Human Gut Microbiota from Autism Spectrum Disorder Promote Behavioral Symptoms in Mice.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) manifests as alterations in complex human behaviors including social communication and stereotypies. In addition to genetic risks, the gut microbiome differs between typically developing (TD) and ASD individuals, though it remains unclear whether the microbiome contributes to symptoms. We transplanted gut microbiota from human donors with ASD or TD controls into germ-free mice and reveal that colonization with ASD microbiota is sufficient to induce hallmark autistic behaviors. The brains of mice colonized with ASD microbiota display alternative splicing of ASD-relevant genes. Microbiome and metabolome profiles of mice harboring human microbiota predict that specific bacterial taxa and their metabolites modulate ASD behaviors. Indeed, treatment of an ASD mouse model with candidate microbial metabolites improves behavioral abnormalities and modulates neuronal excitability in the brain. We propose that the gut microbiota regulates behaviors in mice via production of neuroactive metabolites, suggesting that gut-brain connections contribute to the pathophysiology of ASD.

Survival of patients with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma in situ: A whole population study.

BACKGROUND: Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) is the commonest type of malignancy in humans; however, the impact of KC on survival is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: This study characterizes the impact of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCis) on the survival of Icelanders. METHODS: This whole population study evaluated relative survival of KC in Iceland by using a cancer registry containing records of all BCC, SCCis, and SCC cases recorded in Iceland between 1981 and 2015. RESULTS: Between 1981 and 2015, 8767 Icelanders were diagnosed with their first localized KC. A total of 6473 individuals with BCC, 1194 with SCCis, and 1100 with invasive SCC, respectively. BCC was not associated with decreased survival except for men diagnosed with BCC between 1981 and 1995 for whom decreased 10-year relative survival was observed (85.3, 95% CI [77.9-92.7]). SCC and SCCis were both associated with a decrease in relative survival for certain population subgroups such as individuals <50 years of age at time of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Our whole population cohort survival study examining the Icelandic Cancer Registry supports prior studies demonstrating that BCC is not associated with a reduction in relative survival and that SCC and SCCis are associated with comparatively poor relative survival in certain population subgroups.

Intracellular pathways for lignin catabolism in white-rot fungi.

Lignin is a biopolymer found in plant cell walls that accounts for 30% of the organic carbon in the biosphere. White-rot fungi (WRF) are considered the most efficient organisms at degrading lignin in nature. While lignin depolymerization by WRF has been extensively studied, the possibility that WRF are able to utilize lignin as a carbon source is still a matter of controversy. Here, we employ 13C-isotope labeling, systems biology approaches, and in vitro enzyme assays to demonstrate that two WRF, Trametes versicolor and Gelatoporia subvermispora, funnel carbon from lignin-derived aromatic compounds into central carbon metabolism via intracellular catabolic pathways. These results provide insights into global carbon cycling in soil ecosystems and furthermore establish a foundation for employing WRF in simultaneous lignin depolymerization and bioconversion to bioproducts-a key step toward enabling a sustainable bioeconomy.

Soil metabolome response to whole-ecosystem warming at the Spruce and Peatland Responses under Changing Environments experiment.

In this study, a suite of complementary environmental geochemical analyses, including NMR and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of central metabolites, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) of secondary metabolites, and lipidomics, was used to investigate the influence of organic matter (OM) quality on the heterotrophic microbial mechanisms controlling peatland CO2, CH4, and CO2:CH4 porewater production ratios in response to climate warming. Our investigations leverage the Spruce and Peatland Responses under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment, where air and peat warming were combined in a whole-ecosystem warming treatment. We hypothesized that warming would enhance the production of plant-derived metabolites, resulting in increased labile OM inputs to the surface peat, thereby enhancing microbial activity and greenhouse gas production. Because shallow peat is most susceptible to enhanced warming, increases in labile OM inputs to the surface, in particular, are likely to result in significant changes to CO2 and CH4 dynamics and methanogenic pathways. In support of this hypothesis, significant correlations were observed between metabolites and temperature consistent with increased availability of labile substrates, which may stimulate more rapid turnover of microbial proteins. An increase in the abundance of methanogenic genes in response to the increase in the abundance of labile substrates was accompanied by a shift toward acetoclastic and methylotrophic methanogenesis. Our results suggest that as peatland vegetation trends toward increasing vascular plant cover with warming, we can expect a concomitant shift toward increasingly methanogenic conditions and amplified climate-peatland feedbacks.

ORT: a workflow linking genome-scale metabolic models with reactive transport codes.

MOTIVATION: Nutrient and contaminant behavior in the subsurface are governed by multiple coupled hydrobiogeochemical processes which occur across different temporal and spatial scales. Accurate description of macroscopic system behavior requires accounting for the effects of microscopic and especially microbial processes. Microbial processes mediate precipitation and dissolution and change aqueous geochemistry, all of which impacts macroscopic system behavior. As 'omics data describing microbial processes is increasingly affordable and available, novel methods for using this data quickly and effectively for improved ecosystem models are needed. RESULTS: We propose a workflow ('Omics to Reactive Transport-ORT) for utilizing metagenomic and environmental data to describe the effect of microbiological processes in macroscopic reactive transport models. This workflow utilizes and couples two open-source software packages: KBase (a software platform for systems biology) and PFLOTRAN (a reactive transport modeling code). We describe the architecture of ORT and demonstrate an implementation using metagenomic and geochemical data from a river system. Our demonstration uses microbiological drivers of nitrification and denitrification to predict nitrogen cycling patterns which agree with those provided with generalized stoichiometries. While our example uses data from a single measurement, our workflow can be applied to spatiotemporal metagenomic datasets to allow for iterative coupling between KBase and PFLOTRAN. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Interactive models available at https://pflotranmodeling.paf.subsurfaceinsights.com/pflotran-simple-model/. Microbiological data available at NCBI via BioProject ID PRJNA576070. ORT Python code available at https://github.com/subsurfaceinsights/ort-kbase-to-pflotran. KBase narrative available at https://narrative.kbase.us/narrative/71260 or static narrative (no login required) at https://kbase.us/n/71260/258. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Microbial sensitivity to temperature and sulfate deposition modulates greenhouse gas emissions from peat soils.

Peatlands are among the largest natural sources of atmospheric methane (CH4 ) worldwide. Microbial processes play a key role in regulating CH4 emissions from peatland ecosystems, yet the complex interplay between soil substrates and microbial communities in controlling CH4 emissions as a function of global change remains unclear. Herein, we performed an integrated analysis of multi-omics data sets to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular processes driving changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in peatland ecosystems with increasing temperature and sulfate deposition in a laboratory incubation study. We sought to first investigate how increasing temperatures (4, 21, and 35°C) impact soil microbiome-metabolome interactions; then explore the competition between methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) with increasing sulfate concentrations at the optimum temperature for methanogenesis. Our results revealed that peat soil organic matter degradation, mediated by biotic and potentially abiotic processes, is the main driver of the increase in CO2 production with temperature. In contrast, the decrease in CH4 production at 35°C was linked to the absence of syntrophic communities and the potential inhibitory effect of phenols on methanogens. Elevated temperatures further induced the microbial communities to develop high growth yield and stress tolerator trait-based strategies leading to a shift in their composition and function. On the other hand, SRBs were able to outcompete methanogens in the presence of non-limiting sulfate concentrations at 21°C, thereby reducing CH4 emissions. At higher sulfate concentrations, however, the prevalence of communities capable of producing sufficient low-molecular-weight carbon substrates for the coexistence of SRBs and methanogens was translated into elevated CH4 emissions. The use of omics in this study enhanced our understanding of the structure and interactions among microbes with the abiotic components of the system that can be useful for mitigating GHG emissions from peatland ecosystems in the face of global change.

Multi-institutional assessment of the prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors in children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis in the United States.

As non-operative management of acute appendicitis in children has become more common, missed incidental appendiceal pathology can be an unintended consequence. We assessed the prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors in appendectomy specimens from eight US children's hospitals from 2012 to 2021. The prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) was found to be 1:271, with a median age of 14 years and 62% female. Most tumors were small (median 6 mm; interquartile range [IQR]: 3-10), and no recurrence was noted during the follow-up period (median 22.5 months; IQR: 3-53). The possibility of delayed diagnosis of these tumors should be part of the discussion for non-operative management of pediatric acute appendicitis.

Interlayer Cation Polarizability Affects Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Adsorption by Swelling Clays.

Several strategies for mitigating the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) bring wet supercritical CO2 (scCO2) in contact with phyllosilicates such as illites and smectites. While some work has examined the role of the charge-balancing cation and smectite framework features on CO2/smectite interactions, to our knowledge no one has examined how the polarizability of the charge-balancing cation influences these behaviors. In this paper, the scCO2 adsorption properties of Pb2+, Rb+, and NH4+ saturated smectite clays at variable relative humidity are studied by integrating in situ high-pressure X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopic titrations, and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) methods. The results are combined with previously published data for Na+, Cs+, and Ca2+ saturated versions of the same smectites to isolate the roles of the charge-balancing cations and perform two independent tests of the role of charge-balancing cation polarizability in determining the interlayer fluid properties and smectite expansion. Independent correlations developed for (i) San Bernardino hectorite (SHCa-1) and (ii) Wyoming montmorillonite (SWy-2) both show that cation polarizability is important in predicting the interlayer composition (mol% CO2 in the interlayer fluid and CO2/cation ratio in interlayer) and the expansion behavior for smectites in contact with wet and dry scCO2. In particular, this study shows that the charge-balancing cation polarizability is the most important cation-associated parameter in determining the expansion of the trioctahedral smectite, hectorite, when in contact with dry scCO2. While both independent tests show that cation polarizability is an important factor in smectite-scCO2 systems, the correlations for hectorite are different from those determined for montmorillonite. The root of these differences is likely associated with the roles of the smectite framework on adsorption, warranting follow-up studies with a larger number of unique smectite frameworks. Overall, the results show that the polarizability of the charge-balancing cation should be considered when preparing smectite clays (or industrial processes involving smectites) to capture CO2 and in predicting the behavior of caprocks over time.

Coupled laboratory and field investigations resolve microbial interactions that underpin persistence in hydraulically fractured shales.

Hydraulic fracturing is one of the industrial processes behind the surging natural gas output in the United States. This technology inadvertently creates an engineered microbial ecosystem thousands of meters below Earth's surface. Here, we used laboratory reactors to perform manipulations of persisting shale microbial communities that are currently not feasible in field scenarios. Metaproteomic and metabolite findings from the laboratory were then corroborated using regression-based modeling performed on metagenomic and metabolite data from more than 40 produced fluids from five hydraulically fractured shale wells. Collectively, our findings show that Halanaerobium, Geotoga, and Methanohalophilus strain abundances predict a significant fraction of nitrogen and carbon metabolites in the field. Our laboratory findings also exposed cryptic predatory, cooperative, and competitive interactions that impact microorganisms across fractured shales. Scaling these results from the laboratory to the field identified mechanisms underpinning biogeochemical reactions, yielding knowledge that can be harnessed to potentially increase energy yields and inform management practices in hydraulically fractured shales.

Unraveling the Dynamic Network in the Reactions of an Alkyl Aryl Ether Catalyzed by Ni/γ-Al2O3 in 2-Propanol.

The reductive cleavage of aryl ether linkages is a key step in the disassembly of lignin to its monolignol components, where selectivity is determined by the kinetics of multiple parallel and consecutive liquid-phase reactions. Triphasic hydrogenolysis of 13C-labeled benzyl phenyl ether (BPE, a model compound for the major ß-O-4 linkage in lignin), catalyzed by Ni/γ-Al2O3, was observed directly at elevated temperatures (150-175 °C) and pressures (79-89 bar) using operando magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. Liquid-vapor partitioning in the NMR rotor was quantified using the 13C NMR resonances for the 2-propanol solvent, whose chemical shifts report on the internal reactor temperature. At 170 °C, BPE is converted to toluene and phenol with k1 = 0.17 s-1 gcat-1 and an apparent activation barrier of (80 ± 8) kJ mol-1. Subsequent phenol hydrogenation occurs much more slowly (k2 = 0.0052 s-1 gcat-1 at 170-175 °C), such that cyclohexanol formation is significant only at higher temperatures. Toluene is stable under these reaction conditions, but its methyl group undergoes facile H/D exchange (k3 = 0.046 s-1 gcat-1 at 175 °C). While the source of the reducing equivalents for both hydrogenolysis and hydrogenation is exclusively H2/D2(g) rather than the alcohol solvent at these temperatures, the initial isotopic composition of adsorbed H/D on the catalyst surface is principally determined by the solvent isotopic composition (2-PrOH/D). All reactions are preceded by a pronounced induction period associated with catalyst activation. In air, Ni nanoparticles are passivated by a surface oxide monolayer, whose removal under H2 proceeds with an apparent activation barrier of (72 ± 13) kJ mol-1. The operando NMR spectra provide molecularly specific, time-resolved information about the multiple simultaneous and sequential processes as they occur at the solid-liquid interface.

Deep-Subsurface Pressure Stimulates Metabolic Plasticity in Shale-Colonizing Halanaerobium spp.

Bacterial Halanaerobium strains become the dominant persisting microbial community member in produced fluids across geographically distinct hydraulically fractured shales. Halanaerobium is believed to be inadvertently introduced into this environment during the drilling and fracturing process and must therefore tolerate large changes in pressure, temperature, and salinity. Here, we used a Halanaerobium strain isolated from a natural gas well in the Utica Point Pleasant formation to investigate metabolic and physiological responses to growth under high-pressure subsurface conditions. Laboratory incubations confirmed the ability of Halanaerobium congolense strain WG8 to grow under pressures representative of deep shale formations (21 to 48 MPa). Under these conditions, broad metabolic and physiological shifts were identified, including higher abundances of proteins associated with the production of extracellular polymeric substances. Confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production was associated with greater cell aggregation when biomass was cultured at high pressure. Changes in Halanaerobium central carbon metabolism under the same conditions were inferred from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography measurements, revealing large per-cell increases in production of ethanol, acetate, and propanol and cessation of hydrogen production. These metabolic shifts were associated with carbon flux through 1,2-propanediol in response to slower fluxes of carbon through stage 3 of glycolysis. Together, these results reveal the potential for bioclogging and corrosion (via organic acid fermentation products) associated with persistent Halanaerobium growth in deep, hydraulically fractured shale ecosystems, and offer new insights into cellular mechanisms that enable these strains to dominate deep-shale microbiomes.IMPORTANCE The hydraulic fracturing of deep-shale formations for hydrocarbon recovery accounts for approximately 60% of U.S. natural gas production. Microbial activity associated with this process is generally considered deleterious due to issues associated with sulfide production, microbially induced corrosion, and bioclogging in the subsurface. Here we demonstrate that a representative Halanaerobium species, frequently the dominant microbial taxon in hydraulically fractured shales, responds to pressures characteristic of the deep subsurface by shifting its metabolism to generate more corrosive organic acids and produce more polymeric substances that cause "clumping" of biomass. While the potential for increased corrosion of steel infrastructure and clogging of pores and fractures in the subsurface may significantly impact hydrocarbon recovery, these data also offer new insights for microbial control in these ecosystems.

A novel high-temperature MAS probe with optimized temperature gradient across sample rotor for in-situ monitoring of high-temperature high-pressure chemical reactions.

We present a novel nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe design focused on optimizing the temperature gradient across the sample for high temperature magic angle spinning (MAS) experiments using standard rotors. Computational flow dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to assess and optimize the temperature gradient across the sample under MAS conditions. The chemical shift and linewidth of 207Pb direct polarization in lead nitrate were used to calibrate the sample temperature and temperature gradient, respectively. A temperature gradient of less than 3 °C across the sample was obtained by heating bearing gas flows and adjusting its temperature and flow rate during variable temperature (VT) experiments. A maximum temperature of 350 °C was achieved in this probe using a Varian 5 mm MAS rotor with standard Vespel drive tips and end caps. Time-resolved 13C and 1H MAS NMR experiments were performed at 325 °C and 60 bar to monitor an in-situ mixed phase reverse water gas shift reaction, industrial synthesis of CH3OH from a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst, demonstrating the first in-situ NMR monitoring of a chemical system at temperatures higher than 250 °C in a pressurized environment. The combination of this high-temperature probe and high-pressure rotors will allow for in-situ NMR studies of a great variety of chemical reactions that are inaccessible to conventional NMR setup.

Comparative genomics and physiology of the genus Methanohalophilus, a prevalent methanogen in hydraulically fractured shale.

About 60% of natural gas production in the United States comes from hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs, such as shales or organic-rich micrites. This process inoculates and enriches for halotolerant microorganisms in these reservoirs over time, resulting in a saline ecosystem that includes methane producing archaea. Here, we survey the biogeography of methanogens across unconventional reservoirs, and report that members of genus Methanohalophilus are recovered from every hydraulically fractured unconventional reservoir sampled by metagenomics. We provide the first genomic sequencing of three isolate genomes, as well as two metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). Utilizing six other previously sequenced isolate genomes and MAGs, we perform comparative analysis of the 11 genomes representing this genus. This genomic investigation revealed distinctions between surface and subsurface derived genomes that are consistent with constraints encountered in each environment. Genotypic differences were also uncovered between isolate genomes recovered from the same well, suggesting niche partitioning among closely related strains. These genomic substrate utilization predictions were then confirmed by physiological investigation. Fine-scale microdiversity was observed in CRISPR-Cas systems of Methanohalophilus, with genomes from geographically distinct unconventional reservoirs sharing spacers targeting the same viral population. These findings have implications for augmentation strategies resulting in enhanced biogenic methane production in hydraulically fractured unconventional reservoirs.

Differences in fecal microbial metabolites and microbiota of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Evidence supporting that gut problems are linked to ASD symptoms has been accumulating both in humans and animal models of ASD. Gut microbes and their metabolites may be linked not only to GI problems but also to ASD behavior symptoms. Despite this high interest, most previous studies have looked mainly at microbial structure, and studies on fecal metabolites are rare in the context of ASD. Thus, we aimed to detect fecal metabolites that may be present at significantly different concentrations between 21 children with ASD and 23 neurotypical children and to investigate its possible link to human gut microbiome. Using 1H-NMR spectroscopy and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we examined metabolite profiles and microbial compositions in fecal samples, respectively. Of the 59 metabolites detected, isopropanol concentrations were significantly higher in feces of children with ASD after multiple testing corrections. We also observed similar trends of fecal metabolites to previous studies; children with ASD have higher fecal p-cresol and possibly lower GABA concentrations. In addition, Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) with leave-out-validation suggested that a group of metabolites-caprate, nicotinate, glutamine, thymine, and aspartate-may potentially function as a modest biomarker to separate ASD participants from the neurotypical group (78% sensitivity and 81% specificity). Consistent with our previous Arizona cohort study, we also confirmed lower gut microbial diversity and reduced relative abundances of phylotypes most closely related to Prevotella copri in children with ASD. After multiple testing corrections, we also learned that relative abundances of Feacalibacterium prausnitzii and Haemophilus parainfluenzae were lower in feces of children with ASD. Despite a relatively short list of fecal metabolites, the data in this study support that children with ASD have altered metabolite profiles in feces when compared with neurotypical children and warrant further investigation of metabolites in larger cohorts.

Abundant carbon substrates drive extremely high sulfate reduction rates and methane fluxes in Prairie Pothole Wetlands.

Inland waters are increasingly recognized as critical sites of methane emissions to the atmosphere, but the biogeochemical reactions driving such fluxes are less well understood. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America is one of the largest wetland complexes in the world, containing millions of small, shallow wetlands. The sediment pore waters of PPR wetlands contain some of the highest concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and sulfur species ever recorded in terrestrial aquatic environments. Using a suite of geochemical and microbiological analyses, we measured the impact of sedimentary carbon and sulfur transformations in these wetlands on methane fluxes to the atmosphere. This research represents the first study of coupled geochemistry and microbiology within the PPR and demonstrates how the conversion of abundant labile DOC pools into methane results in some of the highest fluxes of this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere ever reported. Abundant DOC and sulfate additionally supported some of the highest sulfate reduction rates ever measured in terrestrial aquatic environments, which we infer to account for a large fraction of carbon mineralization in this system. Methane accumulations in zones of active sulfate reduction may be due to either the transport of free methane gas from deeper locations or the co-occurrence of methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. If both respiratory processes are concurrent, any competitive inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate-reducing bacteria may be lessened by the presence of large labile DOC pools that yield noncompetitive substrates such as methanol. Our results reveal some of the underlying mechanisms that make PPR wetlands biogeochemical hotspots, which ultimately leads to their critical, but poorly recognized role in regional greenhouse gas emissions.

Surface Interactions and Confinement of Methane: A High Pressure Magic Angle Spinning NMR and Computational Chemistry Study.

Characterization and modeling of the molecular-level behavior of simple hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, in the presence of both nonporous and nanoporous mineral matrices allows for predictive understanding of important processes in engineered and natural systems. In this study, changes in local electromagnetic environments of the carbon atoms in methane under conditions of high pressure (up to 130 bar) and moderate temperature (up to 346 K) were observed with 13C magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy while the methane gas was mixed with two model solid substrates: a fumed nonporous, 12 nm particle size silica and a mesoporous silica with 200 nm particle size and 4 nm average pore diameter. Examination of the interactions between methane and the silica systems over temperatures and pressures that include the supercritical regime was allowed by a novel high pressure MAS sample containment system, which provided high resolution spectra collected under in situ conditions. For pure methane, no significant thermal effects were found for the observed 13C chemical shifts at all pressures studied here (28.2, 32.6, 56.4, 65.1, 112.7, and 130.3 bar). However, the 13C chemical shifts of resonances arising from confined methane changed slightly with changes in temperature in mixtures with mesoporous silica. The chemical shift values of 13C nuclides in methane change measurably as a function of pressure both in the pure state and in mixtures with both silica matrices, with a more pronounced shift when meso-porous silica is present. Molecular-level simulations utilizing GCMC, MD, and DFT confirm qualitatively that the experimentally measured changes are attributed to interactions of methane with the hydroxylated silica surfaces as well as densification of methane within nanopores and on pore surfaces.

Untargeted, tandem mass spectrometry metaproteome of Columbia River sediments.

Rivers are critical ecosystems that impact global biogeochemical cycles. Nonetheless, a mechanistic understanding of river microbial metabolisms and their influences on geochemistry is lacking. Here, we announce metaproteomes of river sediments that are paired with metagenomes and metabolites, enabling an understanding of the microbial underpinnings of river respiration.

Methylotrophy in the Mire: direct and indirect routes for methane production in thawing permafrost.

While wetlands are major sources of biogenic methane (CH4), our understanding of resident microbial metabolism is incomplete, which compromises the prediction of CH4 emissions under ongoing climate change. Here, we employed genome-resolved multi-omics to expand our understanding of methanogenesis in the thawing permafrost peatland of Stordalen Mire in Arctic Sweden. In quadrupling the genomic representation of the site's methanogens and examining their encoded metabolism, we revealed that nearly 20% of the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) encoded the potential for methylotrophic methanogenesis. Further, 27% of the transcriptionally active methanogens expressed methylotrophic genes; for Methanosarcinales and Methanobacteriales MAGs, these data indicated the use of methylated oxygen compounds (e.g., methanol), while for Methanomassiliicoccales, they primarily implicated methyl sulfides and methylamines. In addition to methanogenic methylotrophy, >1,700 bacterial MAGs across 19 phyla encoded anaerobic methylotrophic potential, with expression across 12 phyla. Metabolomic analyses revealed the presence of diverse methylated compounds in the Mire, including some known methylotrophic substrates. Active methylotrophy was observed across all stages of a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen, with the most frozen non-methanogenic palsa found to host bacterial methylotrophy and the partially thawed bog and fully thawed fen seen to house both methanogenic and bacterial methylotrophic activities. Methanogenesis across increasing permafrost thaw is thus revised from the sole dominance of hydrogenotrophic production and the appearance of acetoclastic at full thaw to consider the co-occurrence of methylotrophy throughout. Collectively, these findings indicate that methanogenic and bacterial methylotrophy may be an important and previously underappreciated component of carbon cycling and emissions in these rapidly changing wetland habitats.IMPORTANCEWetlands are the biggest natural source of atmospheric methane (CH4) emissions, yet we have an incomplete understanding of the suite of microbial metabolism that results in CH4 formation. Specifically, methanogenesis from methylated compounds is excluded from all ecosystem models used to predict wetland contributions to the global CH4 budget. Though recent studies have shown methylotrophic methanogenesis to be active across wetlands, the broad climatic importance of the metabolism remains critically understudied. Further, some methylotrophic bacteria are known to produce methanogenic by-products like acetate, increasing the complexity of the microbial methylotrophic metabolic network. Prior studies of Stordalen Mire have suggested that methylotrophic methanogenesis is irrelevant in situ and have not emphasized the bacterial capacity for metabolism, both of which we countered in this study. The importance of our findings lies in the significant advancement toward unraveling the broader impact of methylotrophs in wetland methanogenesis and, consequently, their contribution to the terrestrial global carbon cycle.

Pull-Up Palms (PUP): A Case of Exercise-Associated Palmar Callosities and Review of Sports-Related Hand-Associated Skin Conditions in Athletes.

Sports dermatology describes skin conditions occurring in athletes. We describe a man with callosities on his palmar hands and fingers secondary to pull-ups and review sports-related dermatoses involving the hands. A 42-year-old man presented with a several-year history of calluses on his palmar hands. The lesions correspond to areas of contact on his ventral hand with the pull-up bar; therefore, the condition is referred to as pull-up palms (PUP). Sports-related dermatoses affecting the hands include contact dermatitis, infections, lacerations, and mechanical trauma. Several of the sports-associated conditions of the hand are unique to a specific sport. Hand-associated sports dermatoses are reviewed.

Enhancing CO2 Transport Across a PEEK-Ionene Membrane and Water-Lean Solvent Interface.

Efficient direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 will require strategies to deal with the relatively low concentration in the atmosphere. One such strategy is to employ the combination of a CO2 -selective membrane coupled with a CO2 capture solvent acting as a draw solution. Here, the interactions between a leading water-lean carbon-capture solvent, a polyether ether ketone (PEEK)-ionene membrane, CO2 , and combinations were probed using advanced NMR techniques coupled with advanced simulations. We identify the speciation and dynamics of the solvent, membrane, and CO2 , presenting spectroscopic evidence of CO2 diffusion through benzylic regions within the PEEK-ionene membrane, not spaces in the ionic lattice as expected. Our results demonstrate that water-lean capture solvents provide a thermodynamic and kinetic funnel to draw CO2 from the air through the membrane and into the bulk solvent, thus enhancing the performance of the membrane. The reaction between the carbon-capture solvent and CO2 produces carbamic acid, disrupting interactions between the imidazolium (Im+ ) cations and the bistriflimide anions within the PEEK-ionene membrane, thereby creating structural changes through which CO2 can diffuse more readily. Consequently, this restructuring results in CO2 diffusion at the interface that is faster than CO2 diffusion in the bulk carbon-capture solvent.