Phylogenetic characterization of rabies virus isolates from Carnivora in Brazil

The incidence of canine rabies has been widely reported in Brazil, and new rabies virus (RV) variants, genetically similar to canine RV, have recently been isolated from foxes. In order to derive the epidemiological characteristics of Brazilian Carnivora RV, Brazilian RVs isolated from dogs, cats, and foxes were genetically analyzed. Brazilian Carnivora RV isolates were divided into 2 main lineages. The predominant lineage was found in dogs and cats, which included the Argentinean and Bolivian Carnivora RV isolates, and was extensively distributed throughout Brazil and surrounding countries. The other lineage consisted of three sublineages containing Brazilian dog and fox RV isolates, with the dog sublineages located on an internal branch of 2 fox sublineages, suggesting that RV transmission events might have occurred between foxes and dogs in the past. These results suggest that contact between dogs and wildlife has the potential to generate new rabies variants and that it is important to control RV infection cycles in both dogs and wildlife to prevent spread of rabies infection.     

The ventricles of the brain in the N. American mink (Mustela vison (Brisson, 1756))

Using anatomical as well as radiographic and tomographic methods, sixty brains of the N. American mink were examined. It was found that the brain consists of four ventricles. Also, it was noted that the posterior horn was missing and that there was the olfactory recess present in the lateral ventricle, a large-size interthalamic connection present in the third ventricle, and a flat, necklace-like bottom in the fourth ventricle. Only recently, the ins and outs of the mink's anatomical structure have begun to absorb anatomists. Apparently, it is related to the fact that furry animals, among them the mink, are being domesticated as if "before our eyes". For this reason and because of the easy access to material, examining of the brain ventricles in the mink was taken up.     

Effects of AI protocol and time interval from onset of estrus to AI on conception rate in Japanese Black cows

Two different artificial insemination (AI) protocols were investigated to determine the effect of the time interval from the onset of estrus (as detected by a pedometer) to the AI on the conception rate in Japanese Black cows. Seventy‐three cows were divided into two groups that received AI either after the induction of synchronized ovulation (synchronized AI group; n = 26) or at the time of observed estrus (control AI group; n = 47). Each group was further divided into two subgroups, which were artificially inseminated either 0–12 h (early AI group; n = 21) or 12–24 h (late AI group; n = 52) after the onset of estrus. There was no significant difference in the conception rate between the synchronized AI and control AI groups. The AI protocol and the detection of estrus using a threshold of counted steps (as measured by a pedometer) in this study could be effective for planned reproduction management without the observation of standing estrus in Japanese Black cows.     

Fusarium oxysporum- und F. proliferatum-Isolate aus Spargel und deren Pathogenit?ts��berpr��fung in einer modifizierten in vitro-Schnelltestmethode

Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium proliferatum are important causal agents of crown and root rot of asparagus. In order to detect differences in pathogenicity and aggressiveness, two F. proliferatum and five F. oxysporum single spore isolates from asparagus spears from plantings in Austria and Germany, 55 pure cultures of F. oxysporum from asparagus roots from a planting in Hesse, Germany, and a single F. oxysporum isolate from an asparagus shoot collected in Austria were evaluated in a 28-day quick test on Hoagland??s agar in glass culture tubes. Plantlets were inoculated with spore suspensions from each respective isolate after 14 days of growth under sterile, controlled conditions in a growth chamber. A severity scale was used to assess symptoms on roots two weeks after inoculation. The effects of the single-spore isolates on root and shoot fresh weights of the plantlets were also determined. The pathogenicity of the majority of the F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum isolates included in this study was confirmed. Inoculation with pure and single-spore cultures resulted in elevated disease severity in comparison to non-inoculated controls. In particular, the two F. proliferatum isolates were found to be more aggressive than the F. oxysporum isolates. Moreover, all single spore isolates caused a reduction in fresh weight of roots and shoots in comparison to the controls. With respect to differences among asparagus cultivars, ??Ramos??, was found to be more susceptible than ??Ravel??. Overall, the quick test method was found to be capable of evaluating the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of the tested F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum isolates towards asparagus within 28 days.     

Detection of Aphanomyces invadans and epizootic ulcerative syndrome in the Murray‐Darling drainage

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome was diagnosed, and the presence of Aphanomyces invadans confirmed, from an outbreak of clinical disease in wild‐caught bony bream (Nematalosa erebi) from the Darling River near Bourke, in New South Wales, Australia, during 2008. This confirms a significant extension of the agent beyond its historical range.     

Lignin als biologische Barriere gegen Schimmelpilze in Innenräumen

Many different fungi grow indoors as mold in the presence of moisture. Some of these fungi can cause allergic or toxic reactions, while a few may cause infections in susceptible individuals. A comprehensive treatment of this complex topic would take volumes. Therefore many groups search for alternative management strategies of these fungi. It has been tested if the growth of nine fungi (Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium herbarum, Fusarium culmorum, F. solani, F. verticillioides, Mucor sp., Penicillium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) which are common in interior buildings could be inhibited by mixing lignin into wall plaster. In maltextract agar lignin concentrations above 10 % inhibited mould growth except for Penicillium sp. However, none of the mould species showed and degradation of lignin. Further investigations on a lignin-plaster-agar, which contained only plaster as nutrient and had a high pH at 8, showed no inhibition on the tested fungi (Alternaria alternata, Fusarium verticillioides, Mucor sp., Trichoderma sp. and Penicillium sp.) at concentrations up to 5 %. Higher lignin concentrations lead to insufficient quality of building materials, e. g. cracking. Furthermore the color of the building materials turned from greyish-white in an exotherm reaction into brown, become not any more suitable for construction purposed.     

桑蚕春用品种贵蚕2号的选育

采用双测交育种方法,育成了强健优质春用蚕品种贵蚕二号（827·渝5×826·渝3）,系四元杂交种。经多次鉴定、农村饲养、试繁结果表明：该品种体质强健好养,制种性能好,茧大而匀,茧丝质良好,综合经济性状优良,四龄万蚕收茧量23．03kg,四龄万蚕茧层量5．86kg,茧成率25．43％,茧丝长1446m,解舒丝长1253m,鲜毛茧出丝率19．93％,净度96．88分。适宜贵州省春季用种．     

Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of glycoprotein of rabies virus isolated from several species in Brazil

Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of the region containing the glycoprotein (G) gene, which is related to pathogenicity and antigenicity, and the G-L intergenic region were carried out in 14 Brazilian rabies virus isolates. The isolates were classified as dog-related rabies virus (DRRV) or vampire bat-related rabies virus (VRRV), by nucleoprotein (N) analysis. The nucleotide and amino acid (AA) homologies of the area containing the G protein gene and G-L intergenic region were generally lower than those of the ectodomain. In both regions, nucleotide and deduced AA homologies were lower among VRRVs than among DRRVs. There were AA differences between DRRV and VRRV at 3 antigenic sites and epitopes (IIa, WB+ and III), suggesting that DRRV and VRRV can be distinguished by differences of antigenicity. In a comparison of phylogenetic trees between the ectodomain and the area containing the G protein gene and G-L intergenic region, the branching patterns of the chiropteran and carnivoran rabies virus groups differed, whereas there were clear similarities in patterns within the DRRV and VRRV groups. Additionally, the VRRV isolates were more closely related to chiropteran strains isolated from Latin America than to Brazilian DRRV. These results indicate that Brazilian rabies virus isolates can be classified as DRRV or VRRV by analysis of the G gene and the G-L intergenic region, as well as by N gene analysis.