A comprehensive dataset for assessing the impact of ammonium salts and zeolite on anaerobic digestion performance, microbial dynamics, and metabolomic profiles.

This article presents comprehensive data derived from lab-scale batch anaerobic digesters that were subjected to inhibition by various sources of ammonia. To counter this inhibition, zeolite was introduced into selected digesters. The provided dataset offers a detailed depiction of degradation performance dynamics over time, as well as insights into both microbial and metabolic changes during the inhibition. In detail, 10 conditions were tested in triplicate. In a first series of 15 bioreactors ammonia was introduced to achieve a TAN concentration of 8 g/L, utilizing NH3 solution, NH4Cl salt, (NH4)2CO3 salt, or (NH4)2PO4 salt as inhibitors. A control condition without ammonia was also set up. A second series of 15 bioreactors was set up exactly as the first one, with the addition of zeolite at a concentration of 15 g/L. The data provided includes information on operational conditions, degradation performance measurements throughout the entire process (using biogas production and composition, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, volatile fatty acids, pH, free and total ammonia nitrogen, apparent isotopic fractionation of biogas as indicators), microbial community analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (50 samples analysed), and metabolomic analysis through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) (108 samples analysed). Sequencing data were generated by using IonTorrent PGM sequencer. The sequencing data have been deposited with links to project PRJEB52324, in ENA database from EBI (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/view/PRJEB52324). Sample accession numbers go from SAMEA14277573 to SAMEA14277621. The metabolomic data were generated using an LTQ Orbitrap XL mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, MA, US). The metabolomic data have been deposited to the EMBL-EBI MetaboLights database with the identifier MTBLS7859 (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/metabolights/MTBLS7859). This data can be used as a source for comparisons with other studies focusing on the inhibition of anaerobic digestion by ammonia, particularly in the context of exploring microbial or metabolomic dynamics during inhibition. Additionally it provides a multi-omic dataset (metataxonomic and metabolomic) with detailed associated metadata describing anaerobic digesters. The dataset is directly is associated to the research article titled "Inhibition of anaerobic digestion by various ammonia sources resulted in subtle differences in metabolite dynamics." [1].

Captive ring-tailed lemur breeding in semi-free ranging conditions and genetic parentage analysis.

The ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), one of the most iconic and widely recognized primates in the world, is threatened in its native range and classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The global conservation strategy for the species includes ex situ conservation efforts led by zoological institutions in the framework of regional captive breeding programs. To maximize the conservation of genetic diversity and optimize breeding programs, an accurate pedigree must be established in captive populations. Our study documents the formation and subsequent monitoring of a large ring-tailed lemur group in a French zoological institution. Based on staff's behavioral observations and DNA analyses using 11 microsatellite markers, we were able to document the survival and reproduction rates of the lemurs in this situation and reconstruct the pedigree of infants born in the institution. In total, 22 of the 28 imported animals as well as 4 locally born individuals gave birth to 58 infants of which 28 survived. The consistent genotypes obtained from the 53 sampled animals allowed us to identify 25 of the sires and 27 of the dams for the 28 surviving infants. A total of 12 different females and 14 different males produced the 28 surviving infants, suggesting that no individual dominates reproduction. This pioneering study has practical applications for the captive management of the species, which can be raised to the individual level instead of the group level.

Halocyclization of Unsaturated Guanidines Mediated by Koser's Reagent and Lithium Halides.

The synthesis of halogenated cyclic guanidines through iodine(III)-mediated umpolung of halide salts is described. Cyclic guanidines of various sizes can be obtained with generally excellent regioselectivities through either a chloro- or a bromocyclization, using Koser's reagent and the corresponding lithium salt.

Iodine(III)-Mediated Diazidation and Azido-oxyamination of Enamides.

In this study we demonstrate that the combination of bis(tert-butylcarbonyloxy)iodobenzene and lithium azide in acetonitrile allows the diazidation of various enamide substrates. The azido-oxyamination of the same substrates can be carried out in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine N-oxide (TEMPO). Control experiments strongly suggest that this latter process occurs through a shift in nature of the in situ generated electrophilic species from a radical to a cation. Finally, the versatility of the novel compounds synthesized was also assessed by running various selective reactions on them.

A viable population of the European red squirrel in an urban park.

Whether urban parks can maintain viable and self-sustaining populations over the long term is questionable. In highly urbanized landscapes, urban parks could play a role in biodiversity conservation by providing habitat and resources to native species. However, populations inhabiting urban parks are usually small and isolated, leading to increased demographic stochasticity and genetic drift, with expected negative consequences on their viability. Here, we investigated a European red squirrel population located in an urban park close to Paris, France (Parc de Sceaux; 184 ha) to assess its viability. Using mitochondrial D-loop sequences and 13 microsatellite loci, we showed that the population presented high levels of genetic variation and no evidence of inbreeding. The size of the population was estimated at 100-120 individuals based on the comparison of two census techniques, Distance Sampling and Capture-Mark-Recapture. The estimated heterozygosity level and population size were integrated in a Population Viability Analysis to project the likelihood of the population's persistence over time. Results indicate that the red squirrel population of this urban park can be viable on the long term (i.e. 20 years) for a range of realistic demographic parameters (juvenile survival at least >40%) and immigration rates (at least one immigration event every two years). This study highlights that urban parks can be potential suitable refuges for the red squirrel, a locally threatened species across western European countries, provided that ecological corridors are maintained.

Color differences among feral pigeons (Columba livia) are not attributable to sequence variation in the coding region of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (MC1R).

BACKGROUND: Genetic variation at the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene is correlated with melanin color variation in many birds. Feral pigeons (Columba livia) show two major melanin-based colorations: a red coloration due to pheomelanic pigment and a black coloration due to eumelanic pigment. Furthermore, within each color type, feral pigeons display continuous variation in the amount of melanin pigment present in the feathers, with individuals varying from pure white to a full dark melanic color. Coloration is highly heritable and it has been suggested that it is under natural or sexual selection, or both. Our objective was to investigate whether MC1R allelic variants are associated with plumage color in feral pigeons. FINDINGS: We sequenced 888 bp of the coding sequence of MC1R among pigeons varying both in the type, eumelanin or pheomelanin, and the amount of melanin in their feathers. We detected 10 non-synonymous substitutions and 2 synonymous substitution but none of them were associated with a plumage type. It remains possible that non-synonymous substitutions that influence coloration are present in the short MC1R fragment that we did not sequence but this seems unlikely because we analyzed the entire functionally important region of the gene. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that color differences among feral pigeons are probably not attributable to amino acid variation at the MC1R locus. Therefore, variation in regulatory regions of MC1R or variation in other genes may be responsible for the color polymorphism of feral pigeons.

Practical and highly selective sulfur ylide-mediated asymmetric epoxidations and aziridinations using a cheap and readily available chiral sulfide: extensive studies to map out scope, limitations, and rationalization of diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

The chiral sulfide, isothiocineole, has been synthesized in one step from elemental sulfur, γ-terpinene, and limonene in 61% yield. A mechanism involving radical intermediates for this reaction is proposed based on experimental evidence. The application of isothiocineole to the asymmetric epoxidation of aldehydes and the aziridination of imines is described. Excellent enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities have been obtained over a wide range of aromatic, aliphatic, and α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes using simple protocols. In aziridinations, excellent enantioselectivities and good diastereoselectivities were obtained for a wide range of imines. Mechanistic models have been put forward to rationalize the high selectivities observed, which should enable the sulfide to be used with confidence in synthesis. In epoxidations, the degree of reversibility in betaine formation dominates both the diastereoselectivity and the enantioselectivity. Appropriate tuning of reaction conditions based on understanding the reaction mechanism enables high selectivities to be obtained in most cases. In aziridinations, betaine formation is nonreversible with semistabilized ylides and diastereoselectivities are determined in the betaine forming step and are more variable as a result.

Iodine(III)-mediated umpolung of bromide salts for the ethoxybromination of enamides.

Using (diacetoxyiodo)benzene in conjunction with simple bromide salts in ethanol allows the regioselective ethoxybromination of a wide range of enamides, thus yielding highly versatile α-bromo hemiaminals, which can then be engaged in a broad array of transformations.

Genetic structure of the French red squirrel populations: implication for conservation.

The decline of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in several European countries due to the introduction of the American grey squirrel (S. carolinensis) and the predicted arrival of the grey squirrel in France in the near future has lead to the development of a preventative conservation project in this country. In this study, we conducted an extensive survey of mitochondrial DNA variation in French red squirrels using a fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop and we compared the results with previously published data from other European populations. Our main aims were: (1) to determine whether genetically differentiated populations, which could represent prioritized units for conservation purposes, were present in France and (2) to determine whether the French population, which is currently largely undisturbed, could provide information on the postglacial recolonization history of the species. We found that French D-loop haplotypes show almost no tendency to cluster by geographic origin, be it region or country, suggesting that French red squirrels have not been isolated from other populations during an evolutionarily significant period and that they do not constitute an Evolutionary Significant Unit. The French red squirrels showed strong signals of population expansion, the opposite to what is observed in most other European populations, making them of particular interest to study the postglacial expansion history of the species.