Search

Simple Summary: Sarcomas refer to a broad group of rare tumors that develop from bone and soft tissue. Sarcoma diagnosis is challenging because of its rarity and complexity, leading to misdiagnosis and delays in diagnosis and access to appropriate therapy. Liposarcomas are a common form of sarcoma, and there are four subtypes of liposarcomas: well-differentiated liposarcoma/atypical lipomatous tumors, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, and pleomorphic liposarcoma. Treatment options are limited for those diagnosed with liposarcoma. Currently, the mainstay of therapy for primary localized liposarcoma is surgical removal of the tumor. Radiotherapy is commonly used in extremity tumors before surgery but has unproven effectiveness in the retroperitoneum. Chemotherapy sensitivity varies by liposarcoma subtype, further complicating treatment. As such, limited conventional treatment options (e.g., radiotherapy or chemotherapy) remain substantial barriers to care. This review provides information about the epidemiology, pathology, and treatment options currently available for liposarcoma. Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that develop from bone and soft tissue. Approximately 80% of sarcomas affect soft tissue, with liposarcoma being one of the most common types, accounting for approximately 13–20% of all soft-tissue sarcomas. Per the World Health Organization, liposarcoma can be broadly classified into four different subtypes based on histologic examination: well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLS)/atypical lipomatous tumors (ALT), dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS), myxoid liposarcoma (MLS), and pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLS). WDLS/ALT is the most common liposarcoma subtype, accounting for approximately 31–33% of liposarcomas; DDLS accounts for 20%; MLS accounts for 19%; and PLS, the least common subtype, represents 7–8% of liposarcomas. Sarcoma diagnosis is challenging because of its rarity, intrinsic complexity, and diagnostic technological complexity. Sarcomas are misdiagnosed in approximately 30% of cases, leading to delays in diagnosis and access to appropriate therapy and clinical trials. Furthermore, treatment options are limited for those diagnosed with liposarcoma. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathology, and treatment options currently available for liposarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CivaSheet is a palladium-103, implantable, intraoperative radiation therapy device which emits unidirectional radiation that enables boost doses in patients who have otherwise received the maximum radiation dose. Here, we present our initial clinical experience with the first 10 cases using this new technology. A retrospective chart review of all patients with STS treated with surgical resection and CivaSheet placement at the University of Miami Hospital, a tertiary care center, from January 2018 to December 2019, was performed. Adjuvant radiation was administered by a palladium-103 implant, which delivered an average of 47 Gy (35–55) to a depth of 5 mm. Nine patients underwent CivaSheet placement from January 2018 until December 2019 for a total of 10 CivaSheets placed (1 patient had 2 CivaSheets inserted) and followed for a mean of 27 months (4–45 months). Four tumors were located in the retroperitoneum, two in the chest, two in the groin, and two within the lower extremity. At the time of tumor resection and CivaSheet placement, tumor sizes ranged from 2.5 cm to 13.8 cm with an average of 7.6 cm. Four patients necessitated musculocutaneous tissue flaps for closure and reconstruction. All patients with Grade 4 complications had flap reconstruction and prior radiation. Four patients' tumors recurred locally for a local recurrence rate of 40%. Three patients had modified accordion Grade 4 complications necessitating additional surgery for CivaSheet removal. Extremity tumors unanimously developed modified accordion Grade 4 adverse events. CivaSheet may be an acceptable alternative treatment modality compared to prior brachytherapy methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Growers in northern U.S. regions rely on winter annual legume cover crop symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) to reduce the need for spring fertilization and build soil organic matter. However, cold transitional fall temperatures potentially limit SNF. This study examined the effects of cold temperatures on nodulation and SNF in legume cover crops. Methods: In a growth chamber experiment, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) were sown in growth pouches, inoculated with rhizobia, and placed in growth chambers ranging from 5℃ to 20℃ for six weeks. In a field experiment, the same legumes were sown in fall, with destructive sampling at four time points from November to May. In both experiments, plant biomass, nodulation, and SNF was assessed. Results: In the controlled environment, incrementally lower temperatures negatively affected legume cover crop biomass and nodulation parameters across all species, especially at 5 °C (41°F). Controlled environment results also suggest that optimum temperatures for SNF in cover crop legumes falls in the range of 15 °C to 20 °C. In the field, winter conditions negatively affected legume cover crop productivity, with plant biomass, nodule number, and nodule mass greatest in fall and spring, and lowest in winter. Hairy vetch had the best growth response to spring warming, suggesting it is well-suited to over-winter protected environment production. SNF also decreased during winter and failed to recover by spring cover crop termination. Conclusions: Winter annual legume cover crops may not experience reduced growth, nodulation, or SNF until temperatures fall below 10℃; this estimate is lower than previously reported for cover crop legumes. These temperatures are typical of cover crop establishment periods, suggesting winter cover crop species selection is critical; the over-wintering performance of hairy vetch makes it a promising option for temperate regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High tunnels are an important season extension tool for horticultural production in cold climates, however maintaining soil health in these intensively managed spaces is challenging. Cover crops are an attractive management tool to address issues such as decreased organic matter, degraded soil structure, increased salinity, and high nitrogen needs. We explored the effect of winter cover crops on soil nutrients, soil health and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) crop yield in high tunnels for 2 years in three locations across Minnesota. Cover crop treatments included red clover (Trifolium pratense) monoculture, Austrian winter pea/winter rye biculture (Pisum sativum/Secale cereale), hairy vetch/winter rye/tillage radish (Vicia villosa/ S. cereale/Raphanus sativus) polyculture, and a bare-ground, weeded control. Cover crop treatments were seeded in two planting date treatments: early planted treatments were seeded into a standing bell pepper crop in late Aug/early September and late planted treatments were seeded after bell peppers were removed in mid-September At termination time in early May, all cover crops had successfully overwintered and produced biomass in three Minnesota locations except for Austrian winter pea at the coldest location, zone 3b. Data collected include cover crop and weed biomass, biomass carbon and nitrogen, extractable soil nitrogen, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, permanganate oxidizable carbon, soil pH, soluble salts (EC), and pepper yield. Despite poor legume performance, increases in extractable soil nitrogen and potentially mineralizable nitrogen in the weeks following cover crop residue incorporation were observed. Biomass nitrogen contributions averaged 100 kg·ha-1 N with an observed high of 365 kg·ha-1 N. Cover crops also reduced extractable soil N in a spring sampling relative to the bare ground control, suggesting provision of nitrogen retention ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been an invaluable yet limited resource when it comes to protecting healthcare workers against infection during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In the US, N95 respirator supply chains are severely strained and conservation strategies are needed. A multidisciplinary team at the Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes Jewish Hospital, and BJC Healthcare was formed to implement a program to disinfect N95 respirators. The process described extends the life of N95 respirators using vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) disinfection and allows healthcare workers to retain their own N95 respirator across a large metropolitan healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author responds to author Laurence Raw's interpretation of the film "A Double Life," directed by George Cukor. She comments on the failure of a person to adapt to changing realities and cultural shifts, as well as the dangers of narcissistic obsession and difficulties of avoiding the pitfalls of over-identification with roles outside the self. She considers the idea that adaptation as a socialization process could be a counter to the phenomenology of immersion.

Highlights • The effect of zone tillage intensity on C/N cycling in a living mulch was determined. • High intensity zone till added greater inorganic N in crop rows two weeks post-tillage. • Quantity of incorporated kura clover biomass appeared to govern nutrient cycling. • High intensity zone till reduced kura clover regrowth into rows after spring tillage. Abstract Zone tillage is a reduced-tillage approach that attempts to capture both the environmental advantages of year-round ground cover and the agronomic benefits of in-row tillage. This study was conducted to determine the effect of differing levels of zone tillage intensity on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in a corn-kura clover cropping system ( Zea maize - Trifolium ambiguum ). Research took place in Rosemount, MN in 2015 and 2016 in an established kura clover stand. Soils and kura clover biomass were each sampled three times in crop rows per year in four treatments that varied by intensity: NT (spray-down no-till), ST (shank-till, traditional strip till unit), RZT (zone-till, PTO-driven rotary zone tiller), and DT (double-till, ST + RZT). Samples were analyzed for microbial biomass (MB), soil inorganic nitrogen, and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC). Additionally, potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) was measured for 2016 post-spring tillage soils. Greater spring kura clover biomass in 2016 (2449 kg ha−1) relative to 2015 (187 kg ha−1) influenced overall differences in soil quality between years. The double-till (DT) treatment had greater post-till soil inorganic N than the no-till (NT) treatment in 2016, and by corn harvest, both zone-till (RZT) and double-till (DT) had higher soil inorganic N than NT, indicating that the addition of kura clover biomass contributed to in-row, plant-available nitrogen. Double-till was also more effective in reducing kura clover encroachment into crop rows than NT. No effect of tillage intensity on PMN, MB, or POXC was observed at any sampling time, although trends of decreasing POXC paired with increasing MB over the 2016 growing season suggest that the quantity of incorporated kura clover biomass may have governed belowground nutrient cycling and soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Legume cover crops are primarily grown for their contribution to soil N pools, but the effect that this added N has on cover crop root decomposition and N release is poorly understood. Our primary objective was to determine the effect that soil N and root diameter size have on root decomposition and N release. Methods: We determined coarse (>1-mm diameter) and fine (<1-mm diameter) root distribution for crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum) and hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth) using greenhouse-grown plants, and followed with a 12-week incubation in which coarse and fine roots from both species were incubated under natural and elevated (200 kg ha) soil N levels. Results: Crimson clover and hairy vetch consisted primarily of fine roots (≥79 %), which decomposed and released N faster than coarse roots. Soil N addition had a small positive effect on root decomposition, but an inconsistent effect on root N release. There was a net increase in soil inorganic N for all treatments after 12 weeks. Conclusion: These results improved our understanding of decomposition and N release from crimson clover and hairy vetch roots, and are valuable to farmers seeking to better manage soil C and N pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legume cover cropping has been widely used as an efficient strategy to improve soil fertility. Although this management practice is important to resolve N deficiency for the transition from conventional to organic production systems, optimization is necessary to determine legume cover crop species and termination methods. This study used soil microbial properties and processes to evaluate the suitability of several legume cover crops and termination methods for organic transition in southeastern USA. Soil samples were taken from two newly-established study sites, each containing 12 treatments of three termination methods (disk, flail, and spray) and four cover types (no cover crop, Austrian winter pea, hairy vetch, and crimson clover). Compared to disking and spraying, flail mowing significantly increased soil microbial biomass C by ∼17%, C mineralization by ∼25%, N mineralization by ∼16%, and nitrification potential by ∼36%, 12 weeks after cover crop termination. However, cover cropping only stimulated nitrification potential, but not C and N mineralization. Furthermore, the activities of soil enzymes (exoglucanase, β-glucosidase, and β-glucosaminidase) appeared to be more responsive to cover types than to termination methods. Among three cover crops, Austrian winter pea showed the greatest positive effects on nitrification potential, β-glucosidase, and β-glucosaminidase. The ratio of C mineralization to microbial biomass C also differed with cover types, being lowest in Austrian winter pea. Our results indicated that legume species even with small differences in C-to-N ratio and lignin and cellulose contents could have varied effects on soil microbial properties and processes. Nitrification potential, representing the function of a small group of soil microbial community, was proved to be sensitive to both legume species and termination methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Reduced tillage organic plots had enhanced labile, total and microbial organic matter fractions. [•] Organically managed reduced tillage plots lost less soil carbon in runoff than plowed treatments. [•] Increases in organic matter in no-tillage systems were associated with decreases in total sediment losses. [•] Conventional treatments had more than double the sweet corn yield as organic plots. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nitrogen (N) release from roll-killed legume cover crops was determined for hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatumL.), and a hairy vetch + rye (Secale cerealeL.) biculture in an organic corn production system in North Carolina, USA. Cover crops were planted at two locations in fall 2008 and 2009, roll-killed in May, and no-till planted with corn (Zea maysL.). Inorganic soil N and mineral N flux were determined using potassium chloride (KCl) extractions and ion-exchange resin (Plant Root Simulator, PRS) probes at 2-week intervals for 12 weeks and compared to fertilized controls of 0 and 168 kg N ha−1. In 2009, greater plant available N under hairy vetch than under either 0 N control or crimson clover was found, with peak soil N occurring between 4 and 6 weeks after roll kill. Available soil N under crimson clover mulches was less than or equal to 0 N, suggesting net immobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives To evaluate long-term morbidity, mortality, and quality of life ( Qo L) after pancreaticoduodenectomy ( PD) in elderly adults. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tel- Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel- Aviv, Israel. Participants One hundred and sixty-eight individuals aged 70 and older who underwent PD between 1995 and 2010. Measurements A prospective pancreatic surgery database was analyzed for postoperative morbidity; mortality; intensive care unit ( ICU), hospital, and rehabilitation facility stay; and readmissions after surgery. Qo L was assessed using a validated questionnaire completed 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results Seventy-two percent of the participants had an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or greater. There was no intraoperative death. Thirty- and 60-day postoperative mortality rates were 5.9% and 6.5%, respectively. Median ICU stay was 2 days, and median hospital stay was 22 days. Sixty-four participants (37.5%) were discharged to a rehabilitation facility. The first-year readmission rate was 31%. One- and 2-year overall survival rates were 58% and 36%, respectively. Global Qo L scores 3 and 12 months after surgery were 68% and 73%, respectively. Scores were lower yet comparable with those of matched individuals undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conclusion Most elderly adults with pancreatic cancer survive longer than 1 year after PD; 36% survive longer than 2 years. These individuals are likely to have acceptable long-term morbidity and overall good Qo L, corresponding with their age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the microbial community composition in soils from the Brazilian Amazon with two contrasting histories; anthrosols and their adjacent non-anthrosol soils of the same mineralogy. The anthrosols, also known as the Amazonian Dark Earths or terra preta, were managed by the indigenous pre-Colombian Indians between 500 and 8,700 years before present and are characterized by unusually high cation exchange capacity, phosphorus (P), and calcium (Ca) contents, and soil carbon pools that contain a high proportion of incompletely combusted biomass as biochar or black carbon (BC). We sampled paired anthrosol and unmodified soils from four locations in the Manaus, Brazil, region that differed in their current land use and soil type. Community DNA was extracted from sampled soils and characterized by use of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism. DNA bands of interest from Bacteria and Archaea DGGE gels were cloned and sequenced. In cluster analyses of the DNA fingerprints, microbial communities from the anthrosols grouped together regardless of current land use or soil type and were distinct from those in their respective, paired adjacent soils. For the Archaea, the anthrosol communities diverged from the adjacent soils by over 90%. A greater overall richness was observed for Bacteria sequences as compared with those of the Archaea. Most of the sequences obtained were novel and matched those in databases at less than 98% similarity. Several sequences obtained only from the anthrosols grouped at 93% similarity with the Verrucomicrobia, a genus commonly found in rice paddies in the tropics. Sequences closely related to Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria sp. were recovered only from adjacent soil samples. Sequences related to Pseudomonas, Acidobacteria, and Flexibacter sp. were recovered from both anthrosols and adjacent soils. The strong similarities among the microbial communities present in the anthrosols for both the Bacteria and Archaea suggests that the microbial community composition in these soils is controlled more strongly by their historical soil management than by soil type or current land use. The anthrosols had consistently higher concentrations of incompletely combusted organic black carbon material (BC), higher soil pH, and higher concentrations of P and Ca compared to their respective adjacent soils. Such characteristics may help to explain the longevity and distinctiveness of the anthrosols in the Amazonian landscape and guide us in recreating soils with sustained high fertility in otherwise nutrient-poor soils in modern times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the mockumentary "Hearts of Hot Shots! Part Deux: A Filmmaker's Apology," directed by Thomas Grane and Victor Davis. The film is a parody of Eleanor Coppola's documentary "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse" regarding her husband Francis Ford Coppola's film "Apocalypse Now." The author mentions that the mockumentary emphasizes the pretensions of auteurs that are not sufficiently addressed in popular culture. She suggests that the mockumentary redefines the "truth" of documentary filmmaking that it relies on a shared sense of satire and social norms.

This article discusses the image of women as femme fatales in film noir motion pictures. The essay "Professions for Women," by author Virginia Woolf is discussed for the way it describes the difficulty in killing a phantom over the reality. Motion pictures discussed in the article include "Double Indemnity," "Out of the Past," and "The Maltese Falcon."

The inoculation of indigenous legumes used in revegetation and wetland reconstruction activities in Minnesota presents problems not found in more traditional seedings. Few studies have sought inoculant-quality rhizobia for the legumes involved or examined their interaction in an environment that involves a number of different legumes seeded simultaneously under initially adverse climatic conditions. In this note, we identify effective strains for Astragalus canadensis, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Dalea purpurea, Dalea candida, Desmodium canadense, and Lespedeza capitata. We are currently using these strains to examine the contribution of inoculated legumes to prairie productivity in Minnesota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a course that integrates environmental science students into local community organizations. Despite initially high expectations, students who completed the course held negative opinions about their experience because of inadequate community partner preparation. Based on the course's successes and challenges, we have recommendations for other instructors wishing to link their classrooms to community organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sets an argument about the treatment of Tess' character in Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Hardy's thematic identification of Tess in the novel; Points of view by male characters, by the narrator and by a hypothetical observer of Tess as an image.

Winter annual legume cover crops often fail to reach full maturity by spring vegetable planting dates in northern climates, which prevents maximum nitrogen (N) contributions. To determine if delayed termination improved cover crop biomass and N content, we evaluated winter rye + hairy vetch (Secale cereale L. + Vicia villosa Roth) and oat + field pea (Avena sativa L. + Pisum sativum L.) cover crop mixtures in 2015 and 2016, and medium red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) in 2016, in zone-tilled organic yellow crookneck squash (Cucurbita pepo var. torticollis Harz). In-row regions where cover crops were terminated in early spring during crop row preparation were compared to between-row regions where termination was delayed until legume maturation in late spring. Soil quality (soil inorganic N, permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), and potentially mineralizable N (PMN)) was also determined for in-row and between-row regions at four time points throughout the growing season. In 2015, winter rye + hairy vetch biomass N more than doubled between early and late termination times, with 120 and 258 kg N ha−1, respectively. Permanganate oxidizable C was not responsive to cover crop systems or tillage, and only slightly decreased over time in 2016. Soil inorganic N and PMN after cover crop termination in 2016 provided evidence of localized soil N cycling responses to cover crop termination in in-row and between-row regions. The extended growing period for cover crops between crop rows in the first several weeks of crop growth had no negative effect on crop yield, and appeared to enhance soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from mesenchymal tissue, including adipose, bone, cartilage, skeletal muscle, and smooth muscle. Because of their rarity, optimal treatment planning requires discussion among sarcoma-experienced subspecialists. Studies have shown that treatment guided by multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) is associated with better compliance with clinical practice guidelines and, in some cases, increased survival. The role of radiologists in the MTB setting is valuable in assessing disease in patients with sarcoma; however, radiologists' recommendations may differ from the MTB's consensus. This study highlights the discordance between the disease assessment and the clinical recommendations provided by radiologists and MTBs and encourages all radiologists caring for patients with sarcoma to participate in MTBs to best align their interpretations with optimal clinical management and make multidisciplinary aligned recommendations whenever feasible. Multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) facilitate decision-making among subspecialists in the care of oncology patients, but the mechanisms by which they enhance outcomes remain incompletely understood. Our aim was to measure the agreement between sarcoma MTBs and radiology reports' disease assessment and management recommendations. This single-center IRB-approved retrospective study evaluated cases presented at a weekly sarcoma MTB from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021. Cases without clinical notes, imaging studies, or radiology reports were excluded. The data collected included the patient's clinical status at the time of the MTB, the treatment response assessment by the MTB and radiologists (stable disease; partial response; complete response; progressive disease/recurrence), and the recommendations of the radiology reports and of the MTB. The agreement between the initial radiologist review and MTB on disease assessment and recommendations was analyzed using kappa statistics. In total, 283 cases met the inclusion criteria. Radiology reports provided recommendations in 34.3% of cases, which were adhered to by the ordering providers in 73.2% of cases. The agreement between MTBs and radiology reports was moderate in disease assessment (86.2% agreement; κ = 0.78; p < 0.0001) and negligible in recommendations (36% agreement; κ = 0.18; p < 0.0001). Radiologists were more likely to assign progressive disease/recurrence than MTBs (54.4% vs. 44.4%; p < 0.001) and to recommend short-term imaging follow-up more commonly than MTBs (46.4% vs. 21.7%; p < 0.001). At a tertiary care center, radiologists' isolated interpretations of imaging findings and management recommendations frequently differ from the MTB's consensus, reflecting the value of multidisciplinary discussions incorporating the patient's clinical status and the available treatment options into the final radiographic assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of basic foodstuffs in the Mazahua region of the State of Mexico, Mexico, reflects the scarcity of arable land in peasant agriculture. This issue was exacerbated in the early years of the Milpa Intercropped with Fruit Trees system (MIAF, for its Spanish acronym), because the fruit tree strip occupied up to 40 % of the area while producing no food or income during its vegetative growth stage. Native squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) and bayocote (Phaseolus coccineus L.) are basic species in the Mazahua diet, but it is unknown whether they have an adverse effect on the vegetative growth of the newly planted peach trees [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] when grown in association. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effect of native squash and bayocote, grown in the fruit tree strip of the MIAF system, on the vegetative growth of peach trees for efficient soil intensification during the juvenile period of the tree. The treatments primarily involved associating peach trees with native squash, bayocote, and uncovered soil. The experimental design comprised randomized blocks with three replications. Vegetative growth, shoot biomass, root distribution, and soil moisture content were evaluated 60, 120, and 180 days after planting. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and comparison of means with the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05) using the SAS 9.4 program. The native squash decreased the diameter and stem biomass of the peach trees since there was greater root overlap between the two species and less soil moisture. In contrast, with the association of the fruit tree with bayocote, the root distribution of the peach tree was greater, with no decrease in the diameter, height, or biomass of its stem. Local species such as bayocote have the potential to be grown in the fruit tree strip of the MIAF system in their first year of establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a significant barrier to creating effective therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In several malignancies, bone marrow derived CCR2+ inflammatory monocytes (IM) are recruited to the TME by neoplastic cells, where they become immunosuppressive tumor associated macrophages (TAM). Here we report that mCRC expression of the chemokine CCL2 facilitates recruitment of CCR2+ IM from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood. Immune monitoring of circulating monocytes in patients with mCRC found this influx was a prognostic biomarker and correlated with worse clinical outcomes. At the metastatic site, mCRC liver tumors were heavily infiltrated by TAM, which displayed a robust ability to dampen endogenous anti-tumor lymphocyte activity. Using a murine model of mCRC that recapitulates these findings from human disease, we show that targeting CCR2 reduces TAM accumulation in liver metastasis and restores anti-tumor immunity. Additional quantitative analysis of hepatic metastatic tumor burden and treatment efficacy found that administration of a small molecule CCR2 inhibitor (CCR2i) improves chemotherapeutic responses and increases overall survival in mice with mCRC liver tumors. Our study suggests that targeting the CCL2/CCR2 chemokine axis decreases TAM at the metastatic site, disrupting the immunosuppressive TME and rendering mCRC susceptible to anti-tumor T-cell responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of cover crops into the maize (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in the U.S. upper Midwest may improve sustainability. Long, cold winters in the region make identifying successful cover crop species and management practices a challenge. Two experiments were conducted in Minnesota, USA from fall 2016 through spring 2019 to examine the effect of cover crops interseeded at four- to six-leaf collar (early-interseeded) and dent to physiological maturity (late-interseeded) on biomass and grain yield of maize. Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) were evaluated as monocultures and in mixtures with crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Differences in canopy cover and biomass of late-interseeded cover crops were observed at the southernmost location in 2018. Additional accumulated growing-degree days in fall 2018 did not translate into increased cover crop canopy coverage of late-interseeded cover crops. Differences in cover crop canopy cover and biomass of early-interseeded cover crops were observed by fall frost at all locations in 2017 and at the northernmost location in 2018. Cover crop canopy cover and biomass at termination before planting maize, soil moisture at maize planting as well as maize aboveground biomass and yield were not affected by spring cereal rye regrowth of cover crops late-interseeded the previous year. Similarly, early-interseeded cover crops did not affect maize aboveground biomass or yield. We attribute these results to limited cover crop growth. This highlights the potential of a variety of cover crop strategies interseeded into maize in the U.S. upper Midwest; however, efforts to fine-tuning cover crop management and weather conditions are needed to benefit from such practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.) perennial living mulch is a farming practice designed to pair water quality services and row crop production. In this system, rows are mechanically or chemically killed within a perennial kura clover stand to create a suitable environment for planting a crop. However, yields are often reduced relative to conventional, fully-tilled systems. This hypothesis was tested by using a novel rotary zone tillage unit (RZT) that creates 45 cm wide tilled strips with a depth of 8 cm for each row, with rows spaced 76 cm apart. We compared RZT to three row preparation strategies that have been commonly used in living mulch systems: herbicide band kill (BK), and shank tillage (ST), also known as strip tillage. Shank tillage produced bands that were 40 cm wide and 5 cm deep. We monitored kura clover health, soil moisture & temperature, corn (Zea mays L.) emergence, corn development, and corn yield in all three row preparation strategies over two growing seasons. In 2015, corn grown in RZT plots emerged and developed faster than corn grown in ST plots, but this did not lead to a difference in grain or stover yield. However, in 2016, corn grown in RZT plots not only emerged and developed faster, but also produced 4.0 Mg ha−1 more grain and 3.5 Mg ha−1 more stover biomass than corn grown in ST and BK plots. Kura clover biomass was not affected by treatment in either year. We conclude that rotary zone tillage is a promising row preparation strategy in kura clover living mulch for corn production with minimal herbicide use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial nitrogen (N) cycling pathways are largely responsible for producing forms of N that are available for plant uptake or lost from the system as gas or leachate. The temporal dynamics of microbial N pathways in tropical agroecosystems are not well defined, even though they are critical to understanding the potential impact of soil conservation strategies. We aimed to 1) characterize temporal changes in functional gene associations across a seasonal gradient, 2) identify keystone genes that play a central role in connecting N cycle functions, and 3) detect gene co-occurrences that remained stable over time. Soil samples (n = 335) were collected from two replicated field trials in Rwanda between September 2020 and March 2021. We found high variability among N-cycle gene relationships and network properties that was driven more by sampling timepoint than by location. Two nitrification gene targets, hydroxylamine oxidoreductase and nitrite oxidoreductase, co-occurred across all timepoints, indicating that they may be ideal year-round targets to limit nitrification in rainfed agricultural soils. We also found that gene keystoneness varied across time, suggesting that management practices to enhance N-cycle functions such as the application of nitrification inhibitors could be adapted to seasonal conditions. Our results mark an important first step in employing gene networks to infer function in soil biogeochemical cycles, using a tropical seasonal gradient as a model system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) resulting from symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia helps improve soil N fertility. Inoculated soils with specific strains of rhizobia may increase potential BNF in legumes, but the efficacy of these rhizobia in promoting BNF may be limited by competition from resident rhizobia already present in soils. We evaluated the ability of four strains to nodulate and increase BNF in Vicia villosa (hairy vetch) as individual and combined inoculants in a laboratory experiment. Plants were inoculated with a single rhizobia strain or equal ratios of 2–4 strains and grown under controlled conditions. After 46 d, entire plant shoots were harvested and analyzed for biomass, N content, nodule number, and nodule mass. Nodule occupancy was assessed using DNA fingerprinting of characteristic rhizobia genes. Negative-N and positive-N control plants averaged 6.3 and 83.2 mg total shoot N, respectively. Average total shoot N of inoculated vetch treatments was between that of uninoculated control treatments. Nodule number, total nodule mass, and BNF efficiency (total shoot N mass per total nodule mass) did not significantly differ between individual strains. Neither BNF efficiency nor nodule number were indicative of competitive ability for nodule occupancy. The rhizobia did not display any consistent synergistic or antagonistic effect on BNF when combined in inoculants and nodule occupancy did not favor any specific strain. Because vetch inoculated with local Rlv strains produced similar amounts of N as uninoculated plants fertilized with N, our work suggests that rhizobia sourced from local soils may produce sufficient BNF with vetch. • Rhizobia did not differ in BNF when used as single-strain inoculants. • Nodule quantity and BNF are not indicative of nodule occupancy by strains. • Locally sourced rhizobia are likely to produce sufficient BNF as inoculants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is characterized as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host immune response to infection. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the differential effect of sepsis on innate versus adaptive immunity, in humans, by examining RNA expression in specific immune cell subsets, including monocytes/macrophages and CD4 and CD8 T cells. A second aim was to determine immunosuppressive mechanisms operative in sepsis that might be amenable to immunotherapy. Finally, we examined RNA expression in peripheral cells from critically ill nonseptic patients and from cancer patients to compare the unique immune response in these disorders with that occurring in sepsis. Monocytes, CD4 T cells, and CD8 T cells from septic patients, critically ill nonseptic patients, patients with metastatic colon cancer, and healthy controls were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Sepsis induced a marked phenotypic shift toward downregulation of multiple immune response pathways in monocytes suggesting that impaired innate immunity may be fundamental to the immunosuppression that characterizes the disorder. In the sepsis cohort, there was a much more pronounced effect on gene transcription in CD4 T cells than in CD8 T cells. Potential mediators of sepsis-induced immunosuppression included Arg-1, SOCS-1, and SOCS-3, which were highly upregulated in multiple cell types. Multiple negative costimulatory molecules, including TIGIT, Lag-3, PD-1, and CTLA-4, were also highly upregulated in sepsis. Although cancer had much more profound effects on gene transcription in CD8 T cells, common immunosuppressive mechanisms were present in all disorders, suggesting that immunoadjuvant therapies that are effective in one disease may also be efficacious in the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic crop production is a growing part of the agricultural economy. The transition from a conventional to an organic cropping system, while complying with certification guidelines, is financially and logistically challenging for growers. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies, perhaps using novel cropping systems, that can both mitigate economic challenges and quickly improve soil health. We evaluated the impact of perennial and annual cropping systems on soil health during the first two years of a three-year organic transition period at three research stations in Minnesota distinct in climate and soil conditions: Rosemount, St. Paul, and Lamberton. The sites were established in fall of 2017 by planting each of six cropping systems including 1) the novel perennial grain crop intermediate wheatgrass (IWG), 2) alfalfa, 3) an intermediate wheatgrass - alfalfa intercrop (IWGAlfalfa), 4) a winter wheat - red clover (WheatRC) rotation, 5) a corn – soybean (SoyCorn) rotation and 6) a corn - soybean rotation with a cereal rye cover crop (SoyCCorn). We measured root biomass and soil physical, chemical, and microbial parameters to evaluate soil health under the different cropping systems over time. IWG and IWGAlfalfa were consistently among the systems with greater root biomass and larger water stable soil aggregates, while SoyCorn systems had the least. Other soil health variables had site specific responses, with Lamberton and St. Paul the most influenced by cropping systems. At St. Paul and Lamberton soil pH increased in IWG and SoyCorn, and soil K decreased under WheatRC and alfalfa. Labile C and total C and N were not influenced by the different cropping systems. At Lamberton, increases in the biomass of microbial groups including bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes were observed in IWGAlfalfa. The improvement in some health parameters at one or more sites by IWG and IWGAlfalfa after 2 years of the organic transition period could translate into building longer-term soil health for subsequent organically certified crops, but this is dependent on local soil and other characteristics. It will likely require more time for cropping systems to affect other important soil health parameters such as soil C in the C-enriched loamy soils of Southern Minnesota. • Perennials, especially Intermediate Wheatgrass (IWG), improved soil aggregate size. • IWG monocultures and IWG+alfalfa consistently had among the highest root biomass. • IWG and Soy/Corn maintained soil pH and K better than alfalfa and wheat/red clover cropping systems. • IWG+alfalfa increased fungal biomass, actinomycetes and bacteria in the second year at one site. • Soil health improvements varied by location, with the poorest quality and the least structured soils being most responsive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Black carbon (BC) is an important fraction of many soils worldwide and plays an important role in global C biogeochemistry. However, few studies have examined how it influences the mineralization of added organic matter (AOM) and its incorporation into soil physical fractions and whether BC decomposition is increased by AOM. BC-rich Anthrosols and BC-poor adjacent soils from the Central Amazon (Brazil) were incubated for 532days either with or without addition of 13C-isotopically different plant residue. Total C mineralization from the BC-rich Anthrosols with AOM was 25.5% (P <0.05) lower than with mineralization from the BC-poor adjacent soils. The AOM contributed to a significantly (P <0.05) higher proportion to the total C mineralized in the BC-rich Anthrosols (91–92%) than the BC-poor adjacent soils (69–80%). The AOM was incorporated more rapidly in BC-rich than BC-poor soils from the separated free light fraction through the intra-aggregate light fraction into the stable organo-mineral fraction and up to 340% more AOM was found in the organo-mineral fraction. This more rapid stabilization was observed despite a significantly (P <0.05) lower metabolic quotient for BC-rich Anthrosols. The microbial biomass (MB) was up to 125% greater (P <0.05) in BC-rich Anthrosols than BC-poor adjacent soils. To account for increased MB adsorption onto BC during fumigation extraction, a correction factor was developed via addition of a 13C-enriched microbial culture. The recovery was found to be 21–41% lower (P <0.05) for BC-rich than BC-poor soils due to re-adsorption of MB onto BC. Mineralization of native soil C was enhanced to a significantly greater degree in BC-poor adjacent soils compared to BC-rich Anthrosols as a result of AOM. No positive priming by way of cometabolism due to AOM could be found for aged BC in the soils. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]