Large and interacting effects of temperature and nutrient addition on stratified microbial ecosystems in a small, replicated, and liquid-dominated Winogradsky column approach

Aquatic ecosystems are often stratified, with cyanobacteria in oxic layers and phototrophic sulfur bacteria in anoxic zones. Changes in stratification caused by the global environmental change are an ongoing concern. Increasing understanding of how such aerobic and anaerobic microbial communities, and associated abiotic conditions, respond to multifarious environmental changes is an important endeavor in microbial ecology. Insights can come from observational and experimental studies of naturally occurring stratified aquatic ecosystems, theoretical models of ecological processes, and experimental studies of replicated microbial communities in the laboratory. Here, we demonstrate a laboratory-based approach with small, replicated, and liquid-dominated Winogradsky columns, with distinct oxic/anoxic strata in a highly replicable manner. Our objective was to apply simultaneous global change scenarios (temperature, nutrient addition) on this micro-ecosystem to report how the microbial communities (full-length 16S rRNA gene seq.) and the abiotic conditions (O2 , H2 S, TOC) of the oxic/anoxic layer responded to these environmental changes. The composition of the strongly stratified microbial communities was greatly affected by temperature and by the interaction of temperature and nutrient addition, demonstrating the need of investigating global change treatments simultaneously. Especially phototrophic sulfur bacteria dominated the water column at higher temperatures and may indicate the presence of alternative stable states. We show that the establishment of such a micro-ecosystem has the potential to test global change scenarios in stratified eutrophic limnic systems. Keywords: anaerobes; cyanobacteria; global change; oxygen; phototrophic sulfur bacteri

The dependence of forecasts on sampling frequency as a guide to optimizing monitoring in community ecology

Facing climate change and biodiversity loss, it is critical that ecology advances so that processes, such as species interactions and dynamics, can be correctly estimated and skillfully forecasted. As different processes occur on different time scales, the sampling frequency used to record them should intuitively match these scales. Yet, the effect of data sampling frequency on ecological forecasting accuracy is understudied. Using a simple simulated dataset as a baseline and a more complex high-frequency plankton dataset, we tested how different sampling frequencies impacted abundance forecasts of different plankton classes and the estimation of their interactions. We then investigated whether plankton growth rates and body sizes could be used to select the most appropriate sampling frequency. The simple simulated dataset showed that the optimal sampling frequency scaled positively with growth rate. This finding was not repeated in the analyses of the plankton time series, however. There, we found that a reduction in sampling frequency worsened forecasts and led us to both over- and underestimate plankton interactions. This suggests that forecasting can be used to determine the ideal sampling frequency in scientific and monitoring programs. A better study design will improve theoretical understanding of ecology and advance policy measures dealing with current global challenges.Open research statementData and code used for the analyses and figures are available on Zenodo:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10066786. Environmental (lake) data (Merkli et al. 2022) are available from ERIC:https://doi.org/10.25678/00066D

Diagnostic Dilemma: Lymphocytopenia in a Patient with Thymoma – Side Effect due to Irradiation Treatment or Development of Good's Syndrome?

A case of persistent B-cell lymphocytopenia in a 40-year-old woman with lymphoid-epithelial thymoma treated with chemotherapy, surgery and irradiation is described. The possible diagnosis of Good's syndrome (hypogammaglobulinaemia and thymoma) is discussed

Progressive Resistance Training and Cancer Testis (PROTRACT) - Efficacy of resistance training on muscle function, morphology and inflammatory profile in testicular cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: design of a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Standard treatment for patients with disseminated germ cell tumors is combination chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP). This treatment is highly effective, but the majority of patients experience severe adverse effects during treatment and are at risk of developing considerable long-term morbidity, including second malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary toxicity. One neglected side effect is the significant muscular fatigue mentioned by many patients with testicular cancer both during and after treatment. Very limited information exists concerning the patho-physiological effects of antineoplastic agents on skeletal muscle. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effects of BEP-treatment on the skeletal musculature in testicular cancer patients, and to examine whether the expected treatment-induced muscular deterioration can be attenuated or even reversed by high intensity progressive resistance training (HIPRT).</p> <p>Design/Methods</p> <p>The PROTRACT study is a randomized controlled trial in 30 testicular cancer patients undergoing three cycles of BEP chemotherapy. Participants will be randomized to either a 9-week HIPRT program (STR) initiated at the onset of treatment, or to standard care (UNT). 15 healthy matched control subjects (CON) will complete the same HIPRT program. All participants will take part in 3 assessment rounds (baseline, 9 wks, 21 wks) including muscle biopsies, maximum muscle strength tests, whole body DXA scan and blood samples. <it>Primary outcome</it>: mean fiber area and fiber type composition measured by histochemical analyses, satellite cells and levels of protein and mRNA expression of intracellular mediators of protein turnover. Secondary outcomes: maximum muscle strength and muscle power measured by maximum voluntary contraction and leg-extensor-power tests, body composition assessed by DXA scan, and systemic inflammation analyzed by circulating inflammatory markers, lipid and glucose metabolism in blood samples. Health related Quality of Life (QoL) will be assessed by validated questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30, SF-36).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study investigates the muscular effects of antineoplastic agents in testicular cancer patients, and furthermore evaluates whether HIPRT has a positive influence on side effects related to chemotherapy. A more extensive knowledge of the interaction between cytotoxic-induced physiological impairment and exercise-induced improvement is imperative for the future development of optimal rehabilitation programs for cancer patients.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN32132990">ISRCTN32132990</a>.</p

Functional diversity can facilitate the collapse of an undesirable ecosystem state

Biodiversity may increase ecosystem resilience. However, we have limited understanding if this holds true for ecosystems that respond to gradual environmental change with abrupt shifts to an alternative state. We used a mathematical model of anoxic–oxic regime shifts and explored how trait diversity in three groups of bacteria influences resilience. We found that trait diversity did not always increase resilience: greater diversity in two of the groups increased but in one group decreased resilience of their preferred ecosystem state. We also found that simultaneous trait diversity in multiple groups often led to reduced or erased diversity effects. Overall, our results suggest that higher diversity can increase resilience but can also promote collapse when diversity occurs in a functional group that negatively influences the state it occurs in. We propose this mechanism as a potential management approach to facilitate the recovery of a desired ecosystem state

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Febrile Neutropenia After Chemotherapy in Patients With Cancer: The FENCE Score

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) after chemotherapy causes a high burden of morbidity and mortality. We aimed to develop and validate a risk score to predict FN in the first cycle of chemotherapy. Methods: We included patients with solid cancers and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2010-2016. Predictors of FN were analyzed using Poisson regression and random split-sampling. Results: Among 6294 patients in the derivation cohort, 360 developed FN. Female sex, older age, cancer type, disease stage, low albumin, elevated bilirubin, low creatinine clearance, infection before chemotherapy, and number of and type of chemotherapy drugs predicted FN. Compared with those at low risk (n = 2520, 40.0%), the incidence rate ratio of developing FN was 4.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9 to 8.1), 8.7 (95% CI = 5.3 to 14.1) and 24.0 (95% CI = 15.2 to 38.0) in the intermediate (n = 1294, 20.6%), high (n = 1249, 19.8%) and very high (n = 1231, 19.6%) risk groups, respectively, corresponding to a number needed to treat with granulocyte colony-stimulating factors to avoid one FN event in the first cycle of 284, 60, 34 and 14. The discriminatory ability (Harrell's C-statistic = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.82) was similar in the validation cohort (n = 3163) (0.79, 95% CI = 0.75 to 0.82). Conclusion: We developed and internally validated a risk score for FN in the first cycle of chemotherapy. The FENCE score is available online and provides good differentiation of risk groups

Inguinal lymph node metastases from a testicular seminoma: a case report and a review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>We report the case of a true hermaphrodite with testicular seminoma with resulting metastases to the inguinal lymph nodes eight months after radical orchidectomy. This is an unusual presentation of testicular cancer and, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of this kind in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 45-year-old Caucasian true hermaphrodite, raised as a male, developed a testicular seminoma. He had undergone a left orchidopexy at the age of 10 for undescended testes. Metastases from testicular tumors to inguinal lymph nodes are a rare occurrence. It has been suggested that previous inguinal or scrotal surgery may alter the pattern of nodal metastasis of testicular cancer. We review the literature to evaluate the incidence of inguinal lymph node involvement in early stage testicular cancer and discuss possible routes of metastases to this unusual site. We also discuss the management of the inguinal lymph nodes in patients with testicular tumors and a previous history of inguinal or scrotal surgery, as this remains controversial.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Inguinal lymph node metastases from testicular cancer are rare. A history of inguinal or scrotal surgery may predispose involvement of the inguinal nodes. During radical inguinal orchidectomy, the surgeon should be careful to minimize the handling of the testis and ensure high ligation of the spermatic cord up to the internal inguinal ring to reduce the risk of inguinal lymph node metastasis.</p

Androgen-regulated transcription of ESRP2 drives alternative splicing patterns in prostate cancer

Prostate is the most frequent cancer in men. Prostate cancer progression is driven by androgen steroid hormones, and delayed by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Androgens control transcription by stimulating androgen receptor (AR) activity, yet also control pre-mRNA splicing through less clear mechanisms. Here we find androgens regulate splicing through AR-mediated transcriptional control of the epithelial-specific splicing regulator ESRP2. Both ESRP2 and its close paralog ESRP1 are highly expressed in primary prostate cancer. Androgen stimulation induces splicing switches in many endogenous ESRP2-controlled mRNA isoforms, including splicing switches correlating with disease progression. ESRP2 expression in clinical prostate cancer is repressed by ADT, which may thus inadvertently dampen epithelial splice programmes. Supporting this, treatment with the AR antagonist bicalutamide (Casodex) induced mesenchymal splicing patterns of genes including FLNB and CTNND1. Our data reveals a new mechanism of splicing control in prostate cancer with important implications for disease progression.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access the full-text via the publisher's site

hElp3 Directly Modulates the Expression of HSP70 Gene in HeLa Cells via HAT Activity

Human Elongator complex, which plays a key role in transcript elongation in vitro assay, is incredibly similar in either components or function to its yeast counterpart. However, there are only a few studies focusing on its target gene characterization in vivo. We studied the effect of down-regulation of the human elongation protein 3 (hELP3) on the expression of HSP70 through antisense strategy. Transfecting antisense plasmid p1107 into HeLa cells highly suppressed hELP3 expression, and substantially reduced expression of HSP70 mRNA and protein. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP Assay) revealed that hElp3 participates in the transcription elongation of HSPA1A in HeLa cells. Finally, complementation and ChIP Assay in yeast showed that hElp3 can not only complement the growth and slow activation of HSP70 (SSA3) gene transcription, but also directly regulates the transcription of SSA3. On the contrary, these functions are lost when the HAT domain is deleted from hElp3. These data suggest that hElp3 can regulate the transcription of HSP70 gene, and the HAT domain of hElp3 is essential for this function. These findings now provide novel insights and evidence of the functions of hELP3 in human cells

Physical Activity May Facilitate Diabetes Prevention in Adolescents

OBJECTIVE—The aim of this study was to examine the association of physical activity with glucose tolerance and resting energy expenditure (REE) among adolescents