The Sungai Klah (SK) hot spring is the second hottest geothermal spring in Malaysia. This hot spring is a shallow, 150-m-long, fast-flowing stream, with temperatures varying from 50 to 110°C and a pH range of 7.0-9.0. Hidden within a wooded area, the SK hot spring is continually fed by plant litter, resulting in a relatively high degree of total organic content (TOC). In this study, a sample taken from the middle of the stream was analyzed at the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region by amplicon metagenome sequencing. Over 35 phyla were detected by analyzing the 16S rRNA data. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria represented approximately 57% of the microbiome. Approximately 70% of the detected thermophiles were strict anaerobes; however, Hydrogenobacter spp., obligate chemolithotrophic thermophiles, represented one of the major taxa. Several thermophilic photosynthetic microorganisms and acidothermophiles were also detected. Most of the phyla identified by 16S rRNA were also found using the shotgun metagenome approaches. The carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism within the SK hot spring community were evaluated by shotgun metagenome sequencing, and the data revealed diversity in terms of metabolic activity and dynamics. This hot spring has a rich diversified phylogenetic community partly due to its natural environment (plant litter, high TOC, and a shallow stream) and geochemical parameters (broad temperature and pH range). It is speculated that symbiotic relationships occur between the members of the community.
Background: Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease that is strongly associated with multiple comorbidities and mortality. Weight reduction in overweight and obese patients was highly desired to minimize future complications. Meal replacement is emerging as one of the effective tools to promote weight loss. Isoflavones and soy protein present in soybean are able to promote weight loss and alleviate obesity. Aim: Our systematic review aims to investigate the weight loss effect of soy-based meal replacement among the overweight and obese population. Methods: We will conduct a systematic review of RCTs that evaluated the effect of a soy-based meal replacement on weight loss in overweight and obese patients. The primary outcome of this review is weight loss. Besides that, we will assess BMI, body fat, waist circumference and hip circumference as the secondary outcome. We will search PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, review full texts, extract information and assess the risk of bias of individual studies. We will conduct meta-analyses using a random-effect model if sufficient data are available. If meta-analysis is not performed, we will present a systematic qualitative synthesis. Summary: This systematic review will identify the weight loss effect of soy-based meal replacement among the overweight and obese adult population. We expect the result may strengthen the evidence on the role of soy-based meal replacement in optimal body weight management.