In situ observations of aerosol and chlorine monoxide after the 1991 eruption of mount pinatubo: effect of reactions on sulfate aerosol

Highly resolved aerosol size distributions measured from high-altitude aircraft can be used to describe the effect of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo on the stratospheric aerosol. In some air masses, aerosol mass mixing ratios increased by factors exceeding 100 and aerosol surface area concentrations increased by factors of 30 or more. Increases in aerosol surface area concentration were accompanied by increases in chlorine monoxide at mid-latitudes when confounding factors were controlled. This observation supports the assertion that reactions occurring on the aerosol can increase the fraction of stratospheric chlorine that occurs in ozone-destroying forms.     

Cohabitation of pregnant white-tailed deer and cattle persistently infected with Bovine viral diarrhea virus results in persistently infected fawns

Economic losses due to infection with Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) have prompted introduction of organized control programs. These programs primarily focus on the removal of persistently infected (PI) animals, the main source of BVDV transmission. Recently, persistent BVDV infection was demonstrated experimentally in white-tailed deer, the most abundant wild ruminant in North America. Contact of cattle and white-tailed deer may result in interspecific BVDV transmission and birth of persistently infected offspring that could be a threat to control programs. The objective of this study was to assess the potential for interspecific BVDV transmission from persistently infected cattle cohabitated with pregnant white-tailed deer. Seven female and one male white-tailed deer were captured and bred in captivity. At approximately 50 days of gestation, two cattle persistently infected with BVDV 1 were cohabitated with the deer. In a pen of approximately 0.8 ha, both species shared food and water sources for a period of 60 days. Transmission of BVDV as indicated by seroconversion was demonstrated in all exposed adult deer. Of the seven pregnancies, four resulted in offspring that were infected with BVDV. Persistent infection was demonstrated in three singlet fawns by immunohistochemistry and ELISA on skin samples, PCR, and virus isolation procedures. Furthermore, two stillborn fetuses were apparently persistently infected. This is the first report of BVDV transmission from cattle to white-tailed deer using a model of natural challenge. Under appropriate circumstances, BVDV may efficiently cross the species barrier to cause transplacental infection and persistently infected offspring in a wildlife species.     

Pregnancy-associated Glycoprotein Profile during the First Trimester of Pregnancy in Egyptian Buffalo Cows

Pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentrations were measured in buffalo cows starting from day 28 after breeding. Oestrus was synchronized in 10 buffaloes using two injections of 25 mg prostraglandin (PG)F_{2 α} (Lutalyse^®) at a 11-day interval. Blood sampling was conducted nearly twice weekly. Results indicated that plasma PAG concentrations in non-pregnant buffaloes were low (<0.20 ng/ml) during the whole experimental period (day 28 to 103), while in pregnant animals plasma PAG levels increased from day 28 (4.48 ± 0.92 ng/ml) until day 41 (27.27 ± 6.74 ng/ml), remaining high (20.71 ± 9.20 ng/ml) until day 103. Progesterone levels were significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in pregnant (3.51–4.80 ng/ml) than in non-pregnant buffaloes (0.28–1.52 ng/ml). A significant difference (p < 0.0001) in plasma PAG concentrations between pregnant and non-pregnant animals starting at day 28 after breeding suggests that PAG-radioimmunoassay could be suitable for pregnancy diagnosis in buffaloes during this period. In conclusion, PAG test offers the advantages that it requires a single plasma sample for early pregnancy diagnosis as well as the accuracy of the test for the detection of pregnancy as early as day 28.     

猪流行性腹泻病毒S2基因B细胞表位嵌入型S-层蛋白在副干酪乳杆菌中的表达与鉴定

【目的】构建新型猪流行性腹泻病毒(Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, PEDV)乳酸菌活菌疫苗载体。【方法】应用DNA重组技术将嗜酸乳杆菌S-层蛋白(SLP)基因及PEDV S2基因B细胞表位(EpitopeS2)融合基因(SLP-EpitopeS2)克隆到乳酸杆菌表达载体pTRK892中,构建重组载体pTRK-SLP-EpitopeS2,通过电转化方法将重组质粒导入副干酪乳杆菌中,获得重组副干酪乳杆菌。分别用SDS-PAGE、Western blotting和免疫荧光试验(IFA)鉴定目的蛋白在副干酪乳杆菌中的表达。【结果】PCR结果显示,成功扩增出大小为1 400 bp的目的条带,与插入融合基因大小一致,双酶切结果出现大小分别为1 400和4 700 bp的2条带,基因测序结果显示无碱基缺失和突变等,从而确定重组质粒pTRK-SLP-EpitopeS2构建正确。SDS-PAGE、Western blotting结果显示,在48 ku处出现与理论值大小一致的目的蛋白条带,表明融合基因SLP-EpitopeS2在副干酪乳杆菌中得到有效表达。IFA结果显示,...