Prediction and mediation analysis for treatment responses to combined cognitive and physical training for older adults.

Diminished cognitive and physical functions negatively affect the daily functions of individuals. Although combined cognitive and physical training prevents instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability in older adults, no predictive model or mediation analysis of IADL after combined training exists. This study aims to employ prediction and mediation analysis to identify the predictors of IADL performance and to elucidate the mediators of the association between baseline global cognition and subsequent IADL performance following combined cognitive and physical training. This study involved 177 participants aged 60 years and older who underwent combined training. Cognitive function was measured with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Color Trails Test, Word List, and a dual task; physical function with the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test; daily function with the Lawton IADL Scale. We conducted regression analyses to identify the predictors of IADL performance, and mediation analysis to examine whether DSST and TUG mediate the relationship between MoCA and IADL. The pre-intervention DSST and TUG were significant independent predictors of post-intervention IADL. The association between the pre-intervention MoCA and post-intervention IADL was mediated by pre-intervention DSST and TUG. This study highlighted the importance of measuring and improving processing speed and functional mobility before and during interventions to enhance IADL outcomes.Trial registration: NCT03619577, 23/07/2018; NCT04689776, 29/12/2020.

Hydro-meteorological factors and inflowing nutrients drive water quality in an impounded lake of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

Freshwater lakes play a vital role in global hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, serving various functions and maintaining ecological balance. However, freshwater resources are more vulnerable to deterioration due to multiple stressors. Gaoyou Lake is one of the impounded lakes of the Eastern route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, and as an important source of drinking water, the lake has been routinely monitored. Long-term monitoring of water quality in Gaoyou Lake showed that concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a as well as trophic state in the water column increased while water transparency decreased, indicating that the water quality has declined during the last 12 years. Specifically, there was a notable and statistically significant increase in chlorophyll a concentrations, averaging an annual rate of 9.9%. Despite a slight decline in trophic level index until 2014, subsequent years saw an upward trend, ranging from 50.7 to 56.4 and indicating a light eutrophic state. Spatially, the western area displayed higher nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations. Changes in hydro-meteorological variables and nutrients from inflowing rivers were the main factors correlated with water quality in Gaoyou Lake. Thus, pollution source apportionment and management within Huaihe River basin should be considered to reduce the external loadings of nutrients in order to improve and sustain long-term water quality.

Proprioceptive and olfactory deficits in individuals with Parkinson disease and mild cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer's (AD) disease often present with perceptual impairments at an early clinical stage. Therefore, early identification and quantification of these impairments could facilitate diagnosis and early intervention. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare proprioceptive and olfactory sensitivities in individuals diagnosed with PD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: Proprioception in the forearm and olfactory function were measured in neurotypical older adults, individuals with PD, and individuals with MCI. Position and passive motion senses were assessed using a passive motion apparatus. The traditional Chinese version of the University of Pennsylvania smell identification test (UPSIT-TC) and the smell threshold test (STT) were used to identify and discriminate smell, respectively. RESULTS: Position sense threshold between the groups differed significantly (p < 0.001), with the PD (p < 0.001) and MCI (p = 0.004) groups showing significantly higher than the control group. The control group had significantly higher mean UPSIT-TC scores than the PD (p < 0.001) and MCI (p = 0.006) groups. The control group had a significantly lower mean STT threshold than the PD and MCI groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). UPSIT-TC scores significantly correlated with disease progression in PD (r = - 0.50, p = 0.008) and MCI (r = 0.44, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Proprioceptive and olfactory sensitivities were reduced in individuals with PD and MCI, and these deficits were related to disease severity. These findings support previous findings indicating that perceptual loss may be a potential biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring disease progression in individuals with neurodegenerative diseases.

Climate-associated variation in the drivers of benthic macroinvertebrate species-area relationships across shallow freshwater lakes.

The island species-area relationship (ISAR) describes how species richness increases with increasing area of a given island or island-like habitat, such as freshwater lakes. While the ISAR is one of the most common phenomena observed in ecology, there is variation in both the form of the relationship and its underlying mechanisms. We compiled a global data set of benthic macroinvertebrates from 524 shallow freshwater lakes, ranging from 1 to 293,300 ha in area. We used individual-based rarefaction to determine the degree to which ISAR was influenced by mechanisms other than passive sampling (larger islands passively sample more individuals from the regional pool and, therefore, have more species than smaller islands), which would bias results away from expected relationships between rarefied species richness (and other measures that capture relative abundances) and lake area. We also examined how climate may alter the shape of the ISARs. We found that both rarefied species richness (the number of species standardized by area or number of individuals) and a measure of evenness emphasizing common species exhibit shallow slopes in relationships with lake area, suggesting that the expected ISARs in these lakes most likely result from passive sampling. While there was considerable variation among ISARs across the investigated lakes, we found an overall positive rarefied ISAR for lakes in warm (i.e. tropical/subtropical) regions (n = 195), and in contrast, an overall negative rarefied ISAR in cool (i.e. north temperate) lakes (n = 329). This suggested that mechanisms beyond passive sampling (e.g. colonization-extinction dynamics and/or heterogeneity) were more likely to operate in warm lakes. One possible reason for this difference is that the area-dependent intensity of fish predation, which can lead to flatter ISARs, is weaker in warmer relative to cooler lakes. Our study illustrates the importance of understanding both the pattern and potential processes underlying the ISARs of freshwater lakes in different climatic regions. Furthermore, it provides a baseline for understanding how further changes to the ecosystem (i.e. in lake area or climate) might influence biodiversity patterns.

The effect of sequential combination of mirror therapy and robot-assisted therapy on motor function, daily function, and self-efficacy after stroke.

Robot-assisted therapy and mirror therapy are both effective in promoting upper limb function after stroke and combining these two interventions might yield greater therapeutic effects. We aimed to examine whether using mirror therapy as a priming strategy would augment therapeutic effects of robot-assisted therapy. Thirty-seven chronic stroke survivors (24 male/13 female; age = 49.8 ± 13.7 years) were randomized to receive mirror therapy or sham mirror therapy prior to robot-assisted therapy. All participants received 18 intervention sessions (60 min/session, 3 sessions/week). Outcome measures were evaluated at baseline and after the 18-session intervention. Motor function was assessed using Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Wolf Motor Function Test. Daily function was assessed using Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale. Self-efficacy was assessed using Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaires and Daily Living Self-Efficacy Scale. Data was analyzed using mixed model analysis of variance. Both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in measures of motor function and daily function, but no significant between-group differences were found. Participants who received mirror therapy prior to robot-assisted therapy showed greater improvements in measures of self-efficacy, compared with those who received sham mirror therapy. Our findings suggest that sequentially combined mirror therapy with robot-assisted therapy could be advantageous for enhancing self-efficacy post-stroke.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03917511. Registered on 17/04/2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/ NCT03917511.

In vitro ruminal fermentation and cow-to-mouse fecal transplantations verify the inter-relationship of microbiome and metabolome biomarkers: potential to promote health in dairy cows.

Introduction: There are differences in the gut microbiome and metabolome when the host undergoes different physical or pathological conditions. However, the inter-relationship of microbiome and metabolome biomarkers to potentially promote the health of dairy cows needs to be studied. Further, the development of next-generation probiotics for dairy cattle health promotion has not been demonstrated. Objective: In the present study, we identified the microbiome and metabolome biomarkers associated with healthy cows. Methods: We analyzed the relationships of the ruminal microorganism profile and metabolites between healthy and mastitis lactating dairy cows. The roles of bacterial biomarker were further verified by in vitro fermentation and cow-to-mouse fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Results: Two species, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum, and six rumen metabolites were positively correlated with healthy cows by Spearman's correlation analysis. Through in vitro ruminal fermentation, inoculating R. flavefaciens and B. longum subsp. longum showed the upregulation of the levels of putrescine, xanthurenic acid, and pyridoxal in the mastitis ruminal fluid, which confirmed the inter-relationships between these microbiota and metabolites associated with healthy cows. Further, we verified the role of R. flavefaciens and B. longum subsp. longum in promoting health by FMT. The administration of R. flavefaciens and B. longum subsp. longum reduced the death rate and recovered the bodyweight loss of germ-free mice caused by FMT mastitis feces. Discussion: We provided evidence that the bacterial biomarkers alter downstream metabolites. This could indirectly indicate that the two bacterial biomarkers have the potential to be used as next-generation probiotics for dairy cattle, although it needs more evidence to support our hypothesis. Two species, R. flavefaciens and B. longum subsp. longum, with three metabolites, putrescine, xanthurenic acid, and pyridoxal, identified in the ruminal fluid, may point to a new health-promoting and disease-preventing approach for dairy cattle.

Top-down effects of filter-feeding fish and bivalves moderate bottom-up effects of nutrients on phytoplankton in subtropical shallow lakes: An outdoor mesocosm study.

Biomanipulation has been widely used in the ecological restoration of eutrophic lakes for decades. However, biomanipulation is prone to failure if external nutrient loads are not reduced. In order to explore the importance of filter-feeding fish and bivalves on algal control, an outdoor mesocosm experiment was conducted using different nutrient concentrations. Four treatments simulating daily loads of nutrients in Lake Taihu were studied: current, two times, and three times average daily loads of nutrients with both fish (Aristichthys nobilis) and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and as a control current daily loads without fish or bivalves. Results showed that stocking of filter-feeding fish and bivalves (80 g m-3 bighead carp; 200 g cm-2 clams) at two times daily nutrient loads could effectively control water column Chl a concentrations and phytoplankton biomass. At higher nutrient concentrations (TN ≥ 260 µg L-1 d-1; TP ≥ 10 µg L-1 d-1), top-down control of filter-feeding fish and bivalves was less effective and bottom-up effects resulted in significant increases of Chl a concentration. Thus, as phytoplankton biomass in freshwater ecosystems is determined by both the top-down effects of predators and the bottom-up effects of nutrients, external loadings should be controlled when filter-feeding fish and bivalves are used for algal control to ensure the efficacy of biomanipulation.

Simultaneous increases of filter-feeding fish and bivalves are key for controlling cyanobacterial blooms in a shallow eutrophic lake.

Eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms have severely affected many freshwater ecosystems. We studied the effects of filter-feeding fish and bivalves on algal populations using a mesocosm experiment and long-term monitoring data from Lake Taihu (China). The mesocosm study, comprised of a two-way factorial design with the clam Corbicula fluminea and the fish Aristichthys nobilis at three biomass levels, resulted in lower chlorophyll a (Chl a) in high fish treatments, but no significant differences in the low and medium fish treatments. Chl a also decreased with an increase in clam biomass in the high fish treatments. Moreover, filter-feeding fish resulted in a decrease in algal sizes (e.g., the colony size of Microcystis aeruginosa was inversely related to fish biomass) which likely increased the filter-feeding efficiency of bivalves. Biomass of filter-feeding fish was found to be a key factor driving the synergistic effects of filter-feeding fish and bivalves in waters dominated by Microcystis colonies. Long-term monitoring revealed increasing trends in Chl a concentration, total fish catch per unit effort (TF-CPUE), and filter-feeding fish (FF-CPUE), and slightly decreasing trends in bivalve biomass and nitrogen to phosphorus ratios (N:P) from 2006 to 2016. Bivalve biomass and N:P were negatively correlated with Chl a, while FF-CPUE was not significantly related to Chl a. The current filter-feeding fish biomass in Lake Taihu is estimated to be too low to drive synergistic algal control effects together with bivalves. Furthermore, the lack of filter feeders in Lake Taihu may lead to top-down control by predators that cannot counteract the bottom-up effects of nutrients on phytoplankton. Collectively, these long-term monitoring and experimental data support the combined use filter-feeding fish and bivalves for managing cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Taihu.

Buffering capacity of submerged macrophytes against nutrient pulses increase with its coverage in shallow lakes.

Submerged macrophytes can improve water quality and buffer the effects of external nutrient loading, which helps to maintain a clear-water state in shallow lakes. We constructed 12 large enclosures with contrasting coverages (treatments) of submerged macrophytes (SMC) to elucidate their buffering capacity and resilience to nutrient pulses. We found that aquatic ecosystems with high SMC had higher buffering capacity and resilience, vice versa, i. e, the enclosures with high SMC quickly buffered the nutrient pulse and rebounded to clear-water state after a short stay in turbid-water state dominated by algae, while the treatments with low SMC could not fully buffer the pulse and rebound to clear-water state, and they slowly entered the transitional state after staying in turbid-water state. This means that the enclosures with high SMC had a better water quality than those with low SMC, i.e., the levels of nutrients and Chl-a were lower in the treatments with high plant coverage. In addition, plant coverage had a significantly positive buffering effect against nitrogen and phosphorus pulses, i.e., the nutrient concentrations in the treatments with high SMC took shorter time to return to the pre-pulse level. Overall, our results evidenced that the higher that the SMCs is, the better is the water quality and buffering capacity against nutrient pulses, i.e. the more stable is the clear-water state. However, low SMC may not be able to resist the impact of such strong nutrient pulse. Our results provide reference and guidance for water pollution control and water ecological restoration.

Predictors of personal recovery for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders living in the community.

INTRODUCTION: Personal recovery is a complex construct frequently used as outcome measure in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study examined potential predictors of personal recovery using the two most common assessment tools for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders living in the community: the Chinese version of the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery and the Chinese version of the Recovery Assessment Scale. METHODS: Ninety-one individuals (57 women) diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders participated in the study (mean age: 47.41 ± 9.41 years). All participants lived in the community and received community psychiatric services. The participants were evaluated via interviews, questionnaires and standardized assessments. Potential predictors included four domains: personal, disease-related, functional and social. Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to analyse the potential predictors of the recovery and recovery assessment scale. RESULTS: Resilience and social support were the only significant predictors of the Chinese versions of the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery and Chinese version of the Recovery Assessment Scale. The primary predictor of the Chinese version of the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery was social support from family and institutional staff. Conversely, resilience was the major predictor of the Chinese version of the Recovery Assessment Scale. DISCUSSION: For people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders living in the community, social support and resilience significantly predicted personal recovery. Age, educational level, disease-related and functional factors were not significant predictors of personal recovery. Therefore, it is important to develop successful personal recovery-oriented practices that enhance resilience and promote social support.

Comparing the effects of olfactory-based sensory stimulation and board game training on cognition, emotion, and blood biomarkers among individuals with dementia: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Olfactory dysfunction can indicate early cognitive decline and is associated with dementia symptoms. We developed an olfactory-based sensory stimulation program and investigated its effects on cognition and emotion, and board game training were used as a comparison. In this parallel design pilot study, 30 participants with mild to moderate dementia were equal randomly assigned to the control (CONT), olfactory stimulation with cognitive training (OS), and board game (BG) groups. Two participants were withdrawn from CONT and OS groups, respectively. The intervention was a 12-week program with one 30-min session twice a week. We employed a blood-based biomarker technique and several cognitive and psychological tests to measure basal and after-intervention values. No significant differences were observed between the groups after intervention, as measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA), Top International Biotech Smell Identification Test, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The results showed that the OS group had a lower plasma Tau level than the other groups following intervention, whereas the CONT group had a significantly increased plasma amyloid ß1-42 level. OS participants had a lower concentration ratio of plasma Tau and amyloid Aß1-42 and showed more stable or improved cognition, olfactory function, and mood state. Both the OS and BG groups had a higher percentage of participants with stable or improved cognition and emotion. Taken together, these results suggest that olfactory-based sensory stimulation can be a beneficial intervention for patients with dementia. Clinical trial registration: [Clinicaltrials.gov], identifier [NCT05168098].

A Heat-Killed Probiotic Mixture Regulates Immune T Cells Balance and IgE Production in House Dust Mite Extraction-Induced Atopic Dermatitis Mice.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease accompanied with severe itching and skin lesions. Current studies have demonstrated that probiotics can exert an immunomodulatory effect, improve epithelial barrier function, and normalize the composition of gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of probiotics on the immune balance of AD in vivo. We first screened two lactic acid bacteria strains, which were Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MP01 and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei MP02, from 10 strains isolated from traditional fermented milk with inflammation regulating activities in vitro. In the house dust mite (HDM) extraction-induced AD mouse model, mice were assigned randomly to four groups: control group (PC), HDM-induced AD group (NC), HDM-induced AD mice with administration of a mixture of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 at a low concentration (LD), and high concentration (HD) groups. Compared with the NC group, the probiotic treatments could relieve the AD symptoms. Moreover, the LD group significantly decreased total and HDM-specific IgE concentration. These results indicated that a combination of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 strains modulated the proportion of IL4+CD4+ T cells and IFNγ+CD4+ T cells in the spleen of HDM extraction-induced AD mice. In conclusion, administration of the heat-killed MP01 and MP02 mixtures appeared to relieve the classic AD signs, decrease serum IgE concentration, and rebalance the population of Th1/Th2 cells in HDM extraction-induced AD mice. The immunomodulatory activities of a combination of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 provided a potential new therapeutic strategy against AD.

Functional traits underlying performance variations in the overwintering of the cosmopolitan invasive plant water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) under climate warming and water drawdown.

Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that temperature rise is still the general trend of the global climate in the 21st century. Invasive species may benefit from the increase in temperature, as climate can be viewed as a resource, and the increase in the available resources favors the invasibility of invasive species. This study aimed to assess the overwintering growth of the cosmopolitan invasive plant water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) at its northern boundary. Using E. crassipes as a model plant, a cross-year mesocosm experiment was conducted to determine 17 plant functional traits, including growth, morphological, root topological, photosynthetic, and stoichiometric traits, under climate warming (ambient, temperature rises of 1.5°C and 3.0°C), and water drawdown or water withdrawal (water depths of 1, 10, and 20 cm) treatments. The overwintering growth of E. crassipes was facilitated by climate warming and proper water drawdown, and climate warming played a leading role. A temperature rises of 3.0°C and a water depth of 10 cm were the most suitable conditions for the overwintering and rooting behavior of the plant. Controlling the temperature to within 1.5°C, an ambitious goal for China, still facilitated the overwintering of E. crassipes. With climate warming, the plant can overwinter successfully, which possibly assists it in producing and spreading new ramets in the vernal flood season. The new rooting behavior induced by ambient low temperature may be viewed as a unique growth adaptation strategy for a niche change, as it helps these plants invade empty niches left by dead free-floating plants on the water surface following winter freezes. With continued global warming, the distribution of the plant may expand northward, and eradication of the plant during the winter water drawdown period may be a more effective strategy.

Water quality profits by the submerged macrophyte community consisting of multi-functional species-rich groups.

The re-establishment of submerged macrophytes facilitates the formation of a clear-water state in shallow eutrophic lakes. But most restorations of submerged macrophytes are often unstable and cannot maintain a stable clear-water state, probably because the species and functional diversity have not been fully taken into account. In this study, we try to explore submerged macrophyte communities and water quality changes under different submerged macrophyte combinations through mesocosm experiments. We hypothesized that communities with high species and functional diversity would be more conducive to improving water quality. The results showed that the mean community biomass of single-species and 8-species were higher than 5-species. And the stability and mean relative growth rate of the 8-species community were higher than the 5-species community. With the same configuration of three functional groups, the 8-species community was more stable and had better water quality than the 5-species community. The path analysis revealed that different functional groups of submerged macrophytes play different roles. The erect and canopy-producing submerged macrophytes were conducive to reducing total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in the water column during community construction. In contrast, bottom-dwelling submerged macrophytes were conducive to reducing total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and TSS concentrations during the stage of disturbances. Our results also suggested that canopy-producing groups may have a competitive advantage for light over bottom-dwelling species. Based on the above results and biodiversity insurance hypothesis, we conclude that the community consisting of multi-functional species-rich groups is conducive to building stable submerged macrophyte communities and obtaining a stable clear-water state. Our findings will improve water quality management and pollution control for eutrophic shallow lakes.

Subspecies Classification and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens HL1 and M1 for Potential Niche-Specific Genes and Pathways.

(1) Background: Strains HL1 and M1, isolated from kefir grains, have been tentatively identified, based on their partial 16S rRNA gene sequences, as Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens. The two strains demonstrated different health benefits. Therefore, not only the genetic factors exerting diverse functionalities in different L. kefiranofaciens strains, but also the potential niche-specific genes and pathways among the L. kefiranofaciens strains, should be identified. (2) Methods: Phenotypic and genotypic approaches were employed to identify strains HL1 and M1 at the subspecies level. For the further characterization of the probiotic properties of both strains, comparative genomic analyses were used. (3) Results: Both strains were identified as L. kefiranofaciens subsp. kefirgranum. According to the COG function category, dTDP-rhamnose and rhamnose-containing glycans were specifically detected in the L. kefiranofaciens subsp. Kefirgranum genomes. Three unique genes (epsI, epsJ, and epsK) encoding glycosyltransferase in the EPS gene cluster, and the ImpB/MucB/SamB family protein encoding gene were found in HL1 and M1. The specific ability to degrade arginine via the ADI pathway was found in HL1. The presence of the complete glycogen metabolism (glg) operon in the L. kefiranofaciens strains suggested the importance of glycogen synthesis to enable colonization in kefir grains and extend survival under environmental stresses. (4) Conclusions: The obtained novel information on the potential genes and pathways for polysaccharide synthesis and other functionalities in our HL1 and M1 strains could be applied for further functionality predictions for potential probiotic screening.

Piscivore stocking significantly suppresses small fish but does not facilitate a clear-water state in subtropical shallow mesocosms: A biomanipulation experiment.

Biomanipulation by piscivore stocking has been widely used to combat eutrophication in north temperate lakes, but its applicability in warm lakes has not yet been well elucidated. Here, we used experimental mesocosms to test the effects of a native benthi-piscivore (snakehead, Channa argus Cantor) on water clarity under subtropical conditions where small omni-benthivorous fish like crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) prevail. Our results showed that, despite of a great reduction of crucian carp biomass, snakehead stocking did not create a strong trophic cascade as neither (herbivorous) zooplankton biomass nor their grazing pressure, indicated by biomass ratio of (herbivorous) zooplankton to phytoplankton, changed significantly. Moreover, snakehead stocking significantly increased water non-algal turbidity as well as nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations, suggesting that these benthi-piscivores also disturbed sediments like crucian carp did. Our study showed that biomanipulation by stocking of snakehead does not facilitate clear-water state in warm shallow lakes, even on the short-term.

Combining lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and submerged macrophytes alleviates water quality deterioration in the presence of omni-benthivorous fish.

Bioturbation by omni-benthivorous fish often causes sediment resuspension and internal nutrient loading, which boosts phytoplankton growth and may lead to a shift of clear water lakes to a turbid state. Removal of large-sized omni-benthivorous individuals is a lake restoration measure that may revert lakes from a turbid to a clear water state, yet the rapid reproduction of small omni-benthivorous fish in tropical and subtropical shallow lakes may impede such lake recovery. In lake restoration, also a combination of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and planting submerged macrophytes has been used that may synergistically improve lake water quality. How the combined effect works in the presence of small omni-benthivorous fish has not been studied, which is needed given the high abundances of small omni-benthivorous fish in (sub)tropical lakes. We conducted a two-by-two factorial mesocosm experiment with and without the submerged macrophytes Vallisneria natans and with and without LMB, all in the presence of small crucian carp. At the end of the experiment, turbidity in the V. natans, LMB and combined LMB + V. natans treatments had decreased by 0.8%, 30.3% and 30.9%, respectively, compared with the controls. In addition, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) release from the sediment in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments had decreased substantially, by 97.4% and 94.3%, respectively, compared with the control. These N and P fluxes were also significantly lower in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments than in the sole LMB treatment (88.1% and 82.3%) or the V. natans treatment (93.2% and 90.3%). Cyanobacteria in the overlying water in the combined LMB + V. natans treatments significantly decreased by 84.1%, 63.5% and 37.0%, respectively, compared with the control and the sole LMB and V. natans treatments. Our results show that LMB and submerged macrophytes complement each other in effectively improving the water quality, even in the presence of small omni-benthivorous fish.

Development of Next-Generation Probiotics by Investigating the Interrelationships between Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Diarrhea in Preruminant Holstein Calves.

(1) Background: We aimed to isolate and identify potential next-generation probiotics (NGP) by investigating the interrelationships between gastrointestinal microbiota and diarrhea in preruminant Holstein calves. (2) Material and methods: Twenty preruminant Holstein calves were divided into healthy and diarrheic groups after the combination outcomes of veterinary diagnosis and fecal scores. The fecal microbiome, plasma cytokines, plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) G and haptoglobin were analyzed. The potential probiotic bacteria were identified by comparing the microbiota difference between healthy and diarrheic calves and correlation analysis with fecal scores and inflammatory markers. The identified bacteria were also isolated for further evaluation for antimicrobial activities and immunoregulatory effects. (3) Results: Microbiota analysis suggested that Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014, Bifidobacterium and Pseudoflavonifractor positively correlated with bovine IgG and negatively correlated with fecal score; inflammatory factors, bovine HP, and IL-8 were classified as beneficial bacteria contributing to the health of the calves. The alternation of gut microbial composition also induced changes in the functional gene enrichment of gut microbiota in calves. The gathering of microbiomic data strongly indicated the possible beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum, expected to develop as NGP. After isolation and evaluation of the potential functionality in vitro, two specific bifidobacterial strains demonstrated antimicrobial activities and immunoregulatory effects. (4) Conclusions: The results provide a new probiotic searching approach for preventing gastrointestinal disorders in preruminant calves. Further animal study is necessary to verify the results.

Does ancient permafrost-derived organic carbon affect lake zooplankton growth? An experimental study on Daphnia magna.

The popular paradigm in trophic dynamic theory is that contemporary autochthonous organic matter (e.g., phytoplankton) sustains consumer growth, whereas aged allochthonous organic matter is conceptually considered recalcitrant resources that may only be used to support consumer respiration but suppress consumer growth. This resource-age paradigm has been challenged by a growing body of recent evidence that ancient (radiocarbon depleted) organic carbon (OC) released from glaciers and permafrost can be incorporated by consumers in aquatic systems. However, little information is available regarding the food quality of ancient terrestrial OC and how it impacts the growth of consumers in lakes. Here, ancient dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was extracted from frozen soils in an alpine lake catchment. The contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in soil DOC increased significantly after bioconversion by heterotrophic bacteria. The utilization of soil DOC by heterotrophic bacteria also increased the total phosphorus concentration in the systems. Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria showed a strong negative correlation with the percentage contents of fluorescent components, including humic-like and tyrosine-like components. Daphnia magna were fed Auxenochlorella vulgaris and ancient DOC plus heterotrophic bacteria. The contents of PUFAs and the growth of zooplankton were influenced by the pre-conversion time of ancient DOC by bacteria. When ancient DOC was pre-converted by bacteria for 27 days, D. magna fed on the mixed diets showed the highest body length (3.40 mm) and intrinsic rate of increase in population (0.49 d-1). Our findings provide direct evidence that ancient terrestrial OC can be an important subsidy for lake secondary production, which have important implications for food webs in high-altitude and polar lakes.

Cascading effects of benthic fish impede reinstatement of clear water conditions in lakes: A mesocosm study.

In shallow eutrophic lakes, submersed macrophytes are essential for maintaining a clear water state, and they are affected markedly by fishes directly through herbivory and indirectly by fish-invertebrate-periphyton complexity, a pathway that presently is not well understood in subtropical lakes but probably vital to lake managements. We conducted a mesocosm study involving benthic fish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), snails (Radix swinhoei) and submersed macrophyte (Vallisneria natans), aiming to examine whether benthic fish is detrimental to reestablishment of clear-water macrophyte-dominated state in eutrophic degraded lakes. In addition, we aimed to investigate the cascading effect that benthic fish might have on periphyton and phytoplankton and to what extent snails can alleviate this effect. Our results showed that benthic fish promoted nutrient release from the sediment and thereby facilitated the growth of phytoplankton and periphyton, leading to reduced growth of submerged macrophytes due to shading. Snails consumed the periphyton attached on the leaves of macrophytes, thereby being beneficial to the plant growth, albeit it could not fully counteract the adverse effects from benthic fish. The water quality indicators in terms of nutrients concentrations, phytoplankton biomass and light extinction coefficient along the water column was affected primarily by benthic fish, followed by macrophytes and snails. To target a clear-water condition, the water quality was best at the presence of macrophytes alone or in combination with snails, and worst at the presence of benthic fish. Our results implied that the removal of benthic fish should be a useful ecological restoration method for rehabilitation of submersed macrophytes and water quality improvement in subtropic, eutrophic, shallow lakes following external nutrient loading reduction.