry and serious economic losses especially to the duck industry. However, little is known regarding the molecular basis of its pathogenesis. The ability to acquire iron under low-iron conditions is related to the virulence of a variety of bacterial pathogens. In this study, a sip (Riean_1281) deletion mutant CH3Δsip was constructed and characterized for iron-limited growth, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity to ducklings. Results showed that siderophore-interacting protein (SIP) was involved in iron utilization and the sip deletion significantly reduced biofilm formation and adherence to and invasion of Vero cells. In addition, the sip gene was absent in 1 of 24 (4.17%) virulent strains and 2 of 3 (66.7%) avirulent strains of R. anatipestifer, and the sip gene from six R. anatipestifer strains, which belong to serotypes 1, 2, and 10, respectively, shared 100% amino acid identities to those of R. anatipestifer strains DSM15868 and RA-GD. These results suggested that siderophore-mediated iron acquisition may be an important iron-uptake pathway in R. anatipestifer. Animal experiments indicated that the median lethal dose of the CH3Δsip mutant in ducklings was about 35-fold higher than that of the wild-type CH3 strain. Thus, our results demonstrated that R. anatipestifer SIP was involved in iron acquisition and necessary for its optimal virulence.     

淀山湖鱼类群落结构多样性的年际变化

淀山湖是上海市内陆水域最大的淡水湖泊,主要的淡水渔业水域和水产品来源地,也是重要的水生生物保护基地。为了评估增殖放流和生态环境变化对淀山湖鱼类群落结构变化的影响,本研究以2010-2012年淀山湖的渔业调查资料为基础,对该湖泊的鱼类优势种组成和多样性指数进行年际变化分析,并应用丰度生物量曲线方法对该湖的鱼类群落状况进行分析。结果表明:2010-2012年淀山湖鱼种类数基本稳定,基本鱼种组成变化不显著,优势鱼种组成趋势渐以小型鱼类为主;群落结构多样性指数年间差异不显著(P0.05);ABC曲线显示2010-2012这三年淀山湖群落的数量优势度曲线均高于生物量的优势度曲线,鱼类群落结构仍处于严重干扰状态。因此,建议改善增殖放流鱼种和加强渔业管理,以维持淀山湖鱼类群落的稳定。     

东风11 G型内燃机车牵引缓冲装置关键部件检修工艺

介绍了东风11 G型内燃机车牵引缓冲装置的作用及主要结构,并以其关键部件车钩、缓冲器为研究对象,研究其检修工艺。     

Ciguatoxin in moray eels raising the risk for seafood safety in Viet Nam

Fisheries Science - Recently, suspected ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) cases caused by the consumption of moray eels, popular seafood for locals and tourists, have been reported in Viet Nam....     

奶牛分子育种专题学习网站的建设构想

阐述了建设奶牛分子育种专题学习网站的意义和构想,规划了网站的主要内容和发展方向,为相关专业的研究者和从业人员提供参考。     

鸡,鸭体内传染性法氏囊病病毒的分离及理化性质比较

从疑似传染性法氏囊病（ＩＢＤ）病鸡及同群饲养的鸭体内各分离到１株病毒，用传染性法氏囊病病毒（ＩＢＤＶ）单克隆抗体夹心ＥＬＩＳＡ试验证明两病毒均为ＩＢＤＶ，病毒血清型为Ⅰ型。病毒可致死鸡胚，适应于鸡胚成纤维细胞并产生细胞病变（ＣＰＥ）。理化性质比较表明，两病毒为同源ＩＢＤＶ。研究表明，鸭可成为ＩＢＤＶ的携带者或传染源。     

壳聚糖浸种对干旱胁迫下苜蓿种子发芽的缓解作用

以苜蓿种子为试材,采用不同浓度壳聚糖溶液对苜蓿进行浸种处理,测定其对干旱胁迫下苜蓿种子发芽和幼苗生长的影响,旨在寻找苜蓿发芽阶段抗干旱胁迫的最佳浸种浓度。结果表明:随着壳聚糖溶液处理浓度的升高,干旱胁迫下苜蓿种子发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数、苗高与根长均呈现先上升后下降的趋势。隶属函数综合分析表明,壳聚糖溶液浸种对干旱胁迫下苜蓿种子发芽能力的影响效果由大到小依次为:100 mg/L、50 mg/L、25 mg/L、150 mg/L、0 mg/L、200 mg/L,以100 mg/L的壳聚糖浸种处理对提高苜蓿种子发芽阶段抗干旱胁迫的效果最佳。     

Changes to a soil on irrigation with a sanitary landfill leachate

A detailed soil column leaching experiment was set up to investigate the changes in properties to a soil as a result of irrigation with an alkaline sanitary landfill leachate (pH 10.3). Chemistry of the soil was drastically altered as a consequence of the interaction. The soil was titrated from pH 5 to pH 10 and was changed from an exchangeable Mg dominated soil to an exchangeable Ca dominated soil. Magnesium was displaced by ion exchange reaction at acid pH, but at pH 10, 14.2 meq 100 g^?1 of Mg, i.e. up to three times the cation exchange capacity of Mg, was adsorbed in non-exchangeable forms at the immediate surface of the soil column by specific adsorption reactions. The leachate-treated soil was not stable on distilled water leaching. Structural breakdown led to clay dispersion and reduction in pore space, resulting in a 64 times reduction in hydraulic conductivity, 1.6 × 10^?4 to 2.5 × 10^?6 cm s^?1. The structural breakdown could be explained in term of the increase in Na adsorption ratio of the treated soil and the subsequent reduction in electrolyte concentration following the distilled water treatment.