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Environmental change exerts a profound effect on soil microbial domains-including bacteria, fungi, and protists-that each perform vital ecological processes. While these microbial domains are ubiquitous and extremely diverse, little is known about how they respond to environmental changes in urban soil ecosystems and what ecological processes shape them. Here we investigated the community assembly processes governing bacteria, fungi, and protists through the lens of four distinct subcommunities: abundant, conditionally rare, conditionally abundant, and rare taxa. We show that transient taxa, including the conditionally rare and conditionally rare or abundant taxa, were the predominant subcommunities. Deterministic processes (e.g., environmental filtering) had major roles in structuring all subcommunities of fungi, as well as conditionally rare and abundant protists. Stochastic processes had strong effects in structuring all subcommunities of bacteria (except rare taxa) and conditionally rare protists. Overall, our study underscores the importance of complementing the traditional taxonomy of microbial domains with the subcommunity approach when investigating microbial communities in urban soil ecosystems., Competing Interests: The authors affirm that there are no competing interests present in this work., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Sourcing seed from local populations has been the long-standing default for native restoration plantings for numerous eco-evolutionary reasons. However, rapidly changing environments are revealing risks associated with both non-local and local provenancing. As alternative strategies gain interest, we argue to progress seed sourcing discussions towards developing risk-based decision-making that weighs the risks of changing and not changing in a changing environment, transcending historic default positions and local versus non-local debates., (© 2024 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and The Authors. Ecology Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: A cornerstone of heart failure assessment is the right heart catheterization and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure measurement it can provide. Clinical and hemodynamic parameters such as weight and jugular venous distention are less invasive measures often used to diagnose, manage, and treat these patients. To date, there is little data looking at the association of these key parameters to measured pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP). This is a large, retrospective, secondary analysis of a right heart catheterization database comparing clinical and hemodynamic parameters against measured PCWP in heart failure patients., Methods: A total of 538 subjects were included in this secondary analysis. Spearman's Rho analysis of each clinical and hemodynamic variable was used to compare their association to the documented PCWP. Variables analyzed included weight, body mass index (BMI), jugular venous distention (JVD), creatinine, edema grade, right atrial pressure (RAP), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output (thermal and Fick), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ), and pulmonary artery diastolic pressure (PADP)., Results: Ten out of 17 selected parameters had a statistically significant association with measured PCWP values. PADP had the strongest association (0.73, p<0.0001), followed by RAP and PASP (0.69, p<0.0001 and 0.67, p<0.0001, respectively). Other significant parameters included weight (0.2, p<0.001), BMI (0.2, p<0.001), SpO 2 (-0.17, p<0.0091), JVD (0.24, p<0.005) and edema grade (0.2, p<0.0001)., Conclusion: This retrospective analysis clarifies the associations of commonly used clinical and hemodynamic parameters to the clinically used gold standard for volume assessment in heart failure patients, PCWP., Competing Interests: COMPETING INTERESTS STATEMENT: None

Indigenous Peoples have a rich and long-standing connection with the environments that they descend from-a connection that has informed a deep and multifaceted understanding of the relationship between human well-being and the environment. Through cultural narratives and practices, much of this knowledge has endured despite the ongoing effects that colonization has had on many Indigenous peoples across the world. These narratives and practices, based on observation, experimentation, and practical application over many generations, have the potential to make compelling contributions to our understanding of the environmental microbiome and its relationship to health. Furthermore, the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives regarding the microbiome opens pathways to those who rarely engage with the field and its learnings. Within the scientific community, Indigenous perspectives have not always been acknowledged as valid contributions and are often seen as myth or lacking rigor. Thus, this paper aims to explore an Indigenous perspective of the microbiome as an unseen influence on health and well-being by framing the importance of the natural environment, Indigenous knowledge and leadership, and future research directions that can contribute to this domain. Although the Indigenous perspective in this article reflects the experiences, worldviews, and knowledge of two New Zealand Māori authors, it is hoped that the concepts discussed can relate to Indigenous peoples, and non-Indigenous advocates, globally.

Background: Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in the elderly and readmission is common. Clinical indicators of congestion may not precede acute congestion with enough time to prevent hospital admission for heart failure. Thus, there is a large and unmet need for accurate, noninvasive assessment of congestion. Noninvasive venous waveform analysis in heart failure (NIVA HF ) is a novel, noninvasive technology that monitors intravascular volume status and hemodynamic congestion. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation of NIVA HF with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and the ability of NIVA HF to predict 30-day admission after right heart catheterization., Methods and Results: The prototype NIVA HF device was compared with the PCWP in 106 patients undergoing right heart catheterization. The NIVA HF algorithm was developed and trained to estimate the PCWP. NIVA scores and central hemodynamic parameters (PCWP, pulmonary artery diastolic pressure, and cardiac output) were evaluated in 84 patients undergoing outpatient right heart catheterization. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine whether a NIVA score predicted 30-day hospital admission. The NIVA score demonstrated a positive correlation with PCWP (r = 0.92, n = 106, P < .0001). The NIVA score at the time of hospital discharge predicted 30-day admission with an AUC of 0.84, a NIVA score of more than 18 predicted admission with a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 56%. Residual analysis suggested that no single patient demographic confounded the predictive accuracy of the NIVA score., Conclusions: The NIVA HF score is a noninvasive monitoring technology that is designed to provide an estimate of PCWP. A NIVA score of more than 18 indicated an increased risk for 30-day hospital admission. This noninvasive measurement has the potential for guiding decongestive therapy and the prevention of hospital admission in patients with heart failure., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: California Yellowtail (CYT) Seriola dorsalis are continuous spawners and rely entirely on their diet to supply nutrients like fatty acids (FAs) to their eggs to support early development. The objective of this study was to determine whether commercial diets could replace a diet consisting of fresh fishery products (FFP‐D) without compromising egg quality and biochemical composition, specifically FAs. Methods: In 2017, one broodstock group (one female and two males) was fed a formulated reference feed (REF‐D; Bio‐Oregon). This pilot experiment showed that it was possible for a minimum of one female and two male broodfish to spawn repeatedly in a tank, a finding that led to a replicated diet experiment during 2018 in which 18 CYT broodfish were divided into six replicate tanks, with one female and two males per tank. Three tanks were fed the FFP‐D as a control, and three tanks were fed a commercial diet (COM‐D; Breed‐M, INVE). For each spawning event, egg quality metrics were collected, along with samples for FA analysis. Result: The 2017 REF‐D treatment produced eggs that met arachidonic acid (ARA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) requirements and had egg metrics comparable to those obtained from the FFP‐D, with higher viability and average batch fecundity. However, the REF‐D treatment had insufficient docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and no tank replicates. The 2018 COM‐D treatment produced eggs with large egg and oil diameters and met ARA and EPA requirements but was associated with very poor spawning and hatch success and had insufficient DHA levels. The FFP‐D treatment produced below‐average viability and batch fecundity rates and was unable to meet most essential FA requirements, but it yielded the greatest number of spawning events. Conclusion: None of the experimental treatments, including the control, was able to fully meet the nutritional requirements of CYT broodstock. These results reveal crucial data about current CYT broodstock diets that can facilitate future research for developing nutritionally complete diets, especially in terms of essential FAs. Impact statementThis study investigates three different feed types in California Yellowtail broodstock. We explored if standard fish feeds could replace a standard raw fish diet without compromising egg quality. This is especially relevant to producers because understanding the right feed for broodstock helps ensure a reliable production of high quality eggs. The replacement of a raw fish diet with commercial pellets allows producers to reduce the use of wild‐caught fish as a primary food source for these broodstock, resulting in more sustainable aquaculture practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clinical symptoms of heart failure commonly include fatigue, edema, and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, clinical monitoring has proven unreliable in predicting congestion and the need for hospitalization. Biosensing wearables have been developed as a potential adjunct to clinical signs and symptoms to detect congestion before it becomes severe thus preventing a heart failure hospitalization., Hypothesis: Clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure will correlate with thoracic bioimpedance measurements (ZOE®) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)., Methods: One hundred and fifty-five subjects undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) were prospectively enrolled. A Zo value (ohms) was obtained, jugular venous pressure (JVP) was estimated, edema graded, and shortness of breath (SOB) assessed in all subjects. RHC was performed by a scheduled cardiologist per routine. One-way ANOVA was performed to assess the relationship between variables. A Pearson correlation coefficient was used to compare the Zo value and PCWP., Results: Neither estimated JVP (cmH 2 O) (p = 0.65, n = 110) nor edema scores (p = 0.12, n = 110) demonstrated a significant relationship to PCWP. The presence of subjective SOB also did not demonstrate a significant association with PCWP (p = 0.99, n = 110). There was no correlation between ZOE® and PCWP (r = -0.08, p = 0.56, n = 56)., Conclusions: These findings support the idea that traditional measures for monitoring heart failure patients are limited., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The authors report no relationships that could be construed as a conflict of interest to the details of this study. Kyle Hocking, PhD, is Founder, CEO and President of VoluMetrix and an inventor on intellectual property in the field of venous waveform analysis assigned to Vanderbilt and licensed to VoluMetrix. Colleen Brophy, MD, is Founder and CMO of VoluMetrix and an inventor on intellectual property in the field of venous waveform analysis assigned to Vanderbilt and licensed to VoluMetrix. Bret Alvis, MD, CSO and is an inventor on intellectual property in the field of venous waveform analysis assigned to Vanderbilt and licensed to VoluMetrix and is married to the COO of VoluMetrix. The remaining authors have no disclosures to report.

Information regarding the behavior of different diseases in geriatric equines is scarce, including the ones related to the locomotor system, which is essential to the animal’s performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the different types of alterations in the metacarpophalangeal joint (fetlock) in the thoracic limbs of geriatric equines and the frequency of which they occur. Furthermore, it was aimed to evaluate the scores of such lesions and their correlation to clinical manifestations. In this study, 39 mixed-breed equines were evaluated, all at a minimum age of 15 years (18,9±2,86 years old). Of those, 21 were females (53,8%) and 18 were geldings (46,2%). A clinical examination specific to the locomotor system was performed, followed by ultrasonographic and radiographic imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thoracic limb. For every image obtained, a scoring system was applied in accordance to the severity of the found lesion, such as in the radiographic image (0–4) and in the ultrasonographic image of the soft tissue (0–6) and bone (0–4). Thirteen equines (35%) presented lameness, out of which three (10%) were sourced in the metacarpophalangeal joint and 10 (25%) in other painful sites. All animals (39/39) showed alterations in the metacarpophalangeal joint through ultrasound evaluation and 35 (90%) and 38 (98%) in radiographic evaluation. Considering the injury scoring system for soft tissue, 46 of 78 forelimbs (46/78; 59%) were scored 0; 5/78 (6%) were scored 1; 4/78 (5%) were scored 2; scores 3 and 4 were not observed within the group; 21/78 (26%) were scored 5 and 3/78 (4%) were scored 6. For the scoring system for ultrasonographic alteration in bones, 22/78 (27,5%) were scored 0; 19/78 (23,8%) were scored 1; 32/78 (40%) were scored 2; 6/78 (7,5%) were scored 3 and 1/78 (1,3%) were scored 4. As for the radiographic evaluation, considering both limbs 2/78 (2,5%) were scored 0; 19/78 (23,8%) were scored 1; 13/78 (16,2%) were scored 2, 43/78 (53,8%) were scored 3 and 3/78 (3,7%) were scored 4. The main alterations observed in the study were related to degenerative chronic joint diseases. There was no relationship between the presence of lameness and the scores based on the image´s analysis. The absence of clinical manifestations in geriatric horses that were not being submitted to intense exercises does not exclude the presence of alterations in ultrasonographic and radiographic images of the metacarpophalangeal joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of ALVAC-based HIV and SIV vaccines in humans and macaques correlates with antibodies to envelope variable region 2 (V2). We show here that vaccine-induced antibodies to SIV variable region 1 (V1) inhibit anti-V2 antibody-mediated cytotoxicity and reverse their ability to block V2 peptide interaction with the α 4 β 7 integrin. SIV vaccines engineered to delete V1 and favor an α helix, rather than a β sheet V2 conformation, induced V2-specific ADCC correlating with decreased risk of SIV acquisition. Removal of V1 from the HIV-1 clade A/E A244 envelope resulted in decreased binding to antibodies recognizing V2 in the β sheet conformation. Thus, deletion of V1 in HIV envelope immunogens may improve antibody responses to V2 virus vulnerability sites and increase the efficacy of HIV vaccine candidates., Competing Interests: The US Government has filed a patent on the V1-deleted immunogens with G.F., T.C., I.S.d.C., M.B.-F., M. Bissa., and R.M.A as inventors., (© 2021.)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008121.].

Butyrate‐producing bacteria colonise the gut of humans and non‐human animals, where they produce butyrate, a short‐chain fatty acid with known health benefits. Butyrate‐producing bacteria also reside in soils and soil bacteria can drive the assembly of airborne bacterial communities (the aerobiome). Aerobiomes in urban greenspaces are important reservoirs of butyrate‐producing bacteria as they supplement the human microbiome, but soil butyrate producer communities have rarely been examined in detail. Here, we studied soil metagenome taxonomic and functional profiles and soil physicochemical data from two urban greenspace types: sports fields (n = 11) and nature parks (n = 22). We also developed a novel method to quantify soil butyrate and characterised the in situ activity of butyrate‐producing bacteria. We show that soil butyrate was higher in sports fields than nature parks and that sports fields also had significantly higher relative abundances of the terminal butyrate production genes buk and butCoAT than nature parks. Soil butyrate positively correlated with buk gene abundance (but not butCoAT). Soil moisture (r =.50), calcium (r = −.62), iron (ρ =.54), ammonium nitrogen (ρ =.58) and organic carbon (r =.45) had the strongest soil abiotic effects on soil butyrate concentrations and iron (ρ =.56) and calcium (ρ = −.57) had the strongest soil abiotic effects on buk read abundances. Overall, our findings contribute important new insights into the role of sports fields as key exposure reservoirs of butyrate producing bacteria, with important implications for the provision of microbiome‐mediated human health benefits via butyrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]