Effect of gradual increase of salt on performance and microbial community during granulation process.

Salinity was considered to have effects on the characteristics, performance microbial communities of aerobic granular sludge. This study investigated granulation process with gradual increase of salt under different gradients. Two identical sequencing batch reactors were operated, while the influent of Ra and Rb was subjected to stepwise increments of NaCl concentrations (0-4 g/L and 0-10 g/L). The presence of filamentous bacteria may contribute to granules formed under lower salinity conditions, potentially leading to granules fragmentation. Excellent removal efficiency achieved in both reactors although there was a small accumulation of nitrite in Rb at later stages. The removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in Ra were 95.31%, 93.70% and 88.66%, while the corresponding removal efficiencies in Rb were 94.19%, 89.79% and 80.74%. Salinity stimulated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion and enriched EPS producing bacteria to help maintain the integrity and stability of the aerobic granules. Heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria were responsible for NH4+-N and NO2--N oxidation of salinity systems and large number of denitrifying bacteria were detected, which ensure the high removal efficiency of TN in the systems.

Seasonal and anthropogenic influences on bacterioplankton communities: ecological impacts in the coastal waters of Qinhuangdao, Northern China.

Marine bacterioplankton play a crucial role in the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in coastal waters. And the impact of environmental factors on bacterial community structure and ecological functions is a dynamic ongoing process. To systematically assess the relationship between environmental changes and bacterioplankton communities, this study delved into the spatiotemporal distribution and predicted metabolic characteristics of bacterioplankton communities at two estuarine beaches in Northern China. Coastal water samples were collected regularly in spring, summer, and autumn, and were analyzed in combination with environmental parameters and bacterioplankton community. Results indicated significant seasonal variations in bacterioplankton communities as Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were enriched in spring, Cyanobacteria proliferated in summer. While Pseudomonadota and microorganisms associated with organic matter decomposition prevailed in autumn, closely linked to seasonal variation of temperature, light and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Particularly in summer, increased tourism activities and riverine inputs significantly raised nutrient levels, promoting the proliferation of specific photosynthetic microorganisms, potentially linked to the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed significant correlations between bacterioplankton communities and environmental factors such as salinity, chlorophyll a, and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP). Additionally, the metabolic features of the spring bacterioplankton community were primarily characterized by enhanced activities in the prokaryotic carbon fixation pathways, reflecting rapid adaptation to increased light and temperature, as well as significant contributions to primary productivity. In summer, the bacterial communities were involved in enhanced glycolysis and biosynthetic pathways, reflecting high energy metabolism and responses to increased light and biomass. In autumn, microorganisms adapted to the accelerated decomposition of organic matter and the seasonal changes in environmental conditions through enhanced amino acid metabolism and material cycling pathways. These findings demonstrate that seasonal changes and human activities significantly influence the structure and function of bacterioplankton communities by altering nutrient dynamics and physical environmental conditions. This study provides important scientific insights into the marine biological responses under global change.

Microalgae-mediated bioremediation: current trends and opportunities-a review.

Environmental pollution poses a critical global challenge, and traditional wastewater treatment methods often prove inadequate in addressing the complexity and scale of this issue. On the other hand, microalgae exhibit diverse metabolic capabilities that enable them to remediate a wide range of pollutants, including heavy metals, organic contaminants, and excess nutrients. By leveraging the unique metabolic pathways of microalgae, innovative strategies can be developed to effectively remediate polluted environments. Therefore, this review paper highlights the potential of microalgae-mediated bioremediation as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional methods. It also highlights the advantages of utilizing microalgae and algae-bacteria co-cultures for large-scale bioremediation applications, demonstrating impressive biomass production rates and enhanced pollutant removal efficiency. The promising potential of microalgae-mediated bioremediation is emphasized, presenting a viable and innovative alternative to traditional treatment methods in addressing the global challenge of environmental pollution. This review identifies the opportunities and challenges for microalgae-based technology and proposed suggestions for future studies to tackle challenges. The findings of this review advance our understanding of the potential of microalgae-based technology wastewater treatment.

Optimizing tradeoff strategies of soil microbial community between metabolic efficiency and resource acquisition along a natural regeneration chronosequence.

The tradeoff between community-level soil microbial metabolic efficiency and resource acquisition strategies during natural regeneration remains unclear. Herein, we examined variations in soil extracellular enzyme activity, microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2), and microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) along a chronosequence of natural regeneration by sampling secondary forests at 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 100 years after rubber plantation (RP) clearance. The results showed that the natural logarithms of carbon (C)-, nitrogen (N)-, and phosphorus (P)-acquiring enzyme activities were 1:1.68:1.37 and 1:1.54:1.38 in the RP and secondary forests, respectively, thus demonstrating that microbial metabolism was co-limited by N and P. Moreover, the soil microbial C limitation initially increased (1-40 years) and later decreased (100 years). Overall, the qCO2 increased, decreased, and then increased again in the initial (< 10 years), middle (10-40 years), and late (100 years) successional stages, respectively. Except for specific P-acquiring enzyme activities, the changes in other indicators with natural regeneration were consistent in the dry and wet seasons. Both qCO2 and CUE were mainly predicted by microbial community composition and physiological traits. These results indicate that soil microbial communities could employ tradeoff strategies between metabolic efficiency and resource acquisition to cope with variations in resources. Our findings provide new information on tradeoff strategies between metabolic efficiency and resource acquisition during natural regeneration.

Dietary fibre intake and its association with ultraprocessed food consumption in the general population of Switzerland: analysis of a population-based, cross-sectional national nutrition survey.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the compliance to dietary fibre recommendations of the Swiss population and to investigate the association between dietary fibre intake and ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption. Methods: Data were obtained from the cross-sectional Swiss National Nutrition Survey menuCH. We summarised the sociodemographic, lifestyle and anthropometric parameters as well as dietary data collected with two 24-hour dietary recalls for the whole population and subgroups according to absolute and relative dietary fibre intake. We analysed the associations between dietary fibre intake and UPF consumption by fitting multinomial logistic regression models. Data were weighted according to the menuCH weighting strategy to achieve a representation of the Swiss population. Results: Data obtained from 2057 adults were included in the analysis, of which 87% had a dietary fibre intake of <30 g/day. Participants with high UPF consumption had lower odds of being in the medium or high dietary fibre intake groups than participants with low UPF consumption. The odds of being in the medium or high dietary fibre intake groups decreased linearly across quartiles of UPF consumption (p for trend ≤0.004). Conclusions: Dietary fibre intake is insufficient in all population groups in Switzerland. UPF consumption is inversely and dose dependently associated with dietary fibre intake. To increase dietary fibre intake, public health measures should discourage UPF consumption and increase dietary fibre intake via unprocessed or minimally processed foods.

Adjunct role of potassium-rich vegetarian diet and a novel potassium food supplement to improve pain in chronic rheumatoid arthritis on supervised standard care: a randomised controlled study.

Introduction: An earlier food survey showed dietary potassium deficiency in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To evaluate an adjunct role of oral potassium to reduce joint pain in RA. Methods: 172 consenting eligible symptomatic patients (median duration 6.5 years) on standard care were randomised into an assessor blind, parallel efficacy, controlled, prospective, multiarm single-centre study (80% power, drug trial design) of 16 weeks duration-arm A (potassium-rich vegetarian diet), arm B (arm A plus novel potassium food supplement) and arm C (control, regular diet). Standard efficacy (American College of Rheumatology recommendation) and safety and diet intake (3-day recall) were assessed at monthly intervals (protocol). Standard soft-ware package (SPSS V.20) was used for statistical analysis; analysis of variance), Mann-Whitney statistic and χ2 test.; significant p<0.05, two sided). Study arms were found matched at baseline. Background RA medication remained stable. Preset target for increased potassium intake (India standards) were mostly achieved and participants remained normokalemic. Results: 155 patients (90.1%) completed the study and several showed improvement (maximum improved measures in arm B). Potassium intervention was safe and well tolerated. Adverse events were mild; none caused patient withdrawal. On comparison, the mean change in pain visual analogue scale (-2.23, 95% CI -2.99 to -1.48) at week 16 (primary efficacy) from baseline was significantly superior in arm B (per protocol analysis). A high daily potassium intake (5-7.5 g, arm B) was significantly associated with low pain (study completion); OR 2.5 (univariate analysis), likelihood ratio 2.9 (logistic regression). Compliance (intervention), diet record and analysis, RA medication and absence of placebo were potential confounders. Conclusion: High oral potassium intake, based on a suitable vegetarian diet and food supplement, reduced joint pain and improved RA. It was a safe adjunct to standard care, Further validation studies are required. Trial registration: CTRI/2022/03/040726; Clinical Trial Registry of India.

Should we prioritise children 6-23 months of age for vitamin A supplementation? Case study of West and Central Africa.

Background: Vitamin A (VA) supplementation has been associated with reductions of all-cause child mortality. Child mortality amenable to VA, particularly related to infectious diseases, may be age dependent; hence, the beneficial effect of VA supplementation may differ between younger and older children. We aimed to estimate the all-cause child mortality disaggregated by younger and older than 2 years of age and estimate the contribution of VA supplementation in preventing child death in West and Central Africa. Methods: Using the most recent (post-2010) cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, we analysed child-level data (n=187 651) from 20 West and Central African countries. Age-specific (all-cause) mortality rates were estimated using survival analyses. Age-specific VA supplementation coverage was linked with the age-specific all-cause child mortality to estimate the contribution of the supplementation in averting child death. Results: The cost per averted child death was also estimated using an average cost of US$1.2/child and VA supplementation coverage which ranged from 14% in Cote d'Ivoire to 81% in the Gambia. About 75% of the under-5 mortality occurred in the first 2 years of life. The share of excess (all-cause) mortality averted by VA supplementation was significantly higher in the first 2 years of life. A mean reduction of 7.1 deaths/1000 live births was estimated for children 6-23 months, compared to a reduction of 2.5 deaths/1000 live births for older children (24-59 months). The mean cost/averted child death for the 20 countries was 2.8 times lower for the 6-23 than the 24-59 months age group. Conclusion: Prioritising VA supplementation for children in the first 2 years of life could be more cost-effective than when implemented among 6-59 months of age.

Geographical altitude and stunting among children aged under 5 years in India.

Introduction: Previous studies have found positive associations between higher geographical altitude and increased risk of stunting in children under 5 years old, but little evidence exists on this relationship in the Indian context specifically. Chronic exposure to high altitudes can impair food security, healthcare access, oxygen delivery and nutrient absorption, potentially increasing malnutrition. Objective: To investigate the association between geographical altitude and stunting among children aged under 5 years in India. Methods: Using data from the 2015-2016 National Family Health Survey, logistic regression was conducted to estimate the relationship between altitude and stunting, adjusting for child, maternal and household characteristics. The analysis included over 167 555 children under 5 years old. Results: Children at higher altitudes had a significantly greater risk of stunting. Those at >2000+ metres had 40% higher adjusted odds of stunting than children below 1000 metres. The altitude-stunting association was stronger among rural children. Conclusions: This study provides robust evidence that higher geographical altitude is an important risk factor for stunting among young children in India, especially those in rural areas. Targeted interventions to improve food security, healthcare access and nutrition in high-altitude regions could help to mitigate the higher burden of stunting in these areas.

Chemico-nutritional characterization and anti-inflammatory potential of Chirabilva (Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb.) seed: alternate source of protein supplement and fatty acids.

Exploring unconventional protein sources can be an alternative strategy to meet the deficiency. The seeds of Chirabilva (Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb., Family- Ulmaceae) are eaten raw by the ethnic communities of Southeast Asian countries. The present study assessed the chemical, nutritional, and biological potential of the seeds (HIS) and pericarp (HISP) of H. integrifolia. The seeds contain mainly fixed and very few essential oils. The fixed oil of HIS is composed primarily of unsaturated oleic (47%) and saturated palmitic (37%) acids. The HIS are exceptional due to a high content of lipid (50%), protein (24%), carbohydrates (19%), fiber (4%), and anti-nutritional components within permissible limits. The high content (in mg/Kg) of phosphorus (6000), magnesium (422), Calcium (279), and essential nutrients (Ni, Co, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Cr) in the range of (0.04-6.69) were observed. The moderate anti-oxidant potential of HISP was evident in single electron transfer in-vitro assays. Moreover, HISP extract and HIS solvent-extracted fixed oil showed anti-inflammatory action in lipopolysaccharide-induced HaCaT cells by significantly attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) without causing cytotoxicity. Results support de-oiled HIS cake as an alternative source of a high-protein diet and its oil with anti-inflammatory attributes for topical applications.

Greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient use efficiency assessment of six New York organic dairies.

Improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are important environmental priorities for organic-certified dairy operations. The objectives of this research were to quantify annual nutrient use and GHG emissions in 6 organic New York dairy farms. Farm-gate nutrient mass balances (NMB) were estimated with the Cornell NMB calculator. Whole-farm GHG emissions were estimated using Cool Farm Tool (CFT) and COMET. Farm-gate NMBs were low, ranging from -6.5 to 19 kg N ha-1 for N1 (without legume N fixation), 26 to 71 kg N ha-1 for N2 (including N fixation), -2.4 to 8.2 kg P ha-1 for P, and 1.1 to 19.8 kg K ha-1 for K. Additional nutrient imports, coupled with nutrient management planning, adequate legume stands and diet balancing may help improve P balances, and ensure no N deficiencies in the system. Estimates of annual GHG emission intensity ranged from 0.98 to 2.10 kg CO2-eq per kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) estimated by CFT, and from 0.69 to 2.48 kg CO2-eq kg FPCM-1 estimated by COMET. Enteric fermentation, feed production and fuel and energy use represented the largest sources of GHGs. For farms with liquid manure storages, manure management was also a significant source. Estimates of soil carbon (C) stock changes from CFT were in agreement or smaller than previous studies, and estimates from COMET were in agreement or greater. Variability and uncertainty in the results for soil C stock change indicate more research and new protocols are needed. Impact of individual management changes on GHG emissions intensity were small, ranging from -8 to +7% in CFT, and -8% to +8% in COMET. The management changes that resulted in the largest reductions in GHG emissions intensity included increasing individual cow productivity and milk to total feed ratio, and implementation of manure treatment systems.

High biomass yields of Chlorella protinosa with efficient nitrogen removal from secondary effluent in a membrane photobioreactor.

Further treatment of secondary effluents before their discharge into the receiving water bodies could alleviate water eutrophication. In this study, the Chlorella proteinosa was cultured in a membrane photobioreactor to further remove nitrogen from the secondary effluents. The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on microalgae biomass yields and nutrient removal was studied. The results showed that soluble algal products concentration reduced in the suspension at low HRT, thereby alleviating microalgal growth inhibition. In addition, the lower HRT reduced the nitrogen limitation for Chlorella proteinosa's growth through the phase-out of nitrogen-related functional bacteria. As a result, the productivity for Chlorella proteinosa increased from 6.12 mg/L/day at an HRT of 24 hr to 20.18 mg/L/day at an HRT of 8 hr. The highest removal rates of 19.7 mg/L/day, 23.8 mg/L/day, and 105.4 mg/L/day were achieved at an HRT of 8 hr for total nitrogen (TN), ammonia, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), respectively. However, in terms of removal rate, TN and COD were the largest when HRT is 24 hr, which were 74.5% and 82.6% respectively. The maximum removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was 99.2% when HRT was 8 hr.

A small switch in perspective: Comparing weight loss by nutrient balance versus caloric balance.

The establishment of a Caloric balance has been classically discussed as the means to induce weight loss. Recently, the idea of nutrient balance as opposed to Caloric balance has emerged as a better means to induce weight loss. This investigation compared differences in weight loss between a diet based on a nutrient balanced diet compared to a Caloric balance diet. 53 (27M/26F) active overfat individuals (30.7+/- 7.1 years) were randomly (matched for age, gender, training history) assigned within an 8-week intervention to follow either a self-selected diet (control) or a diet based on following a Caloric balance (%Cal/day) or a nutrient balance (g/kg/day) in conjunction with a periodized exercise regimen to determine effectiveness for each diet to induce weight loss. Nutrient balance group had significantly different changes (p < 0.05) in fat-free mass (2.26 (2.02, 2.49) kg versus 0.42 (-0.40, 1.24) kg) and fat mass (-5.96 (-5.34, -6.58) kg versus -4.08 (-3.92, -5.92) kg) relative to the Caloric balance group and was more effective at meeting nutritional requirements for protein (ES = 0.65 (0.48, 0.85)) and lipids (ES = 0.24 (-0.09, 0.98)) than the Caloric balance group. Nutrient balance was subjectively scored as easier to follow and more likely to be self-selected. Using a nutrient balance diet may be more effective at inducing beneficial body compositional changes and shows being a more self-selected dietary method when compared to a Caloric balance diet. Therefore, it may be a better choice for advice when offering treatments to those who are attempting to lose weight or maintain weight loss.

Justifying the prediction of major soil nutrients levels (N, P, and K) in cabbage cultivation.

In a recent paper by Sajindra et al. [1], the soil nutrient levels, specifically nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, in organic cabbage cultivation were predicted using a deep learning model. This model was designed with a total of four hidden layers, excluding the input and output layers, with each hidden layer meticulously crafted to contain ten nodes. The selection of the tangent sigmoid transfer function as the optimal activation function for the dataset was based on considerations such as the coefficient of correlation, mean squared error, and the accuracy of the predicted results. Throughout this study, the objective is to justify the tangent sigmoid transfer function and provide mathematical justification for the obtained results.•This paper presents the comprehensive methodology for the development of deep neural network for predict the soil nutrient levels.•Tangent Sigmoid transfer function usage is justified in predictions.•Methodology can be adapted to any similar real-world scenarios.

Endocytosis at the maternal-fetal interface: balancing nutrient transport and pathogen defense.

Endocytosis represents a category of regulated active transport mechanisms. These encompass clathrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms, as well as fluid phase micropinocytosis and macropinocytosis, each demonstrating varying degrees of specificity and capacity. Collectively, these mechanisms facilitate the internalization of cargo into cellular vesicles. Pregnancy is one such physiological state during which endocytosis may play critical roles. A successful pregnancy necessitates ongoing communication between maternal and fetal cells at the maternal-fetal interface to ensure immunologic tolerance for the semi-allogenic fetus whilst providing adequate protection against infection from pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria. It also requires transport of nutrients across the maternal-fetal interface, but restriction of potentially harmful chemicals and drugs to allow fetal development. In this context, trogocytosis, a specific form of endocytosis, plays a crucial role in immunological tolerance and infection prevention. Endocytosis is also thought to play a significant role in nutrient and toxin handling at the maternal-fetal interface, though its mechanisms remain less understood. A comprehensive understanding of endocytosis and its mechanisms not only enhances our knowledge of maternal-fetal interactions but is also essential for identifying the pathogenesis of pregnancy pathologies and providing new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Salt stress amelioration and nutrient strengthening in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) via biochar amendment and zinc fortification: seed priming versus foliar application.

Soil salinity is a major nutritional challenge with poor agriculture production characterized by high sodium (Na+) ions in the soil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have received attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce biotic and abiotic stress. However, there is a lack of information regarding the incorporation of ZnO NPs with biochar to ameliorate the salinity stress (0, 50,100 mM). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the potentials of ZnO NPs application (priming and foliar) alone and with a combination of biochar on the growth and nutrient availability of spinach plants under salinity stress. Results demonstrated that salinity stress at a higher rate (100 mM) showed maximum growth retardation by inducing oxidative stress, resulted in reduced photosynthetic rate and nutrient availability. ZnO NPs (priming and foliar) alone enhanced growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters by improving the antioxidant enzymes activity of spinach under salinity stress. While, a significant and more pronounced effect was observed at combined treatments of ZnO NPs with biochar amendment. More importantly, ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar significantly reduced the Na+ contents in root 57.69%, and leaves 61.27% of spinach as compared to the respective control. Furthermore, higher nutrient contents were also found at the combined treatment of ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar. Overall, ZnO NPs combined application with biochar proved to be an efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate salinity stress and improve crop nutritional quality under salinity stress. We inferred that ZnO NPs foliar application with a combination of biochar is more effectual in improving crop nutritional status and salinity mitigation than priming treatments with a combination of biochar.

Assessing spatial heterogeneity of nutrient loads in a large shallow lake using a lattice Boltzmann water quality model.

Nutrient loads in lakes are spatially heterogeneous, but current spatial analysis method are mainly zonal, making them subjective and uncertain. This study proposes a high-resolution model for assessing spatial differences in nutrient loads based on the lattice Boltzmann method. The model was applied to Dongping Lake in China. Firstly, the contribution rates of four influencing factors, including water transfer, inflow, wind, and internal load, were calculated at different locations in the lake. Then, their proportionate contributions during different intervals to the whole lake area were calculated. Finally, the cumulative load could be calculated for any location within the lake. The validation showed that the model simulated hydrodynamics and water quality well, with relative errors between the simulated and measured water quality data smaller than 0.45. Wind increased the nutrient loads in most parts of the lake. The loads tended to accumulate in the east central area where high-frequency circulation patterns were present. Overall, the proposed water quality model based on the lattice Boltzmann method was able to simulate seven indexes. Therefore, this model represents a useful tool for thoroughly assessing nutrient load distributions in large shallow lakes and could help refine lake restoration management.

Unraveling spatial heterogeneity of soil legacy phosphorus in subtropical grasslands.

Humans have profoundly altered phosphorus (P) cycling across scales. Agriculturally driven changes (e.g., excessive P-fertilization and manure addition), in particular, have resulted in pronounced P accumulations in soils, often known as "soil legacy P." These legacy P reserves serve as persistent and long-term nonpoint sources, inducing downstream eutrophication and ecosystem services degradation. While there is considerable scientific and policy interest in legacy P, its fine-scale spatial heterogeneity, underlying drivers, and scales of variance remain unclear. Here we present an extensive field sampling (150-m interval grid) and analysis of 1438 surface soils (0-15 cm) in 2020 for two typical subtropical grassland types managed for livestock production: Intensively managed (IM) and Semi-natural (SN) pastures. We ask the following questions: (1) What is the spatial variability, and are there hotspots of soil legacy P? (2) Does soil legacy P vary primarily within pastures, among pastures, or between pasture types? (3) How does soil legacy P relate to pasture management intensity, soil and geographic characteristics? and (4) What is the relationship between soil legacy P and aboveground plant tissue P concentration? Our results showed that three measurements of soil legacy P (total P, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3 extractable P representing labile P pools) varied substantially across the landscape. Spatial autoregressive models revealed that soil organic matter, pH, available Fe and Al, elevation, and pasture management intensity were crucial predictors for spatial patterns of soil P, although models were more reliable for predicting total P (68.9%) than labile P. Our analysis further demonstrated that total variance in soil legacy P was greater in IM than SN pastures, and intensified pasture management rescaled spatial patterns of soil legacy P. In particular, after controlling for sample size, soil P was extremely variable at small scales, with variance diminished as spatial scale increased. Our results suggest that broad pasture- or farm-level best management practices may be limited and less efficient, especially for more IM pastures. Rather, management to curtail soil legacy P and mitigate P loading and losses should be implemented at fine scales designed to target spatially distinct P hotspots across the landscape.

CD39 is induced by nutrient deprivation in colorectal cancer cells and contributes to the tolerance to hypoxia.

Rapid tumor growth and insufficient blood supply leads to the development of a hypoxic and nutrient deprived microenvironment. To survive, tumor cells need to tolerate these adverse conditions. Here we found the expression of CD39 was enhanced in necrotic regions distant from blood vessels. We speculate that this is a strategy for tumor cells to actively adapt to the hostile environment. Further studies showed that CD39 was induced by nutrient deprivation through the AMPK signalling pathway. We next explored the significance of CD39 for tumor cells. Our results showed that CD39 reduced cellular oxygen consumption, which could be significant for tumor cells if the available oxygen is limited. Metabolomics analysis showed that overexpression of CD39 significantly altered cellular metabolism, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was identified as the most impacted metabolic pathway. In order to explore the molecular mechanism, we performed RNA-seq analysis. The results showed that CD39 significantly up-regulated the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 2 (PDK2), thus inhibiting the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and TCA cycle. Finally, CD39 was shown to protect tumor cells from hypoxia-induced cell death and reduce intratumoral hypoxia levels. CD39 has attracted a great deal of attention as a newly discovered immune checkpoint molecule in recent years. Our results indicate that CD39 not only plays a role in immune regulation, but also enables tumor cells to tolerate hypoxia by inhibiting TCA cycle and reducing cellular oxygen consumption. This study provides evidence that targeting CD39 may be a novel strategy to prevent adaptation of tumor cells in stressed conditions.

Manipulating geological phosphorus resources for improved production and environmental outcomes during plant establishment.

Phosphorus (P) fertilisers are under scrutiny due to resource constraints and environmental impacts. Simple rock phosphate (RP) modifications with acids and co-applied with microbial inoculum could offer sustainable alternative P fertiliser products. We evaluated the effects of acid-treated rock phosphate (RP) in combination with fungal inoculum on plant establishment, environmental impacts (nutrient leaching) and soil quality in a 5-month pot trial. The treatments were evaluated in a clayey Vertisol and a silty Acrisol using cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) as a model plant. The RP treatments - apart from the unmodified and HCl products - were effective in promoting plant establishment with two of the microbial formulations superior to conventional P fertilisers by an average factor of 2 in both soil types (p < 0.05). All RP products restricted P leaching compared with conventional P fertilisers (p < 0.05), by an average factor of 5 for diammonium phosphate (DAP) in both soil types and 3 for the triple superphosphate TSP (only in Acrisol). Nitrate leaching from all treatments was high although much lower from the RP treatments compared with the conventional fertilisers towards the end of the establishment trial, by an average factor of 1.5 (p < 0.05). Ranking analysis revealed that some RP treatments showed evidence for improved ongoing soil quality, including decreased P leaching and soil acidification risks. Microbial analysis showed complex interactions between treatment and soil type. Nonetheless, inoculum persistence at the end of the plant establishment phase was observed for all pots analysed. Our results demonstrate that relatively simple modifications to RP could pave the way for developing sustainable P fertilisers.