Response of Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea robusta and Pinus radiata to contrasting biowastes

The myrtaceae family has a cosmopolitan distribution and includes the Australasian native species Leptospermum scoparium (mānuka) and Kunzea robusta (kānuka), which are of economic interest for the production of high-value honey and essential oils. Potentially, these species could be established on low-fertility or degraded soils that have been amended with biowastes, including biosolids and sawdust. We aimed to determine the effect of these biowastes on nitrate leaching and the growth and chemical composition of these plant species compared to Pinus radiata (pine), a common forestry species. The addition of biosolids (1250kgNha^-1 equiv.) increased the total dry biomass of mānuka, kānuka, and pine by 117, 90, and 86% respectively. Mixing sawdust with biosolids stimulated growth of mānuka (52%), kānuka (121%) but not pine. Biosolids increased plant uptake of N, P, and trace elements, but not to levels of concern. Nitrate leaching from all treatments was negligible (<2kgha^-1).

Birth Rates after Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer in North Carolina, 2000–2014

Each year, &gt;45,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with cancer during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA), defined by the National Cancer Institute as ages 15–39 years. ASCO first published guidelines on fertility counseling and preservation for cancer patients in 2006. Few studies have assessed birth rates after cancer among AYAs. We identified women with an incident cancer diagnosis at ages 15–39 during 2000–2013 in the North Carolina Cancer Registry. Cancer records were linked with statewide birth certificates through 2014 using a probabilistic algorithm. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for childbirth were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression, with person-time accrued from cancer diagnosis until death, 46th birthday or December 31, 2014 and adjusted for age at diagnosis. Among 19,507 AYA cancer survivors, 2,343 had ≥1 post-diagnosis birth during 110,216 person-years. The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidence of post-diagnosis birth was 12% and 18%, respectively. The most common cancers were breast (25%), thyroid (14%), gynecologic (10%), melanoma (10%), and lymphoma (7%). The percent with a birth after diagnosis was lowest for breast and gynecologic cancer (6% for both) and highest for Hodgkin lymphoma (23%) and melanoma (24%). Survivors with a birth after diagnosis were more often younger, had not received radiation or chemotherapy, and had lower stage disease. African American women were less likely to have a post-diagnosis birth than white women overall (HR = 0.82; 0.73, 0.92), due in part to a higher proportion of breast cancers (35% vs. 23%). About 30% of births were &lt;2 years from cancer diagnosis and 20% were &gt;5 years after (mean = 3.5 years). Half (48%) were to women who were nulliparous at diagnosis. The 5-year cumulative incidence of post-diagnosis birth was 11.7% for women diagnosed during 2007–2012 (after ASCO's 2006 guidelines), compared to 11.6% during 2000–2005 (HR = 0.98; 0.89, 1.08) and varied little by cancer type. Despite advances in fertility preservation options and recognition of fertility counseling as a part of high quality cancer care, birth rates have remained stable over the last 15 years. Low implementation of fertility counseling and limited access to fertility preservation may be contributing factors.

Microbialite response to an anthropogenic salinity gradient in Great Salt Lake, Utah

A railroad causeway across Great Salt Lake, Utah (GSL), has restricted water flow since its construction in 1959, resulting in a more saline North Arm (NA; 24%-31% salinity) and a less saline South Arm (SA; 11%-14% salinity). Here, we characterized microbial carbonates collected from the SA and the NA to evaluate the effect of increased salinity on community composition and abundance and to determine whether the communities present in the NA are still actively precipitating carbonate or if they are remnant features from prior to causeway construction. SSU rRNA gene abundances associated with the NA microbialite were three orders of magnitude lower than those associated with the SA microbialite, indicating that the latter community is more productive. SSU rRNA gene sequencing and functional gene microarray analyses indicated that SA and NA microbialite communities are distinct. In particular, abundant sequences affiliated with photoautotrophic taxa including cyanobacteria and diatoms that may drive carbonate precipitation and thus still actively form microbialites were identified in the SA microbialite; sequences affiliated with photoautotrophic taxa were in low abundance in the NA microbialite. SA and NA microbialites comprise smooth prismatic aragonite crystals. However, the SA microbialite also contained micritic aragonite, which can be formed as a result of biological activity. Collectively, these observations suggest that NA microbialites are likely to be remnant features from prior to causeway construction and indicate a strong decrease in the ability of NA microbialite communities to actively precipitate carbonate minerals. Moreover, the results suggest a role for cyanobacteria and diatoms in carbonate precipitation and microbialite formation in the SA of GSL.

Production of Biomass Crops Using Biowastes on Low-Fertility Soil: 1. Influence of Biowastes on Plant and Soil Quality

Land application of biosolids to low-fertility soil can improve soil quality by increasing concentrations of macronutrients and trace elements. Mixing biosolids with sawdust could reduce the risks of contaminant accumulation posed by rebuilding soils using biosolids alone. We aimed to determine the effects of biosolids and biosolids-sawdust on the plant quality and chemical composition of sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass. Plants were grown in a greenhouse over a 5-mo period in a low-fertility soil amended with biosolids (1250 kg N ha), biosolids-sawdust (0.5:1), or urea (200 kg N ha). Biosolids application increased the biomass of sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass up to 14.0, 11.9, and 4.1 t ha eq, respectively. Mixing sawdust with biosolids resulted in a growth response similar to biosolids treatments in rapeseed but nullified the effect of biosolids in sorghum. Urea fertilization provided insufficient nutrients to promote rapeseed growth and seed production, whereas seed yields after biosolids application were 2.5 t ha. Biosolids and biosolids-sawdust application enhanced plant quality by increasing element concentrations, especially Zn, and potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Ni) did not exceed food safety standards. An application of 50 t ha of biosolids, equivalent to 1250 kg N ha, did not exceed current soil limits of Cu, Zn, and Cd and hence was effective in rebuilding soil without accumulating contaminants. The effect of mixing sawdust with biosolids varies with plant species but can further enhance plant nutrient quality in biomass and seeds, especially P, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, S, and Na.

Production of Biomass Crops Using Biowastes on Low-Fertility Soil: 2. Effect of Biowastes on Nitrogen Transformation Processes

Increasing production of biowastes, particularly biosolids (sewage sludge), requires sustainable management strategies for their disposal. Biosolids can contain high concentrations of nutrients; hence, land application can have positive effects on plant growth and soil fertility, especially when applied to degraded soils. However, high rates of biosolids application may result in excessive nitrogen (N) leaching, which can be mitigated by blending biosolids with other biowastes, such as sawdust. We aimed to determine the effects of biosolids and sawdust on growth and N uptake by sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass as well as N losses via leaching. Plants were grown in a greenhouse over a 5-mo period in a low-fertility soil amended with biosolids (1250 kg N ha), biosolids-sawdust (0.5:1), or urea (200 kg N ha). Urea application increased biomass production of sorghum and ryegrass but proved insufficient for rapeseed on low-fertility soil. Biosolids application increased plant N concentrations in ryegrass and rapeseed and increased N uptake into the seeds of sorghum, increasing seed quality. Biosolids application did result in lower N leaching compared with urea, irrespective of plant species, and N leaching was unaffected by mixing the biosolids with sawdust. There was an indication of biological nitrification inhibition in the rhizosphere of sorghum. Rapeseed had similar growth and N uptake into biomass in biosolids and biosolids-sawdust treatments and hence was the most promising species with regard to recycling fresh sawdust in combination with high rates of biosolids on low-fertility soil.

An analysis of inter-professional collaboration in osteoporosis screening at a primary care level using the D'Amour model

OBJECTIVES

This study describes the perspective of patients, nurses, pharmacists, doctors and policy makers to identify the level of collaboration and the areas for improvement to achieve inter-professional collaboration between doctors, nurses, pharmacists and policy makers in a primary care clinic.

METHODS

Patients (n = 20), Nurses (n = 10), pharmacists (n = 11), doctors (n = 10) and policy makers (n = 5) from a primary care were individually interviewed using a semi-structured topic guide. Purposive sampling was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis informed by constant comparison.

RESULTS

Patients, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and policy makers were eager for pharmacists to be more proactive in creating health awareness and conducting osteoporosis screening at the primary care clinic via inter-professional collaboration. These findings were further examined using the D'Amour's structural model of collaboration which encompasses four main themes: shared goals and visions, internalization, formalization and governance. This model supports our data which highlights a lack of understanding of the pharmacists' role among the doctors, nurses, policy makers and pharmacists themselves. There is also a lack of governance and formalization, that fosters consensus, leadership, protocol and information exchange. Nonetheless, the stakeholders trust that pharmacists have sufficient knowledge to contribute to the screening of osteoporosis. Our primary care clinic can be described as developing towards an inter-professional collaboration in managing osteoporosis but is still in its early stages.

CONCLUSIONS

Inter-professional collaboration in osteoporosis management at the primary care level is beginning to be practised. Efforts extending to awareness and acceptance towards the pharmacists' role will be crucial for a successful change.

Correction: Identification of Novel Pre-Erythrocytic Malaria Antigen Candidates for Combination Vaccines with Circumsporozoite Protein

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159449.].

Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States

To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for >90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature. Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive.

Retinal pigment epithelial cell necroptosis in response to sodium iodate

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease of the retina and the leading cause of blindness in the elderly in developed countries. The late stage of dry AMD, or geographic atrophy (GA), is characterized by extensive retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration. The underlying molecular mechanism for RPE cell death in GA remains unclear. Our previous study has established that RPE cells die predominantly from necroptosis in response to oxidative stress in vitro. Here, we extend our study and aim to characterize the nature of RPE cell death in response to sodium iodate (NaIO₃) in vitro and in a NaIO₃-induced retina degeneration mouse model. We found that NaIO₃ induces RPE necroptosis in vitro by using a combination of molecular hallmarks. By using TUNEL assays, active caspase-3 and HMGB1 immunostaining, we confirmed that photoreceptor cells die mainly from apoptosis and RPE cells die mainly from necroptosis in response to NaIO₃in vivo. RPE necroptosis in this model is also supported by use of the RIPK1 inhibitor, Necrostatin-1. Furthermore, using novel RIPK3-GFP transgenic mouse lines, we detected RIPK3 aggregation, a hallmark of necroptosis, in the RPE cells in vivo after NaIO₃ injection. Our findings suggest the necessity of re-evaluating RPE cell death mechanism in AMD models and have the potential to influence therapeutic development for dry AMD, especially GA.

Rationale and Design of the Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Substudy of the ONTARGET Trial Programme

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes in high-risk patients, but evidence for the cardioprotective effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) is less extensive. The ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial (ONTARGET) and the parallel Telmisartan Randomized AssessmeNt Study in aCE iNtolerant subjects with cardiovascular Disease (TRANSCEND) - which together form The ONTARGET Trial Programme – are long-term, large-scale, double-blind, multinational outcome studies with the primary objectives of determining if the combination of the ARB telmisartan 80 mg and the ACE inhibitor ramipril 10 mg is more effective than ramipril 10 mg alone, and if telmisartan is at least as effective as ramipril (in the case of ONTARGET), and if telmisartan is superior to placebo (in the case of TRANSCEND), in providing cardiovascular protection for high-risk patients. A pre-defined substudy is being conducted within The ONTARGET

Trial Programme to compare the effects of these agents, alone and in combination, on cardiac structure and function. The substudy overcomes criticisms of many previous studies, which have been performed in small numbers of patients using suboptimal methodology, by evaluating changes in left ventricular structure and function using sophisticated technology provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Some 300 randomized patients within ONTARGET, recruited from selected centres in Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Thailand, will have MRI undertaken at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. As this method of assessing left ventricular dysfunction is somewhat time-consuming, expensive and complex, and in the light of current interest in the role of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a simple, inexpensive diagnostic and prognostic tool, the substudy will also examine whether changes in BNP during follow-up correlated with changes in left ventricular dysfunction.