First discovery of a cave-dwelling Tineid moth （Lepidoptera,Tineidae） from East Asia

In this study, we report Monopis crocicapitella （Clemens, 1859） （Tineidae）, which was collected from bat guano in a cave in the southern region of Korea, for the first time from East Asia. We briefly redescribe and illustrate the external morphology and genital structures of both sexes. Also, we discuss the local habitat characteristics and some of the ecological information that was observed during our field investi-gation.     

Characterization of the DNA nucleotide sequences in the genome of red sea bream iridoviruses isolated in Korea

The nucleotide sequences of DNA fragments amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from four different genomic regions of nine red sea bream iridoviruses (RSIVs) isolated from different species of fish, different areas and in different years in Korea were compared with the reported reference sequences. One isolate, RSIV Namhae, showed 100% homology to the reference sequences, while the other eight isolates, which appeared to contain identical nucleotide sequences, showed 96.6–98.9% homology with reference sequences depending upon the target regions of PCR gene amplification. However, differences in nucleotide sequences were not apparent between the RSIVs isolated in different locations, in different years or in different host species. We also cloned and sequenced the 3′ end flanking region (K1) of the DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene using the cassette ligation-mediated PCR method. This sequence was 4436-bp long and possessed two open reading frames (ORF-1 and ORF-2) oriented in opposite directions. The putative proteins encoded by these two ORFs could not be characterized by comparison with the proteins of other species in the data banks. The presence of the ribonucleotide reductase small subunit (RNRS) gene at the 3′ end of the K1 region allowed us to determine that these two genes, RNRS and DPOL, are separated 5508 bp and oriented in the same direction in the genome of RSIV. Moreover, it is of interest that a PstI-restriction fragment, of which the sequence but not the location within the RSIV genome had previously been reported, is located at nucleotide positions from 1096 to 2054, extending from within the ORF-1 region, spanning the intervening sequence between ORF-1 and ORF-2, and extending into the ORF-2 region. Various repeating sequences up to 86 bp were present at the 3′ ends of ORFs, especially within the nucleotide sequences at the 3′ terminus of ORF-2. No similarities were detected when the DNA sequences of the K1 region were compared to the DNA sequences of a repetitive element in the genome of other iridoviruses.     

Development and evaluation of a rapid absorbed enzyme immunoassay test for the diagnosis of Johne''s disease in cattle

An absorbed enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test for Johne's disease in cattle was developed in which absorption of cross-reacting antibodies occurred as a rapid reaction in solution rather than overnight with whole organisms and a subsequent centrifugation step. Total test time was reduced to less than 2 h with a minimum of manipulations. The test was evaluated in cattle herds from Johne's disease-endemic and Johne's disease-free regions of Australia. Specificity was 99.8%. Calculations of sensitivity were affected by the history of the herd under test. However, the EIA detected in excess of 80% of animals before onset of clinical disease and 65% of faecal shedders were EIA positive on, or before, first detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in their faeces. The test should aid epidemiological studies and be a useful tool in the management and control of Johne's disease.     

The prevalence of itchmite, Psorergates ovis, among sheep flocks with a history of fleece derangement

An investigation of sheep flocks in the main sheep raising areas of New South Wales showed that the itchmite Psorergates ovis was frequently associated with fleece derangement. In 26 of the 41 flocks examined, P. ovis was the only ectoparasite detected. P. ovis and the sheep body louse Damalinia ovis, were found in 5 flocks. No external parasites were found on sheep examined from the 10 remaining flocks. The type of fleece derangement most frequently recorded was rubbing which in some cases was combined with areas of chewed fleece. Among flocks, there were positive relations between the prevalence of fleece derangement and prevalence of itchmite or scurf and between itchmite count and mean scurf score. Within flocks, itchmite infested sheep or sheep with scurf had higher prevalences of fleece derangement than sheep on which no mites or no scurf were found. Itchmite infested sheep had a higher prevalence of scurf than those with no detectable mite infestation. There were no significant differences in itchmite populations or fleece derangement between untreated flocks and flocks treated with synthetic pyrethroids, organophosphates or arsenic and rotenone.     

An estrogen-binding protein and endogenous ligand in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: possible hormone receptor system

A protein macromolecule in the cytosol of the unicellular eukaryotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae selectively binds the vertebrate estrogen hormone 17 beta-estradiol with high affinity. Lipid extracts of the yeast cells or the conditioned growth medium yield a substance that can bind competitively to the tritiated estradiol-binding sites in the yeast and to mammalian estrogen receptors. These findings suggest that the binding protein may be a primitive hormone receptor and that the lipid-extractable substance represents the endogenous ligand.     

台茶12号、13号在广西的适应性研究

乌龙茶品种种植具有一定的区域性,通过小区按随机排列、双行双株种植试验,研究台茶12号、13号的生长情况。试验表明:台茶12号、13号在广西的生态条件下,其种植、繁育成活率高,生长速度快,抗性强,适制性广,制优率高。     

Direct measurement of the current-phase relation of a superfluid 3He-B weak link

Direct measurements of the current-phase relation, I versus Deltaphi, for a weak link coupling two reservoirs of B-phase superfluid helium-3 (3He-B) were made over a wide range of temperatures. The weak link consists of a square array of 100-nanometer-diameter apertures. For temperatures T such that T/Tc >/= 0.6 (where Tc is the superfluid transition temperature), I approximately sin(Deltaphi). At lower temperatures, I(Deltaphi) approaches a straight line. Several remarkable phenomena heretofore inaccessible to superconducting Josephson junctions, including direct observation of quantum oscillations and continuous knowledge of Deltaphi, were also observed.     

The efficacy of selected biological and chemical control agents against Heterobasidion abietinum on Abies cilicica

The efficacy of 30% aqueous urea solution, borax powder and spore suspensions of Phlebiopsis gigantea and Trichoderma harzianum against establishment of artificially inoculated Heterobasidion abietinum on Abies cilicica was tested both in the field and in a simulated stump treatment experiment carried out in a growth chamber. In the field, in each of the four selected stands 20 fresh stumps per control agent were treated and 20 stumps were left as untreated controls. In two of the stands, the treatments were applied in June and in the two others in November. Stumps were sampled twice, at 6‐ and 12‐months after treatment. In the growth chamber, 10 log pieces per treatment and control were used, and sampling performed after 6‐week incubation. Results of the urea and borax treatments were consistent between the experiments; the mean efficacies were 98.8 and 99.4% in the growth chamber, and 80.2–91.3 and 89.4–90.1% in the two samplings of the field experiment, respectively. Despite the high efficacies of the P. gigantea (85.9%) and T. harzianum (97.5%) treatments in the growth chamber, efficacies of these biological control agents in the field were 47.1–49.2 and 61.3–65.5%, respectively.     

Controlling microbial contamination on beef and lamb meat during processing

SUMMARY The microbiological quality of carcases, meat and environmental surfaces was evaluated in commercial boning rooms processing beef and lamb. There was considerable variation in the level of microbial contamination on both carcases and meat, with counts ranging from less than 20 to 10⁸/cm² on carcases and to 2 times 10⁷/cm² on meat. The level of microbial contamination on meat was influenced by the level of carcase contamination at boning and by the boning process itself. Carcase contamination was the major determinant of microbiological quality, as more than 70% of carcases had microbial counts greater than 10³/cm². Cutting boards were a major source for microbial dissemination during boning, particularly when carcase counts were less than 10³/cm². If carcases were heavily contaminated, the contamination of processing surfaces was irrelevant in determining microbial loads on meat. Where carcase contamination was at low to moderate levels, the contribution of the boning process to the contamination on meat assumed increased significance. Under these conditions, improved sanitation of cutting surfaces in the boning room resulted in a significant reduction in microbial contamination on the surface of meat. These results can form the basis for ensuring that improvements made in carcase management before boning, to improve microbiological quality, will be preserved through attention to cutting board hygiene during boning.