Vector competence of Coquillettidia linealis (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) for Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses

Abstract Coquillettidia linealis is a severe pest on some of the Moreton Bay islands in Queensland, Australia, but little is known of its breeding habitats and biology. Because of its high abundance and its association with Ross River (RR) and Barmah Forest (BF) viruses by field isolation, its vector competence was evaluated in the laboratory by feeding dilutions of both viruses in blood. For RR, Cq. linealis was of comparable efficiency to Ochlerotatus vigilax (Skuse), recognised as being a major vector. Results were as follows for Cq. linealis and Oc. vigilax , respectively: dose to infect 50%, 10^2.2 and <10^1.7 CCID₅₀/mosquito; 88% and 90% disseminated infection at 4 days postinfection; transmission at 4 days with rates of 68−92% and 25−60%. For BF dose to infect 50%, 10^2.7 and 10^2.0; disseminated infection rates on first transmission day (day 6), 40% and 70%; transmission rates of 8−16% and 0−10%. As a capillary-tube method was used rather than suckling mice to demonstrate transmission, transmission rates may be underestimates. This, the first study of the vector competence of Cq. linealis in Australia, demonstrates that this species deserves control on the southern Moreton Bay islands.     

AN EARLY CENOZOIC NEOSELACHIAN SHARK FAUNA FROM THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC

Abstract: An early Cenozoic shark fauna, comprising at least 16 taxa, is described from Paleocene sedimentary rocks on the South Island of New Zealand. Although representing a remote Southern Hemisphere location, the fauna includes forms closely comparable to contemporary species from the Northern Hemisphere, in addition to the new species Chlamydoselachus keyesi and Centroselachus goordi. Comparison with closely related extant species suggests the fauna may be interpreted as a deep water one, typical of the outer continental shelf and upper slope. However, after palaeogeography, sedimentology and mineralogy of the enclosing rock, and the nature of similar faunas from elsewhere are taken into consideration, the fauna is interpreted to have occupied a mid‐shelf environment.     

Climatic niche and neutral genetic diversity of the six Iberian pine species: a retrospective and prospective view

Quaternary climatic fluctuations have left contrasting historical footprints on the neutral genetic diversity patterns of existing populations of different tree species. We should expect the demography, and consequently the neutral genetic structure, of taxa less tolerant to particular climatic extremes to be more sensitive to long‐term climate fluctuations. We explore this hypothesis here by sampling all six pine species found in the Iberian Peninsula (2464 individuals, 105 populations), using a common set of chloroplast microsatellite markers, and by looking at the association between neutral genetic diversity and species‐specific climatic requirements. We found large variation in neutral genetic diversity and structure among Iberian pines, with cold‐enduring mountain species (Pinus uncinata, P. sylvestris and P. nigra) showing substantially greater diversity than thermophilous taxa (P. pinea and P. halepensis). Within species, we observed a significant positive correlation between population genetic diversity and summer precipitation for some of the mountain pines. The observed pattern is consistent with the hypotheses that: (i) more thermophilous species have been subjected to stronger demographic fluctuations in the past, as a consequence of their maladaptation to recurrent glacial cold stages; and (ii) altitudinal migrations have allowed the maintenance of large effective population sizes and genetic variation in cold‐tolerant species, especially in more humid regions. In the light of these results and hypotheses, we discuss some potential genetic consequences of impending climate change.     

Effects of External Mass Transfer and Product Inhibition on a Simulated Immobilized Enzyme‐Catalyzed Reactor for Lactose Hydrolysis

A mathematical model has been developed for predicting the performance and simulation of a packed bed immobilized enzyme reactor performing lactose hydrolysis, which follows Michaelis‐Menten kinetics with competitive product (galactose) inhibition. The performance characteristics of a packed bed immobilized enzyme reactor have been analyzed taking into account the effects of various diffusional phenomena like axial dispersion and external mass transfer limitations. The model design equations are then solved by Galerkin's method and orthogonal collocation on finite elements. The effects of external mass transfer and axial dispersion have been studied and their effects were shown to reduce the external effectiveness factor. The effects of product inhibition have been investigated at different operating conditions correlated at different regimes using dimensionless moduli (St, γ, θ, Da)¹⁾. The product inhibition was shown to reduce the substrate conversion, and, additionally, to decrease the effectiveness factor when Da > Da_xo, however, it increases the effectiveness factor when Da < Da_xo. The effectiveness factor is found to be independent of the product inhibition at a crossover point at which Da_xo is defined. Effects of St and Pe have been investigated at different kinetic regimes and the results show that their effects have a strong dependency on the kinetic parameters θ, γ (i.e., K_m/K_p), and Da_xo.     

在中国应用垂直波束雷达监测褐飞虱和其他水稻害虫迁飞的可行性

近年来,可用于昆虫迁飞研究且可自动运行的垂直波束雷达(vertical-looking radar,VLR)的发展使得对迁飞性害虫的周年长期自动监测成为可能。本文提供了我们对能否将这种雷达应用于中国的褐飞虱和其他水稻害虫的监测与预测体系以改善其综合治理的可行性研究结果。以往的研究已经表明,这些害虫一般在300—2000m高度迁飞;而我们根据褐飞虱的雷达和射有效截面的计算结果表明,目前使用的3．2cm波长的VLR对褐飞虱个体目标的最大可检测高度仅约240m;虽然建造一部8．8mm波长的VLR即可覆盖褐飞虱迁飞高度的绝大部分,但其造价和维护费用均过于昂贵。为此,一个更可行的解决方案是,以3．2cm波长的VLR作为包括大多数水稻害虫在内的个体较大的迁飞性害虫的监测工具。     

Impact of exogenous sequences on the characteristics of an epidemic type 2 recombinant vaccine-derived poliovirus

Pathogenic circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) have become a major obstacle to the successful completion of the global polio eradication program. Most cVDPVs are recombinant between the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) and human enterovirus species C (HEV-C). To study the role of HEV-C sequences in the phenotype of cVDPVs, we generated a series of recombinants between a Madagascar cVDPV isolate and its parental OPV type 2 strain. Results indicated that the HEV-C sequences present in this cVDPV contribute to its characteristics, including pathogenicity, suggesting that interspecific recombination contributes to the phenotypic biodiversity of polioviruses and may favor the emergence of cVDPVs.     

Determination of aflatoxin levels in peanut butter using HPLC and ELISA procedures: Inter-laboratory comparison

Mycotoxin Research - Six laboratories analyzed portions of the same aqueous acetonitrile extracts of three peanut butters for aflatoxin concentrations by an HPLC procedure (using immunoaffinity...