Corroborative Activities and Recognition Between Community Comprehensive Care Unit’s Nurses and Care Managers in Supporting Discharge of Elderly from Hospital - A Secondary Publication

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the collaborative activities and mutual recognition between community comprehensive care unit nurses (Ns) and care managers (CM) in supporting the discharge of the elderly from the hospital. Methods: A total of 300 nurses working in community comprehensive care wards and 360 care managers working in B City in A Prefecture were surveyed using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Results: The highest percentage of responses regarding necessary collaborative activities with multiple professions in supporting hospital discharge were the same for Ns and CMs. The items regarding practice with the highest percentages were “relationship as a team” for Ns, and “user-centered awareness” for CM. While these professionals were willing to share information about their patients’ lives after discharge, the percentage of those explaining their expertise was low. It is thought that collaborative activities focusing on these aspects would lead to more appropriate discharge support.

Bacterial communities and enzyme activities during litter decomposition of Elymus nutans leaf on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The dominant plant litter plays a crucial role in carbon(C)and nutrients cycling as well as ecosystem functions maintenance on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).The impact of litter decomposition of dominant plants on edaphic parameters and grassland productivity has been extensively studied,while its decomposition processes and relevant mechanisms in this area remain poorly understood.We conducted a three-year litter decomposition experiment in the Gansu Gannan Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station,an alpine meadow ecosystem on the QTP,to investigate changes in litter enzyme activities and bacterial and fungal communities,and clarify how these critical factors regulated the decomposition of dominant plant Elymus nutans(E.nutans)litter.The results showed that cellulose and hemicellulose,which accounted for 95%of the initial lignocellulose content,were the main components in E.nutans litter decomposition.The litter enzyme activities ofβ-1,4-glucosidase(BG),β-1,4-xylosidase(BX),andβ-D-cellobiosidase(CBH)decreased with decomposition while acid phosphatase,leucine aminopeptidase,and phenol oxidase increased with decomposition.We found that both litter bacterial and fungal communities changed significantly with decomposition.Furthermore,bacterial communities shifted from copiotrophic-dominated to oligotrophic-dominated in the late stage of litter decomposition.Partial least squares path model revealed that the decomposition of E.nutans litter was mainly driven by bacterial communities and their secreted enzymes.Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria were important producers of enzymes BG,BX,and CBH,and their relative abundances were tightly positively related to the content of cellulose and hemicellulose,indicating that Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria are the main bacterial taxa of the decomposition of E.nutans litter.In conclusion,this study demonstrates that bacterial communities are the main driving forces behind the decomposition of E.nutans litter,highlighting the vital roles of bacterial communities in affecting the ecosystem functions of the QTP by regulating dominant plant litter decomposition.

Effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia,China

It is of great significance to study the effects of desert plants on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon(SOC)for maintaining the stability of the desert ecosystem.In this study,we studied the responses of soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions(particulate organic carbon(POC)and mineral-associated organic carbon(MAOC))to five typical desert plant communities(Convolvulus tragacanthoides,Ephedra rhytidosperma,Stipa breviflora,Stipa tianschanica var.gobica,and Salsola laricifolia communities)in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China.We recorded the plant community information mainly including the plant coverage and herb and shrub species,and obtained the aboveground biomass and plant species diversity through sample surveys in late July 2023.Soil samples were also collected at depths of 0–10 cm(topsoil)and 10–20 cm(subsoil)to determine the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities.The results showed that the plant coverage and aboveground biomass of S.laricifolia community were significantly higher than those of C.tragacanthoides,S.breviflora,and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities(P<0.05).Soil enzyme activities varied among different plant communities.In the topsoil,the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase(ALP)andβ-1,4-glucosidas(βG)were significantly higher in E.rhytidosperma and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities than in other plant communities(P<0.05).The topsoil had higher POC and MAOC contents than the subsoil.Specifically,the content of POC in the topsoil was 18.17%–42.73%higher than that in the subsoil.The structural equation model(SEM)indicated that plant species diversity,soil pH,and soil water content(SWC)were the main factors influencing POC and MAOC.The soil pH inhibited the formation of POC and promoted the formation of MAOC.Conversely,SWC stimulated POC production and hindered MAOC formation.Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions,as well as the drivers of SOC fractions in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain and other desert ecosystems.

Community Caregivers’ Experiences and Programmatic Strategies to Improve Active Case Finding in Community Tuberculosis Care in Botswana 2016-2021

Background: The community tuberculosis care program was started to reduce the impact of TB and increase successful treatment outcomes, thus contributing to meeting WHO targets on TB. According to the Botswana Ministry of Health, community tuberculosis care was introduced with the main goal of reducing tuberculosis-related morbidity and mortality among communities through the expansion of direct observed therapy and community involvement to community settings. The community caregivers were to support tuberculosis patients throughout their treatment period until they were cured or had completed their treatment. Settings: Two major cities of Botswana, Francistown and Gaborone, with more than twenty-two health clinics offering tuberculosis care. Objective: To investigate community caregivers’ experiences and identify programmatic strategies to improve active TB case findings under the community TB care (CTBC) program in Botswana during 2016-2021. Methods: We adopted a descriptive qualitative research design, followed by convenience purposive sampling. We obtained consent and interviewed 40 participants who met the inclusion criteria, 16 out of 73 in Gaborone and 24 out of 38 from Francistown. Results: We interviewed 40 caregivers with a mean age of 43.4 years. Accepting the caregiving role was identified as the main experience by more than two thirds of the caregivers. While at least more than two-fifth felt obligated to care for the patient at home due to personal relations. More than half of the respondents found caregiving difficult or frustrating due to some challenges encountered during the caregiving role. Behavioral modifications were suggested under different subthemes as strategies to improve active case finding. [-rId13-]Conclusion: Acceptance was the major experience in CTBC. Intensification of known programmatic strategies was suggested by caregivers to improve tuberculosis active case finding in CTBC.

Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Physical Activity Among the Elderly in the Community

Objective:To explore the current situation of physical activity among elderly individuals in the community,identify influencing factors,and provide a theoretical basis for improving their physical activity levels in the future.Methods:A questionnaire survey was conducted among 265 elderly community residents using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly.Results:The median(p50)score on the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly was 220.425,indicating a high level of physical activity.There was no statistically significant difference in physical activity levels between genders.Conclusion:Elderly individuals should be supported in actively and scientifically participating in physical activities to mitigate physical function decline and achieve successful aging.

Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Microplastics in Snow in the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

Microplastics(MPs;<5 mm)have become one of the most prominent global environmental pollution problems.MPs can spread to high altitudes through atmospheric transport and can be deposited by rainfall or snowfall,potentially threatening the structure and function of natural ecosystems.MPs in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems alter the growth and functional characteristics of organisms.However,little attention has been given to the possible harm associated with MPs deposited in snow,particularly in the context of global climate warming.MPs collected from surface snow in the Inner Mongolia Plateau,China,were used for quantitative analysis and identification.The results showed that MPs were easily detected,and the related concentration was approximately(68±10)–(199±22)MPsL1 in snow samples.Fibers were the most common morphology,the polymer composition was largely varied,and the abundance and composition of MPs were linked to human activity to a great extent.High-throughput sequencing results showed that the composition and abundance of microorganisms also differed in snow samples from areas with different MP pollution characteristics,indicating a considerable difference in microbial functional diversity.MPs may have an interference effect on the individual growth and functional expression of microorganisms in snow.In addition,the results showed that functional living areas(e.g.,landfills and suburban areas)in cities play an important role in the properties of MPs.For instance,the highest abundance of MPs was found in thermal power plants,whereas the abundance of polymers per sample was significantly lower in the suburban area.The MP contaminants hidden in snow can alter microbial structure and function and are therefore a potential threat to ecosystem health.

Effects of a decade of organic fertilizer substitution on vegetable yield and soil phosphorus pools, phosphatase activities, and the microbial community in a greenhouse vegetable production system

Partial substitution of chemical fertilizers by organic amendments is adopted widely for promoting the availability of soil phosphorus(P)in agricultural production.However,few studies have comprehensively evaluated the effects of longterm organic substitution on soil P availability and microbial activity in greenhouse vegetable fields.A 10-year(2009–2019)field experiment was carried out to investigate the impacts of organic fertilizer substitution on soil P pools,phosphatase activities and the microbial community,and identify factors that regulate these soil P transformation characteristics.Four treatments included 100%chemical N fertilizer(4 CN),50%substitution of chemical N by manure(2 CN+2 MN),straw(2 CN+2 SN),and combined manure with straw(2 CN+1 MN+1 SN).Compared with the 4 CN treatment,organic substitution treatments increased celery and tomato yields by 6.9-13.8%and 8.6-18.1%,respectively,with the highest yields being in the 2 CN+1 MN+1 SN treatment.After 10 years of fertilization,organic substitution treatments reduced total P and inorganic P accumulation,increased the concentrations of available P,organic P,and microbial biomass P,and promoted phosphatase activities(alkaline and acid phosphomonoesterase,phosphodiesterase,and phytase)and microbial growth in comparison with the 4 CN treatment.Further,organic substitution treatments significantly increased soil C/P,and the partial least squares path model(PLS-PM)revealed that the soil C/P ratio directly and significantly affected phosphatase activities and the microbial biomass and positively influenced soil P pools and vegetable yield.Partial least squares(PLS)regression demonstrated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi positively affected phosphatase activities.Our results suggest that organic fertilizer substitution can promote soil P transformation and availability.Combining manure with straw was more effective than applying these materials separately for developing sustainable P management practices.

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil microbial community structure and ecological processes in the farmland of Chinese Loess Plateau

Microorganisms regulate the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to anthropogenic nutrient inputs.The escalation of anthropogenic activities has resulted in a rise in the primary terrestrial constraining elements,namely nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P).Nevertheless,the specific mechanisms governing the influence of soil microbial community structure and ecological processes in ecologically vulnerable and delicate semi-arid loess agroecosystems remain inadequately understood.Therefore,we explored the effects of different N and P additions on soil microbial community structure and its associated ecological processes in the farmland of Chinese Loess Plateau based on a 36-a long-term experiment.Nine fertilization treatments with complete interactions of high,medium,and low N and P gradients were set up.Soil physical and chemical properties,along with the microbial community structure were measured in this study.Additionally,relevant ecological processes such as microbial biomass,respiration,N mineralization,and enzyme activity were quantified.To elucidate the relationships between these variables,we examined correlation-mediated processes using statistical techniques,including redundancy analysis(RDA)and structural equation modeling(SEM).The results showed that the addition of N alone had a detrimental effect on soil microbial biomass,mineralized N accumulation,andβ-1,4-glucosidase activity.Conversely,the addition of P exhibited an opposing effect,leading to positive influences on these soil parameters.The interactive addition of N and P significantly changed the microbial community structure,increasing microbial activity(microbial biomass and soil respiration),but decreasing the accumulation of mineralized N.Among them,N24P12 treatment showed the greatest increase in the soil nutrient content and respiration.N12P12 treatment increased the overall enzyme activity and total phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA)content by 70.93%.N and P nutrient contents of the soil dominate the microbial community structure and the corresponding changes in hydrolytic enzymes.Soil microbial biomass,respiration,and overall enzyme activity are driven by mineralized N.Our study provides a theoretical basis for exploring energy conversion processes of soil microbial community and environmental sustainability under long-term N and P additions in semi-arid loess areas.

Response of Bacterial Community and Enzyme Activity of Greenhouse Tomato under Different Irrigation Systems

The micro-sprinkler irrigation mulched(MSM)has been suggested as a novel water-saving approach in con-trolled environment agriculture.However,the effects of microbial community structure and enzyme activity in the rhizosphere soil on crop growth under MSM remain unclear.This study conducted a randomized experimen-tal design using greenhouse tomatoes to investigate changes in bacterial community structure and enzyme activity in rhizosphere soil under different irrigation frequencies(F)and amounts(I)of MSM.Thefindings revealed that with the increase of F or I,The total count of soil bacteria in tomatoesfirst rose and then fell in terms of Opera-tional Taxonomic Units(OTUs)classification.Compared to other F,the most abundance of nitrogen and phos-phorus metabolism genes and enzyme activities were observed with a 5-day F.Moreover,the diversity of soil bacterial community structure initially rose before eventually declining with the increase of the I.Applying 1.00 Epan(cumulative evaporation of a 20 cm standard pan)under MSM helped boost the abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism functional genes in soil bacteria,ensuring higher enzyme activities related to nitro-gen,carbon,and phosphorus metabolism in the rhizosphere soil of tomatoes.Tomatoes’yield initially rose before eventually declining with the increase in F or I,whereas I had a more significant effect on yield.A 1.00%increase in I yielded a minimum of 39.24%increase in tomato yield.The study showed a positive correlation between soil bacterial community,soil enzyme activity,and greenhouse tomato yield under MSM.Considering the results comprehensively,the combined irrigation mode of F of 5 d and I of 1.00 Epan was recommended for greenhouse tomatoes under MSM.This conclusion provides theoretical support for water-saving practices and yield improve-ment in facility agriculture,especially tomato cultivation.

Effects of long-term partial substitution of inorganic fertilizer with pig manure and/or straw on nitrogen fractions and microbiological properties in greenhouse vegetable soils

Partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers with organic amendments is an important agricultural management practice.An 11-year field experiment(22 cropping periods)was carried out to analyze the impacts of different partial substitution treatments on crop yields and the transformation of nitrogen fractions in greenhouse vegetable soil.Four treatments with equal N,P_(2)O_(5),and K_(2)O inputs were selected,including complete inorganic fertilizer N(CN),50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 50%pig manure N(CPN),50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 25%pig manure N and 25%corn straw N(CPSN),and 50%inorganic fertilizer N plus 50%corn straw N(CSN).Organic substitution treatments tended to increase crop yields since the 6th cropping period compared to the CN treatment.From the 8th to the 22nd cropping periods,the highest yields were observed in the CPSN treatment where yields were 7.5-11.1%greater than in CN treatment.After 11-year fertilization,compared to CN,organic substitution treatments significantly increased the concentrations of NO_(3)^(-)-N,NH_(4)^(+)-N,acid hydrolysis ammonium-N(AHAN),amino acid-N(AAN),amino sugar-N(ASN),and acid hydrolysis unknown-N(AHUN)in soil by 45.0-69.4,32.8-58.1,49.3-66.6,62.0-69.5,34.5-100.3,and 109.2-172.9%,respectively.Redundancy analysis indicated that soil C/N and OC concentration significantly affected the distribution of N fractions.The highest concentrations of NO_(3)^(-)-N,AHAN,AAN,AHUN were found in the CPSN treatment.Organic substitution treatments increased the activities ofβ-glucosidase,β-cellobiosidase,N-acetyl-glucosamidase,L-aminopeptidase,and phosphatase in the soil.Organic substitution treatments reduced vector length and increased vector angle,indicating alleviation of constraints of C and N on soil microorganisms.Organic substitution treatments increased the total concentrations of phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs)in the soil by 109.9-205.3%,and increased the relative abundance of G^(+)bacteria and fungi taxa,but decreased the relative abundance of G-bacteria,total bacteria,and actinomycetes.Overall,long-term organic substitution management increased soil OC concentration,C/N,and the microbial population,the latter in turn positively influenced soil enzyme activity.Enhanced microorganism numbers and enzyme activity enhanced soil N sequestration by transforming inorganic N to acid hydrolysis-N(AHN),and enhanced soil N supply capacity by activating non-acid hydrolysis-N(NAHN)to AHN,thus improving vegetable yield.Application of inorganic fertilizer,manure,and straw was a more effective fertilization model for achieving sustainable greenhouse vegetable production than application of inorganic fertilizer alone.

Suitability Evaluation of Physical Activity Places in Urban Parks for Children's Play Activities:A Case Study of Four Urban Parks in Handan

Taking 4 urban parks in Handan City as the research objects, 41 suitability evaluation indicators are selected according to the relevant literature reading. The common factors are extracted through factor analysis and the importance questionnaire and summarized into 6 dimensions, namely children's play facilities and auxiliary facility quality factor, natural environment participation factor, children's play space convenience factor, artificial environment participation factor, space environment quality and safety factor, children's game activity facility perfection factor, and the weights of public factors and indicators are calculated. Then the index score is calculated through field measurement and satisfaction survey, and the IPA analysis method is used to draw the coordinate map of key optimization indicators for 4 parks. Finally, corresponding optimization suggestions are put forward for Handan urban parks according to the analysis and evaluation results.

Factors Impacting Benefits of Participatory Forest Management in Upper Imenti Forest, Meru County, Kenya

This study focused on identifying factors affecting the benefits of Participatory Forestry Management (PFM) income generating activities in Upper Imenti Forest and whether they are dependent on status of participation in forest management through membership of Community Forest Association (CFA) or not. Cross-sectional survey research design was applied for collecting quantitative data using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 384 households stratified on the basis of PFM participation status. Qualitative data was collected through focused group discussions using a checklist and key informant interviews using an interview schedule. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25, Binomial regression with Wald Chi-square was analyzed to identify factors perceived to be significantly influencing benefits for PFM participants and Pearson Chi-square to compare factors perceived to be affecting PFM and non-PFM participants. CFA members participation in PFM was significantly and positively affected by benefits of PFM income generating activities and forest products accessed in the forest. Benefits linked to Plantation Establishment for Livelihood Improvement System (PELIS) for CFA members were significantly reduced by enforcement of moratorium policy since February 2018, diseases and pests, poor PELIS guideline adherence and animal damage. Benefits related to state forest access for firewood by the CFA members were negatively influenced by the moratorium policy. Diseases and pests affected benefits associated with bee keeping significantly. Comparing factors under different PFM participation status, crop production was significantly affected by policy changes, pest and diseases, animal damage and PELIS guideline adherence for CFA members than for Non-CFA members. Policy changes also affected the CFA members significantly in firewood collection and access to fodder in the state forest than the Non-CFA members. Hence, sustainable community participation in Upper Imenti Forest management requires: increasing PFM benefits, addressing factors reducing benefits and enhancing active participation of CFA members in PFM related decision-making processes.

Soil microbial activities and community diversity during the rhizoremediation of a pyrene contaminated soil

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate pyrene degradation, microbial biomass, basal soil respiration, metabolic quotient （qCO2）, soil enzyme activities, and the FAME patterns of rhizospheric soil and nonrhizospheric soil. The results showed that the pyrene concentrations in soil decreased with time extending and were very significant less in rhizospheric soil grown with maize plants （p〈0.01）. At the end of the 45-day experiment, the ratios of pyrene degradation were 61.25% and 35.58% in rhizospheric and nonrhizospheric soil, respectively. Maize enhanced the decrease of pyrene concentration and increased the degradation rate of pyrene in soil. During the experimental period, a relatively large amount of microbial biomass biomass （Craig）, basal soil respiration, the Cmic/Corg ratio, enzyme （urease, dehydrogenase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase） activities were detected in rbizospheric soil. Metabolic quotient was lower in rhizospheric soil than in nonrhizospheric soil at the whole experimental period. Soil microbial communities in rhizospheric soil and nonrhizospheric soil were characterized using fatty acid methyl ester （FAME） analysis. Fatty acid profiles demonstrated that soil microbial community structure was significantly altered in pyrene contaminated soil with maize. Fatty acid indicators for fungi and the ratio of fungi to bacteria significant increased, and fatty acid indicators for bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria significantly decreased. The effect gradually increased and got very significant （p〈0.01） with the time extending. The differences of fatty acid indicators for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi （AMF）, Gram-positive bacteria and actinomycetes gradually increased, and the differences reached significant level （p〈0.05） at the end of the experiment （45 d）.

Analysis of bacterial community structures in two sewage treatment plants with different sludge properties and treatment performance by nested PCR-DGGE method

The bacterial community structures in two sewage treatment plants with different processes and performance were investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） of nested polymerase chain reaction （nested PCR） amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments with group-specific primers. Samples of raw sewage and treated effluents were amplified using the whole-cell PCR method, and the activated sludge samples were amplified using the extracted genomic DNA before the PCR products were loaded on the same DGGE gel for bacterial community analysis. Ammonia-oxidizing bacterial and actinomycetic community analysis were also carried out to investigate the relationship between specific population structures and system or sludge performance. The two plants demonstrated a similarity in bacterial community structures of raw sewage and activated sludge, but they had different effluent populations. Many dominant bacterial populations of raw sewage did not appear in the activated sludge samples, suggesting that the dominant bacterial populations in raw sewage might not play an important role during wastewater treatment. Although the two plants had different sludge properties in terms of settleability and foam forming ability, they demonstrated similar actinomycetic community structures. For activated sludge with bad settling performance, the treated water presented a similar DGGE pattern with that of activated sludge, indicating the nonselective washout of bacteria from the system. The plant with better ammonium removal efficiency showed higher ammonia-oxidizing bacteria species richness. Analysis of sequencing results showed that the major populations in raw sewage were uncultured bacterium, while in activated sludge the predominant populations were beta proteobacteria.

Soil enzymatic activities and microbial community structure with different application rates of Cd and Pb

This study focused on the changes of soil microbial diversity and potential inhibitory effects of heavy metals on soil enzymatic activities at different application rates of Cd and/or Pb. The soil used for experiments was collected from Beijing and classified as endoaquepts. Pots containing 500 g of the soil with different Cd and/or Pb application rates were incubated for a period of 0, 2, 9, 12 weeks in a glasshouse and the soil samples were analyzed for individual enzymes, including catalase, alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase, and the changes of microbial community structure. Results showed that heavy metals slightly inhibited the enzymatic activities in all the samples spiked with heavy metals. The extent of inhibition increased significantly with increasing level of heavy metals, and varied with the incubation periods. The soil bacterial community structure, as determined by polymerase chain reaction- denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis techniques, was different in the contaminated samples as compared to the control. The highest community change was observed in the samples amended with high level of Cd. Positive correlations were observed among the three enzymatic activities, but negative correlations were found between the amounts of the heavy metals and the enzymatic activities.

Dynamic changes in microbial activity and community structure during biodegradation of petroleum compounds:A laboratory experiment

With 110-d incubation experiment in laboratory, the responses of microbial quantity, soil enzymatic activity, and bacterial community structure to different amounts of diesel fuel amendments were studied to reveal whether certain biological and biochemical characteristics could serve as reliable indicators of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in meadow-brown soil, and use these indicators to evaluate the actual ecological impacts of 50-year petroleum-refining wastewater irrigation on soil function in Shenfu irrigation area. Results showed that amendments of ~ 1000 mg/kg diesel fuel stimulated the growth of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, and increased the activity of soil dehydrogenase, hydrogenperoxidase, polyphenol oxidase and substrate-induced respiration. Soil bacterial diversity decreased slightly during the first 15 d of incubation and recovered to the control level on day 30. The significant decrease of the colony forming units of soil actinomyces and filamentous fungi can be taken as the sensitive biological indicators of petroleum contamination when soil was amended with 〉15000 mg/kg diesel fuel. The sharp decrease in urease activity was recommended as the most sensitive biochemical indicator of heavy diesel fuel contamination. The shifts in community structure to a community documented by Sphingomonadaceae within a-subgroup of Proteobacteria could be served as a sensitive and precise indicator of diesel fuel contamination. Based on the results described in this paper, the soil function in Shenfu irrigation area was disturbed to some extent.

Sulfide mineral dissolution microbes: Community structure and function in industrial bioleaching heaps

Heap bioleaching is one of the most clean and economical processes for recovery of low-grade and complex ores, because the sulfide minerals are natural habitats for acidophiles capable of iron-and sulfur-oxidation. The most exciting advances in heap bioleaching are occurring in the field of microbiology, especially with the development of advanced molecular biology approaches. These chemolithotrophic microorganisms living in the acid mine environment fix N_2 and CO_2 and obtain energy for growth from soluble ferrous iron and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds during oxidation of sulfide minerals. The ferric iron as oxidant and sulfuric acid are a result of microbial activity and provide favorable conditions for the dissolution of sulfide minerals. Various microbial consortia were applied successfully in commercial bioleaching heaps around the world, and microbial community and activity were adapted related to the local climatic conditions, ore characteristics and engineering configuration. This review focuses on diversity of bioleaching microbes, their role in heap bioleaching processes, their community structure and function in industrial heaps and the relation to the ore characteristics and the engineering configuration, to give implications for optimizing leaching efficiency of heap bioleaching.

Bacterial Community and Function of Biological Activated Carbon Filter in Drinking Water Treatment

Objective It aims to investigate the changes in composition and structure of bacterial communities de-veloping on biological activated carbon （BAC） particles, and the bacterial functions. Method A pilot plant had been in service for 180 days, aiming to develop bacterial communities on acti-vated carbon naturally. After 180 days of operation, the bacterial communities were determined by dena-turing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes. The study on community composition and the phylogenetic relationships of the organisms was complemented by a se-quence analysis of cloned PCR products from 16S rRNA genes. Gas chromatorgaphy-mass （GC-MS） mea-surement was used to determine organic chemical composition of inflow and outflow water on the 300th day. TOC and NH 4 ＋ -N were also tested in this experiment. Results It showed that the stable bacterial structure did not develop on BAC particles until the 9th month during running time of the BAC filter. The communities were finally dominated by Pseudomonas sp., Ba-cillus sp., Nitrospira sp., and an uncultured bacterium. Stable bacterial communities played an important role in removal of NH 4 ＋ -N and total organic carbon （TOC）. Results from gas chromatorgaphy-mass （GC-MS） showed that 36 kinds of chemicals in feed water were eliminated, and concentrations of 5 kinds of chemicals decreased. These chemicals served as nutrients for the dominant bacteria. Conclusion The findings from the study suggested that the stability of microbial structure was beneficial for improving NH 4 ＋ -N and TOC removal efficiencies. The dominant bacteria had the advantage of biode-grading a wide range of organic chemicals and NH 4 ＋ -N.

Invertebrate community characteristics in biologically active carbon filter

Biologically active carbon （BAC） system was set up in a water plant of South China during January to December 2007,to study the invertebrate community characteristics of BAC filter.Thirty-seven invertebrate species were found,of which 28 belonging to rotifers.Filter operation could lead to an output of invertebrates in high abundances with the filtrate,and the maximum density could reach 5608 individuals/m 3.Average abundances in the effluent water increased in 27-33 folds in comparison to the influent water during the sampling period.Invertebrate community succession had the following trend：filter-feeding animals → small benthic invertebrates → large benthic and resistant invertebrates.Abundances of large-sized invertebrates （copepod adult and oligochaete） at bigger-media column were significantly higher than that at small-media column.The results implied the abundant species diversity of invertebrate in BAC filter.The relationship between invertebrate and biofilm still remain to be studied in detail.

Microbial activity and community diversity in a variable charge soil as affected by cadmium exposure levels and time

Effects of cadmium （Cd） on microbial biomass, variable charge soil （Typic Aquult） using an incubation study activity and community diversity were assessed in a representative Cadmium was added as CdCNO3）2 to reach a concentration range of 0-16 mg Cd/kg soil. Soil extractable Cd generally increased with Cd loading rate, but decreased with incubation time. Soil microbial biomass was enhanced at low Cd levels （0.5-1 mg/kg）, but was inhibited consistently with increasing Cd rate. The ratio of microbial biomass C/N varied with Cd treatment levels, decreasing at low Cd rate （〈0.7 mg/kg available Cd）, but increasing progressively with Cd loading. Soil respiration was restrained at low Cd loading （〈1 mg/kg）, and enhanced at higher Cd levels. Soil microbial metabolic quotient （MMQ） was generally greater at high Cd loading （1-16 mg/kg）. However, the MMQ is also affected by other factors. Cd contamination reduces species diversity of soil microbial communities and their ability to metabolize different C substrates. Soils with higher levels of Cd contamination showed decreases in indicator phospholipids fatty acids （PLFAs） for Gram-negative bacteria and actinomycetes, while the indicator PLFAs for Gram-positive bacteria and fungi increased with increasing levels of Cd contamination.