Different Distribution of Core Microbiota in Upper Soil Layer in Two Places of North China Plain

Backgrounds: Soils harbor diverse bacteria, and these bacteria play important roles in soil nutrition cycling and carbon storage. Numerous investigations of soil microbiota had been performed, and the core microbiota in different soil or vegetation soil types had been described. The upper layer of soil, as a source of organic matter, is important and affected by the habitats and dominant bacteria. However, the complexity of soil environments and relatively limited information of many geographic areas had attracted great attention on comprehensive exploration of soil microbes in enormous types of soil. Methods: To reveal the core upper layer soil microbiota, soil samples from metropolis and countryside regions in the North China Plain were investigated using high-throughput sequencing strategy. Results: The results showed that the most dominant bacteria are Proteobacteria (38.34%), Actinobacteria (20.56%), and Acidobacteria (15.18%). At the genus-level, the most abundant known genera are Gaiella (3.66%), Sphingomonas (3.6%), Acidobacteria Gp6 (3.52%), and Nocardioides (2.1%). Moreover, several dominant operational taxanomy units OTUs, such as OTU_3 and OTU_17, were identified to be associated with the soil environment. Microbial distributions of the metropolis samples were different from the countryside samples, which may reflect the environments in the countryside were more diverse than in the metropolis. Microbial diversity and evenness were higher in the metropolis than in the countryside, which might due to the fact that human activity increased the microbial diversity in the metropolis. Conclusion: The upper layer soil core microbiota of the North China Plain were complex, and microbial distributions in these two places might be mainly affected by the human activity and environmental factors, not by the distance. Our data highlights the upper layer soil core microbiota in North China Plain, and provides insights for future soil microbial distribution studies in central China

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of Heterochaerus australis (Acoela, Convolutidae)

One complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) was determined for Heterochaerus australis (Acoela, Convolutidae). Its mitochondrial genome size was 13,885 bp. The sequence contains 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rrnL and rrnS), 20 tRNA genes, and 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The A + T content of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence was 70.8%. The base composition showed a tendency of high AT. The resulted maximum likelihood (ML) tree supported that Acoela had a distant relationship with other orders of Turbellaria and the Xenacoelomorpha

Short-to-Medium-Range Order and Atomic Packing in Zr48Cu36Ag8Al8 Bulk Metallic Glass

Due to its excellent glass-forming ability (GFA), the Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 bulk metallic glass (BMG) is of great importance in glass transition investigations and new materials development. However, due to the lack of detailed structural information, the local structure and atomic packing of this alloy is still unknown. In this work, synchrotron measurement and reverse Monte Carlo simulation are performed on the atomic configuration of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass. The local structure is characterized in terms of bond pairs and Voronoi tessellation. It is found that there are mainly two types of bond pairs in the configuration, as the body-centered cubic (bcc)-type and icosahedral (ico)-type bond pairs. On the other hand, the main polyhedra in the configuration are icosahedra and the bcc structure. That is, the bcc-type bond pairs, together with the ico-type bond pairs, form the bcc polyhedra, introducing the distortion in bcc clusters in short range. However, in the medium range, the atoms formed linear or planar structures, other than the tridimensional clusters. That is, the medium-range order in glass is of 1D or 2D structure, suggesting the imperfect ordered packing feature

Can an island economy be more sustainable? A comparative study of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd The sustainable island implicates the integrated development of ecological environment with agriculture, tourism, trade, and other industries in a long term. In this study, an emergy-based framework was built to assess the sustainability of three islands states in a time series (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015). Compared with other regions, islands are more fragile and sensitive to environmental challenges that threaten the ecosystems. Under such circumstances, we initially focused on three typical island countries of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, mainly for their rich natural resources accompanying rapid economy growth and urbanization processes. Results present different features for each country. Indonesia has the largest total emergy (1.53E + 24 sej in 2015), whereas Malaysia has the highest emergy use per capita (2.07E + 16 sej/cap in 2015). Another finding is that renewable resource fractions in total emergy are all steadily declining over the investigated time, whereas Indonesia experienced the largest decreasing rate but became increasingly dependent on nonrenewable resources (N), Meanwhile, Malaysia and Philippines relied more on imported inputs (F). The results also reveal that Indonesia has a higher emergy sustainability index (ESI). But when the new indicator environmental index of sustainable development (EISD) was applied to measure sustainability. The Philippines had the highest value (0.71) in 2015, whereas Malaysia had both the lowest ESI and EISD values because of factors like frequent economic activities as well as conflicts between humans and land. Results suggest that, it is essential to improve energy efficiency by technological innovations, and the removal of subsidies to fossil fuels and the strengthening of pollution control are also suggested. The outcomes can also provide policy insights to enhance sustainability of similar island economies

Radiative-coupled evaporative cooling: Fundamentals, development, and applications

As global energy demand continues to rise and climate change accelerates, the need for sustainable and energy-efficient cooling solutions has reached a critical level. Conventional air conditioning systems heavily rely on energy-intensive mechanical cooling, which significantly contributes to both electricity demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Passive cooling strategies, particularly radiative cooling (RC) and evaporative cooling (EC), present an alternative approach by harnessing natural processes for temperature regulation. While standalone RC can be affected by weather conditions and EC relies on water availability, Radiative-coupled EC (REC) offers a versatile and sustainable cooling solution suitable for various applications. Here we summarize an overview of the theoretical foundations and mathematical models of REC, encompassing REC by bulk water (REC-BW), REC by perspiration (REC-P), and REC by sorbed water (REC-SW). Moreover, we explore a range of applications, spanning from industrial processes to personal thermal management, and examine the advantages and challenges associated with each REC approach. The significance of REC lies in its potential to revolutionize cooling technology, reduce energy consumption, and minimize the environmental impact. REC-BW can conserve water resources in industrial cooling processes, while REC-P offers innovative solutions for wearable electronics and textiles. REC-SW’s adaptability makes it suitable for food preservation and future potable cooling devices. By addressing the challenges posed by REC, including water consumption, textile design, and optimization of bilayer structures, we can unlock the transformative potential of REC and contribute to sustainable cooling technologies in a warming world

Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of sea slug Melanochlamys sp. (Cephalaspidae: Aglajidae)

One complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenomes) was determined for Melanochlamys sp. (Cephalaspidae: Aglajidae). The mitochondrial genome size was 13,795 bp. The sequence contains two ribosomal RNA genes (rrnL and rrnS), 20 tRNA genes, and 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The A + T content of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence was 68.2%. The base composition showed a tendency of high AT. The resulted maximum-likelihood (ML) tree of Opisthobranchia supported that genetic differences between Melanochlamys sp. with other species of Cephalaspidae, so that there is a well-defined separation of clades

Complete sequence of mitochondrial DNA of a deep-sea holothurian species of the genus Synallactes (Synallactida: Synallactidae)

One complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) was determined for a deep-sea holothurian species of the genus Synallactes (Synallactida: Synallactidae). The mitochondrial genome size of the sea cucumber was 15,920 bp. The sequence contains 2 ribosomal RNA genes (12S and 16S), 22 transfer RNA genes, and 13 protein-coding genes, as found in most previously determined holothurian mitogenomes. The A + T content of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence was 64.45%. The base composition showed a tendency of AT. The resulted maximum likelihood (ML) tree of Holothuroidea supported that Synallactes sp. is a species of Synallactida

Complete Genome Sequence of Photobacterium damselae Subsp. damselae Strain SSPD1601 Isolated from Deep-Sea Cage-Cultured Sebastes schlegelii with Septic Skin Ulcer

Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (PDD) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can infect a variety of aquatic organisms and humans. Based on an epidemiological investigation conducted over the past 3 years, PDD is one of the most important pathogens causing septic skin ulcer in deep-sea cage-cultured Sebastes schlegelii in the Huang-Bohai Sea area and present throughout the year with high abundance. To further understand the pathogenicity of this species, the pathogenic properties and genome of PDD strain SSPD1601 were analyzed. The results revealed that PDD strain SSPD1601 is a rod-shaped cell with a single polar flagellum, and the clinical symptoms were replicated during artificial infection. The SSPD1601 genome consists of two chromosomes and two plasmids, totaling 4,252,294 bp with 3,751 coding sequences (CDSs), 196 tRNA genes, and 47 rRNA genes. Common virulence factors including flagellin, Fur, RstB, hcpA, OMPs, htpB-Hsp60, VasK, and vgrG were found in strain SSPD1601. Furthermore, SSPD1601 is a pPHDD1-negative strain containing the hemolysin gene hlyAch and three putative hemolysins (emrA, yoaF, and VPA0226), which are likely responsible for the pathogenicity of SSPD1601. The phylogenetic analysis revealed SSPD1601 to be most closely related to Phdp Wu-1. In addition, the antibiotic resistance phenotype indicated that SSPD1601 was not sensitive to ceftazidime, pipemidic, streptomycin, cefalexin, bacitracin, cefoperazone sodium, acetylspiramycin, clarithromycin, amikacin, gentamycin, kanamycin, oxacillin, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, but only the bacitracin resistance gene bacA was detected based on Antibiotic Resistance Genes Database. These results expand our understanding of PDD, setting the stage for further studies of its pathogenesis and disease prevention

Effects of the Cooling Equipment Based on Cooled Atomization Air on Environmental Physicochemical Indexes and Sedimental Microbial Community Structure of Sea Cucumber Culture Ponds in Summer

In recent years, continuous high temperature and marine heat waves in summer have become major limitations for the sustainable development of sea cucumber aquaculture. In 2019, our team invented a cooling equipment based on cooled atomization air, which can reduce the water temperature of the culture pond in summer. Previous tests showed that the survival rates of the sea cucumbers in the equipped ponds were higher than the unequipped ponds during the high temperature. In this study, five equipped ponds were selected as experimental groups (groups E1 and E2 were labeled according to their geographic location) and three unequipped ponds were selected as control groups (labeled group C), then the water quality, sedimental quality, and the sedimental microbial community structure of the eight ponds were analyzed in order to reveal the mechanism of the higher survival rate using the cooling equipment. The results showed that the temperature of the bottom water of the two experimental groups was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the bottom water of the experimental groups was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Both the ammonia nitrogen concentration in the bottom water and the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen in pond sediments of the two experimental groups were significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The sedimental microbial community structure of all the ponds was also investigated, and the OTUs (optical transform units) were numbered from 707 to 808. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the abundance and diversity of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group. PCoA (principal coordinates analysis) showed that the bacterial composition and community structure among the two experimental groups were more similar, while there were significant differences between the experimental and the control groups. The species distribution analysis on the order level showed that the similarity between the two experimental groups is higher than that between the experimental and control groups. The relative abundance of Rhizobiales, Lactobacillales, and Micrococcineae in the experimental groups were significantly higher than that in the control groups. Thirteen OTUs with significant differences among three groups were selected using LEfSe (LDA effect size) analysis. The correlation analysis between microbial community structure and environmental factors showed that the abundance of microbial species involved in the nitrogen cycle was significantly higher in the experimental groups than that of the control groups. Then OTU7, OTU29 and OTU108 were screened and significant correlation was found with ammonia nitrogen concentration in all of the tested ponds, and they are classified as Ochrobactrum, Escherichia-Shigella and Bacillus, respectively. In the 25 predicted COG (clusters of orthologous groups of proteins) metabolic pathways in prokaryotes, 18 metabolic pathways exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05) between the experimental groups and the control groups. All the results indicated that the use of the equipment could significantly improve the pond water quality and sediment environment, and positively affect the sedimental microbial community structure of the bottom water. The results of this study would provide scientific support for the popularization and application of the equipment

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the caenogastropod snail Rapana venosa

Abstract The carnivorous gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) is one of the most notorious ecological invaders worldwide. Here, we present the first high-quality chromosome-scale reference R. venosa genome obtained via PacBio sequencing, Illumina paired-end sequencing, and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture scaffolding. The assembled genome has a size of 2.30 Gb, with a scaffold N50 length of 64.63 Mb, and is anchored to 35 chromosomes. It contains 29,649 protein-coding genes, 77.22% of which were functionally annotated. Given its high heterozygosity (1.41%) and large proportion of repeat sequences (57.72%), it is one of the most complex genome assemblies. This chromosome-level genome assembly of R. venosa is an important resource for understanding molluscan evolutionary adaption and provides a genetic basis for its biological invasion control