Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the antibodies specific to akabane virus.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Akabane virus (AKAV) was developed to detect antibodies to AKAV in cattle sera. The performance of the test using 7 different competitor MAbs was evaluated in sequential serum samples and sera from cattle infected with various bovine arboviruses. The dynamics of the antibody response expressed by percentage of inhibition (PI) in C-ELISA coincided with those of neutralizing antibody titers in sequential serum samples from 2 cattle experimentally infected with AKAV. The value of PI in C-ELISA for convalescent sera from cattle infected with arboviruses correlated with the neutralizing antibody titer to AKAV but was unaffected by the antibodies to other arboviruses. In the validation experiment of C-ELISA using 286 bovine sera previously examined for the AKAV antibody by serum neutralization (SN) test, the relative specificity of C-ELISA was more than 98%, whereas the relative sensitivities of individual MAbs ranged from 49% to 82.2%. Overall agreement between C-ELISA and the SN test varied from 72% to 90% depending on the MAb. These results suggest that the C-ELISA is acceptable as a rapid and specific method for detecting antibodies to AKAV and is a potential alternative to the SN test.     

Viral RNA extraction using an automatic nucleic acid extractor with magnetic particles and genetic characterization of bovine viral diarrhea virus in Tokachi Province,Japan, in 2016–2017

In this study, the viral genome extraction performance of automatic nucleic acid extractors and manual nucleic acid extraction kits was compared. We showed that compared with manual kits, the automatic extractors showed superior genome extraction performance using bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) genome-positive cattle sera and bovine coronavirus/infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus-spiked cattle nasal swabs. In addition, the subgenotyping of BVDV strains detected in Tokachi Province in Japan during 2016–2017 was performed. Results showed that most of these BVDV strains belonged to subgenotype 1b, while few strains belonged to subgenotypes 1a and 2a. This study showed the high applicability of automatic nucleic acid extractors in extracting multiple viral genomes and the dominant subgenotype of BVDV in Tokachi.     

Inhibitors of methane production in paddy soils

Global warming is now attracting the world attention. Methane is an important greenhouse gas next to CO₂. Prather et al. (1995) estimated that rice paddy fields account for 14% of all biogenic atmospheric methane. It is considered that methane production from rice paddy fields is increasing along with the increase of the population. Therefore, the development of rice cultivation techniques for reducing methane production is essential, in order to preserve the global environment.     

Vulnerability of Community-Based Forest Management to Climate Variability and Extremes: Emerging Insights on the Contribution of REDD+

Climate change spurs havoc on social-ecological system. People and places vulnerable to climate change have been the focus of many discussions. However, in the forestry sector, limited studies have been conducted that link human vulnerability to recent initiatives, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation or REDD+, especially in highly vulnerable countries. Using case studies from the Philippines, this paper focuses on the vulnerability of two community-based forest management (CBFM) organizations, with and without REDD+ readiness intervention, to show the impacts of climate variability and extremes. Two balance-weighted approaches, the livelihood vulnerability index and the IPCC-framework, were used in the vulnerability assessments. Results revealed high vulnerability of both CBFM organizations, although Malitbog Upland Developers for Sustainable Association (MUDSA) livelihood vulnerability is largely aggravated by its exposure to disaster, climate variability and extremes, accessibility to health facilities and water supply. The long history of CBFM implementation in both organizations have minimal contribution in enhancing the adaptive capacity of members to cope with and adapt to climate change impacts. REDD+ (readiness), does not insure reduced vulnerability to climate change, unless sustainable livelihood is achieved. As the State controls forest resources, the rights of CBFM-organizations to commercially benefit from these resources are limited, a disincentive to the development of new and viable development programs in CBFM areas, such as REDD+. This also constrains the achievement of climate resiliency.     

Application of ELISA-based kit for detecting AOZ and determining its clearance in eel tissues

Furazolidone, an antibacterial drug that was once widely used in the livestock industry and aquaculture, is now prohibited in numerous countries. It is difficult to detect residual furazolidone because it is readily metabolized in animal tissues but, by using and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, its metabolite, 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) can be detected. Here we describe the validity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to detect AOZ in Japanese eel Anguilla japonica tissue. ELISA is capable of detecting AOZ at 1.0 μg/kg in an eel sample with excellent accuracy and precision. Our results show that ELISA is suitable for regulatory purposes and for studying the fate of AOZ residues in eel treated with furazolidone. To measure the persistence of AOZ in eel tissues, eels (1.4–6.5g) were immersed in tanks containing 2 and 10 mg furazolidone/L for 3 h, and then maintained in a tank supplying well water for the next 160 days. The half-lives of AOZ, calculated from the linear terminal part of the excretion curve, were 25.0 days in muscle and 21.6 days in liver from fish exposed to 2 mg/L furazolidone. In the eels treated with 10 mg/L furazolidone, by contrast, high levels of AOZ were detected in liver and muscle, but the half-lives of AOZ were similar to those in fish treated with 2 mg/L furazolidone. The half-lives of AOZ in eel tissues were prolonged by the condition of low water temperature.     

Pathogenicity of emerging Japanese type 1 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in experimentally infected pigs

To clarify the pathogenicity of Japanese type 1 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolate in experimentally infected pigs, we evaluated clinical signs and monitored viremia for 21 days post-inoculation (dpi). Lungs were mottled, tanned and reddish in appearance; had lesions predominantly in the cranial, middle and accessory lobes; and failed to collapse at 10 dpi. Although microscopic lesions of lungs were reproduced using the Japanese emerging type 1 PRRSV isolate under experimental conditions, no significant differences were noted between the challenge and control groups regarding mean rectal temperature and daily weight gain. These results provide useful insights into the limited pathogenicity of single infection with the Japanese type 1 PRRSV isolate in piglets, which differ from findings in reported field cases.