Profiling trace organic chemical biotransformation genes, enzymes and associated bacteria in microbial model communities.

Microbial biotransformation of trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) is an essential process in wastewater treatment to eliminate environmental pollution. Understanding TOrC biotransformation mechanisms, especially at their original concentrations, is important to optimize treatment performance, whereas our current knowledge is limited. Here, we investigated the biotransformation of seven TOrCs by 24 model communities.

A perfect ultra-wideband solar absorber with a multilayer stacked structure of Ti-SiO-GaAs: structure and outstanding characteristics.

In this paper, we introduce an entirely new solar absorber design-a multi-layer periodic stacked structure. Through coupling effects, this design has perfect ultra-wideband absorption characteristics. The absorber structure is composed of four absorption units with varying cycle lengths, which are cyclically stacked on the surface of the refractory metal Cr.

Testing the Ce Limit of Mass Bias Correction Using Nd/Nd as Normalizing Ratio in Radiogenic Neodymium Isotope Analysis by MC-ICP-MS.

Rationale: Neodymium isotopes are a powerful geochemical tool that has widely been used in terrestrial and extraterrestrial studies. Modern multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (MC-ICP-MS) allow fast, accurate, and precise analysis of the radiogenic Nd isotope ratio Nd/Nd. These analyses comprise relatively high instrumental mass bias that is typically corrected for using the stable Nd/Nd of 0.

tRNA, yRNA, and rRNA fragment excisions do not involve canonical microRNA biogenesis machinery.

The excision of specific tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), yRNA-derived small RNAs (ysRNAs) and ribosomal RNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs) is now well established. Several reports have suggested many of these fragments function much like traditional microRNAs (miRNAs). That said, whereas the expressions of the majority of appreciably expressed miRNAs in HCT116 colon cancer cells are significantly decreased in individual knockouts (KOs) of DROSHA, DGCR8, XPO5, and DICER, on average, only 3.

Optimizing nitrogen management for pollution control in Lake Baiyangdian following water replenishment.

Eutrophication is an ecological process showing the state shift of a lake. This shift could be triggered when the external nitrogen (N) loads exceed N thresholds. Meanwhile, external water inputs and the resulting changes in lake water depth could affect N thresholds.

Chromosome-level genome assemblies and genetic maps reveal heterochiasmy and macrosynteny in endangered Atlantic Acropora.

Background: Over their evolutionary history, corals have adapted to sea level rise and increasing ocean temperatures, however, it is unclear how quickly they may respond to rapid change. Genome structure and genetic diversity contained within may highlight their adaptive potential.

Results: We present chromosome-scale genome assemblies and linkage maps of the critically endangered Atlantic acroporids, Acropora palmata and A.

Dark carbon fixation is a common process in the water column of stratified boreal lakes.

CO fixation (i.e. primary production) is a key function of all ecosystems, providing the carbon and energy that fuel the entire food web.

Discovery of deep-sea coral symbionts from a novel clade of marine bacteria with severely reduced genomes.

Microbes perform critical functions in corals, yet most knowledge is derived from the photic zone. Here, we discover two mollicutes that dominate the microbiome of the deep-sea octocoral, Callogorgia delta, and likely reside in the mesoglea. These symbionts are abundant across the host's range, absent in the water, and appear to be rare in sediments.

Multi-scalar data integration decoding risk genes for chronic kidney disease.

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) impacts over 10% of the global population, and recent advancements in high-throughput analytical technologies are uncovering the complex physiology underlying this condition. By integrating Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq/RNA array), and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, our study aimed to explore the genes and cell types relevant to CKD traits.

Methods: GWAS summary data for end-stage renal failure (ESRD) and decreased eGFR (CKD) with or without diabetes and (micro)proteinuria were obtained from the GWAS Catalog and the UK Biobank (UKB) database.

Three peak metamaterial broadband absorbing materials based on ZnSe-Cr-InAs stacked disk arrays.

Metamaterial absorbers show great potential in many scientific and technological applications by virtue of their sub-wavelength and easy-to-adjust structure, with bandwidth as an important standard to measure the performance of the absorbers. In this study, our team designed a new broadband absorber, which consists of an indium arsenide (InAs) disk at the top, a zinc selenide (ZnSe)-chromium (Cr) stacked disk in the middle and a metal film at the bottom. Simulation results show that the absorber has remarkable absorptivity properties in the mid-long infrared band.

Depth-specific distribution of bacterial MAGs in permafrost active layer in Ny Ålesund, Svalbard (79°N).

Arctic soil microbial communities may shift with increasing temperatures and water availability from climate change. We examined temperature and volumetric liquid water content (VWC) in the upper 80 cm of permafrost-affected soil over 2 years (2018-2019) at the Bayelva monitoring station, Ny Ålesund, Svalbard. We show VWC increases with depth, whereas in situ temperature is more stable vertically, ranging from -5°C to 5 °C seasonally.

Trade optimality and micro-nutrient productivity: Assessing the impact of crop trade on nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency.

Intensification of agricultural practices has been pivotal in meeting the nutritional demands of a burgeoning global population. However, the widespread application of nitrogen (N) fertilisers has contributed to environmental pollution. In this study, we quantitatively assessed the role of international crop trade in optimising the productivity of micro-nutrients and its implications for N fertiliser use.

Allelochemicals determine competition and grazing control in Alexandrium catenella.

The production of allelochemicals by the toxigenic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella is one of the suggested mechanisms to facilitate its bloom formation and persistence by outcompeting other phototrophic protists and reducing grazing pressure. In Southern California, toxic events caused by A. catenella and paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) regularly impact coastal ecosystems; however, the trophic interactions and mechanisms promoting this species in a food web context are still not fully understood.

Resource supply and intraspecific variation in inducible defense determine predator-prey interactions in an intraguild predation food web.

This study investigated the dynamics of reciprocal phenotypic plasticity entailing inducible defense and offense in freshwater ciliate communities in response to altered resource supply and the extent of intraspecific trait variation. Communities consisted of Euplotes octocarinatus (intraguild prey) capable of inducible defense to escape predation, Stylonychia mytilus (intraguild predator) capable of inducible offense to expand its prey spectrum, and Cryptomonas sp. (algal resource).

Organic Room-Temperature Polariton Condensate in a Higher-Order Topological Lattice.

Organic molecule exciton-polaritons in photonic lattices are a versatile platform to emulate unconventional phases of matter at ambient temperatures, including protected interface modes in topological insulators. Here, we investigate bosonic condensation in the most prototypical higher-order topological lattice: a 2D-version of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model. Under strong optical pumping, we observe bosonic condensation into both 0D and 1D topologically protected modes.

Differences in boldness between Eurasian and American wolves () might be based on adaptive mechanisms.

Boldness - defined as the propensity of individuals to take risks - is a key research area within animal behavioural studies, significantly affecting adaptive strategies, habitat selection, foraging behaviour, reproduction, dispersal, and other crucial survival behaviours. Despite the extensive study of personality traits like extraversion and curiosity across various animal species, data on wolves (), particularly on the subspecies level, remains sparse. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining boldness and its associated personality traits in different wolf subspecies (, ) ( = 23), and wolf-dog hybrids ( = 10), utilising novel object interaction tests and validated questionnaires previously applied to wild canids.

Cross-domain diversity effects: linking diatom species richness, intraspecific richness, and biomass production to host-associated bacterial diversity.

Interactions between bacteria and microalgae are important for the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, yet interactions based on the biodiversity of these two taxonomic domains have been scarcely studied. Specifically, it is unclear whether a positive biodiversity-productivity relationship in phytoplankton is largely facilitated by niche partitioning among the phytoplankton organisms themselves or whether associated bacterial communities play an additional role in modifying these diversity effects. Moreover, the effects of intraspecific diversity in phytoplankton communities on bacterial community diversity have not been tested.

Dissolved Organic Matter Contains Ketones Across a Wide Range of Molecular Formulas.

The carbonyl functionality of natural organic matter (NOM) is poorly constrained. Here, we treated Suwannee River NOM (SRNOM) with ammonium acetate and sodium cyanoborohydride to convert ketone-containing compounds by reductive amination to their corresponding primary amines. The total dissolved nitrogen content increased by up to 275% after amination.

Direct and indirect cumulative effects of temperature, nutrients, and light on phytoplankton growth.

Temperature and resource availability are pivotal factors influencing phytoplankton community structures. Numerous prior studies demonstrated their significant influence on phytoplankton stoichiometry, cell size, and growth rates. The growth rate, serving as a reflection of an organism's success within its environment, is linked to stoichiometry and cell size.

Multifaceted Dinoflagellates and the Marine Model Prorocentrum cordatum.

Background: Dinoflagellates are a monophyletic group within the taxon Alveolata, which comprises unicellular eukaryotes. Dinoflagellates have long been studied for their organismic and morphologic diversity as well as striking cellular features. They have a main size range of 10-100 µm, a complex "cell covering", exceptionally large genomes (∼1-250 Gbp with a mean of 50,000 protein-encoding genes) spread over a variable number of highly condensed chromosomes, and perform a closed mitosis with extranuclear spindles (dinomitosis).