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Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) synthesized by soil microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining soil structure by acting as binding agents of soil aggregates. Microbial EPS production is governed by C sources, soil nutrient availability, pH, and other local environmental factors. Another important factor is soil management, and particularly, the addition of organic amendments (OAs), has the potential to influence soil EPS as it can change the biotic and abiotic properties of the soil. Yet the response of soil EPS to the addition of OAs, especially in field trials, and its subsequent impact on soil aggregation remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the influence of OAs (including compost from organic residues, mown grass from roadsides and parks, and cattle manure) on soil EPS content and aggregate stability in a three-year field experiment with annual OA application. We further investigated factors that govern EPS production in the soil by exploring the relationship between soil EPS (i.e., polysaccharide and protein content), soil physicochemical properties (i.e., pH, dissolved organic carbon, available and total amount of nutrients), and the soil microbial community (i.e., microbial abundance and taxonomic structure). We found that the addition of grass, manure, and the combination of grass and manure led to an increase in soil EPS content compared to unamended and compost-amended soils. EPS content was correlated with soil variables; in particular, a significant positive correlation was observed between EPS concentration and available N in the soil. Furthermore, bacterial and fungal biomass contributed to soil EPS. Specific bacteria (e.g., members of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi) and fungi (e.g., members of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) demonstrated strong and significant correlations with EPS in the soil. The direction of correlation, whether positive or negative, varied at the order level. In addition, our study revealed

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, the number of general practices contributing to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) database GOLD is decreasing. Therefore, for research questions addressing for instance novel treatments requiring up-to-date data, sample size will become an important consideration in study feasibility. In recent years, CPRD Aurum, containing information of practices that use EMIS software, has become an additional data source that is being used for CPRD studies. In order to establish whether Aurum is suited to act as data source for future studies in the field of lung cancer research, we aimed to compare characteristics between patients with lung cancer in Aurum and GOLD.METHODS: A retrospective study was performed comparing characteristics and overall survival (OS) of patients with lung cancer in Aurum and GOLD. To further evaluate similarity, hypothetical eligibility of these patients in Aurum and GOLD was compared for 11 randomized clinical trials (RCTs).RESULTS: Baseline characteristics registered in Aurum and GOLD were largely similar, with some clinically irrelevant differences for previous malignancies, deviant laboratory values and drug use. Median OS was 9.8 and 9.0 months for patients in Aurum and GOLD, respectively. Potential RCT eligibility varied between 49.4% and 79.5% and 49.1% and 78.1% for patients in Aurum and GOLD, respectively. Mortality rates and the comparison of the obtained HRs per hypothetical eligibility cohort per RCT were similar in Aurum and GOLD.CONCLUSION: This study showed that data of patients with lung cancer in Aurum and GOLD are largely comparable, suggesting that Aurum is suitable for future epidemiological lung cancer research.

The living soil harbors a significant number and diversity of bacteria and fungi, which are essential in sustaining soil ecosystem functions. Most studies focus on soil bacteria or fungi, ignoring potential interrelationships between kingdoms that coevolve and synergistically provide ecosystem functions. In a seven-year agricultural field, we explored the effects of organic amendments (OAs; i.e., compost and bokashi) on intra- and inter-kingdom co-occurrence networks of soil bacterial and fungal communities. We observed that OAs changed the co-occurrence patterns of bacteria and fungi. Distinct network modules were observed in the unamended and amended soils, and the physicochemical properties of the soil could partially explain the formation of these modules. We also found that compost and bokashi increased the proportion of positive correlations, and this could reduce competition among microorganisms for soil resources. Our study reveals that soil management with OAs affects relationships between bacterial and fungal subpopulations that physically co-exist, cooperate, and compete in non-random structured networks. It highlights that ecosystem functions may depend on inter-kingdom interactions shaped by different amendments and their applied dose.

Experimental data: The effect of intermittent anode potential regimes on the morphology and extracellular matrix composition of electro-active bacteria

Composts are commonly used as soil amendments to sustain and improve the functionality of agricultural soil. Compost has abiotic (organic matter [OM], nutrients) and biotic characteristics (microorganisms) and both can influence the soil microbiome. The abiotic and biotic characteristics of compost, in turn, depend on properties of the compost such as maturity. Few studies have investigated the relative effects of abiotic and biotic components of compost on the soil microbial community and crop growth. To bridge this gap, we used a full-factorial design with sterile and live composts that differed in maturity (fresh, intermediate, mature) that were added to sterile and live soil to investigate the separate role of abiotic and biotic characteristics of composts on the resulting soil microbial community and on wheat growth. We found that the changes in the soil microbial community were mainly due to the input of compost with the presence of microorganisms rather than due to the abiotic properties of compost. The majority of the compost-associated microorganisms (more than 70% for bacteria and 90% for fungi) were detected in the soil in the presence of native soil microorganisms. Elimination of native soil microorganisms by sterilization enhanced the prevalence and abundance of compost-associated microorganisms. Adding fresh compost increased wheat biomass production, but the positive effects of compost on plant growth were strongest when sterile composts were used. Hence, our study reports that compost-associated microorganisms are essential to modify soil microbial community but may not benefit crop growth. This highlights the importance of understanding the role of abiotic and biotic properties of composts as common soil amendments on improving the functioning of agricultural soil.

Electro-active bacteria (EAB) can form biofilms on an anode (so-called bioanodes), and use the electrode as electron acceptor for oxidation of organics in wastewater. So far, bioanodes have mainly been investigated under a continuous anode potential, but intermittent anode potential has resulted in higher currents and different biofilm morphologies. However, little is known about how intermittent potential influences the electron balance in the anode compartment. In this study, we investigated electron balances of bioanodes at intermittent anode potential regimes. We used a transparent non-capacitive electrode that also allowed for in-situ quantification of the EAB using optical coherence tomography (OCT). We observed comparable current densities between continuous and intermittent bioanodes, and stored charge was similar for all the applied intermittent times (5 mC). Electron balances were further investigated by quantifying Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS), by analyzing the elemental composition of biomass, and by quantifying biofilm and planktonic cells. For all tested conditions, a charge balance of the anode compartment showed that more electrons were diverted to planktonic cells than biofilm. Besides, 27–43% of the total charge was detected as soluble EPS in intermittent bioanodes, whereas only 15% was found as soluble EPS in continuous bioanodes. The amount of proteins in the EPS of biofilms was higher for intermittent operated bioanodes (0.21 mg COD proteins mg COD biofilm−1) than for continuous operated bioanodes (0.05 mg COD proteins mg COD biofilm−1). OCT revealed patchy morphologies for biofilms under intermittent anode potential. Overall, this study helped understanding that the use of a non-capacitive electrode and intermittent anode potential deviated electrons to other processes other than electric current at the electrode by identifying electron sinks in the anolyte and quantifying the accumulation of electrons in the form of EPS.