16S rRNA sequencing reveals likely beneficial core microbes within faecal samples of the EU protected slug Geomalacus maculosus

The EU-protected slug Geomalacus maculosus Allman occurs only in the West of Ireland and in northern Spain and Portugal. We explored the microbial community found within the faeces of Irish specimens with a view to determining whether a core microbiome existed among geographically isolated slugs which could give insight into the adaptations of G. maculosus to the available food resources within its habitat. Faecal samples of 30 wild specimens were collected throughout its Irish range and the V3 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq. To investigate the influence of diet on the microbial composition, faecal samples were taken and sequenced from six laboratory reared slugs which were raised on two different foods. We found a widely diverse microbiome dominated by Enterobacteriales with three core OTUs shared between all specimens. While the reared specimens appeared clearly separated by diet in NMDS plots, no significant difference between the slugs fed on the two different diets was found. Our results indicate that while the majority of the faecal microbiome of G. maculosus is probably dependent on the microhabitat of the individual slugs, parts of it are likely selected for by the host

Community and functional shifts in ammonia oxidizers across terrestrial and marine (soil/sediment) boundaries in two coastal Bay ecosystems

Terrestrial–marine boundaries are significant sites of biogeochemical activity with delineated gradients from land to sea. While niche differentiation of ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) driven by pH and nitrogen is well known, the patterns and environmental drivers of AOA and AOB community structure and activity across soil‐sediment boundaries have not yet been determined. In this study, nitrification potential rate, community composition and transcriptional activity of AOA and AOB in soil, soil/sediment interface and sediments of two coastal Bays were characterized using a combination of field investigations and microcosm incubations. At DNA level, amoA gene abundances of AOA were significantly greater than AOB in soil, while in sediments AOB were significantly more abundant than AOA, but at the soil/sediment interface there were equal numbers of AOA and AOB amoA genes. Microcosm incubations provided further evidence, through qPCR and DGGE‐sequencing analysis of amoA transcripts, that AOA were active in soil, AOB in sediment and both AOA and AOB were active at the soil/sediment interface. The AOA and AOB community composition shifted across the coastal soil‐interface‐sediment gradient with salinity and pH identified as major environmental drivers

Differential ratio amplicons (Ramp) for the evaluation of RNA integrity extracted from complex environmental samples

Reliability and reproducibility of transcriptomics‐based studies are dependent on RNA integrity. In microbial ecology, microfluidics‐based techniques, such as the Ribosomal Integrity Number (RIN), targeting rRNA are currently the only approaches to evaluate RNA integrity. However, the relationship between rRNA and mRNA integrity is unknown. Here we present an integrity index, the Ratio Amplicon, Ramp, adapted from human clinical studies, to directly monitor mRNA integrity from complex environmental samples. We show, in a suite of experimental degradations of RNA extracted from sediment, that while the RIN generally reflected the degradation status of RNA the Ramp mapped mRNA degradation better. Furthermore, we examined the effect of degradation on transcript community structure by amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA, amoA and glnA transcripts. We successfully sequenced transcripts for all three targets even from highly‐degraded RNA samples. While RNA degradation changed the community structure of the mRNA profiles, no changes were observed for the 16S rRNA transcript profiles. Since both RT‐Q‐PCR and sequencing results were obtained, even from highly degraded samples, we strongly recommend evaluating RNA integrity prior to downstream processing to ensure meaningful results. For this both the RIN and Ramp are useful, with the Ramp better evaluating mRNA integrity in this study

Retail Salesperson’s Influence on India’s Lonely Consumers

Many consumers in India experience loneliness and social isolation. Some may resort to shopping for a social experience, attempting to mitigate or remedy their situation. Looking to this key emerging market, we investigate how emotional loneliness, social loneliness, and social isolation influence enjoyment of social interaction with an in-store salesperson (ESIS). We also consider whether adaptive selling and predisposition to comply with salesperson input (PCSI) influence consumers’ trust in salesperson, purchase intention, and retail patronage. We utilize partial least squares structural equation modeling with a sample of 303 Indian consumers. Additionally, we provide two importance-performance mapping analyses, which offer additional insights for retail managers trying to prioritize attention to constructs driving improvement of ESIS and PCSI. In this study, the degree of consumer loneliness and social isolation were proposed to influence Indian consumers’ enjoyment of social interaction with an in-store salesperson (ESIS), à la shopping as a social experience (Hu & Jasper, 2006; Jayasankaraprasad & Kathyayani, 2014; Rajamma et al., 2010). As posited and supported, two varieties of loneliness—emotional (EL) and social (SE)—along with social isolation (SI) were shown to be positively associated with Indian consumers’ predisposition to comply with salesperson input (PCSI). Moreover, adaptive selling, which exhibited a positive relationship with PCSI, was propounded to demonstrate a salutary impact on three outcome variables: consumer trust in salesperson (TRUST), consumer purchase intention (PI), and consumer retail patronage (PATRON). Key values for variance explained (R2), relationship strength and direction (β), effect size (f2), and predictive relevance (Q2) as well as our two importance-performance map analyses underscore the quality of the model presented. The findings suggest that consumers’ perceptions of loneliness and isolation can lead them to seek out social experiences that specifically involve visiting stores and interacting with salespeople. Additionally, given Indian consumers’ realization of a store’s function and a salesperson’s primary purpose, seemingly consumers anticipate their willingness to be influenced by product recommendations and other inputs from salespersons. If, over time, social relationships develop between consumers and salespersons, discrete transactions can evolve or graduate into more regular interactions that enhance trust, purchase intention, and retail patronage. At present, there is relatively little research that deals with lonely and/or socially isolated consumers in the world’s emerging markets. For countries such as India, most scholarship on loneliness relates almost exclusively to elderly persons or youth (Bhatia et al., 2007; Bowker & Raja, 2011; Tiwari, 2013; Upmanyu, Sehgal, & Upmanyu, 1994), providing very few insights into the scale or impact of loneliness for adult consumers and the middle class. This study is step towards bridging the research gaps in this area

Biological phosphorus removal during high-rate, low-temperature, anaerobic digestion of wastewater.

We report, for the first time, extensive biologically-mediated phosphate removal from wastewater during high-rate anaerobic digestion (AD). A hybrid sludge bed/fixed-film (packed pumice stone) reactor was employed for low-temperature (12°C) anaerobic treatment of synthetic sewage wastewater. Successful phosphate removal from the wastewater (up to 78% of influent phosphate) was observed, mediated by biofilms in the reactor. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the accumulation of elemental phosphorus (~2%) within the sludge bed and fixed-film biofilms. 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining indicated phosphorus accumulation was biological in nature and mediated through the formation of intracellular inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) granules within these biofilms. DAPI staining further indicated that polyP accumulation was rarely associated with free cells. Efficient and consistent chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was recorded, throughout the 732-day trial, at applied organic loading rates between 0.4-1.5 kg COD m-3 d-1 and hydraulic retention times of 8-24 hours, while phosphate removal efficiency ranged from 28-78% on average per phase. Analysis of protein hydrolysis kinetics and the methanogenic activity profiles of the biomass revealed the development, at 12˚C, of active hydrolytic and methanogenic populations. Temporal microbial changes were monitored using Illumina Miseq analysis of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences. The dominant bacterial phyla present in the biomass at the conclusion of the trial were the Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and the dominant archaeal genus was Methanosaeta. Trichococcus and Flavobacterium populations, previously associated with low temperature protein degradation, developed in the reactor biomass. The presence of previously characterised polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) such as Rhodocyclus, Chromatiales, Actinobacter and Acinetobacter was recorded at low numbers. However, it is unknown as yet if these were responsible for the luxury polyP uptake observed in this system. The possibility of efficient phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater during AD would represent a major advance in the scope for widespread application of anaerobic wastewater treatment technologies

Monitoring schistosomiasis and sanitation interventions—the potential of environmental DNA

Transmission of schistosomiasis, a human parasitic disease, is intrinsically linked to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and/or their use. The mainstay of control is population‐based chemotherapy. Globally, each year, 240 million people are estimated to require this preventative treatment. However, for long‐term, sustainable control of this disease, supplementary WASH improvements are required to prevent (re)infection of humans (provision of safe water) and transmission from humans to the environment (improved sanitation). While there is established methodology for monitoring transmission in human populations, presently methods for monitoring the impact of WASH interventions, in particular sanitation, on environmental transmission are lacking. Development of such becomes paramount as integrated control programs combine drug treatments with enhanced WASH facilities and behavior change interventions, with uptake likely correlated to a reduction in fecal matter, and schistosome eggs, in the environment but any impact on infection levels in humans taking longer to become apparent. This article reports and critiques the methods currently used to monitor schistosomiasis in freshwater and soil environments and explores how environmental DNA could be used to better understand and monitor environmental contamination in relation to sanitation. Stronger evidence is required to understand how different sanitation interventions serve to limit the environmental transmission of the parasite and their relative effectiveness in preventing disease

When Pandemics Collide: The Impact of COVID-19 on Childhood Obesity

• Children with obesity face increased biopsychosocial risks during COVID-19. • Stress exacerbates inflammation and immune response in obesity and COVID-19. • The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly interrupted children\u27s daily routines. • The health effects of the obesogenic environment are exacerbated by COVID-19. • Access to timely, comprehensive healthcare is critical during COVID-19

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Efforts to Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Southwestern Pennsylvania, 2005-2007

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938403/pdf/PCD75A109.pd