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Background: Samh (Mesembryanthemum forsskalii, M. cryptanthum) belongs to Aizoaceae family and is found in northern Saudi Arabia, primarily in desert or dry shrubland habitats. M. forsskalii is characterized by several nutritional and medicinal benefits. This study aimed to explore the phenotypic features of M. forsskalii and investigate the impact of exogenous plant growth regulators (PGRs) on this species using tissue culture techniques. Different auxin (naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and indole butyric acid (IBA) in addition cytokinin (benzyl amino purine (BA), and kinetin (Ki) treatments were used. Results: The phenotypic features of M. forsskalii included being decumbent to erect, with many terete succulent branches covered by epidermal bladder cells. Plant size determines its branching type, phyllotaxis, and inflorescence. Large plants have trichotomous branching; the two lower nodes have opposite decussate leaves; and compound dichasia. The flowers are pedicellate, perigynous, and have single, tricorporate pollen grains. Additionally, M. forsskalii has taproots, which differs from what was reported for M. forsskalii in previous studies in that it has fibrous roots. A 98% response rate was seen when the receptacle was used as an initiated explant. Adding BA to the MS medium also showed a significant increase in the size of the shoot system area and the number of roots. as well as the combined Ki + 2,4-D treatment had a significant effect on the callus volume. The callus color ranged from yellowish green to brown, and compact and rooty calli (callus cells differentiated into root hairs) were observed. Conclusions: This study investigated the phenotypic features of M. forsskalii (samh), and its micropropagation that had not been previously reported in the literature. Its branching type, phyllotaxis, and inflorescence were described. The flowers are pedicellate, and the pollen grains are single, tricorporate, and oblate. M. forsskalii has taproots, which differs from what was reported for M. cryptanthum (M. forsskalii) in previous studies in that it has fibrous roots. Therefore, the difference in the type of root may be an indication that the variety found in the Al-Jouf area is different than the previous varieties. This study was the first to examine the impact of exogenous PGR on M. forsskalii under tissue culture conditions. Based on the results of this study, the use of 2 mg/ml BA for M. forsskalii micropropagation and the combination of IBA and 2,4-D for callus induction experiments are recommended. Further molecular research on M. forsskalii is also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypericum bilgehan bilgilii is a local endemic species distributed in Turkiye. Since the related species is endemic and there are grazing activities in its habitat, in vitro regeneration and in vitro cultures should be established. In addition, considering that the species may have medicinal properties similar to other Hypericum species, an effective in vitro regeneration method(s) should be found. For this reason, a more effective in vitro regeneration method has been established by using benzyl amino purine and 2,4 dichloro phenoxy acetic acid plant growth regulators (PGRs) for the first time in Hypericum bilgehan bilgilii. In this study, different concentrations and combinations of 2,4-D (0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 1.0) and BAP (0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 2.0) PGRs have been used for callus formation. It has been established that the best callus formation among the treatment groups occurs in MS supplemented with 0.8 mg L–1 BAP + 0.4 mg L–1 2,4-D. The best shoot growth has been found in MS medium containing 2.0 mg L–1 BAP. The best treatment group in root formation was MS supplemented with 1.0 mg L–1 IBA. It has been observed that the in vitro regenerated seedlings successfully adapted to the acclimatization stage. In the study, in vitro regeneration of Hypericum bilgehan-bilgilii using BAP and 2,4 D PGRs has been performed for the first time, and in vitro, cultures have been established for future plant biotechnology and in vitro conservation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out at the research field of Rainas Municipality, lamjung, Nepal from February to June 2022. It was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of ethephon on vegetative character, sex expression and yield of cucumber. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 replications and 5 treatments (four different doses of ethephon @ 100 ppm, @ 300 ppm, @ 400 ppm and @ 500 ppm as well as water spraying as control). Spraying was done twice, the 1st at two true leaf stage and the 2nd at four true leaf stage. The observed data were analyzed using Gen stat and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) to find out the significant differences between the mean values at 5% level of significance. Among various concentration of ethephon, the most potent doses of ethephon to increase female flower were 100 ppm, 300 ppm and 400 ppm. The treatment with 300 ppm ethephon result early emergence of female flower, higher number of female flower and lower sex ratio followed by 400 ppm. Yield of cucumber was found higher with 300 ppm ethephon comparison to other treatment. The benefit-cost ratio (B:C ratio) was found highest at 300 ppm ethephon treatment and lowest in the control group. Considering various impacts of different doses of ethephon, treatment with 300 ppm ethephon is recommended.

Watermelon is a widely cultivated cucurbitaceous crop with economic and dietary significance. The plant's ability to reproduce effectively relies on the harmonious growth and maturation of both its male and female flowers. At the farm level, determining the exact amount of ethylene required to regulate the development and sexual expression of individual floral buds remains uncertain, despite the known influence of exogenously applied ethylene on these processes. The goal of the research was to explore how the ethephon doses influence vegetative characteristics, sex expression, and watermelon yield. The experiment, employing a one-factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) comprising five treatments and four replications, was conducted in a farmer's field in Buttabari, Jhapa. Using R-stat software, the data were analyzed at a 5% level of significance. Treatment consisted of Ethephon with four doses namely; 100ppm, 200ppm, 300ppm, 400ppm, and a control. Ethephon application was done twice, once at the two true-leaf stages and another at four true-leaf stages. The study revealed that plant height decreased with ethephon compared to the control, reaching a minimum of 280.1 cm at 400 ppm and a maximum of 307.1 cm in the control. Additionally, the highest branch numbers were observed with ethephon at 200 ppm. The plot treated with 200ppm ethephon was found to be more effective than alternative doses at increasing the total number of female flowers, bearing 15.25 female flowers per plant. Control (166.50 per plant) and 400 ppm (150.00 per plant) had the highest and lowest male flower counts per plant, respectively. A maximum yield of 25.12 t/ha and a minimum yield of 19.1 t/ha were determined at 200 ppm and control, respectively. Hence, farmers are found to benefit from ethephon doses of 200 ppm.

The article presents a study which examined the effect of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) and micronutrients on growth and yield of cabbage in Uttar Pradesh, India. Topics discussed effect of the application of PGR on the plant height of cabbage, significant effect on leaf area with foliar spray of PGRs, and significant effect of foliar spray of PGRs on the average weight of the head.

To study the impact of different PGR and PGR+ nutrient combinations on growth, physiological and yield attributes of sugarcane, three bud setts of variety, CoLk 94184 were primed with plant growth regulator (PGR), ethrel (@ 100 ppm) and nutrient, KCl (@0.2%) overnight and planted along with untreated control under field conditions in three replications at ICAR-IISR farm, Lucknow in spring season (2017-18). Planted sett buds were investigated for changes in reducing sugars content and SAI activity. Foliar application of ethrel and ethrel + nutrient mixture was performed in Set-I untreated control (no sett soaking) with T1-T7 treatments; T1 - No spray (Control), T2 - ethrel spray @100 ppm (Spray 1), T3 - ethrel (100 ppm) + ZnSO4 (0.5%) (Spray 2) at 60DAP, T4 - Spray 1 + GA3 spray @50 ppm (Spray 3), T5 - Spray 2 + GA3 (50 ppm) + CaCl2 (1%) (Spray 4) at 110 DAP, T6 - Spray 1 + Spray 3 + Kinetin @100ppm (spray 5), T7 - Spray 2 + Spray 4 + Kinetin (100 ppm) + MnCl2 (0.1%) (Spray 6) at 175 DAP. In Set-II ethrel treated (Pre-soaked setts) with T8-T14 treatments and Set-III KCl treated (Pre-soaked setts) with T15-T21) treatments, same types of treatments were given as in Set I. After 25 days of foliar application, total shoot population, fresh and dry weight of different plant parts, chlorophyll contents, and nitrate reductase (NR) activity were determined. Juice quality attributes were recorded in cane juice in each month starting from November 2017 to February 2018 and cane yield after harvesting. Findings obtained indicated higher SAI activity and reducing sugar content in treated buds. Further foliar application of ethrel and ethrel + nutrient and at elongation stage, foliar application of GA3 and GA3 + nutrient showed increased shoot population, chlorophyll a, b and total contents, fresh and dry weight of different plant parts and NR activity in treated sets. At harvesting, number of milliable cane (NMC/plot) in most of the treatments were higher; highest was in T11, T5 was at par followed by T13, T14 and then T8. Cane yield observed maximum in T5 (111.6 t/ha), T14 was at par (111.1 t/ha) followed by T8 (107.0 t/ha), T12 (106.4 t/ha), T11 (105.0 t/ha) and minimum in T1 (83.2 t/ha). Similarly, highest cane height and girth were observed in T11 (275.3 cm) and T8 (2.14 cm) treatments, respectively. Highest increase in sucrose % juice, CCS% and °Brix were observed in T11 treatment, while lowest reducing sugars was obtained in T17 followed by T15 treatment. Results suggested beneficial impact of PGR and PGR+ nutrient combination application on growth, yield and juice quality attributes of sugarcane when applied sequentially in whole crop duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production sustainability is affected by climate change and land destruction, which exacerbates the challenge of food security. In addition to ensuring food security, fortification of products is a potential approach to enhance their nutritional quality and safety. Climate change has a significant effect on pre-harvest physiology. Water and soil salinity reduce the yield and quality of products. On the other hand, long-term drought stress reduces the supply of nutrients and cracks the pomegranate fruit. Therefore, it increases susceptibility to fungal diseases, which reduces commercial value. Pre-harvest factors significantly affect post-harvest physiology and quality characteristics related to storage life. Therefore, it is necessary to use efficient and cost-effective strategies to resist environmental stress and enhance yield. Meanwhile, the management of nutrients and plant growth regulators (PGRs) plays an essential role in plant resistance against abiotic stresses and determines their distribution and survival. Therefore, proper management practices are necessary for sustainable production. This paper reviewed and discussed recent advances regarding the foliar application of important nutrients, and PGRs, which increase the yield and quality of pomegranate fruit. In conclusion, foliar application of fertilizers, nanofertilizers, and nanoparticles include Fe, Zn, Ca, K, Br, Se and some PGRs such as salicylic acid and gibberellic acid, and kaolin can be used to increase yield, improve nutritional quality, reduce disorders and also decrease postharvest losses of pomegranate fruit during storage. However, further research in various commercial pomegranate cultivars is necessary to recommend for practical application at harvest and after cold storage of pomegranate fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imazapic is an acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicide labeled for weed control in pastures, rangeland, and noncrop areas. Field research was conducted in Knoxville, TN, USA, during 2020 and 2021 to evaluate the tolerance of four hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt Davy) cultivars to applications of imazapic for growth suppression. Separate experiments were conducted on 'TifTuf', 'Tifway', 'Tahoma 31', and 'Latitude 36' hybrid bermudagrass. Experiments included plots (1.5 m2) arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications and were repeated. Treatments were applied 14 Aug 2020 and 6 Aug 2021, and were mixed with methylated seed oil. Imazapic rates were 0, 35, 52.5, 70, or 105 g·ha-1. Cultivar tolerance was assessed via visual ratings of turfgrass injury relative to untreated check plots. Normalized differential vegetation index data were collected on each date turfgrass injury was evaluated. Growth suppression was quantified via reductions in dry clipping weight after mowing. Hybrid bermudagrass injury increased with imazapic rate for all cultivars, and peak injury (> 30%) following all imazapic treatments occurred within 14 days. At the lowest imazapic rate (35 g·ha-1), injury was transient, with all hybrid bermudagrass cultivars fully recovered by 28 days. All rates of imazapic reduced hybrid bermudagrass dry clipping weight for 21 days for all cultivars. Further research is warranted to explore lower application rates than those tested in our study, in addition to determining tolerance and growth suppression of other turfgrass species commonly managed on golf courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An accurate status determination of breast cancer biomarkers (ER, PR, HER2, Ki67) is crucial for guiding patient management. The "gold standard" for assessing these biomarkers in FFPE tissue is IHC, which faces challenges in standardization and exhibits substantial variability. In this study, we compare the concordance of a new commercial RT-qPCR kit with IHC in determining BC biomarker status. Methods: The performance was evaluated using 634 FFPE specimens, which underwent histological analysis in accordance with standard of care methods. HER2 2+ tumors were referred to ISH testing. An immunoreactive score of ≥2/12 was considered positive for ER/PR and 20% staining was used as a cut-off for Ki67 high/low score. RT-qPCR and results calling were performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results: High concordance with IHC was seen for all markers (93.2% for ER, 87.1% for PR, 93.9% for HER2, 77.9% for Ki67 and 80.1% for proliferative signature (assessed against Ki67 IHC)). Conclusions: By assessing the concordance with the results obtained through IHC, we sought to demonstrate the reliability and utility of the kit for precise BC subtyping. Our findings suggest that the kit provides a highly precise and accurate quantitative assessment of BC biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the economic/economic impact of precision farming should be a priority area in digital agriculture, as the results, profitability, and efficiency indicators can have a significant decision-support effect on the development of both the agronomic and the technical regions of individual farms both in the longer and shorter term. Individual firms, companies, farmers, and family farms quantify the effectiveness of their farming processes. The modern age offers the possibility of digitally recording all the elements of farming technology, making it possible to analyse the cost-effectiveness of a farm more effectively and, in some cases, to carry out more detailed analyses. Nevertheless, the number of farms demonstrating their profitability with such precise economic calculations is still minimal. Our analyses were conducted on a 56,02 ha field of Balogh Farm-Tépe Ltd. The agricultural operations carried out were fully documented so that the inputs (seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, crop enhancers) were recorded in coordinates and kind, as well as the specif ic yields, grain moisture data, irrigation norms, and irrigation rotations. At the same time, the company's owner provided the data's monetary value. The main econometric indicators (yield, production value, cost of production, income, cost price) related to the evaluation of the enterprise management were evaluated along with the spatial data in the irrigated and non-irrigated tables. Our calculations show that a given year's climatic and market characteristics fundamentally determine the cost and income relations of a plot of land (and thus of an entire farm). In addition to additional inputs, introducing some elements of precision farming and intensification and increasing yields improves yield security and allows for excellent yield stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the multiple identities held and embodied by a post-graduate research (PGR) student and helps to produce new knowledge about the identity of PGR students. This could have wider implications for the sector by helping to facilitate an understanding of those studying within it. The results are contextualised with literature from the field of art (Daichendt, 2010; Thornton, 2013), and the identities of the researcher are visualised on networks of enterprises. Networks of enterprises are visual tools for tracking and charting the different enterprises of creative people at work overtime (Wallace & Gruber, 1989). The paper is a reflective piece, with the results written autoethnographically by an artist-teacher-researcher-student. Autoethnographic research can be shared as stories, poems, or performances (Bochner & Ellis, 2016; Pace, 2012). This paper includes autoethnographic vignettes written in a first-person voice. The data were collected through the lived experience of the multifaceted identity. In writing about these experiences, the researcher can explore and gain an understanding of the phenomena of identity as a post-graduate research student. The vignettes are analysed with the published literature and data collected from 17 artistteachers in Adult Community Learning, to see how their experiences compared to my own. This allows for commonalities and divergences to be identified, and to see if the autoethnographic vignettes are generalisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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STUDY QUESTION Does YAP1 inhibition alleviate progesterone resistance in endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER YAP1 inhibition reduces progesterone resistance in vitro and in vivo. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Progesterone resistance not only causes treatment failure for endometriosis but also inhibits eutopic endometrial cell proliferation, dysregulates decidualization, and reduces the success rates of pregnancy. Hippo/yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Paraffin-embedded tissues containing paired endometriotic and endometrial specimens (n = 42) and serum samples isolated from normal controls (n = 15) or endometriotic patients with (n = 25) or without (n = 21) prior dienogest treatment were analyzed. A mouse model of endometriosis was also used to evaluate the effects of YAP1 inhibition on progesterone resistance. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Primary endometriotic and endometrial stromal cells treated with YAP1 inhibitor or miR-21 mimic/inhibitor were used for the in vitro studies including decidualization induction, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and RNA immunoprecipitation. Tissue specimens and serum from human and mouse were used for immunohistochemistry staining, exosome isolation, and microRNA (miRNA) quantification, respectively. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Herein, we report, by using ChIP-PCR and RNA-IP, that YAP1 inhibits progesterone receptor (PGR) expression through upregulation of miR-21-5p. Upregulation of miR-21-5p not only reduces PGR expression but also inhibits endometrial stromal cell decidualization. Indeed, levels of YAP1 and miR-21-5p are inversely correlated with the level of PGR in human endometrial samples. In contrast, knockdown of YAP1 or treatment with verteporfin (VP), a YAP1 inhibitor, reduces miR-21-5p expression, thus leading to an increase in PGR expression in ectopic endometriotic stromal cells. In the mouse model of endometriosis, treatment with VP increases PGR expression and enhances decidualization. More importantly, VP synergistically increases the treatment effect of progestin in causing the regression of endometriotic lesions and improves the decidualization capability of the endometrium. Interestingly, treatment with dienogest, a synthetic progestin, reduces YAP1 and miR-21-5p expression in human cells and in the mouse model of endometriosis. Patients who received dienogest treatment for 6 months show a significant decrease in serum extracellular vesicle-associated miR-21-5p level. LARGE SCALE DATA A public dataset (GSE51981) containing a large cohort of endometriotic tissues is available from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION A large cohort of clinical samples is needed to verify the current diagnostic value of miR-21-5p in future studies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The reciprocal regulation of YAP1 and PGR suggests that combined YAP1 inhibitor and progestin may be a better therapeutic approach for treating endometriosis. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST-111-2636-B-006-012, MOST-111-2314-B-006-075-MY3, and MOST-106-2320-B-006-072-MY3). The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct an association analysis of depressive symptoms and polymorphisms in the ESR1, PGR, CYP19A1, and COMT genes in pregnant and postpartum women. Methods: The Franconian Maternal Health Evaluation Study (FRAMES) recruited healthy pregnant women prospectively for assessment of maternal and fetal health. The German version of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was completed at three time points in this prospective cohort study. Visit 1 was at study entry in the third trimester of pregnancy, visit 2 was shortly after birth, and visit 3 was 6–8 months after birth. Germline DNA and depression measurements from 361 pregnant women were available for analysis. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the above-mentioned genes were genotyped. After reconstruction of haplotypes for PGR (rs1042838 and rs10895068) and CYP19A1 (rs10046 and rs4646), a multifactorial linear mixed model was applied to the data to describe the association between haplotypes and depression values. The single SNPs for ESR1 (rs488133) and COMT (rs4680) were analyzed separately using linear mixed models analogously. Results: The mean antepartum EPDS measurement was 5.1, the mean postpartal measurement after 48–72 h was 3.5, and the mean value 6–8 months postpartum was 4.2. The SNPs in PGR were reconstructed into three haplotypes. The most common haplotype was GG, with 63.43% of patients carrying two copies and 33.52% carrying one copy. For haplotype GA, the group of carriers of two copies (0.28%) was combined with the carriers of one copy (9.70%). Haplotype reconstruction using CYP19A1 SNPs resulted in three haplotypes. The most common haplotype was TC, with 25.48% of patients carrying two copies and 51.52% one copy. None of the haplotype blocks and neither of the two single SNPs showed any significant associations with EPDS values. Conclusions: The candidate haplotypes analyzed in PGR and CYP19A1 and single SNPs in ESR1 and COMT did not show any association with depression scores as assessed by EPDS in this cohort of healthy unselected pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Progesterone receptor (PGR) is a master regulator of uterine function through antagonistic and synergistic interplays with oestrogen receptors. PGR action is primarily mediated by activation functions AF1 and AF2, but their physiological significance is unknown. Results We report the first study of AF1 function in mice. The AF1 mutant mice are infertile with impaired implantation and decidualization. This is associated with a delay in the cessation of epithelial proliferation and in the initiation of stromal proliferation at preimplantation. Despite tissue selective effect on PGR target genes, AF1 mutations caused global loss of the antioestrogenic activity of progesterone in both pregnant and ovariectomized models. Importantly, the study provides evidence that PGR can exert an antioestrogenic effect by genomic inhibition of Esr1 and Greb1 expression. ChIP-Seq data mining reveals intermingled PGR and ESR1 binding on Esr1 and Greb1 gene enhancers. Chromatin conformation analysis shows reduced interactions in these genes’ loci in the mutant, coinciding with their upregulations. Conclusion AF1 mediates genomic inhibition of ESR1 action globally whilst it also has tissue-selective effect on PGR target genes.

Abstract Background In clinical practice, oestrogen receptor (ER) analysis is almost entirely by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ASCO/CAP recommends cut-offs of

Banana group can be divided into two groups based on their method of its utilization. Banana group that can be eaten immediately after ripening is called "dessert banana", e.g., Raja, while the group that needs particular processing before consumption is called "plantain banana", e.g., Kepok. This study aimed to compare the growth of Raja banana with Kepok plantain through experiments at three stages of the in vitro culture media: the shoot initiation, shoot multiplication, and plantlet acclimatization, also to compare the growth of Raja bananas with Kepok plantains in response to cytokinins BAP and TDZ at shoot multiplication stage. Planting material was in the form of rhizomes that was prepared with the same size. The experiment was performed using a completely randomized design. Results showed that Kepok plantain could adapt faster to the media condition than Raja banana; the phenomenon was evident in the growing speed of Kepok during shoot initiation stage. The proportion of the B genome did not show a direct effect on shoot induction at the multiplication stage or enlargement and organ formation at the acclimatization stage. Shoot induction at the multiplication stage depended more on the composition of the media used. The combination of BAP 3 mg L-1 and TDZ 0.01 mg L-1 in MS media produced the best shoot induction rate, and TDZ 0.01 mg L-1 in MS media had the highest shoot elongation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the impact of different PGR and PGR+ nutrient combinations on growth, physiological and yield attributes of sugarcane, three bud setts of variety, CoLk 94184 were primed with plant growth regulator (PGR), ethrel (@ 100 ppm) and nutrient, KCl (@0.2%) overnight and planted along with untreated control under field conditions in three replications at ICAR-IISR farm, Lucknow in spring season (2017-18). Planted sett buds were investigated for changes in reducing sugars content and SAI activity. Foliar application of ethrel and ethrel + nutrient mixture was performed in Set-I untreated control (no sett soaking) with T1-T7 treatments; T1 - No spray (Control), T2 - ethrel spray @100 ppm (Spray 1), T3 - ethrel (100 ppm) + ZnSo4 (0.5%) (Spray 2) at 60DAP, T4 - Spray 1 + GA3 spray @50 ppm (Spray 3), T5 - Spray 2 + GA3 (50 ppm) + CaCl2 (1%) (Spray 4) at 110 DAP, T6 - Spray 1 + Spray 3 + Kinetin @100ppm (spray 5), T7 - Spray 2 + Spray 4 + Kinetin (100 ppm) + MnCl2 (0.1%) (Spray 6) at 175 DAP. In Set-II ethrel treated (Pre-soaked setts) with T8-T14 treatments and Set-III KCl treated (Pre-soaked setts) with T15-T21) treatments, same types of treatments were given as in Set I. After 25 days of foliar application, total shoot population, fresh and dry weight of different plant parts, chlorophyll contents, and nitrate reductase (NR) activity were determined. Juice quality attributes were recorded in cane juice in each month starting from November 2017 to February 2018 and cane yield after harvesting. Findings obtained indicated higher SAI activity and reducing sugar content in treated buds. Further foliar application of ethrel and ethrel + nutrient and at elongation stage, foliar application of GA3 and GA3 + nutrient showed increased shoot population, chlorophyll a, b and total contents, fresh and dry weight of different plant parts and NR activity in treated sets. At harvesting, number of milliable cane (NMC/plot) in most of the treatments were higher; highest was in T11, T5 was at par followed by T13, T14 and then T8. Cane yield observed maximum in T5 (111.6 t/ha), T14 was at par (111.1 t/ha) followed by T8 (107.0 t/ha), T12 (106.4 t/ha), T11 (105.0 t/ha) and minimum in T1 (83.2 t/ha). Similarly, highest cane height and girth were observed in T11 (275.3 cm) and T8 (2.14 cm) treatments, respectively. Highest increase in sucrose % juice, CCS% and ºBrix were observed in T11 treatment, while lowest reducing sugars was obtained in T17 followed by T15 treatment. Results suggested beneficial impact of PGR and PGR+ nutrient combination application on growth, yield and juice quality attributes of sugarcane when applied sequentially in whole crop duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progesterone receptor (PR) signaling is required for mammary gland development and homeostasis. A major bottleneck in studying PR signaling is the lack of sensitive assays to measure and visualize PR pathway activity both quantitatively and spatially. Here, we develop new tools to study PR signaling in human breast epithelial cells. First, we generate optimized Progesterone Responsive Element (PRE)-luciferase constructs and demonstrate that these new reporters are a powerful tool to quantify PR signaling activity across a wide range of progesterone concentrations in two luminal breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and T47D. We also describe a fluorescent lentiviral PRE-GFP reporter as a novel tool to visualize PR signaling at the single-cell level. Our reporter constructs are sensitive to physiological levels of progesterone. Second, we show that low background signaling, and high levels of PR expression are a prerequisite for robustly measuring PR signaling. Increasing PR expression by transient transfection, stable overexpression in MCF7 or clonal selection in T47D, drastically improves both the dynamic range of luciferase reporter assays, and the induction of endogenous PR target genes as measured by qRT-PCR. We find that the PR signaling response differs per cell line, target gene and hormone concentration used. Taken together, our tools allow a more rationally designed approach for measuring PR signaling in breast epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the differential value of serum pepsinogen ratio (PGR), gastrin-17 (G-17), thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), rhomboid domain protein 1 (RHBDD1) combined with Helicobacter pylori antibody (HP-IgG) in atrophic gastritis and early gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 202 patients with early gastric cancer who were admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were selected and classified as gastric cancer group. In addition, 200 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis and 200 cases of healthy volunteers in the same period were selected and recorded as atrophic gastritis group and control group. The levels of serum pepsinogen (PG) I, PG II, PGR, G-17, TK1, RHBDD1 and the positive rate of HP-IgG were detected and compared among the three groups. The levels of serum PG I, PG II, PGR, G-17, TKI and RHBDD1 between HP-IgG positive and negative patients with early gastric cancer were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the efficacy of the levels of serum PGR, G-17, TK1, RHB- DD1 combined with HP-IgG in the differential diagnosis of early gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis. Results: The levels of serum PG I and PGR in gastric cancer group were lower than those in atrophic gastritis group and control group, and the above indexes in atrophic gastritis group were lower than those in control group (all p<0.05). The levels of serum PG II, G-17, TK1, RHBDD1 and the positive rate of HP-IgG in gastric cancer group were higher than those in atrophic gastritis group and control group, and the above indexes in atrophic gastritis group were higher than those in control group (all P<0.05). The serum PG I and PGR of HP-IgG positive patients with early gastric cancer were lower than those of HP-IgG negative patients, while the levels of serum PG II, G-17, TK1 and RHBDD1 were higher than those of HP-IgG negative patients (all p<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the combination of serum PGR, G-17, TK1, RHBDD1 and HP-IgG antibody was better than the above five indicators alone in differentiating early gastric cancer from atrophic gastritis. Conclusion: The serum PGR of patients with early gastric cancer is abnormally low, while the serum G-17, TK1, RHBDD1 and HP-IgG antibodies are abnormally high. The combination of the above five indicators has a high value in differentiating early gastric cancer from atrophic gastritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the underlying drug enhancement mechanisms of the Chuanwu (Aconiti Radix) and Huangqi (Astragali Radix) combination and toxicity reduction of Chuanwu combined with Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) in Wutou Decoction (乌头汤, WTD), and to elucidate the compatibility principle. Methods: The active compounds and potential effective targets of the selected combinations were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Traditional Chinese Medicines Integrated Database (TCMID). The toxicity of Chuanwu (Aconiti Radix) was investigated by selecting all five toxic compounds from the literature and the TCMSP database, and obtaining their targets through SwissTargetPrediction. Targets related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were searched using DisGeNET, GenCards, and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). Mutual targets between the drug pairs and RA were selected as potential RA therapy targets. The medicinally active compound-target network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) platform. Results: We obtained 191 active compound targets for Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), 171 for Huangqi (Astragali Radix), and 103 for Chuanwu (Radix Aconiti) (hypoaconitine’s target was obtained through literature and SwissTargetPrediction). A total of 5872 genes were obtained for RA. A drug-active compound-target network involving 13 effect-enhancing and nine toxicity reduction targets was constructed. PGR was the main effect enhancement target, and KCNH2 was the main toxicity reduction target. The effect-enhancing targets were related to 23 GO terms (such as positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, steroid hormone-mediated signaling pathway, plasma membrane, and protein binding) (P

The alterations in myometrial biology during labor are not well understood. The myometrium is the contractile portion of the uterus and contributes to labor, a process that may be regulated by the steroid hormone progesterone. Thus, human myometrial tissues from term pregnant in-active-labor (TIL) and term pregnant not-in-labor (TNIL) subjects were used for genome-wide analyses to elucidate potential future preventive or therapeutic targets involved in the regulation of labor. Using myometrial tissues directly subjected to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), progesterone receptor (PGR) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), and histone modification ChIP-seq, we profiled genome-wide changes associated with gene expression in myometrial smooth muscle tissue in vivo. In TIL myometrium, PGR predominantly occupied promoter regions, including the classical progesterone response element, whereas it bound mainly to intergenic regions in TNIL myometrial tissue. Differential binding analysis uncovered over 1700 differential PGR-bound sites between TIL and TNIL, with 1361 sites gained and 428 lost in labor. Functional analysis identified multiple pathways involved in cAMP-mediated signaling enriched in labor. A three-way integration of the data for ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and active histone marks uncovered the following genes associated with PGR binding, transcriptional activation, and altered mRNA levels: ATP11A, CBX7, and TNS1. In vitro studies showed that ATP11A, CBX7, and TNS1 are progesterone responsive. We speculate that these genes may contribute to the contractile phenotype of the myometrium during various stages of labor. In conclusion, we provide novel labor-associated genome-wide events and PGR-target genes that can serve as targets for future mechanistic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency is one of the major causes of disability and mortality in the world, impacting an estimated 2 billion people. Nutritional iron deficiency occurs when dietary iron absorption is insufficient to meet physiological needs. Dietary iron bioavailability is poor in those who eat a monotonous plant-based diet. Iron deficiency is common in the developing countries like Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, and it has significant health and economic consequences, such as poor pregnancy outcomes, poor school performance, and lower productivity. The current experiment was carried out using a consortium of iron-solubilising and siderophore-producing rhizobacteria along with plant growth regulator (PGR) l-tryptophan for improving plant growth and iron uptake in potato tubers. Results revealed that inoculation with plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Bacillus simplex, along with l-tryptophan, significantly enhanced the plant height, aboveground biomass, tuber characteristics, physiological attributes, and most importantly iron uptake in potato tuber. Inoculation improved the potato yield up to 65% and iron uptake in tubers up to onefold compared with control plants where neither PGPR nor PGR was applied. These findings showed that PGPR can assist plants in absorbing excess iron in an iron-limiting environment. These findings support the view that microbial-assisted biofortification of potato tubers might relieve micronutrient deficiency in people, particularly in resource-constrained regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources in seed genebank plays an important role for food security in the future. The National Genebank of Bulgaria is located on the territory of the Institute of Plant Genetic Resources “K. Malkov” - Sadovo. It was built in 1984 and carry out a scientific programme for long-term preservation of germplasm with seeds under controlled conditions in accordance with the standards, developed by FAO. The total number of registered accessions in the Genebank is above 60 000, where 44572 are preserved in the base collection. These accessions are representatives of 32 families, 150 genera, 600 plant species. Total 10 193 of the accessions originated from Bulgaria. The accessions received abroad originated from more than 80 countries. Germplasm material consists of: local population, old cultivars, advanced varieties, breeding lines. The genetic stocks are available for research and for plant breeding, further utilisation by international and regional co-operation, free exchange of plant genetic resources according to CBD and conditions contained in the standard material transfer agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progesterone receptor (PGR) is a master regulator of uterine function through antagonistic and synergistic interplays with oestrogen receptors. PGR action is primarily mediated by activation functions AF1 and AF2, but their physiological significance is unknown. Results: We report the first study of AF1 function in mice. The AF1 mutant mice are infertile with impaired implantation and decidualization. This is associated with a delay in the cessation of epithelial proliferation and in the initiation of stromal proliferation at preimplantation. Despite tissue selective effect on PGR target genes, AF1 mutations caused global loss of the antioestrogenic activity of progesterone in both pregnant and ovariectomized models. Importantly, the study provides evidence that PGR can exert an antioestrogenic effect by genomic inhibition of Esr1 and Greb1 expression. ChIP-Seq data mining reveals intermingled PGR and ESR1 binding on Esr1 and Greb1 gene enhancers. Chromatin conformation analysis shows reduced interactions in these genes' loci in the mutant, coinciding with their upregulations. Conclusion: AF1 mediates genomic inhibition of ESR1 action globally whilst it also has tissue-selective effect on PGR target genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro plant cell and tissue cultures are potent tools to propagating germplasm resources in conserving and managing plant genetic resources. A reliable micropropagation protocol was developed for efficient callus proliferation and direct and indirect shoot regeneration of Meseika (Haplophyllum tuberculatum). With the applied sterilization procedure, immature, unopened H. tuberculatum seed pods can be identified as a potent explant with high viability and low contamination percentage. Multiple shoots were regenerated from leaf and stem explants through direct organogenesis on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) + 3% sucrose medium amended with BAP. Indirect regeneration of several shoots was achieved on 1/2 MS + 1% sucrose media amended with 2 and 4 mg/l BAP. An efficient callus proliferation from both explants can be achieved by supplementing the MS media with NAA and BAP. All the cultures were incubated in a controlled growth chamber under 5/19 h light/dark photoperiod, temperature (25 ± 2 ℃), and 60% relative humidity (RH).10 ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers were screened to test the genetic fidelity of regenerated H. tuberculatum shoots. Callus development was observed after 15 days and shoot regeneration was occurred after 30 days after callus initiation. 10 ISSR primers produced a total of 39 clear, distinct amplicons. 75, 60, 40, and 16% polymorphism percentages were recorded by the ISSR primer 11, 7, 5, and 4, respectively. The developed micropropagation protocol is appropriate for rapid in-vitro multiplication of H. tuberculatum shoots and callus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In clinical practice, oestrogen receptor (ER) analysis is almost entirely by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ASCO/CAP recommends cut-offs of < 1% (negative) and 1-10% (low) cells positive. There is uncertainty whether patients with ER low tumours benefit from endocrine therapy. We aimed to assess IHC and mRNA cut-points for ER versus biological response of primary breast cancer to 2 weeks' aromatase inhibitor treatment as measured by change in Ki67.Methods: Cases were selected from the aromatase inhibitor treatment group of POETIC. We selected the 15% with the poorest Ki67 response (PR, < 40% Ki67 suppression, n = 230) and a random 30% of the remainder categorised as intermediate (IR, 40-79% Ki67 suppression, n = 150) and good-responders (GR, ≥ 80% Ki67 suppression, n = 230) from HER2 - group. All HER2 + cases available were selected irrespective of their response category (n = 317). ER expression was measured by IHC and qPCR.Results: ER IHC was available from 515 HER2 - and 186 HER2 + tumours and ER qPCR from 367 HER2 - and 171 HER2 + tumours. Ninety-one percentage of patients with ER IHC < 10% were PRs with similar rates in HER2 - and HER2 + cases. At or above ER IHC 10% substantial numbers of patients showed IR or GR. Similar proportions of patients were defined by cut-points of ER IHC < 10% and ER mRNA < 5 units. In addition, loss of PgR expression altered ER anti-proliferation response with 92% of PgR - cases with ER IHC < 40% being PRs.Conclusions: There was little responsiveness at IHC < 10% and no distinction between < 1% and 1-10% cells positive. Similar separation of PRs from IR/GRs was achieved by IHC and mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant, if relatively small, body of literature provides a picture of PGR mental health and wellbeing, and key factors influencing this. However, little has been written on interventions, practices and changes to institutional support for PGRs, how these impact on wellbeing, and what factors influence their success. This paper summarises and synthesises research that has evaluated interventions or institutional changes aimed at supporting PGR mental health and wellbeing. A rapid systematic review methodology identified 21 papers, which evaluated interventions or practices to support PGR wellbeing, gathering data from 1066 students, 33 staff members (mainly supervisors) and 11 recent graduates. The papers included were diverse but limited and therefore did not offer strong evidence for the effectiveness of specific approaches. However, they provided valuable insight, which we conceptualise in a model of approaches to enhancing PGR wellbeing before exploring barriers to implementation of interventions, and recommendations for research, policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro plant cell and tissue cultures are potent tools to propagating germplasm resources in conserving and managing plant genetic resources. A reliable micropropagation protocol was developed for efficient callus proliferation and direct and indirect shoot regeneration of Meseika (Haplophyllum tuberculatum). With the applied sterilization procedure, immature, unopened H. tuberculatum seed pods can be identified as a potent explant with high viability and low contamination percentage. Multiple shoots were regenerated from leaf and stem explants through direct organogenesis on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) + 3% sucrose medium amended with BAP. Indirect regeneration of several shoots was achieved on 1/2 MS + 1% sucrose media amended with 2 and 4 mg/l BAP. An efficient callus proliferation from both explants can be achieved by supplementing the MS media with NAA and BAP. All the cultures were incubated in a controlled growth chamber under 5/19 h light/dark photoperiod, temperature (25 ± 2°C), and 60% relative humidity (RH).10 ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers were screened to test the genetic fidelity of regenerated H. tuberculatum shoots. Callus development was observed after 15 days and shoot regeneration was occurred after 30 days after callus initiation. 10 ISSR primers produced a total of 39 clear, distinct amplicons. 75, 60, 40, and 16% polymorphism percentages were recorded by the ISSR primer 11, 7, 5, and 4, respectively. The developed micropropagation protocol is appropriate for rapid in-vitro multiplication of H. tuberculatum shoots and callus.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a valuable fruit crop worldwide. Farmers’ incomes are closely related to fruit quantity and quality, yet these can be highly variable across years. As part of a broader project for optimizing fruit set and fruit quality in sweet cherries, this study was conducted to evaluate the potential of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) for improving fruit set and fruit quality. Cytokinins, gibberellins, auxin, and polyamines were used as treatments. Treatments were applied as foliar sprays at full bloom to ‘Bing’ and three low-productivity genotypes, ‘Regina’, ‘Tieton’, and ‘PC8011-3’. We assessed the fruit set, fruit quality, and return bloom from each treatment. 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA) increased fruit set by 53% and 36% in ‘Bing’ and ‘Tieton’, respectively. The combination of gibberellin (GA)3 + GA4/7 was more effective for improving fruit set than other isomers of gibberellin alone. Cytokinin treatments had slight adverse effects or no effect on fruit set except for CPPU. In ‘PC8011-3’, both N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU) and 4-CPA enhanced fruit set by ≈81% and 100% compared with untreated control. The response of cherry trees to polyamine sprays depended on the properties of the cultivars and the treatment concentration. Foliar application of GA3, GA4/7, or N-phenyl-N'-(1, 2, 3-thiadiazol-5-yl) urea (TDZ) in ‘Bing’ trees has negative effects on return bloom, whereas GA1 can increase the yield and flower buds. These results suggest that PGRs may have varied effects on sweet cherry fruit set and that more work is needed to develop practical programs for improving yield security.