Analysis Effect Size Research Articles

A finding of potential coexisting bacteria and characterization of the bacterial communities in the fruiting body of Sarcodon aspratus.

Sarcodon aspratus (Berk.) S. Ito is a Japaneselocal dish with unique aroma and is effective against allergic diseases. However, its cultivation was still difficult. Recently, coexisting bacteria were regarded as an important factor for mycelium growth and fruiting body formation. Therefore, we performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing in the fruiting body of S. aspratus and its adhered soil to understand the bacterial communities in the fruiting body of S. aspratus. The fruiting body group showed lower alpha diversities and a significant difference in the structure of bacterial communities compared to the soil group. In addition, Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium had the highest relative abundance in the fruiting body group, and it was also a potential coexisting bacterium in the fruiting body of S. aspratus by linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis. This highest relative abundance phenomenon in Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium clade was also found in the fruiting body of Cantharellus cibarius. These findings suggested that Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium plays a key role in the bacterial communities in the fruiting body of S. aspratus. Bacteria in the fruit bodies of S. aspratus and C. cibarius probably present a similar coexistence model.

Baseline Gut Microbiota Was Associated with Long-Term Immune Response at One Year Following Three Doses of BNT162b2.

This study explored neutralizing IgG antibody levels against COVID-19 decline over time post-vaccination. We conducted this prospective cohort study to investigate the function of gut microbiota in the host immune response following three doses of BNT162b2. Subjects who received three doses of BNT162b2 were recruited from three centers in Hong Kong. Blood samples were obtained before the first dose and at the one-year timepoint for IgG ELISA to determine the level of neutralizing antibody (NAb). The primary outcome was a high immune response (NAb > 600 AU/mL). We performed shotgun DNA metagenomic sequencing on baseline fecal samples to identify bacterial species and metabolic pathways associated with high immune response using linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis. A total of 125 subjects were recruited (median age: 52 years [IQR: 46.2-59.0]; male: 43 [34.4%]), and 20 were regarded as low responders at the one-year timepoint. Streptococcus parasanguinis (log10LDA score = 2.38, p = 0.003; relative abundance of 2.97 × 10-5 vs. 0.03%, p = 0.001), Bacteroides stercoris (log10LDA score = 4.29, p = 0.024; relative abundance of 0.14% vs. 2.40%, p = 0.014) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae (log10LDA score = 2.15, p = 0.022; relative abundance of 0.01% vs. 0, p = 0.010) were enriched in low responders. Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (log10LDA score = 2.99, p = 0.048; relative abundance of 0.09% vs. 0.36%, p = 0.049) and Clostridium leptum (log10LDA score = 2.38, p = 0.014; relative abundance of 1.2 × 10-5% vs. 0, p = 0.044) were enriched in high responders. S. parasanguinis was negatively correlated with the superpathway of pyrimidine ribonucleotides de novo biosynthesis (log10LDA score = 2.63), which contributes to inflammation and antibody production. H. parainfluenzae was positively correlated with pathways related to anti-inflammatory processes, including the superpathway of histidine, purine, and pyrimidine biosynthesis (log10LDA score = 2.14). Among three-dose BNT162b2 recipients, S. parasanguinis, B. stercoris and H. parainfluenzae were associated with poorer immunogenicity at one year, while B. pseudocatenulatum and C. leptum was associated with a better response.

Taxonomic and functional changes in wheat rhizosphere microbiome caused by imidazoline-based herbicide and genetic modification

Genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation has received a lot of attention in recent years due to the substantial public debate. Consequently, an in-depth investigation of excessively used GM herbicide-tolerant crops is a vital step for the biosafety of genetically modified plants. Several studies have been conducted to study the impact of transgenic GM crops on soil microbial composition; however, research into the effects of non-transgenic GM crops is inadequate. In the current work, high-throughput sequencing was used to evaluate the impact of the acetolactate synthase (ALS)-mutant (WK170B), its control (YN19B), and the imazamox (IM) herbicide on the wheat rhizobiome. Under normal growth conditions, our work revealed a minimal impact of ALS-mutant WK170B on the rhizosphere microbiome compared to the control YN10B, except for some cyanobacterial microorganisms that showed a significant increase in abundance. This suggests that the gene mutation could potentially have a beneficial impact on the bacterial communities present in the rhizosphere. Following IM exposure, taxonomic analysis revealed a significant reduction in the relative abundance of Ralstonia pickettii and an unidentified member of the genus Ancylothrix 8 PC. Analyses of both alpha and beta diversity revealed a statistically significant increase in both microbial richness and species diversity. IM-induced relative abundance modulation was also evident through Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), MetaStat, and heatmap analyses. The SIMPER analysis revealed that the microbial taxa Massilia, Limnobacter, Hydrogenophaga, Ralstonia, Nitrospira, and Ramlibacter exhibited the highest vulnerability to IM exposure. The functional attributes analysis revealed that the relative abundance of genes associated with the extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, which is responsible for structural support and stress response, increased significantly following IM exposure. Collectively, our study identifies key microbial taxa in the wheat rhizobiome that are sensitive to IM herbicides and provides a foundation for assessing the environmental risks associated with IM herbicide use.

Early- to mid-gestational testosterone excess leads to adverse cardiac outcomes in postpartum sheep.

Cardiovascular dysfunctions complicate 10-20% of pregnancies, increasing the risk for postpartum mortality. Various gestational insults, including preeclampsia are reported to be associated with adverse maternal cardiovascular outcomes. One such insult, gestational hyperandrogenism increases the risk for preeclampsia and other gestational morbidities but its impact on postpartum maternal health is not well known. We hypothesize that gestational hyperandrogenism such as testosterone (T) excess will adversely impact the maternal heart in the postpartum period. Pregnant ewes were injected with T propionate from day 30 to day 90 of gestation (term 147 days). Three months postpartum, echocardiograms, plasma cytokine profiles, cardiac morphometric, and molecular analysis were conducted [control (C) n = 6, T-treated (T) n = 7 number of animals]. Data were analyzed by two-tailed Student's t test and Cohen's effect size (d) analysis. There was a nonsignificant large magnitude decrease in cardiac output (7.64 ± 1.27 L/min vs. 10.19 ± 1.40, P = 0.22, d = 0.81) and fractional shortening in the T ewes compared with C (35.83 ± 2.33% vs. 41.50 ± 2.84, P = 0.15, d = 0.89). T treatment significantly increased 1) left ventricle (LV) weight-to-body weight ratio (2.82 ± 0.14 g/kg vs. 2.46 ± 0.08) and LV thickness (14.56 ± 0.52 mm vs. 12.50 ± 0.75), 2) proinflammatory marker [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)] in LV (1.66 ± 0.35 vs. 1.06 ± 0.18), 3) LV collagen (Masson's Trichrome stain: 3.38 ± 0.35 vs. 1.49 ± 0.15 and Picrosirius red stain: 5.50 ± 0.32 vs. 3.01 ± 0.23), 4) markers of LV apoptosis, including TUNEL (8.3 ± 1.1 vs. 0.9 ± 0.18), bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax)+-to-b-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)+ ratio (0.68 ± 0.30 vs. 0.13 ± 0.02), and cleaved caspase 3 (15.4 ± 1.7 vs. 4.4 ± 0.38). These findings suggest that gestational testosterone excess adversely programs the maternal LV, leading to adverse structural and functional consequences in the postpartum period.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using a sheep model of human translational relevance, this study provides evidence that excess gestational testosterone exposure such as that seen in hyperandrogenic disorders adversely impacts postpartum maternal hearts.

Prophylactic Cyproheptadine to Control Paroxysmal Hemicrania Attacks: A Preliminary Investigation.

Paroxysmal hemicrania (PH) is a severe short-lasting headache usually localized around the eye. It might occur in conjunction with ipsilateral autonomic manifestations of trigeminal nerve stimulation. PH responds well to indomethacin treatment; however, considering the adverse effects of indomethacin, its long-term use is a matter of question and investigations about other prophylactic medications are going on, but they are inconclusive. The current study aims to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic use of cyproheptadine to control PH symptoms. The current clinical trial was conducted on 20 children diagnosed with PH undergoing prophylactic treatment with cyproheptadine syrup at a dosage of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg twice daily for a period of 3 months. The duration, frequency, and severity of headaches were assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months. Significantly shorter duration, less frequency, and less severity of headaches were observed in the postintervention assessments of the patients (P < 0.001). The effect size analysis showed that the greatest effect of the treatment was on the intensity of the headache (effect size: 0.866) and the least effect was on duration of the headache (effect size: 0.775). Drowsiness (5%) and increased appetite (30%) were the only adverse effects of treatment with cyproheptadine. Findings of this study showed that short-term prophylactic cyproheptadine in divided doses of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg could appropriately improve PH in terms of frequency, duration, and the intensity of the attacks. Nevertheless, further investigations are strongly recommended.

Meta-Analysis Study: The Influence of Project Based Learning Models on Creativity and Science Learning Outcomes of Elementary School Students

The project based learning (PjBL) model is expected to be able to change students' learning styles by increasing motivation in learning, creativity in work, generating creative ideas, and being able to think critically. The meta-analysis research aims to find out how big the effect of the PjBL model is on the creativity and science learning outcomes of elementary school students?; Does the implementation of the PjBL model affect the creativity and science learning outcomes of elementary school students? Collecting articles using the publish or perish application with the keywords PjBL model, creativity, and elementary science learning outcomes. The data obtained was analyzed by calculating the effect size of each journal. Analysis of the average effect size of 0.92 is in the large category. The PjBL model influences the creativity and learning outcomes of elementary school students with r RE = 0.925 in the high category. This shows that the PjBL model can increase student creativity and learning outcomes in elementary school science learning. The PjBL model can improve and develop creativity and high-level thinking skills based on the demands of the 4.0 era.

Effects of dietary rosemary ultrafine powder supplementation on aged hen health and productivity: a randomized controlled trial

Recently, poultry industry has been seeking antibiotic residue-free poultry products and safe nutritious feed additives. Whether rosemary ultrafine powder (RUP) affects productive performance by regulating the intestinal microbiome of aged layers remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of dietary RUP supplementation on the production performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, intestinal microbial structure, and metabolome of aged hens. The results indicate that RUP had no significant effect on production performance but significantly enhanced Thick albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk color (P < 0.05), daily feed intake, and qualified egg rate. Serum content of non-esterified fatty acids, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase increased significantly (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the liver total protein content was significantly increased (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequence analysis revealed that RUP significantly impacted both α- and β-diversity of the caecum microbiota. Linear discriminant analysis of effect size and random forest identified Bacteroides, Muribaculum, Butyricimonas, Odoribacter, and Prevotella as biomarkers in groups A and B. In comparing groups A and C, Barnesiella, Turicibacter, and Acholeplasma were critical bacteria, while comparing groups A and D highlighted Barnesiella and Candidatus Saccharimonas as differential bacteria. FAPROTAX analysis of the caecum microbiota revealed that the functional genes associated with harmful substance biodegradation were significantly increased in the RUP-fed group. Based on Spearman correlation analysis, alterations in microbial genera were associated with divergent metabolites. In summary, dietary RUP can improve egg quality and antioxidant capacity and regulate the intestinal microbiome and metabolome in aged breeders. Therefore, RUP can potentially be used as a feed additive to extend breeder service life at an appropriate level of 1.0 g/kg.

Wastewater Microbiome Analysis for Population Alcohol Abuse

This study aims to unveil correlations between wastewater microbiota and the catchment-specific population health risk, specifically alcohol abuse, with smoking and obesity as confounding factors. Our study highlights the importance of extracting human-associated microbial communities from wastewater metagenomes by excluding environmental microorganisms, due to their irrelevance to human health. After excluding environmental microbes, we observed strong associations of all three health risk factors, including alcohol abuse, smoking and obesity, with the human gut microbiome in wastewater. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed Lactococcus_A, Leuconostoc, Aeromicrobium, Akkermansia, Weissella, Limosilactobacillus, Klebsiella_A, Desulfovibrio and Cloacibacillus as potential microbial biomarkers for alcoholism, after accounting for the confounding effects of smoking and obesity. Functional annotations of microorganisms linked with lower alcoholism rates are primarily related to energy metabolism and intercellular communication. Microorganisms associated with higher alcoholism rates are predominantly involved in immune regulation and cellular DNA architecture. This study highlights the need for a comprehensive exploration of different health risk factors together to identify potential associations between the wastewater microbiome and population lifestyle.

An integrative research framework to investigate factors influencing citizen’s intention to adopt e-health applications: post-COVID-19 perspective

Purpose The use of e-health applications has remained popular during pandemic for medical treatments. Nevertheless, adoption of e-health applications among individuals is considerably low in post-COVID-19 world. To address this issue, the current research integrates three renowned theories, namely unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model, diffusion of innovation and DeLone and McLean model and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health application. Design/methodology/approach Research design is grounded in quantitative and cross-sectional methods and uses a survey questionnaire. Survey questionnaire is administered toward smartphone users. Overall, 238 valid responses were analyzed with structural equation modeling approach. Findings Results indicate that altogether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, information quality, system quality, service quality, facilitating condition and social influence explained substantial variance (R2 = 76.5%) in user intention to adopt e-health applications. Similarly, effect size analysis has revealed substantial impact of social influence on user intention to adopt e-health applications. Geiser and Stone’s Q2 analysis discloses that research model has substantial power to predict user intention to adopt e-health applications. Practical implications This study integrates three known information system models to investigate individual behavior toward adoption of e-health applications. In practice, it suggests that managers should pay attention in improving performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, system quality, service quality and information quality which develop positive behavior and encourage smartphone users to adopt e-health applications. Originality/value This study is original as it integrates three models and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health applications. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to test the moderating impact of patient health value between user intention to adopt and actual use of e-health applications. It has established that compatibility and innovativeness are essential antecedents of performance and effort expectancy and hence make this research more unique and valuable.

Variations in soil microbial communities in different saline soils under typical Populus spp. vegetation in alpine region of the Qaidam Basin, NW China

Salinization is a severe threat to agriculture and the environment in many areas, and the same in Qaidam Basin, Qinghai Province, Northwestern China. Microorganisms have an important influence on regulating the biochemical cycles of ecosystems; however, systematic research exploring microbial diversity and interactions with saline-soil ecosystems’ environmental variables remains scarce. Thus, 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed in this paper to characterize microbial diversity under different levels of salinized soils: non-salinized (NS, 2.25 g/L), moderately salinized (MS, 6.14 g/L) and highly salinized (HS, 9.82 g/L). The alpha diversity results showed that the HS soil was significantly different from the NS and MS soils. An analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and a principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) indicated that NS and MS clustered closely while HS separated from the other two. Significant differences in microbial composition were observed at the taxonomic level. Proteobacteria (42.29–79.23 %) were the most abundant phyla in the studied soils. Gammaproteobacteria (52.49 and 66.61 %) had higher abundance in the MS and HS soils at the class level; Methylophaga and Pseudomonas were the predominant bacteria in the HS soil; and Azotobacter and Methylobacillus were abundant in the MS soil. Most genera belonging to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were detected via a linear discriminate analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis, which indicated that microbes with the ability to degrade organic matter and accomplish nutrient cycling can be well-adapted to salt conditions. Further analyses (redundancy analysis and Mantel test) showed that the microbial communities were mainly related to the soil salinity, electrical conductivity (EC1:5), total phosphorus (TP) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N). Overall, the findings of the study can provide insights for better understanding the dominant indigenous microbes and their roles in biochemical cycles in different saline soils in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai Province, China. The researches related to microbial community under typical poplar species should further clarify the mechanism of plant-microbial interaction and benefit for microbial utilization in salt soil remediation.

Acute Effects of Intracontrast Rest After Back Squats on Vertical Jump Performance During Complex Training.

Houlton, LJ, Moody, JA, Bampouras, TM, and Esformes, JI. Acute effects of intracomplex rest after back squats on vertical jump performance during complex training. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-Postactivation performance enhancement and complex-contrast sets are prevalent in sports science research. Typical complex-contrast sets consist of heavy back squats, an intracontrast rest period (ICRP) and vertical jumps (countermovement jumps [CMJs], or squat jumps [SJs]). Propulsive impulse (Jprop) is considered the leading indicator of jump performance. However, studies evaluating jump performance during complex-contrast sets use jump height as the primary performance measure, limiting insight into ICRP's effect on jump performance. We assessed the effect of a 3 repetition maximum (3RM) back squat and 6 ICRPs on vertical jump Jprop and associated force-time components. Fourteen subjects completed 12 experimental conditions, assigned equally to 4 testing sessions. Independent variables, in a 6 × 2 randomized, counterbalanced design, were ICRP (0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 seconds; ICRP0, ICRP60, ICRP120, ICRP180, ICRP240, ICRP300, respectively) and vertical jump (CMJ and SJ). Conditions consisted of baseline vertical jumps, followed by 3 back squat repetitions at 100% 3RM, an ICRP and experimental jumps. Symmetrized percentage changes between experimental and baseline jumps were assessed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise effect sizes. Results showed significant effects (p ≤ 0.05) on CMJ average rate of force development (RFD) between ICRP0 and ICRP120 and ICRP0 and ICRP300. Pairwise comparisons showed medium and large effect sizes for and increases in CMJ RFD (g = 0.83-2.69) whereas SJ RFD decreased (g = 0.81-2.57). Small effect sizes were found for Jprop, peak force, and mean force. Results suggest limited change in Jprop (g = 0.01-0.58), but back squats may potentiate RFD via the stretch-shortening cycle.

Statistical Significance is Desirable but not Absolute : In Search of the True Study

In the field of scientific research, the pursuit of robust and reliable results is paramount. Traditionally, the p-value has been the cornerstone of statistical analysis, used to determine the significance of study findings. However, there is a growing consensus that the calculation of effect size and statistical power analysis offer a more comprehensive and superior approach to data interpretation. While the p-value has its place in statistical analysis, the calculation of effect size and statistical power analysis provides a more nuanced and informative perspective on research findings. Embracing these methods will enhance the quality and impact of scientific research, leading to more robust and meaningful conclusions.

Behavior of Spoilage Bacterial Communities in Different Cuts of Enshi Black Pork under Refrigerated Storage (4 °C).

The Enshi black pig is a Chinese native breed known for its rich nutrition content and high quality, which has notable traction in the consumer market. In this study, the potential impact of the main commercial cuts from Enshi black pork carcasses (ham, loin, and belly) on the bacteria community of spoiled meat under refrigerated storage (4 °C) was assessed by using a high-throughput sequencing method. Moreover, the spoilage potential of isolated strains from spoiled pork was investigated. The results demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05) in bacterial community diversity and composition among spoiled ham, loin, and belly samples. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed a total of 20 significantly different potential bacterial biomarkers, with the dominant genera of Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Shewanella and Carnobacterium. Additionally, C. divergens THT1-5, isolated from spoiled ham samples, displayed cold adaptation and higher spoilage potential in Enshi black pork. These findings are helpful for identifying key factors contributing to spoilage in Enshi black pork and developing strategies to inhibit bacterial growth during preservation.

Whole-Genome Metagenomic Analysis of the Oral Microbiota in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Comorbid with Major Depressive Disorder.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients commonly experience high rates of depression. This study aims to examine the oral microbiota characteristics of OSA and those with comorbid major depressive disorder (OSA+MDD) patients. Participants were enrolled from Aug 2022 to Apr 2023. Polysomnography, psychiatrist interviews, and scales were used to diagnose OSA and MDD. Oral samples were collected from participants by rubbing swabs on buccal mucosa, palate, and gums. Oral microbiota was analyzed via whole-genome metagenomics and bioinformatic analysis followed sequencing. Venous blood was drawn to detect plasma inflammatory factor levels. The study enrolled 33 OSA patients, 28 OSA+MDD patients, and 28 healthy controls. Significant differences were found in 8 phyla, 229 genera, and 700 species of oral microbiota among the three groups. Prevotellaceae abundance in the OSA and OSA+MDD groups was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that Streptococcaceae and Actinobacteria were the characteristic oral microbiota of the OSA and OSA+MDD groups, respectively. KEGG analysis indicates 30 pathways were changed in the OSA and OSA+MDD groups compared with healthy controls, and 23 pathways were changed in the OSA group compared with the OSA+MDD group. Levels of IL-6 in the OSA+MDD group were significantly higher than in the healthy group, correlating positively with the abundance of Schaalia, Campylobacter, Fusobacterium, Alloprevotella, and Candidatus Nanosynbacter in the oral, as well as with Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. Significant differences in oral microbiota populations and gene function were observed among the three groups. OSA patients were characterized by a decreased abundance of Prevotellaceae and an increased abundance of Streptococcaceae. OSA+MDD patients had an increased abundance of Actinobacteria. IL-6 might regulate the relationship between depression and the oral microbiota in OSA+MDD patients.

Sequence analysis of microbiota in clinical human cases with diabetic foot ulcers from China

BackgroundDiabetic foot ulcers (DFU) seriously threaten the health and quality of life of patients. The microbiota is the primary reason for the refractory and high recurrence of DFU. This study aimed to determine the wound microbiota at different DFU stages. MethodsWound samples were collected from 48 patients with DFU and divided into three phases: inflammatory (I, n = 49), proliferation (P, n = 22), and remodeling (R, n = 19). The wound samples obtained at different stages were then subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the different groups was calculated according to the criterion of 97 % sequence similarity. The diversity of the microbiota differentially presented bacterial taxa at the phylum and genus levels, and important phyla and genera in the different groups were further explored. ResultsAfter sequencing, 3351, 925, and 777 OTUs were observed in groups I, P, and R, respectively, and 175 OTUs overlapped. Compared with the inflammatory stage, the α-diversity of wound microbiota at proliferation and remodeling stages was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota were the dominant phyla, accounting for more than 90 % of all the phyla. At the genus level, Random Forest and linear discriminant analysis effect size analyses showed that Peptoniphilus, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Veillonella, Dialister, Streptococcus, and Ruminococcus were the signature wound microbiota for the inflammatory stage; Anaerococcus, Ralstonia, Actinomyces, and Akkermansia were important species for the proliferation stage; and the crucial genera for the remodeling stage were Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Sondgrassella, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium. ConclusionsThere were significant differences in the composition and structure of the wound microbiota in patients with DFU at different stages, which may lay a foundation for effectively promoting wound healing in DFU.

Microbial community dynamics and nitrogen transformation associated with turbid-turned culture stage of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei in small greenhouse farms

Small greenhouse farms have experienced rapid expansion of Litopenaeus vannamei culture in China in recent years. To investigate microbial community dynamics and nitrogen transformation during the early critical stage, known as the turbid-turned stage in small greenhouse farms, microbial samples from the water column of small greenhouses were analyzed by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, along with the detection of ammonia nitrogen in water. The results of water quality analysis revealed that accumulated ammonia nitrogen was converted to nitrite as the water color transitioned from clear green to turbid brown. High-throughput sequencing data demonstrated a shift in dominant microorganisms from zooplankton to algae and bacteria during the turbid-turned stage, and the main functional microbial taxa, such Marivita and Chlorella, were enriched. The results of Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size and canonical correlation analyses indicated that the compositions of key microbial communities were correlated with environmental factors. Furthermore, analysis of functional genes indicated that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were present in the early growth stage, while the abundance of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria was low during the early culture stage. Overall, the findings suggest that microorganisms during the turbid-turned stage in small greenhouses may play a crucial role in regulating water quality and promoting shrimp health within a stable small greenhouse environment.

Impact of D-dimer on in-hospital mortality following aortic dissection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The utility of D-dimer (DD) as a biomarker for acute aortic dissection (AD) is recognized. Yet, its predictive value for in-hospital mortality remains uncertain and subject to conflicting evidence. To conduct a meta-analysis of AD-related in-hospital mortality (ADIM) with elevated DD levels. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar for AD and ADIM literature through May 2022. Heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 statistics and effect size (hazard or odds ratio) analysis with random-effects models. Sample size, study type, and patients' mean age were used for subgroup analysis. The significance threshold was P < 0.05. Thirteen studies (3628 patients) were included in our study. The pooled prevalence of ADIM was 20% (95%CI: 15%-25%). Despite comparable demographic characteristics and comorbidities, elevated DD values were associated with higher ADIM risk (unadjusted effect size: 1.94, 95%CI: 1.34-2.8; adjusted effect size: 1.12, 95%CI: 1.05-1.19, P < 0.01). Studies involving patients with a mean age of < 60 years exhibited an increased mortality risk (effect size: 1.43, 95%CI: 1.23-1.67, P < 0.01), whereas no significant difference was observed in studies with a mean age > 60 years. Prospective and larger sample size studies (n > 250) demonstrated a heightened likelihood of ADIM associated with elevated DD levels (effect size: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.30-5.08, P < 0.01 vs effect size: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.00-1.11, P = 0.05, respectively). Our meta-analysis shows elevated DD increases in-hospital mortality risk in AD patients, highlighting the need for larger, prospective studies to improve risk prediction models.

The bacterial community drive the humification and greenhouse gas emissions during plant residues composting under different aeration rates

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of different aeration intensities on organic matter (OM) degradation, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) as well as humification during plant residue composting. Three intermittent aeration intensities of 0.084 (T low), 0.19 (T medium) and 0.34 (T high) L min−1kg−1 DM with 30 min on/30 min off were conducted on a lab-scale composting experiment. Results showed that OM mineralization in T high was more evident than T low and T medium, resulting in the highest humic acid content. Humic acid content in T medium and T high was 15.7% and 18.5% higher than that in T low. The average O2 concentration was 4.9%, 9.5% and 13.6% for T low, T medium and T high. Compared with T medium and T high, T low reduced CO2 and N2O emissions by 18.3%–39.6% and 72.4%–63.9%, but the CH4 emission was highest in T low. But the total GHG emission was the lowest in T high. Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis showed that the core bacteria within T low mainly belonged to Anaerolineaceae, which was significantly negatively correlated to the emission of CH4. Thermostaphylospora, Unclassified_Vicinamibacteraceae and Sulfurifustis were identified as core bacteria in T medium and T high, and these genus were significantly postively correlated to CO2 and N2O emissions. Redundancy analysis showed that total orgnic carbon, O2 and electrical conductivity were the key factors affecting the evolution of bacterial community.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Dietary Betaine on Milk Production, Growth Performance, and Carcass Traits of Ruminants.

Betaine improves growth performance and health in monogastric animals under both thermoneutral and heat stress conditions, but results in ruminants have been more equivocal. This meta-analysis investigated the effects of betaine supplementation on productive performance, milk production and composition, and carcass traits of ruminants due to betaine supplementation. A comprehensive search for published studies investigating the effect of betaine was performed using Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Effect size analysis, random effects models, I2 statistics, and meta-regression analysis were utilized to assess differences in production parameters. Dietary betaine supplementation increased milk yield (+1.0 kg/d (weighted mean differences presented in this abstract), p < 0.001), dry matter intake (+0.15 kg/d, p < 0.001), and milk lactose (+0.05%, p = 0.010) in dairy cows housed under thermoneutral conditions. In the few studies conducted on small ruminants, there was an increase in milk yield in response to dietary betaine (0.45 kg/d, p = 0.040). Under heat stress conditions or grazing pasture during summer, dietary betaine increased milk yield (+1.0 kg/d, p < 0.001) and dry matter intake (+0.21 kg/d, p = 0.020). Dietary betaine increased final liveweight (+2.33 kg, p = 0.050) and back fat thickness (+0.74 cm, p < 0.001) in beef cattle. Dietary betaine increased final liveweight (0.14 kg, p = 0.010), daily gain (+0.019 kg/d, p < 0.001), and carcass weight (+0.80 kg, p < 0.001) but not backfat in small ruminants. These meta-analyses showed that dietary betaine increases liveweight in small ruminants and beef cattle and increases feed intake and milk yield in dairy cattle.

Emergence of rare and low abundant anaerobic gut Firmicutes is associated with a significant downfall of Klebsiella in human colon cancer

Gut bacterial dysbiosis has been linked to several gastrointestinal diseases, including deadly colorectal cancer (CRC), a leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. However, perturbation in gut bacteriome during colon cancer (CC, devoid of colorectal malignancy) remains poorly explored. Here, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was carried out for fecal DNA samples targeted to hypervariable V3–V4 region by employing MiSeq platform to explore the gut bacterial community shift in CC patients. While alpha diversity indices predicted high species richness and diversity, beta diversity showed marked gut bacterial compositional dissimilarity in CC versus healthy controls (HC, n = 10 each). We observed a significant (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test) emergence of low-abundant anaerobic taxa, including Parvimonas and Peptostreptococcus, in addition to Subdoligranulum, Coprococcus, Holdemanella, Solobacterium, Bilophila, Blautia, Dorea, Moryella and several unidentified taxa, mainly affiliated to Firmicutes, in CC patients. In addition, we also traced the emergence of putative probiotic taxon Slackia, belonging to Actinomycetota, in CC patients. The emergence of anaerobic Firmicutes in CC is accompanied by a significant (p < 0.05) decline in the Klebsiella, as determined through linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) and heat tree analyses. Shifts in core microbiome and variation in network correlation were also witnessed. Taken together, this study highlighted a significant and consistent emergence of rare anaerobic Firmicutes suggesting possible anaerobiosis driving gut microbial community shift, which could be exploited in designing diagnostic and therapeutic tools targeted to CC.