phoH-carrying virus communities responded to multiple factors and their correlation network with prokaryotes in sediments along Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea in China.

Viruses carrying phoH genes are an important functional group that may boost phosphate metabolism of their prokaryote hosts and affect phosphorus cycle in the ocean. However, at present, very little is known about the phoH-carrying viruses' community structure and diversity in marine sediments, as well as their correlation network with prokaryotes and environment. Here, via a large spatial scale investigation along the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea, for the first time, diverse unknown benthic phoH-carrying viruses were uncovered, which were mainly affiliated to three clusters. Interestingly, these viruses presented a very distinct community structure compared to those in seawaters. Correlation network analysis implied that these viruses might mainly infect the prokaryotes of Gamm-/Delta-proteobacteria, Thaumarchaeota, and Cyanobacteria in sediments. Distinct virus-prokaryote correlation network modules were shown in different sea areas. These modules' highly nested feature implied their coevolution with prokaryotes during long-term arms race. Their distribution in sediments was influenced by multiple factors including geographic separation and the key environmental variables of total organic carbon and total phosphorus, and responded to terrestrial inputs and coastal aquaculture activities. The results of this study provide novel insights into the benthic virus communities potentially participating in phosphorus cycling in the ocean.

Etiology and surgical management of pediatric acute colon perforation beyond the neonatal stage.

PURPOSE: Acute colon perforation is a pediatric surgical emergency. We aimed to analyze the different etiologies and clinical characteristics of acute non-traumatic colon perforation beyond the neonatal period and to identify surgical management and outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study included 18 patients admitted with acute colon perforation and who received surgical treatment. RESULTS: Age of patients ranged between 1 month and 15 years. Five patients swallowed foreign objects (two swallowed magnets), two had colon perforation secondary to a malignant tumor (both colorectal adenocarcinoma) and two were iatrogenic (one prior colonoscopy, one air enema for intussusception). There was one perforation due to chemotherapy and Amyand's hernia respectively. The remaining seven patients had unknown etiologies; five of them were diagnosed with colitis. Fifteen (83.3 %) patients underwent open laparotomy, among which four attempted laparoscopy first. Three (16.7 %) patients underwent laparoscopic surgery. Fourteen (77.8 %) patients received simple suture repairs and four (22.2 %) received colonic resections and anastomosis. Four (22.2 %) patients received a protective diverting colostomy and three (16.7 %) received an ileostomy. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide range of etiology besides necrotizing enterocolitis and trauma, but a significant portion of children present with unknown etiology. Type of surgery elected should be dependent on the patient's etiology, disease severity and experience of surgeons.