Replication and Pathology of Duck Influenza Virus Subtype H9N2 in Chukar.

To investigate the susceptibility of Chukars to duck avian influenza virus H9N2 and explore their role in interspecies transmission of influenza viruses. Chukars were inoculated with duck avian influenza viruses H9N2. The present study demonstrated that inflammatory lesions and virus antigen were present in the trachea, bronchus, and parabronchus, and the viruses could be isolated from throat swabs and lung tissue homogenate supernatants. At 14 d post virus inoculation, anti-H9 influenza virus antibody in the serum was detected. The results indicated that Chukars are susceptible to duck avian influenza virus and serve as an intermediate host, thereby facilitating viral gene evolution and supporting the need for continued surveillance of epidemiology and evolution of the influenza virus in Chukars.

A Fe/Fe3O4/N-carbon composite with hierarchical porous structure and in situ formed N-doped graphene-like layers for high-performance lithium ion batteries.

A Fe/Fe3O4/N-carbon composite consisting of a porous carbon matrix containing a highly conductive N-doped graphene-like network and Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticles was prepared. The porous carbon has a hierarchical structure which is inherited from rice husk and the N-doped graphene-like network formed in situ. When used as an anode material for lithium batteries, the composite delivered a reversible capacity of approximately 610 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 200 mA g(-1) even after 100 cycles, due to the synergism between the unique hierarchical porous structures, highly electrically conductive N-doped graphene-like networks and nanosized particles of Fe/Fe3O4. This work provides a simple approach to prepare N-doped porous carbon activated nanoparticle composites which could be used to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries.

The role of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in the induction of plant-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 in the basal defense against Tobacco mosaic virus.

Plant RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase 1 (RDR1) is an important element of the RNA silencing pathway in the plant defense against viruses. RDR1 expression can be elicited by viral infection and salicylic acid (SA), but the mechanisms of signaling during this process remains undefined. The involvement of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) in RDR1 induction in the compatible interactions between Tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV) and Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana benthamiana, and Arabidopsis thaliana was examined. TMV inoculation onto the lower leaves of N. tabacum induced the rapid accumulation of H2O2 and NO followed by the increased accumulation of RDR1 transcripts in the non-inoculated upper leaves. Pretreatment with exogenous H2O2 and NO on upper leaf led to increased RDR1 expression and systemic TMV resistance. Conversely, dimethylthiourea (an H2O2 scavenger) and 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)- 4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (an NO scavenger) partly blocked TMV- and SA-induced RDR1 expression and increased TMV susceptibility, whereas pretreatment with exogenous H2O2 and NO failed to diminish TMV infection in N. benthamiana plants with naturally occurring RDR1 loss-of-function. Furthermore, in N. tabacum and A. thaliana, TMV-induced H2O2 accumulation was NO-dependent, whereas NO generation was not affected by H2O2. These results suggest that, in response to TMV infection, H2O2 acts downstream of NO to mediate induction of RDR1, which plays a critical role in strengthening RNA silencing to restrict systemic viral infection.