Antibacterial activities of a new combination of essential oils against marine bacteria

The antibacterial activities of essential oils and herbal extracts have been demonstrated against a range of bacterial species. In this study, the antibacterial effects of a new combination of essential oils from the herbs Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Eucalyptus globulus and Mentha piperita were assayed against common bacterial isolates (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeroginosa) and fifteen novel marine bacteria isolates. The sensitivity of different isolates to antibacterial activity of the essential oils was determined using well diffusion assays. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were quantified by micro dilution assays. The data demonstrate that the combination of essential oils had potent antibacterial effects and marine bacteria were more sensitive to growth inhibition (P < 0.05). MIC rates were 0.77–6.18 mg/ml, and MBC rates were 1.67–12.30 mg/ml. This indicates that the combined essential oils (CEO) can be a new source of antibacterial agents for use in marine aquaculture.     

Biocrusts resist runoff erosion through direct physical protection and indirect modification of soil properties

Purpose

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are ubiquitous in arid and semi-arid regions and play many critical roles in soil stabilization and erosion prevention, greatly decreasing soil loss. Although sediments may be completely controlled by well-developed biocrusts, runoff loss is observed. Consequently, it is important to study how biocrusts resist runoff erosion in different developmental stages to evaluate and manage water erosion.

Materials and methods

In the Loess Plateau Region, we sampled 32 biocrust plots representing eight stages of biocrust development and 5 slope cropland soil plots as bare soil control plots. We then used a rectangular open channel hydraulic flume to test the effects of biocrust development on runoff erosion.

Results and discussion

As expected, the establishment of biocrusts enhanced soil stability, and accordingly, soil anti-scourability significantly increased with biocrust development. Biocrusts exhibiting more than 36% or 1.22 g dm^?2 of moss coverage or biomass fully protected the soil from runoff erosion. Moreover, soil properties, such as soil organic matter, soil cohesion and soil bulk density, were also important in reducing erosion. The findings indicated that biocrusts inhibited runoff erosion through direct physical protection related to biocrust cover and biomass and through the indirect modification of soil properties. In the early biocrust development stage (when moss cover was less than 36%), cyanobacterial biocrust played a primary role in providing resistance to runoff erosion, with resistance being positively related to cyanobacterial biomass (chlorophyll a) and influenced by soil properties.

Conclusions

The relationship between soil anti-scourability and moss coverage or biomass can be divided into two stages based on a moss cover or biomass threshold. The capacity of biocrusts to resist runoff erosion was limited when moss cover was below the threshold value. Therefore, the stage corresponding to this level of moss cover should be of concern when estimating, predicting and managing water erosion.

     

Effect of dietary protein source and time on alkaline proteolytic activity of Nile tilapia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis niloticus</Emphasis>)

A 4 × 3 factorial study was conducted to evaluate the effect of four experimental diets (a control diet and a 0, 50, and 100% fish meal replacement diet) and the period of time Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, were fed those diets (0, 20, and 40 days) on the alkaline proteolytic activity of the animals’ digestive tract, as well as their potential interaction. Significant differences (at P < 0.05) and a significant interaction were observed among dietary treatments for the alkaline proteolytic activity of tilapia after 40 days of feeding. This study confirmed that, under these experimental conditions, a 50% fish meal replacement formulation elicited the highest alkaline proteolytic activity in the digestive tract of tilapia, which resulted in the highest final weight and specific growth rate (SGR), but further research is needed to establish the relative contribution of the alkaline proteases to the overall proteolytic activity of this omnivorous fish species.     

水肥组合对日光温室黄瓜叶片生长和产量的影响

在陕北黄土高原具隔水小区的日光温室内,设计完全随机区组试验,研究了不同水肥组合对结瓜期黄瓜叶片生长和产量的影响。结果表明,在结瓜期,所有处理黄瓜叶面积逐渐增加,而叶片扩展速率、叶片组织含水率、叶片中游离脯氨酸（PRO）和丙二醛（MDA）含量、黄瓜产量和水分利用效率（WUE）均先增加后降低;当土壤含水率一致时,高肥处理（N：600 kg/hm2,P2O5：420 kg/hm2）叶面积、叶片扩展速率、产量和WUE显著高于低肥处理（N：420 kg/hm2,P2O5：294 kg/hm2）;低肥处理产量随土壤含水率增加而增加,高肥处理随土壤含水率增加先增加后降低,WUE随土壤含水率增加而降低。中水高肥处理（WmFh）的叶片净光合速率（Pn）和蒸腾速率（Tr）日变化均高于其他处理。表明,中水高肥处理（田间持水率＞75%～90%,施用N：600 kg/hm2,P2O5：420 kg/hm2）黄瓜在结瓜期叶片生长健壮、光合作用强、产量较高,节约了水资源。     

CRISPR/Cas9系统及其在粮油作物遗传改良中的研究进展

CRISPR是细菌或古生菌对入侵到体内的病毒,通过核酸特异性识别、Cas9蛋白酶切割产生的一种天然免疫系统.基于CRISPR/Cas9系统的基因组编辑技术,通过sgRNA介导和Cas9蛋白切割实现对靶基因的定点编辑.因其操作简便、编辑效率高、适用范围广的特点,迅速成为研究植物、动物、微生物基因功能的重要手段.同时,随着...     

固定道保护性耕作的试验研究

通过压实试验,分析了无压实以及小型拖拉机、中型拖拉机和联合收获机压实等处理方式的土壤容重、入渗率和耕作阻力。在此基础上,进行了两年的固定道耕作试验,结果表明,机具随机进地行走会造成对土壤的严重压实,降低土壤水分入渗,增加作业能耗,而固定道能够改善土壤结构,提高土壤蓄水能力,减轻地表径流,提高土壤作业适时性和准确性,在目前固定道占地20%的情况下,总产量没有减少     

Temporal changes in endogenous estrogens and expression of behaviors associated with estrus during the periovulaory period in Murrah buffaloes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>)

The objective of this study were (1) to establish the duration of behavioral estrus signs and timing of ovulation in Murrah buffaloes (n = 10) and (2) to determine relationship between behavioral estrus signs with change in plasma estrogen concentrations. Estrus and its behavioral signs were detected at hourly intervals by visual observations, per recta examination of genitalia and bull parading four times in a day for 30 minutes each. Among the behavioral signs of estrus, swollen vulva (80%) was the best indicator of estrus followed by excitement (70%). Among the duration of behavioral estrus signs the first and longest duration of estrus signs was swollen vulva which was seen upto 19.8 ± 0.8 h after onset of estrus. The mean total duration of estrus symptoms from appearance to disappearance of all the behavioral estrus symptoms was 23.5 ± 1.7 h. All the behavioral estrus symptoms were observed during the period of estrogen surge. Endocrine profile during the periestrus period showed that the mean peak concentrations of total estrogen 23.9 ± 3.9 pg/ml occurred at 8.8 ± 1.7 h after onset of estrus. The average number of estrus symptoms observed per animal during onset of spontaneous estrus was 5.7. Ovulation occurred after 37.4 ± 1.7 h after onset of estrus and 13.4 ± 1.0 h after end of total estrogen surge respectively. In conclusion, our results suggest that all signs of behavioral estrus occurred during the preovulatory rise in estrogens. The first sign of estrus to be observed was a swollen vulva and this symptom persisted the longest.     

黄土高塬沟壑区综合治理试验示范成果评述与高质量发展研究展望——以陕西省长武县王东沟小流域30 a多治理实践为例

[目的]研究黄土高塬沟壑区典型小流域综合治理的成效以及生态文明建设时期面临的问题,旨在为该区域高质量发展提供理论支持和实践经验。[方法]以陕西省长武县王东沟小流域综合治理试验示范研究实践为例,基于1986年以来的监测和研究资料,总结分析了该流域30 a多来不同时段在生态环境、土地生产力和农民经济收入等方面的变化。[结果]王东沟小流域综合治理过程存在明显的阶段性。①综合治理阶段(1986—1995)。以提高土地生产力为突破口,重点提高粮食产量和人均经济收入。同时从塬面到沟道综合整治水土流失,合理开发利用土地。②生态保护阶段(1996—2005)。更新与升级粮果管理措施,保护和改善生态环境,进一步稳定和提高了土地生产力。③高质量发展试验示范研究阶段(2006—2019)。以王东沟小流域为试点,从发展绿色高效技术的角度进行研究和示范,探索适合小流域内涵式高质量绿色发展的技术体系,为黄土高塬沟壑区的高质量发展奠定基础。[结论]为实现黄土高塬沟壑区的高质量发展,必须在生态文明理念指引下,重点研究流域生态管理和技术创新体制和机制建设,在总体控制水土流失基础上,保障人居环境的生态性,社会经济系统发展的可持续性以及流域生态系统结构和功能的和谐与完整性。     

低分子量有机酸作用下土壤中菲和芘的残留及形态

采用微宇宙试验方法,以菲和芘为多环芳烃(PAHs)代表物,研究了几种低分子量有机酸作用下黄棕壤中菲和芘的残留和形态。结果表明,老化60 d后土壤中菲和芘的残留含量明显减少;不施加有机酸的对照土壤中,菲和芘的残留含量为10.13和29.18 mg kg-1,去除率为87.33%和63.50%。与对照相比,供试浓度(0～64 mg kg-1)范围内,柠檬酸、草酸、酒石酸等3种低分子量有机酸作用下土壤中PAHs残留含量提高,去除率减小,表明供试条件下有机酸抑制土壤中菲和芘的降解;进一步分析发现,少量(≤4 mg kg-1)的有机酸即可对PAHs降解产生高的抑制效果。微生物降解在PAHs的去除中起重要作用,且芘比菲更抗微生物降解。供试条件下,可脱附态和有机溶剂提取态是土壤中菲和芘存在的主要形态,而结合态残留占总残留的比例很小(<8.5%)。3种有机酸均提高了土壤中可脱附态和有机溶剂提取态菲和芘的残留含量,施加有机酸使土壤中菲和芘的可脱附态含量较对照分别提高了46.67%～749.1%和1.83%～80.20%,有机溶剂提取态则提高了8.73%～375.2%和22.63%～114.3%;低分子量有机酸作用下结合态的菲和芘含量仍很小。