PREVALENCE OF MYCOPLASMA CAPRICOLUM SUBSPECIES CAPRICOLUM AND MYCOPLASMA PUTREFACIENS IN GOATS IN PISHIN DISTRICT OF BALOCHISTAN

Several Mycoplasma species cause serious and economically important diseases in goats world-wide. Forty goat flocks in the Pishin district of Balochistan province of Pakistan were examined for the clinical cases of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) during 2008. Thirty goats suspected for CCPP on the basis of respiratory symptoms were euthanized for post mortem examination, microbiological and molecular studies. Two types of Mycoplasma species were isolated and identified by biochemical and growth inhibition (GI) tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capricolum was isolated from 12(40%) of the nasal swabs and 12(40%) of the respective lung cultures, whereas 2(6.7%) Mycoplasma putrefaciens (Mp) isolates from nasal swab and lung cultures and 1(3.3%) from liver and intestine cultures were recovered. We report probably for the very first time the isolation and identification of Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capricolum (Mcc) and Mp from the nasal swabs and lungs of goats with respiratory problems in Pishin district of Balochistan. Experimental studies to reproduce pneumonia or pleuropneumonia by Mcc and Mp organisms in susceptible goats or other laboratory animal models are further needed

A novel framework for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 on computed tomography scans

Since the emergence of COVID-19, thousands of people undergo chest X-ray and computed tomography scan for its screening on everyday basis. This has increased the workload on radiologists, and a number of cases are in backlog. This is not only the case for COVID-19, but for the other abnormalities needing radiological diagnosis as well. In this work, we present an automated technique for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 on computed tomography images. The proposed technique consists of four primary steps: (1) data collection and normalization, (2) extraction of the relevant features, (3) selection of the most optimal features and (4) feature classification. In the data collection step, we collect data for several patients from a public domain website, and perform preprocessing, which includes image resizing. In the successive step, we apply discrete wavelet transform and extended segmentation-based fractal texture analysis methods for extracting the relevant features. This is followed by application of an entropy controlled genetic algorithm for selection of the best features from each feature type, which are combined using a serial approach. In the final phase, the best features are subjected to various classifiers for the diagnosis. The proposed framework, when augmented with the Naive Bayes classifier, yields the best accuracy of 92.6%. The simulation results are supported by a detailed statistical analysis as a proof of concept

RNAi-mediated mortality of the whitefly through transgenic expression of double-stranded RNA homologous to acetylcholinesterase and ecdysone receptor in tobacco plants

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) is a pest and vector of plant viruses to crop and ornamental plants worldwide. Using RNA interference (RNAi) to down regulate whitefly genes by expressing their homologous double stranded RNAs in plants has great potential for management of whiteflies to reduce plant virus disease spread. Using a Tobacco rattle virus-derived plasmid for in planta transient expression of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) homologous to the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ecdysone receptor (EcR) genes of B. tabaci, resulted in significant adult whitefly mortality. Nicotiana tabacum L. plants expressing dsRNA homologous to B. tabaci AChE and EcR were constructed by fusing sequences derived from both genes. Mortality of adult whiteflies exposed to dsRNA by feeding on N. tabacum plants, compared to non-dsRNA expressing plants, recorded at 24-hr intervals post-ingestion for three days, was > 90% and 10%, respectively. Analysis of gene expression by real time quantitative PCR indicated that whitefly mortality was attributable to the down-regulation of both target genes by RNAi. Results indicated that knock down of whitefly genes involved in neuronal transmission and transcriptional activation of developmental genes, has potential as a bio-pesticide to reduce whitefly population size and thereby decrease virus spread.Pakistan Higher Education Commission, Pakistan; USDA-ICARDAThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]