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Key message: MePMTR1 is involved in plant development and production as well as photosynthesis in plant. Melatonin is widely involved in plant growth and development as well as stress responses. Compared with the extending studies of melatonin in stress responses, the direct link between melatonin and plant development in the whole stages remains unclear. With the identification of phytomelatonin receptor PMTR1 in plants, melatonin signalling is becoming much clearer. However, the function of MePMTR1 in tropical crop cassava remains elusive. In this study, we found that overexpression of MePMTR1 showed larger biomass than wild type (WT), including higher number and area of leaves, weight, and accompanying with higher photosynthetic efficiency. Consistently, exogenous melatonin accelerated photosynthetic rate in Arabidopsis. In addition, MePMTR1-overexpressed plants exhibited more resistance to dark-induced senescence compared with WT, demonstrated by higher chlorophyll, lower hydrogen peroxide and superoxide content. In summary, this study illustrated that melatonin and its receptor regulate growth, development and senescence in plants, highlighting the potential application of melatonin and its receptor in improving crop yield and photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effects of vitamin D deficiency in early life on growth and development and subclinical bone health in neonatal rats. Methods Twenty-seven healthy adult SD rats (9 males and 18 females) were selected. All female SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, vitamin D deficiency group (VDD group) and vitamin D supplement group (VDS group), with 6 rats in each group. Rats in the VDD and VDS groups were fed with vitamin D deficiency diet, while rats in the control group and all male mice were fed with standard diet. They were fed for 4 weeks and mated at a male-to-female ratio of 2∶1. After successful mating, rats in the control group and VDS group were fed with standard diet and illuminated by incandescent light, and rats in the VDD group continued to be fed with vitamin Ddeficient diet and illuminated by white LED light. After delivery, rats in the VDD group continued to be fed with vitamin D deficient diets and illuminated by bright white LED lighting, while rats in the control and VDS groups continued to be fed with standard diets and illuminated by incandescent lighting. The young mice were fed 21 days after lactating and were fed according to the above conditions until the 7th weekend of birth. At the 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th weekends after birth, the body mass and tail length were measured. At the 7th weekend after birth, blood was taken from the heart after anesthesia and serum was retained by centrifugation. Serum Ca2+ was detected by azo-arsenic Ⅲ method, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) was detected by two-site enzyme immunoassay, and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D［25-(OH) D］ was detected by ELISA. The whole body bone mineral content and bone mineral density were measured by dual-energy X-ray bone densitometer. Serum phosphorus was detected by enzyme assay, serum insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) was detected by ELISA, and serum type I procollagen N-terminal lengthening peptide (P1NP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Results The body weight, body length and tail length of rats in the control group and VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group at the 1st to 4th weekends after birth (all P<0. 05), and the body weight, body length and tail length of rats in the VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group at the 1st to 4th weekends after birth (all P<0. 05). At the end of the 7th week, serum Ca2+,25-(OH) D, ALP, phosphorus, IGF-1 levels, bone mineral content and density of rats in the control group and VDS group were higher than those in the VDD group, while serum PTH and P1NP levels were lower than those in the VDD group (all P<0. 05). Serum ALP, phosphorus, IGF-1, bone mineral content and density of the VDS group were higher than those of the control group, and serum P1NP level was lower than that of the control group (all P<0. 05). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency in early life can affect the growth and development of offspring rats and lead to subclinical bone health, while timely supplementation of vitamin D can promote the growth and development, and reverse the subclinical bone health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wrapping of the newborn in an orthopedic tubular mesh, simulating a cocoon, can allow the infant to regain the feeling of security and stability experienced in the uterus given that the movement of one of the parts of the body exerts tactile and pressure variation in others. We aimed to evaluate the influence of an orthopedic tubular mesh, simulating a cocoon, in therapeutic positioning, on the variables of the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems of preterm newborns. A controlled and randomized clinical trial was conducted with preterm newborns positioned in dorsal decubitus and divided into two groups: (a) cocoon – newborns covered with an orthopedic tubular mesh, and (b) control – newborns positioned according to the sector's routine and without the use of an orthopedic mesh. During the follow-up, each newborn was placed in the position for 30 min and was recorded for a total of 2 min, once at the beginning and again at the end of the observation period. Variables related to the autonomous system (heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation), motor system (general movements), and regulatory system (Neonatal Infant Pain Scale) were evaluated before and after the intervention. The videos were evaluated by a researcher blind to the purpose of the study, and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS. Of the 40 preterm newborns evaluated (32.5 ± 1.83 weeks), 21 were female, and 20 were allocated to the cocoon group. The variables related to the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems remained unchanged following the positioning in the cocoon, as compared to the typical positioning employed in the neonatal unit. The simulation of a cocoon, utilizing an orthopedic tubular mesh, when applied to preterm newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit can contribute to maintaining low levels of stress, without altering variables of the autonomous, motor, and regulatory systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioarchaeology lacks a system for recording the morphology of muscle and ligament attachment sites, called entheses, in growing individuals. Such information is useful in investigating factors that affect bone growth and development, including sex, age, puberty, pathology, and activity. This paper presents a standardized recording method for nonadult entheses based on 29 archaeological individuals of archivally known sex and age-at-death, ranging from two to 17 years. This paper (a) assesses the range of osseous changes of 16 entheses in the upper and lower limbs of growing individuals, and (b) presents a scoring method for each enthesis, which is evaluated through inter-and intra-observer comparisons. Nonadult entheses show a wide range of morphological variation. Method reproducibility is established. This method will allow researchers to further investigate factors affecting bone development in nonadult skeletal remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The insect epidermis covers multiple parts of the insect body, fulfilling both structural and protective roles. Primarily composed of chitin and epidermal proteins, the insect epidermis displays considerable diversity among insects. The CPR family, the largest and most diverse group of cuticular protein (CP) genes identified to date, plays crucial roles in insect development, including body length regulation and cuticle formation. Steroid hormones, such as ecdysteroids, regulate the expression of epidermal proteins. In addition, the insecticide Methoxyfenozide mimics the action of 20E, thereby affecting insect growth. Our study on Heortia vitessoides Moore elucidates the role of HvCP3L and offers novel insights into pest management strategies for Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng. Cuticle proteins (CPs) constitute a multifunctional family; however, the physiological role of Cuticle Protein 3-like (CP3L) in Heortia vitessoides Moore remains largely unclear. In this study, we cloned the HvCP3L gene from the transcriptional library of Heortia vitessoides Moore. RT-qPCR results revealed that HvCP3L exhibited high expression levels during the larval stage of Heortia vitessoides Moore, particularly at the L5D1 stage, observed in both larval and adult heads. Through RNA interference, we successfully silenced the HvCP3L gene, resulting in a significant reduction in the survival rate of Heortia vitessoides Moore, with the survival rate from larvae to adults plummeting to a mere 17.7%, accompanied by phenotypic abnormalities. Additionally, we observed that the knockdown of HvCP3L led to the inhibition of genes in the chitin pathway. Following exposure to methoxyfenozide stress, the HvCP3L gene exhibited significant overexpression, coinciding with phenotypic abnormalities. These findings underscore the pivotal role of HvCP3L in the growth and development of Heortia vitessoides Moore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The present study investigated the effects of different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C) on the growth and development of Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae. Habrobracon hebetor could complete growth and development when E. elutella larvae were used as hosts, and the developmental duration decreased with increasing temperature at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. Taking into account factors such as the total number of eggs laid, egg hatchability, the number of emerged adults, emergence ratio, percentage of female offspring, innate rate of increase, and net reproductive rate, the optimal temperature for rearing of H. hebetor is 30 °C. Augmentative release of parasitoids has been an important component of integrated insect management for stored product protection. Understanding the effect of different temperatures on the growth and development of parasitoids is in favor of mass rearing of parasitoids. Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a highly cosmopolitan, gregarious ecto-parasitoid of a variety of Lepidopterous larvae. Thus, the growth and development of H. hebetor reared on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae were investigated at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. Habrobracon hebetor could complete growth and development, and the developmental duration decreased with increasing temperature at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. The development threshold temperatures of H. hebetor eggs, larvae, pupae, and egg-to-adult stages were 13.89, 6.39, 9.24, and 9.29 °C, and the effective accumulated temperatures were 23.33, 46.40, 142.68, and 240.31 °C·d, respectively. The total number of eggs laid by H. hebetor, the hatching rate of H. hebetor eggs, and the percentage of female offspring reached the maximum of 192.39, 83.89%, and 74.04% at 30 °C, respectively. There was no significant difference in pupal survival rate in the temperature range of 15 °C to 35 °C. At 30 °C, the pre-oviposition duration of H. hebetor was the shortest (0.87 d). Therefore, the optimal rearing temperature of H. hebetor was 30 °C. The present results are useful for the large-scale rearing of H. hebetor using E. elutella larvae as hosts and effectively implementing the biological control of stored-product insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the effect of Cr supplementation on morphological changes and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and on developmental parameters. Methods: Male Wistar rat pups were submitted to an experimental model of CP. Cr was administered via gavage from the 21st to the 28th postnatal day, and in water after the 28th, until the end of the experiment. Body weight (BW), food consumption (FC), muscle strength, and locomotion were evaluated. Expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were assessed in the hippocampus by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Iba1 immunoreactivity was assessed by immunocytochemistry in the hippocampal hilus. Results: Experimental CP caused increased density and activation of microglial cells, and overexpression of IL-6. The rats with CP also presented abnormal BW development and impairment of strength and locomotion. Cr supplementation was able to reverse the overexpression of IL-6 in the hippocampus and mitigate the impairments observed in BW, strength, and locomotion. Discussion: Future studies should evaluate other neurobiological characteristics, including changes in neural precursor cells and other cytokines, both pro- and anti-inflammatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calmodulin-binding protein 60 (CBP60) family is a gene family unique to plants, and its members play a crucial role in plant defense responses to pathogens and growth and development. Considering that cotton is the primary source of natural cotton textile fiber, the functional study of its CBP60 gene family members is critical. In this research, we successfully identified 162 CBP60 members from the genomes of 21 species. Of these, 72 members were found in four cotton species, divided into four clades. To understand the function of GhCBP60B in cotton in depth, we conducted a detailed analysis of its sequence, structure, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Research results show that GhCBP60B is located in the nucleus and plays a crucial role in cotton growth and development and response to salt and drought stress. After using VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) technology to conduct gene silencing experiments, we found that the plants silenced by GhCBP60B showed dwarf plants and shortened stem nodes, and the expression of related immune genes also changed. In further abiotic stress treatment experiments, we found that GhCBP60B-silenced plants were more sensitive to drought and salt stress, and their POD (peroxidase) activity was also significantly reduced. These results imply the vital role of GhCBP60B in cotton, especially in regulating plant responses to drought and salt stress. This study systematically analyzed CBP60 gene family members through bioinformatics methods and explored in depth the biological function of GhCBP60B in cotton. These research results lay a solid foundation for the future use of the GhCBP60B gene to improve cotton plant type and its drought and salt resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] To explore the practical significance of organic fertilizer combined with biochar in the production of flue-cured tobacco in Dali, Yunnan Province, the study was carried out from four aspects: the transformation of soil nutrients, the growth and development of tobacco plants, the carbon and nitrogen metabolism in tobacco plants and the yield and quality of tobacco leaves. [Method] The field experiment was conducted, and three treatments were set up: applying only organic fertilizer (Y), applying only biochar (S) and applying organic fertilizer with biochar (Y+S). The input amount of C, N, P and K elements in each treatment room was consistent. [Result] Y+S and Y treatments were more beneficial to the formation of plant height, stem circumference and leaf area than S treatments;the activities of nitrogen metabolism-related enzymes and carbon metabolism-related enzymes in the plant were the best in Y+S, and the biomass of the tobacco plant was the largest. Compared with Y and S treatments, the water soluble sugar and reducing sugar in the upper flue-cured tobacco leaves were increased by 8. 30-8. 95 and 4. 90-6. 09 percentage points, respectively, and the ratio of sugar to alkali and potassium to chlorine was 6. 29- 6. 97 and 0. 22-0. 27, significantly reducing the nicotine content by 0. 82%; Compared with Y treatment, Y+S treatment significantly reduced the nicotine content by 0. 38 percentage points and increased the proportion of equal tobacco, with an increase of 0. 09 and 0.24 respectively; the output of flue-cured tobacco increased by 186. 15 and 510. 9 kg/hm² respectively, and the output value of flue-cured tobacco increased significantly by 20 391. 45 and 27 688. 8 yuan/hm² respectively. [Conclusion] The treatment of organic fertilizer combined with biochar is higher than other treatments in agronomic traits and related enzyme activities, organic matter content in soil, total nitrogen and other nutrients, significantly increasing the yield and output value. The application of organic fertilizer combined with biochar is beneficial to further improve the quality of tobacco leaves in Dali Bay Bridge tobacco planting area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to screen out the seedling tray specifications which could not only meet the needs of well cellar type seedling transplanting in Yibin tobacco-growing area, but also reduce the amount of substrate and seedling rearing site, the effects of different seedling tray specifications on the growth and development of tobacco seedlings and tobacco yield and quality were studied by means of wet seedling rearing. The results showed that the seedlings grew faster in 128 pores per tray and 162 pores per tray, and the agronomic characters, material accumulation and qualified seedling rate were higher. The agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plants in the field were higher, but the amount of matrix and the required seedling area were larger, and the input cost of seedling rearing increased obviously. The quality, agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plants cultivated in 200 pores per tray were similar to that of 128 pores per tray, but the substrate consumption and the required seedling tray area were 39. 88% lower than that of 128 pores per tray, 30. 77% lower than that of 128 pores per tray, and the cost of seedling rearing was significantly reduced. The seedling quality, agronomic characters and economic characters of tobacco plant in the field were significantly lower than those of other treatments, although the substrate consumption and seedling area required by 288 pores per tray were the lowest. In summary, 200 pores per tray is an ideal choice in Yibin tobacco area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panonychus citri McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), a destructive citrus pest, causes considerable annual economic losses due to its short lifespan and rapid resistance development. MicroRNA (miRNA)‐induced RNA interference is a promising approach for pest control because of endogenous regulation of pest growth and development. To search for miRNAs with potential insecticidal activity in P. citri, genome‐wide analysis of miRNAs at different developmental stages was conducted, resulting in the identification of 136 miRNAs, including 73 known and 63 novel miRNAs. A total of 17 isomiRNAs and 12 duplicated miRNAs were characterized. MiR‐1 and miR‐252‐5p were identified as reference miRNAs for P. citri and Tetranychus urticae. Based on differential expression analysis, treatments with miR‐let‐7a and miR‐315 mimics and the miR‐let‐7a antagomir significantly reduced the egg hatch rate and resulted in abnormal egg development. Overexpression or downregulation of miR‐34‐5p and miR‐305‐5p through feeding significantly decreased the adult eclosion rate and caused molting defects. The 4 miRNAs, miR‐let‐7a, miR‐315, miR‐34‐5p, and miR‐305‐5p, had important regulatory functions and insecticidal properties in egg hatching and adult eclosion. In general, these data advance our understanding of miRNAs in mite biology, which can assist future studies on insect‐specific miRNA‐based green pest control technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

14-3-3 proteins are a highly conserved family of acidic proteins encoded by different genes in eukaryotic organisms. After interacting with the target proteins through the phosphorylation sites, 14-3-3 proteins influence the stability, subcellular localization, or interactions with other proteins of the target protein, thereby regulating its function. Various isoforms of 14-3-3 proteins have been found in different species, and these isoforms influence the processes such as plant growth and development. In this review, we summarize the type, subcellular localization, and expression patterns of 14-3-3 proteins in plants, with a specific focus on the functions of 14-3-3 proteins in plant hormone signaling, growth and development, and stress response. The aim of this review is to provide a theoretical foundation for further systematic research on 14-3-3 proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth parameters are an essential metric in the growth and development of pediatric patients. Thousands of children internationally are adopted in the United States and are at high risk for poor growth and development. The authors describe the 7-year experience of an international adoption clinic to provide descriptive anthropometric measures to assist in understanding expected growth norms for pediatric patients across 41 different countries. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe anthropometric measures from internationally adopted children. Internationally adopted children are at risk for poor growth and development and there is no standardized growth chart evaluation for internationally adopted children due to variations in growth, genetics, and environmental exposures. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of 882 patients seen in an international adoption clinic between 2010 and 2017. Anthropometric measurements were converted to Z scores for weight, height, head circumference, and body mass index. Results: A total of 41 countries and 16 subregions were represented. Central America, northern Africa, southern Africa, and southern Europe were the only subregions that had positive mean Z scores for weight, and southeast Asia had the lowest mean Z score for weight (n = 40, −1.76). No subregion had a positive mean Z score for height, and western Asia had the lowest overall mean Z score for height (n = 2, −2.44). Mean Z score for body mass index was positive in several subregions. Conclusions: Growth is an important predictor of health and development, and this study adds to the literature on growth patterns of internationally adopted children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybridization of livestock can be used to improve varieties, and different hybrid combinations produce unique breeding effects. In this study, male Southdown and Suffolk sheep were selected to hybridize with female Hu sheep to explore the effects of male parentage on muscle growth and the development of offspring. Using data-independent acquisition technology, we identified 119, 187, and 26 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between Hu × Hu (HH) versus Southdown × Hu (NH), HH versus Suffolk × Hu (SH), and NH versus SH crosses. Two DAPs, MYOZ2 and MYOM3, were common to the three hybrid groups and were mainly enriched in muscle growth and development-related pathways. At the myoblast proliferation stage, MYOZ2 expression decreased cell viability and inhibited proliferation. At the myoblast differentiation stage, MYOZ2 expression promoted myoblast fusion and enhanced the level of cell fusion. These findings provide new insights into the key proteins and metabolic pathways involved in the effect of male parentage on muscle growth and the development of hybrid offspring in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as undesirable by‐products of metabolism in various cellular compartments, especially in response to unfavorable environmental conditions, throughout the life cycle of plants. Stress‐induced ROS production disrupts normal cellular function and leads to oxidative damage. To cope with excessive ROS, plants are equipped with a sophisticated antioxidative defense system consisting of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic components that scavenge ROS or inhibit their harmful effects on biomolecules. Nonetheless, when maintained at relatively low levels, ROS act as signaling molecules that regulate plant growth, development, and adaptation to adverse conditions. Here, we provide an overview of current approaches for detecting ROS. We also discuss recent advances in understanding ROS signaling, ROS metabolism, and the roles of ROS in plant growth and responses to various abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) refer to plastics with a diameter of less than 5 mm. As a new environmental pollutant, MPs can enter the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin, and then deposit in multiple tissues such as the intestine, liver and ovary. MPs exposure has toxic effects on the female reproductive system by affecting follicle development, oocyte quality and sex hormone levels through apoptosis, oxidative stress and disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, thereby reducing female fertility. Moreover, recent studies have found that MPs can enter the placenta and lead to the abnormal placental metabolism, immune imbalance at the maternal and fetal interface, and the impaired placental structure. MPs can further enter the offspring through the placental barrier after maternal exposure to MPs, causing adverse effects on the neural, digestive, reproductive and other multiple systems of the offspring. Given the toxicity of MPs and the persistence in environment, the exposure to MPs should be reduced in daily life to prevent human from the harm of MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the influence of relative age effect (RAE) on motor competences (MC) and physical fitness (PF) of preschool children. The search was conducted through three different databases: Web of Science, Scopus and EBSCO up to 11 August 2023. This study was conducted and reported according to the PRISMA statement. Out of 2494 studies, 10 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Five studies investigated the influence of RAE on MC, while five examined its influence on PF in children aged 3–6 years. According to the main results of these studies, children born in the first quarter had significantly higher scores in MC and PF. However, there is a tendency for RAE decreases as age increases. Due to method and sample differences of the studies, further research are required to understand better the existence of RAE on motor performance skills in preschoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is a continuous search for an effective intervention to help preterm low birth weight neonates overcome their poor growth and developmental outcomes. Most researchers have examined the effect of Oromotor Stimulation (OMS) on feeding performance. Studies exploring Multimodal Sensory Stimulation (MSS) on various outcome parameters are sparse and reveal inconsistent results. Aim: To analyse the effectiveness of MSS in improving weight gain, length of hospitalisation, and feeding performance in preterm Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) neonates. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted between June 2021 and December 2022 in the Paediatrics Department of Agartala Government Medical College, Agartala, Tripura, India. A total of 104 hospitalised neonates with gestational age from 28 to less than 37 weeks and birth weight from 1000 to less than 1500 grams (VLBW) were included in the study. All neonates received standard care and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). On the advice of some faculties, several of them also received MSS. All neonates were divided into two groups: those who received MSS and those who did not, and they were monitored until discharge. Mean hospitalisation length, weight gain, and transition time were derived and statistically analysed using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In the present study, the mean gestational age was 32.04±1.75 and 32.679±1.19 weeks, and the M:F ratio was 1.43:1 and 1.30:1 in the MSS-given and MSS-not given groups, respectively. Mean weight gain was significantly higher in the MSS-given group (97.00±123.09 g versus-23.42±43.96 g). Mean hospitalisation length was longer in the MSS-given group, but transition time did not differ significantly across the groups. Conclusion: Multimodal sensory stimulation is effective in promoting weight gain in preterm VLBW neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the effects of central precocious puberty on the growth and development of children and its risk factors. Methods: 105 children with central precocious puberty admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to January 2023 were selected as the observation group, and 105 children with normal development in the same period were selected as the control group.Growth and development indicators, serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3(IGF-BP3) expression levels were compared between the two groups. The dietary pattern, living conditions and family status of the participants were investigated by questionnaire. Univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used. Results: The height, weight, body mass index and bone age of observation group were higher than those of control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of serum IGF-1 and IGF-BP3 in observation group were higher than those in control group(P<0.05). After univariate analysis, napping habits, exercise time, sleep with light on, schoolwork load, frequent use of plastic products, adult toiletries and skin care products, watching emotional TV, maternal education, occupation, age of menstruating, parental relationship, companionship, balanced diet pattern and high-calorie and high-fat diet pattern were all associated with central precocious puberty(P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that balanced dietary pattern, napping habit, and long exercise time were all protective factors for central precocious puberty(P<0.05), while high-calorie and high-fat dietary pattern, young age of mother at menarche, disharmonious relationship between parents, and little parental companionship were all risk factors for central precocious puberty(P<0.05). Conclusion: Central precocious puberty can affect the growth and development progress of children and is closely related to high-calorie and high-fat dietary patterns, maternal age at menarche, parental relationship and companionship. Family relationships should be improved and children should be helped to develop good habits of balanced meals, naps and exercise that are beneficial to normal growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parental influences on children's eating and physical activity (PA) and consequently on their weight are fundamental. The present study aimed to identify the predominant correlates of childhood overweight/obesity among a variety of parental practices and children's lifestyle indices in a large sample of children in Europe. Methods: Families from low socio‐economic status regions were recruited through schools, located in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary). Seven thousand three hundred ninety‐seven children 4–12 years old and their parents were selected using the FINDRISC‐questionnaire. Parental practices assessed included parental role modelling, permissiveness and reward. Children's dietary intake and lifestyle behaviours were assessed through parent‐reported questionnaires. Results: Regarding parental practices, it was revealed that being sometimes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10–1.43) or rarely (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.21–1.69) physically active with the child was associated with greater overweight/obesity risk, whereas rare permission of computer/mobile/tablet (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67–0.98) and sometimes (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.68–0.88) or rare (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.66–0.91) reward with PA were associated with lower risk. Regarding children's lifestyle factors, consuming > 3 cups/week fresh fruit juices (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.13–1.45), skipping breakfast (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.17–1.61), absence of 1 h of daily PA (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.24–1.58) and increased daily screen time (ST) (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.09–1.39) were associated with greater overweight/obesity risk. All the variables were adjusted for maternal education, child's sex and age. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the necessity of family‐centered approaches in health promotion and obesity prevention programs for children. Such programs should focus on parents as the primary role models in exerting positive influence and encouraging healthy eating habits, PA, and ST behaviors in their children, which in turn, may have a substantial impact on children's overall weight status. Key points: Being physically active with the child is associated with reduced obesity riskOmission of breakfast and high fresh fruit juices consumption may increase childhood obesity riskParental control on children's screen time is linked with lower childhood obesity risk [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfin-like (AL) proteins are an important class of transcription factor (TF) widely distributed in eukaryotes and play vital roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. AL proteins contain an Alfin-like domain and a specific PHD-finger structure domain at the N-terminus and C-terminus, respectively. The PHD domain can bind to a specific (C/A) CAC element in the promoter region and affect plant growth and development by regulating the expression of functional genes. This review describes a variety of AL transcription factors that have been isolated and characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, Zea mays, Brassica oleracea, Solanum lycopersicum, Populus trichocarpa, Pyrus bretschenedri, Malus domestica, and other species. These studies have focused mainly on plant growth and development, different abiotic stress responses, different hormonal stress responses, and stress responses after exposure to pathogenic bacteria. However, studies on the molecular functional mechanisms of Alfin-like transcription factors and the interactions between different signaling pathways are rare. In this review, we performed phylogenetic analysis, cluster analysis, and motif analysis based on A. thaliana sequences. We summarize the structural characteristics of AL transcription factors in different plant species and the diverse functions of AL transcription factors in plant development and stress regulation responses. The aim of this study was to provide a reference for further application of the functions and mechanisms of action of the AL protein family in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée), is one of the most serious pests on rice. At present, chemical control is the main method for controlling this pest. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has non-target effects and may cause environmental pollution. Besides, leaf curling behavior by C. medinalis may indirectly reduce the efficacy of chemical spray. Therefore, it is crucial to cultivate efficient rice varieties resistant to this pest. Previous studies have found that three different rice varieties, Zhongzao39 (ZZ39), Xiushui134 (XS134), and Yongyou1540 (YY1540), had varying degrees of infestation by C. medinalis. However, it is currently unclear whether the reason for this difference is related to the difference in defense ability of the three rice varieties against the infestation of C. medinalis. To explore this issue, the current study investigated the effects of three rice varieties on the growth performance and food utilization capability of the 4th instar C. medinalis. Further, it elucidated the differences in defense responses among different rice varieties based on the differences in leaf physiological and biochemical indicators and their impact on population occurrence. The results showed that the larval survival rate was the lowest, and the development period was significantly prolonged after feeding on YY1540. This was not related to the differences in leaf wax, pigments, and nutritional components among the three rice varieties nor to the feeding preferences of the larvae. The rate of superoxide anion production, hydrogen peroxide content, and the activity of three protective enzymes were negatively correlated with larval survival rate, and they all showed the highest in YY1540 leaves. Compared to other tested varieties, although the larvae feeding on YY1540 had higher conversion efficiency of ingested food and lower relative consumption rate, their relative growth was faster, indicating stronger food utilization capability. However, they had a lower accumulation of protein. This suggests that different rice varieties had different levels of oxidative stress after infestation by C. medinalis. The defense response of YY1540 was more intense, which was not conducive to the development of the larvae population. These results will provide new insights into the interaction mechanism between different rice varieties and C. medinalis and provide a theoretical basis for cultivating rice varieties resistant to this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a class of transcription factors consisting of NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC subunits, which are widely distributed in eukaryotes. The NF-YC subunit regulates plant growth and development and plays an important role in the response to stresses. However, there are few reports on this gene subfamily in tea plants. In this study, nine CsNF-YC genes were identified in the genome of 'Longjing 43'. Their phylogeny, gene structure, promoter cis-acting elements, motifs and chromosomal localization of these gene were analyzed. Tissue expression characterization revealed that most of the CsNF-YCs were expressed at low levels in the terminal buds and at relatively high levels in the flowers and roots. CsNF-YC genes responded significantly to gibberellic acid (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. We further focused on CsNF-YC6 because it may be involved in the growth and development of tea plants and the regulation of response to abiotic stresses. The CsNF-YC6 protein is localized in the nucleus. Arabidopsis that overexpressed CsNF-YC6 (CsNF-YC6-OE) showed increased seed germination and increased root length under ABA and GA treatments. In addition, the number of cauline leaves, stem lengths and silique numbers were significantly higher in overexpressing Arabidopsis lines than wild type under long-day growth conditions, and CsNF-YC6 promoted primary root growth and increased flowering in Arabidopsis. qPCR analysis showed that in CsNF-YC6-OE lines, flowering pathway-related genes were transcribed at higher levels than wild type. The investigation of the CsNF-YC gene has unveiled that CsNF-YC6 plays a pivotal role in plant growth, root and flower development, as well as responses to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the outcome of nutritional intervention in child health care on infant growth and disease prevention. Methods: It was a retrospective study. Ninty-two infants who received child health intervention in The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from September 2020 to June 2022 were selected as the research objects. According to the random number table method, they were divided into control group (46 cases, routine health intervention) and observation group (46 cases, nutritional intervention based on the control group) using the sealed envelope system. The growth and development, nutritional diseases and guardian satisfaction of the two groups were compared. Results: The scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group in gross motor, fine motor, language and individual-social aspects. The total incidence of nutritional diseases in the observation group (2.17%) was lower than that in the control group (17.39%); In terms of total satisfaction rate, the observation group (100.00%) was higher than the control group (86.96%), with a statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion: Applying nutrition intervention to child health care plays an important role in maintaining the healthy growth and development of infants and reducing the incidence of nutritional diseases such as anemia and rickets. It needs to be promoted in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] To analyze the effects of different densities on the emergence of seed seedlings, growth and yield of Astragalus membranaceus, and to screen out the suitable seed seedling density and seedling transplanting density of Astragalus membranaceus. [Method] A randomized block experiment design was used. The seedling density of Astragalus membranaceus seed was divided into 3 ways (60, 75, 90 kg / hm²). The transplanting density of annual Astragalus membranaceus seedlings was divided into 3 ways(8 cm× 25 cm, 12 cm× 25 cm and 15 cm× 25 cm). The effects of different densities on the growth and yield of Astragalus membranaceus were studied, and the optimal seedling density and transplanting density of Astragalus membranaceus seeds were obtained. [Result]The seedling density experiment showed that 60 kg / hm² was the best, with plant height of 16. 10 cm, stem diameter of 1. 50 mm, number of functional leaves of 16. 93, primary root length of 27. 34 cm, root diameter of 4. 35 cm. The results of seedling density experiment showed that 12 cm×25 cm was the best planting density, and the seedling emergence rate was 90. 67%. Compared with 8 cm×25 cm and 15 cm×25 cm, the root growth index and the yield of seeds of annual and biennial Astragalus membranaceus were all improved. [Conclusion]The optimal seedling density of Astragalus membranaceus was 60 kg / hm², and the optimal transplanting density was 12 cm×25 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] In order to understand the effects of feeding with sweet potato residue and unhatched eggs on the growth and development of black soldier fly, and determine its optimal ratio. [Method] Under the feeding conditions of temperature 25 ℃, humidity 70%-80% and photoperiod L ∶ D= 16∶8, sweet potato residue and unhatched eggs were compounded in different proportions to study the growth difference between different treatments. [Result] The feeding with 10% shelled eggs + 90% sweet potato residue had significant effects on the body weight, pre-pupal weight, pre-pupal body length, mortality, pupation rate, feed coefficient of black soldier fly (P<0. 05), but it had no significant effect on the duration of prepupa, pupa and adult (P>0. 05). [Conclusion] 10% shelled egg + 90% sweet potato residue can significantly promote the growth and development of black soldier fly (P<0. 05). In the production practice, this ratio was recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the growth and development of Spheniscus demersus chicks, we measured the body mass, body length, bill length, foot length and wing length of 0−7 months old chicks of S. demersus in Shanghai Zoo. Two nonlinear models, Logistic and Gompertz, were used to fit and analyze each body size index of the hatchlings. The results show that both Logistic and Gompertz models had a high fitting degree for each growth indicator of S. demersus, and the fit⁃ ting coefficient (r ²) was above 0. 970. The Logistic model was used to better fit the growth process of the body mass, body length, bill length and foot length of S. demersus (r ² >0. 980), while Gompertz model was more suitable for fitting the growth process of wing length. There was a significant correlations between the body size indexes (p<0. 01). It is suggested that the body weight and body length could be used as important indicators to monitor and evaluate the health status of S. demersus chicks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene is an essential plant hormone, critical in various physiological processes. These processes include seed germination, leaf senescence, fruit ripening, and the plant's response to environmental stressors. Ethylene biosynthesis is tightly regulated by two key enzymes, namely 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO). Initially, the prevailing hypothesis suggested that ACS is the limiting factor in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence from various studies has demonstrated that ACO, under specific circumstances, acts as the rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene production. Under normal developmental processes, ACS and ACO collaborate to maintain balanced ethylene production, ensuring proper plant growth and physiology. However, under abiotic stress conditions, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, or pathogen attack, the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis becomes critical for plants' survival. This review highlights the structural characteristics and examines the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulation of ACS and ACO and their role under abiotic stress conditions. Reviews on the role of ethylene signaling in abiotic stress adaptation are available. However, a review delineating the role of ACS and ACO in abiotic stress acclimation is unavailable. Exploring how particular ACS and ACO isoforms contribute to a specific plant's response to various abiotic stresses and understanding how they are regulated can guide the development of focused strategies. These strategies aim to enhance a plant's ability to cope with environmental challenges more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration and large-scale outbreak of green tides are not only related to the biological characteristics such as the strong stress resistance of algae and the environmental conditions of the sea area, but also inseparable from the participation of algal microorganisms. The microbial community plays an important role in algal growth and extinction. Under different environmental conditions, the community structure of symbiotic and epiphytic microorganisms of Ulva prolifera are diverse. The promotion to algae growth is mainly reflected in the processes of algae morphogenesis, growth, nutrient absorption and photosynthesis. During the occurrence of algal blooms, U. prolifera could help the algae to efficiently absorb nutrients, promote algae proliferation, and thus increase the formation of green tides. Based on previous researching results, we summarized the current research status of symbiotic and epiphytic bacteria of U. prolifera, the dominant species of green tide, described the establishment process of the separation technology of symbiotic and epiphytic bacteria of U. prolifera, and pointed out the importance of molecular biology techniques such as high-throughput sequencing in the analysis of microbial community structure and diversity, analyzed the influence of these bacteria on the physiological characteristics of the growth, reproduction, morphogenesis of U. prolifera and the outbreak of the green tides, and explored the utilization value of symbiotic and epiphytic bacteria in future production and life, aiming to express new ideas for predicting and preventing and controlling the outbreak of green tides and for the algal utilization as a resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brassinolide, known as the seventh plant hormone, can improve the photosynthetic capacity of plants, promote plant growth and development, promote the formation of horticultural crop yield, improve the quality of horticultural crops, and also improve the ability of plants to resist biological and abiotic stresses. Results: The effects of different concentrations of exogenously sprayed 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) on growth, physiological and photosynthetic characteristics of 'All-round large leaf coriander' were studied in substrate culture. The results showed that 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR promoted the growth of coriander and increased the aboveground fresh and dry weights, with 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR having the most significant effect. Spraying 0.1 mg.L− 1 EBR increased the content of soluble sugars and protein of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.1 and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR significantly increased the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters of coriander leaves, and 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR also significantly increased the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR upregulated the expression of CsRbcS, CsFBPase, and CsAld. Correlation analysis showed that aboveground fresh weight under exogenous EBR treatment was significantly positively correlated with aboveground dry weight, plant height, Pn, Gs, Ci, and CsAld (P < 0.05), and soluble sugar content was significantly positively correlated with the number of leaves, Y(II), qP, and CsRbcS. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there was a significant separation between the treatment and the control groups. Spraying 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR can promote the growth of coriander, improve the quality of coriander leaves, and strengthen coriander leaf photosynthetic capacity. This study provides new insights into the promotion of coriander growth and development following the application of exogenous EBR. Conclusion: Exogenous EBR treatment increased coriander plant height, leaf growth and aboveground dry weight, and enhanced photosynthesis. Exogenous spraying of 0.5 mg.L− 1 EBR had the most significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immature central nervous system, extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, and sensory experience deficiency may contribute to oral and gross motor delay in preterm infants. Current study aimed to investigate oral and motor development in preterm infants. Methods: Twenty-nine preterm infants and 28 term infants were evaluated within the scope of the study. Oral motor feeding development was assessed with the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment, and motor development was evaluated with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. All analyses were performed using SPSS 22. The study was approved by the Gazi University Clinical Researches Ethics Committee (no: 25901600–23). Results: There was a correlation between the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment categories (solid, semisolid, cracker, puree, bottle, and cup) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale score (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between groups in the Schedule for Oral Motor Assessment's solid, semisolid, cracker, and puree categories and total score (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between groups regarding the Alberta Infant Motor Scale score (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Preterm infants come behind their term peers in motor and oral motor feeding performance. These two areas of development can influence each other. For this reason, oral motor feeding problems should be emphasized as well as motor problems in physiotherapy rehabilitation evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Melatonin is a multifunctional molecule that performs essential roles in environmental stress tolerance. • Exogenous melatonin plays a magnificent role in alleviating salt stresses by regulating oxidative damage, increasing chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, triggering plant hormones, accelerating antioxidants, and modulating transcription factors and stress-related genes in legumes. • Several transcription factors and regulatory genes that are responsible for melatonin-mediated salinity tolerance in legumes are highlighted. • For sustainability and food security, melatonin-mediated crop improvement in legumes can be explored to its fullest. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5‑methoxy tryptamine) is a multi-functional molecule that is distributed in all living organisms and it performs essential roles in environmental stress tolerance. Salt stress enhances the rapid accumulation of melatonin in plants. Melatonin provides resistance to salt stress by manipulating various regulatory mechanisms at the biochemical and molecular levels throughout different plant developmental stages. Conventionally, legumes are consumed along with cereal-based staples to ensure wholesome nutritional intake. After confirming their nutritional and health-promoting effects, recently their demand is constantly increasing. This has guided the researchers to focus on developing legumes to cope with the changing climate scenario. In legumes, melatonin concentration varies from crop to crop under salt stress. This review emphasizes melatonin biosynthesis in plants with a special focus on legumes and their responses to endogenous and exogenous melatonin application. This manuscript also throws light on the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of melatonin-mediated salinity stress tolerance in legumes. The future directions for enhancing the salt stress tolerance in legumes are also discussed. As, Melatonin promotes germination potential, seedling biomass, photosynthesis rate, pod number, and yield of legumes under the influence of salinity stress, this review can provide insights for using melatonin to develop salt stress tolerant legumes for sustainable food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effect of individualised nutritional intervention on the postpartum nutritional status of patients with the growth and development of their offspring. This study included pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) at Hangzhou Women's Hospital in 2019. At 42 days after childbirth, the HbA1c (95% CI: 0.44-0.56%, p < 0.001), the FPG (95% CI: 0.01–0.26 mmol/L, p < 0.05), 2HPG (95% CI: −0.01–0.73 mmol/L, p < 0.05) and TCH (95% CI: −0.34–0.00 mmol/L, p < 0.05) level of the control group were 0.14, 0.36, and 0.17 mmol/L higher than in the intervention group. There were no differences in TG and HGB between the two groups (all p > 0.05). There were significant differences in the number of macrosomia and neonatal weight between the two groups (both p < 0.05). Differences in WHZ after childbirth were not statistically significant between the two groups (all p > 0.05). Individualised nutritional intervention could improve blood glucose levels 42 days after childbirth and reduce macrosomia incidence in pregnant women with GDM. What is already known on this subject? Individualised nutrition intervention can improve blood glucose status and complications during pregnancy, thus improving pregnancy outcomes. What the results of this study add? Individual nutrition intervention improved the blood glucose and nutritional status of patients at 42 days postpartum, but there was no difference in the growth and development indicators of their offspring at 0–24 months. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Improve nutritional intervention programs for gestational diabetes, improve blood glucose during pregnancy and postpartum, to improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce the occurrence of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases; Extend the monitoring range of the growth and development of the offspring of gestational diabetes, find the problems and timely carry out the nutritional intervention, to improve the development of the offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to observe the dynamic measurement of growth and development in children (0–3 years) after transplantation of low-quality frozen-thawed single blastocysts. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from January 2016 to December 2019 at a single center. The follow-up data of the children were obtained from the Jiangsu Province Maternal and Child Database. A total of 350 singleton live births were included. Based on the blastocyst score, the live births were divided into good-quality blastocyst embryo (GQE) group (315 live births) and poor-quality blastocyst embryo (PQE) group (35 live births). To improve statistical efficiency and control for potential confounding factors, singletons conceived from PQEs were matched with a 3:1 ratio according to couple ages, BMI, occupation and women AMH levels. Ultimately, 32 children in the PQE group and 95 children (with one missing data) in the GQE group were included in the final analysis. After matching for parents' age, BMI, occupation and maternal serum AMH level, there was no significant difference in growth and development of children between the PQE group and GQE group. However, the E2 level on trigger days, the rate of 2PN oocyte, and blastocyst formation rate in the PQE group were significantly lower than in the GQE group (p <.05). The number of embryo transfers (ETs) in the PQE group was higher than in the GQE group (p <.0001). The rate of cesarean section in the PQE group was significantly higher than in the GQE group (p <.05). The height (at 3 months) and head circumference (at 12 months) in the PQE group were lower than in the GQE group (p <.05). Transplantation of PQEs did not affect the growth and development of offspring (0–3 years) compared to good-quality blastocysts. However, the oocyte and embryo development potential was lower in the PQE group than in the GQE group. These results provide clinical reference that the transfer of PQE could be acceptable for patients with only PQE embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to investigate whether children with congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) show changes in their functioning and disability profile after nine months. This study included children with CZS recruited from a support centre for children with microcephaly in Brazil. The children's functional abilities and limitations were classified using ICF Core Set for children with cerebral palsy. Each ICF category was quantified in two moments with a mean interval of nine months. The study included 81children (mean age = 38.4 ± 3.3mo). Most children showed changes between assessments. Categories that presented improvements were in body functions (five categories), environmental factors (two categories), and activity and participation (one category) sections. Most children with CZS evaluated improved their functioning and disability profile over time, mainly in body functions. These changes can be related to the course of the disease or to the health programmes that children had access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using bran, indianmeal, Cordyceps militaris chaff as raw material, with 7 different proportions as feed of Tenebrio molitor, we investigated its growth and development indicators including length, weight and head breadth of larva, pupal weight, percentage of pupation, develomental duration of pupal, death rate of larva and pupa, hatching rate, developmental duration of larvae, emergence rate. The results showed that different treatments of Cordyceps militaris chaff had significant effect on the indicators including weight and head breadth of larva, pupal weight, percentage of pupation and developmental duration of larvae, but no significant effect on larva length, develomental duration of pupal, death rate, hatching rate, and emergence rate. The best effect was observed when feeding 30% of Cordyceps militaris chaff, referring to the indicators including head breadth of larva, pupal weight, developmental duration of pupal, percentage of pupation, death rate and emergence rate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effects of different dosage forms of Trichoderma harzianum on the growth, secondary metabolism and yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco in Luoyang area, three fungicides A, B and C were developed using T. harzianum strains screened by Microbiology Laboratory of Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, and field experiments were carried out in Luoyang City. The results showed that the plant height, pitch and maximum leaf area of middle leaves of tobacco increased in varying degrees. The total dry weight of tobacco plants and the dry weight of tobacco leaves increased after T. harzianum application, and the incidence of tobacco black shank and root knot nematode disease decreased. The application of T. harzianum increased the sugar content and potassium content of tobacco leaves. T. harzianum treatment significantly increased the yield, output value, average price and the proportion of superior tobacco leaves. The total organic acid content of dosage form C was the highest, mainly because the malic acid content was higher than that of T. harzianum treatment. After the application of T. harzianum, the content of cetrienol decreased to a certain extent. In conclusion, the application of different dosage forms of T. harzianum promoted the growth and development of tobacco plants, improved the agronomic traits of tobacco plants, increased the dry matter quality of tobacco plants, and reduced the incidence of tobacco black shank and root knot nematode disease. After the application of T. harzianum, the appearance quality of tobacco leaves was better, the sugar content and potassium content of cured tobacco leaves were increased, and the yield, output value and proportion of superior tobacco leaves were increased. Trichoderma spp. promoted photosynthetic metabolism, increased the content of organic acids, had a little effects on alkaloids, and reduced the content of glandular trichome secretion. T. harzianum dosage form C showed the best effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have compared the effect of stress adaptation theory-based nursing care with routine nursing care on the nutritional status and gastrointestinal motility of preterm infants. The results show an improvement in fetal growth and development after delivery, the physiological and neurological functions of babies, an increase in head circumference, body length, and weight and gastrointestinal function after stress adaptation theory-based nursing care (P < 0.05). However, there was no evidence for an intergroup difference in the incidence of adverse reactions (P > 0.05). These results suggest that stress adaptation theory-based nursing care is conducive to enhancing the nutritional status and gastrointestinal function of preterm infants and ensuring their healthy growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective　 To analyze the effects of various dosages of vitamin D（VitD) supplementation on bone metabolism and growth and development indicators of preterm infants. Methods　Preterm infants with gestational age < 34 weeks or birth weight < 1 500 g were divided into high-dose group（Total vitamin D intake ≥900 IU) and low-dose group（Total vitamin D intake < 900 IU) based on the VitD intake. Multiple linear regression approach for the analysis of the relationships between VitD intake and growth and development indicators（including the growth rate of weight, length, and head circumference) and bone metabolism indicators（including serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D, Alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus levels) of preterm infants at 28 days after birth or discharge. Results　 A total of 229 preterm infants met inclusion criteria, including 135 cases in the highdose group and 94 cases in the low-dose group. There were no significant differences in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium levels among the groups (P > 0.05) . Preterm infants in high-dose group had a lower incidence of hypophosphatemia（χ2 = 6.215, P = 0.045) and a higher level of serum alkaline phosphatase（Z = 3.174, P = 0.002) compared to the low-dose group. There were no significant differences in the growth rate of weight and length among the groups (P > 0.05) . Preterm infants with high-dose group had a higher percentage of the growth rate of head circumference ≥5 mm per week（χ2 = 4.036, P < 0.001) and a higher growth rate of head circumference（β = 1.510, 95%CI: 0.751～2.269, P < 0.001) compared to the low-dose group. Conclusion　 High-dose vitamin D intake can stabilize bone metabolism and promote the growth rate of head circumference in preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the growth and development of eggplant seedlings and the change of leaf pigment content under low temperature, in this study, six eggplant materials such as Q01, Q02, Q03, Q04, Q05,and Q06 were taken as the research objects. The seedlings were treated with low temperature, and the low temperature tolerance index, strong seedling index, and leaf pigment content change were investigated. The results showed that Q01 and Q02 showed strong low temperature tolerance, Q05 and Q06 showed poor low temperature tolerance, and Q03 and Q04 showed moderate low temperature tolerance. There was no significant difference between eggplant strong seedling index and leaf pigment content at room temperature, and the overall trend was downward after low temperature treatment, the difference reached a significant level. The strong seedling index and chlorophyll content of Q01 and Q02 were higher, reaching 0.456, 0.450, and 1.381, 1.386 mg/g, respectively. The strong seedling index and chlorophyll content of Q05 and Q06 were lower, they reached 0.224, 0.251, and 0.979, 1.060 mg/g, respectively. The strong seedling index and chlorophyll content of Q03 and Q04 were in the middle level, and the carotene content and carotenoid content showed similar trends. The comprehensive analysis showed that the materials with strong low temperature tolerance had higher strong seedling index and leaf pigment content under low temperature, while the materials with poor low temperature tolerance had lower performance. The results showed that the strong seedling index and leaf pigment content were related to the low temperature tolerance of eggplant seedlings, these indexes could be used to identify the low temperature tolerance of seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As immobile organisms, plants perceive external stimuli and respond to them by altering their own signal transduction. Plant hormones function as important signaling molecules in plant responses to different biotic and abiotic stresses in order to regulate plant growth and development and to adapt to changing environments. Jasmonic acid is one of the important hormones in plants, and its synthetic pathways and physiological effects have been studied extensively, but there is still much lack of research on its signal transduction pathways to sense and respond to environmental changes and its interactions with other plant hormones. This paper focuses on the research progress of jasmonic acid in the regulation of plant growth and development, stress response and its interaction with other plant hormones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of embryonic development of poultry, the vigorous metabolic activity of embryo increases the risk of insufficient nutrient supply in hatching process, which cannot fully meet the needs of rapid development after shell, and is easy to cause irreversible damage to later growth and production of poultry. Providing exogenous nutrients to embryos during the incubation period can promote the growth and development of chicks in later stage of incubation and after emerging from shell, improve the quality of poultry seedlings, to achieve the effect of promoting their production performance and maintaining intestinal health, and advance the early nutritional regulation of poultry after emerging from shell to the later stage of incubation. As a new ultra early nutrition control technology, embryo egg inoculation can provide a new idea for the growth and development of poultry. The paper reviews the research on early nutrition regulation of poultry by embryo egg inoculation in recent years from the aspects of embryo egg inoculation methods, the effect of the nutrients of embryo egg inoculation on the growth and development of poultry and intestinal health, so as to provide reference for the research of embryo stage inoculation of poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to study the effect of different energy and protein levels on growth and development, serum biochemical indices and intestinal flora of growing cows. Twenty-four Simmental 10-month-old cows with an average body weight of 275.54 kg were randomly divided into three groups, with eight replicates in each group and one cow in each replicate. The ME and CP of control group (CON group) diet was 9.96 MJ/kg, 11.7%, ME and CP of high-energy group (ENE group) diet was 10.93 MJ/kg, 11.7%, ME and CP of high protein group (PRO group) diet was 9.96 MJ/kg, 12.9%. The pre-trial period lasted for 15 d, and the experimental period lasted for 60 d. The results showed that different dietary nutrient levels had no significant effect on DMI, ADG of cows (P>0.05). The chest girth of cows in PRO group was significantly higher than that in ENE group (P<0.05), and the cross height in PRO group and CON group was significantly higher than that in ENE group (P<0.05). The serum urea nitrogen content in PRO group and ENE group was significantly lower than that in CON group (P<0.05), and the total cholesterol content and glutamic-pyrulol transaminase activity in PRO group were significantly lower than those in CON group (P<0.05). Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the most abundant in three groups. The top three genera in the three groups were UCG-005(UCG-005), Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group (Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group) and the unknown genus f-type UCG 010 (norank f UCG-010). The experiment indicates that increasing dietary protein level has better effect on growth, nutrient metabolism and absorption of beef cows during growing period than increasing energy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking Yunyan 87 in Qianjiang tobacco area of Chongqing as the research material, we selected 6 locations, preset time points to collect samples regularly, and constructed its matter accumulation model based on S-type logistic curve. The results showed that Yunyan 87 grew slowly within 36 days after transplanting, but grew rapidly from 36 to 53 days, and gradually stabilized after 73 days. The matter accumu- lation of Yunyan 87 showed the characteristics of ‘slow-fast-slow’, which was useful for further improving the tobacco growth and development model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a critical modulator of cell growth and survival, making it a central part of maintaining essentially every biological system in the body. Knowledge of the intricate mechanisms involved in activating IGF-1 signaling is not only key to understanding basic processes of growth and development, but also for addressing diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. This brief review explores how dysregulation of normal IGF-1 signaling can impact growth by examining its role in postnatal bone elongation. IGF-1 actions are dysregulated in autoimmune diseases, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis and chronic kidney disease, which results in growth stunting. Conversely, childhood obesity results in growth acceleration, premature growth cessation, and ultimately, diminished bone quality, while systemic IGF-1 levels remain normal. Understanding the role of IGF-1 signaling in normal and dysregulated growth can add to other studies that address how this system regulates chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Phenylpropanoids are specialized metabolites derived from phenylalanine. Glucosinolates are defense compounds derived mainly from methionine and tryptophan in Arabidopsis. It was previously shown that the phenylpropanoid pathway and glucosinolate production are metabolically linked. The accumulation of indole‐3‐acetaldoxime (IAOx), the precursor of tryptophan‐derived glucosinolates, represses phenylpropanoid biosynthesis through accelerated degradation of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). As PAL functions at the entry point of the phenylpropanoid pathway, which produces indispensable specialized metabolites such as lignin, aldoxime‐mediated phenylpropanoid repression is detrimental to plant survival. Although methionine‐derived glucosinolates in Arabidopsis are abundant, any impact of aliphatic aldoximes (AAOx) derived from aliphatic amino acids such as methionine on phenylpropanoid production remains unclear. Here, we investigate the impact of AAOx accumulation on phenylpropanoid production using Arabidopsis aldoxime mutants, ref2 and ref5. REF2 and REF5 metabolize aldoximes to respective nitrile oxides redundantly, but with different substrate specificities. ref2 and ref5 mutants have decreased phenylpropanoid contents due to the accumulation of aldoximes. As REF2 and REF5 have high substrate specificity toward AAOx and IAOx, respectively, it was assumed that ref2 accumulates AAOx, not IAOx. Our study indicates that ref2 accumulates both AAOx and IAOx. Removing IAOx partially restored phenylpropanoid content in ref2, but not to the wild‐type level. However, when AAOx biosynthesis was silenced, phenylpropanoid production and PAL activity in ref2 were completely restored, suggesting an inhibitory effect of AAOx on phenylpropanoid production. Further feeding studies revealed that the abnormal growth phenotype commonly observed in Arabidopsis mutants lacking AAOx production is a consequence of methionine accumulation. Significance Statement: Aliphatic aldoximes are precursors of various specialized metabolites including defense compounds. This study reveals that aliphatic aldoximes repress phenylpropanoid production and that altered methionine metabolism affects plant growth and development. As phenylpropanoids include vital metabolites such as lignin, a major sink of fixed carbon, this metabolic link may contribute to available resource allocation during defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), synthetic organic chemicals, have been discovered in the blood of both humans and animals throughout the world. This has raised widespread concerns about its toxicity, especially for growing children and adolescents. Most research on growth and development to date has concentrated on children at birth and during the first two years, while few studies have analyzed weight, height, and Body Mass Index (BMI) changes in children later in life. The present study aims to assess the association between serum PFAS levels and growth and development in adolescents. Through multiple linear regression, we explored the relationship between serum PFAS levels and weight, height, and BMI in adolescents (aged 12 to 19 years) participating in the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After covariate adjustment, serum perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was associated with decreased weight-for-age z-score in females (tertile 2 of PFOS: β = − 0.22, 95% CI: -0.68, 0.23; tertile 3 of PFOS: β = − 0.78, 95% CI: -1.20, − 0.36; P for trend = 0.009), while serum perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) was associated with decreased weight-for-age z-score in males (tertile 2 of PFNA: β = 0.09, 95% CI: -0.40, 0.58; tertile 3 of PFNA: β = − 0.44, 95% CI: -0.86, − 0.03; P for trend = 0.018).In addition, serum PFOS was associated with decreased BMI z-score in all participants (tertile 2 of PFOS: β = − 0.15, 95% CI: -0.46, 0.16; tertile 3 of PFOS: β = − 0.63, 95% CI: -1.06, − 0.20; P for trend = 0.013). Conclusion: Our findings indicate a negative association between serum PFAS levels and weight, and BMI among adolescents, and we observed that the negative association was sex-specific in weight. What is Known: • Wide exposure to PFAS has led to concerns about its adverse effects, especially for children during their growth and development. • So far, much research has evaluated the effects of prenatal PFAS exposures on children, and the current results are mixed, with some research showing that there are sex differences. What is New: • This study investigated the relationship between serum PFAS levels and height and weight in adolescents and is a good addition to current research. • Our study found that exposure to PFAS negatively affects adolescent growth and development and that this effect is sex-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and plays an important role in plant growth and development as well as in abiotic and biological stresses. However, there is little information about the WRKY family in Melastoma dodecandrum. In this study, 126 WRKY members were identified in M. dodecandrum. According to phylogenetic analysis, they were divided into three major groups, and group II was further divided into five subgroups. MedWRKY genes were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. Additionally, the gene structure and sequence composition were similar within the same group and differed between groups, suggesting their functional diversity. The promoter sequence analysis identified a number of cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolite synthesis in the WRKY gene family. The collinearity analysis showed that gene replication events were the main driving force of MedWRKY gene evolution. The transcriptome data and RT-qPCR analysis suggested that MedWRKY genes had higher expression in the roots and ripe fruit of M. dodecandrum. In short, this paper lays a foundation for further study of the functions and molecular mechanism of M. dodecandrum WRKY gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several species of passerines leave their nest with unfinished feather growth, resulting in lower feather insulation and increased thermoregulatory demands compared to adults. However, feather insulation is essential for avian species breeding at northern latitudes, where cold conditions or even snowstorms can occur during the breeding season. In altricial arctic species, increased heat loss caused by poor feather insulation during growth could be counter-adaptative as it creates additional energy demands for thermoregulation. Using flow-through respirometry, we compared resting metabolic rate at thermoneutrality (RMRt), summit metabolic rate (Msum) and heat loss (conductance) in adult and juvenile snow buntings on their summer and winter grounds. In summer, when buntings are in the Arctic, juveniles had a 12% higher RMRt, likely due to unfinished growth, and lost 14% more heat to the environment than adults. This pattern may result from juveniles fledging early to avoid predation at the cost of lower feather insulation. Surprisingly, an opposite pattern was observed at lower latitudes on their wintering grounds. Although they showed no difference in RMRt and Msum, adults were losing 12% more heat than juveniles. We suggest that this difference is due to poorer insulative property of plumage in adults stemming from energetic and time constraints encountered during their post-breeding molt. High plumage insulation in first-winter juvenile buntings could be adaptive to reduce thermoregulatory demands and maximize survival in the first winter of life, while adults could use behavioral strategies to compensate for their greater rate of heat loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic/helix‑loop‑helix (bHLH) transcription factor represents the second largest family of transcription factors in the plant kingdom. It is widely distributed across the genomes of various plants and plays crucial regulatory roles in plant growth, development, secondary metabolism, and responses to abiotic stresses. Here, we present a comprehensive review focusing on the structural characteristics, taxonomic rules, and biological functions of the bHLH gene family, with particular emphasis on its involvement in plant growth, development, responses to abiotic stresses (such as drought, low temperature, salt, and heavy metals), and its significant role in the biosynthesis and dynamic accumulation of secondary metabolites. This thorough investigation allows for a deeper understanding of the contributions of bHLH to growth, development, stress resistance, and quality formation in plants. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for future research concerning the molecular regulatory mechanisms of bHLH in plant growth, development, stress resistance, quality formation, and the exploration of germplasm resources. Furthermore, bHLH has emerged as a prominent focus in the realms of molecular biopharmacology and ecological agriculture of Chinese medicine due to its extensive involvement in regulating the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants. We also summarize recent progress on the bHLH gene family and its members within two medicinal plants, namely Salvia miltiorrhiza and Artemisia annua. This investigation aims to offer valuable references for in‑depth studies on the bHLH gene family in medicinal plants and to propose novel ideas for the advancement of molecular breeding and anthropomorphic cultivation of medicinal plants, as well as the development of ecological agriculture for Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]