Preface

Biological properties of soil are not only essential for the maintenance of soil fertility and the sustainability of the plant-soil ecosystems, but also indicators of land reclamation of contaminated or disturbed soils. This experiment involves two plants (barley and field pea) growing in four soils with different hydrocarbon contents. The objective was to study the effect of hydrocarbons on plant growth and microbial activity, and to evaluate the acid phosphatase activity as an indicator of reclamation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Barley root mass decreased with the increase of the hydrocarbon content but field pea roots were not sensitive to the hydrocarbon content in this experiment. The hydrocarbon contamination reduced the plant growth but increased the microbial activity. The acid phosphatase activity was controlled by both plant root production and microbial activity, therefore it was not a good indicator of the reclamation of oil-contaminated soils.     

Small mammal diversity and dynamics within Nigeria,with emphasis on reservoirs of the lassa virus

Nigeria has a rich small mammal community, with several species implicated as carriers of zoonotic microbes such as the Lassa virus (LASV). We sought to elucidate the diversity and distribution of these animals (including known LASV reservoirs) geographically, habitat-wise and seasonally. Our DNA-assisted survey detected at least 19 small mammal species amongst 790 specimens. Diversity indices were similar between ecological zones and also between endemic and non-endemic areas for Lassa fever. Mastomys natalensis, the most renowned LASV host, was present in eight out of nine localities sampled. We also described the spatial occurrence of other known LASV hosts such as M. erythroleucus and Hylomyscus pamfi, including carriers of LASV-like arenaviruses such as Mus (Nannomys) spp. The most numerous rodents (Mastomys natalensis, M. erythroleucus, and Praomys daltoni) were captured mainly inside human dwellings. Reproductive activity occurred throughout the year, but led to population peaks for M. natalensis in the dry season and for M. erythroleucus and P. daltoni in the rainy season. Extensive geographic distribution of LASV rodent reservoirs, with population peaks in different seasons, shows that the risk of rodent-to-human transmission of LASV is greater than currently realized.     

Pan-cancer analyses reveal cancer-type-specific fungal ecologies and bacteriome interactions

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Energy coupling sites in the electron transport chain of Zymomonas mobilis

Abstract Energy-coupling sites in the electron transport chain of the obligately fermentative aerotolerant bacterium Zymomonas mobilis were examined. The H⁺ /O stoichiometry of the electron transport chain in intact bacteria oxidizing ethanol was close to 3.3. Cytoplasmic membrane vesicles coupled NADH oxidation to ATP synthesis. With ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate they showed oxygen uptake which was sensitive to antimycin A, but no significant ATP synthesis could be detected. Cells with a defective coupling site I, prepared by cultivation on a sulfate-deficient medium, showed a decreased rotenone sensitivity of respiration, and they lacked almost all the respiration-driven proton translocation and ATP synthesis. We conclude that, despite the reported composition of the electron transport chain, only energy coupling site 1 was functional in Z. mobilis .     

内蒙古大青山华北落叶松人工林乔木层碳密度年增量与气象因子的关系

以内蒙古大青山华北落叶松人工林为研究对象，通过树木年轮法和异速生长方程法，计算华北落叶松人工林生物量、碳密度及其年增量的年际变化，并分析碳密度年增量与气温、降水、湿度等气象因子的关系。研究发现：华北落叶松人工林碳密度随着林龄增加的变化曲线可用逻辑斯谛生长方程拟合，在1979—2016年，碳密度由1.05 t/hm~2增加到76.83 t/hm~2。华北落叶松人工林碳密度年增量存在显著的年际差异，总体上呈波动性的“慢-快-慢”趋势，碳密度年增量最高达到3.72 t hm^-2 a^-1,多年平均为2.05 t hm^-2 a^-1。华北落叶松人工林碳密度年增量与上年6月和当年6—8月的降水量显著正相关，与上年11月降水显著负相关；与上年11—12月、当年2月和12月的温度和大气相对湿度分别呈正、负相关；与上年7月、9月及当年8—9月的温度保持显著或极显著正相关。研究表明，温度、湿度和降水主要通过生长季的长短和土壤可利用水分及冬季的雪害冻害影响华北落叶松人工林的碳汇潜力，在未来该地区升温增湿的气候变化趋势下华北...