Comparison of flagellin and an oil-emulsion adjuvant in inactivated Newcastle disease vaccine in stimulation of immunogenic parameters

The present study was designed to investigate the potential application of native (N) and recombinant (truncated modified [tmFliC] and full-length [flFliC]) flagellin proteins along with inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Fifty six SPF chickens were immunized twice with PBS (control), inactivated NDV (Ag), inactivated NDV/flFliC (AgF), inactivated NDV/tmFliC (AgT), inactivated NDV/N (AgN), commercial vaccine containing Montanide (Vac) and Vac/N (VacN), with a two-week interval. Blood was collected weekly and spleens were harvested after chickens were sacrificed. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by Real-Time PCR. Antibody response was assessed by haemagglutination inhibition (HI). Cellular activity was quantified by MTT assay. Results showed that the most IL-6 and TNF-α gene expression was observed in AgF group (P < 0.01). The lowest gene expression among vaccinated groups was observed in Ag group for IL-6 and Ag and Vac group for TNF-α. The highest HI titer was observed in Vac, VacN, AgF and AgT groups. The AgF group showed the highest cellular activity (P < 0.01). In conclusion, flagellin-adjuvanted groups showed a pro-inflammatory effect and acted similarly to or better than the Vac group. Hence, flagellin can be proposed as a potential adjuvant for ND vaccine.     

Variability in the performance of juvenile Chinook salmon is explained primarily by when and where they resided in estuarine habitats

Estuarine habitats provide rearing opportunities for the juvenile life stage of anadromous fishes. Because survival is positively correlated with juvenile performance, these estuarine habitats play an important role in population abundance and productivity. To provide information for the recovery of several depressed stocks of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin, we sought to identify the factors that explain variability in performance. Using otolith‐derived estimates of juvenile somatic growth rate as an index of recent performance, we observed a negative nonlinear relationship between growth rate and day of year, and a decreasing and increasing trend of growth rate over the 8 years of this study and distance from the river mouth respectively. Using a generalised linear modelling approach, we found that variability in juvenile somatic growth rate was best explained by where and when individuals were collected, their body size, contaminant loads, stock of origin, and whether a fish was hatchery produced or unmarked. Lastly, we argue that a considerable improvement to the growth rate of juveniles in estuarine habitats is physiologically possible. The results of this 8‐year study provide a baseline of the performance of juvenile Chinook salmon to evaluate habitat restoration programs and to compare against future anthropogenic conditions.     

Protective efficacy of an H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine produced from Re-11, Re-12, and H7-Re2 strains against challenge with different H5 and H7 viruses in chickens

We developed an H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine by using Re-11, Re-12, and H7-Re2 vaccine seed viruses, which were generated by reverse genetics and derived their HA genes from A/duck/Guizhou/S4184/2017(H5 N6)(DK/GZ/S4184/17)(a clade 2.3.4.4 d virus), A/chicken/Liaoning/SD007/2017(H5 N1)(CK/LN/SD007/17)(a clade 2.3.2.1 d virus), and A/chicken/Guangxi/SD098/2017(H7 N9)(CK/GX/SD098/17), respectively. The protective efficacy of this novel vaccine and that of the recently used H5/H7 bivalent inactivated vaccine against different H5 and H7 N9 viruses was evaluated in chickens. We found that the H5/H7 bivalent vaccine provided solid protection against the H7 N9 virus CK/GX/SD098/17, but only 50–60% protection against different H5 viruses. In contrast, the novel H5/H7 trivalent vaccine provided complete protection against the H5 and H7 viruses tested. Our study underscores the importance of timely updating of vaccines for avian influenza control.     

Construction of recombinant capripoxviruses as vaccine vectors for delivering foreign antigens: Methodology and application

Goatpox (GTP), sheeppox (SPP) and lumpy skin disease (LSD) are three severe diseases of goat, sheep and cattle. Their typical clinical symptoms are characterized by vesicles, papules, nodules, pustules and scabs on animal skins. The GTP, SPP and LSD are caused by goatpox virus (GTPV), sheeppox virus (SPPV) and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), respectively, all of which belong to the genus Capripoxvirus in the family Poxviridae. Several capripoxvirus (CaPV) isolates have been virulently attenuated through serial passaging in vitro for production of live vaccines. CaPV-based vector systems have been broadly used to construct recombinant vaccines for delivering foreign antigens, many of which have been demonstrated to induce effective immune protections. Homologous recombination is the most commonly used method for constructing recombinant CaPVs. Here, we described a methodology for generation of recombinant CaPVs by the homologous recombination, and further reviewed CaPV-vectored vaccines for delivering foreign antigens.     

Identification of an H1N1 subtype of swine influenza virus and serological analysis

To investigate the epizootic of swine influenza virus(SIV), 60 nasal swabs were collected from a clinical cases of pig farm in Tai'an City, Shandong Province of China in April 2017. SIV was isolated by inoculating into 10-day-old Special Pathogen Free embryonated eggs and the whole genome was sequenced. An H1N1 subtype SIV was isolated and designated as A/swine/Shandong/TA04/2017(H1N1). Phylogenetic analysis showed that apart from the polymerase A(PA) fragment belonging to the 2009 pandemic H1N1 branch, seven genome segments belonged to avian-like H1N1 influenza virus lineage. The cleavage site sequence of the hemagglutinin(HA) protein was PSIQSR↓G, which is a typical molecular biological characteristic. Five potential N-glycosylation sites(N14, N26, N277, N484 and N543) were found in the HA gene. To further investigate the epidemiology of SIV in this farm, the 995 serum samples were assessed with EAH1N1 2009 pandemic H1N1 and H3 N2 antigens. The results showed that the total positive rate was 65.43%. The positive rates of single virus infection detected by EAH1N1, 2009 pdmH1N1 and H3 N2 for serum HI(Hemagglutination inhibition) were 48.35, 30.85 and 7.47%, respectively. The results showed that SIV in Shandong Province has been reassorted in some segments and the SIV-positive rate was high on the SIV outbreak farm. These data provide evidence of an epizootic of SIV.     

羊源链球菌的分群鉴定及多价灭活苗的研制

2000～2003年,从安阳、邯郸等6个地区采取280份羊的病料,从中分离到150株链球菌,对其中20株典型分离株进行了生化分群鉴定及兰氏分群A～G诊断试剂鉴定.结果表明,6个地区发生的羊的链球菌病主要由C群兽疫链球菌(7/20),D群(8/20),E群(2/20)引起.其分布无明显地域性.选择C、D、E群中各1株为菌种,制备多价链球菌灭活苗,通过免疫试验,保护率达92%以上,免疫期半年以上,疫苗4℃保存期1年以上,证明该灭活苗安全性好,免疫效果明显.     

基于模糊建模的混炼胶粘度测量

提出了一种在线测量混炼胶粘度的新方法．该方法以模糊建模技术为基础，综合考虑混炼过程各因素对胶料粘度的影响，建立起胶料粘度的在线测量模型．在模糊建模中，采用T-S模型描述胶料粘度变化的非线性过程，提出了一种基于相似性判别的模糊聚类算法以自动确定合适的聚类组数目，并用实数编码的遗传算法优化全局参数，从而获得了规则简化的、具有较高精度的模糊模型．根据此方法，设计了测量装置，并进行了现场试验．试验结果表明模糊模型输出与实验室测量值基本一致，平均误差较低且最大误差未超过1门尼．该方法较大地提高了橡胶混炼的生产效率，为粘度最优控制奠定了基础．     

猪口蹄疫O型灭活疫苗PD50效检攻毒方式探索

用10 000 TCID50的OR/80株F13细胞毒或用10 000 LD50的OR/80株乳鼠组织毒(ORMF8),通过肌肉注射途径、蹄踵球部或趾间皮内注射途径接种O型口蹄疫抗体阴性架子猪进行攻毒试验,三种途径均不能使试验猪产生规律性发病.     

沙黄松选择增益结构模式初步研究

采用沙黄松天然林自由授粉家系７年生树干材积的材料，分析了联合选择遗传增益结构模式。结果表明：亚群体间存在极显著差异，亚群体内家系间差异不显著；联合选择增益结构模式为亚群体间７２．４４％、亚群体内家系间３．５５％、单株间２４．０１％。