Permutational Multivariate Analysis Research Articles

When humans work like beavers: riparian restoration enhances invertebrate gamma diversity and habitat heterogeneity

Restoration has the potential to increase habitat heterogeneity through the creation of unique habitat patches that, in turn, increase regional species richness or gamma diversity. While biological diversity and habitat heterogeneity are important factors to consider under a shifting climate, restoration actions and outcomes rarely examine these components. In this study, we examined the effects of riparian beaver dam analog (BDA) restoration on aquatic invertebrate diversity and habitat heterogeneity. Although the effects of BDAs on hydrology, geomorphology, and salmonid habitat have been explored, we are unaware of any studies assessing their effects on aquatic invertebrate diversity and the food web that supports them. We sampled aquatic invertebrates, basal carbon resources, dissolved nutrients, turbidity, and water temperature in pre‐ and post‐BDA pond, side channel, and mainstem habitat over a three‐year period. The BDAs functioned similarly to natural beaver dams and created slow‐water environments that accumulated fine particulate organic material and increased pelagic phytoplankton production. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, permutation multivariate analysis of variance, and Mantel's tests demonstrated that these changes led to the formation of a unique invertebrate community populated by lentic macroinvertebrates and zooplankton, which increased beta‐diversity and gamma diversity. Further, BDAs in our study maintained high densities of invertebrates and buffered water temperatures in comparison to adjacent lotic habitats. These results support our hypothesis that BDAs can enhance invertebrate beta and gamma diversity through the creation and colonization of unique pond habitat and improve habitat and resource heterogeneity for native fishes under variable climate conditions.

UNDERSTORY RESPONSE TO RESTORATION ALTERNATIVES IN A SEQUOIA SEMPERVIRENS (CUPRESSACEAE) FOREST

The use of mechanical thinning as a restoration tool in second-growth Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don) Endl. forests is becoming increasingly common, yet little is known about how this treatment affects understory plant communities. The shade tolerant herbaceous species common to the Coast Redwood forest are known to be sensitive to disturbance and may provide a metric for assessing the recovery of the plant community as a whole. Stratified random sampling was used to compare understory composition in old-growth reference stands, naturally recovering forests (57–65 years old), and sites treated with variable density thinning (65 years old; 10–12 years post thinning) in Redwood National Park. Pairwise permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PerMANOVA) indicated greater abundance of native herbs, and lower abundance of non-natives, in old-growth and naturally recovering second-growth compared to thinned stands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling suggested that un-thinned sites were more similar to old-growth than thinned sites in regard to understory composition and abundance, and indicator species analysis returned a suite of indicator species shared between naturally recovering plots and old-growth plots (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn; Trillium ovatum Pursh; Dryopteris arguta (Kaulf.) Maxon; Blechnum spicant (L.) Roth; Vaccinium ovatum Pursh; Gaultheria shallon Pursh; Rubus spectabilis Pursh; Rhododendron macrophyllum D.Don ex G.Don), while thinned plots shared only one indicator species with old-growth (Goodyera oblongifolia Raf.). In addition, both old-growth and naturally recovering un-thinned second-growth sites were dominated by residual species, while thinned plots were dominated by invader species.

Gut colonisation by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and its association with the gut microbiome and metabolome in Dutch adults: a matched case-control study

Gut colonisation by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is a risk factor for developing overt infection. The gut microbiome can provide colonisation resistance against enteropathogens, but it remains unclear whether it confers resistance against ESBL-producing E coli. We aimed to identify a potential role of the microbiome in controlling colonisation by this antibiotic-resistant bacterium. For this matched case-control study, we used faeces from 2751 individuals in a Dutch cross-sectional population study (PIENTER-3) to culture ESBL-producing bacteria. Of these, we selected 49 samples that were positive for an ESBL-producing E coli (ESBL-positive) and negative for several variables known to affect microbiome composition. These samples were matched 1:1 to ESBL-negative samples on the basis of individuals' age, sex, having been abroad or not in the past 6 months, and ethnicity. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was done and taxonomic species composition and functional annotations (ie, microbial metabolism and carbohydrate-active enzymes) were determined. Targeted quantitative metabolic profiling (proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) was done to investigate metabolomic profiles and combinations of univariate (t test and Wilcoxon test), multivariate (principal coordinates analysis, permutational multivariate analysis of variance, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis) and machine-learning approaches (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and random forests) were used to analyse all the molecular data. No differences in diversity parameters or in relative abundance were observed between ESBL-positive and ESBL-negative groups based on bacterial species-level composition. Machine-learning approaches using microbiota composition did not accurately predict ESBL status (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC]=0·41) when using either microbiota composition or any of the functional profiles. The metabolome also did not differ between ESBL groups, as assessed by various methods including random forest (AUROC=0·61). By combining multiomics and machine-learning approaches, we conclude that asymptomatic gut carriage of ESBL-producing E coli is not associated with an altered microbiome composition or function. This finding might suggest that microbiome-mediated colonisation resistance against ESBL-producing E coli is not as relevant as it is against other enteropathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. None.

Evaluating Age and Growth Relationship to Ciguatoxicity in Five Coral Reef Fish Species from French Polynesia

Ciguatera poisoning (CP) results from the consumption of coral reef fish or marine invertebrates contaminated with potent marine polyether compounds, namely ciguatoxins. In French Polynesia, 220 fish specimens belonging to parrotfish (Chlorurus microrhinos, Scarus forsteni, and Scarus ghobban), surgeonfish (Naso lituratus), and groupers (Epinephelus polyphekadion) were collected from two sites with contrasted risk of CP, i.e., Kaukura Atoll versus Mangareva Island. Fish age and growth were assessed from otoliths’ yearly increments and their ciguatoxic status (negative, suspect, or positive) was evaluated by neuroblastoma cell-based assay. Using permutational multivariate analyses of variance, no significant differences in size and weight were found between negative and suspect specimens while positive specimens showed significantly greater size and weight particularly for E. polyphekadion and S. ghobban. However, eating small or low-weight specimens remains risky due to the high variability in size and weight of positive fish. Overall, no relationship could be evidenced between fish ciguatoxicity and age and growth characteristics. In conclusion, size, weight, age, and growth are not reliable determinants of fish ciguatoxicity which appears to be rather species and/or site-specific, although larger fish pose an increased risk of poisoning. Such findings have important implications in current CP risk management programs.

Drying and rewetting induce changes in biofilm characteristics and the subsequent release of metal ions

Drying and rewetting can markedly influence the microbial structure and function of river biofilm communities and potentially result in the release of metal ions from biofilms containing metals. However, little information is available on the response of metal-enriched biofilms to drying and rewetting over time. In this study, natural biofilms were allowed to develop in four rotating annular bioreactors for 2–11 weeks, followed by drying for 5 days and rewetting for another 5 days. Subsequently, we assessed Zn, Cd, and As desorption from the biofilms and other related parameters (microbial community structure, biofilm morphology, enzyme activity, and surface components as well as characteristics). High-throughput sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the biofilm architecture and bacterial communities were distinct in different growth phases and under drying and rewetting conditions (permutational multivariate analysis of variance; p = 0.001). Proteobacteria was the dominant bacterial phylum, accounting for 69.7–90.1% of the total content. Kinetic experiments revealed that the drying and rewetting process increased metal desorption from the biofilm matrix. The desorption of heavy metals was affected by the age of the biofilm, with the maximum amount of metal ions released from 2-week-old biofilms (one-way ANOVA, Zn: p < 0.001; Cd: p = 0.008; As: p < 0.001). The modifications in biofilm properties and decreased diversity of the bacterial community (paired t-test, p < 0.05) after drying and rewetting decreased the number of specific binding sites for metal ions. In addition, negatively charged arsenate and other anions in the liquid phase could compete with As ions for adsorption sites to promote the release of As(V) and/or reductive desorption of As(III). The results of this study and their interpretation are expected to help refine the behaviors of heavy metals in the aquatic environment.

Benthic biodiversity near brine discharge sites in the Port of Rotterdam

The Port of Rotterdam is a heavily man-modified estuarine system, Europe's major seaport and home to a large number of chemical and petrochemical plants, many of which are supplied with distilled water from two demineralized water plants in Botlek and Maasvlakte. In this study, we assessed the ecological conditions near the brine outfalls and at a reference site unimpacted by brine, focusing on the benthic macrofaunal composition. Overall, the analysis of the communities and species revealed a similar macrobenthic composition, although with lower abundance and diversity compared to the nearby North Sea environment. The outfall area of the Botlek demineralized water plant, which is a dead-end entirely marine waterway with no to little currents in contrast to the well flushed brackish environment of the outfall of the Maasvlakte demineralized water plant, was characterized by the lowest abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates, species richness and Shannon diversity index. Higher biodiversity values at the Maasvlakte demineralized water plant compared to the reference site were also associated with the presence of a large biogenic reef of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas with specimens of over 8 years estimated age being observed, however with many dead individuals recorded at the time of surveys. The outfall area of the Botlek demineralized water plant also had the highest disturbance levels according to the results of AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) in conjunction with Benthos Ecosystem Quality Index (BEQI). Its community was dominated by the opportunistic native species Capitella capitata and Varicorbula gibba, and species typical for organic matter enrichment such as Alitta succinea (native), Streblospio cf shrubsolii (native) and Theora lubrica (invasive), which correlates well with higher levels of anthropogenic pollution in this area. Generalized linear model (GLM) and distance-based multivariate linear model (DistLM) showed that the distance from the outfalls was an important factor in terms of brine impacts however explaining a small part of the variation observed. Similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER), multivariate analysis, and permutational multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA) showed low similarity between and within study sites, confirming that high levels of heterogeneity exist within the estuarine system in terms of natural conditions and anthropogenic stress.

Profile of urinary exosomal microRNAs and their contribution to diabetic kidney disease through a predictive classification model.

Evaluate the expression of exomiRs-126, -146, and -155 in urinary exosomes of patients with T2DM and diabetic kidney disease to establish a predictive classification model with exomiRs and clinical variables in order to determine their contribution to DKD. The study group included 92 subjects: 64 patients diagnosed with T2DM subclassified into two groups with albuminuria (T2DM with albuminuria, n= 30) and without albuminuria (TD2M, n= 34) as well as 28 healthy, non-diabetic participants. Exosomes were isolated from urine and identified by TEM and flow cytometry. Profile expression of exomiRs-126, -146 and -155 was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Data were analysed by permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), similarity percentage (SIMPER), principal coordinate analysis (PCO), and canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP). T2DM patients with and without albuminuria showed higher levels of miR-155 and miR-146 compared with controls. In addition, T2DM patients with albuminuria presented a significant increase in miR-126 contrasted to controls and patients without albuminuria. PCO analysis explained 34.6% of the total variability of the data (PERMANOVA; p< .0001). Subsequently, SIMPER analysis showed that miR-146, miR-155, and miR-126 together, with some clinical parameters, contributed to 50% of the between-group significance. Finally, the CAP analysis developed showed a correct classification of 89.01% with the analysed parameters. A platform using a combination of clinical variables and exomiRs could be used to classify individuals with T2D as risk for developing DKD.

Diverse Bathyarchaeotal Lineages Dominate Archaeal Communities in the Acidic Dajiuhu Peatland, Central China.

Bathyarchaeota are believed to have roles in the carbon cycle in marine systems. However, the ecological knowledge of Bathyarchaeota is limited in peatland ecosystems. Here, we investigated the vertical distribution of Bathyarchaeota community structure using quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing technology of ribosomal 16S rRNA gene integrated with detailed chemical profiling in the Dajiuhu Peatland, central China. Eight archaeal phyla were observed in peat samples, which mainly composed of Bathyarchaeota with a mean relative abundance about 88%, followed by Thaumarchaeota (9%). Bathyarchaeota were further split into 17 subgroups, and some subgroups showed habitat specificity to peat horizons with distinct lithological and physicochemical properties, for example, Bathy-6 and Bathy-15 had preference for the acrotelm, Bathy-5b, Bathy-16, and Bathy-19 were enriched in the catotelm, Bathy-5a, Bathy-8, and Bathy-11 were specific for the clay horizon. This spatial distribution pattern of archaeal communities along peat profile was mainly influenced by water content as indicated by RDA ordination and permutational MANOVA, whereas organic matter content exclusively affected Bathyarchaeota distribution along the peat profile significantly. The abundance of archaeal 16S rRNA genes ranged from 105 to 107 copies per gram dry sediment, and the highest archaeal biomass was observed in the periodically oxic mesotelm horizon with more dynamic archaeal interaction relationship as indicated by the network analysis. Bathyarchaeota dominated the archaeal interaction network with 82% nodes, 96% edges, and 71% keystone species. Our results provide an overview of the archaeal population, community structure, and relationship with environmental factors that affect the vertical distribution of archaeal communities and emphasize the ecology of bathyarchaeotal lineages in terrestrial peatland ecosystems.

Effects of a Supplement Containing a Cranberry Extract on Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Intestinal Microbiota: A Prospective, Uncontrolled Exploratory Study.

Aim:Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are traditionally used in prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs). The authors' aim was to evaluate effects of a supplement containing cranberry extract, pumpkin seed extract, vitamin C, and vitamin B2 on recurrent uncomplicated UTIs in women and their intestinal microbiota.Methods:A prospective, uncontrolled exploratory study was conducted in women with recurrent uncomplicated UTIs. The primary exploratory outcome was the number of UTIs in a 6-month prospective observation period compared with a 6-month retrospective period. Further outcomes included number of antibiotics, quality of life (SF-36), intestinal microbiota (assessed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing), and evaluation questions. Parameters were assessed at baseline and after 1, 2, and 7 months (start of intake of cranberry supplement after 1 month for 6 months). p-Values were calculated with the pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank test for α diversity and permutational multivariate analysis of variance.Results:Twenty-three women (aged 52.7 ± 12.4 years) were included in the study. Participants reported 2.2 ± 0.8 UTIs (at baseline) in the previous 6 months. After 6 months of cranberry intake, participants reported a significant decrease to 0.5 ± 0.9 UTIs (p < 0.001). Number of antibiotic therapies was also significantly (p < 0.001) reduced by 68% during 6 months of cranberry intake (0.14 ± 0.35) when compared with 6 months retrospectively (1.14 ± 0.71). The SF-36 physical component score increased from 44.9 ± 5.5 at baseline to 45.7 ± 4.6 at 7 months (p = 0.16). The SF-36 mental component score decreased slightly from the baseline value of 46.5 ± 6.5 to 46.2 ± 6.4 at 7 months (p = 0.74). No significant intragroup mean changes at genus, family, or species level for α and β diversity within the intestinal microbiota were found. In the evaluation questions, participants rated the cranberry extract positively and considered it beneficial. The supplement intake was safe.Conclusions:This study shows that women with recurrent uncomplicated UTIs benefit from cranberry intake. Future larger clinical studies with further investigation of the mechanisms of action are required to determine the effects of cranberries on participants with uncomplicated UTIs.

Abstract 022: Association Of Nutritionally-Rich Plant-Centered Diets With Gut Microbial Diversity And Composition Columbia Heart Failure-Microbiome Study

Introduction: A plant-centered diet is related to lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, its association with the gut microbiome has not been well studied in populations with heart failure (HF), and mechanisms linking diet to improved outcomes among HF patients are poorly understood. Hypothesis: Consuming a more nutritionally-rich plant-centered diet is associated with increased microbial alpha diversity and with favorable taxonomic composition and features as compared to consuming less plant-centered diets. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 152 patients with NYHA class I-IV HF with reduced ejection fraction. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Plant-centered diet quality was evaluated using A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS) and the APDQS was classified into quintiles; high scores were characterized by higher consumption of nutritionally-rich plant foods with lower consumption of high-fat meats and unhealthy plant foods. Stool samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Associations of the APDQS with alpha (Shannon Index and Inverse Simpson) and beta diversity (defined via Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index) were evaluated by linear regression and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), respectively. Negative-binomial regressions using DESeq2 were used to study the association between the APDQS and the relative abundance of specific taxa at the phylum and genus levels. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were performed using the false discovery rate. Results: Mean Shannon Index and Inverse Simpson values were 6.28±0.5 and 407.7±183.37, respectively. Among patients aged &lt;61y, after multivariable adjustment, the APDQS (per 12 units) was associated with higher Shannon Index (0.13±0.05; P for slope=0.007) and Inverse Simpson (46.87±15.5; P for slope=0.004); no associations were observed among those aged ≥ 61y (P for interaction &lt;0.05 for each). APDQS quintiles were not associated with beta-diversity (PERMANOVA, P=0.54). At the genus level, the highest quintile of the ADPQS (vs the lowest quintile) was associated with higher abundance of Enterobacter and lower abundance of Catenibacterium. Conclusions: Consuming nutritionally-rich plant-centered diets was significantly associated with higher gut microbiota diversity in younger HF patients, as well as significantly higher or lower abundance of certain bacterial taxa at the genus level.

Contributions of Human-Associated Archaeal Metabolites to Tumor Microenvironment and Carcinogenesis.

ABSTRACTThere is increasing awareness that archaea are interrelated with human diseases (including cancer). Archaea utilize unique metabolic pathways to produce a variety of metabolites that serve as a direct link to host-microbe interactions. However, knowledge on the diversity of human-associated archaea is still extremely limited, and less is known about the pathological effects of their metabolites to the tumor microenvironment and carcinogenesis. In the present study, we performed a large-scale analysis of archaea and their cancer-related metabolites across different body sites using >44,000 contigs with length >1,000 bp. Taxonomy annotation revealed that the occurrence and diversity of archaea are higher in two body sites, the gut and the oral cavity. Unlike other human-associated microbes, the nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) analyses have shown no difference of archaeal compositions between Easterners and Westerners. Likewise, protein annotation suggests that genes encoding cancer-related metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids and polyamines) are more prevalent and diverse in gut and oral samples. Archaea carrying these metabolites are restricted to Euryarchaeota and the TACK superphylum (Thaumarchaeota, Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, and Korarchaeota), especially methanogenic archaea, such as Methanobacteria.IMPORTANCE More evidence suggests that archaea are associated with human disease, including cancer. Here, we present the first framework of the diversity and distribution of human-associated archaea across human body sites, such as gut and oral cavity, using long contigs. Furthermore, we unveiled the potential archaeal metabolites linking to different lineages that might influence the tumor microenvironment and carcinogenesis. These results could open a new door to the guidance of diagnosing cancer and developing new treatment strategies.

Raman Spectroscopy of Individual Cervical Exfoliated Cells in Premalignant and Malignant Lesions

Cervical cancer is frequent neoplasia. Currently, the diagnostic approach includes cervical cytology, colposcopy, and histopathology studies; combining detection techniques increases the sensitivity and specificity of the tests. Raman spectroscopy is a high-resolution technique that supports the diagnosis of malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the Raman spectroscopy technique discriminating between healthy and premalignant/malignant cervical cells. We included 81 exfoliative cytology samples, 29 in the “healthy group” (negative cytology), and 52 in the “CIN group” (premalignant/malignant lesions). We obtained the nucleus and cytoplasm Raman spectra of individual cells. We tested the spectral differences between groups using Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA) and Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP). We found that Raman spectra have increased intensity in premalignant/malignant cells compared with healthy cells. The characteristic Raman bands corresponded to proteins and nucleic acids, in concordance with the increased replication and translation processes in premalignant/malignant states. We found a classification efficiency of 76.5% and 82.7% for cytoplasmic and nuclear Raman spectra, respectively; cell nucleus Raman spectra showed a sensitivity of 84.6% in identifying cervical anomalies. The classification efficiency and sensitivity obtained for nuclear spectra suggest that Raman spectroscopy could be helpful in the screening and diagnosis of premalignant lesions and cervical cancer.

Positive effects of low grazing intensity on East African bee assemblages mediated by increases in floral resources

Livestock grazing is widespread and increasing in the African grasslands, with largely unknown consequences for bee pollinators. Here we assessed the direct and indirect impacts of livestock grazing intensity on bee assemblages in East African grasslands and tested if the effect of grazing intensity on bee assemblages depends on temperature. We collected data on 24 study sites representing three different levels of livestock grazing intensity in northern Tanzania. Ordinary linear models and path analysis were used to test the effect of grazing and temperature on floral resources and bee diversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and permutational MANOVA were used to analyze changes in bee community composition and bee-visited plant community with grazing intensity and temperature. We found that moderate livestock grazing slightly increased bee species richness while high grazing intensity led to a strong decline. Further, bee species richness was highest at moderate temperatures and significantly lower in colder and very hot environments. Path analysis results showed that the effect of livestock grazing and environmental temperature on bee species richness is mediated by a positive effect of moderate grazing on floral resource richness. Livestock grazing led to a significant change in the species composition of bee communities, this effect was stronger in environments with very high temperatures. Our study reveals that bee communities of the African savannah zone may benefit from low levels of livestock grazing as this proliferates the growth of flowering plant species. However, livestock grazing at high intensity will cause significant species losses and turnover of bee species communities; effects which may increase with climatic warming.

Drivers of temporal variations in fish assemblages from mangrove creeks in Beihai, southern China.

Mangroves are regarded as important settlement grounds and nurseries for fishes due to the sheltered nature of these ecosystems. To identify the drivers of temporal variations in fish assemblages, seasonal variations of fish assemblages and environmental variables were investigated in Nanliu River Estuary, China, from July 2019 to May 2020. In total, 17,680 individuals weighing 24,724.73 g belonging to 23 families and 45 species were collected. The dominant species were Ambassis urotaenia, Mugil cephalus, Coptodon zillii, Gambusia affinis, and Bostrychus sinensis. Fish assemblages were significantly different in seasonal periodicity according to the results of nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). Kruskal-Wallis test results revealed that species richness, fish abundance, and biomass were significantly different, seasonally. The highest number of fish specimens captured was recorded in winter and summer, while the highest biomass was observed in autumn. Different ecological types of fish utilized mangroves in different ways. Hence, the findings in this study are instrumental in understanding and the conservation of mangroves even coastal wetland and fish resources in the process of mangrove restorations.

Probing the correlation between corrosion resistance and biofouling of thermally sprayed metallic substrata in the field

The correlation between inherent corrosion resistance and biofouling was investigated for five different metallic coatings. Steel panels thermally spray-coated with either aluminium, Monel, bronze or different aluminium alloys were tested in controlled salt mist conditions and electrochemical corrosion tests and subsequently employed at sea. The biofouling of the panels was monitored at different depths (5, 10 and 15 m) at periods ranging from 5 to 12 months. The main macrofouling organisms were quantified and analysed using permutational multivariate analysis. The results indicate a significant difference in fouling pressure between depths and the geographic sites used. No statistically significant link between high corrosion resistance and lower biofouling pressure was observed, indicating that the main marine macrofoulers settled equally well on corrosion resistant and corrosion prone metallic surfaces. This work sheds light on biofouling of thermally sprayed metallic substrata and it characterizes and compares biofouling assemblages from different biogeographical regions in Europe.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps in assessing the abundance, richness, and community composition of mosquitoes in rural and natural areas

BackgroundVector-borne diseases are a major burden to public health. Controlling mosquitoes is considered the most effective way to prevent vector-borne disease transmission. Mosquito surveillance is a core component of integrated vector management, as surveillance programs are often the cornerstone for the development of mosquito control operations. Two traps are the most commonly used for the surveillance of adult mosquitoes: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light trap (CDC light trap) and BG-Sentinel trap (BioGents, Regensburg, Germany). However, despite the importance of the BG-Sentinel trap in surveillance programs in the United States, especially in the Southern states, its effectiveness in consistently and reliably collecting mosquitoes in rural and natural areas is still unknown. We hypothesized that BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps would be more attractive to specific mosquito species present in rural and natural areas. Therefore, our objective was to compare the relative abundance, species richness, and community composition of mosquitoes collected in natural and rural areas by BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps.MethodsMosquitoes were collected from October 2020 to March 2021 using BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps baited with dry ice, totaling 105 trap-nights.ResultsThe BG-Sentinel traps collected 195,115 mosquitoes comprising 23 species from eight genera, and the CDC light traps collected 188,594 mosquitoes comprising 23 species from eight genera. The results from the permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) and generalized estimating equation model for repeated measures indicate the BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps had similar sampling power.ConclusionEven though BG-Sentinel traps had a slightly better performance, the difference was not statistically significant indicating that both traps are suitable to be used in mosquito surveillance in rural and natural areas.Graphical

Association of the Gut Microbiota With Cognitive Function in Midlife

Animal experiments and small clinical studies support a role for the gut microbiota in cognitive functioning. Few studies have investigated gut microbiota and cognition in large community samples. To examine associations of gut microbial composition with measures of cognition in an established population-based study of middle-aged adults. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the prospective Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort in 4 US metropolitan centers between 2015 and 2016. Data were analyzed in 2019 and 2020. Stool DNA were sequenced, and the following gut microbial measures were gathered: (1) β-diversity (between-person) derived with multivariate principal coordinates analysis; (2) α-diversity (within-person), defined as richness (genera count) and the Shannon index (integrative measure of genera richness and evenness); and (3) taxonomy (107 genera, after filtering). Cognitive status was assessed using 6 clinic-administered cognitive tests: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Stroop, category fluency, and letter fluency. A global score measure derived using principal components analysis was also assessed; the first principal component explained 56% of variability. Microbiome data were available on 597 CARDIA participants; mean (SD) age was 55.2 (3.5) years, 268 participants (44.7%) were men, and 270 (45.2%) were Black. In multivariable-adjusted principal coordinates analysis, permutational multivariate analysis of variance tests for β-diversity were statistically significant for all cognition measures (principal component analysis, P = .001; MoCA, P = .001; DSST, P = .001; RAVLT, P = .001; Stroop, P = .007; category fluency, P = .001) with the exception of letter fluency (P = .07). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables (age, race, sex, education), health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, medication use), and clinical covariates (body mass index, diabetes, hypertension), Barnesiella was positively associated with the first principal component (β, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.08-0.24), DSST (β, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.35-2.00), and category fluency (β, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.31-0.87); Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group was positively associated with DSST (β, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.10-4.23), and Sutterella was negatively associated with MoCA (β, -0.27; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.11). In this cross-sectional study, microbial community composition, based on β-diversity, was associated with all cognitive measures in multivariable-adjusted analysis. These data contribute to a growing body of literature suggesting that the gut microbiota may be associated with cognitive aging, but must be replicated in larger samples and further researched to identify relevant pathways.

Influence of cadmium and copper mixtures to rhizosphere bacterial communities

To study the effects of combined Cd and Cu pollution on rhizosphere bacterial community. High-throughput sequencing was used to examine the response of rhizosphere bacterial communities to heavy-metal stress under single and mixed pollution of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu). With additions of Cd and Cu, the mean diversity index of rhizosphere bacterial community was in the order Cu alone > Cd-Cu mixtures > Cd alone. In all Cd and Cu treatments, the dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Acidobacteria. In the additions with different concentrations of Cd-Cu mixtures, LEfSe indicated that there were differences in the predominant species of rhizosphere bacterial communities. Some genera such as Streptomyces and Microbacterium belonging to Actinobacteria as biomarkers were significantly enriched in both control and treatments, while some genera such as Pseudoxanthomonas and Rhodopseudomonas belonging to Proteobacteria as biomarkers were observed to be enriched in the additions with single and mixture of Cd and Cu. According to the Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis, the structure of rhizosphere bacterial community was different between treatments and the CK. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) showed that there were significant differences among treatments (p < 0.01), and that the addition of Cu might be the primary factor affecting the composition of rhizosphere bacterial communities.

Spatial- and size-related shifts in feeding habits of the common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the Southeast Pacific Ocean

Feeding habits of common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) were investigated in the Southeast Pacific Ocean using stomach content analysis. Stomachs were collected from 1506 individuals ranging between 18 and 187 cm in fork length. The fish were caught by longliner boats in 2009–2017. Based on percentage of wet weight (%Wi), percentage of number (%Ni), and frequency of occurrence (%Oi), flyingfishes were the predominant prey, followed by the cephalopods jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) and argonaut (Argonauta spp.). Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) detected significant differences between zones (p < 0.001). PERMANOVA also revealed two size-related shifts in feeding habits to occur at FL ~ 80 cm and FL ~ 110 cm (p < 0.001). Cumulative prey curves did not reach an asymptote in any of the zones and size classes, which may be attributed to the fine taxonomic resolution used. Spatial variations in daily meal ranged between 296.3 and 438.9 g day−1, corresponding to daily ration of 6.1–8.2% body mass BM day−1. Otherwise, size-related variations in both DM and DR were observed. Thus, while daily food intake increased with size from 177.3 for the smallest fish (LF < 80 cm) to 496.7 g day−1 for the largest ones (LF ≥ 110 cm), DR decreased from 13.0 ± 22.1 to 3.7 ± 0.7 BM day−1. The present results contribute to improve the understanding of dolphinfish feeding habits in the Southeast Pacific Ocean.

Tumor microbiome variation in young versus average onset colorectal cancer.

144 Background: The incidence of young onset colorectal cancer (yoCRC) is rising at alarming rates. The gut microbiome may be a factor accounting for the increase. We analyzed differences in the intratumoral microbiome of yoCRC vs average onset CRC (aoCRC) and its clinical impact. Methods: We identified 314 histologically confirmed cases of stage I-IV CRC that underwent surgical resection at our institution from 2000-2020, diagnosed &lt;50 years of age for yoCRC and &gt;60 years for aoCRC, who consented to a prospective biorepository. 36 cases were excluded due to nonmalignant, non-adenocarcinoma or metastatic site specimens. Fresh frozen tissue from the primary tumor with paired adjacent nonmalignant tissue specimens were analyzed. 16S rDNA was isolated and sequence reads were assigned to genus level amplicon sequence variants in DADA2 and analyzed for alpha and beta diversity using Phyloseq. Statistical tests included analysis of variance (ANOVA), permutational multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA), linear regression, and Wilcoxon test. Differential abundance and correlation analysis were adjusted for sex and ethnicity as confounding factors. Correlation analysis was adjusted with Benjamini Hochberg correction. Clinical differences were analyzed using Fisher's exact test. Results: Of the cohort of 278 patients, 137 had yoCRC (median age 43 years, range 16-49) and 141 had aoCRC (median age 73 years, range 61-95). yoCRC patients were more likely to have stage III or IV disease at presentation (29% vs 14%, p =0.002; 29% vs 18%, p =0.024 respectively), left sided tumors (74% vs 58%, p =0.003) and receive neoadjuvant therapy (29% vs 15%, p =0.004). yoCRC had significantly higher tumor microbial alpha diversity than aoCRC ( p &lt;2.22e−16, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Beta diversity analysis demonstrated significantly different diversity of genera between the groups (R2=0.12, p =0.001, PERMANOVA). The prevalent taxa identified in both groups were Lactobacillus, Bacillus and Listeria. Differential abundance analysis (ANOVA, p &lt;0.05) revealed a significant variation of intratumoral microbiome (Table). Correlation analysis revealed an association of longer overall survival (OS) with the presence of Akkermansia in yoCRC (R2 =0.36, p &lt;0.001), but not in aoCRC. Conclusions: We found significant differences between the intratumoral microbiome of yoCRC and aoCRC. In particular, Akkermansia, considered a healthy gut microbe, was found in greater relative abundance in yoCRC and correlated with improved OS. Further studies are warranted to understand the nature of association of these microbes with the development of and outcomes in yoCRC. [Table: see text]