Linking the humification of organic amendments with size aggregate distribution: Insights into molecular composition using FT-ICR-MS.

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a pivotal role in enhancing physical and biological characteristics of soil. Humic substances constitute a substantial proportion of SOM and their increase can improve crop yields and promote agricultural sustainability. While previous research has primarily assessed the influence that humic acids (HAs) derived from natural water have on soil structure, our study focuses on the impact of HAs on soil aggregation under different fertilizer regimes. During the summer cropping season, maize was cultivated under organic and synthetic fertilizer treatments. The organic fertilizer treatment utilized barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.) as an organic amendment five days prior to maize planting. The synthetic treatment included a synthetic fertilizer (NPK) applied at South Korea's recommended rates. The organic treatment resulted in significant improvements in the soil aggregates and stability (mean weight diameter, MWD; p < 0.05) compared to the synthetic fertilizer application. These improvements could be primarily attributed to the increased quantity and quality of HAs in the soil derived from the organic amendment. The amount of extracted HAs in the organic treatment was nearly twice that of the synthetic treatment. Additionally, the organic treatment had a 140 % larger MWD and a 40 % increase in total phenolic content compared to the synthetic treatment. The organic treatment also had an increased macronutrient uptake (p < 0.001), an 11 % increase in aboveground maize biomass, and a 21 % increase in grain yield relative to the synthetic treatment. Thus, the enhancement of HA properties through the incorporation of fresh organic manure can both directly and indirectly increase crop productivity.

Relationship between skin greasiness and cuticular wax in harvested "Hongro" apples.

We investigated the ripening and skin greasiness of "Hongro" apples during storage at 20 °C. Postharvest treatment using 100 µLL-1 ethylene accelerated ripening and increased greasiness, whereas treatment using 1 µLL-1 1-methylcyclopropene delayed ripening and reduced greasiness. Scanning electron microscopy showed changes in cuticular wax structure linked to greasiness. Metabolic analysis identified specific metabolites related to greasiness, which varied upon postharvest treatment. Greasiness was positively associated with ethylene production and butyl-9,12-octadecadienoate content. Random forest modeling predicted greasiness levels with high accuracy, with root mean square error values of 0.322 and 0.362 for training and validation datasets, respectively. These findings illuminate the complex interplay between postharvest treatment, apple ripening, wax composition, and skin greasiness. The application of predictive models exemplifies the potential for technology-driven approaches in agriculture and aids in the development of postharvest strategies to control greasiness and maintain fruit quality.

Methane emissions and the microbial community in flooded paddies affected by the application of Fe-stabilized natural organic matter.

Redox chemistry involving the quinone/phenol cycling of natural organic matter (NOM) is known to modulate microbial respiration. Complexation with metals or minerals can also affect NOM solubilization and stability. Inspired by these natural phenomena, a new soil amendment approach was suggested to effectively decrease methane emissions in flooded rice paddies. Structurally stable forms of NOM such as lignin and humic acids (HAs) were shown to decrease methane gas emissions in a vial experiment using different soil types and rice straw as a methanogenic substrate, and this inhibitory behavior was likely enhanced by ferric ion-NOM complexation. A mechanistic study using HAs revealed that complexation facilitated the slow release of the humic components. Interestingly, borohydride-based reduction, which transformed quinone moieties into phenols, caused the HAs to lose their inhibitory capacity, suggesting that the electron-accepting ability of HAs is vital for their inhibitory effect. In rice field tests, the humic-metal complexes were shown to successfully mitigate methane generation, while carbon dioxide emissions were relatively unchanged. Microbial community analysis of the rice fields by season revealed a decrease in specific cellulose-metabolizing and methanogenic genera associated with methane emissions. In contrast, the relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota and Actinomycetota, which are associated with NOM and recalcitrant organics, was higher in the presence of Fe-stabilized HAs. These microbial dynamics suggest that the slow release of humic components is effective in modulating the anoxic soil microbiome, possibly due to their electron-accepting ability. Given the simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and soil-friendly nature of complexation processes, Fe-stabilized NOM represents a promising approach for the mitigation of methane emissions from flooded rice paddies.

Frozen section utilization to omit systematic biopsy in diagnosing high risk prostate cancer.

The current guidelines for targeted prostate biopsy recommend an additional systematic biopsy regardless of clinical risk assessment. To evaluate frozen section biopsy utilization in targeted prostate biopsy to omit systematic biopsies in cases of positive frozen section results of patients with clinical features suggestive of high-risk prostate cancer. In this prospective, single-center study, we enrolled patients with a Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 5 lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical evidence suggestive of high-risk prostate cancer (either an extracapsular extension or prostate-specific antigen level > 20 ng/ml). All patients underwent 2-4 core targeted biopsies utilizing frozen section biopsy with immediate results, allowing patients with a positive result to omit a systematic biopsy. In case of a negative result, additional systematic biopsies were performed. The primary endpoint was the detection rate of targeted biopsy. Patient demographics, clinical variables were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Sixty-six patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, 63 patients were diagnosed with cancer without the need for an additional systematic biopsy. Three patients were non-diagnostic with target biopsy alone. Hence an additional systematic biopsy was performed. Two of these patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer and one tested negative for cancer. In this report we looked into the necessity of taking a routine systematic biopsy in patients with high risk features of prostate cancer. We found that utilizing frozen section biopsy for targeted biopsy reduces unneccessary systematic biopsy in 97% of cases and still provides a means for systematic biopsy when targeted biopsy alone fails to make the diagnosis.

The effect of metabolic risk factors on urinary stone composition: An observational study.

To investigate how the risk factors of metabolic diseases affect urinary stone composition, particularly uric acid (UA) stones. Overall, 583 patients with data on urinary stone composition were retrospectively analyzed and classified into UA and nonUA stone formers according to the presence of the UA component. Various factors were compared between both groups. Participants were categorized according to age, glucose level, HbA1c level, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) into subgroups, and the incidence of UA stone was compared. Overall, 137 UA stone formers (23.5%) and 446 nonUA stone formers (76.5%) were included. Mean age and male-to-female ratio were higher in the UA group than in the nonUA group. The rates of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and coronary artery disease, all of which were associated with differences in urinary stone composition, were higher in the UA group than in the nonUA group. The UA group exhibited lower mean eGFR and higher glucose and HbA1c levels. Similarly, the UA group had higher mean UA levels and predictably lower urinary pH. In subgroup analysis, higher age, glucose level, HbA1c level, and lower eGFR were associated with an increased risk of UA stone formation. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the UA group showed a significantly higher age (P < .001), DM frequency (P = .049), and HbA1c level (P = .032), but significantly lower eGFR than the nonUA group (P < .001). Age and DM were independent risk factors for UA urolithiasis, implying a relationship between urinary stone composition and metabolic diseases. Additionally, renal function and HbA1c level were risk factors for UA stones.

Initial experience of single-port robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: A single surgeon's experience with technique description.

Background: With the implementation of da Vinci SP robot platform (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA), we described our initial experience with the da Vinci SP robot platform (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for single-port robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (SP-RARP). Methods: This retrospective review included 30 consecutive patients with prostate biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer who underwent SP-RARP by a single surgeon between June and November 2020. SP-RARP was performed with a single-incision plus one method, in which the multichannel guide port was inserted directly with an additional assist port. We report our initial experience of perioperative and early functional outcomes. Results: The mean operative time (SD), console time (SD), and blood loss were 142.8 (15.1) min, 109.9 (15.7) min, and 133.0 (72.9) mL, respectively. No intraoperative complications or blood transfusions were reported. Of the 30 patients, 21 (70.0%), 7 (23.3%) and 2 (6.7%) had stage pT2, pT3a and pT3b disease, respectively. Positive surgical margins were reported in 5 of the 30 (16.7%) patients in the final pathology report, including 2 of 21 (9.5%) with stage pT2 and 3 of 9 (33.3%) with ≥ pT3. At 12 weeks after SP-RARP, 80.0% of patients had achieved continence and the potency was 46.7%; 8 of 11 (72.7%) had sexual health inventory for men (SHIM) scores ≥ 17 and 6 of 19 (31.6%) had SHIM scores < 17. Conclusions: The SP platform for radical prostatectomy was technically safe and feasible. After overcoming the technical learning curve, this platform may provide high-quality outcomes comparable to those of multi-port platforms.

Concordance between biparametric MRI, transperineal targeted plus systematic MRI-ultrasound fusion prostate biopsy, and radical prostatectomy pathology.

We aimed to confirm the reliability of the results of bi-parametric magnetic resolution imaging-ultrasound fusion targeted and systematic biopsies (bpMRI-US transperineal FTSB) compared to prostatectomy specimens. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 80 men who underwent bpMRI-US transperineal FTSB with region of interest (ROI) and subsequent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Changes in the grade group determined by MRI and biopsy versus surgical specimens were analyzed. Thirty-five patients with insignificant prostate cancer and 45 with significant cancer were diagnosed using bpMRI-US transperineal FTSB. Among those with insignificant PCa, 25 (71.4%) were upgraded to significant PCa in prostatectomy specimens: 9/12 (75.0%) with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 3, 12/16 (75.0%) with PI-RADS 4, and 4/7 (57.1%) with PI-RADS 5. In the PI-RADS 3 group, the upgraded group showed higher prostate specific antigen (PSA) and PSA density (PSAD) than the concordance group; PSA 8.34(2.73) vs. 5.31(2.46) (p = 0.035) and PSAD 0.29(0.11) vs. 0.18(0.09) (p = 0.025). The results of prostate biopsy and prostatectomy specimens were inconsistent and underestimated in patients with MRI-visible lesions. Therefore, for precise and individualized treatment strategies for PCa with MRI-visible lesions, careful interpretation of biopsy result is required.

Efficacy of Tadalafil in Penile Rehabilitation Started Before Nerve-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: A Double-Blind Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread practice of nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (nsRARP) for the treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa), erectile dysfunction remains a significant sequela of radical prostatectomy. AIM: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of tadalafil 5 mg once daily for erectile function recovery in patients who underwent nsRARP according to the timing of rehabilitation initiation. METHODS: In this double-blind, prospective pilot study, a total of 41 patients who underwent nsRARP were randomly assigned into 2 groups according to the timing of rehabilitation initiation. In the preRARP group (n = 20), tadalafil was started 2 weeks before nsRARP, and in the postRARP group (n = 21), it was started 4 weeks after nsRARP. Erectile function recovery after nsRARP was defined as an International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score of ≥17. OUTCOMES: The measures of EF recovery were the changes in IIEF-5 score. RESULTS: The rate of erectile function recovery at 12-month follow-up was 80.0% and 71.4% in the preRARP and postRARP groups, respectively. The mean differences between baseline and postoperative IIEF-5 scores at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up were -11.7 ± 3.2, -7.4 ± 3.2, -5.6 ± 1.5, and -4.1 ± 1.1 in the preRARP group and -14.7 ± 4.7, -12.0 ± 5.0, -9.7 ± 3.9, and -6.0 ± 3.1 in the postRARP group, respectively (1-month, P = .259; 3-months, P = .077; 6-months, P = .014; 12-months, P = .007). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Preoperative tadalafil 5 mg once a day could be used effectively and safely as a strategy for penile rehabilitation after nsRARP. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study is the first prospective trial of penile rehabilitation with tadalafil 5 mg once a day prior to nsRARP. This is a pilot study with the limitations of a small sample; further and large-scale studies with multiple cohorts, such as an untreated control group and an early immediate rehabilitation group for EF recovery, are needed. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that preoperative penile rehabilitation using tadalafil may lead to better erectile function recovery than postoperative penile rehabilitation using tadalafil. Noh T, Shim JS, Kang SG, et al. Efficacy of Tadalafil in Penile Rehabilitation Started Before Nerve-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: A Double-Blind Pilot Study. Sex Med 2022;10:100508.

Jasmonate resistant 1 and ethylene responsive factor 11 are involved in chilling sensitivity in pepper fruit (Capsicum annuum L.).

Pepper fruit (Capsicum annuum L.) is sensitive to chilling stress with chilling injuries occurring below 7 °C; however, chilling injuries occur at different temperatures depending on the genotype. The present study aimed to identify the factors that affect chilling sensitivity in pepper fruits. A total of 112 F2 pepper fruits crossed between chilling-insensitive 'UZB-GJG-1999-51' and chilling-sensitive 'C00562' pepper were grouped according to the seed browning rate, which is a typical chilling symptom of pepper fruit under chilling conditions. Physiological traits, amino acids, fatty acids, as well as ethylene responsive factor (ERF) and jasmonate resistant 1 (JAR1) expression levels were analyzed, and their correlations with the seed browning rate were confirmed. The expression level of JAR1 showed a strong negative correlation with the seed browning rate (r = - 0.7996). The expression level of ERF11 and content of hydrogen peroxide showed strong positive correlation with the seed browning rate (r = 0.7622 and 0.6607, respectively). From these results, we inferred that JAR1 and ERF11 are important factors influencing the chilling sensitivity of pepper fruit.

Toggling Technique Allows Retrograde Early Release to Facilitate Neurovascular Bundle Sparing During Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: A Propensity Score-Matching Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to present the surgical facilitation of neurovascular bundle (NVB) sparing using the toggling technique (30° lens down/up switching) and to evaluate erectile dysfunction (ED) recovery after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). METHODS: We assessed 144 patients (group with toggling, n = 72; group without toggling, n = 72) who underwent RARP with bilateral NVB sparing using propensity score matching. Inclusion criteria were ≥ 1 year follow-up and preoperative potency as per the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) questionnaire (≥ 17 points). Recovery of ED after RARP was defined as return to baseline sexual function or self-assessment regarding successful intercourse. The subjective surgeon's nerve sparing (SNS) score and tunneling success rates were used to evaluate surgical facilitation. The recovery rate of ED between the groups was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: A better ED recovery trend was confirmed according to the SNS score (R² = 0.142, P = 0.004). In the analysis of NVB sparing ease, the toggling group showed higher SNS scores (on right/left side: P = 0.011 and < 0.001, respectively) and overall tunneling success rates (87% vs. 74%, P = 0.001) than the group without toggling. Overall, ED recovery rates were 82% (59/72) and 75% (54/72) in the groups with and without toggling, respectively, at the 1-year follow-up (P = 0.047), and the toggling group showed a faster ED recovery rate at 3 months (47% vs. 35%, P = 0.013). In a specific analysis of the potent cohort (< 60 years, bilateral full NVB spared, SHIM score ≥ 22), the ED recovery rate reached 87% (14/16) in the toggling group. CONCLUSION: The retrograde early release with the toggling technique improves the facilitation of NVB sparing, leading to improved ED recovery.

Cover cropping and its biomass incorporation: Not enough to compensate the negative impact of plastic film mulching on global warming.

Plastic film mulching (FM) became a general practice to enhance crop productivity and its net primary production (NPP), but it can increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The proper addition of organic amendments might effectively decrease the impact of FM on global warming. To evaluate the feasibility of biomass addition on decreasing this negative influence, cover crop biomass as a green manure was incorporated with different recycling levels (0-100% of aboveground biomass) under FM and no-mulching. The net global warming potential (GWP) which integrated with soil C stock change and GHG (N2O and CH4) fluxes with CO2-equivalent was evaluated during maize cultivation. Under the same biomass incorporation, FM significantly enhanced the grain productivity and NPP of maize by 22-61 and 18-58% over no-mulching, respectively. In contrast, FM also highly increased the respired C loss, which was 11-95% higher than NPP increase, over no-mulching. Irrespective with biomass recycling ratio and mulching system, negative NECB which indicates the decrease of soil C stock was observed, mainly due to big harvest removal. FM decreased more soil C stock by 57-158% over no-mulching, but its C stock was clearly increased with increasing biomass addition. FM significantly increased total N2O and CH4 fluxes by 4-61 and 140-600% over no-mulching, respectively. Soil C stock changes mainly decided net GWP scale, but N2O and CH4 fluxes negligibly influenced. As a result, FM highly increased net GWP over no-mulching, while this net GWP was clearly decreased with increasing biomass application. However, cover cropping, and its biomass recycling was not enough to compensate the negative impact of FM on global warming. Therefore, more biomass incorporation might be essential to compensate this negative effect of FM.

Single-Port vs Multiport Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Comparative Study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent single-port (SP) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) (SP-RARP) with those who underwent multiport (MP) RARP (MP-RARP). Methods: Data on 40 consecutive patients who underwent SP-RARP between June 2020 and February 2021 and 129 who underwent MP-RARP between June 2019 and February 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Using logistic regression, 31 patients who underwent SP-RARP were matched to 31 patients who underwent MP-RARP (1:1) based on propensity scores. The available perioperative parameters and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Compared with MP-RARP, SP-RARP showed no significant differences in perioperative parameters, including the console time (111.0 ± 15.7 vs 102.6 ± 18.8 minutes, p = 0.569), operation time (151.3 ± 15.1 vs 158.7 ± 20.3 minutes, p = 0.863), estimated blood loss (121.1 ± 64.7 vs 140.5 ± 90.5 mL, p = 0.638), positive surgical margins (19.4% in both groups), and 3-month continence (77.4% vs 83.9%, p = 0.563) and potency (45.2% vs 48.4%, p = 0.891) rates. Patients who underwent SP-RARP had lower proportions of complete nerve sparing than those who underwent MP-RARP (SP-RARP vs MP-RARP in subjective scores: 4.0 ± 0.8 vs 4.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.046; SP-RARP vs MP-RARP in pathologic score of 5, 35.5% vs 64.5%, p = 0.049; score of 4, 41.9% vs 19.4%, p = 0.038; score of 3, 19.4% vs 9.7%, p = 0.398; score of 2, 3.2% vs 0.0%, p = 0.365; and score of 1, 3.2% vs 3.2%, p = 0.932, respectively). Conclusions: SP-RARP showed lower nerve-sparing scores than MP-RARP. The present study suggests that SP-RARP is safe and feasible with short-term functional outcomes comparable to those of MP-RARP.

Effects of ß3-adrenoceptor agonist on acute urinary retention in a rat model.

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of mirabegron on bladder dysfunction in an acute urinary retention rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six 16-week Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the mirabegron and normal saline (N/S) groups. Each group of eighteen was divided into sub-groups of 6 for 30 min, 2 h, and 24 h. They were administered mirabegron (10 mg/kg) and N/S daily for 4 weeks, respectively. Mirabegron and N/S groups were divided into sub-groups of 6 rats for 30 min, 2 h, and 24 h. The changes in bladder blood flow were measured using laser Doppler (moorVMS-LDF2). Histopathological examination of the bladder and nitric oxide (NO) measurement were performed. RESULT: During the urinary retention phase in the mirabegron group, it showed higher and rapider recovery of blood flow; the lowest at 19.5% ± 3.68% at 3 min, a significant recovery from the lowest value as 23.7 ± 3.4% at 10 min, than that in the N/S group; 15.1 ± 1.84% at 5 min, 23.7 ± 3.4% at 20 min, respectively (P < 0.05). At 30 min, 120 min, and 24 h after reperfusion, the recovery of blood flow in the mirabegron group was significantly higher than that in the N/S group (mirabegron: 41.1 ± 1.7%, 59.9 ± 7.2%, and 89.7 ± 4.4%, N/S: 31.3 ± 2.1%, 47.3 ± 4.5%, 83.9 ± 3.6%, respectively (P < 0.05)). NO levels tended to be higher in the mirabegron group; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Histological examination revealed that the mirabegron group showed recovery close to normal tissue after 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: In an acute urinary retention rat model, mirabegron maintained and restored higher bladder blood flow, resulting in protective and recovery effect after acute urinary retention.

Effect of plastic film mulching on maize productivity and nitrogen use efficiency under organic farming in South Korea.

Winter cover crop cultivation and its biomass recycling as green manure (GM) were accepted as an ideal nutrient management practice in temperate organic farming fields. Since its biomass growth was boosted with air temperature rising from late Spring to early Summer, this stage overlapped with cash crops' seeding or transplanting. Thus, organic farmers were suffering from low crop productivity, due to delayed mineralization of incorporated biomass. To accelerate the mineralization of biomass nutrients and control weeds, plastic film mulching (PM) was broadly utilized in organic farming fields of temperate-monsoon climate region. However, the effect of PM on increasing nutrient use efficiency was not properly quantified in GM amended soil. To determine the effect of PM on crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency in GM amended soils, PM and no-mulching treatments were installed under different levels of GM biomass amended soils (0, 25, 50 and 100% of harvested aboveground biomass). The biomass productivity of barley and hairy vetch mixture as cover crop and biomass nitrogen productivity were dramatically increased from the mid May to the early June. PM significantly improved soil temperature and moisture regimes during maize cropping seasons, and then increased inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3-) contents in soils. These improved soil properties under PM highly increased maize productivity and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Comparing with no-mulching, as GM application level was increased, the effect of PM on increasing maize productivity became greater, but its effect on increasing NUE became smaller. In conclusion, PM could be very useful tool to improve productivity and NUE of cash crop maize in organic cropping fields, in which the harvesting time of GM biomass might be sustained to increase GM biomass productivity.

Agricultural nitrogen and phosphorus balances of Korea and Japan: Highest nutrient surplus among OECD member countries.

Excessive nutrient balance is a very crucial issue for environmental hazards. The constant addition of high-amounts of nutrient sources in agricultural production generates negative environmental conditions in Korea and Japan yet to be resolved. Therefore, it is obligatory to comprehend the nutrient (nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)) balance that is assessed by the difference between nutrient input and output in the soil surface in Korea and Japan. Among 34 Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, Korea and Japan had the highest N and P balances and thus both countries are primarily responsible for severe environmental pollution via nutrient release. The cultivable land area in both countries has constantly decreased during 1990-2017 at approximately 20 and 15% in Korea and Japan, respectively. Even N and P use efficiency sharply decreased with increasing N and P balance in both targeted countries. Japanese P balance, Korean N and P balances were decreased after the mid-1990s whereas, Japanese N balance almost unchanged for the last 28 years. Unlike chemical fertilizer input, Korean manure input level significantly increased from 78 kg N ha-1 in 1990 to 157 kg N ha-1 in 2017. Japanese manure input level was higher than that of chemical fertilizer without any big change for the last 28 years. The lion share of high N and P balance in both countries could generate from manure inputs, therefore, the number of livestock and their produced debris need to be used with more cautious for the reduction of national N and P surpluses at a benchmark level. These findings ensure to make a more environment friendly policy that can further reduce nutrient balance as well as improve soil health.

Silicate fertilization improves microbial functional potentials for stress tolerance in arsenic-enriched rice cropping systems.

The host plant and its rhizosphere microbiome are similarly exposed to abiotic stresses under arsenic (As)-enriched cropping systems. Since silicon (Si) fertilization is effective in alleviating As-induced stresses in plants, and plant-microbe interactions are tightly coupled, we hypothesized that Si-fertilization would improve soil microbial functional potentials to environmental stress tolerance, which was not yet studied. With the help of high throughput metagenome, microarray and analyzing plant impacts on soil microbiome and the environment, we tested the hypothesis in two geographically different rice (i.e., Japonica and Indica) grown on As-enriched soils. Silicate fertilization in rice grown on As-enriched soils altered rhizosphere bacterial communities and increased several commensal microorganisms and their genetic potential to tolerate oxidative stress, osmotic stress, oxygen limitation, nitrogen and phosphate limitation, heat and cold shock, and radiation stress. The stress resistant microbial communities shifted with the changes in rhizosphere nutrient flows and cumulative plant impacts on the soil environment. The study highlights a thus-far unexplored behavior of Si-fertilization to improve microbial stress resilience under As-laden cropping systems and opens up a promising avenue to further study how commonalities in plant-microbe signaling in response to Si-fertilization alleviates As-induced stresses in agro-systems.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Fruit of Two Strawberry Cultivars "Sunnyberry" and "Kingsberry" That Show Different Susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea after Harvest.

Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is a fungal plant pathogen causing postharvest decay in strawberry fruit. Here, we conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis to identify differences in gene expression between the immature-green (IG) and mature-red (MR) stages of the "Sunnyberry" (gray mold-resistant) and "Kingsberry" (gray mold susceptible) strawberry cultivars. Most of the genes involved in lignin and alkane-type wax biosynthesis were relatively upregulated in "Sunnyberry". However, pathogenesis-related proteins encoding R- and antioxidant-related genes were comparatively upregulated in "Kingsberry". Analysis of gene expression and physiological traits in the presence and absence of B. cinerea inoculation revealed that the defense response patterns significantly differed between IG and MR rather than the cultivars. "Kingsberry" showed higher antioxidant induction at IG and upregulated hemicellulose-strengthening and R genes at MR. Hence, "Sunnyberry" and "Kingsberry" differed mainly in terms of the expression levels of the genes forming cuticle, wax, and lignin and controlling the defense responses. These discrepancies might explain the relative difference between these strawberry cultivars in terms of their postharvest responses to B. cinerea.

A Predictive Model Based on Bi-parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Parameters for Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in the Korean Population.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for the assessment of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in men, prior to prostate biopsies, based on bi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI) and clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 300 men with clinical suspicion of prostate cancer (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] ≥ 4.0 ng/mL and/or abnormal findings in a digital rectal examination), who underwent bpMRI-ultrasound fusion transperineal targeted and systematic biopsies in the same session, at a Korean university hospital. Predictive models, based on Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data Systems scores of bpMRI and clinical parameters, were developed to detect csPCa (intermediate/high grade [Gleason score ≥ 3+4]) and compared by analyzing the areas under the curves and decision curves. RESULTS: A predictive model defined by the combination of bpMRI and clinical parameters (age, PSA density) showed high discriminatory power (area under the curve, 0.861) and resulted in a significant net benefit on decision curve analysis. Applying a probability threshold of 7.5%, 21.6% of men could avoid unnecessary prostate biopsy, while only 1.0% of significant prostate cancers were missed. CONCLUSION: This predictive model provided a reliable and measurable means of risk stratification of csPCa, with high discriminatory power and great net benefit. It could be a useful tool for clinical decision-making prior to prostate biopsies.

Strong mitigation of greenhouse gas emission impact via aerobic short pre-digestion of green manure amended soils during rice cropping.

To increase soil carbon (C) stock, cover crop cultivation during the fallow season and its biomass incorporation as green manure (GM) is strongly suggested in mono-rice paddy. On the other hand, biomass application can highly increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, in particular methane (CH4) during irrigated cropping season. Aerobic short pre-digestion of biomass applied soils was very effective to suppress CH4 emission. However, its effect on other GHG (CO2 and N2O) emissions was not clear. To assess the integrated influence of aerobic short pre-digestion of green manured soils on global warming impact, cover crop biomass as GM was amended with different time interval before flooding (0-30 days) and aerobically decomposed under upland condition. Aerobic short pre-digestion over 10 days significantly decreased seasonal CH4 flux, but did not affect N2O emission. As aerobic pre-digestion days became longer, net ecosystem C balance (NECB) which implies the difference between C input and output was slightly increased, but not statistically different. The net primary productivity of rice plant as a C input source was not significantly differentiated by aerobic short pre-digestion. As a C output source, the respired C loss that was composed with CO2-C and CH4-C emission was not considerably discriminated among 0-30 days of aerobic short pre-digestion. As a consequence, due to big reduction of CH4 emission, aerobic short pre-digestion significantly decreased net GWP which means integration of seasonal CH4 and N2O fluxes and NECB as CO2 equivalent. In conclusion, aerobic short pre-digestion of biomass applied soil could be a sustainable management practice to decrease GHG emission impact without SOC stock change in temperate rice paddy field.