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Background and aims: Salt stress and molecular level stresses, pose unprecedented threats to global agriculture, jeopardizing the pursuit of sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to food and nutritional security for the ever-increasing world population. These circumstances underscore the need to understand how plants respond to and interact with environmental stresses. Thus, our study focused on elucidating the role of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mitigating salt and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in wheat plants. Methods: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants were exposed to salt stress [100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)] and ER stress [5 µg mL–1 tunicamycin] applied through nutrient solution at 15 days after sowing (DAS), while 2.0 mM GABA solution was applied to leaves using a hand sprayer at 30 DAS. Growth and physiological traits measured at 45 DAS, with yield trait measurements taken at approximately 135 DAS. Results: Our findings demonstrate that GABA application reduced oxidative stress indicators by activating the ascorbate–glutathione pathway and the glyoxalase system. Moreover, GABA promoted proline metabolism, mineral nutrient accumulation, photosynthetic-affiliated source–sink traits, stomatal dynamics, nitric oxide biosynthesis, and defense- metabolites production in wheat plants under salt and ER stress. Conclusion: Overall, GABA application helped safeguard growth and yield responses in stressed plants, reversing the growth, physiological, and yield inhibition caused by salt and ER stresses. Thus, GABA may emerge as a pivotal strategy for mitigating the adverse impacts of salt and ER stress and developing tolerant genotypes in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic perturbations have led to the prevalence of abiotic stresses in the environment. With this regard, salt stress imposed adversities are one of the major global challenges in the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) pertaining to crop production. Strategies to cope with salt-induced detrimental impacts through the implementation of gaso-signaling molecules including hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) has been gaining immense appraisal in recent years. Since H 2 S plays pivotal roles in regulating plant physiological processes including seed germination-to-maturation, senescence and defense-induced responses; it has been the center of attention for many researchers. However, despite its vast potential in the plant system, the role of H 2 S in inducing salt tolerance mechanisms in staple crops including Triticum aestivum (wheat) still remains ambiguous and needs further investigations to scrutinize the underlying mechanisms. Thus, in the present investigation, we attempt to determine the impact of H 2 S application on wheat plants exposed to salt stress conditions. The present study revealed that the H 2 S application synergistically modulated ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) system, osmolyte accumulation, stomatal dynamics, nutrient levels, source-sink and photosynthesis-related traits in salt stressed wheat plants. The analyzed traits were found correlated with the enhanced growth and yield components, which resulted in improved salt tolerance in H 2 S-treated plants. Further, recent findings would also aid in elucidating the potential role of H 2 S as a significant salt stress-alleviator, and could be implicated as an important crop management strategy to cope up with salt-induced toxicity, which is quite prevalent in natural field conditions. [Display omitted] • H 2 S detained oxidative stress and triggered the AsA-GSH cycle under salt stress in wheat. • H 2 S maintained nutrient homeostasis, source-sink related metabolites, and osmolytes concentrations in salt stressed plants. • Stomatal dynamics and plant-water relations were regulated in H 2 S treated plants under salt stress. • Growth and yield traits were improved in H 2 S supplemented plants under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change has escalated global environmental risks, particularly the effects of abiotic stresses on agricultural productivity. Improving crop plants' acclimation to abiotic stress environments is critical to cope with increasing incidences of abiotic stresses, which could potentially be attained by modifying adaptive physiological and molecular processes. Scope: The agricultural sector is coherently linked with nutrient input, and thus the judicious application of mineral elements as "stress combaters" could be expected to show ameliorative responses under such circumstances. Selenium (Se) has gained substantial recognition as a 'plant beneficial element' governing stress adaptive responses by modulating metabolic and signaling pathways associated with plant growth and developmental processes. Se-mediated abiotic stress-responsive and mechanistic behavior have achieved significant progression, however, still there are numerous unexplored facets needed to explore, which will add-on the current elucidative knowledge on the underlying phenomena. Although the individual roles of Se, plant hormones, and other signaling molecules have been comprehensively delineated, their intricate interplay with each other to govern plant responses to multiple abiotic stresses is still unnoticeable. Conclusions: The current review sheds light on the implicational approaches and underlying mechanisms of Se-induced plant developmental responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses, and its crosstalk with plant hormones and other signaling molecules in regulating the tolerance process. In the near future, it will be intriguing to explore further the diverse roles of Se with plant hormone signaling in the conflict between plants and environmental exposures. To understand this, the characterization and identification of key genes would be effective in exploring the intrinsic signaling mechanism of Se-PGR interaction to provide new insights into the complex signaling pathways to regulate stress resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aspired to explore the interrelationship between gratitude and vitality among students. It also intended to investigate the mediating effect of resilience across the relationship between gratitude and vitality. Interrelation was studied using correlation and multiple regression. Mediation analysis was done with the help of hierarchical regression, Sobel test, and bootstrapping estimates. Results revealed a positive linkage between gratitude and vitality. Also, resilience was reported to mediate (partially) the relationship between gratitude and vitality among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture crop development and production may be hampered in the modern era because of the increasing prevalence of ecological problems around the world. In the last few centuries, plant and agrarian scientific experts have shown significant progress in promoting efficient and eco-friendly approaches for the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs), which are noteworthy due to their unique physio-biochemical features as well as their possible role and applications. They are thought to be powerful sensing molecules that regulate a wide range of significant physiological and biochemical processes in plants, from germination to senescence, as well as unique strategies for coping with changing environmental circumstances. This review highlights current knowledge on the plant extract-mediated synthesis of NPs, as well as their significance in reprogramming plant traits and ameliorating abiotic stresses. Nano particles-mediated modulation of phytohormone content in response to abiotic stress is also displayed. Additionally, the applications and limitations of green synthesized NPs in various scientific regimes have also been highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While peptides can be excellent therapeutics for several conditions, their limited in vivo half-lives have been a major bottleneck in the development of therapeutic peptides. Conjugating the peptide to an inert chemical moiety is a strategy that has repeatedly proven to be successful in extending the half-life of some therapeutics. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the available literature and assess it in an unbiased manner to determine which conjugates, both biological and synthetic, provide the greatest increase in therapeutic peptide half-life. Systematic searches run on PubMed, Scopus and SciFinder databases resulted in 845 studies pertaining to the topic, 16 of these were included in this review after assessment against pre-specified inclusion criteria registered on PROSPERO (#CRD42020222579). The most common reasons for exclusion were non-IV administration and large peptide size. Of the 16 studies that were included, a diverse suite of conjugates that increased half-life from 0.1 h to 33.57 h was identified. Amongst these peptides, the largest increase in half-life was seen when conjugated with glycosaminoglycans. A meta-analysis of studies that contained fatty acid conjugates indicated that acylation contributed to a statistically significant extension of half-life. Additionally, another meta-analysis followed by a sensitivity analysis suggested that conjugation with specifically engineered recombinant peptides might contribute to a more efficient extension of peptide half-life as compared to PEGylation. Moreover, we confirmed that while polyethylene glycol is a good synthetic conjugate, its chain length likely has an impact on its effectiveness in extending half-life. Furthermore, we found that most animal studies do not include as much detail when reporting findings as compared to human studies. Inclusion of additional experimental detail on aspects such as independent assessment and randomization may be an easily accomplished strategy to drive more conjugated peptides towards clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climatic changes have great threats to sustainable agriculture and require efforts to ensure global food and nutritional security. In this regard, the plant strategic responses, including the induction of plant hormones/plant growth regulators (PGRs), play a substantial role in boosting plant immunity against environmental stress-induced adversities. In addition, secondary metabolites (SMs) have emerged as potential 'stress alleviators' that help plants to adapt against environmental stressors imposing detrimental impacts on plant health and survival. The introduction of SMs in plant biology has shed light on their beneficial effects in mitigating environmental crises. This review explores SMs-mediated plant defense responses and highlights the crosstalk between PGRs and SMs under diverse environmental stressors. In addition, genetic engineering approaches are discussed as a potential revenue to enhance plant hormone-mediated SM production in response to environmental cues. Thus, the present review aims to emphasize the significance of SMs implications with PGRs association and genetic approachability, which could aid in shaping the future strategies that favor agro-ecosystem compatibility under unpredictable environmental conditions. [Display omitted] • SMs induce plant defense mechanisms under environmental stresses. • PGRs-mediated SMs production could aid in developing stress resilient crops. • Genetic manipulation of PGRs could assist in SMs modulation to confer stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the major constraints to plant growth and development across the globe that leads to the huge crop productivity loss. Salinity stress causes impairment in plant's metabolic and cellular processes including disruption in ionic homeostasis due to excess of sodium (Na+) ion influx and potassium (K+) efflux. This condition subsequently results in a significant reduction of the cytosolic K+ levels, eventually inhibiting plant growth attributes. K+ plays a crucial role in alleviating salinity stress by recasting key processes of plants. In addition, K+ acquisition and retention also serve as the perquisite trait to establish salt tolerant mechanism. In addition, an intricate network of genes and their regulatory elements are involved in coordinating salinity stress responses. Furthermore, plant growth regulators (PGRs) and other signalling molecules influence K+-mediated salinity tolerance in plants. Recently, nanoparticles (NPs) have also been found several implications in plants with respect to their roles in mediating K+ homoeostasis during salinity stress in plants. The present review describes salinity-induced adversities in plants and role of K+ in mitigating salinity-induced damages. The review also highlights the efficacy of PGRs and other signalling molecules in regulating K+ mediated salinity tolerance along with nano-technological perspective for improving K+ mediated salinity tolerance in plants. • Salinity is a global threat for food security. • Potassium homeostasis plays a significant role in mitigating salinity stress. • Potassium interacts with PGRs for coordinating salinity stress responses. • Nanoparticles are emerging in K-mediated improving salinity tolerance in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing proportion of global population is exposed to urban densification in an aging society. However, little is known of the role of residential density and urbanicity on the risk of developing dementia including Alzheimer's disease. We examined long-term associations between residential density and urbanicity and risks of incident dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This prospective cohort study included participants from the UK Biobank who lived at the same residential address, had no self-reported neurological conditions and without dementia at baseline. Residential density was measured as the number of dwelling units within 1-km street neighbourhood of participant's home address. A composite index of urbanicity was developed from neighbourhood-level z-standardized densities of housing, retail, public transport and street centrality. Hazard ratios were derived from Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for known risk factors. The analytic sample included 239,629 participants aged 38–72 years. During a median follow-up of 12.3 years (interquartile range 11.5–13.0 years), 2,176 participants developed dementia and 1,004 Alzheimer's disease. After adjustments for potential risk factors, each 1,000 units/Km2 increment in residential density was associated with higher risks of dementia (hazard ratio [HR]=1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.15) and Alzheimer's disease (HR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.16). Consistently, categorical models showed that living in neighbourhoods of higher residential density and urbanicity were associated with higher risks of dementia (HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.51 for the highest density quintile compared to the lowest and HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.39 for the highest urbanicity quintile relative to the lowest). The associations were more pronounced in female, age >65 years, and among participants of the low income and those being frail and having shorter leucocyte telomere length (LTL). Higher residential density and urbanicity was found to be positively associated with elevated risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Optimizing neighbourhood residential density maybe one of the upstream considerations for mitigating against neurodegenerative diseases. • The study examined associations of residential density and urbanicity with dementia. • The study comprised 239,629 UK Biobank participants followed-up for 12 years. • Residential density was the number of dwelling units within 1-Km street catchment. • Highest residential density quintile associated with 30% higher risks of dementia. • Higher urbanicity associated with greater risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Midazolam has been commonly used orally for premedication in children. A search for a better alternative continues to overcome its side effects. Recently alpha-2 agonists, clonidine, and dexmedetomidine have been used for premedication in children. Aim: To study and compare the efficacy of oral clonidine, oral dexmedetomidine, and oral midazolam for premedication in pediatric surgical patients. Settings and Design: This prospective, randomized, double blind study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in ninety children of either sex, in the age group of 4-12 years and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical status I, posted for ophthalmic surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to one of the three groups of thirty patients each: Group M: Oral midazolam 0.5 mg/kg body weight, Group D: Oral dexmedetomidine 4 µg/kg body weight, and Group C: Oral clonidine 4 µg/kg body weight. Patients were assessed for sedation, anxiolysis, and change in heart rate and blood pressure in the preoperative area. Behavior of children at separation from parents, mask acceptance, and side effects if any were noted. Statistical Analysis: Data analysis was performed by unpaired Student's t-test and Chi-square test. Results: Children in oral midazolam group achieved faster onset of sedation, higher sedation score, and lower anxiety score as compared to other two groups. The Group D and Group M were comparable as regards behavior at separation from parents (P = 0.236), but Group D was significantly better than Group C (P = 0.031). The three groups were comparable as regards providing satisfactory mask acceptance (P = 0.163). A number of children with easy separation from parents and excellent mask acceptance were significantly more in Group M as compared to Groups C and D (P = 0.028 and P = 0.012, respectively). Group C and Group D showed a lower mean arterial pressure at 45 min (P < 0.001) and 60 min after premedication (P < 0.001) as compared to Group M. Conclusion: Oral midazolam is superior to the oral clonidine, and oral dexmedetomidine with faster onset of sedation, higher sedation score, lower anxiety score, and greater number of children with easy separation and excellent mask acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-economic status (SES) and biological aging are risk factors for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, however, it is less clear if the associations with SES vary sufficiently across different biological age strata. We used data from 331,066 UK Biobank participants aged 38–73 with mean follow-up of 12 years to examine if associations between SES (assessed by educational attainment, employment status and household income) and dementia and Alzheimer's disease are modified by biological age (assessed by leucocyte telomere length: LTL). Diagnosis of events was ascertained through hospital admissions data. Cox regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios [HRs]. A consistent dose–response relationship was found, with participants in low SES and shorter LTL strata (double-exposed group) reporting 3.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57–4.20) and 3.44 (95% CI 2.35–5.04) times higher risks of incident dementia and Alzheimer's disease respectively, compared to those of high SES and longer LTL (least-exposed group). Of interest is a synergistic interaction between SES and LTL to increase risk of dementia (RERI 0.57, 95% CI 0.07–1.06) and Alzheimer's disease (RERI 0.79, 95% CI 0.02–1.56). Our findings that SES and biological age (LTL) are synergistic risk factors of dementia and Alzheimer's disease may suggest the need to target interventions among vulnerable sub-groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the work probing antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mechanisms has focussed on how these molecules permeabilize lipid bilayers. However, AMPs must also traverse a variety of non-lipid cell envelope components before they reach the lipid bilayer. Additionally, there is a growing list of AMPs with non-lipid targets inside the cell. It is thus useful to extend the biophysical methods that have been traditionally applied to study AMP mechanisms in liposomes to the full bacteria, where the lipids are present along with the full complexity of the rest of the bacterium. This review focusses on what can be learned about AMP mechanisms from solid-state NMR of AMP-treated intact bacteria. It also touches on flow cytometry as a complementary method for measuring permeabilization of bacterial lipid membranes in whole bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Examined associations of walkability and greenness with arterial stiffness. • Target sample comprised N = 169,704 UK Biobank cohort participants. • Both walkability and greenness were associated with lower arterial stiffness. • Greater inverse association with green in women, older adults, high walkable areas. Arterial stiffness is a key non-invasive marker of early vascular ageing, however, little is known of its associations with urban built environment. We examined the associations of objectively-measured residential walkability and greenness with arterial stiffness in a large UK-wide population cohort. We employed data from the baseline UK Biobank cohort comprising adult participants recruited over the period of 2006 to 2010. Residential walkability index, defined as a function of density (residential, retail and public transit), street-level design, and destination accessibility was measured using a 1-Km dwelling catchment, while greenness was modelled as the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of 0.5-metre resolution assessed within a 0.5-Km catchment. Arterial stiffness index (ASI) was measured non-invasively from the pulse waveform. Linear regression models were developed to examine associations of walkability and greenness with arterial stiffness. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were developed to examine dose–response relationships. We also examined effect modifications by sex and age, as well as the interaction effect of greenness and walkability. This cross-sectional study used a target sample of 169,704 UK Biobank participants aged ≥ 39 years. After full adjustments, in reference to the lowest walkability exposure quartile, those in the highest were associated with lower ASI (β = −0.083 m/s, 95% CI: −0.14 to −0.03, p = 0.005). Participants in the third and fourth NDVI greenness exposure quartiles were also associated with lower ASI (β = −0.074 m/s, −0.14 to −0.01, p < 0.020 for the third and β = −0.293 m/s, −0.36 to −0.23, p < 0.001 for the fourth quartiles in reference to the first). The inverse association between NDVI greenness and ASI was more pronounced among women (p < 0.001), older adults (p = 0.011) and among participants in the highest walkability quartile (p < 0.001). Designing more walkable and greener residential environments can be a preventive intervention aimed at lowering the population distribution of vascular ageing and associated cardiovascular risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing urbanisation, the role of urban density on mental wellbeing has gained importance. However, the evidence linking housing density, a fundamental attribute of urban built environment, with loneliness and social isolation has been scarce. We examined associations of neighbourhood housing density with loneliness and social isolation in a UK-wide cohort by using the high-resolution UK Biobank Urban Morphometric Platform (known as UKBUMP) database created by our team. We leveraged data from UK Biobank, a cohort of adult participants aged 37–73 years recruited between 2006 and 2010. Neighbourhood housing unit density was objectively measured within a walkable scale of 1km and 2km street catchments of participant's geocoded dwelling (equivalent to approximately a 10-min and 20-min walk). Other built environment factors, including density of public transport, traffic intensity of the nearest street, terrain variability, street-level physical walkability, and greenspace, were also modelled. A series of logistic regression models examined the associations of housing density with loneliness and social isolation after rigorous adjustments for built environment and sociodemographic covariates. Restricted cubic spline models were used to examine non-linear associations. We stratified analyses by sex and age. Ethical approval was received by the UK Biobank from the National Health Service National Research Ethics Service and data access for the study was approved by the UK Biobank Scientific Committee. Our study comprised 478 265 participants (260 641 [54·5%] of whom were women) with complete data on either outcome and housing density. 281 418 and 291 190 participants remained after full adjustment in models of loneliness and social isolation, respectively. Each 1000 units per km2 increment in housing density within a 1 km residential street catchment was independently associated with an increase of 3·7% (OR 1·037 [95% CI 1·02–1·05], p<0·0001) and 17·4% (1·174 [1·16–1·19], p<0·0001) in odds of loneliness and social isolation after full adjustment. The results remained consistent for a catchment of 2km. A non-linear dose-response was observed. The association between housing density and loneliness was more pronounced among participants aged 50–59 years (participants aged <50 years: OR 1·108 [95% CI 0·97–1.26], p=0·1171; 50–59 years: 1·188 [1·06–1·33], p=0·0023; ≥60 years: 1·114 [0·99–1·25], p=0·0646 for the highest housing density quartile vs the lowest; p interaction =0.0171) and among men (men: 1·235 [1·12–1·36], p<0·0001; women: 1·051 [0·96–1·16], p=0·3054 for the highest exposure quartile vs the lowest; p interaction <0·0001). Limitations included the cross-sectional study design, non-representativeness of the UK Biobank base population, and potential residual confounding. In a UK-wide study, we found that increased neighbourhood housing density was associated with increased odds of loneliness and social isolation. High density environments might exacerbate unwanted social contacts, resulting in higher social stress and reduced social connections. With more than 65% of the global population projected to reside in urban areas by 2050, strategic city planning achieved by optimising residential density might constitute a population-wide preventive approach for reducing burdens of loneliness and social isolation. Post-graduate research fellowship of the University of Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is major abiotic stress affecting crop yield, productivity and reduces the land-usage area for agricultural practices. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of green-synthesized silver nanoparticle (AgNP) on physiological traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under salinity stress. Using augmented and high-throughput characterization of synthesized AgNPs, this study investigated the proximity of AgNPs-induced coping effects under stressful cues by measuring the germination efficiency, oxidative-biomarkers, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, proline and nitrogen metabolism, stomatal dynamics, and ABA content. Taken together, the study shows a promising approach in salt tolerance and suggests that mechanisms of inducing the salt tolerance depend on proline metabolism, ions accumulation, and defense mechanisms. This study ascertains the queries regarding the correlation between nanoparticles use and traditional agriculture methodology; also significantly facilitates to reach the goal of sustainable developments for increasing crop productivity via much safer and greener approachability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several criteria are available in literature for selection of alloy compositions for metallic glasses. We have analyzed characteristics of glass-forming compositions numbering around 1000 in terms of three parameters. They refer toelectron to atom ratio (e/a), volume ratio (V R) and radius ratio (R R). Venn-Diagrams created based on these parameters for Fe-, Cu-, Zr-, Ti-, La-, Mg-, Co-, Al-, Ni- and Pd-based alloy systems will be presented. Relative importance of e/a, V R , and R R will be indicated. Having done this, we would like to understand the process of stabilization of Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs) in terms of Fermi surface (FS) and Pseudo Brillioun zone (PBZ) interaction. • Venn-diagrams for different alloy systems of BMGs are proposed. • Better GFA crosspond to those systems that lie in the intersection region of e/a, V R and R R in a given range. • Some of the BMG seems to be stabilizing owing to FS-PBZ interaction. • BMG compositions giving rise to large unit cell based intermetallics on crystallization seem to posses better GFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural sufficient productivity is of paramount importance for ensuring food security and conserving soil health to support the world's agronomy. Climatic abruptions have been emerging as one of the most nerve‐pressing issues for the sustainment of the planet Earth in the twenty‐first century. Among the various environmental constraints, drought stress stands out as a potent factor restricting crop growth and productivity. It triggers a myriad of intricate responses in plants to combat the underlying stress‐mediated adversities. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the key physiological and molecular mechanisms that enable plants to withstand drought stress is crucial for developing effective strategies to enhance crop resilience. Ethylene, a gaseous plant hormone, influences the adaptive measures adopted by plants subjected to drought stress by regulating the drought stress‐mediated signal transduction‐associated responses. The present review article provides an in‐depth understanding of the critical roles of ethylene in enhancing plants' ability to restrain the severity of drought stress. It also highlights the significance of ethylene signaling components in regulating plant survival and drought stress tolerance. Additionally, we have illustrated the additive and antagonistic interactions of ethylene with other plant growth regulators, which instigate the tolerance responses. Conclusively, this review emphasizes the significance of complex networks involved in ethylene‐mediated drought tolerance, providing valuable insights for future research and uncovering novel studies in the field of ethylene biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an exploration of the efficacy of brassinosteroids (BRs) and ethylene in mediating heat stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). Heat is one of the major abiotic factors that prominently deteriorates rice production by influencing photosynthetic efficiency, source‒sink capacity, and growth traits. The application of BR (0.5 mM) and ethylene (200 μl l−1) either individually and/or in combination was found to alleviate heat stress-induced toxicity by significantly improving photosynthesis, source‒sink capacity and defense systems; additionally, it reduced the levels of oxidative stress markers and ethylene formation. The study revealed the positive influence of BR in promoting plant growth responses under heat stress through its interplay with ethylene biosynthesis and enhanced plant defense systems. Interestingly, treatment with the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) substantiated that BR application to heat-stressed rice plants enhanced ethylene-dependent pathways to counteract the underlying adversities. Thus, BR action was found to be mediated by ethylene to promote heat tolerance in rice. The present study sheds light on the potential tolerance mechanisms which can ensure rice sustainability under heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built environment factors, especially street-scale design and traffic casualties, are intrinsically interlinked. Starting from Alker Tripp's seminal ideas about city design, street morphology, and accident risk, this article summarizes results from an increasingly sophisticated line of enquiry at the boundaries between transport geography, network modeling, urban geography, and planning. It goes on to specify what we believe to be the most comprehensive study yet, based on five years' worth of road casualty data from London; GIS data on street morphology and physical features captured at a street-link unit of analysis; socio-economics and other determinants of accidents; and individual data about casualty victims. We test hypotheses about links between urban morphology and casualty severity using multi-level models with individual victim attributes at level-one, street-link morphology attributes (various measure of network connectivity) at level-two, and neighborhood descriptors at level-three. Results indicate that street-level morphology and design (expressed in terms of betweenness, divergence ratio, and hull radius), together with traffic volume and physical features of streets are all significantly associated with odds of “Killed and Seriously Injured” (KSI) causality incidents. We find the strongest evidence yet recorded that London's 20-MPH speed-restricted residential zones reduce the incidence of KSI; while neighborhood-level factors such as population density, deprivation of living environment, and access to services are also significant predictors of KSI indicating that selective urban territorial enclosure can save lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Under-education and living in poverty are known risk factors for dementia. However, single-variable makers of socioeconomic position (SEP) are often correlated and cannot reflect the overall SEP. We examined association between composite SEP and incident dementia using UK-wide data.Methods: We leveraged data from the UK Biobank, a nation-wide cohort of half-a-million participants recruited across 22 assessment centres during 2006-10. Participants with data on SEP and without dementia at baseline were included. A composite individual-level metric of SEP (low, medium, or high) was developed through latent class analysis using Stata's gsem command and identified through item-response probabilities based on participants' single socioeconomic factors (ie, education, employment, and household income). Cox proportional hazard models were developed to examine the association between composite SEP and incident dementia after adjusting for age, ethnicity, lifestyle factors (eg, living alone), social interaction (eg, frequency of visits from acquaintances), urbanicity, clinical variables (eg, central obesity), and stratified by sex. As sensitivity test, we repeated our analysis with single socioeconomic factors. Electronic informed consent was obtained from participants at the UK Biobank assessment centres before participations and UK Biobank acquired ethical approval from the National Health Service National Research Ethics Service.Findings: We included 340 366 adult participants (17 8195 [52·4%] were women and 32 6753 [96·0%] White) aged 38-73 with 3541 incident dementia cases over a mean follow-up period of 12·0 years (SD 1·7). Relative to participants in the highest SEP, those in the medium (HR 1·53 [95% CI 1·33-1·77]; p<0·0001) and low (2·38 [2·05-2·77]; p<0·0001) SEP were associated with higher risks of incident dementia. Sensitivity analyses consistently found higher risks of incident dementia in participants of low educational attainment (HR 1·14 [95% CI 1·03-1·27]; p=0·0107), low household income (HR 2·33 [95% CI 2·03-2·68]; p<0·0001) and being unemployed (HR 1·27 [95% CI 1·11-1·47]; p=0·0008), relative to those of high education, high household income, and being employed, respectively. Limitations of the study include a response of only 503 325 (5·5%) of 9·2 million participants registered with the National Health Service and residual confounding.Interpretation: This study presented a parsimonious approach to construct a composite metric of SEP by employing three key indicators. We found that participants of low SEP were associated with an elevated risk of incident dementia. Socially deprived populations maybe more likely to be exposed to unfavourable psychosocial and environmental stressors that escalate risk of dementia. Our study further strengthens the evidence base for designing policy interventions for at-risk subgroups of lower SEP strata to reduce burdens of dementia.Funding: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is competent in inducing physiological responses in plants for combating the abiotic stresses. Considering this, salt stress is one of the most alarming conditions that exerts complex and polygenic impacts on morph-physiological functioning of plants; resulting in reduced crop productivity and yield. Therefore, understanding the salt responses and tolerance mechanisms are important for sustaining crop productivity. In the current study, we have examined the effects of biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants under salt stress. Green-synthesized AuNPs were found beneficial in modulating the K+/Na+ ratio, chlorophyll concentration, defense systems, nitrogen assimilation, stomatal dynamics and growth traits under salt stress condition. Furthermore, the excessive accumulation of oxidative stress markers including reactive oxygen/nitrogen species was controlled in response of AuNPs treatment under salt stress. Overall, modulation of these traits commanded to induce salt stress tolerance in wheat plants. [Display omitted] • Salt stress increases oxidative stress and inhibits growth. • Biosynthesized AuNPs strengthens defense mechanisms under salt stress. • Biosynthesized AuNPs improves nitrogen assimilation and ionic balance under salt stress. • Biosynthesized AuNPs effectively modulates the accumulation of nitric oxide under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Jackfruit by-products shows the potential to produce nanoparticles. • Nanoparticles with hybrid palm oil have high uniformity. • Cellular antioxidant activity of nanoparticles surpassed the free oil. • Nanoparticles exhibited no cytotoxic effects on differentiated Caco-2 cells. Hybrid crude palm oil (HCPO) HIE OxG is notable for its abundance of carotenoids, tocopherols, and tocotrienols. Investigating cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and the non-cytotoxicity of oil nanoparticles is crucial for understanding the behavior of these phytochemicals in biological systems and ensuring the safety of products. Nanoparticles of HCPO, encapsulated with jackfruit by-products were produced and characterized for CAA and cytotoxicity in Caco-2 cells. The nanoparticles exhibited nanoscale diameters (<250 nm), uniform distribution and stability (polydispersity index < 0.25; zeta potential JSF-NP −12.46 ± 0.15 mV and JAF-NP −13.73 ± 1.28 mV). JSF-NP and JAF-NP demonstrated superior CAA compared to the free HCPO across all concentrations, without inducing cytotoxic effects on differentiated Caco-2 cells. This study underscores the importance of investigating the CAA of edible oil nanoparticles, with non-cytotoxicity indicating biological safety and the potential to safeguard intestinal epithelial cells. Thus, JSF-NP and JAF-NP emerge as promising delivery systems for future HCPO applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a leading preventable risk factor of chronic disease and all-cause mortality. Housing is a fundamental social determinant of health. Yet, little is known about the impacts of liveable residential space and density on hypertension. Methods and findings: This retrospective observational study (median follow-up of 2.2 years) leveraged the FAMILY Cohort, a large territory-wide cohort in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China to quantify associations of objectively measured liveable space and residential density with blood pressure outcomes among adults aged ≥16 years. Blood pressure outcomes comprised diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and hypertension. Liveable space was measured as residential floor area, and density was assessed using the number of residential units per building block and neighborhood residential unit density within predefined catchments. Multivariable regression models examined associations of liveable floor area and residential density with prevalent and incident hypertension. We investigated effect modifications by age, sex, income, employment status, and housing type. Propensity score matching was further employed to match a subset of participants who moved to smaller residences at follow-up with equivalent controls who did not move, and generalized linear models examined the impact of moving to smaller residences upon blood pressure outcomes. Our fully adjusted models of prevalent hypertension outcomes comprised 30,439 participants at baseline, while 13,895 participants were available for incident models at follow-up. We found that each interquartile range (IQR) increment in liveable floor area was associated with lower DBP (beta [β] = −0.269 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.419 to −0.118, p < 0.001), SBP (β = −0.317 mm Hg, −0.551 to −0.084, p = 0.008), MAP (β = −0.285 mm Hg, −0.451 to −0.119 with p < 0.001), and prevalent hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 0.955, 0.918 to 0.993, p = 0.022) at baseline. Each IQR increment in residential units per building block was associated with higher DBP (β = 0.477 mm Hg, 0.212 to 0.742, p = <0.001), SBP (β = 0.750 mm Hg, 0.322 to 1.177, p = <0.001), MAP (β = 0.568 mm Hg, 0.269 to 0.866, p < 0.001), and prevalent hypertension (OR = 1.091, 1.024 to 1.162, p = 0.007). Each IQR increase in neighborhood residential density within 0.5-mi street catchment was associated with lower DBP (β = −0.289 mm Hg, −0.441 to −0.137, p = <0.001), SBP (β = −0.411 mm Hg, −0.655 to −0.168, p < 0.001), MAP (β = −0.330 mm Hg, −0.501 to −0.159, p = <0.001), and lower prevalent hypertension (OR = 0.933, 0.899 to 0.969, p < 0.001). In the longitudinal analyses, each IQR increment in liveable floor area was associated with lower DBP (β = −0.237 mm Hg, −0.431 to −0.043, p = 0.016), MAP (β = −0.244 mm Hg, −0.444 to −0.043, p = 0.017), and incident hypertension (adjusted OR = 0.909, 0.836 to 0.988, p = 0.025). The inverse associations between larger liveable area and blood pressure outcomes were more pronounced among women and those residing in public housing. In the propensity-matched analysis, participants moving to residences of lower liveable floor area were associated with higher odds of incident hypertension in reference to those who did not move (OR = 1.623, 1.173 to 2.199, p = 0.002). The major limitations of the study are unmeasured residual confounding and loss to follow-up. Conclusions: We disentangled the association of micro-, meso-, and macrolevel residential densities with hypertension and found that higher liveable floor area and neighborhood scale residential density were associated with lower odds of hypertension. These findings suggest adequate housing in the form of provisioning of sufficient liveable space and optimizing residential density at the building block, and neighborhood levels should be investigated as a potential population-wide preventive strategy for lowering hypertension and associated chronic diseases. In a cohort study, Dr. Chinmoy Sarkar and colleagues investigate the association between liveable residential space, residential density and hypertension in Hong Kong. Author summary: Why was this study done?: Hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. The fundamental role of housing in shaping population health has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Heart Association. However, scientific evidence with regard to the relationship of housing overcrowding and residential density with hypertension has been insufficient. What did the researchers do and find?: We examined associations of objectively measured liveable space and multiscalar residential density with hypertension among adults employing 2 consecutive waves of a large territory-wide cohort in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China. At baseline, each interquartile range (IQR) increment in liveable floor area was associated with lower blood pressure and prevalent hypertension. At the block level, each IQR increase in residential units per building block was associated with higher blood pressure and prevalent hypertension. At a neighborhood level, higher residential density was associated with lower blood pressure and hypertension. Our longitudinal analysis found that each IQR increment in liveable floor area was associated with 9.1% lower odds of incident hypertension. Propensity-matched analysis found that in reference to participants who did not move, those relocating to residences of lower liveable floor area was associated with higher odds of hypertension. What do these findings mean?: Provisioning adequate liveable space and optimizing density of residential units at building block and neighborhood levels may act as population-wide preventive strategies for lowering the burden of hypertension. The evidence can inform housing policy toward health-centric housing space allocation and densification while planning, designing, and retrofitting high-density cities of similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although residing in lower surrounding greenness and transient exposure to air pollution are independently associated with higher risk of adverse health outcomes, little is known about their interactions. We examine whether residential neighborhood greenness modifies the short-term association between air pollution and respiratory mortality among the participants of Chinese Elderly Health Service Cohort in Hong Kong. We estimated residential surrounding greenness by measuring satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from Landsat within catchments of residential addresses of participants who died of respiratory diseases between 1998 and 2011. We first dichotomized NDVI into low and high greenness and used a time-stratified case-crossover approach to estimate the percent excess risk of respiratory mortality associated with fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), respirable particulate matter (PM 10), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and ozone (O 3). We further classified NDVI into greenness quartiles and introduced an interaction term between air pollution and the assigned median values of the NDVI quartiles into the models to assess the trend of greenness modification on the air pollution and respiratory mortality associations. Among 3159 respiratory deaths during the follow-up, 2058 were from pneumonia and 947 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Elders living in the low greenness areas were associated with a higher risk of pneumonia mortality attributed to NO 2 (p = 0.049) and O 3 (p = 0.025). The mortality risk of pneumonia showed a decreasing trend for NO 2 (p for trend = 0.041), O 3 (p for trend = 0.006), and PM 2.5 (p for trend = 0.034) with greenness quartiles increasing from Quartile 1 (lowest) to Quartile 4 (highest). Our findings suggest that elders living in higher greenness areas are less susceptible to pneumonia mortality associated with air pollution, which provides evidence for optimizing allocation, siting, and quality of urban green space to minimize detrimental health effects of air pollution. Image 1 • We examined the interaction between greenness and air pollution on respiratory mortality among HK elders. • Elders residing in greater greenness areas are less susceptible to acute air pollution. • Our findings provide evidence for optimizing greenness in an urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a leading preventable risk factor of chronic disease and all-cause mortality. Housing is a fundamental social determinant of health. Yet, little is known about the impacts of liveable residential space and density on hypertension.Methods and Findings: This retrospective observational study (median follow-up of 2.2 years) leveraged the FAMILY Cohort, a large territory-wide cohort in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China to quantify associations of objectively measured liveable space and residential density with blood pressure outcomes among adults aged ≥16 years. Blood pressure outcomes comprised diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and hypertension. Liveable space was measured as residential floor area, and density was assessed using the number of residential units per building block and neighborhood residential unit density within predefined catchments. Multivariable regression models examined associations of liveable floor area and residential density with prevalent and incident hypertension. We investigated effect modifications by age, sex, income, employment status, and housing type. Propensity score matching was further employed to match a subset of participants who moved to smaller residences at follow-up with equivalent controls who did not move, and generalized linear models examined the impact of moving to smaller residences upon blood pressure outcomes. Our fully adjusted models of prevalent hypertension outcomes comprised 30,439 participants at baseline, while 13,895 participants were available for incident models at follow-up. We found that each interquartile range (IQR) increment in liveable floor area was associated with lower DBP (beta [β] = -0.269 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.419 to -0.118, p < 0.001), SBP (β = -0.317 mm Hg, -0.551 to -0.084, p = 0.008), MAP (β = -0.285 mm Hg, -0.451 to -0.119 with p < 0.001), and prevalent hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 0.955, 0.918 to 0.993, p = 0.022) at baseline. Each IQR increment in residential units per building block was associated with higher DBP (β = 0.477 mm Hg, 0.212 to 0.742, p = <0.001), SBP (β = 0.750 mm Hg, 0.322 to 1.177, p = <0.001), MAP (β = 0.568 mm Hg, 0.269 to 0.866, p < 0.001), and prevalent hypertension (OR = 1.091, 1.024 to 1.162, p = 0.007). Each IQR increase in neighborhood residential density within 0.5-mi street catchment was associated with lower DBP (β = -0.289 mm Hg, -0.441 to -0.137, p = <0.001), SBP (β = -0.411 mm Hg, -0.655 to -0.168, p < 0.001), MAP (β = -0.330 mm Hg, -0.501 to -0.159, p = <0.001), and lower prevalent hypertension (OR = 0.933, 0.899 to 0.969, p < 0.001). In the longitudinal analyses, each IQR increment in liveable floor area was associated with lower DBP (β = -0.237 mm Hg, -0.431 to -0.043, p = 0.016), MAP (β = -0.244 mm Hg, -0.444 to -0.043, p = 0.017), and incident hypertension (adjusted OR = 0.909, 0.836 to 0.988, p = 0.025). The inverse associations between larger liveable area and blood pressure outcomes were more pronounced among women and those residing in public housing. In the propensity-matched analysis, participants moving to residences of lower liveable floor area were associated with higher odds of incident hypertension in reference to those who did not move (OR = 1.623, 1.173 to 2.199, p = 0.002). The major limitations of the study are unmeasured residual confounding and loss to follow-up.Conclusions: We disentangled the association of micro-, meso-, and macrolevel residential densities with hypertension and found that higher liveable floor area and neighborhood scale residential density were associated with lower odds of hypertension. These findings suggest adequate housing in the form of provisioning of sufficient liveable space and optimizing residential density at the building block, and neighborhood levels should be investigated as a potential population-wide preventive strategy for lowering hypertension and associated chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]