Global meta-analysis and metagenomics approach on the soil microbiome associated with cover cropping

Soil nutrient loss is one of the major causes of soil degradation that threatens future global food security. Cover cropping is a promising sustainable agricultural method with the potential to enhance soil health and mitigate consequences of soil degradation. As one of the agricultural practices that can affect cover cropping, effects of tillage on cover cropping have been widely researched as well. Because cover cropping and tillage can form an agroecosystem distinct from that of bare fallow, the soil microbiome is hypothesized to respond to the altered environmental circumstances. Therefore, studying their impact on the soil microbiome is necessary because the soil microbes are important drivers of soil processes including those relevant to soil health. The objectives of this MS research were i) estimate the baseline effect size of cover cropping on soil microbial abundance, activity, and diversity, ii) identify environmental and agricultural factors that affect the cover crop effects sizes on the soil microbiome, iii) further understand the cover crop effects on the soil microbial diversity by investigating the shifts in the soil microbial compositions, and iv) contribute to understanding how the relationship between cover cropping and the soil microbiome may affect the soil health. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the global average effects of cover cropping on the soil microbiome. This study compiled the results of 60 relevant studies reporting cover cropping effects on soil microbial properties to estimate global effect sizes and explore the current landscape of this topic. Overall, cover cropping significantly increased parameters of soil microbial abundance, activity, and diversity by 27%, 22%, and 2.5% respectively, compared to those of bare fallow. Moreover, cover cropping effect sizes varied by agricultural covariates like cover crop termination or tillage methods. Notably, cover cropping effects were less pronounced under conditions like continental climate, chemical cover crop termination, and conservation tillage. This meta-analysis showed that the soil microbiome can become more robust under cover cropping when properly managed with other agricultural practices. However, more primary research is still needed to control between-study heterogeneity and to more elaborately assess the relationships between cover cropping and the soil microbiome. This meta-analysis revealed that cover cropping affect the overall soil microbial diversity and that tillage is a major cofactor that affect this relationship. To further investigate the cover cropping and tillage effects on the soil microbial diversity, a metagenomics study was conducted. This second part of the study was to observe compositional changes in the soil microbiome in response to cover cropping and tillage. Also, this study sought to identify microbial indicators that can be used to gauge responses of microbial guilds with functions relevant to soil health. This study used soil DNA data from a long-term cover cropping and tillage experiment on corn and soybean rotation in Illinois, USA. This study found that copiotrophic bacterial decomposers increased with legume cover crops and tillage, while oligotrophic and stress tolerant bacteria did so with bare fallow and no-till. Fungal groups responded to cover cropping and tillage based on their physiology, interaction with plant hosts, and nutrient strategies. This study also found an ammonia-oxidizing archaea species that increased with bare fallow. The consistent patterns that the microbial groups in this study display make them potential microbial indicators. Also, grass cover crops with no-till showed most potential for soil nutrient loss. Overall, this MS research found that cover cropping significantly enriches the soil microbiome. However, cover cropping effects may apply differential pressures on microbial groups with different adaptations so that the overall diversity is not changed significantly. This research suggests that timing and other agricultural practices like tillage need to be carefully considered to direct the changes in the soil microbiome to benefit the soil health

Two-gap and paramagnetic pair-breaking effects on upper critical field of SmFeAsO0.85_{0.85} and SmFeAsO0.8_{0.8}F0.2_{0.2} single crystals

We investigated the temperature dependence of the upper critical field [$H_{c2}(T)$] of fluorine-free SmFeAsO$_{0.85}$ and fluorine-doped SmFeAsO$_{0.8}$F$_{0.2}$ single crystals by measuring the resistive transition in low static magnetic fields and in pulsed fields up to 60 T. Both crystals show that $H_{c2}(T)$'s along the c axis [$H_{c2}^c(T)$] and in an $ab$-planar direction [$H_{c2}^{ab}(T)$] exhibit a linear and a sublinear increase, respectively, with decreasing temperature below the superconducting transition. $H_{c2}(T)$'s in both directions deviate from the conventional one-gap Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg theoretical prediction at low temperatures. A two-gap nature and the paramagnetic pair-breaking effect are shown to be responsible for the temperature-dependent behavior of $H_{c2}^c$ and $H_{c2}^{ab}$, respectively.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure

Obesity and epithelial ovarian cancer survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Studies on the association between obesity and ovarian cancer survival have had conflicting results. We reviewed and quantitatively summarized the existing evidence, exploring potentially important sources of variability, such as the timing of body mass index (BMI) assessment, BMI cut points, references used in multivariate analysis, and ovarian cancer stage. METHODS: Eligible studies were searched using MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, relevant bibliographies were manually reviewed for additional studies. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) from individual studies were pooled using a random effects model. RESULTS: 17 cohort studies of 929 screened articles were included in the final analysis. Obesity in early adulthood and obesity 5 years before ovarian cancer diagnosis were associated with poor patient survival (early adulthood: pooled HR 1.67; 95% CI 1.29-2.16; 5 years prediagnosis: pooled HR 1.35; 95% CI 1.03-1.76). However, the results for obesity at diagnosis depended on whether BMI was analyzed as a categorical or continuous variable. Analysis of obesity with BMI as a categorical variable did not affect ovarian cancer prognosis (pooled HR 1.07; 95% CI 0.95-1.21); obesity with BMI as a continuous variable showed slightly poorer survival with each incremental increase in BMI (pooled HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.04). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity 5 years before ovarian cancer diagnosis and obesity at a young age were associated with poor prognosis. The association between obesity at diagnosis and survival of ovarian cancer patients still remains equivocal. BMI at diagnosis cannot be a prognostic factor for the survival of ovarian cancer patients. Further well-designed studies are needed to elucidate the variety effect of obesity on the survival of ovarian cancer patients

Incidence of Atazanavir-associated Hyperbilirubinemia in Korean HIV Patients: 30 Months Follow-up Results in a Population with Low UDP-glucuronosyltransferase1A1*28 Allele Frequency

Hyperbilirubinemia is frequently observed in Caucasian HIV patients treated with atazanavir. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 polymorphism, UGT1A1*28, which is associated with atazanavir-induced hyperbilirubinemia, is less common in Asians than in Caucasians. However, little is known about the incidence of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia in Asian populations. Our objective was to investigate the incidence of and tolerability of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia in Korean HIV patients. The prevalence and cumulative incidence of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia and UGT1A1*28 allele frequency was investigated in 190 Korean HIV-infected patients treated with atazanavir 400 mg per day. The UGT1A1*28 were examined by direct sequencing of DNA from peripheral whole blood. The UGT1A1*28 allele frequency was 11%. The cumulative incidence of any grade of hyperbilirubinemia was 77%, 89%, 98%, and 100%, at 3, 12, 24, and 30 months, respectively. The cumulative incidence of severe (grade 3-4) hyperbilirubinemia was 21%, 41%, 66%, and 75%, at 3, 12, 24, and 30 months, respectively. However, the point prevalence of severe hyperbilirubinemia did not increase with time and remained around 25%. Our data suggest that atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia is common but transient in a population with low UGT1A1*28 allele frequency

Role of bicarbonate and volume therapy in the prevention of acute kidney injury in rhabdomyolysis: a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study

Background Although bicarbonate has traditionally been used to treat patients with rhabdomyolysis at high risk of acute kidney injury (AKI), it is unclear whether this is beneficial. This study compared bicarbonate therapy to non-bicarbonate therapy for the prevention of AKI and mortality in rhabdomyolysis patients. Methods In a propensity score-matched cohort study, patients with a creatine kinase (CK) level of >1,000 U/L during hospitalization were divided into bicarbonate and non-bicarbonate groups. Patients were subgrouped based on low-volume (<3 mL/kg/hr) or high-volume (≥3 mL/kg/hr) fluid resuscitation in the first 72 hours. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the impacts of bicarbonate use and fluid resuscitation on AKI risk and need for dialysis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival. Volume overload and electrolyte imbalances were assessed. Results Among 4,077 patients, we assembled a cohort of 887 pairs of patients treated with and without bicarbonate. Bicarbonate group had a higher incidence of AKI, higher rate of dialysis dependency, higher 30-day mortality, and longer hospital stay than the non-bicarbonate group. Further, patients who received high-volume fluid therapy had worse renal outcomes and a higher mortality than those who received low-volume fluids regardless of bicarbonate use. Bicarbonate use, volume overload, and AKI were associated with higher mortality. Volume overload was significantly higher in the bicarbonate group than in the non-bicarbonate group. Conclusion Bicarbonate or high-volume fluid therapy for patients with rhabdomyolysis did not reduce AKI or improve mortality compared to non-bicarbonate or low-volume fluid therapy. Limited use of bicarbonate and adjustment of fluid volume may improve the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with rhabdomyolysis

Impact of a delirium prevention project among older hospitalized patients who underwent orthopedic surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Background Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common clinical syndrome with significant negative outcomes. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a delirium screening tool and multidisciplinary delirium prevention project. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single teaching center in Korea. A cohort of patients who underwent a delirium prevention program using a simple delirium screening tool from December 2018 to February 2019 (intervention group, N = 275) was compared with the cohort from the year before implementation of the delirium prevention program (December 2017 to February 2018) (control group, N = 274). Patients aged ≥65 years who were admitted to orthopedic wards and underwent surgery were included. The incidence rates of delirium before and after implementation of the delirium prevention program, effectiveness of the delirium screening tool, change in the knowledge score of nurses, and length of hospital stay were assessed. Results The sensitivity and specificity of the screening tool for the incidence of POD were 94.1 and 72.7%, respectively. The incidence rates of POD were 10.2% (control group) and 6.2% (intervention group). The odds ratio for the risk reduction effect of the project related to the incidence of POD was 0.316 (95% confidence interval: 0.125–0.800, p = 0.015) after adjustment for possible confounders. The delirium knowledge test score increased from 40.52 to 43.24 out of 49 total points (p < 0.001). The median length of hospital stay in the intervention and control groups was 6.0 (interquartile range, 4–9) and 7.0 (interquartile range, 4–10) days, respectively (p = 0.062). Conclusion The screening tool successfully identified patients at a high risk of POD at admission. The POD prevention project was feasible to implement, effective in preventing delirium, and improved knowledge regarding delirium among the medical staff. Trial registration None.This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors

Development of Bullous Acrodermatitis Enteropathica during the Course of Chemotherapy for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) is an uncommon autosomal recessive genetic disorder of zinc malabsorption. The acquired form may be associated with inadequate intake, impaired absorption, and increased excretion of zinc. Those afflicted present with diarrhea, stomatitis, psychiatric symptoms, non-scarring alopecia, and nail dystrophy accompanied by erythematous which appears as scaly patches with erosion vesicles and pustules mostly affecting the extremities, perineal, and periorificial areas. Due to the variable findings of most case reports, the clinical and histopathological features of AE are often regarded as non-specific. We report an unusual case of bullous AE secondary to total parenteral nutrition for the treatment of acute pancreatitis occurring in a six-year-old male with acute lymphocytic leukemia who underwent chemotherapy. He presented with periorificial, reddish, eroded bullae with multiple vesicles and blisters on his fingers, toes, and buttock, showing necrotic keratinocytes with multiple intraepidermal vesicles and perivascular infiltration with predominant lymphocytes and few neutrophils within the dermis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of bullous AE in the Korean dermatologic literature

Regulation of mouse steroidogenesis by WHISTLE and JMJD1C through histone methylation balance

The dynamic exchange of histone lysine methylation status by histone methyltransferases and demethylases has been previously implicated as an important factor in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. Using immunoaffinity TAP analysis, we purified the WHISTLE-interacting protein complexes, which include the heat shock protein HSP90α and the jumonji C-domain harboring the histone demethylase JMJD1C. In this study, we demonstrate that JMJD1C specifically demethylates histone H3K9 mono- and di-methylation, and mediates transcriptional activation. We also provide evidence suggesting that both WHISTLE and JMJD1C performs functions in the development of mouse testes by regulating the expression of the steroidogenesis marker, p450c17, via SF-1-mediated transcription. Furthermore, we demonstrate that WHISTLE is recruited to the p450c17 promoter via SF-1 and represses the transcription of prepubertal stages of steroidogenesis, after which JMJD1C replaces WHISTLE and activates the expression of target genes via SF-1-mediated interactions. Our results demonstrate that the histone methylation balance mediated by HMTase WHISTLE and demethylase JMJD1C perform a transcriptional regulatory function in mouse testis development

Evaluation of glymphatic system activity using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space and amyloid PET in older adults with objectively normal cognition: a preliminary study

ObjectivesDiffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) is a recently introduced method for the assessment of the glymphatic system without the need for contrast injection. The purpose of our study was to assess the glymphatic system in cognitively normal older adults with or without subjective cognitive decline (SCD) using DTI-ALPS, and correlating with amyloid PET.Design and participantsTo evaluate the glymphatic system in cognitively normal older adults using DTI-ALPS, we built a prospective cohort including a total of 123 objectively cognitively normal older adults with or without SCD. The ALPS index was calculated from DTI MRI and was assessed by correlating it with standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) from amyloid PET and clinically relevant variables. The study subjects were also divided into amyloid “positive” and “negative” groups based on the result of amyloid PET, and the ALPS indices between those two groups were compared.ResultsThe ALPS index was not significantly different between the normal and SCD groups (P = 0.897). The mean ALPS index from the amyloid positive and amyloid negative group was 1.31 and 1.35, respectively, which showed no significant difference (P = 0.308). Among the SUVRs from variable cortices, that of the paracentral cortex was negatively correlated with the ALPS index (r = −0.218, P = 0.016). Multivariate linear regression revealed that older age (coefficient, −0.007) and higher SUVR from the paracentral cortex (coefficient, −0.101) were two independent variables with a significant association with a lower ALPS index (P = 0.015 and 0.045, respectively).ConclusionDTI-ALPS may not be useful for evaluation of the glymphatic system in subjects with SCD. Older age was significantly associated with lower ALPS index. Greater amyloid deposition in the paracentral cortex was significantly associated with lower glymphatic activity in cognitively normal older adults. These results should be validated in future studies on the relationships between ALPS index and other fundamental compartments in glymphatic system, such as perivenous space and the meningeal lymphatic vessels