Immunoprophylactic effect of chicken egg yolk immunoglobulin (Ig Y) against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in piglets

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is the causative agent of neonatal diarrhea in piglets, which causes high mortality rates. In this study, the immunoprophylactic effects of chicken egg yolk immunoglobulin (Ig Y) against PEDV were investigated in neonatal pigs. Ig Y was found to reduce the mortality in piglets after challenge exposures. The field application of Ig Y also revealed significant differences in survival rates of piglets given Ig Y, as compared with placebo or control. The results in this study indicated that Ig Y against PEDV could be an alternative way of supplementing prophylactic measures like colostral antibodies from sows.     

The effect of fertilization on early growth of konara oak and Japanese zelkova seedlings planted in a harvested pitch pine plantation

We determined a suitable amount of fertilizer for konara oak(Quercus serrata) and Japanese zelkova(Zelkova serrata) planted in a harvested pitch pine(Pinus rigida) plantation. Two-year-old bare-root seedlings of konara oak and one-year-old containerized seedlings of Japanese zelkova were planted in April 2011. Three plots were established for each tree species to evaluate each of three fertilization applications. Solid compound fertilizer(N:P:K = 3:4:1) was applied yearly in three amounts(control: no fertilization, F1: 180 kg ha-1, and F2:360 kg ha-1), every May from 2011 to 2013. We measured the root collar diameter and height, and analyzed the compartmental N and P concentrations. Compartmental N concentrations of konara oak and Japanese zelkova were not consistent based on amount of fertilization. However,the compartmental P concentrations of konara oak and Japanese zelkova were significantly different in the order of F2, F1, and control. Although the differences in growth of konara oak appeared after 3 years of fertilization,Japanese zelkova showed differences after only 2 years of fertilization owing to differences in seedling type. Growth of konara oak was affected by fertilization at F1 and F2 in2013. However, growth of Japanese zelkova was affected only at F2. Nutrient demand of Japanese zelkova appeard to be higher than that of konara oak, at least during the early growing period. Results from this study could be practically used in harvested pitch pine plantations to determine appropriate fertilization regimes.     

桉树叶中黄酮类的提取及其在农业上的应用

本文报导了从桉树叶中提取黄酮类物质的工艺。采用单罐提取,产品得率为30％左右;三罐组或五罐组逆流浸提,产品得率可达35％;提取的黄酮类物质能调节蔬菜和果树的生长,对植物的病害和病毒都有一定的防治效果。     

Risk factors for L. monocytogenes contamination of dairy products in Switzerland, 1990-1999

Our purpose was to identify the main hazards associated with the spread of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products in Switzerland and to determine the changes in predominant serotypes of the isolates, using databases on dairy-processing and environments from the Swiss Dairy Research Station during the years 1990-1999. Overall, of 76,271 samples collected, 3722 (4.9%) were positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes. Cheese-ripening facilities had the highest proportion of positive samples (7.6%), followed by small-scale local dairies (4.4%). By sample type, the highest proportion of positive samples (9.5%) was observed in water samples used for cheese-washing, followed by cheese-surface swabs (5.0%). During the 10-year period, no positive samples were obtained from cream, ice cream, milk powder, yogurt, or fresh cheese. Of 3722 L. monocytogenes isolates, 1328 (35.7%) were serologically typeable. Serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b accounted for 92.7% of the 1328 isolates. Until 1995, the most-prevalent serotype was 1/2b (annual proportional prevalence 39.3-72.2%)--whereas since 1996, 1/2a was the most prevalent (34.7-54.7%). During 1996-1999, serotype 1/2a increased by 88%, compared to the average of 1990-1995. In the final random-effect multivariable logistic model, the strongest predictor of a positive culture was samples from cheese-ripening plant (OR=1.54; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.08) and the second-strongest predictor was samples collected by someone who was employed by the plant (OR=1.48; 1.29, 1.71). Hard and semi-hard cheeses were more likely to be associated with serotype 1/2b and soft cheeses with serotype 1/2a.     

Optimum feeding rates in juvenile olive flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus,at the optimum rearing temperature

Two feeding trials were carried out to determine the optimum feeding rates in juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, at the optimum rearing temperature. Fish averaging 5.0 ± 0.11 g (mean ± SD) in experiment 1 and 20.2 ± 0.54 g (mean ± SD) in experiment 2 were fed a commercial diet at the feeding rates of 0%, 3.0%, 4.0%, 4.25%, 4.5% and 4.75% body weight (BW) day^?1 and satiation (5.52% BW day^?1) in experiment 1 and 0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0% and 3.5% BW day^?1 and satiation (4.12% BW day^?1) in experiment 2 at 20 ± 1 °C. Both feeding trials lasted for 2 weeks. Results from experiment 1 indicated that weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed to satiation were significantly higher than those of fish fed at other feeding rates while feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of fish fed at 4.25% BW day^?1 were significantly higher than those of fish fed to satiation and fish fed at 3.0% BW day^?1 (P < 0.05). In experiment 2 WG, SGR and PER leveled out after the feeding rate of 3.5% BW day^?1 whereas FE reached a plateau at 3.0% BW day^?1. anova of FE indicated that the optimum feeding rates in 5.0 and 20 g juvenile olive flounder could be 4.25% and 3.0% BW day^?1, respectively. Broken line analysis of WG suggested the optimum feeding rates of 5.17% and 3.47% BW day^?1 in 5.0 and 20 g fish, respectively. Therefore, these results indicated that the optimum feeding rates could be >4.25 but <5.17% BW day^?1 for 5.0 g, and it could be >3.0 but <3.47% BW day^?1 for 20 g size of juvenile olive flounder at the optimum rearing temperature.     

The Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid on Vitamin D Activation in Hemodialysis Patients: A Pilot Study

The high incidence of cardiovascular disease and vitamin D deficiency in chronic kidney disease patients is well known. Vitamin D activation by omega-3 fatty acid (FA) supplementation may explain the cardioprotective effects exerted by omega-3 FA. We hypothesized that omega-3 FA and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) supplementation may increase 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)₂D) levels compared to 25(OH)D supplementation alone in hemodialysis (HD) patients that have insufficient or deficient 25(OH)D levels. We enrolled patients that were treated for at least six months with 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL ({"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01596842","term_id":"NCT01596842"}}NCT01596842). Patients were randomized to treatment for 12 weeks with cholecalciferol supplemented with omega-3 FA or a placebo. Levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)₂D were measured after 12 weeks. The erythrocyte membrane FA contents were also measured. Levels of 25(OH)D were increased in both groups at 12 weeks compared to baseline. The 1,25(OH)₂D levels at 12 weeks compared to baseline showed a tendency to increase in the omega-3 FA group. The oleic acid and monounsaturated FA content decreased, while the omega-3 index increased in the omega-3 FA group. Omega-3 FA supplementation may be partly associated with vitamin D activation, although increased 25(OH)D levels caused by short-term cholecalciferol supplementation were not associated with vitamin D activation in HD patients.     

Isolation and antifungal activity of lignans from Myristica fragrans against various plant pathogenic fungi

BACKGROUND: In a search for plant extracts with potent in vivo antifungal activity against various plant diseases, we found that treatment with a methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houttyn (nutmeg) seeds reduced the development of various plant diseases. The objectives of the present study were to isolate and determine antifungal substances from My. fragrans and to evaluate their antifungal activities. RESULTS: Three antifungal lignans were isolated from the methanol extract of My. fragrans seeds and identified as erythro-austrobailignan-6 (EA6), meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDA) and nectandrin-B (NB). In vitro antimicrobial activity of the three lignans varied according to compound and target species. Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum coccodes, C. gloeosporioides, Magnaporthe grisea, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Acidovorax konjaci and Burkholderia glumae were relatively sensitive to the three lignans. In vivo, all three compounds effectively suppressed the development of rice blast and wheat leaf rust. In addition, EA6 and NB were highly active against the development of barley powdery mildew and tomato late blight, respectively. Both MDA and NB also moderately inhibited the development of rice sheath blight. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of the three lignans from My. fragrans against plant pathogenic fungi.