Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Liu Cao, Chris D. Cox, Qiang He
Summary: This study identified the important role of Syntrophobacter in syntrophic propionate conversion, while the methanogen partners lacked consistency. Propionate conversion was mainly achieved through the transformation of propionate into acetate and hydrogen.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Umberto Lucia, Giulia Grisolia
Summary: The study highlights the fundamental role of electrochemical potential in bacteria proliferation through a thermodynamic approach, emphasizing the impact of temperature on biosystem behavior. By improving the current model of growth and production, it is possible to increase the productivity of biofuels from micro-organisms.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Esraa E. Ammar, Hadeer A. Rady, Ahmed M. Khattab, Mohamed H. Amer, Sohila A. Mohamed, Nour I. Elodamy, Ammar AL-Farga, Ahmed A. A. Aioub
Summary: Biofertilizers, extracted from a variety of living organisms, are ecofriendly techniques that can increase plant productivity by improving soil fertility and nutrient content. They offer a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, avoiding pollution and heavy metal accumulation in soil. The use of biofertilizers promotes sustainable development in agriculture, mitigating climate change, and reducing the risk of diseases caused by pollution.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Akihiko Mougi
Summary: Microbes interact with their environment by modifying it and reacting to these modifications, and recent research has shown that the ecological consequences of these interactions can be predicted from their effects on pH. Adaptation of pH niche can affect microbial coexistence, but the mechanisms underlying this effect are not yet understood. This study demonstrates that ecological theory may have difficulty in accurately predicting ecological consequences when there are adaptive changes in pH niche.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Frederik G. Tidemand, Andrea Zunino, Nicolai T. Johansen, Anna Freja Hansen, Peter Westh, Klaus Mosegaard, Lise Arleth
Summary: ANISPROU is a software that extracts quantitative information from complex ITC data through a semi-empirical method, addressing the issue of ITC data analysis in multifaceted cases and providing a more automated and objective analysis compared to existing methods.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Jatin Nagpal, John F. Cryan
Summary: This review discusses the impact of microbiota on nervous system structure-function and behavior, focusing on research in mammalian models and simpler genetic model organisms. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive, cross-species approach to unravel the microbiota-brain communication for developing rational microbiota-based therapeutics for brain disorders.
Article
Optics
A. Hovhannisyan, V Stepanyan, A. E. Allahverdyan
Summary: Linear optics imposes a more general relation than the second law of thermodynamics. For optical modes undergoing linear evolution, the photon number does not decrease if the evolution starts from a generalized diagonal state. This relation also holds for a wide range of initial states and leads to an increase in the Bose entropy of the modes. Nonlinear interactions between the modes can reverse the heating process and achieve cooling, decreasing the photon number and related noise in an equilibrium system of modes with different frequencies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maximilian Dreher, Pierre Martin Dombrowski, Matthias Wolfgang Tripp, Niels Muenster, Ulrich Koert, Gregor Witte
Summary: Due to the decomposition of molecular materials upon radiation exposure, lithographic patterning techniques used for inorganic materials cannot be applied for the fabrication of organic nanostructures. Instead, molecular self-organisation must be utilized for bottom-up growth of desired structures. This study demonstrates control over the mesoscopic shape of 2D molecular nanosheets without affecting their nanoscopic molecular packing motif, using molecules that do not form lateral covalent bonds. Anisotropic attractive Coulomb forces between partially fluorinated pentacenes lead to the growth of distinctly elongated nanosheets, and the direction of elongation differs between nanosheets grown and fabricated by partial desorption of a complete molecular monolayer. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations show that lateral intermolecular interactions alone are sufficient to explain the different kinetics of structure formation during nanosheet growth and desorption, without considering interactions between the molecules and the supporting MoS2 substrate. By comparing the behavior of differently fluorinated molecules, both experimentally and computationally, properties of molecules with regard to interactions and molecular packing motifs required for effective utilization of the observed effect can be identified.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mengyuan Qi, Bin Liang, Long Zhang, Xiaodan Ma, Lei Yan, Wenchen Dong, Deyong Kong, Liying Zhang, Haizhen Zhu, Shu-Hong Gao, Jiandong Jiang, Shuang-Jiang Liu, Philippe F-X Corvini, Aijie Wang
Summary: The study identified key players involved in the degradation of organic pollutants by differentiating functional activated sludge microbiomes. Primary degraders Paenarthrobacter and Nocardioides were found to play essential roles in the complete catabolism of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The research also revealed the internal labor division patterns and connections among active members in collaborative biodegradation, providing insights for synthetic activated sludge microbiomes with optimized environmental functions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Evangelina Ripoll, Ivan Lopez, Liliana Borzacconi
Summary: This article discusses the anaerobic digestion technology used for organic-based solid waste management, as well as the issue of specific methanogenic activity tests. It is found that in solid digesters, the dilution of micro-organisms by substrate and organic inert material can affect the activity tests and distort the results. To address this, correction factors are proposed to adjust for the dilution effects. Experimental results show that the use of correction factors can reduce result distortion and improve the accuracy of the data.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rajesh Biswas, Sukanya Mitra, Victor Roy
Summary: In this article, a first-order, stable, and causal relativistic hydrodynamic theory is derived from the microscopic kinetic equation using the gradient expansion technique. The general frame, introduced from arbitrary matching conditions for hydrodynamic fields, and the momentum-dependent relaxation time approximation (MDRTA) are crucial in producing the essential field corrections for a causal and stable first-order relativistic theory.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Alejandra Castro, Juan E. Pedraza, Chiara Toldo, Evita Verheijden
Summary: This study focuses on a two-dimensional theory of gravity coupled to matter to describe the holographic properties of five-dimensional black holes with two equal angular momenta. By computing corrections to correlation functions due to cubic interactions, it is found that the corrections do not have a definite sign and depend on the mass of the extremal solution for AdS5 black holes. Possible interpretations of these corrections from a gravitational and holographic perspective are discussed, along with quantifying the impact of the JT sector on the UV region of the black hole.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ilaria Corsi, Arianna Bellingeri, Maria Concetta Eliso, Giacomo Grassi, Giulia Liberatori, Carola Murano, Lucrezia Sturba, Maria Luisa Vannuccini, Elisa Bergami
Summary: Marine nano-ecotoxicology focuses on the behavior and impact of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the marine environment, specifically looking at the uptake and toxicity effects of ENMs like titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles on marine organisms. The development of a ecologically based design strategy is proposed to ensure the new ENMs have no harm on marine organisms and humans in environmental applications.
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
R. Hilfer
Summary: Traditional Boltzmann-Gibbs statistical mechanics is not applicable to systems with unstable interactions. This article revisits the foundations of statistical physics and introduces generalized ensembles for unstable interactions. The results show that unstable systems can exhibit thermodynamic normality and extensivity.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Man Qin, Liyun Jiang, Gexia Qiao, Jing Chen
Summary: Insects harbor diverse symbionts and studying the interactions between hosts and their symbionts provides valuable insights. Phylosymbiosis is a pattern that shows a positive correlation between host phylogeny and microbial community dissimilarities. The prevalence and mechanisms of phylosymbiosis in insects are still not well understood.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kyosuke Yamamoto, Yasuko Yoneda, Ayaka Makino, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Xian-Ying Meng, Junko Hashimoto, Kazuo Shin-ya, Noriyuki Satoh, Manabu Fujie, Tadashi Toyama, Kazuhiro Mori, Michihiko Ike, Masaaki Morikawa, Yoichi Kamagata, Hideyuki Tamaki
Summary: In this study, we present the draft genome sequence of a bacterial strain, F-183, which was isolated from a duckweed frond. Strain F-183 belongs to the Bryobacteraceae family of the Acidobacteria phylum, and the genomic information obtained will contribute to the understanding of the ecophysiology of this abundant but poorly characterized phylum.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kyosuke Yamamoto, Yasuko Yoneda, Ayaka Makino, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Xian-Ying Meng, Junko Hashimoto, Kazuo Shin-ya, Noriyuki Satoh, Manabu Fujie, Tadashi Toyama, Kazuhiro Mori, Michihiko Ike, Masaaki Morikawa, Yoichi Kamagata, Hideyuki Tamaki
Summary: We present the complete genome sequence of a novel bacterial isolate, strain TBR-22, belonging to the class Vicinamibacteria of the phylum Acidobacteria, which was obtained from duckweed fronds. This genome study enhances our understanding of the lifestyle of this abundant but poorly characterized phylum.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhancong Liang, Wing Lam Chan, Xiaomeng Tian, Alvin C. K. Lai, Patrick K. H. Lee, Chak K. Chan
Summary: This study investigates the inactivation of Escherichia coli in droplets under different relative humidities (RH) and initial cell concentrations. The results show that RH plays an important role in the inactivation process, and there are differences between bacteria and viruses. The droplet medium and cell concentration also impact the inactivation, with high cell concentrations reducing the osmotic stresses and thus the inactivation.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ayaka Makino, Ryosuke Nakai, Yasuko Yoneda, Tadashi Toyama, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Xian-Ying Meng, Kazuhiro Mori, Michihiko Ike, Masaaki Morikawa, Yoichi Kamagata, Hideyuki Tamaki
Summary: This study identified four novel aquatic plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) strains, named MRB1-4, from Lythrum anceps, which exhibited beneficial growth effects on duckweed Lemna minor. These strains produced indole-3-acetic acid and possessed similar plant growth-promoting traits as terrestrial PGPB. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MRB-1, -3, and -4 were affiliated with known proteobacterial genera, while MRB2 was a potentially novel strain at the genus level. Furthermore, MRB3, a Pelomonas strain, was found to be epiphytic and adhered to the roots and fronds of duckweed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huiju Lin, Jia-Yong Lao, Qi Wang, Yuefei Ruan, Yuhe He, Patrick K. H. Lee, Kenneth M. Y. Leung, Paul K. S. Lam
Summary: This study investigates the atmospheric releases of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from waste management infrastructures (WMIs) in urban and rural areas of Hong Kong, China. The study reveals that fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and perfluoroalkane sulfonamides are the predominant PFAS types found. It also demonstrates the release of less frequently observed intermediate products during waste treatment. Additionally, the study estimates the lung deposition fluxes of PFAS and finds that inhaled particulate PFAS are mainly deposited in the head airway. The cumulative daily inhalation dose of gaseous and particulate PFAS ranges from 81.9 to 265 pg/kg/d.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Masaru Konishi Nobu, Ryosuke Nakai, Satoshi Tamazawa, Hiroshi Mori, Atsushi Toyoda, Akira Ijiri, Shino Suzuki, Ken Kurokawa, Yoichi Kamagata, Hideyuki Tamaki
Summary: The serpentinization of ultramafic rocks can provide molecular hydrogen (H-2) for microorganisms, but the conditions in these environments are extremely challenging. Through metagenomics and thermodynamics, researchers have discovered unique microbial taxa in serpentinization-active systems that are adapted to these conditions. These microorganisms utilize alternative modes of H-2-utilizing lithotrophy, specifically using reduced carbon compounds rather than CO2. This research sheds light on potential strategies that extremophiles may employ in serpentinization-associated environments, which could also be relevant to primordial lithotrophy on early Earth.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiyu Li, Dinglong Hu, Chee Kent Lim, Jifeng Ren, Xin Yao, Chao Ma, Marcos, Weiqiang Chen, Patrick K. H. Lee, Raymond H. W. Lam
Summary: The human host-associated microbial communities can provide insights into health status, and single-cell bacteria identification can serve as reliable biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. However, existing single-cell isolation methods often face challenges in obtaining sufficient sample volume and target cells. This research presents a novel microfluidic system for single-bacteria extraction, which shows high success rates and compatibility with downstream analysis. It demonstrates the potential application of this system in microbiome and pathology research, as well as clinical diagnosis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhancong Liang, Liyuan Zhou, Rosemarie Ann Infante Cuevas, Xinyue Li, Chunlei Cheng, Mei Li, Rongzhi Tang, Ruifeng Zhang, Patrick K. H. Lee, Alvin C. K. Lai, Chak K. Chan
Summary: Incense burning is a common ritual in Asian communities, which emits a large amount of particles. In this study, the formation of sulfate in incense particles upon exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2) was observed. The formation of sulfate was influenced by sunlight and humidity, and occurred preferentially in particles containing organic photosensitizers. These findings may provide insights into the potential of biomass burning particles to trigger sulfate formation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Akiko Fujiwara, Xian-Ying Meng, Yoichi Kamagata, Tsutomu Tsuchida
Summary: Many insects have endosymbiotic bacteria, and the Sweet potato whitefly has a unique endosymbiotic system where two symbionts are present in the same bacteriocyte. The study found that the endoplasmic reticulum separates the two symbionts and this habitat segregation is conserved across different whitefly species.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinjin Yu, Siang Nee Tang, Patrick K. H. Lee
Summary: The microbial community structures in four full-scale WWTPs processing textile wastewater were monitored for over a year. The results showed that environmental conditions and system treatment performance were the main drivers of community variations. The dissimilarity-overlap curve method revealed similar composition dynamics of communities containing the same taxa from different plants over time. Machine learning identified phylogenetically diverse biomarkers for system conditions and treatment performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shicong Du, Xinzhao Tong, Alvin C. K. Lai, Chak K. Chan, Christopher E. Mason, Patrick K. H. Lee
Summary: This study evaluates the viromes from 11 habitats across four types of built environments with low to high occupancy, and finds that their diversity, composition, metabolic functions, and lifestyles are habitat dependent. Antimicrobial resistance genes are identified in viruses inhabiting frequently touched surfaces and occupants' skin. Evidence of viruses potentially aiding host adaptation in a specific-habitat manner is identified through a unique gene insertion. This study demonstrates that virus-host interactions occur frequently in built environments and that viruses are integral members of built environment microbiomes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Motoyuki Watanabe, Kensuke Igarashi, Souichiro Kato, Yoichi Kamagata, Wataru Kitagawa
Summary: In this study, two hydrogen peroxide-sensitive anaerobic bacteria strains, OS-1 and OS-4, were isolated from pond water and their nearly complete and complete genome sequences were determined.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Yuga Hirakata, Ran Mei, Kana Morinaga, Taiki Katayama, Hideyuki Tamaki, Xian-ying Meng, Takahiro Watari, Takashi Yamaguchi, Masashi Hatamoto, Masaru K. Nobu
Summary: This study discovered anaerobic bacteria capable of scavenging dead cells in oxygen-depleted environments. The two isolated strains used different strategies for degrading dead bacteria, with one relying on cell-to-cell contact and cell invagination, while the other degraded dead bacteria through excretion of lytic enzymes. The study revealed multiple symbiotic routes for bacterial decomposition of dead prokaryotic cells.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yushuo Liu, Chee Kent Lim, Zhiyong Shen, Patrick K. H. Lee, Theodora Nah
Summary: Recent studies have shown that interactions between live bacteria and organic matter in clouds can affect the carbon budget and have implications for atmospheric and climate processes. However, bacteria in clouds face various stressors that can impact their survival, metabolism, and ability to degrade organic compounds. The effects of cloud water pH and solar radiation on bacteria are not well understood. This study investigated how pH and exposure to solar radiation influence the survival, metabolism, and biodegradation abilities of Enterobacter strains from Hong Kong. The results showed that pH and sunlight exposure affected bacterial survival and metabolism, with low survival rates and negative impacts observed at lower pH levels and when exposed to sunlight.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ran Mei, Masanori Kaneko, Hiroyuki Imachi, Masaru K. Nobu
Summary: The study utilizes phylogenetic analyses to explore the origins and evolution of methanogenesis. It provides evidence for the antiquity of methanogenesis and suggests that substrate-specific functions emerged through parallel evolution from a nonspecific ancestor. The study also highlights the role of methanogenesis in the lifestyle divergence and physiological transition of ancient archaea.