Norovirus GII.Pe Genotype: Tracking a Foodborne Outbreak on a Cruise Ship Through Molecular Epidemiology,Brazil, 2014

Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks. In 2014, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a cruise ship in Brazil, and NoV became the suspected etiology. Here we present the molecular identification of the NoV strains and the use of sequence analysis to determine modes of virus transmission. Food (cream cheese, tuna salad, grilled fish, orange mousse, and vegetables soup) and clinical samples were analyzed by ELISA, conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and sequencing. Genogroup GII NoV was identified by ELISA and conventional RT-PCR in fecal samples from 5 of 12 patients tested (41.7%), and in the orange mousse food sample by conventional RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Two fecal GII NoV samples and the orange mousse GII NoV sample were successfully genotyped as GII.Pe (ORF 1), revealed 98.0–98.8% identities among them, and shared phylogenetically distinct cluster. Establishing the source of a NoV outbreak can be a challenging task. In this report, the molecular analysis of the partial RdRp NoV gene provided a powerful tool for genotyping (GII.Pe) and tracking of outbreak-related samples. In addition, the same fast and simple extraction methods applied to clinical samples could be successfully used for complex food matrices, and have the potential to be introduced in routine laboratories for screening foods for presence of NoV.     

Use of Preservative Agents and Antibiotics for Increased Poliovirus Survival on Positively Charged Filters

Environmental surveillance of poliovirus (PV) and other non-enveloped viruses can help identify silent circulation and is necessary to certify eradication. The bag-mediated filtration system is an efficient method to filter large volumes of environmental waters at field sites for monitoring the presence of viruses. As filters may require long transit times to off-site laboratories for processing, viral inactivation or overgrowth of bacteria and fungi can interfere with virus detection and quantification (Miki and Jacquet in Aquatic Microb Ecol 51(2):195–208, 2008). To evaluate virus survival over time on ViroCap^? filters, the filters were seeded with PV type 1 (PV1) and/or MS2 and then dosed with preservatives or antibiotics prior to storage and elution. These filters were stored at various temperatures and time periods, and then eluted for PV1 and MS2 recovery quantification. Filters dosed with the preservative combination of 2% sodium benzoate and 0.2% calcium propionate had increased virus survival over time when stored at 25 °C, compared to samples stored at 25 °C with no preservatives. While elution within 24 h of filtration is recommended, if storage or shipping is required then this preservative mixture can help preserve sample integrity. Addition of an antibiotic cocktail containing cephapirin, gentamicin, and Proclin^? 300 increased recovery after storage at 4 and 25 °C, when compared to storage with no antibiotics. The antibiotic cocktail can aid sample preservation if access to appropriate antibiotics storage is available and sample cold chain is unreliable. This study demonstrated that the use of preservatives or antibiotics is a simple, cost-effective method to improve virus detection from ViroCap cartridge filters over time.     

DNA Heat Treatment for Improving qPCR Analysis of Human Adenovirus in Wastewater

PCR inhibitory substances in complex sample matrices can cause false negatives or under-estimation of target concentration. This study assessed DNA heat treatment for reducing inhibition during qPCR analysis of human adenovirus (HAdV) in wastewater samples. Inhibition was reduced by heat treating DNA, where mean HAdV concentration was increased by 0.71 log₁₀ GC/L (and up to 3.04 log₁₀ GC/L in one case), and replicate variability and false negatives were reduced. DNA heat treatment should be further investigated for improving reliability of HAdV concentration estimates in water, which can support more accurate assessment of health risks associated with viral pathogen exposure.     

Assessment and Evaluation of an Integrated Hybrid Anaerobic–Aerobic Sewage Treatment System for the Removal of Enteric Viruses

The capability of a cost-effective and a small size decentralized pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to remove enteric viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I (GGI), norovirus genogroup II (GGII), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus was studied. This pilot plant is an integrated hybrid anaerobic/aerobic setup which consisted of anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), biological aerated filter (BAF), and inclined plate settler (IPS). Both the UASB and BAF are packed with a non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF). Results indicated that the overall log₁₀ reductions of enteric viruses’ genome copies through the whole system were 3.1 ± 1, 3.3 ± 0.5, and 2.6 ± 0.9 log₁₀ for rotavirus, norovirus GGI, and adenovirus, respectively. Reduction efficiency for both norovirus GGII and HEV after the different treatment steps could not be calculated because there were no significant numbers of positive samples for both viruses. The overall reduction of rotavirus infectious units through the whole system was 2.2 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction which is very close to the overall log₁₀ reduction of adenovirus infectious units through the whole system which was 2.1 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction. There was no considerable difference in the removal efficiency for different rotavirus G and P types. Adenovirus 41 was the only type detected in the all positive samples. Although the pilot WWTP investigated is cost effective, has a small footprint, does not need a long distance network pipes, and easy to operate, its efficiency to remove enteric viruses is comparable with the conventional centralized WWTPs.     

考虑屈曲行为的钢筋力学性能数值仿真分析

为评估考虑结构中纵筋受压屈曲形态的力学性能,采用ABAQUS有限元软件对长径比(L/D)不同的纵向钢筋在轴向压缩和循环荷载下强度和刚度的变化情况进行数值仿真,同时考虑加载历史和加载方式对钢筋力学性能的影响。结果表明,屈曲对纵向钢筋力学性能影响比较显著,纵向钢筋压缩性能取决于L/D,与钢筋屈服强度无关;钢筋在循环荷载作用下其力学性能受到加载历史、塑性变形、累积损伤以及L/D的影响,拉伸超过屈服应变后将导致钢筋压缩强度的损失,塑性变形和循环加载共同导致了钢筋累积损伤,钢筋屈曲行为造成了受压时钢筋强度和刚度的退化,并且随着L/D的增加钢筋强度和刚度退化越显著。     

植穴控制体对盐渍土生态重建的可持续性评价

基于盐渍土生态重建过程影响因子的复杂性,采用综合指标评价方法,选取4类母指标和相应的13项子指标对植穴控制体生态重建技术进行可持续评价。4类母指标分别为土壤养分与结构改良程度、生产力持续水平、组分间关系协调性和生态、社会效益,对应的13项子指标分别为:土壤水分、土壤含盐量、土壤养分含量、土壤容重和水质;土地利用效果、土地生产力水平与稳定度、绿地结构与环境功能;生态重建年限、生物群落变化和生态景观效果;小气候效益和游憩的功能效益。经权重分析认为,植穴控制体生态重建技术评价分值为0.772,评价等级为Ⅳ级,表明植穴控制体模式的盐渍土生态重建技术具有较好的稳定性和可持续的功能效应。     

石煤提钒行业清洁生产评价指标体系建立

通过对我国石煤提钒行业生产工艺的深入分析,以生命周期系统评价为基础,以易操作性、特殊性和兼容性为原则构建了石煤提钒行业清洁生产评价指标体系,该指标体系分为3个层次,即目标层、准则层和指标层,目标层为石煤提钒行业清洁生产水平;准则层是相互独立、分别隶属于目标层的一级指标,是从不同方面反映石煤提钒行业清洁生产水平的概括性指标;指标层为二级指标,该层隶属于准则层。包括定量指标、定性指标两大类,其中定量指标为资源与能源利用指标、生产技术特征指标、综合利用指标、污染物产生指标等4个一级指标及所属的20个二级指标,定性指标为生产工艺指标、执行环境保护法规指标、环境管理体系及清洁生产审核指标等3个一级指标及所属的9个二级指标。