Spring applied phosphorus loss with cover crops in no-till terraced field.

Cover crops (CC) can improve phosphorus (P) cycling by reducing water related P losses and contributing to P nutrition of a rotational crop. This is particularly important in claypan soils with freeze-thaw cycles in early spring in the Midwest U.S. This 4-year study (2019-2022) examined the impact of CC monoculture and mix of CC species on P losses from a fertilizer application, and determined the P balance in soil compared to no cover crop (noCC). The CC mix consisted of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. Sativus), and turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. Rapa) (3xCCmix) in 2019 and 2021 before corn, and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was planted as monoculture before soybean in 2020 and 2022. The 3xCCmix had no effect on total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved reactive phosphorus (PO4-P) concentration or load in 2019 and 2021. Cereal rye reduced TP and PO4-P load 70% and 73%, respectively, compared to noCC. The variation in soil moisture, temperature, and net precipitation from fertilizer application until CC termination affected available soil P pools due to variability in CC species P uptake, residue decomposition, and P loss in surface water runoff. Overall, the P budget calculations showed cereal rye had 2.4 kg ha-1 greater P uptake compared to the 3xCCmix species which also reduced P loss in water and had greater differences in soil P status compared to noCC. This study highlights the benefit of CCs in reducing P loss in surface runoff and immobilizing P through plant uptake. However, these effects were minimal with 3xCCmix species and variability in crop residue decomposition from different CC species could affect overall P-soil balance.

Institution-Wide Retreats Foster Organizational Learning and Action at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Providing safe and informed healthcare for sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals with cancer is stymied by the lack of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data reliably available in health records and by insufficient training for staff. Approaches that support institutional learning, especially around sensitive topics, are essential for hospitals seeking to improve practices impacting patient safety and research. We engineered annual institutional retreats to identify and unify stakeholders, promote awareness of gaps and needs, identify initiatives, minimize redundant projects, and coordinate efforts that promote improvements in SGM cancer care, education, and research. The 2022 and 2023 retreats employed a 4-h hybrid format allowing virtual and in-person engagement. Retreat organizers facilitated small-group discussions for brainstorming among participants. We performed descriptive statistics from retreat evaluations. The retreats engaged 104 attendees from distinct departments and roles. Participants expressed robust satisfaction, commending the retreat organization and content quality. Notably, the first retreat yielded leadership endorsement and funding for a Quality Improvement pilot to standardize SOGI data collection and clinical staff training. The second retreat provided a platform for updates on focused efforts across the institution and for receiving direction regarding national best practices for SGM care and research. We report the processes and outcomes of institution-wide retreats, which served as a platform for identifying gaps in organizational healthcare practices and research for SGM individuals with cancer. The strategies described herein may be readily scaled at other cancer hospitals seeking to learn and enact system-wide practice changes that support the needs of SGM patients and families.

Gut Microbiome in Patients With Early-Stage and Late-Stage Melanoma.

Importance: The gut microbiome modulates the immune system and responses to immunotherapy in patients with late-stage melanoma. It is unknown whether fecal microbiota profiles differ between healthy individuals and patients with melanoma or if microbiota profiles differ among patients with different stages of melanoma. Defining gut microbiota profiles in individuals without melanoma and those with early-stage and late-stage melanoma may reveal features associated with disease progression. Objective: To characterize and compare gut microbiota profiles between healthy volunteers and patients with melanoma and between patients with early-stage and late-stage melanoma. Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-site case-control study took place at an academic comprehensive cancer center. Fecal samples were collected from systemic treatment-naive patients with stage I to IV melanoma from June 1, 2015, to January 31, 2019, and from healthy volunteers from June 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022. Patients were followed up for disease recurrence until November 30, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Fecal microbiota was profiled by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Clinical and pathologic characteristics, treatment, and disease recurrence were extracted from electronic medical records. Fecal microbiome diversity, taxonomic profiles and inferred functional profiles were compared between groups. Results: A total of 228 participants were enrolled (126 men [55.3%]; median age, 59 [range, 21-90] years), including 49 volunteers without melanoma, 38 patients with early-stage melanoma (29 with stage I or melanoma in situ and 9 with stage II), and 141 with late-stage melanoma (66 with stage III and 75 with stage IV). Community differences were observed between patients with melanoma and volunteers. Patients with melanoma had a higher relative abundance of Fusobacterium compared with controls on univariate analysis (0.19% vs 0.003%; P < .001), but this association was attenuated when adjusted for covariates (log2 fold change of 5.18 vs controls; P = .09). Microbiomes were distinct between patients with early-stage and late-stage melanoma. Early-stage melanoma had a higher alpha diversity (Inverse Simpson Index 14.6 [IQR, 9.8-23.0] vs 10.8 [IQR, 7.2-16.8]; P = .003), and a higher abundance of the genus Roseburia on univariate analysis (2.4% vs 1.2%; P < .001) though statistical significance was lost with covariate adjustment (log2 fold change of 0.86 vs controls; P = .13). Multiple functional pathways were differentially enriched between groups. No associations were observed between the microbial taxa and disease recurrence in patients with stage III melanoma treated with adjuvant immunotherapy. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this case-control study suggest that fecal microbiota profiles were significantly different among patients with melanoma and controls and between patients with early-stage and late-stage melanoma. Prospective investigations of the gut microbiome and changes that occur with disease progression may identify future microbial targets for intervention.

Nutrient loss from floodplain soil with controlled subsurface drainage under forage production.

Expansion of subsurface drainage into forage production may have a deleterious effect on surface waters due to increased nitrogen and phosphorus loading. The impact of controlled subsurface drainage (CD) on nitrogen and phosphorus loss compared with free subsurface drainage (FD) in tile drainage water has been explored to a lesser extent from forage production systems. This study quantifies the effects of CD and FD on average seasonal concentrations and cumulative loads of the total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate nitrogen (NO3 -N), and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in subsurface drainage water from a poorly drained floodplain soil in a cereal rye (Secale cereale L.)-sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] rotation with rotational cattle grazing. During all crop seasons of sorghum production (2010-2013), CD had 6.03-9.63 mg L-1 less NO3 -N than FD. Mean DRP concentration was significantly higher for CD than for FD during all seasons except for sorghum in 2012-2013. Average cumulative discharge was 38 and 314 m3 ha-1 less for CD than for FD during sorghum and cereal rye growing seasons, respectively. Controlled drainage had 0.68-6.14 kg ha-1 lower cumulative NO3 -N loads than FD. The DRP loads were dependent on discharge. During sorghum growing seasons, TSS and DRP loads were 79-90% lower in CD compared with FD. The ability to reduce drainage water flow from tiles and subsequent nitrogen and phosphorus loading with CD compared with FD in a floodplain soil indicates that CD can be effective best management practice for forage production systems.

n-3 PUFA Supplementation Alters Retinal Very-Long-Chain-PUFA Levels and Ratios in Diabetic Animal Models.

SCOPE: Long-chain (LC)-PUFAs act as precursors for the special class of retinal lipids known as very-long-chain (VLC)-PUFAs and the effect of diabetes on retinal VLC-PUFA levels is unexplored. In order to understand the supplemental effect of omega-3 (n-3) LC-PUFAs on decreasing levels of VLC-PUFAs due to diabetes, Nile rats, which develop diabetes spontaneously, and Akita mouse, a genetic diabetes model, are chosen. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human retinal punches from donors are collected from an eye bank; lipids are extracted and analyzed to study the alterations in VLC-PUFAs and their omega-3/omega-6 (n-3/n-6) ratios. Nile rats are fed a high-fat diet to induce hyperglycemia, and then an n-3 PUFA-rich diet is fed to the experimental group for 2 months. Diabetic male Akita mice and WT mice are fed with 5% fish-oil mixed in with their chow for 2 months to observe the effect of n-3 PUFAs. Results indicate that VLC-PUFA levels are lower in human diabetic and retinopathic retinal punches compared to age-matched controls. With supplementation of n-3 PUFAs, there is a significant increase in n-3/n-6 VLC-PUFA ratios in both animal models compared to diabetic controls. CONCLUSION: Dietary supplementation with n-3 LC-PUFAs helps to prevent progression of diabetes and associated retinopathy.

Supplementation with macular carotenoids improves visual performance of transgenic mice.

Carotenoid supplementation can improve human visual performance, but there is still no validated rodent model to test their effects on visual function in laboratory animals. We recently showed that mice deficient in ß-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) and/or ß-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1) enzymes can accumulate carotenoids in their retinas, allowing us to investigate the effects of carotenoids on the visual performance of mice. Using OptoMotry, a device to measure visual function in rodents, we examined the effect of zeaxanthin, lutein, and ß-carotene on visual performance of various BCO knockout mice. We then transgenically expressed the human zeaxanthin-binding protein GSTP1 (hGSTP1) in the rods of bco2-/- mice to examine if delivering more zeaxanthin to retina will improve their visual function further. The visual performance of bco2-/- mice fed with zeaxanthin or lutein was significantly improved relative to control mice fed with placebo beadlets. ß-Carotene had no significant effect in bco2-/- mice but modestly improved cone visual function of bco1-/- mice. Expression of hGSTP1 in the rods of bco2-/-mice resulted in a 40% increase of retinal zeaxanthin and further improvement of visual performance. This work demonstrates that these "macular pigment mice" may serve as animal models to study carotenoid function in the retina.

Retinal accumulation of zeaxanthin, lutein, and ß-carotene in mice deficient in carotenoid cleavage enzymes.

Carotenoid supplementation can prevent and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other ocular disease, but until now, there has been no validated and well-characterized mouse model which can be employed to investigate the protective mechanism and relevant metabolism of retinal carotenoids. ß-Carotene oxygenases 1 and 2 (BCO1 and BCO2) are the only two carotenoid cleavage enzymes found in animals. Mutations of the bco2 gene may cause accumulation of xanthophyll carotenoids in animal tissues, and BCO1 is involved in regulation of the intestinal absorption of carotenoids. To determine whether or not mice deficient in BCO1 and/or BCO2 can serve as a macular pigment mouse model, we investigated the retinal accumulation of carotenoids in these mice when fed with zeaxanthin, lutein, or ß-carotene using an optimized carotenoid feeding method. HPLC analysis revealed that all three carotenoids were detected in sera, livers, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroids, and retinas of all of the mice, except that no carotenoid was detectable in the retinas of wild type (WT) mice. Significantly higher amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein accumulated in the retinas of BCO2 knockout (bco2-/-) mice and BCO1/BCO2 double knockout (bco1-/-/bco2-/-) mice relative to BCO1 knockout (bco1-/-) mice, while bco1-/- mice preferred to take up ß-carotene. The levels of zeaxanthin and lutein were higher than ß-carotene levels in the bco1-/-/bco2-/- retina, consistent with preferential uptake of xanthophyll carotenoids by retina. Oxidative metabolites were detected in mice fed with lutein or zeaxanthin but not in mice fed with ß-carotene. These results indicate that bco2-/- and bco1-/-/bco2-/- mice could serve as reasonable non-primate models for macular pigment function in the vertebrate eye, while bco1-/- mice may be more useful for studies related to ß-carotene.

The Age-Related Eye Disease 2 Study: Micronutrients in the Treatment of Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision loss in the elderly. With an increasingly aged population worldwide, the need for the prevention of AMD is rising. Multiple studies investigating AMD with the use of animal models and cell culture have identified oxidative stress-related retinal damage as an important contributing factor. In general, diet is an excellent source of the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals necessary for healthy living; moreover, the general public is often receptive to recommendations made by physicians and health care workers regarding diet and supplements as a means of empowering themselves to avoid common and worrisome ailments such as AMD, which has made epidemiologists and clinicians enthusiastic about dietary intervention studies. A wide variety of nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, ω-3 (n-3) fatty acids, and various carotenoids, have been associated with reducing the risk of AMD. Initial results from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) indicated that supplementation with antioxidants (ß-carotene and vitamins C and E) and zinc was associated with a reduced risk of AMD progression. The AREDS2 follow-up study, designed to improve upon the earlier formulation, tested the addition of lutein, zeaxanthin, and ω-3 fatty acids. In this review, we examine the science behind the nutritional factors included in these interventional studies and the reasons for considering their inclusion to lower the rate of AMD progression.

Blue-light reflectance imaging of macular pigment in infants and children.

PURPOSE: While the role of the macular pigment carotenoids in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration has been extensively studied in adults, comparatively little is known about the physiology and function of lutein and zeaxanthin in the developing eye. We therefore developed a protocol using a digital video fundus camera (RetCam) to measure macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and distributions in premature infants and in children. METHODS: We used blue light reflectance to image the macular pigment in premature babies at the time of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening and in children aged under 7 years who were undergoing examinations under anesthesia for other reasons. We correlated the MPOD with skin carotenoid levels measured by resonance Raman spectroscopy, serum carotenoids measured by HPLC, and dietary carotenoid intake. RESULTS: We enrolled 51 infants and children ranging from preterm to age 7 years. MPOD correlated significantly with age (r = 0.36; P = 0.0142), with serum lutein + zeaxanthin (r = 0.44; P = 0.0049) and with skin carotenoid levels (r = 0.42; P = 0.0106), but not with dietary lutein + zeaxanthin intake (r = 0.13; P = 0.50). All premature infants had undetectable macular pigment, and most had unusually low serum and skin carotenoid concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Our most remarkable finding is the undetectable MPOD in premature infants. This may be due in part to foveal immaturity, but the very low levels of serum and skin carotenoids suggest that these infants are carotenoid insufficient as a consequence of low dietary intake and/or severe oxidative stress. The potential value of carotenoid supplementation in the prevention of ROP and other disorders of prematurity should be a fruitful direction for further investigation.

Lipid-lowering effect of berberine in human subjects and rats.

Due to serious adverse effects and the limited effectiveness of currently available pharmacological therapies for obesity, many research efforts have focused on the development of drugs from natural products. Our previous studies demonstrated that berberine, an alkaloid originally isolated from traditional Chinese herbs, prevented fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo. In this pilot study, obese human subjects (Caucasian) were given 500 mg berberine orally three times a day for twelve weeks. The efficacy and safety of berberine treatment was determined by measurements of body weight, comprehensive metabolic panel, blood lipid and hormone levels, expression levels of inflammatory factors, complete blood count, and electrocardiograph. A Sprague-Dawley rat experiment was also performed to identify the anti-obesity effects of berberine treatment. The results demonstrate that berberine treatment produced a mild weight loss (average 5 lb/subject) in obese human subjects. But more interestingly, the treatment significantly reduced blood lipid levels (23% decrease of triglyceride and 12.2% decrease of cholesterol levels) in human subjects. The lipid-lowering effect of berberine treatment has also been replicated in the rat experiment (34.7% decrease of triglyceride and 9% decrease of cholesterol level). Cortisol, calcitriol, ACTH, TSH, FT4, and SHBG levels were not significantly changed following 12 weeks of berberine treatment. However, there was interestingly, an increase in calcitriol levels seen in all human subjects following berberine treatment (mean 59.5% increase, p=0.11). Blood inflammatory factors (CRP, IL-6, TNFα, COX-2) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were not significantly affected by treatment with berberine. Tests of hematological, cardiovascular, liver, and kidney function following berberine treatment showed no detrimental side effects to this natural compound. Collectively, this study demonstrates that berberine is a potent lipid-lowering compound with a moderate weight loss effect, and may have a possible potential role in osteoporosis treatment/prevention.