Strong functional stability of soil microbial communities under semiarid Mediterranean conditions and subjected to long-term shifts in baseline precipitation

We investigated the effect of soil microclimate on the structure and functioning of soil microbial communities in a Mediterranean Holm-oak forest subjected to 10 years of partial rain exclusion manipulations, simulating average drought conditions expected in Mediterranean areas for the following decades. We applied a high throughput DNA pyrosequencing technique coupled to parallel measurements of microbial respiration (R_H) and temperature sensitivity of microbial respiration (Q₁₀). Some consistent changes in the structure of bacterial communities suggest a slow process of community shifts parallel to the trend towards oligotrophy in response to long-term droughts. However, the structure of bacterial communities was mainly determined by short-term environmental fluctuations associated with sampling date (winter, spring and summer) rather than long-term (10 years) shifts in baseline precipitation. Moreover, long-term drought did not exert any chronic effect on the functioning of soil microbial communities (R_H and Q₁₀), emphasizing the functional stability of these communities to this long-term but mild shifts in water availability. We hypothesize that the particular conditions of the Mediterranean climate with strong seasonal shifts in both temperature and soil water availability but also characterized by very extreme environmental conditions during summer, was acting as a strong force in community assembling, selecting phenotypes adapted to the semiarid conditions characterizing Mediterranean ecosystems. Relations of climate with the phylogenetic structure and overall diversity of the communities as well as the distribution of the individual responses of different lineages (genera) to climate confirmed our hypotheses, evidencing communities dominated by thermotolerant and drought-tolerant phenotypes.     

猪胆囊中沙门菌L型的分离培养与invA基因检测

为了解猪胆囊中沙门菌L型携带情况,在贵阳市屠宰场采集970例健康生猪的胆囊组织与胆汁标本,用常规细菌学方法和非高渗分离培养法分离沙门菌及其细菌L型,用PCR和核酸序列分析方法对稳定L型纯培养物进行沙门菌的invA基因检测。结果显示,970例生猪胆囊标本未检出沙门菌细菌型,细菌L型检出率为8.25%;80例细菌L型分离物中有50例invA检测阳性,占5.15%;占细菌L型阳性分离物62.50%。研究结果为生猪胆囊沙门菌L型感染的流行病学及其检查提供了依据。     

插条粗度和萌芽度对降香黄檀扦插成活率的影响

在江门市林科所苗圃选择不同粗细度、不同萌芽度的降香黄檀插条进行扦插繁殖试验,每10 d进行1次成活率调查。结果表明:插条的萌芽度和粗细度均极显著影响扦插的成活率,萌芽度和粗细度的交互作用对扦插的成活率也有极显著影响;未萌芽插条扦插成活率明极显高于已萌芽插条的扦插成活率;3种粗细度的枝条中以粗细度为0.7~1.2 cm的插条扦插成活率最高;在枝条萌芽度及粗细度交互作用下,粗细度为0.7~1.2 cm的未萌芽插条扦插成活率最高,粗细度小于0.7 cm的已萌芽插条扦插成活率最低。     

基于茶籽壳代替木屑栽培茶树菇配方筛选试验

不同比例的茶籽壳和木屑组合成5个试验配方,比较不同配方对菌丝生长、子实体经济性状和生物转化率的影响。试验结果表明,在供试的5个配方中,配方4（棉籽壳50%、茶籽壳15%、木屑5%、麦麸20%、玉米粉7%、石膏1%、磷肥1%、石灰1%）为优选配方。     

我国蔬菜肥料利用率现状与提高对策

我国露地蔬菜种植和设施蔬菜种植养分用量均超过蔬菜生长所需,导致土壤次生盐渍化、肥料利用率低,增加了面源污染风险,在分析这些现状的基础上,对造成蔬菜种植中氮、磷、钾肥料利用率低下的原因进行了分析,如有机肥与化肥施用配比随意性强,搭配不合理;氮、磷、钾肥配施比例不合理;大量元素与中微量元素配合施用不合理;肥料总施用量过大;土壤自身的原因等。并提出了提高肥料利用率的测土与科学配方施肥、有机肥与无机肥合理配合施用、采用水肥一体化技术和土壤调理剂等措施,有望提高我国蔬菜肥料利用率,节约资源,防止面源污染,实现蔬菜生产的可持续绿色发展。     

Detection of cigarettes and other tobacco products by giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus)

If the illicit tobacco trade were eliminated, governments could gain at least $31.3 billion a year, and more than 164,000 premature deaths a year could be avoided after 2030 (Joossens, Merriman, Ross, and Raw, 2009). Dogs have been used successfully in tobacco control programs, and there is a good chance that rats could also play an important role. In the present experiment, giant African pouched rats were trained to respond to filters that had been stored together with cigarettes (i.e., soaked) and to not respond to filters that had been soaked with noncigarette items. Generalization to untrained types of tobacco was then tested. The sensitivity of 4 rats trained on filters soaked with 1 of 7 types of cigarettes ranged from 86% to 100% (mean, 95%). There was very little evidence of generalization when the rats were tested on tobacco leaves and snuff but good evidence of generalization when the rats were tested on cigarettes that had been soaked with strong-smelling additives. These findings suggest that rats may be a valuable asset in the global effort to control illicit cigarette trade.     

Relevance of Osmotic and Frost Protecting Compounds for the Winter Hardiness of Autumn Sown Sugar Beet

The cultivation of autumn sown sugar beet (winter beet) is supposed to result in a marked yield increase compared with spring sown sugar beet. Although the importance of the growth stage reached before winter for the survival of autumn sown sugar beet has already been shown, it is not clear to which extent osmotic and potentially frost protecting compounds may contribute to winter hardiness. The study thus aimed to analyse the acclimatization process of sugar beet to low temperatures and to identify compounds which are important for survival of frost. Field trials with autumn sown sugar beet were conducted at eleven environments in Germany from 2009/10 to 2012/13, which were accompanied by greenhouse experiments with controlled temperature regimes. In the field trials, the survival rates after winter varied from 0 % to 99 %, but only in four environments differences between the five genotypes occurred. During acclimatization, betaine, glutamine, proline and raffinose were markedly accumulated and osmolality was enhanced. In particular betaine, amino acids and osmolality showed a positive correlation to the survival rate and were thus identified as potentially frost protecting substances for sugar beet. In contrast, raffinose and proline seem to act rather as stress indicators as they were negatively related to survival. Possible frost protecting substances were identified which can be used in breeding to improve the winter hardiness of sugar beet.     

Preliminary Study on NF-κB Signaling Pathway Regulating Brucella Intracellular Survival Molecular Mechanisms

By the infection of Brucella virulent strain and attenuated strain in mice macrophage RAW264.7,the assay was aimed to explore the relationship between NF-κB signaling pathways and Brucella virulent strain and attenuated strain in intracellular survival.Use different MOI Brucella (2308,RB51,16M and M5) to infect mice macrophage RAW264.7,after 0,4,8 and 24 h infected,cracking cell and collecting supernatant,we detected the effect of Brucella on activation of NF-κB signaling pathway by Western blotting.Different concentrations of NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor were incubated with mice macrophage RAW264.7,with different multiplicities of infection (MOI) of Brucella infecting cells,ELISA kits to detect the expressions of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 cytokine;At the same time,count the number of intracellular bacteria of CFU.The results showed that rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 could strongly activate NF-κB signaling pathway,smooth cattle Brucella strains 2308 was weak in the activation;At the same time,the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway was concentration dependent.When the MOI was 80,infection time was 8 h,NF-κB activation degrees of rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 and smooth cattle Brucella strains 2308 were the strongest,and this pathway was involved in producing TNF-α and IL-6;NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor BAY11-7082 affected Brucella intracellular survival.So rough cattle Brucella strains RB51 intracellular survival and NF-κB signaling pathway activity were closely related.The results laid the foundation for the further study of Brucella intracellular pathogenesis,also provided scientific basis for the research of new drugs to Brucella,and prevention and treatment of brucellosis.     

Pharmacokinetics of xylazine after 2-, 4-, and 6-hr durations of continuous rate infusions in horses

Intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration of xylazine (XYL) (0.5 mg/kg) immediately followed by a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of 1 mg kg⁻¹ hr⁻¹ for 2, 4, and 6 hr produced immediate sedation, which lasted throughout the duration of the CRI. Heart rate decreased and blood pressure increased significantly (p > .05) in all horses during the first 15 min of infusion, both returned to and then remained at baseline during the duration of the infusion. Compartmental models were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of XYL administration. Plasma concentration–time curves following bolus and CRI were best described by a one-compartment model. No differences were found between pharmacokinetic estimates of the CRIs for the fractional elimination rate constant (K_e), half-life (t_1/2e), volume of distribution (V_d), and clearance (Cl). Median and range were 0.42 (0.15–0.97)/hr, 1.68 (0.87–4.52) hr, 5.85 (2.10–19.34) L/kg, and 28.7 (19.6–39.5) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. Significant differences were seen for area under the curve ( ) (p < .0002) and maximum concentration (C_max) (p < .04). This indicates that with increasing duration of infusion, XYL may not accumulate in a clinically relevant way and hence no adjustments are required in a longer XYL CRI to maintain a constant level of sedation and a rapid recovery.