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Abstract The limited number of agricultural extension agents (EAs) in sub-Saharan Africa limits farmers’ access to extension services. Artificial intelligence (AI) assistants could potentially aid in providing answers to farmers’ questions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of an AI chatbot assistant (ChatGPT) to provide quality responses to farmers’ questions. We compiled a list of 32 questions related to irrigated rice cultivation from farmers in Kano State, Nigeria. Six EAs from the state were randomly selected to answer these questions. Their answers, along with those of ChatGPT, were assessed by four evaluators in terms of quality and local relevancy. Overall, chatbot responses were rated significantly higher quality than EAs’ responses. Chatbot responses received the best score nearly six times as often as the EAs’ (40% vs. 7%). The evaluators preferred chatbot responses to EAs in 78% of cases. The topics for which the chatbot responses received poorer scores than those by EAs included planting time, seed rate, and fertilizer application rate and timing. In conclusion, while the chatbot could offer an alternative source for providing agricultural advisory services to farmers, incorporating site-specific input rate-and-timing agronomic practices into AI assistants is critical for their direct use by farmers.

Abstract Africa produces around 60% of the rice the continent consumes, relying heavily on rice imports to fulfill the rest of the domestic demand. Over the past 10 years, the rice-agricultural area increased nearly 40%, while average yield remained stagnant. Here we used a process-based crop simulation modelling approach combined with local weather, soil, and management datasets to evaluate the potential to increase rice production on existing cropland area in Africa and assess cropland expansion and rice imports by year 2050 for different scenarios of yield intensification. We find that Africa can avoid further increases in rice imports, and even reduce them, through a combination of cropland expansion following the historical trend together with closure of the current exploitable yield gap by half or more. Without substantial increase in rice yields, meeting future rice demand will require larger rice imports and/or land conversion than now.

Chemical priming has emerged as a promising area in agricultural research. Our previous studies have demonstrated that pretreatment with a low concentration of ethanol enhances abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and cassava. Here, we show that ethanol treatment induces heat stress tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) plants. Seedlings of the tomato cultivar ‘Micro-Tom’ were pretreated with ethanol solution and then subjected to heat stress. The survival rates of the ethanol-pretreated plants were significantly higher than those of the water-treated control plants. Similarly, the fruit numbers of the ethanol-pretreated plants were greater than those of the water-treated ones. Transcriptome analysis identified sets of genes that were differentially expressed in shoots and roots of seedlings and in mature green fruits of ethanol-pretreated plants compared with those in water-treated plants. Gene ontology analysis using these genes showed that stress-related gene ontology terms were found in the set of ethanol-induced genes. Metabolome analysis revealed that the contents of a wide range of metabolites differed between water- and ethanol-treated samples. They included sugars such as trehalose, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. From our results, we speculate that ethanol-induced heat stress tolerance in tomato is mainly the result of increased expression of stress-related genes encoding late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination enzymes, and activated gluconeogenesis. Our results will be useful for establishing ethanol-based chemical priming technology to reduce heat stress damage in crops, especially in Solanaceae.

Abstract The relatively stable aquatic conditions of irrigated lowland and rainfed rice, which is grown across 145 million hectares in more than 100 countries, are capable of generating large numbers of mosquito vectors of malaria, which causes more than 400,000 deaths per year worldwide. Many methods can control these vectors, but a systematic review has not previously been conducted. This study assesses whether larviciding, fish or intermittent irrigation can significantly reduce malaria vectors in rice fields whilst increasing rice yield. After a literature search for studies reporting the effect of larval control and rice cultivation practices on malaria vector densities in rice fields, 33 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Larviciding was effective at reducing rice-field malaria vectors. Pooled analysis of five controlled time-series (CTS) studies with chemical insecticides showed an overall combined reduction of larval densities of 77% compared to no larviciding. Eight CTSs with biological larvicides showed a pooled reduction of 60% compared to no larviciding. Cultivating rice and fish together provided good control too: a pooled analysis of three CTSs showed an overall 82% reduction in anopheline larvae compared to no fish. Pooled analysis of four studies suggested that intermittent irrigation (using various timings and frequencies of drainage) is effective at reducing the abundance of late-stage anopheline larvae (pooled reduction = − 35%), but not overall immature abundance, compared to continuous flooding. We conclude that many interventions such as larvicides, fish and intermittent irrigation can provide riceland malaria vector control, but the critical obstacle to wider use is farmer acceptability. Future research should be led by the agricultural sector, with inputs from entomologists, to investigate malaria control co-benefits within high-yielding rice cultivation practices.

Abstract Background Economic disparities affect access to assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment in many countries. At the time of this survey, Japan provided partial reimbursement for ART treatment only for those in low- or middle-income classes due to limited governmental budgets. However, the optimal level of financial support by income class remains unclear. Methods We conducted a conjoint analysis of ART in Japan in January 2020. We recruited 824 women with fertility problems aged 25 to 44 years via an online social research panel. They completed a questionnaire of 16 hypothetical scenarios measuring six relevant ART attributes (i.e., out-of-pocket payment, pregnancy rate, risk of adverse effects, number of visits to outpatient clinics, consultation hours and kindness of staff) and their relations to treatment choice. Results Mixed-effect logistic regression models showed that all six attributes significantly influenced treatment preferences, with participants valuing out-of-pocket payment the most, followed by pregnancy rates and kindness of staff. Significant interactions occurred between high household income (≥ 8 million JPY) and high out-of-pocket payment (≥ 500,000 JPY). However, the average marginal probability of the highest-income patients (i.e., ≥ 10 million JPY, ineligible for the subsidy) receiving ART treatment at the average cost of 400,000 JPY was 47%, compared to 56 − 61% of other income participants, who opted to receive ART at an average cost of 100,000 JPY after a 300,000 JPY subsidy. Conclusion Our results suggest that out-of-pocket payment is the primary determinant in patients’ decision to opt for ART treatment. High-income patients were more likely to choose treatment, even at a high cost, but their income-based ineligibility for government financial support might discourage some from receiving treatment.

Abstract Purpose Genetic factors associated with the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted an optimal sequence kernel association test (SKAT‐O), an exome‐based rare variant association study, to clarify whether rare variants in specific genes contribute to the development of PCOS. Methods SKAT‐O was performed using exome data of 44 Japanese patients with PCOS and 301 control women. We analyzed frequencies of rare probably damaging variants in the genome. Results Rare variants of GSTO2 were more commonly identified in the patient group than in the control group (6/44 vs. 1/301; Bonferroni‐corrected p‐value, 0.028), while the frequencies of variants in other genes were comparable between the two groups. The identified GSTO2 variants were predicted to affect the function, structure, stability, hydrophobicity, and/or the formation of intrinsically disordered regions of the protein. GSTO2 encodes a glutathione transferase that mediates the oxidative stress response and arsenic metabolism. Previously, common variants in GSTO2 and its paralog GSTO1 were associated with the risk of PCOS. Conclusions The results indicate that there are no genes whose rare variants account for a large fraction of the etiology of PCOS, although rare damaging variants in GSTO2 may constitute a risk factor in some cases.

Abstract Superior design solutions (SDSs) of seven‐story steel buildings are obtained for the space frame system (SFS) and the perimeter frame system (PFS) in various types of structures such as moment frames (MF) and those with buckling restrained braces (BRBF). The SDSs satisfy the design constraints of allowable stress design (ASD) and calculations of resistance and limit state (CRLS) with minimized steel volume. The influences of design conditions are comparatively evaluated. It is found that the maximum inter‐story drift ratio for the safety limit in the CRLS for MF can be rationally defined as 2% and ASD can be more dominant for BRBF.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereals, which provides 20% of the world’s food energy. However, its productivity is poorly assessed especially in the global South. Here, we provide a first study to perform a deep-learning-based approach for instantaneously estimating rice yield using red-green-blue images. During ripening stage and at harvest, over 22,000 digital images were captured vertically downward over the rice canopy from a distance of 0.8 to 0.9 m at 4,820 harvesting plots having the yield of 0.1 to 16.1 t·ha−1 across 6 countries in Africa and Japan. A convolutional neural network applied to these data at harvest predicted 68% variation in yield with a relative root mean square error of 0.22. The developed model successfully detected genotypic difference and impact of agronomic interventions on yield in the independent dataset. The model also demonstrated robustness against the images acquired at different shooting angles up to 30° from right angle, diverse light environments, and shooting date during late ripening stage. Even when the resolution of images was reduced (from 0.2 to 3.2 cm·pixel−1 of ground sampling distance), the model could predict 57% variation in yield, implying that this approach can be scaled by the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Our work offers low-cost, hands-on, and rapid approach for high-throughput phenotyping and can lead to impact assessment of productivity-enhancing interventions, detection of fields where these are needed to sustainably increase crop production, and yield forecast at several weeks before harvesting.

Increasing rice yield while improving resource use efficiency is of great importance. This study examines cropping systems globally to highlight areas where rice production can be improved by prioritizing R&D strategies.

Abstract Purpose We investigated the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in women receiving governmental subsidies for assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Methods Women who applied for subsidies from Saitama Prefectural Government for the first time in 2016 were enrolled and followed up until the end of 2017. Treatment information, including live birth, was obtained from the Japanese ART registry by linking it with unique identification numbers for treatment. Patients’ factors associated with having a live birth were investigated. Results Of 1,072 women (2,513 applications), 495 (46.2%) had a live birth with 8 (1.6%) twin pregnancies. The CLBR over six subsidized cycles was 53.7% for women aged

Plain Language Summary Fertility treatments have helped millions of people to have a child. Although financial factors are known to play an important role in the decision to use fertility treatments, no previous studies have investigated how socioeconomic factors affect medical help-seeking for fertility in Japan. Therefore, we assessed the association between household income and medical help-seeking among couples with fertility problems in Japan, using nationally representative data from the National Fertility Survey 2015. Of the 6598 respondents (married women under 50 years old), one-third (2253) reported worrying about fertility problems, and half of those women (1154) sought medical help for fertility-related issues. The proportion of help-seekers was highest (59%) among those with high household income and lowest (43%) among those with low household income with a significant linear trend. Even after accounting for age, length of marriage, educational level, employment status, and other possibly related factors, those with higher household income were more likely to seek medical help for fertility tests and treatments. Japan provides various sources of financial support for fertility-related care, such as health insurance coverage for tests and early-stage treatments and partial subsidies for assisted reproductive technology treatments. However, the results indicate that further policy discussion about additional financial support and further studies focusing on barriers to care in Japan could help improve the situations for those with fertility problems.

Abstract Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment accounted for 6% of total births in 2017 and is increasing which places Japan among the top worldwide in number of treatments performed. Although ART treatment patients often experience heavy physical and psychological burden, few epidemiologic studies have been conducted in Japan. We examined mental health and health-related quality of life (QOL) among women at early stages of treatment. We recruited 513 women who have initiated ART treatment, either in-vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, from four medical facilities in the Tokyo area and through web-based approaches. At baseline, we collected socio-demographic information and assessed depressive symptoms, anxiety, and QOL. Descriptive analyses were performed overall and stratified by factors such as age. Mild depressive symptoms or worse, assessed with Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, were observed among 54% of participants. Mean score for State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was 52 with a standard deviation of 11 for the state, and 39% were categorized as high anxiety. QOL results, assessed with SF-12, showed the same negative tendency for social functioning and role (emotional), while general health and physical functioning were consistent with the national average. Young participants appeared to suffer mentally more than older participants (p

Abstract Soil property and class maps for the continent of Africa were so far only available at very generalised scales, with many countries not mapped at all. Thanks to an increasing quantity and availability of soil samples collected at field point locations by various government and/or NGO funded projects, it is now possible to produce detailed pan-African maps of soil nutrients, including micro-nutrients at fine spatial resolutions. In this paper we describe production of a 30 m resolution Soil Information System of the African continent using, to date, the most comprehensive compilation of soil samples ( $$N \approx 150,000$$ N ≈ 150 , 000 ) and Earth Observation data. We produced predictions for soil pH, organic carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N), total carbon, effective Cation Exchange Capacity (eCEC), extractable—phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn)—silt, clay and sand, stone content, bulk density and depth to bedrock, at three depths (0, 20 and 50 cm) and using 2-scale 3D Ensemble Machine Learning framework implemented in the mlr (Machine Learning in R) package. As covariate layers we used 250 m resolution (MODIS, PROBA-V and SM2RAIN products), and 30 m resolution (Sentinel-2, Landsat and DTM derivatives) images. Our fivefold spatial Cross-Validation results showed varying accuracy levels ranging from the best performing soil pH (CCC = 0.900) to more poorly predictable extractable phosphorus (CCC = 0.654) and sulphur (CCC = 0.708) and depth to bedrock. Sentinel-2 bands SWIR (B11, B12), NIR (B09, B8A), Landsat SWIR bands, and vertical depth derived from 30 m resolution DTM, were the overall most important 30 m resolution covariates. Climatic data images—SM2RAIN, bioclimatic variables and MODIS Land Surface Temperature—however, remained as the overall most important variables for predicting soil chemical variables at continental scale. This publicly available 30-m Soil Information System of Africa aims at supporting numerous applications, including soil and fertilizer policies and investments, agronomic advice to close yield gaps, environmental programs, or targeting of nutrition interventions.

One goal of potato breeding is to reduce the accumulation of toxic solanidane glycoalkaloids. Here the authors show that potato DPS, a 2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenase, catalyzes ring rearrangement of a biosynthetic precursor to differentiate solanidanes from spirosolanes that are found in other solanaceous plants.

Ophiorrhiza pumila is a medicinal plant that can produce the anti-cancer monoterpene indole alkaloid (MIA) camptothecin. Here, the authors report its genome assembly and propose a working model for MIA evolution and biosynthesis through comparative genomics, synteny, and metabolic gene cluster analyses.

Plants have evolved various mechanisms for low P tolerance, one of which is changing their membrane lipid composition by remodeling phospholipids with non-phospholipids. The objective of this study was to investigate the remodeling of membrane lipids among rice cultivars under P deficiency. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (Akamai, Kiyonishiki, Akitakomachi, Norin No. 1, Hiyadateine, Koshihikari, and Netaro) were grown in 0 (−P) and 8 (+P) mg P L−1 solution cultures. Shoots and roots were collected 5 and 10 days after transplanting (DAT) in solution culture and subjected to lipidome profiling using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Phosphatidylcholine (PC)34, PC36, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)34, PE36, phosphatidylglycerol (PG)34, phosphatidylinositol (PI)34 were the major phospholipids and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG)34, DGDG36, 1,2-diacyl-3-O-alpha-glucuronosylglycerol (GlcADG)34, GlcADG36, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG)34, MGDG36, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG)34 and SQDG36 were the major non-phospholipids. Phospholipids were lower in the plants that were grown under −P conditions than that in the plants that were grown under +P for all cultivars at 5 and 10 DAT. The levels of non-phospholipids were higher in −P plants than that in +P plants of all cultivars at 5 and 10 DAT. Decomposition of phospholipids in roots at 5 DAT correlated with low P tolerance. These results suggest that rice cultivars remodel membrane lipids under P deficiency, and the ability of remodeling partly contributes to low P tolerance.

Saponins such as glycyrrhizin, a natural sweetener found in licorice root, are a class of triterpenoids synthesized that are characterized by a glucoronic acid moiety at the C-3 position. Here the authors show that saponin glucuronosylation is catalyzed by cellulose-synthase like enzymes and reconstitute glycyrrhizin synthesisin yeast.

Mobilisation of seed storage reserves is important for seedling establishment in Arabidopsis. In this process, sucrose is synthesised from triacylglycerol via core metabolic processes. Mutants with defects in triacylglycerol-to-sucrose conversion display short etiolated seedlings. We found that whereas sucrose content in the indole-3-butyric acid response 10 (ibr10) mutant was significantly reduced, hypocotyl elongation in the dark was unaffected, questioning the role of IBR10 in this process. To dissect the metabolic complexity behind cell elongation, a quantitative-based phenotypic analysis combined with a multi-platform metabolomics approach was applied. We revealed that triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol breakdown were disrupted in ibr10, resulting in low sugar content and poor photosynthetic ability. Importantly, batch-learning self-organised map clustering revealed that threonine level was correlated with hypocotyl length. Consistently, exogenous threonine supply stimulated hypocotyl elongation, indicating that sucrose levels are not always correlated with etiolated seedling length, suggesting the contribution of amino acids in this process.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of a new device for sperm preparation involving migration-gravity sedimentation without centrifugation (MIGLIS), compared with density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) for normozoospermic intrauterine insemination (IUI). Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Not applicable. Patients: A total of 10,318 cases of IUI (3,015 MIGLIS and 7,303 DGC) between October 2013 and September 2019. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measures: Sperm analysis, subsequent pregnancy outcomes, and complications. Results: MIGLIS was associated with a lower sperm recovery rate and fewer injected sperm compared with DGC. However, the overall pregnancy rates following MIGLIS and DGC were similar (MIGLIS 8.8%, DGC 9.3%). In a subanalysis according to age, the pregnancy rate was higher for MIGLIS among women 40–41 years of age (8.6% vs. 5.9%). Peritonitis was the only recorded complication, with similar frequencies in the MIGLIS and DGC groups (MIGLIS two cases, DGC four cases). No cases became severe, and all improved after antibiotic treatment. There were no cases of uterine cramping or pain symptoms. Conclusions: MIGLIS is a new sperm preparation method that does not require centrifugation. Its use was associated with pregnancy rates similar to those with DGC and a higher pregnancy rate in older women. MIGLIS is a novel sperm preparation method for selecting spermatozoa with high motility and good fertilization ability in patients undergoing IUI, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Chalcone synthase is the first committed enzyme in the plant flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, yet shows low product specificity in vitro. Here Waki et al. show that chalcone isomerase-like proteins bind to and reduce the catalytic promiscuity of chalcone synthase, ensuring efficient flavonoid production in planta.

Abstract Background Pueraria candollei var. mirifica, a Thai medicinal plant used traditionally as a rejuvenating herb, is known as a rich source of phytoestrogens, including isoflavonoids and the highly estrogenic miroestrol and deoxymiroestrol. Although these active constituents in P. candollei var. mirifica have been known for some time, actual knowledge regarding their biosynthetic genes remains unknown. Results Miroestrol biosynthesis was reconsidered and the most plausible mechanism starting from the isoflavonoid daidzein was proposed. A de novo transcriptome analysis was conducted using combined P. candollei var. mirifica tissues of young leaves, mature leaves, tuberous cortices, and cortex-excised tubers. A total of 166,923 contigs was assembled for functional annotation using protein databases and as a library for identification of genes that are potentially involved in the biosynthesis of isoflavonoids and miroestrol. Twenty-one differentially expressed genes from four separate libraries were identified as candidates involved in these biosynthetic pathways, and their respective expressions were validated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Notably, isoflavonoid and miroestrol profiling generated by LC-MS/MS was positively correlated with expression levels of isoflavonoid biosynthetic genes across the four types of tissues. Moreover, we identified R2R3 MYB transcription factors that may be involved in the regulation of isoflavonoid biosynthesis in P. candollei var. mirifica. To confirm the function of a key-isoflavone biosynthetic gene, P. candollei var. mirifica isoflavone synthase identified in our library was transiently co-expressed with an Arabidopsis MYB12 transcription factor (AtMYB12) in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Remarkably, the combined expression of these proteins led to the production of the isoflavone genistein. Conclusions Our results provide compelling evidence regarding the integration of transcriptome and metabolome as a powerful tool for identifying biosynthetic genes and transcription factors possibly involved in the isoflavonoid and miroestrol biosyntheses in P. candollei var. mirifica.

Information on comprehensive evaluation of agricultural innovations is often limited. This study provides an overview of multidisciplinary evaluation of a lowland rice variety, WITA 9 (released in Côte d’Ivoire in 1998), with respect to its agronomic performance, grain quality, resistance to diseases, adoption by farmers, impact on productivity and farmers’ income, and marketability. WITA 9 had the highest paddy yield among the tested varieties including an international check (IR 64) and recently developed varieties adapted to this country. WITA 9 had a higher amylose content (26–28%) than others tested. This study confirmed its resistance to bacterial leaf blight, Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), and rice blast. A household survey showed that the adoption rate was 24%, its paddy yield advantage was 0.7 t ha–1, and its adoption increased farmer’s income by US$ 91 ha–1 per season. A market study showed that consumers’ willingness to pay was higher for WITA 9 than any other locally produced rice variety and comparable to imported rice in one of two markets. We conclude that WITA 9 is an ideal innovation for enhancing productivity and rice import substitution in Côte d’Ivoire. An effective seed delivery system and enhancing farmers’ and consumers’ awareness of this variety are vital for accelerating impact.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), rice production from smallholder farms is challenged because of a lack of fertilizer inputs and nutrient-poor soils. Therefore, improving nutrient efficiency is particularly important for increasing both fertilizer use and rice yield. This review discusses how to improve the return from fertilizer input in terms of agronomic N use efficiency (AEN), that is, the increase in grain yield per kg of applied N, for rice production in SSA. The AEN values we summarized here revealed large spatial variations even within small areas and a certain gap between researcher-led trials and smallholder-managed farms. Experimental results suggest AEN can be improved by addressing spatial variations in soil-related factors such as P, S, Zn, and Si deficiencies and Fe toxicity in both irrigated and rainfed production systems. In rainfed production systems, differences in small-scale topography are also important which affects AEN through dynamic changes in hydrology and variations in the contents of soil organic carbon and clay. Although empirical evidence is further needed regarding the relationship between soil properties and responses to fertilizer inputs, recent agricultural advances have generated opportunities for integrating these micro-topographical and soil-related variables into field-specific fertilizer management. These opportunities include UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology to capture microtopography at low cost, database on soil nutrient characteristics at high resolution and more numbers of fertilizer blending facilities across SSA, and interactive decision support tools by use of smartphones on site. Small-dose nursery fertilization can be also alternative approach for improving AEN in adverse field conditions in SSA. ABBREVIATIONS: AEN: agronomic nitrogen use efficiency; FISP: farm input subsidy program; VCR: value cost ratio; SOC: soil organic carbon; SSA: sub-Saharan Africa; UAV: unmanned aerial vehicle

Background: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a globally established treatment; however, large disparities exist in ART use among young couples. We investigated regional-level factors associated with ART use in Japan. Methods: We calculated the use rate of ART using the number of women aged

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived anti-nutritional defense compound that are produced in species of the genus Solanum, such as tomato (S. lycopersicum), potato (S. tuberosum), and eggplant (S. melongena). However, the regulation of defense-related metabolites in eggplant remains underexplored. In tomato and potato, the JASMONATE-RESPONSIVE ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 4 (JRE4) transcription factor positively regulates a large number of genes involved in SGA biosynthesis. Here, we report that the overexpression of eggplant JRE4 (SmJRE4) induces numerous metabolic genes involved in SGA biosynthesis in leaves. We demonstrate the jasmonate-dependent induction of SmJRE4 and its downstream metabolic genes and show that ethylene treatment attenuates this induction. Our findings thus provide molecular insights into SGA biosynthesis and its regulation in this major crop.

Background: Submucosal myoma is a common gynecological disease that causes menorrhagia and infertility. While hysteroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive and effective method for treating submucosal myomas, its feasibility depends on the size and location of the myomas. Conversely, abdominal procedures enable enucleation of submucosal myomas and preservation of endometrial integrity, but are accompanied by technical difficulties. Herein we report the case of an infertile woman with a submucosal and an intramural myoma who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy using laparoscopic ultrasonography. Case: The patient was a 36-year-old infertile woman. Transvaginal ultrasonography revealed a 15 mm submucosal myoma with a 60% myometrial extension in the anterior uterine wall and a 49 mm intramural myoma in the posterior wall. During myomectomy, the submucosal myoma was not apparent from the external side of the uterus; therefore, laparoscopic ultrasonography was used to detect it. Under ultrasonography, vasopressin was injected between the myoma and the myometrium, thereby separating the layers. Consequently, we were able to resect both myomas without breaching the endometrium. Conclusions: The present case demonstrates the effectiveness of laparoscopic ultrasonography for detecting submucosal myomas and ensuring injection of vasopressin into the proper layer. These advantages allow surgeons to preserve endometrial integrity during laparoscopic myomectomy.

Durian is an economically important fruit of Southeast Asia. There is, however, a lack of in-depth information on the alteration of its metabolic networks during ripening. Here, we annotated 94 ripening-associated metabolites from the pulp of durian cv. Monthong fruit at unripe and ripe stages, using capillary electrophoresis- and gas chromatography- time-of-flight mass spectrometry, specifically focusing on taste-related metabolites. During ripening, sucrose content increased. Change in raffinose-family oligosaccharides are reported herein for the first time. The malate and succinate contents increased, while those of citrate, an abundant organic acid, were unchanged. Notably, most amino acids increased, including isoleucine, leucine, and valine, whereas aspartate decreased, and glutamate was unchanged. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis was performed to analyze the dynamic changes in sugar metabolism, glycolysis, TCA cycle, and amino acid pathways to identify key candidate genes. Taken together, our results elucidate the fundamental taste-related metabolism of durian, which can be exploited to develop durian metabolic and genetic markers in the future.

Parthenocarpy, the pollination-independent fruit set, can raise the productivity of the fruit set even under adverse factors during the reproductive phase. The application of plant hormones stimulates parthenocarpy, but artificial hormones incur extra financial and labour costs to farmers and can induce the formation of deformed fruit. This study examines the performance of parthenocarpic mutants having no transcription factors of SlIAA9 and SlTAP3 and sldella that do not have the protein-coding gene, SlDELLA, in tomato (cv. Micro-Tom). At 0 day after the flowering (DAF) stage and DAFs after pollination, the sliaa9 mutant demonstrated increased pistil development compared to the other two mutants and wild type (WT). In contrast to WT and the other mutants, the sliaa9 mutant with pollination efficiently stimulated the build-up of auxin and GAs after flowering. Alterations in both transcript and metabolite profiles existed for WT with and without pollination, while the three mutants without pollination demonstrated the comparable metabolomic status of pollinated WT. Network analysis showed key modules linked to photosynthesis, sugar metabolism and cell proliferation. Equivalent modules were noticed in the famous parthenocarpic cultivars ‘Severianin’, particularly for emasculated samples. Our discovery indicates that controlling the genes and metabolites proffers future breeding policies for tomatoes.

We used ribosome profiling to characterize the biological role of ribosome recycling factor (RRF) in Escherichia coli. As expected, RRF depletion leads to enrichment of post-termination 70S complexes in 3′-UTRs. We also observe that elongating ribosomes are unable to complete translation because they are blocked by non-recycled ribosomes at stop codons. Previous studies have suggested a role for recycling in translational coupling within operons; if a ribosome remains bound to an mRNA after termination, it may re-initiate downstream. We found, however, that RRF depletion did not significantly affect coupling efficiency in reporter assays or in ribosome density genome-wide. These findings argue that re-initiation is not a major mechanism of translational coupling in E. coli. Finally, RRF depletion has dramatic effects on the activity of ribosome rescue factors tmRNA and ArfA. Our results provide a global view of the effects of the loss of ribosome recycling on protein synthesis in E. coli.

Women make significant contribution to rice farming, processing, and marketing, but only have limited access to technical knowledge and technologies that can reduce their drudgery and labor bottlenecks, and provide them with additional income. Women also oversee the reproductive responsibilities. This paper comparatively investigates the role of women in rice farming across four countries (Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Sierra Leone) by examining the labor time distribution and its resulting income for men and women. It also assessed the determinants of their labor inputs in different rice farming environments. Results show that women and men spend on average 1–3 h per day in rice production, making 45–135 working days of involvement in annual rice cultivation. Looking into the distribution of labor input provision in productive activities, it is found that apart from the specific activity of rice parboiling, which is practiced in certain countries mostly by women, men are the ones more engaged in rice farming. The specific labor input depends on several factors including the farm size, time spent on non-agricultural activities, and access to production equipment. These results provide the first evidence to that women farmers do not necessarily spend more time than men in rice cultivation in Africa, as it is often assumed. Certainly, across countries and systems, and also within male and female farmers categories, there are heterogeneous labor inputs and associated determining factors and incomes. Male farmers earn higher income than female farmers in the different productive activities, except only for rice parboiling. This finding indicates that increasing labor input for rice would not result in higher income for female farmers. Female farmers might find better options in other agricultural activities such as food processing.

Shine-Dalgarno (SD) motifs are thought to play an important role in translational initiation in bacteria. Paradoxically, ribosome profiling studies in E. coli show no correlation between the strength of an mRNA’s SD motif and how efficiently it is translated. Performing profiling on ribosomes with altered anti-Shine-Dalgarno sequences, we reveal a genome-wide correlation between SD strength and ribosome occupancy that was previously masked by other contributing factors. Using the antibiotic retapamulin to trap initiation complexes at start codons, we find that the mutant ribosomes select start sites correctly, arguing that start sites are hard-wired for initiation through the action of other mRNA features. We show that A-rich sequences upstream of start codons promote initiation. Taken together, our genome-wide study reveals that SD motifs are not necessary for ribosomes to determine where initiation occurs, though they do affect how efficiently initiation occurs.

Autophagic recycling of cell parts is generally termed as the opposite of cell death. Here, we explored the relation between cell death and autophagy by examining granulosa cell layers that control oocyte quality, which is important for the success of fertilization. Granulosa cell layers were collected from infertile women and morphologically divided into four types, viz., mature (MCCs), immature (ICCs), and dysmature cumulus cells (DCCs), and mural granulosa cells (MGCs). Microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), which is involved in autophagosome formation, was expressed excessively in DCCs and MGCs, and their chromosomal DNA was highly fragmented. However, autophagy initiation was limited to MGCs, as indicated by the expression of membrane-bound LC3-II and autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7), an enzyme that converts LC3-I to LC3-II. Although pro-LC3 was accumulated, autophagy was disabled in DCCs, resulting in cell death. Our results suggest the possibility that autophagy-independent accumulation of pro-LC3 proteins leads to the death of human granulosa cells surrounding the oocytes and presumably reduces oocyte quality and female fertility. Keywords: Human granulosa cells, Autophagy, LC3, ATG7, Cell death, Cumulus cells

The triterpenes are structurally diverse group of specialized metabolites with important roles in plant defense and human health. Glycyrrhizin, with a carboxyl group at C-30 of its aglycone moiety, is a valuable triterpene glycoside, the production of which is restricted to legume medicinal plants belonging to the Glycyrrhiza species. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are important for generating triterpene chemodiversity by catalyzing site-specific oxidation of the triterpene scaffold. CYP72A154 was previously identified from the glycyrrhizin-producing plant Glycyrrhiza uralensis as a C-30 oxidase in glycyrrhizin biosynthesis, but its regioselectivity is rather low. In contrast, CYP72A63 from Medicago truncatula showed superior regioselectivity in C-30 oxidation, improving the production of glycyrrhizin aglycone in engineered yeast. The underlying molecular basis of C-30 product regioselectivity is not well understood. Here, we identified two amino acid residues that control C-30 product regioselectivity and contribute to the chemodiversity of triterpenes accumulated in legumes. Amino acid sequence comparison combined with structural analysis of the protein model identified Leu149 and Leu398 as important amino acid residues for C-30 product regioselectivity. These results were further confirmed by mutagenesis of CYP72A154 homologs from glycyrrhizin-producing species, functional phylogenomics analyses, and comparison of corresponding residues of C-30 oxidase homologs in other legumes. These findings could be combined with metabolic engineering to further enhance the production of high-value triterpene compounds.

Enhancing rice yield in upland rice systems through genetic improvement remains a major challenge in the tropics. This review aims to provide the trends on upland rice cultivation over the last 30 years and recent distribution of upland rice in the tropics, and to report progress in studies on genetic improvement for enhancing productivity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. While upland rice cultivation area has reduced in Asia and Latin America over the last 30 years, the area in Africa has increased. The current share of upland rice area in total rice area is related to rainfall and gross national income per capita, especially in Africa, and higher share is associated with lower rice self-sufficiency at national level. Breeding programs in Asia and Latin America have developed high-yielding varieties using indica materials as parents. In Africa, New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties were developed from crosses between improved tropical japonica and Oryza glaberrima. However, recent studies report that there is scope for improving existing NERICA using upland indica materials from Asia. In highlands of Africa, there are ongoing breeding programs using japonica varieties, such as the Nepalese Chhomrong Dhan. Key important plant traits used in the breeding programs are not largely different across regions, especially intermediate plant height and tillering capacity (which may be related to weed-suppressive ability), and high harvest index. In conclusion, we propose an international network for breeding upland rice with accelerating seed exchange across regions that could enhance upland rice productivity through genetic improvement.

Acetylation in histone and non-histone proteins is balanced by histone acetyltransferase and histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymatic activity, an essential aspect of fine-tuning plant response to environmental stresses. HDACs in Arabidopsis are composed of three families (RPD3-like, SIRT, and HD-tuins). A previous study indicated that class I (HDA19) and class II (HDA5/14/15/18) RPD3-like family HDACs control positive and negative responses to salinity stress, respectively. Furthermore, quintuple hda5/14/15/18/19 mutants (quint) exhibit salinity stress tolerance, suggesting that hda19 suppresses the sensitivity to salinity stress present in quadruple hda5/14/15/18 mutants (quad). In the present study, transcriptome analysis of the quint mutant was conducted to elucidate the hierarchical control of salinity stress response operated by RPD3-like family HDACs (HDA5/14/15/18/19). The analysis identified 4,832 salt-responsive genes in wild-type (Col-0), hda19-3, quad, and quint plants and revealed that 56.7% of the salt-responsive genes exhibited a similar expression pattern in both the hda19-3 and quint plants. These results indicate that deficiency in HDA19 has a bigger impact on salinity stress response than in class II HDACs. Furthermore, the expression pattern of genes encoding enzymes that metabolize phytohormones raises the possibility that a drastic change in the homeostasis of phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, brassinosteroid, and gibberellin, may contribute to increasing stress tolerance in hda19-3 and quint plants. Among these phytohormones, abscisic acid accumulation actually increased in hda19-3 and quint plants, and decreased in quad, compared with wild-type plants. Importantly, 7.8% of the salt-responsive genes in quint plants exhibited a similar expression pattern in quad plants, suggesting that some gene sets are regulated in an HDA5/14/15/18-dependent manner. The transcriptome analysis conducted in the present study revealed the hierarchical and independent regulation of salt stress response that is mediated through HDA19 and class II HDACs.

Abstract Purpose The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) implemented an assisted reproductive technology (ART) registry system in 1986. Here are reported the characteristics and treatment outcomes of ART cycles that were registered in 2015. Methods JSOG has requested all participating ART facilities to register cycle‐specific information for all ART cycles since 2007. A descriptive analysis was performed by using the registry database for 2015. Results In total, 424 151 cycles and 51 001 neonates (1 in 19.7 neonates born in Japan) were registered in 2015. The patients’ mean age was 38.2 years (standard deviation = 4.5). Among the fresh cycles, 94 158 of 244 718 (38.5%) egg retrieval cycles were cycles with freeze‐all embryos or oocytes, while fresh embryo transfer (ET) was performed in 70 254 cycles, signaling a decrease from 2014. There were 169 898 frozen‐thawed ET cycles, resulting in 56 355 pregnancies and 40 599 neonates. Single ET was performed at a rate of 79.7% for fresh and 81.8% for frozen cycles and the singleton pregnancy/live birth rates were 96.9%/96.5% and 96.8%/96.4% for the respective cycles. Conclusion The total ART cycles and live births resulting from ART has been increasing in Japan. Single ET was performed at a rate of almost 80% and ET cycles have shifted from fresh to frozen cycles.

Abstract Case A 39‐year‐old woman presented with a genital hemorrhage at 5 weeks of gestation after an artificial cycle double frozen‐thawed embryo transfer. She was diagnosed with a cervical heterotopic pregnancy. Although hormone supplementation was discontinued to terminate the pregnancy at 5 weeks of gestation, the intrauterine and cervical gestational sacs continued to develop. Outcome The cervical gestational sac was surgically removed and the intrauterine pregnancy continued uneventfully, except for vasa previa. At 36 weeks of gestation, the patient underwent a cesarean section and gave birth to a healthy female infant. At the delivery, massive bleeding occurred and a hysterectomy was performed due to total placenta accreta. Conclusion This case provides a novel example of a near‐term delivery after a cervical heterotopic pregnancy and emphasizes the need for intensive care, even after the successful management of a cervical pregnancy. Most importantly, the present case implies a possible link between hormonal withdrawal and abnormal placentation.

New Rice for Africa (NERICA) was developed by the Africa Rice Center by crossing high-yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) with locally adapted African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.). Community-based seed production of NERICA varieties was introduced in a village in central Benin in 2006 through seed dissemination projects. It was reported that high-adoption rates of these varieties were mainly due to high demand by development projects for seed dissemination, and to incentives (i.e. selling the rice seed at a higher than local market price to a local extension service) for farmers to grow NERICA varieties. A follow-up survey was undertaken after the seed dissemination projects ended to examine the change in the cultivation of NERICA varieties. About half of the farmers had ceased cultivation of NERICA varieties in 2011. The reasons for abandonment were the combined effects of reduced seed demand and low yields, which were attributed to a lack of access to credit and training on NERICA cultivation practices. The majority of the farmers did not abandon rice cultivation, but grew other high-yielding varieties, including one aromatic variety for which there was market demand. We conclude that to avoid immediate reductions in the adoption of new varieties after projects are terminated and to enhance agricultural sustainability, the varieties should be introduced in conjunction with appropriate group training on their cultivation, and the project should target farmers who do not have off-farm businesses. Furthermore, access to credit should also be enhanced, and the marketability of the varieties should be assessed.

Abstract Growth of eukaryotic cells is regulated by the target of rapamycin (TOR). The strongest activator of TOR in metazoa is amino acid availability. The established transducers of amino acid sensing to TOR in metazoa are absent in plants. Hence, a fundamental question is how amino acid sensing is achieved in photo-autotrophic organisms. Here we demonstrate that the plant Arabidopsis does not sense the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine itself, but its biosynthetic precursors. We identify the kinase GCN2 as a sensor of the carbon/nitrogen precursor availability, whereas limitation of the sulfur precursor is transduced to TOR by downregulation of glucose metabolism. The downregulated TOR activity caused decreased translation, lowered meristematic activity, and elevated autophagy. Our results uncover a plant-specific adaptation of TOR function. In concert with GCN2, TOR allows photo-autotrophic eukaryotes to coordinate the fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur for efficient cysteine biosynthesis under varying external nutrient supply.

Mallotus japonicus is a valuable traditional medicinal plant in East Asia for applications as a gastrointestinal drug. However, the molecular components involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites have not yet been explored, primarily due to a lack of omics resources. In this study, we established metabolome and transcriptome resources for M. japonicus to capture the diverse metabolite constituents and active transcripts involved in its biosynthesis and regulation. A combination of untargeted metabolite profiling with data-dependent metabolite fragmentation and metabolite annotation through manual curation and feature-based molecular networking established an overall metabospace of M. japonicus represented by 2129 metabolite features. M. japonicus de novo transcriptome assembly showed 96.9% transcriptome completeness, representing 226,250 active transcripts across seven tissues. We identified specialized metabolites biosynthesis in a tissue-specific manner, with a strong correlation between transcripts expression and metabolite accumulations in M. japonicus. The correlation- and network-based integration of metabolome and transcriptome datasets identified candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of key specialized metabolites of M. japonicus. We further used phylogenetic analysis to identify 13 C-glycosyltransferases and 11 methyltransferases coding candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of medicinally important bergenin. This study provides comprehensive, high-quality multi-omics resources to further investigate biological properties of specialized metabolites biosynthesis in M. japonicus.

The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of pot-based screening method for iron (Fe) toxicity tolerance in rice using soils from hot spots. Five lowland rice varieties with known reaction to Fe toxicity were grown in pots in a screen house for three seasons. Fe-toxic soils from two hot spot fields – Edozighi, Nigeria and Niaouli, Benin were used and soil from Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) experimental farm, Cotonou, Benin was included as control. Leaf bronzing score (LBS) was determined at different stages, and grain yield was determined at maturity. Heritability was estimated using data across the three seasons. High heritability was recorded for LBS and grain yield. Grain yield reduction in stress treatment relative to control varied from 15 to 56% depending on the variety and soil. Bao Thai, Suakoko 8, and WITA 4 had better performance under Fe toxicity in terms of LBS, yield and relative yield reduction, whereas Bouake 189 and IR64 had poorer performance. Grain yield and LBS were significantly correlated but negatively at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Overall, the results found in this experiment were consistent with previous field studies. Therefore, pot screening using soils from hot spots can be used by rice breeding programs to reliably assess Fe toxicity tolerance ex situ.

This review describes the application of computational chemistry to plant secondary metabolism, focusing on the biosynthetic mechanisms of terpene/terpenoid, alkaloid, flavonoid, and lignin as representative examples. Through these biosynthetic studies, we exhibit several computational methods, including density functional theory (DFT) calculations, theozyme calculation, docking simulation, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculation. This review demonstrates how modern computational chemistry can be employed as an effective tool for revealing biosynthetic mechanisms and the potential of computational chemistry—for example, elucidating how enzymes regulate regio- and stereoselectivity, finding the key catalytic residue of an enzyme, and assessing the viability of hypothetical pathways. Furthermore, insights for the next research objective involving application of computational chemistry to plant secondary metabolism are provided herein. This review will be helpful for plant scientists who are not well versed with computational chemistry.

In March 2011, an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant led to major problems, including the release of radionuclides such as Cesium (Cs)-137 into the environment. Ever since this accident, Cs-137 in foods has become a serious problem. In this study, we determined the concentration of Cs-137 in the feces, urine, and ruminal contents of cattle and demonstrated the possibility of its elimination from the body by intestinal bacteria. The results revealed a high Cs-137 concentration in the feces; in fact, this concentration was higher than that in skeletal muscles and other samples from several animals. Furthermore, intestinal bacteria were able to trap Cs-137, showing an uptake ratio within the range of 38–81% in vitro. This uptake appeared to be mediated through the sodium–potassium (Na+-K+) ion pump in the bacterial cell membrane. This inference was drawn based on the fact that the uptake ratio of Cs-137 was decreased in media with high potassium concentration. In addition, it was demonstrated that intestinal bacteria hindered the trapping of Cs-137 by the animal. Cattle feces showed high concentration of Cs-137 and intestinal bacteria trapped Cs-137. This study is the first report showing that intestinal bacteria contribute to the elimination of Cs-137 from the body.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a model crop for studying development regulation and ripening in flesh fruits and vegetables. Supplementary light to maintain the optimal light environment can lead to the stable growth of tomatoes in greenhouses and areas without sufficient daily light integral. Technological advances in genome-wide molecular phenotyping have dramatically enhanced our understanding of metabolic shifts in the plant metabolism across tomato fruit development. However, comprehensive metabolic and transcriptional behaviors along the developmental process under supplementary light provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) remain to be fully elucidated. We present integrative omic approaches to identify the impact on the metabolism of a single tomato plant leaf exposed to monochromatic red LEDs of different intensities during the fruit development stage. Our special light delivery system, the “simplified source-sink model,” involves the exposure of a single leaf below the second truss to red LED light of different intensities. We evaluated fruit-size- and fruit-shape variations elicited by different light intensities. Our findings suggest that more than high-light treatment (500 μmol m-2 s-1) with the red LED light is required to accelerate fruit growth for 2 weeks after anthesis. To investigate transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in leaf- and fruit samples we used microarray-, RNA sequencing-, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. We found that metabolic shifts in the carbohydrate metabolism and in several key pathways contributed to fruit development, including ripening and cell-wall modification. Our findings suggest that the proposed workflow aids in the identification of key metabolites in the central metabolism that respond to monochromatic red-LED treatment and contribute to increase the fruit size of tomato plants. This study expands our understanding of systems-level responses mediated by low-, appropriate-, and high levels of red light irradiation in the fruit growth of tomato plants.

Soil redox potential is an important factor affecting soil functioning. Yet, very few agronomy studies included soil redox potential in relation to soil processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation in soil redox potential and to determine the soil parameters affecting its variation. Soil redox potential, soil moisture, soil temperature, pH and bulk electrical conductivity were measured in upland rice fields during two growing seasons at six positions along an upland–lowland continuum, including two positions at the upland, two at the fringe and two at the lowlands in central Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). The measurements were made at the following soil depths: 3, 8, 20 and 35 cm. Soil redox potential varied between 500 and 700 mV at the upland positions, 400 and 700 mV at the fringe positions and 100 and 750 mV at the lowland positions, and increased with soil depth. Variations in soil redox potential were driven by soil moisture, bulk electrical conductivity and soil organic carbon. We concluded that for proper interpretation of soil redox potential, sampling protocols should systematically include soil pH, moisture and bulk electrical conductivity measurements.

Protection from UV-B is critical for land plant survival. Here Tohge et al. show that saiginols, a novel class of flavonols that efficiently absorb UV-B, accumulate in Arabidopsisaccessions collected from high irradiance regions and identify a flavonol phenylacyltransferase gene required for saiginol production.