Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) in culture fluids and tissue homogenates of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson

Abstract. A double antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) is described. The sensitivity of the assay reached 10² TCID₅₀ per 0·1 ml of culture fluid. The specificity of anti-IPNV sera and of the assay was confirmed by agar-gel immunodiffusion, by the direct immunoperoxidase technique for the deletion of IPNV in tissue cultures and by the ELISA inhibition test. High values of specific inhibition (over 90% at serum dilutions 1:40–1:2560) and low values of non-specific inhibition (8·4% at serum dilution 1:160) demonstrated the quality of the rabbit anti-IPNV serum. The results of ELISA agreed well with those of virological examinations. The potential of ELISA for investigations of a large series of field samples is discussed.     

Hull split and damaged almond volatiles attract male and female navel orangeworm moths

A blend of volatiles derived from the emissions of almonds at hull split and mechanically damaged almonds was compared to almond meal, the current monitoring standard for the insect pest navel orangeworm (NOW). Field trapping studies were performed to determine the blend's ability to attract adult NOW. The blend comprised racemic 1-octen-3-ol, ethyl benzoate, methyl salicylate, acetophenone, and racemic (E)-conophthorin. Ethyl acetate was used as a solvent with a blend component concentration of 100 mg/mL. The blend attracted both sexes of NOW when tested in five 2-week intervals spanning the first three flights of NOW in commercial almond orchards in the southern Central Valley of California. The blend demonstrated consistently higher capture rates for female NOW throughout the evaluation period, but unlike almond meal it significantly attracted males. Reported is a survey of the major and minor volatiles emitted from almonds at hull split, the key period of vulnerability to NOW infestation. Also reported is the attractancy of a formulated test blend based on the host plant volatile emissions, electroantennographic screening experiments, and field trapping studies. The results of this test blend highlight progress toward a host-plant-based attractant for NOW, a major insect pest of California tree nuts that presently lacks an adequate monitoring tool.     

斯洛伐克农田土壤环境学指标的研究

The soil environmental index(SEI),which is a four digit code system,represents relatively homogenous spatial unit with specific soil capacity to provide ecological or non-production functions.This work aimed to present information on rating and economic evaluation of SEI,which is a spatial identifier used for expressing heterogeneity of Slovak agricultural soil to support analysis of soil ecological functions.In this study,SEI index expressed the capacity of soil to accumulate water,immobilise the risk elements and substances and transform risk substances(organic pollutants).Partial evaluations of soil capacity to provide above mentioned functions were used to derive final SEI values.Within the agricultural soils of Slovakia there were 493 combinations of soil environmental index.Each index was expressed through rating(point)value and economic value.Average value of Slovak agricultural land to provide selected ecological soil functions was 55.3 points,which corresponded to 35.946 billionper agricultural land or approximately 1.42per square meter.Spatial identification of SEI codes and relevant database were developed in vector form via geographical information systems of Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute,Bratislava.In addition to using the national soil database system,a strategy was presented for evaluating and pricing of soil ecological function,and the development of an soil environmental index.Assessment and evaluation of vitally important soil functions expressed by SEI can significantly contribute to planning and protection of the soil,and can regulate indiscriminate anthropic interventions in land use decisions.     

Spatial Response of Mammals to Late Quaternary Environmental Fluctuations

Analyses of fossil mammal faunas from 2945 localities in the United States demonstrate that the geographic ranges of individual species shifted at different times, in different directions, and at different rates in response to late Quaternary environmental fluctuations. The geographic pattern of faunal provinces was similar for the late Pleistocene and late Holocene, but differing environmental gradients resulted in dissimilar species composition for these biogeographic regions. Modern community patterns emerged only in the last few thousand years, and many late Pleistocene communities do not have modern analogs. Faunal heterogeneity was greater in the late Pleistocene.     

The human polyomavirus, JCV, uses serotonin receptors to infect cells

The human polyomavirus, JCV, causes the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in immunocompromised patients. We found that the serotonergic receptor 5HT2AR could act as the cellular receptor for JCV on human glial cells. The 5HT2A receptor antagonists inhibited JCV infection, and monoclonal antibodies directed at 5HT2A receptors blocked infection of glial cells by JCV, but not by SV40. Transfection of 5HT2A receptor-negative HeLa cells with a 5HT2A receptor rescued virus infection, and this infection was blocked by antibody to the 5HT2A receptor. A tagged 5HT2A receptor colocalized with labeled JCV in an endosomal compartment following internalization. Serotonin receptor antagonists may thus be useful in the treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.     

Grain size--dependent alteration and the magnetization of oceanic basalts

Unblocking temperatures of natural remanent magnetization were found to extend well above the dominant Curie points in samples of oceanic basalts from the axis of the East Pacific Rise. This phenomenon is attributed to the natural presence in the basalts of three related magnetic phases: an abundant fine-grained and preferentially oxidized titanomagnetite that carries most of the natural remanent magnetism, a few coarser and less oxidized grains of titanomagnetite that account for most of the high-field magnetic properties, and a small contribution to both the natural remanent magnetism and high-field magnetic properties from magnetite that may be due to the disproportionation of the oxidized titanomagnetite under sea-floor conditions. This model is consistent with evidence from the Central Anomaly magnetic high that the original magnetization acquired by oceanic basalts upon cooling is rapidly altered and accounts for the lack of sensitivity of bulk rock magnetic parameters to the degree of alteration of the remanence carrier in oceanic basalts.     

Veterinarians' preferences for anticonvulsant drugs for treating seizure disorders in dogs and cats

Objective   To identify veterinarians' approaches and concerns when managing canine and feline patients with acute and chronic seizure disorders.
Design   Cross-sectional survey.
Method   A questionnaire was distributed to veterinarians to determine how many dogs and cats they were actively treating for seizures, their anticonvulsant drug (ACD) preferences for treating acute and chronic seizure disorders and whether serum anticonvulsant concentrations and/or biochemical analytes were routinely measured. Additional questions involved the respondent's year and place of graduation and identified concerns they faced when managing patients with seizure disorders.
Results   Phenobarbitone was the most commonly used ACD for managing chronic seizure disorders in both dogs and cats, with 82% of respondents using a combination of phenobarbitone and potassium bromide to manage refractory seizure disorders in dogs. Most respondents (96%) felt comfortable managing seizures in dogs, but only 63% were comfortable managing affected cats. Routine monitoring of serum ACD concentrations and of liver biochemical analytes was performed routinely by 71% and 45% of respondents, respectively. Of the respondents, 86% graduated from Australian universities and of these 53% had graduated after 1985.
Conclusion   Veterinarians identified when to commence medication, whether regular monitoring of serum ACD concentrations and liver enzyme activity was necessary, and if the cost was justified. Veterinarians also identified the need to balance dose rates and side-effects by using combination therapy, and the importance of providing accurate information to clients about what to expect in terms of seizure control for their pet.     

Development of sensitive immunoassays for the detection of the glucuronide conjugate of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol, a putative human urinary biomarker for pyrethroid exposure

Pyrethroids are widely used in agriculture as insecticides. This study describes a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the glucuronide conjugate of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol, a putative pyrethroid metabolite that may be used as a biomarker of exposure to pyrethroids. Four antisera were elicited against two different immunizing haptens. Antisera were characterized in combination with several coating haptens. The lowest IC50 value (0.5 ng/mL) was obtained with antiserum 1891 and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid-BSA conjugate as the coating antigen. Antiserum 1891 was highly selective for the target compound with an overall cross-reactivity of <0.3% to structurally related compounds. The assay sensitivity was negligibly affected by pH 4-9. A 5-fold improvement in IC50 was observed using a 10-fold concentrated phosphate-fuffered saline as the assay buffer. Compared to assays conducted in normal phosphate-fuffered saline, the maximal absorbance was almost identical. A good correlation (r 2 = 0.99 and 0.97 for urine samples A and B, respectively) was observed between spiked levels and the levels detected by the immunoassay.