Pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in Chilean commercial turkeys with genetic and serologic comparisons to U.S. H1N1 avian influenza vaccine isolates

Beginning in April 2009, a novel H1N1 influenza virus caused acute respiratory disease in humans, first in Mexico and then around the world. The resulting pandemic influenza A H1N1 2009 (pH1N1) virus was isolated in swine in Canada in June 2009 and later in breeder turkeys in Chile, Canada, and the United States. The pH1N1 virus consists of gene segments of avian, human, and swine influenza origin and has the potential for infection in poultry following exposure to infected humans or swine. We examined the clinical events following the initial outbreak of pH1N1 in turkeys and determined the relatedness of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene segments from the pH1N1 to two H1N1 avian influenza (AI) isolates used in commercial turkey inactivated vaccines. Overall, infection of turkey breeder hens with pH1N1 resulted in -50% reduction of egg production over 3-4 weeks. Genetic analysis indicated one H1N1 AI vaccine isolate (Alturkey/North Carolina/17026/1988) contained approximately 92% nucleotide sequence similarity to the pH1N1 virus (A/Mexico/4109/2009); whereas, a more recent AI vaccine isolate (A/ swine/North Carolina/00573/2005) contained 75.9% similarity. Comparison of amino acids found at antigenic sites of the HA protein indicated conserved epitopes at the Sa site; however, major differences were found at the Ca2 site between pH1N1 and A/ turkey/North Carolina/127026/1988. Hemagglutinin-inhibition (HI) tests were conducted with sera produced in vaccinated turkeys in North Carolina to determine if protection would be conferred using U.S. AI vaccine isolates. HI results indicate positive reactivity (HI titer > or = 5 log2) against the vaccine viruses over the course of study. However, limited cross-reactivity to the 2009 pH1N1 virus was observed, with positive titers in a limited number of birds (6 out of 20) beginning only after a third vaccination. Taken together, these results demonstrate that turkeys treated with these vaccines would likely not be protected against pH1N1 and current vaccines used in breeder turkeys in the United States against circulating H1N1 viruses should be updated to ensure adequate protection against field exposure.     

Direct comparison of individual substrate utilization from a CLPP study: A new analysis for metabolic diversity data

For over a decade, community level physiological profile (CLPP) assays, which assess a microbial community's capacity to metabolize specific sole carbon sources under defined laboratory conditions, have been popular for study of environmental soil samples. One such assay, BiOLOG™ allows for the colorimetric measurement of metabolism through the reduction of a tetrazolium dye, which yields optical density (OD) data for each substrate. Bacterial communities are extracted from soil and 150 μL of this extract is inoculated directly into each well of the microtitre plate. The combined metabolic data obtained are most often analyzed with multivariate statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis (PCA). The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a simple, visual, statistically valid method of determining community capabilities to utilize specific substrates in CLPP studies and (2) to test the number of samples needed for such discrimination to be reliable. This was done by direct comparison of the OD values obtained for two closely related microbial communities (surface and subsurface soil), plotted against a one-to-one (y=x) line. Due to variability in the portion of the soil microbial community inoculated into the individual test wells, the accuracy of the method was dependent on the number of replicates analyzed. A variety of data set sizes were tested, from n=3 samples/soil depth to n=40 samples/depth. The method was statistically valid for all data sets tested. Those substrates that deviated from the one-to-one line consistently had F values greater than 1. Additionally, data sets of n=30,35 and 40 samples/depth consistently allowed identification of the eight substrates whose metabolism varied significantly between the two test soil communities. In conclusion, this one-to-one comparison has been shown to be a statistically valid analytical method to compare individual substrate usage between soils.     

Azoospermia associated with bilateral segmental aplasia of the ductus deferens in a stallion

A 3-year-old Quarter Horse halter stallion was referred for routine semen evaluation. Physically, the stallion's reproductive organs appeared normal. Repeated semen evaluations did not reveal any spermatozoa. Because high activities of alkaline phosphatase are detected in the epididymal fluid and indicative of complete ejaculation, alkaline phosphatase activities were analyzed in several samples, which yielded activities far less than reference values and suggested a blockage of the reproductive tract. Endoscopic evaluation of the urethra and the bulbourethral, prostate, and urethral gland ducts did not reveal abnormalities. The left ductus deferens was exposed surgically, and attempts to pass a catheter through it in a normograde direction met resistance after 20 cm. Laparoscopic abdominal surgery revealed the ductus deferens tapered to a thin structure just cranial to the entrance in the urogenital fold, cranial and lateral to the bladder. Both ductus deferentia were similarly affected. The symmetry and bilateral nature of the abnormalities were strong indications of a possible congenital defect.     

Cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression and somatic mutations in canine oral melanoma

Canine oral melanoma (COM) is the most frequent tumour with oral localization in dogs. Copy number gains and amplifications of CCND1, a gene coding for Cyclin D1, are the most frequent chromosomal aberrations described in human non‐UV induced melanomas. Twenty‐eight cases of COM were retrieved from paraffin‐blocks archives. A total of 4 μm thick sections were immunostained with an antibody against human Cyclin D1 and Ki‐67. Cyclin D1 and Ki‐67 expressions were scored through two counting methods. DNA was extracted from 20 μm thick sections of formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded blocks. Pathological and surrounding healthy tissue was extracted independently. Cyclin D1 immunolabelling was detected in 69% (18/26) while Ki‐67 was present in 88.5% (23/26) of cases. Statistical analysis revealed correlation between two counting methods for Cyclin D1 (r = 0.54; P = .004) and Ki‐67 (r = 0.56; P = .003). The correlation found between Ki‐67 and Cyclin D1 indexes in 16/26 cases labelled by both antibodies (r = 0.7947; P = .0002) suggests a possible use of Cyclin D1 index as prognostic marker. Polymerase chain reaction analysis on CCND1 coding sequence revealed the presence of nine somatic mutations in seven samples producing synonymous, missense and stop codons. Since none of the single‐nucleotide polymorphisms was found to be recurrent, it is suggested that overexpression of Cyclin D1 may be the consequence of alterations of CCND1 upstream regions or other genetic aberrations not detectable with the methodology used in this study. Future studies are needed to verify the potential use of Cyclin D1 index as prognostic indicator and to highlight the molecular events responsible for Cyclin D1 overexpression in COMs.     

Lignin content and briquette quality of different fibre hemp plant types and energy sunflower

Fibre hemp and energy sunflower are potential energy crops for production of solid biomass as renewable energy. The current study estimated (i) the lignin content of fibre hemp and energy sunflower plants grown on different nitrogen treatments and (ii) the quality of the briquettes made from different plant types of fibre hemp (i.e. monoecious and dioecious), energy sunflower and the combination of fibre hemp and energy sunflower. The monoecious and dioecious fibre hemp cultivars (Chameleon, Finola and Santhica-27, USO-31, respectively) and the energy sunflower cultivar Wielkopolski were grown in the experimental field in 2008-2010 on Stagnic Luvisol soil. The plants were grown on N treatments of N0, mineral nitrogen (100 kg N ha⁻¹), cattle slurry (100 kg N ha⁻¹), sewage sludge (100 kg N ha⁻¹) and vetch (100 kg N ha⁻¹). Calorific values (16.6-17.4 MJ kg⁻¹) of briquettes pressed from different materials did not differ significantly and had relatively low sulphur (<0.05%) and chlorine content (0.03-0.37%). Briquettes with higher compactness were made from the sunflower and the dioecious hemp. Dioecious hemp had significantly higher lignin content. The dioecious hemp needs lower GDD values for maturating, its stems lignin content was higher than of monoecious hemp by harvest time and therefore this plant type is more suitable for briquetting in Nordic climatic conditions. Comparison of the different N treatments indicated that application of sewage sludge decreased the emergence and density of the fibre hemp plants and the lignin content per kg of DM.     

Characterizing the Saltol Quantitative Trait Locus for Salinity Tolerance in Rice

This study characterized Pokkali-derived quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for seedling stage salinity tolerance in preparation for use in marker-assisted breeding. An analysis of 100 SSR markers on 140 IR29/Pokkali recombinant inbred lines (RILs) confirmed the location of the Saltol QTL on chromosome 1 and identified additional QTLs associated with tolerance. Analysis of a series of backcross lines and near-isogenic lines (NILs) developed to better characterize the effect of the Saltol locus revealed that Saltol mainly acted to control shoot Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis. Multiple QTLs were required to acquire a high level of tolerance. Unexpectedly, multiple Pokkali alleles at Saltol were detected within the RIL population and between backcross lines, and representative lines were compared with seven Pokkali accessions to better characterize this allelic variation. Thus, while the Saltol locus presents a complex scenario, it provides an opportunity for marker-assisted backcrossing to improve salt tolerance of popular varieties followed by targeting multiple loci through QTL pyramiding for areas with higher salt stress.     

对新农村社区建设若干问题的思考

新农村社区建设是推动农村经济和社会全面发展的重大战略举措,是建设社会主义新农村的重要内容。应该以社会主义新农村建设为契机,把握好新农村社区建设的“和谐”内涵,改革不适宜社区发展的阻碍因素,完善社区的管理与服务。按照科学发展观的要求,探索一套独立、完整的社区建设体制,努力建设一个环境优美、人文和谐、可持续发展的新农村社区。     

基于遥感技术的黄河三角洲河口土地变迁研究

利用遥感和计算机技术,选用4个不同时相的陆地卫星影像对黄河三角洲河口地区从1976年到2000年的土地覆盖变化进行了动态研究。利用各种判读标志,通过对比分析法提取出高潮线,再将其进行叠加,量算增减土地面积。研究结果表明,黄河口地区土地一直处于动态变化中,目前总面积有减少趋势。     

Transmission of small ruminant lentiviruses

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) are classical slow retroviruses causing chronic inflammatory disease in a variety of target organs. The routes of transmission have been investigated and a large body of evidence has accumulated over many years. The main routes are through ingestion of infected colostrum and/or milk, or through inhalation of respiratory secretions. However, many studies also provide evidence that intrauterine infection may occur, though the extent and significance of this route is controversial. Embryos treated to IETS standards appear to pose very little risk of infection. SRLV have been detected in semen suggesting a potential source of transmission. However, such transmission has not been demonstrated to date. The application of control measures based on this information allows more efficient strategies to be developed which will reduce the rate of transmission.     

Antifungal properties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) alkali treated saponins against Botrytis cinerea

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is a Latin American food staple readily available in large quantities in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The outer husk of the grain is removed prior to consumption to reduce its bitter taste. At present, quinoa husks are considered as a by-product with no commercial value, despite its high content of triterpenoid saponins (20–30%). Due to this, the present work was undertaken to test if quinoa saponins have antifungal properties against Botrytis cinerea and if this activity is enhanced after alkaline treatment, since recent reports indicate that alkaline treatment of quinoa saponins increase their biological activity. Six products were tested against B. cinerea: (1) non-purified quinoa extract, (2) purified quinoa extract, (3) alkali treated non-purified quinoa extract, (4) alkali treated purified quinoa extract, (5) non-purified quinoa extract treated with alkali but without thermal incubation and (6) purified quinoa extract treated with alkali but without thermal incubation.

Untreated quinoa extracts showed minimum activity against mycelial growth of B. cinerea. Also, no effects were observed against conidial germination, even at 7 mg saponins/ml. However, when the saponin extracts were treated with alkali, mycelial growth and conidial germination were significantly inhibited. At doses of 5 mg saponins/ml, 100% of conidial germination inhibition was observed, even after 96 h of incubation. Fungal membrane integrity experiments based on the uptake of the fluorogenic dye SYTOX green showed that alkali treated saponins generate membrane disruption, while non-treated saponins had no effects.

The higher antifungal activity of alkaline treated saponins is probably due to the formation of more hydrophobic saponin derivatives that may have a higher affinity with the sterols present in cell membranes.