Dynamics of Microbial Community during the Co-Composting of Swine and Poultry Manure with Spent Mushroom Substrates at an Industrial Scale.

Spent mushroom substrates (SMSs) can be developed as a biofertilizer through composting. Here, we investigated the dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities during commercial composting and the effect of swine and poultry manure on their communities through MiSeq pyrosequencing. Weissella paramesenteroides and Lactobacillus helveticus were dominant bacterial species in the composts with soy waste (SMS-SW), whereas Thermotogaceae sp. and Ureibacillus sp. were dominant in the composts with swine and poultry manure (SMS-PM). For the fungal community, Flammulina velutipes was dominant in SMS-SW, whereas Trichosporon asahii, Candida catenulate, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida tropicalis were dominant in SMS-PM. The addition of manure affected the bacterial community significantly. Redundancy analysis indicated that bacterial communities were affected by temperature, potassium, and potassium oxide and fungal communities by temperature, Kjeldahl nitrogen, organic matter, and ammonium nitrogen. Our findings can guide future research on composting microbiology.

Effects of Cinnamomum camphora Leaves Extracts-Flocculants Composite Algaecide on Microcystis aeruginosa Growth and Microcystins Release.

In this study, a composite algaecide containing flocculants and Cinnamomum. camphora leaves extracts (CCCLE) were synthesized. The inhibition and flocculation effects on Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) were investigated, and the release of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) was determined. Results showed that the CCLEC composite algaecide was effective for the inhibition and flocculation of M. aeruginosa, and the optimal dose of CCLEC composite algaecide was 1.8%, which resulted in an algae inhibition ratio of 98.00% and a flocculation efficiency of 99.44% within 5 days of M. aeruginosa culturing. Besides, the total amount of MC-LR decreased by 80.04% on day 20 compared with the control group, while the concentration of intracellular MC-LR on day 5 was 36.69 µg L-1, which was related to a portion of cells underwent apoptosis-like cell death under CCLEC composite algaecide stress. The results of this study may improve our understanding of the M. aeruginosa control by CCCLE composite algaecide.

Implication of single year seasonal sampling to genetic diversity fluctuation that coordinates with oceanographic dynamics in torpedo scads near Taiwan.

Many fisheries management and conservation plans are based on the genetic structure of organisms in pelagic ecosystems; however, these structures tend to vary over time, particularly in cyclic ocean currents. We performed genetic analyses on the populations of the pelagic fish, Megalaspis cordyla (Osteichthyes: Carangidae) in the area surrounding Taiwan during 2000-2001. Genotyping was performed on M. cordyla collected seasonally around Taiwan as well as specimens collected from Singapore (Malacca strait) and Indonesia (Banda Sea). Gonadosomatic indices (GSI) revealed that M. cordyla does not spawn near Taiwan. Data related to the mitochondrial control region revealed that the samples from Singapore and Indonesia represented two distinct genetic cohorts. Genotyping revealed that during the summer (June-August 2000), the Indonesian variant was dominant in eastern Taiwan (presumably following the Kuroshio Current) and in the Penghu region (following the Kuroshio Branch Current). During the same period, the Singapore genotype was dominant along the western coast of Taiwan (presumably following the South China Sea Current); however, the number dropped during the winter (December-February 2001) under the effects of the China Coast Current. Divergence time estimates indicate that the two genetic cohorts split during the last glacial maximum. Despite the fact that these results are based on sampling from a single year, they demonstrate the importance of seasonal sampling in unravelling the genetic diversity in pelagic ecosystems.

Bayesian inference of nonylphenol exposure for assessing human dietary risk.

Nonylphenols (NPs) are endocrine-disrupting compounds commonly found in the environment and a number of food products. In this study, we constructed a probabilistic risk framework incorporating a Bayesian inference of exposure level in foodstuffs in conjunction with effect analysis of reproduction and renal disease. Our objective was to contrast the risk of dietary exposure to NPs among individuals in various age groups, with a particular focus on fertile females. In this study, seafood presented relatively high NP concentrations; however, seafood accounts for only a small proportion of the total food intake of most individuals. Rice was shown to make the largest contribution to NP daily intake among males and females in most age groups. Chicken made the largest contribution in the 12-16 and 16-18 year age groups. The mean average daily dose of NPs tended to decrease with age, regardless of gender. The estimated distribution of hazard quotients of <1 in all groups means that the risk of reproductive or renal abnormalities due to dietary exposure to NPs is negligible within most of the Taiwanese population. Nonetheless, preschoolers (3-6-year-olds) appear to be more vulnerable to NPs than do individuals in other age groups. There has been growing concern among researchers concerning the neurotoxic effects of NPs on offspring via maternal exposure. We recommend conducting a comprehensive assessment of exposure to NPs via multiple exposure routes, particularly among fertile women and preschoolers.

Novel Mutations in CLN5 of Chinese Patients With Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a hereditary disease, and ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal protein 5 (CLN5) has been proved to be associated with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Here we report 3 patients from 2 families diagnosed with CLN5 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Whole genome sequencing of DNAs from 3 patients and their families revealed 3 novel homozygous mutations, including 1 deletion CLN5.c718 719delAT and 2 missense mutations c.1082T>C and c.623G>A. We reviewed 278 papers about neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis resulting from CLN5 mutations and compared Chinese cases with 27 European and American cases. The overall age of onset of European and American patients occur mainly at 3 to 6 years (66%, 18/27), 100% (27/27) of patients had psychomotor regression, 99% (26/27) patients presented vision decline, and 70% (19/27) of patients suffered seizures. In China, the age of onset in 3 patients was 5 years, but for 1 patient it was at 17 months. Four Chinese patients presented psychomotor deterioration and seizures; only 1 had visual problems.

[Marker-assisted selection and pyramiding for three blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t)1, Pi-b, Pi-ta2, in rice].

G46B is a promising holding line used for three-lines breeding strategy in hybrid rice, but it is susceptible to blast disease caused by Pyricularia grisea. To improve its blast resistance, three rice varieties, Digu, BL-1, and Pi-4, with blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t), Pi-b, and Pi-ta2, respectively, were used to be crossed with G46B, and 15 plants with these three blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t)1, Pi-b, and Pi-ta2, were selected from their F2 and B1C1 populations via a marker-aided crossing procedure. Among them, four plants were heterozygotes in the three resistance genes, with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 pi-d(t)/Pi-b pi-b/ Pi-ta2 pi-ta2; ten plants were heterozygotes in two of the three resistance genes, of which six with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 Pi-d(t)1/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 pi-ta2, three with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 pi-d(t)1/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 Pi-ta2, and one with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1pi-d(t)1/Pi-b Pi-b/Pi-ta2 pi-ta2; and only one plant was homozygote in two of the three resistance genes with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 Pi-d(t)/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 Pi-ta2. These results demonstrate the capacity of maker-assisted selection (MAS) in gene pyramiding for rice blast resistance and its enhancement for the efficiency in rice resistance breeding.

[Accelerated improvement of bacterial blight resistance of 'Shuhui527' using molecular marker-assisted selection].

'Shuhui527' is a promising restorer line bred by Rice Research Institute of Sichuan Agricultural University in recent years. However, this line is susceptible to Bacterial Blight (BB), which limits its use. The IRBB60, from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), contains dominant genes Xa21 and Xa4 conferring resistance to BB. The objective of this study is to improve the BB resistance of 'Shuhui527' by introgressing Xa21 and Xa4, the two broad-spectrum BB resistance genes, into 'Shuhui527' with IRBB60 as the donor, pTA248 and MP12, linking tightly with Xa21 and Xa4 respectively as DNA markers. BC1 F1 progenies of (Shuhui527 x IRBB60), containing Xa21 and Xa4 identified using PCR screening and with agronomic traits including plant type, grain type and days to heading etc similar to those of 'Shuhui527', were subsequently backcrossed to 'Shuhui527' and self-pollinated to generate BC2 F1 and BC1 F2 . The BC3 F1 and BC3 F2 were subsequently developed using the same approach. Among the 20 BC3 F2 plants, homozygous Xa21 and Xa4,10 plants were the most similar to 'Shuhui527' in the agronomic traits, and were screened using 120 pairs SSR and 100 pairs RAPD markers. Based on the results of the background screening and the performance of the agronomic traits, 5 plants were identified as improved-'Shuhui527' and designated as 527R-5, 527R-6, 527R-8, 527R-9 and 527R-10. The improved-' Shuhui527' lines expressed high resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv . oryzae (Xoo) stains C I - C VII, P1 and P6. The evaluation of the polymorphisms and selection accuracies of pTA248 and MP12 demonstrated that the polymorphisms of the two markers were obvious and co-dominant and the accuracies were more than 97% and 83% respectively, indicating the two markers are good for Xa21 and Xa4 in Molecular Marker-assisted Selection.