Variation in E(rns) viral glycoprotein associated with failure of immunohistochemistry and commercial antigen capture ELISA to detect a field strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) affects cattle populations causing clinical signs that range from subclinical immunosuppression to severe reproductive and respiratory problems. Detection and removal of persistently infected (PI) calves is the single most important factor for control and eradication of BVDV. Current testing strategies to detect PI calves rely heavily on immunohistochemistry (IHC) and a commercially available antigen capture ELISA (ACE) assay. These viral assays depend on 1 or 2 monoclonal antibodies which target the E(rns) glycoprotein of BVDV. The sensitivity and specificity of these two tests have been reported previously. The purpose of this research was to characterize a strain of BVDV (AU501) that was undetectable using IHC and ACE based on a single monoclonal antibody, but was consistently detected in samples from a Holstein steer using virus isolation and PCR testing. Sequencing of this AU501 viral isolate revealed a unique mutation in the portion of the genome coding for the E(rns) glycoprotein. This unique field strain of BVDV demonstrates the risk of relying on a single monoclonal antibody for detection of BVDV. Multiple testing strategies, including polyclonal or pooled monoclonal antibodies that detect more than one viral glycoprotein may be necessary to detect all PI calves and facilitate eradication of BVDV.     

Primary intraocular primitive neuroectodermal tumor (retinoblastoma) causing unilateral blindness in a gelding

A 14-year-old gray gelding was presented for investigation of a visible, pale-colored ocular mass in the right eye. An intraocular mass was identified clinically and ultrasonographically as originating from the superior nasal quadrant of the ciliary body and retina. The mass occupied the majority of the vitreous chamber and some of the superior anterior chamber of the eye. The affected eye was blind. Following exenteration, a primary intraocular primitive neuroectodermal tumor (i.e. a retinoblastoma/medulloepithelioma), a rarely described intraocular mass in adult horses, was identified by pathologic examination. The gelding returned to normal use following a short recovery period.     

Decoding attraction: Improving vine weevil monitoring by exploiting key sensory cues

BACKGROUND

Monitoring is an integral component of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes used to inform crop management decisions. Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), continues to cause economically significant losses in horticultural crops due to an inability to reliably detect the presence of this species before crop damage occurs. To improve vine weevil monitoring we investigated the behavioural responses of adult vine weevils to visual (monitoring tool shade/colour, height and diameter as well as the effect of monitoring tool and plant density) and olfactory (host plant and conspecifics) cues under glasshouse conditions.

RESULTS

Monitoring tool shade, height and diameter all influenced monitoring tool efficacy, with individuals exhibiting a preference for black, tall and wide monitoring tools. The total number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools increased with monitoring tool density. By contrast, plant density did not influence the number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools. Yew-baited monitoring tools retained a larger number of individuals compared to unbaited ones. Similarly, more vine weevils were recorded in monitoring tools baited with yew and conspecifics than in unbaited monitoring tools or those baited with only yew. Baiting monitoring tools with conspecifics alone did not enhance the number of vine weevils recorded in monitoring tools.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms that visual and olfactory cues influence vine weevil behaviour. This provides information on key factors that influence vine weevil monitoring tool efficacy and can be used to inform the development of a new monitoring tool for this pest. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Farmers' Attitudes to the Benefits and Barriers of Adopting Automation for Surface Irrigation on Dairy Farms in Australia

The study reports farmers' attitudes andperceptions towards the ``barriers' and ``benefits' of automaticirrigation systems. Factor analysis was used to identify perceived ``barriers' and ``benefits' andthe impact of these on farmers' priority to adopt automation wasexamined. Results suggest that farmers'attitudes, particularly with respect to ``cost' and``lifestyle' influenced the priority given to adopting automaticirrigation systems. The area under pasturecultivation was also an importantdeterminant in the farmers' priority foradopting automatic irrigation systems.     

Drivers of recent forest cover change in southern South America are linked to climate and CO2

Landscape Ecology - Widespread changes in forest structure and distribution have been documented in northern Patagonia over the past century. We employed LPJ-GUESS, a dynamic global...     

Induction and Transfer of Enhanced Biodegradation of the Herbicide Napropamide in Soils

In laboratory incubations, the times to 50% loss (DT₅₀) of a first application of napropamide were approximately 25, 45 and 75 days in soil incubated at 25, 15 and 5°C respectively. When treated for a second time, the DT₅₀ values were 4, 7 and 15 days at the same temperatures, irrespective of the temperature of the first incubation. This indicates that enhanced degradation of napropamide in soil can be both induced and expressed at low temperature. A mixed microbial culture able to degrade the herbicide to a single degradation product, identified by HPLC retention time as naphthoxypropionic acid, was obtained from a soil capable of rapid degradation. Addition of a sub-sample of this mixed culture to a previously untreated soil introduced rapid degrading ability. When small amounts of soil capable of rapid degradation were added to previously untreated soil, in both the laboratory and the field, the degradation rate of napropamide increased compared with that in unamended soils.