Human land use alters soil microbial composition and function in a variety of systems, although few comparable studies have been done in tropical forests and tropical agricultural production areas. Logging and the expansion of oil palm agriculture are two of the most significant drivers of tropical deforestation, and the latter is most prevalent in Southeast Asia. The aim of this study was to compare soil fungal communities from three sites in Malaysia that represent three of the most dominant land-use types in the Southeast Asia tropics: a primary forest, a regenerating forest that had been selectively logged 50 years previously, and a 25-year-old oil palm plantation. Soil cores were collected from three replicate plots at each site, and fungal communities were sequenced using the Illumina platform. Extracellular enzyme assays were assessed as a proxy for soil microbial function. We found that fungal communities were distinct across all sites, although fungal composition in the regenerating forest was more similar to the primary forest than either forest community was to the oil palm site. Ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are important associates of the dominant Dipterocarpaceae tree family in this region, were compositionally distinct across forests, but were nearly absent from oil palm soils. Extracellular enzyme assays indicated that the soil ecosystem in oil palm plantations experienced altered nutrient cycling dynamics, but there were few differences between regenerating and primary forest soils. Together, these results show that logging and the replacement of primary forest with oil palm plantations alter fungal community and function, although forests regenerating from logging had more similarities with primary forests in terms of fungal composition and nutrient cycling potential. Since oil palm agriculture is currently the mostly rapidly expanding equatorial crop and logging is pervasive across tropical ecosystems, these findings may have broad applicability.

The FARs, a class of compounds well known to the cosmetic industry, may have utility as therapeutic TXL agents. The compounds studied thus far show promise and will be further tested.

PurposeCurrent literature contains scant information regarding the extent of enzymatic collagen cross-linking in the keratoconus (KC) cornea. The aim of the present study was to examine levels of enzymatic lysyl oxidase–derived cross-links in stromal collagen in KC tissue, and to correlate the cross-link levels with collagen fibril stability as determined by thermal denaturation temperature (Tm).MethodsSurgical KC samples (n = 17) and Eye-Bank control (n = 11) corneas of age 18 to 68 years were analyzed. The samples were defatted, reduced (NaBH4), hydrolyzed (6N HCl at 110°C for 18 hours), and cellulose enriched before analysis by C8 high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with parallel fluorescent and mass detectors in selective ion monitoring mode (20 mM heptafluorobutyric acid/methanol 70:30 isocratic at 1 mL/min). Nine different cross-links were measured, and the cross-link density was determined relative to collagen content (determined colorimetrically). The Tm was determined by differential scanning calorimetry.ResultsCross-links detected were dihydroxylysinonorleucine (DHLNL), hydroxylysinonorleucine, lysinonorleucine (LNL), and histidinohydroxylysinonorleucine in both control and KC samples. Higher DHLNL levels were detected in KC, whereas the dominant cross-link, LNL, was decreased in KC samples. Decreased LNL levels were observed among KC ≤ 40 corneas. There was no difference in total cross-link density between KC samples and the controls. Pyridinolines, desmosines, and pentosidine were not detected. There was no notable correlation between cross-link levels with fibril instability as determined by Tm.ConclusionsLower levels of LNL in the KC cornea suggest that there might be a cross-linking defect either in fibrillar collagen or the microfibrillar elastic network composed of fibrillin.

In the last decade, neuromodulation via baroreflex activation therapy (BAT) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has emerged as an innovative approach for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). A review of the literature was conducted to examine the latest efficacy and safety data on neuromodulation for the treatment of HFrEF. Two independent researchers searched the PubMed, clinicaltrials.org, and the Cochrane databases for the most recent data on BAT and VNS published between 2013 and 2019. A total of nine studies were identified. BAT and VNS therapy consistently improved subjective heart failure parameters including New York Heart Association class and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Improvements in objective cardiac parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were less consistently seen; however, where present, ranged from +3% to +6%, in line with improvements seen after other guideline directed therapy such as left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Benefits of BAT showed a predilection for patients without cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and efficacy of VNS therapy varied with device type. The clinical application of BAT and VNS was found to be limited due to low-powered data, inconsistencies in study design, short-term follow-up and lack of diversity in patient recruitment. Well-powered studies with consistent design, longer follow-up and diverse populations are warranted before BAT and VNS can be incorporated into heart failure guidelines and clinical practice.