Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

Adaption of a formula for simulating bedload transport in the Nile River,Egypt

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Bedload transport discharge is important in river engineering and morphodynamics. The Meyer-Peter and Müller (MPM) equation for determining bedload transport...     

Chemical Review of Gorgostane-Type Steroids Isolated from Marine Organisms and Their 13C-NMR Spectroscopic Data Characteristics

Gorgostane steroids are isolated from marine organisms and consist of 30 carbon atoms with a characteristic cyclopropane moiety. From the pioneering results to the end of 2021, isolation, biosynthesis, and structural elucidation using ¹³C-NMR will be used. Overall, 75 compounds are categorized into five major groups: gorgost-5-ene, 5,6-epoxygorgostane, 5,6-dihydroxygorgostane, 9,11-secogorgostane, and 23-demethylgorgostane, in addition to miscellaneous gorgostane. The structural diversity, selectivity for marine organisms, and biological effects of gorgostane steroids have generated considerable interest in the field of drug discovery research.     

落叶型大丽轮枝菌T-DNA插入突变体库的构建

采用ATMT技术建立大丽轮枝菌落叶型菌株XJ2008菌株的T-DNA插入突变体文库,共获得6 043个突变体。从中随机挑选104个突变体,以野生型XJ2008菌株为参照,评价其致病性、菌落生长速率、分生孢子及微菌核的产生能力等。结果表明,有12.5%的突变体丧失产孢能力,4.8%的突变体的生长速率显著减慢,8.7%的突变体的生长速率显著加快,12.5%的突变体丧失产生微菌核的能力,47.1%的突变体的致病性显著低于野生型菌株XJ2008,且突变体2-736、2-740、2-745的病情指数分别约为野生型菌株XJ2008的0.184、0.168和0.197倍。该突变体库突变体遗传稳定性好,性状多样性丰富。     

Identification of Co-dominant SSR Markers Associated with Genes Controlling α′-and α-subunit-null β-conglycinin Phenotypes in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

Studies have shown that the three subunits of β-conglycinin are the main potential allergens of soybean sensitive patients.And β-conglycinin has adverse effects on nutrition and food processing.So solation and production of lines with lower β-conglycinin content has been the focus of recent soybean breeding projects.Soybean lines with deficiency in one or all subunits of β-conglycinin have been obtained.An effective and rapid system to identify such mutations will facilitate genetic manipulation of the β-conglycinin subunit composition.Here,two segregating F_2 populations were developed from crosses between Cgy-1/cgy-1 (CC),an α′-lacking line (Δα′),and DongNong 47 (DN47),a wild-type (Wt) Chinese soybean cultivar with normal globulin components,and Cgy-2/cgy-2 (CB),an α-lacking line (Δα),and DN47.These populations were used to estimate linkage among the cgy-1 (conferring α′-null) and cgy-2 (α-null) loci and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers.Seven SSR markers (Sat_038,Satt243,Sat_307,Sat_109,Sat_231,Sat_108 and Sat_190) were determined to co-segregate with cgy-1,and six SSR markers (Satt650,Satt671,Sat_418,Sat_170,Satt292 and Sat_324) co-segregated with cgy-2.Linkage maps being composed of seven SSR markers and cgy-1 locus,and six SSR markers and the cgy-2 locus were then constructed.It assigned that the cgy-1 gene to chromosome 10 at a position between Sat_307 and Sat_231,and the cgy-2 gene to chromosome 20 at a position between Satt650 and Satt671.These markers should enable map-based cloning of the cgy-1 and cgy-2 genes.For different subunit-deficiency types[α′-null,α-null and (α′+α)-null types],the two sets of SSR markers could also detect of polymorphism between three normal cultivars and seven related mutant lines.The identification of these markers is great significance to the molecular marker-assisted breeding of soybean β-conglycinin subunits.     

Aurasperone A Inhibits SARS CoV-2 In Vitro: An Integrated In Vitro and In Silico Study

Several natural products recovered from a marine-derived Aspergillus niger were tested for their inhibitory activity against SARS CoV-2 in vitro. Aurasperone A (3) was found to inhibit SARS CoV-2 efficiently (IC₅₀ = 12.25 µM) with comparable activity with the positive control remdesivir (IC₅₀ = 10.11 µM). Aurasperone A exerted minimal cytotoxicity on Vero E6 cells (CC₅₀ = 32.36 mM, SI = 2641.5) and it was found to be much safer than remdesivir (CC₅₀ = 415.22 µM, SI = 41.07). To putatively highlight its molecular target, aurasperone A was subjected to molecular docking against several key-viral protein targets followed by a series of molecular dynamics-based in silico experiments that suggested M^pro to be its primary viral protein target. More potent anti-SARS CoV-2 M^pro inhibitors can be developed according to our findings presented in the present investigation.     

Neoechinulin A as a Promising SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Inhibitor: In Vitro and In Silico Study Showing the Ability of Simulations in Discerning Active from Inactive Enzyme Inhibitors

The COVID-19 pandemic and its continuing emerging variants emphasize the need to discover appropriate treatment, where vaccines alone have failed to show complete protection against the new variants of the virus. Therefore, treatment of the infected cases is critical. This paper discusses the bio-guided isolation of three indole diketopiperazine alkaloids, neoechinulin A (1), echinulin (2), and eurocristatine (3), from the Red Sea-derived Aspergillus fumigatus MR2012. Neoechinulin A (1) exhibited a potent inhibitory effect against SARS-CoV-2 M^pro with IC₅₀ value of 0.47 μM, which is comparable to the reference standard GC376. Despite the structural similarity between the three compounds, only 1 showed a promising effect. The mechanism of inhibition is discussed in light of a series of extensive molecular docking, classical and steered molecular dynamics simulation experiments. This paper sheds light on indole diketopiperazine alkaloids as a potential structural motif against SARS-CoV-2 M^pro. Additionally, it highlights the potential of different molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation approaches in the discrimination between active and inactive structurally related M^pro inhibitors.     

Current status and prospects of farming the giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) in Bangladesh

Giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming plays an important role in the economy of Bangladesh. Presently, it is cultured in around 50 000 ha area with total annual production of 23 240 t. Traditional extensive prawn farming has been expanding over the last three decades through the introduction and adoption of improved culture systems, such as culture of prawn‐carps, prawn‐shrimp‐fish and prawn‐fish‐rice as concurrent and rotational systems. Efforts for the development of improved techniques on broodstock management, seed production and rearing and grow‐out of prawn have been made over the last decade. The outcomes are low‐cost feed for broodstock, production of post‐larvae in net cages (hapa), all‐male prawn culture, periphyton based prawn‐tilapia culture, C/N based prawn culture, organic prawn farming, prawn‐mola culture and prawn‐carp‐mola polyculture. Despite the development of culture technologies, a number of challenges for sustainable development of prawn farming need to be overcome to realize the potentials of this promising sector. Good aquaculture practises at all levels and application of measures for quality control and food safety would ensure sustainable development of prawn farming in Bangladesh.     

Histopathological changes in the liver tissue of house mouse and common vole during sarcocytosis

The asexual reproduction of Sarcocystis dispersa was studied in the liver of the house mouse. Histopathological examinations revealed infection of parenchymal cells with the parasite and diffuse cellular infiltrations with the presence of polymorphonuclear cells, monocytes and eosinophilic leukocytes. The volume and number of cellular infiltrates increased gradually from day 3 till day 10 p.i. Then appeared necrotic foci and both phenomena reached the maximum on days 10-12 p.i. On days 21-34 p.i., no changes occurred in the tissue and the liver healed without scars. The infection of common vole with Sarcocystis cernae sporocysts caused cellular infiltrations in the liver around the portobiliary veins. The parasite was present from day 3 till day 7 p.i. The histopathological picture of liver changes was similar to that in the house mouse.     

Renal adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic islet cell carcinoma in a binturong (Arctictis binturong).

A 19-yr-old binturong (Arctictis binturong) with acute upper respiratory disease was euthanized. Postmortem findings included hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic islet cell carcinoma, and renal adenocarcinoma with metastasis to the spleen, pleura, and pericardium. A link between primary hepatic and renal neoplasms has been noted in older humans.