Molecular characterization and incidence of new tospovirus: Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV) in Egypt

Field survey study was conducted season (2017). Soybeans and weeds were weekly sampled randomly. Thrips adults were identified and counted. Detection of the virus isolate and the natural incidence was determined using; Mechanical transmission, host range, DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR. The natural incidence thrips individuals was detected depending on the SVNV% in thrips individuals and weeds hosts. Ten thrips species were associated with soybean plants in the field. The most abundant species was T. tabaci, average 256.5 average no.of individuals, followed by F. occidentalis (142.5 average no. of individuals), then N. variabilis (86.6/ average no. of individuals). Fourteen thrips species occurred on 5 legumes field crops and 41 weed plant species within soybean field. The highest average number 40.6.of individuals were recorded on Ammi majus. While the lowest one 3.3 average no. of individuals were on Urtica urens. Only 21diagnostic plant species were susceptible to infection with SVNV. G. max and Vigna radiate, were the highest percentage of infection 80% followed by V. unguilata & N. benthamiana, 75%. Egyptian isolate of Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) in this study showed a high degree of similarity and it is closely related to TSWV from Egypt (DQ479968) and TCSV from USA (KY820965) with nucleotide sequence identity of 78%. Four thrips species transmitted SVNV (F. fusca 4.0%, F. schultzei 4.3%, F. tritici 3.3% and N. variabilis 68.0% transmission). Both C. phaseoli and M. sjostedti can acquire the virus but unable to transmit it. The following species; T. tabaci, F. occidentalis, S. dorsallis and T. palmi cannot acquire or transmit SVNV. The incidence of SVNV in the field started by the end of July then increased gradualy from 12.7 to 71.3% by the end of the season. In conclusion, few thrips individuals invaded soybean crops are enough to transmit high rate of SVNV within the crop. Furthermore, several vector species are also abundant on weeds, which are the major sources of soybean viruses transmitted to the crops. This information might be important for control and reduce the incidence of SVNV infection.

An Intravascular Catheter Bending Recognition Method for Interventional Surgical Robots

Robot-assisted interventional surgery can greatly reduce the radiation received by surgeons during the operation, but the lack of force detection and force feedback is still a risk in the operation which may harm the patient. In those robotic surgeries, the traditional force detection methods may have measurement losses and errors caused by mechanical transmission and cannot identify the direction of the force. In this paper, an interventional surgery robot system with a force detection device is designed and a new force detection method based on strain gauges is proposed to detect the force and infer the bending direction of the catheter in the vessel by using BP neural network. In addition, genetic algorithm is used to optimize the BP neural network, and the error between the calculated results and the actual results is reduced by 37%, which improves the accuracy of catheter bending recognition. Combining this new method with traditional force sensors not only reduces the error caused by the traditional mechanical transmission, but also can detect the bending direction of the catheter in the blood vessel, which greatly improves the safety of the operation.

Research on Segmented Belt Acceleration Curve Based on Automated Mechanical Transmission

An automated mechanical transmission (AMT) is proposed as a new soft starter for medium-scale belt conveyors in this paper. The AMT is used to start the belt conveyor and shift gears step by step to make the belt conveyor accelerate softly. Based on analyzing common soft-starting acceleration curves, a segmented belt acceleration curve is proposed as a new soft-starting acceleration curve. By analyzing the AMT soft-starting system, the system modeling is built and the AMT output shaft’s angular acceleration is proposed to be controlled to control the belt acceleration. The AMT soft-starting simulation model is established in the environment of AMESim, and simulation results of the soft-starting process from the first to eighth gear positions are given. The main parameter curves of the AMT soft-starting system including the belt, driving pulley, and AMT output shaft are analyzed. The simulation model can indicate the viscoelastic property of the belt. The simulation results prove that the segmented belt acceleration is appropriate for a medium-scale belt conveyor and provide a theoretical and reasonable basis for using an AMT as a soft starter.

Method and Test Bench for Hydro-Mechanical Continuously Variable Transmission Based on Multi-Level Test and Verification

According to the structural characteristics of Hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission (HMCVT), a multi-functional test bench was developed, and the basic structure, working principle, and test functions of the test bench were introduced. The test bench has the following characteristics: To analyze the impact of mechanical transmission and hydraulic transmission on the HMCVT transmission system, the performance can be tested separately by using a test bench; the coupling characteristics of the hydraulic transmission and mechanical transmission can also be tested; it can also test and verify the performance of the HMCVT transmission system and the control system; the test bench has a simple structure, diverse functions, and convenient operation. Using the multi-functional test bench, this paper proposes a method of multi-level test and verification. Through this method, the simulation models are revised and improved many times, and the accuracy of the models is improved, which are consistent with the physical model, and eventually, the accuracy of the simulation result is improved. This method is used to test and verify the hydraulic transmission system, analyze the characteristics of the hydraulic transmission system, and verify the feasibility and practicability of the multi-level verification method.

Occurrence, diversity and distribution of Trypanosoma infections in cattle around the Akagera National Park, Rwanda

Background African Trypanosomiases threaten the life of both humans and animals. Trypanosomes are transmitted by tsetse and other biting flies. In Rwanda, the AAT endemic area is mainly around the tsetse-infested Akagera National Park (NP). The study aimed to identify Trypanosoma species circulating in cattle, their genetic diversity and distribution around the Akagera NP. Methodology A cross-sectional study was carried out in four districts, where 1,037 cattle blood samples were collected. The presence of trypanosomes was determined by microscopy, immunological rapid test VerY Diag and PCR coupled with High-Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis. Parametrical tests (ANOVA) were used to compare the mean Packed cell Volume (PCV) and trypanosomes occurrence. The Cohen Kappa test was used to compare the level of agreement between the diagnostic methods. Findings The overall prevalence of trypanosome infections was 5.6%, 7.1% and 18.7% by thin smear, Buffy coat technique and PCR/HRM respectively. Microscopy showed a low sensitivity while a low specificity was shown by the rapid test (VerY Diag). Trypanosoma (T.) congolense was found at a prevalence of 10.7%, T. vivax 5.2%, T. brucei brucei 2% and T. evansi 0.7% by PCR/HRM. This is the first report of T.evansi in cattle in Rwanda. The non-pathogenic T. theileri was also detected. Lower trypanosome infections were observed in Ankole x Friesian breeds than indigenous Ankole. No human-infective T. brucei rhodesiense was detected. There was no significant difference between the mean PCV of infected and non-infected animals (p>0.162). Conclusions Our study sheds light on the species of animal infective trypanosomes around the Akagera NP, including both pathogenic and non-pathogenic trypanosomes. The PCV estimation is not always an indication of trypanosome infection and the mechanical transmission should not be overlooked. The study confirms that the area around the Akagera NP is affected by AAT, and should, therefore, be targeted by the control activities. AAT impact assessment on cattle production and information on the use of trypanocides are needed to help policymakers prioritise target areas and optimize intervention strategies. Ultimately, these studies will allow Rwanda to advance in the Progressive Control Pathway (PCP) to reduce or eliminate the burden of AAT.

Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Control of Canine Infectious Cyclic Thrombocytopenia and Granulocytic Anaplasmosis: Emerging Diseases of Veterinary and Public Health Significance

This review highlights the diagnostic methods used, the control strategies adopted, and the global epidemiological status of canine cyclic thrombocytopenia and granulocytic anaplasmosis at the animal–human interface. Canine anaplasmosis is an important worldwide disease, mainly caused by Anaplasma platys and A. phagocytophilum with zoonotic implications. A. platys chiefly infects platelets in canids, while A. phagocytophilum is the most common zoonotic pathogen infecting neutrophils of various vertebrate hosts. Diagnosis is based on the identification of clinical signs, the recognition of intracellular inclusions observed by microscopic observation of stained blood smear, and/or methods detecting antibodies or nucleic acids, although DNA sequencing is usually required to confirm the pathogenic strain. Serological cross-reactivity is the main problem in serodiagnosis. Prevalence varies from area to area depending on tick exposure. Tetracyclines are significant drugs for human and animal anaplasmosis. No universal vaccine is yet available that protects against diverse geographic strains. The control of canine anaplasmosis therefore relies on the detection of vectors/reservoirs, control of tick vectors, and prevention of iatrogenic/mechanical transmission. The control strategies for human anaplasmosis include reducing high-risk tick contact activities (such as gardening and hiking), careful blood transfusion, by passing immunosuppression, recognizing, and control of reservoirs/vectors.

Output Power Modeling of Wind Turbine Based on State Curve Analysis

Background: In wind power generation, the power curve can reflect the overall power generation performance of a wind turbine. How to make the power curve have high precision and be easy to interpret is a hot research topic. Objective: Because the current power curve modeling method is not comprehensive in feature selection, the simplified model and state curve of a wind turbine are introduced to avoid feature selection and make the model interpret easily. Methods: A power modeling method based on different working conditions is proposed. The wind turbine system is simplified into three physical models of blades, mechanical transmission and generator, and the energy transfer is expressed by mathematical expressions. The operation process of the wind turbine is divided into three phases: constant power (CP), constant speed (CS), and maximum power point tracking (MPPT), and the power expression of each phase is given after the analysis of state curves. Results: The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data of a 2MW wind turbine. The experimental results show that the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) index of the proposed power modeling method based on state curve analysis is 11.56%, which indicates that the power prediction result of this method is better than that of the sixth-order polynomial regression method, whose MAPE is 13.88%. Conclusion: The results show that the proposed method is feasible with high transparency and is interpreted easily.

A Loop System along Skin with Transmitted Pilomotor Line for Vibrating Regulation of whole Body Function

In Chinese traditional medicine (CTM), meridians are described as a set of linear and longitudinal pathways along body skin. Acupuncture at acupoints provoke signals that transmit along the pathway and arrive to focal organs, which can treat more than one hundred of diseases. The pathway has been proved by modern anatomical and physiological researches. Linear structure and activity: There exist a loop system along body skin, consisted of a complex of sympathetic-arrector pili muscles (AP muscles) and concentrated mast cells in the rats. Along certain skin pathway, abundant sympathetic endings distribute within the AP muscles, which are appeared as sympathetic-substance lines (SSL) by macro-autoradiography. Under the line, mast cells are densely distributed. After shaving rat’s hairs, the new hairs firstly grow along some lines and loops, called hair-loop-lines (HLL). Acupuncture or injection of α receptor agonist at an acupoint produce a pilomotor line and simulate strong acupuncture effect, accompanying with neurogenic inflammation along the line in the rats. These three lines are coincident each other. The pilomotor line can be blocked by local injecting of α receptor antagonist, by crosscutting off skin or by applying procaine along the line, or by peritoneal injecting of cromoglicate. All these suggest that the pilomotor line along the SSL is the pathway for transmitting acupuncture signals independently and then producing acupuncture effect. Mechanism of linear transmission: The local piloerection stimulates the nerve nets of sympathetic endings and low threshold mechanical sensitive C-fibers around the hair follicles, whose excitation transmit to adjacent hair follicles by cross innervation and provoke new piloerection and neurosecretion respectively by axon reflex. Excited peripherical endings of C-fibers release neuropeptides (SP and CGRP) that stimulate mast cell degranulation. The released histamine stimulates C-fibers to produce gentle itch and further release of neuropeptides from C-fibers. Moreover, histamine stimulates AP muscle contraction. Thus, a positive feedback loop along hair follicles—C-fibers—mast cells is initiated and the pilomotor is enhanced and transmitted, accompanying histamine-mediated inflammation and sensation. The diffusion of released NA and histamine to adjacent skin also play important role in the transmission. Both axon reflex and diffusing action are united to cooperation for chain transmission of acupuncture signals. Mechanism of acupuncture effect: The acupuncture effect does not unidirectionally increase or decrease, but oscillate periodically, with about 28 min per circle. It is assumed that acupuncture leads the whole-body function change undulately and every organ in the body finds their own balance point through vibration. Therefore, acupuncture is auto-regulation, bi-regulation and vibrating regulation. The vibration is assumed by periodically excited and inhibited afferent signals from pilomotor line that lead periodical oscillation of whole CNS and the following oscillation of whole-body function.As a sum, under the guidance of CTM, a novel and unknown linear system hidden along skin have been discovered, which play an important role in the horizontal and integrative regulation on whole-body function, as expected in the integrative physiology. Importantly, there is a new type of mechanical transmission of signal.

Stem Cell Differentiation Stage Factors (SCDSFs) Taken from Zebrafish Embryo During Organogenesis and Their Role as Epigenetics Regulators Able to Reverse Neurosensory Hearing Loss

Hearing dysfunctions can be classified by type, degree, configuration, time of onset, aetiology, and finally, consequences on speech development. They can be divided into conductive, mixed, central types and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss (CHL) results from interference with the mechanical transmission of sound through the external and middle ear; it can be congenital, as a consequence of anatomic abnormalities, but it can commonly be acquired following middle ear inflammatory pathologies. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) results from failure to transduce vibrations to neural impulses in the cochlean and is a consequence of an irreversible damage to the differentiated cells which make up the organ of hearing and the acoustic paths at various levels. Mixed hearing loss involves a combination of these two types in the same ear. Studies in neuroscience field have shown that the prevention of cell degeneration is only possible if all the factors taken at the different stages of stem cells’ multiplication and differentiation are administered together. We have demonstrated this in a recent study on the ability of SCDSFs to prevent neurodegeneration in hippocampal cells of the CA1 zone in mice. This study confirms previous findings demonstrating that early developmental zebrafish embryo extracts could act as a modulator of senescence in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) isolated from many adult tissues. These findings have open a promising way for the approaches promoting the rejuvenation and regeneration of different tissues, by-passing stem cell transplantation. In the present clinical trial we have used SCDSFs to study the possible reversion of neurosensory hearing loss, until now considered an irreversible condition.

Vector Competence of Eucampsipoda africana (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) for Marburg Virus Transmission in Rousettus aegyptiacus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

This study aimed to determine the vector competence of bat-associated nycteribiid flies (Eucamsipoda africana) for Marburg virus (MARV) in the Egyptian Rousette Bat (ERB), Rousettus aegyptiacus. In flies fed on subcutaneously infected ERBs and tested from 3 to 43 days post infection (dpi), MARV was detected only in those that took blood during the peak of viremia, 5–7 dpi. Seroconversion did not occur in control bats in contact with MARV-infected bats infested with bat flies up to 43 days post exposure. In flies inoculated intra-coelomically with MARV and tested on days 0–29 post inoculation, only those assayed on day 0 and day 7 after inoculation were positive by q-RT-PCR, but the virus concentration was consistent with that of the inoculum. Bats remained MARV-seronegative up to 38 days after infestation and exposure to inoculated flies. The first filial generation pupae and flies collected at different times during the experiments were all negative by q-RT-PCR. Of 1693 nycteribiid flies collected from a wild ERB colony in Mahune Cave, South Africa where the enzootic transmission of MARV occurs, only one (0.06%) tested positive for the presence of MARV RNA. Our findings seem to demonstrate that bat flies do not play a significant role in the transmission and enzootic maintenance of MARV. However, ERBs eat nycteribiid flies; thus, the mechanical transmission of the virus through the exposure of damaged mucous membranes and/or skin to flies engorged with contaminated blood cannot be ruled out.