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The roots of this current polycrisis can be traced to the post-World War II era’s “Great Acceleration” in social and economic development. [...]evidence suggests that sustainability and resilience are two sides of the same coin; there is a huge net benefit to investing in systemic risk assessment and response across multiple domains, including disaster risk, climate change, health, and food systems and that investments in these areas could have benefits an order of magnitude higher than the initial spending. The World Bank recently extended its Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit to include additional tools to help countries strengthen their preparedness efforts toward future shocks and hasten their recovery from disasters. Time and again we have seen how inadequate situation analysis, based on siloed risk assessment, leads to a waste of time, money, resources, ecosystem damage, and even loss of life and livelihoods.

Numerous DNA assembly technologies exist for generating plasmids for biological studies. Many procedures require complex in vitro or in vivo assembly reactions followed by plasmid propagation in recombination-impaired Escherichia coli strains such as DH5α, which are optimal for stable amplification of the DNA materials. Here we show that despite its utility as a cloning strain, DH5α retains sufficient recombinase activity to assemble up to six double-stranded DNA fragments ranging in size from 150 bp to at least 7 kb into plasmids in vivo. This process also requires surprisingly small amounts of DNA, potentially obviating the need for upstream assembly processes associated with most common applications of DNA assembly. We demonstrate the application of this process in cloning of various DNA fragments including synthetic genes, preparation of knockout constructs, and incorporation of guide RNA sequences in constructs for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing. This consolidated process for assembly and amplification in a widely available strain of E. coli may enable productivity gain across disciplines involving recombinant DNA work.

Malnutrition and unhealthy diets are important risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Francesco Branca and colleagues call for changes in both what and how food is produced, marketed, and consumed

Background The Dehalococcoides are strictly anaerobic bacteria that gain metabolic energy via the oxidation of H 2 coupled to the reduction of halogenated organic compounds. Dehalococcoides spp. grow best in mixed microbial consortia, relying on non-dechlorinating members to provide essential nutrients and maintain anaerobic conditions. A metagenome sequence was generated for the dechlorinating mixed microbial consortium KB-1. A comparative metagenomic study utilizing two additional metagenome sequences for Dehalococcoides -containing dechlorinating microbial consortia was undertaken to identify common features that are provided by the non-dechlorinating community and are potentially essential to Dehalococcoides growth. Results The KB-1 metagenome contained eighteen novel homologs to reductive dehalogenase genes. The metagenomes obtained from the three consortia were automatically annotated using the MG-RAST server, from which statistically significant differences in community composition and metabolic profiles were determined. Examination of specific metabolic pathways, including corrinoid synthesis, methionine synthesis, oxygen scavenging, and electron-donor metabolism identified the Firmicutes, methanogenic Archaea, and the ∂-Proteobacteria as key organisms encoding these pathways, and thus potentially producing metabolites required for Dehalococcoides growth. Conclusions Comparative metagenomics of the three Dehalococcoides -containing consortia identified that similarities across the three consortia are more apparent at the functional level than at the taxonomic level, indicating the non-dechlorinating organisms’ identities can vary provided they fill the same niche within a consortium. Functional redundancy was identified in each metabolic pathway of interest, with key processes encoded by multiple taxonomic groups. This redundancy likely contributes to the robust growth and dechlorination rates in dechlorinating enrichment cultures.

This paper presents a novel small-scale system for drinking water treatment from surface waters, designed to rely on gravity as the only source of energy driving the treatment process. The pilot-scale setup, designed for a flow rate of 0.5 L/s, was tested at the Cornell University Water Filtration Plant (CWFP) for a total period of 5 months of operation. The experiments evaluated the influence of selected process parameters on system performance. The identified best operation practices were used to complete a comparative study against CWFP’s full-scale treatment process and to conduct a performance assessment in the context of various legislative landscapes. The objective of the work was to determine both the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed technology over established solutions. Over the study period, the average turbidity of the produced water was equal to 0.54 NTU. The pilot complied with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) turbidity standard of <0.3 NTU 47.1% of the time and <1 NTU for 89.9% of the time, thus falling short of the standard of <0.3 NTU 95% of the time and <1 NTU 100% of the time. For 99.5% of the time, it complied with the World Health Organization turbidity guideline of <5 NTU for chlorination treatment. The benchmark conventional system outperformed the tested prototype, complying with the US EPA standards for the entire duration of the study. The tested process also generated a waste stream, which accounted on average for more than 10% of the total raw water volume.

Ombrotrophic bogs accumulate large stores of soil carbon that eventually decompose to carbon dioxide and methane. Carbon accumulates because Sphagnum mosses slow microbial carbon decomposition processes, leading to the production of labile intermediate compounds. Acetate is a major product of Sphagnum degradation, yet rates of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis far exceed rates of aceticlastic methanogenesis, suggesting that alternative acetate mineralization processes exist. Two possible explanations are aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration via humic acids as electron acceptors. While these processes have been widely observed, microbial community interactions linking Sphagnum degradation and acetate mineralization remain cryptic. In this work, we use ordination and network analysis of functional genes from 110 globally distributed peatland metagenomes to identify conserved metabolic pathways in Sphagnum bogs. We then use metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from McLean Bog, a Sphagnum bog in New York State, as a local case study to reconstruct pathways of Sphagnum degradation and acetate mineralization. We describe metabolically flexible Acidobacteriota MAGs that contain all genes to completely degrade Sphagnum cell wall sugars under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Finally, we propose a hypothetical model of acetate oxidation driven by changes in peat redox potential that explain how bogs may circumvent aceticlastic methanogenesis through aerobic and humics-driven respiration.

Marine chlorophytes of the genus Chlorella are unicellular algae capable of accumulating a high proportion of cellular lipids that can be used for biodiesel production. In this study, we examined the broad physiological capabilities of a subtropical strain (C596) of Chlorella sp. \"SAG-211-18\" including its heterotrophic growth and tolerance to low salt. We found that the alga replicates more slowly at diluted salt concentrations and can grow on a wide range of carbon substrates in the dark. We then sequenced the RNA of Chlorella strain C596 to elucidate key metabolic genes and investigate the transcriptomic response of the organism when transitioning from a nutrient-replete to a nutrient-deficient condition when neutral lipids accumulate. Specific transcripts encoding for enzymes involved in both starch and lipid biosynthesis, among others, were up-regulated as the cultures transitioned into a lipid-accumulating state whereas photosynthesis-related genes were down-regulated. Transcripts encoding for two of the up-regulated enzymes-a galactoglycerolipid lipase and a diacylglyceride acyltransferase-were also monitored by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. The results of these assays confirmed the transcriptome-sequencing data. The present transcriptomic study will assist in the greater understanding, more effective application, and efficient design of Chlorella-based biofuel production systems.

Study Size Conclusions Uncertainty Griffin D, et al13 UK FASHIoN multicentre RCT comparing hip arthroscopy and best conservative care for FAIS June 2018 348 Patients across 23 UK centres with 27 treating surgeons Primary outcome measurement iHOT-33 (a 100 point hip related quality of life measurement) showed improvement in both the surgical and physiotherapy arms; however, the treatment effect was greater in those having hip arthroscopy (adjusted mean difference of 6.8 points 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 12.0, P=0.0093). [...]it cannot conclude whether one approach is superior to the other. Studies with long term follow-up are required to investigate further Minkara A et al18 Systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes following arthroscopy for FAIS January 2018 29 Clinical studies (1911 patients) 5.5% Risk of re-operation, (95% confidence interval 3.6-7.5), of which 77% had hip replacement 1.7% complication risk (95% confidence interval 0.9-2.5). The wide variation in findings of progression to osteoarthritis indicates uncertainty on the issue Wall P et al21Cochrane review of surgery for FAIS 2014 No research studies identified which met the inclusion criteria No research studies of sufficient quality have been completed to provide an estimate of whether surgery benefits patients with FAIS At the time of this publication in 2014, there were no randomised controlled trials looking at the efficacy of surgery for FAIS RCT: randomised controlled trial Short term outcomes The most recent systematic review (29 clinical studies, 1911 patients) found a statistically significant improvement across all PROMs following hip arthroscopy for FAIS,18 echoing the conclusions of previous systematic reviews.1617181920 Of those patients, 1.7% experienced complications.

Peatland microbial community composition varies with respect to a range of biological and physicochemical variables. While the extent of peat degradation (humification) has been linked to microbial community composition along vertical stratification gradients within peatland sites, across-site variations have been relatively unexplored. In this study, we compared microbial communities across ten pristine Sphagnum-containing peatlands in the Adirondack Mountains, NY, which represented three different peat types—humic fen peat, humic bog peat, and fibric bog peat. Using 16S amplicon sequencing and network correlation analysis, we demonstrate that microbial community composition is primarily linked to peat type, and that distinct taxa networks distinguish microbial communities in each type. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of the active water table region (mesotelm) from two Sphagnum-dominated bogs—one with fibric peat and one with humic peat—revealed differences in primary carbon degradation pathways, with the fibric peat being dominated by carbohydrate metabolism and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, and the humic peat being dominated by aliphatic carbon metabolism and aceticlastic methanogenesis. Our results suggest that peat humification is a major factor driving microbial community dynamics across peatland ecosystems.

ABSTRACT Peatlands are responsible for over half of wetland methane emissions, yet major uncertainties remain regarding carbon flow, especially when increased availability of electron acceptors stimulates competing physiologies. We used microcosm incubations to study the effects of sulfate on microorganisms in two temperate peatlands, one bog and one fen. Three different electron donor treatments were used (13C-acetate, 13C-formate and a mixture of 12C short-chain fatty acids) to elucidate the responses of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methanogens to sulfate stimulation. Methane production was measured and metagenomic sequencing was performed, with only the heavy DNA fraction sequenced from treatments receiving 13C electron donors. Our data demonstrate stimulation of dissimilatory sulfate reduction in both sites, with contrasting community responses. In McLean Bog (MB), hydrogenotrophic Deltaproteobacteria and acetotrophic Peptococcaceae lineages of SRB were stimulated, as were lineages with unclassified dissimilatory sulfite reductases. In Michigan Hollow Fen (MHF), there was little stimulation of Peptococcaceae populations, and a small stimulation of Deltaproteobacteria SRB populations only in the presence of formate as electron donor. Sulfate stimulated an increase in relative abundance of reads for both oxidative and reductive sulfite reductases, suggesting stimulation of an internal sulfur cycle. Together, these data indicate a stimulation of SRB activity in response to sulfate in both sites, with a stronger growth response in MB than MHF. This study provides valuable insights into microbial community responses to sulfate in temperate peatlands and is an important first step to understanding how SRB and methanogens compete to regulate carbon flow in these systems. Different microbial community responses to sulfate are compared within one temperate bog and one temperate fen.