Detection and differentiation of Japanese encephalitis virus genotype I and genotype III by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Japanese encephalitis (JE), which is a mosquito-borne arboviral infection, is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asian countries. The causative agent of JE is Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), in which the predominant genotype has changed from genotype III (G III) to genotype I (G I). However, a method for the rapid differentiation between JEV G I and G III remains unavailable. This study aimed to establish a rapid JEV genotyping method using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). An Spe I site, which was located in the target sequence (C gene) of JEV G III strains but not in JEV G I strains, was selected as the RT-LAMP target. After testing 64 specimens, results showed that RT-LAMP can detect and differentiate JEV G I and G III specifically. Thus, a novel RT-LAMP system for the rapid detection and differentiation of JEV G I and G III was developed successfully.

An autotrophic nitrogen removal process: short-cut nitrification combined with ANAMMOX for treating diluted effluent from an UASB reactor fed by landfill leachate.

A combined process consisting of a short-cut nitrification (SN) reactor and an anaerobic ammonium oxidation upflow anaerobic sludge bed (ANAMMOX) reactor was developed to treat the diluted effluent from an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor treating high ammonium municipal landfill leachate. The SN process was performed in an aerated upflow sludge bed (AUSB) reactor (working volume 3.05 L), treating about 50% of the diluted raw wastewater. The ammonium removal efficiency and the ratio of NO2- -N to NOx- -N in the effluent were both higher than 80%, at a maximum nitrogen loading rate of 1.47 kg/(m3 x ay). The ANAMMOX process was performed in an UASB reactor (working volume 8.5 L), using the mix of SN reactor effluent and diluted raw wastewater at a ratio of 1:1. The ammonium and nitrite removal efficiency reached over 93% and 95%, respectively, after 70-day continuous operation, at a maximum total nitrogen loading rate of 0.91 kg/(m3 x day), suggesting a successful operation of the combined process. The average nitrogen loading rate of the combined system was 0.56 kg/(m3 x day), with an average total inorganic nitrogen removal efficiency 87%. The nitrogen in the effluent was mostly nitrate. The results provided important evidence for the possibility of applying SN-ANAMMOX after UASB reactor to treat municipal landfill leachate.

Adsorption behavior of herbicide butachlor on typical soils in China and humic acids from the soil samples.

Three kinds of soils in China, krasnozem, fluvo-aquic soil, and phaeozem, as well as the humic acids (HAs) isolated from them, were used to adsorb the herbicide butachlor from water. Under the experimental conditions, the adsorption amount of butachlor on soils was positively correlated with the content of soil organic matter. HAs extracted from different kinds of soils had different adsorption capacity for the tested herbicide, which was positively correlated with their content of carbonyls. The adsorption mechanism was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and cross-polarization with magic angle spinning 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (CP-MAS 13C NMR) techniques. It was showed that the adsorption mainly took place on the C=O, phenolic and alcoholic O-H groups of HAs. It was also confirmed that the adsorption mechanism was hydrogen bonds formation between the above groups of HAs and butachlor molecules.

Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Seedling Resistance to Isolates of Puccinia coronata in Oat.

ABSTRACT In our previous report, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for field adult plant resistance to crown rust were identified in an oat population of 152 F(5:6) recombinant inbred lines from the cross of 'Ogle' (susceptible)/MAM17-5 (resistant). The objectives of the present study were to identify in the same population, the number, genomic location, and effect of QTL and digenic QTL epistasis associated with greenhouse seedling resistance to isolates of Puccinia coronata to determine if the QTL detected are isolate-specific and to compare them with previously detected QTL for field resistance. Reaction type was scored on greenhouse seedlings inoculated with three isolates. Composite interval mapping was conducted to identify genomic regions associated with resistance using a framework map of 272 molecular markers. Two QTL, Pcq1 and Pcq2, were identified for resistance to each of the three isolates. Pcq1, the major QTL controlling field resistance, did not confer detectable greenhouse seedling resistance when present singly; however, Pcq1 did serve as an enhancer of seedling resistance when it was combined with Pcq2. The final model explained 76.5, 77.9, and 79.3% of total phenotypic variation for resistance to isolates MNB248, MNB249, and MNB251, respectively. Race-specificity of quantitative resistance remains to be further examined.

Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana BBX32 gene in soybean increases grain yield.

Crop yield is a highly complex quantitative trait. Historically, successful breeding for improved grain yield has led to crop plants with improved source capacity, altered plant architecture, and increased resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. To date, transgenic approaches towards improving crop grain yield have primarily focused on protecting plants from herbicide, insects, or disease. In contrast, we have focused on identifying genes that, when expressed in soybean, improve the intrinsic ability of the plant to yield more. Through the large scale screening of candidate genes in transgenic soybean, we identified an Arabidopsis thaliana B-box domain gene (AtBBX32) that significantly increases soybean grain yield year after year in multiple transgenic events in multi-location field trials. In order to understand the underlying physiological changes that are associated with increased yield in transgenic soybean, we examined phenotypic differences in two AtBBX32-expressing lines and found increases in plant height and node, flower, pod, and seed number. We propose that these phenotypic changes are likely the result of changes in the timing of reproductive development in transgenic soybean that lead to the increased duration of the pod and seed development period. Consistent with the role of BBX32 in A. thaliana in regulating light signaling, we show that the constitutive expression of AtBBX32 in soybean alters the abundance of a subset of gene transcripts in the early morning hours. In particular, AtBBX32 alters transcript levels of the soybean clock genes GmTOC1 and LHY-CCA1-like2 (GmLCL2). We propose that through the expression of AtBBX32 and modulation of the abundance of circadian clock genes during the transition from dark to light, the timing of critical phases of reproductive development are altered. These findings demonstrate a specific role for AtBBX32 in modulating soybean development, and demonstrate the validity of expressing single genes in crops to deliver increased agricultural productivity.

[Treatment of acrylate wastewater by electrocatalytic reduction process].

High-concentration acrylate wastewater was treated by an electrocatalytic reduction process. The effects of the cation exchange membrane (CEM) and cathode materials on acrylate reduction were investigated. It indicated that the acrylate could be reduced to propionate acid efficiently by the electrocatalytic reduction process. The addition of CEM to separator with the cathode and anode could significantly improve current efficiency. The cathode materials had significant effect on the reduction of acrylate. The current efficiency by Pd/Nickel foam, was greater than 90%, while those by nickel foam, the carbon fibers and the stainless steel decreased successively. Toxicity of the wastewater decreased considerably and methane production rate in the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test increased greatly after the electrocatalytic reduction process.

[Pollutant distribution in organo-mineral aggregates in topsoils from a site contaminated by organochlorine pesticides].

Four different soil particle-size fractions that is clay, silt, fine sand and coarse sand ( <2 microm, 2-20 microm, 20-200 microm, > 200 microm) from the topsoils in an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) field were separated by physical method to characterize the OCPs distribution in soils and to study the effect of organic matter and mineral composition in different separates on pollutants distribution. The results show that the concentrations of HCHs and DDTs in silt with 463.1 mg x kg(-1) and 1225.6 mg x kg(-1) are higher than those in coarse sand, 157.8 mg x kg(-1) and 384.5 mg x kg(-1), respectively. There is a significant correlationship between IgKoc. and the contents of HCHs and DDTs in clay. The analysis on X-ray diffraction of organo-mineral aggregates demonstrates that clay and silt have a much higher content of the clay minerals than those in coarse sand within the contaminated soils. There are some differences with different particle-size fractions in the content and composition of the clay minerals in organo-mineral aggregates, which affect the OCP distribution in soils to some extents. The results also suggest that the distribution of HCHs and DDTs in the particle with more pollutants in the site is similar to that in airborne particles. So the environmental behavior of OCPs in topsoils from the contaminated site should be paid more attention especially in ambient air-soil interaction.

[Photolysis kinetics of propisochlor in water].

Propisochlor in water was irradiated at room temperature by a 400 W high pressure mercury lamp and sunlight, respectively. Influence of light and initiative concentration of propisochlor on the photolysis were studied. The results showed that under the irradiation of sunlight the photolysis fitted first order kinetics with only 5.5% degradation after one hour's irradiation in the quartz tube, that was a slow rate; while under the irradiation of high pressure mercury lamp the photolysis can be described by a double-chamber model, in which the degradation rate can reach 80.9% after 1 h. The higher the initiative concentration of propisochlor was, the slower the photolysis rate became, and the photolysis of propisochlor was influenced by the increasing photo-products. The six main photodegradation products were identified using GC-MS method. The aromatic ring was proved to be intact during the process. And the photolysis mechanism was then assumed on the basis of the photo-products detected.