铅锌尾矿中砷代谢功能基因的多样性

Microbial activities impact arsenic (As) transformation in mine tailings substantially,yet little is understood on the functional diversity of As metabolism genes.This study explored this issue using a metagenomic approach coupled by a local BLASTN procedure established in our recent studies.An assembled metagenome,recovered from hypersaline and sulfidic mine tailings,was screened for As metabolism genes aioA,arrA,arsC and arsM.This was done using a local BLASTN procedure against databases of the As metabolism genes built in this study.Putative As metabolism genes detected in the assembled metagenome included 11 arsM,20 arsC and 1 arrA full-length sequences.Together with the rRNA-based phylogenetic profiling results,a picture depicting microbial As cycling in the tailings to the genus level was obtained.It was found that most of the dominant genera in the tailings potentially harboured the genes for As reduction and/or methylation.In particular,a typical pyrite-eater present in the tailings,Thioalkalivibrio sp.,was found to harbour not only arsC and arsM,but also arrA.These results highlight the unexpected diversity of As metabolism genes in the tailings,especially considering the extremely low species diversity therein.The microbial As cycling picture established here has potential use for guiding the purposeful manipulation of As biogeochemistry in the tailings.     

Modelling the effect of weed-seed distribution in the soil profile on seedling emergence

Experiments to monitor weed seedling emergence from various soil depths were begun in 1989. Recently shed seeds were buried in either narrow bands at a range of depths in the soil or mixed evenly between the soil surface and each of these depths. Total emergence of Stellaria media (L.) Vill., Matricaria spp., Veronica persica Poiret, Veronica arvensis L. and Polygonum aviculare L., declined with increasing depth of burial. A similar pattern was observed for Chenopodium album L. with the exception of emergence from the surface layer. The reduction in emergence with increasing soil depth was greater for seeds in the narrow-banded treatments than for those in broad layers. A model was developed using the data from the narrow-banded treatments to predict emergence from distributions over broad layers. Predictions from the model closely agree with the data from the present broad-layer treatments and those from a similar experiment made in the 1960s. By including the effects of depth of seed burial on seedling emergence, this model could be combined with models that determine the effects of cultivation on seed distribution, and therefore improve precision of predictions of seedling emergence from the seedbank.     

Effects of organic and inorganic calcium compounds on soil-solution pH and aluminium concentration

The reactions of two organic (citrate and fulvate) and two inorganic (chloride and phosphogypsum) calcium compounds were studied during leaching of columns of unsaturated acidic soil. The potential of these compounds to decrease the aluminium concentration in the soil solution and remove exchangeable aluminium, and their effects on soil acidity are described. The calcium citrate solution increased the soil solution pH from 5 to a maximum value of 7 in the upper portion of the column. In contrast, the fulvate, calcium chloride and phosphogypsum solutions had little effect on soil-solution pH. Treatment with calcium citrate, or fulvate solution that contained 51 mm Na, removed most of the exchangeable aluminium from the column. The cation exchange sites in the upper portion of the column were saturated with calcium, and the cation exchange capacity of the soil was increased from 35 to c. 80 mmol_c kg^?1 in the calcium citrate treatment. Leachate from this treatment contained low (< 2 mm ) calcium concentrations and high aluminium concentrations. In contrast, the above changes were not shown by the calcium chloride and phosphogypsum treatments. In these treatments the calcium concentration in the leachate was equal to that in the inflowing solution, which indicated that calcium was transported through the entire column. These results suggest that calcium alone was ineffective in displacing aluminium from the cation exchange sites and a strong complexing agent such as citrate or fulvate is needed to mobilize the exchangeable aluminium.     

The Effects of Essential Fatty Acid Supplementation on Intradermal Test Reactivity in Atopic Dogs: a Preliminary Study

Abstract— Twenty-one perennially affected atopic dogs with previous intradermal test reactivity to two or more environmental allergens were retested while receiving either a combination of evening primrose oil and fish oil (EfaVet Regular, Efamol Vet) or a concentrated supplement containing gammalinolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (HGF capsules). Significant differences in the mean number of positive reactions before and during therapy were not found. In addition, the mean histamine, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and housedust wheal diameters before and during therapy were not significantly different. However, the mean human dander wheal diameter was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) at the second test, and the mean Dermatophagoides farinae wheal diameter was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in a group of seven dogs which had received long-term essential fatty acid supplementation with HGF capsules. These results indicate that essential fatty acid supplementation does not abrogate but may reduce intradermal test reactivity in atopic dogs. Résumé— Vingt et un chiens atopiques, présentant des symptômes non saisonniers, ayant eu des tests cutanés positifs à au moins un pneumallergène ont été testés alors qu'ils recevaient une association d'huile d'onagre et d'huile de poisson (Efa Vet Regular, Efamol Vet) ou un supplément concentré d'acides gammalinolénique et éicosapentaénoique (capsules HGF). Aucune différence significative dans le nombre moyen de réactions positives avant et après traitement n'a été observée. En outre les diamètres moyens des réactions à l'histamine. Dermatophagoïdes pteronyssinus et la poussère de maison avant et après traitement n'étaient pas significativement différents. Toutefois, le diamètre moyen des réactions aux squames humaines étaient significativement réduits (P < 0,05) lors du second test, et le diamètre moyen des réactions àDermatophagoïdes farinaeétait significativement réduit (P < 0,05) dans un groupe de sept chiens ayant reçu une supplémentation à long terme de capsules HGF. Ces résultate montrent qu'une supplementation en acides gras essentiel n'anihile pas les tests cutanés mais peu modérer la réactivité cutanée chez certains chiens atopiques. Resumen Veintiún perros atópicos de tipo estacional que presentaban reactividad positiva en la prueba de inyacciones intradérmicas con respecto a dos o más alergenos ambientales, fueron sometidos a una segunda prueba recibiendo simultáneamente una combinación de aceite de Evening Primrose y aceite de pescado (Efa Vet Regular, Efamol Vet) o un concentrado que contenía ácidos gammalinoleico y ecosapentanoico (HGF cápsulas). No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la media de las reacciones positivas antes y después de la medicación. Tampoco se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las medidas del diámetro de la roncha producida por la histamina, el Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus y el alergeno del polvo. Sin embargo, la media del diámetro producido por el alergeno de la caspa humana se vió considerablemente reducida en el segundo test (P < 0.05), así como la del Dermatophagoides farinae (P < 0.05) en un grupo de siete perros los cuales recibieron suplementación con ácidos grasos esenciales a largo plato con HGF cápsulas. Éstos resultados indican que el uso de ácidos grasos esenciales no produce supresión de las reacciones positivas del test intradérmico en perros atópicos, pero sí de las mismas.     

Necrotizing pulmonary arteritis in a dog with peritoneo-pericardial diaphragmatic hernia

A 4-month-old male, miniature Schnauzer had dyspnoea of 4 days duration, cyanosis, grade II/VI systolic murmur and jugular pulse. The presence of intestinal loops in the pericardial sac was detected by radiography. Repair of the peritoneo-pericardial diaphragmatic hernia did not improve the clinical condition of the puppy, which died on the day of surgery. Pulmonary arterial medial hypertrophy, necrotizing pulmonary arteritis, and right ventricular hypertrophy were diagnosed post mortem.     

Persistence of methazole activity in soil

Methazole [2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazolidine-3,5-dione] was applied post-emergence at 2-1 kg/ha to crops of onion (Allium cepa L.) grown on a sandy loam and the activity present in the surface 0–5 cm of soil assessed by bioassay. In spring-sown crops, activity at harvest varied from 25 to 78% of the initial acitivity in different years; losses were restricted by low temperature and low rainfall. In autumn-sown crops, little loss occurred during winter and most of the activity remained in the surface 0-5 cm. The results emphasize the need for caution in choice and timing of following crops.