Niches, interspecific associations, and community stability of main understory regeneration species after understory removal in temperate forests.

Introduction: Understory removal is frequently used to relieve the renewal pressure on trees and promote the growth capability of trees for maintaining community stability, while the lack of previous study on temperate forests limits our assessment of the effectiveness of this essential management measurement. Methods: In this study, we calculated the niche characteristics and interspecific association of main understory species and community stability in temperate forests [original broad-leaved Korean pine forest (BKF), Betula platyphylla secondary forest (BF), and Larix gmelinii plantation (LF)] after understory removal for characterizing the resource utilization capacity of the regeneration trees. Results: During the restoration stage, the niche breadth of understory plants with similar habits varied across stands and layers; regeneration tree species with heliophile and semishade occupied a larger niche in BKF and LF, while it was the opposite in LF. Niche overlap among heliophile regeneration trees increased in both BKF and BF, but not in LF. The interspecific association among main species revealed that the distribution of each species was independent and the interspecific association was loose and it varied in different forests and different light-demanding species with regeneration trees. The stability of shrub communities in BF and LF improved whereas that of BKF declined, while that of the herb communities of corresponding forests showed the opposite state. Discussion: Our study demonstrated that the effectiveness of understory removal depends on species' ecological habits, which enhances the renewal and resource utilization capacity of regeneration tree species in temperate forests and shrub community stability in BF and LF.

Research diversity and advances in simultaneous removal of multi-mycotoxin.

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by different fungal species under specific environmental conditions. The common and regulated mycotoxins are such as deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin (OTA), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and fumonisins (FB). These mycotoxins are highly regulated in feed and food because their effects start to exert from their lowest exposures and are abundant in our common environment. However, there are other emerging mycotoxins such as apicidin, beauvericin, aurofusarin, and enniatins which are also harmful. Thus, making a total of around 500 forms of mycotoxins. The existence of mycotoxins in feed and food has a significant impact on animal and human health, which ultimately, slows down economic growth globally. According to this review, different approaches to removing multi-mycotoxin separately or simultaneously have been stated. Mostly, the review focused on the simultaneous removal of different multiple mycotoxins. This is because the current studies show a growing trend in reporting the co-existence of multiple mycotoxins in feed and food materials, however, most detoxifying approaches are for singular mycotoxins. Therefore, the physical, chemical, and biological approaches to remove multi-mycotoxin have been elucidated as well as their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the authors give suggestions on the way forward to reduce exposure to mycotoxins and diminish their health effects in society. Lastly, the authors emphasized introducing more stringent limits for co-existing mycotoxins, especially those that have the same health effects by acting synergistically, such as AFB1 and OTA, which both act as carcinogenic agents.

Spatiotemporal Variations in Co-Occurrence Patterns of Planktonic Prokaryotic Microorganisms along the Yangtze River.

Bacteria and archaea are foundational life forms on Earth and play crucial roles in the development of our planet's biological hierarchy. Their interactions influence various aspects of life, including eukaryotic cell biology, molecular biology, and ecological dynamics. However, the coexistence network patterns of these microorganisms within natural river ecosystems, vital for nutrient cycling and environmental health, are not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we systematically explored the non-random coexistence patterns of planktonic bacteria and archaea in the 6000-km stretch of the Yangtze River by using high-throughput sequencing technology. By analyzing the O/R ratio, representing the divergence between observed (O%) and random (R%) co-existence incidences, and the module composition, we found a preference of both bacteria and archaea for intradomain associations over interdomain associations. Seasons notably influenced the co-existence of bacteria and archaea, and archaea played a more crucial role in spring as evidenced by their predominant presence of interphyla co-existence and more species as keystone ones. The autumn network was characterized by a higher node or edge number, greater graph density, node degree, degree centralization, and nearest neighbor degree, indicating a more complex and interconnected structure. Landforms markedly affected microbial associations, with more complex networks and more core species found in plain and non-source areas. Distance-decay analysis suggested the importance of geographical distance in shaping bacteria and archaea co-existence patterns (more pronounced in spring). Natural, nutrient, and metal factors, including water temperature, NH4+-N, Fe, Al, and Ni were identified as crucial determinants shaping the co-occurrence patterns. Overall, these findings revealed the dynamics of prokaryotic taxa coexistence patterns in response to varying environmental conditions and further contributed to a broader understanding of microbial ecology in freshwater biogeochemical cycling.

Enhanced degradation of polylactic acid microplastics in acidic soils: Does the application of biochar matter?

Biodegradable plastics, as an alternative to petroleum plastics, are fiercely increasing, but their incomplete degradation under natural conditions may lead to the breakdown into microplastics (MPs). Here, we explored the impacts of chicken manure-derived (MBC) and wood waste-derived biochar (WBC) on the degradation of polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) during soil incubation for one year. Both biochars induced more pronounced degradation characteristics in PLA-MPs, including enhanced surface roughness, the proportion of MPs < 100 µm by 12.89 %-25.67 %, oxygen loading and O/C ratio to 71.74 %-75.87 % and 1.70-1.76, as well as accelerated carbon loss and the cleavage of ester group and C-C bond. Also, biochar increased soil pH, depleted inorganic nitrogen and available phosphorus, and changed enzymic activity in PLA-MP-polluted soils. We proposed that both biochars accelerated the PLA-MP degradation by inducing alkaline, aminolysis/ammonolysis, oxidative, and microbial degradation. Among these, MBC induced aminolysis/ammonolysis by NH4+ via Fe2+-driven NO3-/NO2- reduction and microbial nitrogen fixation, and oxidative degradation by radicals generated through Fenton/Fenton-like reaction. WBC caused aminolysis/ammonolysis and oxidative degradation mainly through dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and surface free radicals on biochar. These findings indicate that biochar has the potential to accelerate PLA-MP degradation, and its regulatory mechanism depends on the type of biochar.

Intersubjectivity as an analytical concept to study human-animal interaction in historical context: street dogs in Late Ottoman period.

Human knowledge pertaining to human-animal interaction is constructed by the human author, albeit the presence of animal subjects. Such a human lens is pronounced when studying human-animal interactions across history, whose nonhuman animal subjects are not only absent, and therefore eliminating the possibility of conducting empirical studies in situ, but also their experiences are filtered by the interpretative lens of human authors of extant historical accounts as well as contemporary human analysts who interpret these accounts. This article draws upon such epistemological limitations of understanding nonhuman animal presence in historical accounts and offers human-animal intersubjectivity as an analytical concept, involving generative iterability and indistinctive boundaries that emphasise intersubjective openness and relationality, to trace and disclose the continuity of human-animal co-existence. The article's historical scope is the Late Ottoman period characterised by a sense of temporal and spatial disorientation and reorientation for humans as well as street dogs during its modernisation processes.

Time-dependent interference of surfactants and CeO2/Fe2O3 nanoparticles co-occurrence on the volatile fatty acids biosynthesis during semi-continuous sludge fermentation.

Various exogenous contaminants typically coexist in waste activated sludge (WAS), and the long-term impacts of these co-occurring contaminants on WAS anaerobic fermentation and associated mechanisms remain largely unknown. This study reveals that the co-occurrence of surfactants and nanoparticles (NPs, i.e., Fe2O3 and CeO2, frequently detected in sludge) exhibited time-dependent impacts on the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) biosynthesis. Surfactants triggered WAS decomposition and enhanced NPs dispersion, leading to increased exposure of functional anaerobes to NPs toxicity, negatively affecting them. Consequently, key fermentation processes, acidogenic bacterial abundance, and metabolic functions were inhibited in co-occurrence reactors compared to those containing only surfactants in the early stage (before 56 d). Surprisingly, the fermentation systems containing surfactants collapsed subsequently, with VFAs yield at 72 d decreasing by 48.59-71.27 % compared to 56 d. The keystone microbes (i.e., Acidobacteria (16 d) vs Patescibacteria (56 d)) were reshaped, and metabolic traits (i.e., proB involved in intracellular metabolism) were downregulated by 0.05-78.02 % due to reduced microbial adaptive capacity (i.e., quorum sensing (QS)). Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) analysis suggests that the microbial community was the predominant factor influencing VFAs generation. This study provides new insights into the long-term effects of co-contaminants on the biological treatment of WAS.

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis incidence in newly detected pulmonary tuberculosis cases during follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is known to complicate patients with post-tubercular lung disease. However, some evidence suggests that CPA might co-exist in patients with newly-diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (P.TB) at diagnosis and also develop during therapy. The objective of this study was to confirm the presence of CPA in newly diagnosed P.TB at baseline and at the end-of-TB-therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study included newly diagnosed P.TB patients, followed up at third month and end-of-TB-therapy with symptom assessment, anti-Aspergillus IgG antibody and imaging of chest for diagnosing CPA. RESULTS: We recruited 255 patients at baseline out of which 158 (62%) completed their follow-up. Anti-Aspergillus IgG was positive in 11.1% at baseline and 27.8% at end-of-TB-therapy. Overall, proven CPA was diagnosed in 7% at baseline and 14.5% at the end-of-TB-therapy. Around 6% patients had evidence of aspergilloma in CT chest at the end-of-TB-therapy. CONCLUSIONS: CPA can be present in newly diagnosed P.TB patients at diagnosis and also develop during anti-tubercular treatment. Patients with persistent symptoms or developing new symptoms during treatment for P.TB should be evaluated for CPA. Whether patients with concomitant P.TB and CPA, while receiving antitubercular therapy, need additional antifungal therapy, needs to be evaluated in future studies.

Clinical laboratory characteristics and gene mutation spectrum of Ph-negative MPN patients with atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, or CALR.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, clinical laboratory characteristics, and gene mutation spectrum of Ph-negative MPN patients with atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, or CALR. METHODS: We collected a total of 359 Ph-negative MPN patients with classical mutations in driver genes JAK2, MPL, or CALR, and divided them into two groups based on whether they had additional atypical variants of driver genes JAK2, MPL, or CALR: 304 patients without atypical variants of driver genes and 55 patients with atypical variants of driver genes. We analyzed the relevant characteristics of these patients. RESULTS: This study included 359 patients with Ph-negative MPNs with JAK2, MPL, or CALR classical mutations and found that 55 (15%) patients had atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, or CALR. Among them, 28 cases (51%) were male, and 27 (49%) were female, with a median age of 64 years (range, 21-83). The age of ET patients with atypical variants was higher than that of ET patients without atypical variants [70 (28-80) vs. 61 (19-82), p = 0.03]. The incidence of classical MPL mutations in ET patients with atypical variants was higher than in ET patients without atypical variants [13.3% (2/15) vs. 0% (0/95), p = 0.02]. The number of gene mutations in patients with atypical variants of driver genes PV, ET, and Overt-PMF is more than in patients without atypical variants of PV, ET, and Overt-PMF [PV: 3 (2-6) vs. 2 (1-7), p < 0.001; ET: 4 (2-8) vs. 2 (1-7), p < 0.05; Overt-PMF: 5 (2-9) vs. 3 (1-8), p < 0.001]. The incidence of SH2B3 and ASXL1 mutations were higher in MPN patients with atypical variants than in those without atypical variants (SH2B3: 16% vs. 6%, p < 0.01; ASXL1: 24% vs. 13%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that classical mutations of JAK2, MPL, and CALR may not be completely mutually exclusive with atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, and CALR. In this study, 30 different atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, and CALR were identified, JAK2 G127D being the most common (42%, 23/55). Interestingly, JAK2 G127D only co-occurred with JAK2V617F mutation. The incidence of atypical variants of JAK2 in Ph-negative MPNs was much higher than that of the atypical variants of MPL and CALR. The significance of these atypical variants will be further studied in the future.

Asynchronous life cycles contribute to reproductive isolation between two Alpine butterflies.

Geographic isolation often leads to the emergence of distinct genetic lineages that are at least partially reproductively isolated. Zones of secondary contact between such lineages are natural experiments that allow investigation of how reproductive isolation evolves and co-existence is maintained. While temporal isolation through allochrony has been suggested to promote reproductive isolation in sympatry, its potential for isolation upon secondary contact is far less understood. Sampling two contact zones of a pair of mainly allopatric Alpine butterflies over several years and taking advantage of museum samples, we show that the contact zones have remained geographically stable over several decades. Furthermore, they seem to be maintained by the asynchronous life cycles of the two butterflies, with one reaching adulthood primarily in even and the other primarily in odd years. Genomic inferences document that allochrony is leaky and that gene flow from allopatric sites scales with the degree of geographic isolation. Overall, we show that allochrony has the potential to contribute to the maintenance of secondary contact zones of lineages that diverged in allopatry.

Do Poisonous Plants in Pastures Communicate Their Toxicity? Meta-Study and Evaluation of Poisoning Cases in Central Europe.

One of the possible roles of secondary plant metabolites, including toxins, is facilitating plant-animal communication. Lethal cases of pasture poisoning show that the message is not always successfully conveyed. As the focus of poisoning lies in the clinical aspects, the external circumstances of pasture poisoning are widely unknown. To document poisoning conditions in cattle, sheep, goats, and horses on pastures and to compile a checklist of plants involved in either poisoning or co-existence (zero poisoning), published case reports were evaluated as primary sources. The number of affected animal individuals was estimated within abundance classes from 0 to more than 100. The checklist of poisonous plants comprised 52 taxa. Of these, 13 taxa were deemed safe (no reference was found indicating poisoning), 11 taxa were associated with evidence-based zero poisoning (positive list), and 28 taxa were associated with poisoning (negative list). Nine plant taxa caused poisoning in more than 100 animal individuals. Zero poisoning accounted for 40% and poisoning accounted for 60% of a total of 85 cases. Poisoning was most often associated with a limited choice of feed (24.7%), followed by overgrazing (12.9%), seasonally scarce feed (10.6%), and co-ingestion of grass (4.7%). Hunger interferes with plant-animal co-existence, while zero poisoning improves it. In conclusion, poisonous plants in pastures may communicate their toxicity if the animals have enough alternative feed plants. An individual animal might utterly perceive the communication of toxicity by the plant species but be forced to ignore the message owing to a limited choice of feed options.

Planktonic/benthic Bathyarchaeota as a "gatekeeper" enhance archaeal nonrandom co-existence and deterministic assembling in the Yangtze River.

Archaea, the third proposed domain of life, mediate carbon and nutrient cycling in global natural habitats. Compared with bacteria, our knowledge about archaeal ecological modes in large freshwater environments subject to varying natural and human factors is limited. By metabarcoding analysis of 303 samples, we provided the first integrate biogeography about archaeal compositions, co-existence networks, and assembling processes within a 6000 km continuum of the Yangtze River. Our study revealed that, among the major phyla, water samples owned a higher proportion of Thaumarchaeota (62.8%), while sediments had higher proportions of Euryarchaeota (33.4%) and Bathyarchaeota (18.8%). A decline of polarization in phylum abundance profile was observed from plateau/mountain/hill to basin/plain areas, which was attributed to the increase of nutrients and metals. Planktonic and benthic Bathyarchaeota tended to co-occur with both major (e.g., methanogens or Thermoplasmata) and minor (e.g., Asgard or DPANN) taxa in the non-random networks, harboring the highest richness and abundances of keystone species and contributing the most positively to edge number, node degree, and nearest neighbor degree. Furthermore, we noted significantly positive contributions of Bathyarchaeota abundance and network complexity to the dominance of deterministic process in archaeal assembly (water: 65.3%; sediments: 92.6%), since higher carbon metabolic versatility of Bathyarchaeota would benefit archaeal symbiotic relations. Stronger deterministic assembling was identified at the lower-reach plain, and higher concentrations of ammonium and aluminum separately functioning as nutrition and agglomerator were the main environmental drivers. We lastly found that the Three Gorges Dam caused a simultaneous drop of benthic Bathyarchaeota abundance, network co-existence, and deterministic effects immediately downstream due to riverbed erosion as a local interference. These findings highlight that Bathyarchaeota are a "gatekeeper" to promote fluvial archaeal diversity, stability, and predictability under varying macroscopic and microscopic factors, expanding our knowledge about microbial ecology in freshwater biogeochemical cycling globally.

Co-occurrence of Malignant Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma on Burn Scars: A Case Report.

Tumors arising from burn scars are not rare but sometimes cause the rare co-existence of different tumors. However, detailed information on this topic remains largely unknown. We present a case of the co-occurrence of malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with a history of burn scars. A 73-year-old man presented with an erythematous plaque on his left lower leg that gradually turned into a tumor with ulceration. He also presented with scaly tumors at other sites within the same burn scar lesion. He had a history of burns on the left leg at the age of 20 years. After surgical resection of the tumors, histological analysis revealed that the posterior aspect of the largest tumor was malignant melanoma, and the remaining two tumors were squamous cell carcinomas, indicating the co-existence of different types of malignant skin cancers. Based on a literature review of previously published case reports, this is the first report to highlight the importance of complete skin grafts in reducing this risk.

Co-Existence of Endometriosis with Ovarian Dermoid Cysts: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Both endometriosis and ovarian dermoid cysts are benign conditions characterized by the presence of well-differentiated tissues in ectopic locations. The presence and surgical excision of these entities can potentially impact ovarian reserves, contributing to reduced chances of future pregnancy. The objective of our study is to investigate the bidirectional association between endometriosis and ovarian dermoid cysts, as well as to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with both conditions. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including women who underwent laparoscopy and received histological diagnoses of endometriosis and/or dermoid cysts between 2011 and 2019 at the Cantonal Hospital of Schaffhausen. We identified 985 women with endometriosis and 83 women with ovarian dermoid cysts. Among these groups, 22 women presented with both endometriosis and ovarian dermoid cysts. The majority of the above patients had endometriosis stage rASRM I-II (72.7%), with peritoneal endometriosis being the most common phenotype of endometriosis (77.2%). Out of the 14 patients with a desire for future pregnancy, the majority (11/14, 78.5%) had an EFI score of 7-8. The prevalence of bilateral ovarian dermoid cysts was higher in women with both ovarian dermoid cysts and endometriosis in comparison to women with ovarian dermoid cysts without endometriosis (18% vs. 6.5%). Our study revealed that 26.5% of women with ovarian dermoid cysts also had endometriosis, a notably higher prevalence than observed in the general population. Clinicians should be aware of this co-existence, and preoperative counseling should be an integral part of the care plan for affected individuals, where the potential risks and the available options for fertility preservation should be discussed in detail.

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Co-Existence of Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in mcr-Harbouring Colistin-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Isolates Recovered from Poultry and Poultry Meats in Malaysia.

The co-existence of the colistin resistance (mcr) gene with multiple drug-resistance genes has raised concerns about the possibility of the development of pan-drug-resistant bacteria that will complicate treatment. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance profiles and co-existence of antibiotic resistance genes among the colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from poultry and poultry meats. The antibiotic susceptibility to various classes of antibiotics was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and selected antimicrobial resistance genes were detected using PCR in a total of 54 colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates including Escherichia coli (E. coli) (n = 32), Salmonella spp. (n = 16) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) (n = 6) isolates. Most of the isolates had multi-drug resistance (MDR), with antibiotic resistance against up to seven classes of antibiotics. All mcr-harbouring, colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates showed this MDR (100%) phenotype. The mcr-1 harbouring E. coli isolates were co-harbouring multiple antibiotic resistance genes. The seven most commonly identified resistance genes (blaTEM, tetA, floR, aac-3-IV, aadA1, fosA, aac(6_)-lb) were detected in an mcr-1-harbouring E. coli isolate recovered from a cloacal swab. The mcr-5 harbouring Salmonella spp. isolate recovered from poultry meats was positive for blaTEM, tetA, floR, aac-3-IV, fosA and aac(6_)-lb genes. In conclusion, the colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae with mcr genes co-existing multiple clinically important antimicrobial resistance genes in poultry and poultry meats may cause potential future threats to infection treatment choices in humans and animals.

Characterisation of key genotypic and phenotypic traits of clinical cystic fibrosis Staphylococcus aureus isolates.

Introduction. One third of people with CF in the UK are co-infected by both Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chronic bacterial infection in CF contributes to the gradual destruction of lung tissue, and eventually respiratory failure in this group.Gap Statement. The contribution of S. aureus to cystic fibrosis (CF) lung decline in the presence or absence of P. aeruginosa is unclear. Defining the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of a range of S. aureus clinical isolates will help further understand its pathogenic capabilities.Aim. Our objective was to use molecular and phenotypic tools to characterise twenty-five clinical S. aureus isolates collected from mono- and coinfection with P. aeruginosa from people with CF at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne.Methodology. Genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced. Multilocus sequence typing was used to construct phylogeny from the seven housekeeping genes. A pangenome was calculated using Roary, and cluster of Orthologous groups were assigned using eggNOG-mapper which were used to determine differences within core, accessory, and unique genomes. Characterisation of sequence type, clonal complex, agr and spa types was carried out using PubMLST, eBURST, AgrVATE and spaTyper, respectively. Antibiotic resistance was determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion tests. Phenotypic testing of haemolysis was carried out using ovine red blood cell agar plates and mucoid phenotypes visualised using Congo red agar.Results. Clinical strains clustered closely based on agr type, sequence type and clonal complex. COG analysis revealed statistically significant enrichment of COG families between core, accessory and unique pangenome groups. The unique genome was significantly enriched for replication, recombination and repair, and defence mechanisms. The presence of known virulence genes and toxins were high within this group, and unique genes were identified in 11 strains. Strains which were isolated from the same patient all surpassed average nucleotide identity thresholds, however, differed in phenotypic traits. Antimicrobial resistance to macrolides was significantly higher in the coinfection group.Conclusion. There is huge variation in genetic and phenotypic capabilities of S. aureus strains. Further studies on how these may differ in relation to other species in the CF lung may give insight into inter-species interactions.

Photo-aging promotes the inhibitory effect of polystyrene microplastics on microbial reductive dechlorination of a polychlorinated biphenyl mixture (Aroclor 1260).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and microplastics (MPs) commonly co-exist in various environments. MPs inevitably start aging once they enter environment. In this study, the effect of photo-aged polystyrene MPs on microbial PCB dechlorination was investigated. After a UV aging treatment, the proportion of oxygen-containing groups in MPs increased. Photo-aging promoted the inhibitory effect of MPs on microbial reductive dechlorination of PCBs, mainly attributed to the inhibition of meta-chlorine removal. The inhibitory effects on hydrogenase and adenosine triphosphatase activity by MPs increased with increasing aging degree, which may be attributed to electron transfer chain inhibition. PERMANOVA showed significant differences in microbial community structure between culturing systems with and without MPs (p < 0.05). Co-occurrence network showed a simpler structure and higher proportion of negative correlation in the presence of MPs, especially for biofilms, resulting in increased potential for competition among bacteria. MP addition altered microbial community diversity, structure, interactions, and assembly processes, which was more deterministic in biofilms than in suspension cultures, especially regarding the bins of Dehalococcoides. This study sheds light on the microbial reductive dechlorination metabolisms and mechanisms where PCBs and MPs co-exist and provides theoretical guidance for in situ application of PCB bioremediation technology.

High-Throughput Gel Microbeads as Incubators for Bacterial Competition Study.

Bacteria primarily live in structured environments, such as colonies and biofilms, attached to surfaces or growing within soft tissues. They are engaged in local competitive and cooperative interactions impacting our health and well-being, for example, by affecting population-level drug resistance. Our knowledge of bacterial competition and cooperation within soft matrices is incomplete, partly because we lack high-throughput tools to quantitatively study their interactions. Here, we introduce a method to generate a large amount of agarose microbeads that mimic the natural culture conditions experienced by bacteria to co-encapsulate two strains of fluorescence-labeled Escherichia coli. Focusing specifically on low bacterial inoculum (1-100 cells/capsule), we demonstrate a study on the formation of colonies of both strains within these 3D scaffolds and follow their growth kinetics and interaction using fluorescence microscopy in highly replicated experiments. We confirmed that the average final colony size is inversely proportional to the inoculum size in this semi-solid environment as a result of limited available resources. Furthermore, the colony shape and fluorescence intensity per colony are distinctly different in monoculture and co-culture. The experimental observations in mono- and co-culture are compared with predictions from a simple growth model. We suggest that our high throughput and small footprint microbead system is an excellent platform for future investigation of competitive and cooperative interactions in bacterial communities under diverse conditions, including antibiotics stress.

Co-existence of Lumbar Disc Herniation and Posterior Ring Apophyseal Fracture: It Is Not Rare and Computed Tomography Is Useful.

Introduction Posterior ring apophyseal fracture (PRAF) is characterized by the separation of bone fragments and sometimes coexists with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, how often these conditions coexist and the details of the clinical course remain unclear. Methods We analyzed 200 patients who underwent surgical treatment for LDH at our hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. Among these, we reviewed 21 patients who underwent microendoscopic surgery to treat PRAF. They consisted of 11 male and 10 female patients, ranging in age from 15 to 63 years. The average age was 32.8 months, and the average follow-up period was 39.8 years. We performed simple roentgenography and magnetic resonance imaging for all patients and computed tomography for about 80% of the patients. We evaluated the type of PRAF fragment (Takata classification), disease level, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) score, operating time, intraoperative blood loss, and perioperative complications. Results A total of 10.5% of patients with LDH also had PRAF. The mean JOA score significantly improved from 10.6 ± 5.7 points before surgery to 21.4 ± 5.1 points at the final observation (p < 0.05). The mean RDQ score significantly improved from 17.1 ± 4.5 preoperatively to 5.5 ± 0.5 at the final observation (p < 0.05). The average operation time was 88.6 minutes. There were no complications requiring early surgery that were due to postoperative infection or epidural hematoma, but one patient required reoperation. Conclusion This study showed that PRAF coexisted with LDH in about 10% of cases, and the outcomes of surgical treatment were generally good. Computed tomography is recommended to improve the diagnostic rate and assist with surgical planning and intraoperative decision-making.

Arsenic and iron bioavailability in Caco-2 cells: The influence of their co-existence and concentration.

Arsenic (As) exposure in humans is primarily caused through food and drinking water. Iron (Fe) is one of the most common element of the human and can influence the toxicity and bioavailability of As. However, information on the interaction between As and Fe when present together is limited. In this study, the interaction effects of Fe(III) (0, 3, and 10 mg/L) and As (As(III) at 0, 0.05, 0.1 mg/L, and As(V) at 0, 0.1, and 2 mg/L, respectively) on their absorption and bioavailability in Caco-2 cells were analyzed. As(III) absorption significantly decreased with the addition of Fe, while Fe absorption significantly increased. Compared with 0.1 mg/L As(III) addition alone, 3 and 10 mg/L Fe(III) addition significantly reduced the As(III) absorption by 8.6 and 11 µg/L, respectively. The absorption of As and Fe(III) and the bioavailability of Fe(III) significantly increased with the addition of As(III/V). Compared with 10 mg/L Fe(III) alone, the absorption of As(III) was significantly increased by 1 and 1.3 mg/L with 0.05 and 0.1 mg/L As(III) addition, respectively. Furthermore, the absorption and bioavailability of Fe(III) were significantly increased by 1.2 mg/L and 8% and 1.2 mg/L and 8.2%, respectively, after adding 0.1 and 2 mg/L As(V).

The unheeded inherent connections and overlap between microplastics and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances: A comprehensive review.

Microplastics (MPs) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are receiving global attention due to their widespread presences and considerable level in the environment. Although the occurrence and fate of MPs and PFASs alone have been extensively studied, little was known about their unheeded connection and overlap between the two. Therefore, this review attempts to reveal it for the purpose of providing a new view from joint consideration of the two in the future studies. Initially, the critically examined data on the co-sources and existence of MPs and PFASs are summarized. Surprisingly, some products could be co-source of MPs and PFASs which are general in daily life while the distribution of the two is primary influenced by the human activity. Then, their interactions are reviewed based on the fact that PFASs can be sorbed onto MPs which are regarded as a vector of contaminations. The electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic contact are the predominant sorption mechanisms and could be influenced by environmental factors and properties of MPs and PFASs. The effects of MPs on the transport of PFASs in the environments, especially in aquatic environments are then discussed. Additionally, the current state of knowledge on the combined toxicity of MPs and PFASs are presented. Finally, the existing problems and future perspectives are outlined at the end of the review. This review provides an advanced understanding of the overlap, interaction and toxic effects of MPs and PFASs co-existing in the environment.