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Abstract Oral corticosteroids represents the most prevalent treatment for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Ductal lavage with triamcinolone acetonide and antibiotics followed by observation (DL-OBS) has emerged as a novel strategy, but a comparison of them remains lacking. Here in this multicenter, open-label, non-inferiority, randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03724903), we assigned 140 patients to oral corticosteroids (N = 71) and DL-OBS (N = 69), stratified by baseline M-score. The primary outcome is complete Clinical Response rate at 1 year. The non-inferiority margin is −15%. The primary outcome is 85.5% in DL-OBS and 87.3% in oral corticosteroids (difference: −1.8%; 95%CI, 13.2 to 9.5; Pnon-inferiority = .01) in intention-to-treat population, and 92.6% vs 98.2% (difference −5.6%; 95%CI −13.4 to 2.2; Pnon-inferiority = .01) in per-protocol population, respectively. The most common (>15%) adverse events were Cushingoid, epigastric pain and arthralgia in oral corticosteroids, and irregular menstruation in DL-OBS, respectively. Here, we report that DL-OBS shows similar efficacy to oral corticosteroids but with better safety profile.

Abstract Objectives To assess the global burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) attributable to high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2021 and analyze its spatiotemporal distribution characteristics. Study design An observational study based on GBD 2021 data. Methods Data on AF burden due to high BMI were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to evaluate temporal trends in age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) over 30 years. Results In 2021, high BMI-related AF caused 27,000 deaths and 725,000 DALYs globally, a 376% increase since 1990. Females and the elderly (aged 70+) bore a higher burden. Upper-middle-income regions surpassed high-income regions in AF burden. Australasia had the highest age-standardized rates, while High-income Asia Pacific and South Asia had the lowest. South Asia showed rapid growth in age-standardized death rates. Conclusion The global burden of high BMI-related AF varies across regions and time, threatening global health, especially for females and the elderly. Targeted strategies are needed to reduce AF and obesity.

Despite the wealth of studies on benzothiadiazole (BTH) and its capacity to modulate grape polyphenol metabolism, comprehensive data detailing polyphenol accumulation at various grape growth stages remain scarce. Therefore, the present study utilized pre-harvest (at 21 days after flowering) canopy-applied BTH (50 mg/L) on Cabernet Gernischt and Cabernet Franc grapes to investigate the physicochemical and polyphenolic changes during grape maturation. The results showed that BTH treatment significantly affected the accumulation of total phenols, flavonoids, flavanols, anthocyanins, and tannins. Concurrently, it induced an increase in colorimetric parameters (CIRG, L*, b*, a*, and C*ab), resulting in the treated grapes exhibiting a greater color intensity and enhanced red-bluish colorimetric characteristics. Moreover, the BTH treatment amplified the anthocyanin content in the grapes, with the levels of petunidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside exhibiting remarkable increases, particularly in the Cabernet Franc grape. Notably, the content of peonidin-3-O-glucoside even surpassed that of malvidin-3-O-glucoside throughout the growth stages, indicating significant advantages in the treated samples. Additionally, the levels of flavanol, flavonols, phenolic acids, and stilbenes experienced a significant boost post-treatment. In conclusion, the application of BTH treatment can effectively enhance the accumulation of polyphenols and intensify the color of Cabernet Gernischt and Cabernet Franc grapes, thereby significantly improving the overall quality of wine grapes and ensuring the production of higher-quality wines. The research findings will serve as a theoretical foundation and provide scientific data for the appropriate utilization of BTH in wine grape cultivation.

The unique ecological environment of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau has endowed Chinese sea buckthorn leaves with rich bioactivities. In this study, we investigated the bioactivity and stress resistance mechanisms of flavonoids derived from Chinese sea buckthorn leaves (FCL) native to the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Our analysis identified a total of 57 flavonoids, mainly flavonol glycosides, from FCL, of which 6 were novel flavonoids. Isorhamnetin glycosides, quercetin glycosides and kaempferol glycosides were the three most dominant classes of compounds in FCL. In particular, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside emerged as the most abundant compound. Our results showed that FCL possesses potent antioxidant properties, as evidenced by its ability to effectively scavenge DPPH free radicals and demonstrate ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) levels comparable to Trolox, a well-known antioxidant standard. Furthermore, FCL showed remarkable efficacy in reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels while enhancing the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), in Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely used model organism. Mechanistically, we elucidated that FCL exerts its stress resistance effects by modulating of transcription factors DAF-16 and HSF-1 within the insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway (IIS). Activation of these transcription factors orchestrates the expression of downstream target genes including sod-3, ctl-1, hsp16.2, and hsp12.6, thus enhancing the organism’s ability to cope with stressors. Overall, our study highlights the rich reservoir of flavonoids in Chinese sea buckthorn leaves as promising candidates for natural medicines, due to their robust antioxidant properties and ability to enhance stress resistance.

Primary forests are spatially diverse terrestrial ecosystems with unique characteristics, being naturally regenerative and heterogeneous, which supports the stability of their carbon storage through the accumulation of live and dead biomass. Yet, little is known about the interactions between biomass stocks, tree genus diversity and structure across a temperate montane primary forest. Here, we investigated the relationship between tree structure (variability in basal area and tree size), genus-level diversity (abundance, tree diversity) and biomass stocks in temperate primary mountain forests across Central and Eastern Europe. We used inventory data from 726 permanent sample plots from mixed beech and spruce across the Carpathian Mountains. We used nonlinear regression to analyse the spatial variability in forest biomass, structure, and genus-level diversity and how they interact with plot-level tree age, disturbances, temperature and altitude. We found that the combined effects of genus and structural indices were important for addressing the variability in biomass across different spatial scales. Local processes in disturbance regimes and uneven tree age support forest heterogeneity and the accumulation of live and dead biomass through the natural regeneration, growth and decay of the forest ecosystem. Structural complexities in basal area index, supported by genus-level abundance, positively influence total biomass stocks, which was modulated by tree age and disturbances. Spruce forests showed higher tree density and basal area than mixed beech forests, though mixed beech still contributes significantly to biomass across landscapes. Forest heterogeneity was strongly influenced by complexities in forest composition (tree genus diversity, structure). We addressed the importance of primary forests as stable carbon stores, achieved through structure and diversity. Safeguarding such ecosystems is critical for ensuring the stability of the primary forest, carbon store and biodiversity into the future.

Due to the recent implementation of carbon limits and certain government delays in promulgating these limits, some firms are faced with incomplete information regarding their carbon limits, which hinders their ability to make environmental investments based on accurate information. This study aims to investigate firms’ optimal decisions regarding carbon limit estimations and environmental investment amounts when faced with incomplete information on carbon limits. In addition, it explores the impact of such uncertain regulations on firms’ environmental investments. These issues are progressively addressed through the establishment and resolution of a two-stage model. The research indicates that it is not always appropriate for firms to estimate carbon limits as the minimum value. While this strategy helps them better adapt to strict emission regulations, it involves substantial financial costs. The level of environmental investment is negatively influenced by estimated carbon limits, owing to the escalating marginal cost nature associated with reducing carbon emissions. However, the impact of carbon limit uncertainty on environmental investment is not constant. It can be positive, negative, or neutral depending on the firm’s trade-off between decision robustness and profit objectives. These findings provide insights into how firms in countries that have recently implemented carbon limits and delayed the disclosure of carbon limits can make environmental investments.

Multiple genetic factors control tillering, a key agronomy trait for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. Previously, we reported a dwarf-monoculm mutant (dmc) derived from wheat cultivar Guomai 301, and found that the contents of gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) in the tiller primordia of dmc were significantly higher. Transcriptome analysis indicated that some wheat gibberellin oxidase (TaGAox) genes TaGA20ox-A2, TaGA20ox-B2, TaGA3ox-A2, TaGA20ox-A4, TaGA2ox-A10 and TaGA2ox-B10 were differentially expressed in dmc. Therefore, this study systematically analyzed the roles of gibberellin oxidase genes during wheat tillering. A total of 63 TaGAox genes were identified by whole genome analysis. The TaGAoxs were clustered to four subfamilies, GA20oxs, GA2oxs, GA3oxs and GA7oxs, including seven subgroups based on their protein structures. The promoter regions of TaGAox genes contain a large number of cis-acting elements closely related to hormone, plant growth and development, light, and abiotic stress responses. Segmental duplication events played a major role in TaGAoxs expansion. Compared to Arabidopsis, the gene collinearity degrees of the GAoxs were significantly higher among wheat, rice and maize. TaGAox genes showed tissue-specific expression patterns. The expressions of TaGAox genes (TaGA20ox-B2, TaGA7ox-A1, TaGA2ox10 and TaGA3ox-A2) were significantly affected by exogenous GA3 applications, which also significantly promoted tillering of Guomai 301, but didn’t promote dmc. TaGA7ox-A1 overexpression transgenic wheat lines were obtained by Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Genomic PCR and first-generation sequencing demonstrated that the gene was integrated into the wheat genome. Association analysis of TaGA7ox-A1 expression level and tiller number per plant demonstrated that the tillering capacities of some TaGA7ox-A1 transgenic lines were increased. These data demonstrated that some TaGAoxs as well as GA signaling were involved in regulating wheat tillering, but the GA signaling pathway was disturbed in dmc. This study provided valuable clues for functional characterization of GAox genes in wheat.

Black point disease caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a problem in wheat production worldwide. We aimed to identify major quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to black point and develop molecular markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS). A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between Wanyuanbai 1 (susceptible) and SN4143 (resistant) was evaluated for black point response at three locations during two years under artificial inoculation with B. sorokiniana, providing data for six environments. Thirty resistant and 30 susceptible RILs were selected to form resistant and susceptible bulks, respectively, that were genotyped by the wheat 660K SNP array; 685 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, among which 385 (56.2%) and 115 (16.8%) were located on chromosomes 4A and 2B, respectively. Bulked segregant RNA-Seq analysis identified candidate regions on chromosomes 4A (4.60–40.28 Mb) and 5A (1.22–48.47 Mb). Genetic linkage maps were constructed for chromosomes 2B, 4A, and 5A using 59 polymorphic dCAPS and SSR markers. Finally, two QTL, designated QBB.hau-4A and QBB.hau-5A, were detected on chromosomes 4A and 5A, respectively. The resistance allele of QBB.hau-4A was derived from SN4143, and that of QBB.hau-5A came from Wanyuanbai 1. QBB.hau-4A with a large and consistent effect (15.1%) is likely to be a new locus for black point resistance. The markers linked to QBB.hau-4A and QBB.hau-5A have potential application in MAS-based breeding.

The dual-factor model of mental health has garnered substantial support, positing the necessity of encompassing both negative (e.g., psychological problems) and positive (e.g., well-being) indicators in comprehensive evaluations of people’s mental health. Nonetheless, the nature of the profiles and predictors (such as academic emotions) during four years of university life lack clarity, hampering a profound understanding of mental well-being among university students. This research included 135 items designed to assess an array of depression symptoms, negative emotional experiences, life satisfaction, positive emotional experiences, and academic emotions. First, this research affirmed the applicability of the dual-factor model in the context of Chinese university students (N = 2277) with the utilization of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Furthermore, latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to delineate prevalent constellations of psychological symptoms and subjective well-being within participants. The outcomes unveiled the existence of three distinct clusters: (1) Complete Mental Health, (2) Vulnerable, and (3) Troubled. Third, by employing R3stept on academic emotions and mental health classifications, this study revealed that there were associations between this variable and specific amalgams of psychological symptoms and well-being levels. These findings bear influence on the practice of mental health screening and the identification of individuals necessitating targeted interventions.

Pre-harvest application of elicitors improves grape quality, specifically the phenolic compounds and color characteristics. Limited research has been conducted on the impact of elicitors on the C6 compounds found in grapes. This is due to lack of comprehensive studies examining the combined effects of bound aroma compounds, enzyme activity, and substrate availability. This study aimed to assess the impact of benzothiadiazole (BTH) on the physicochemical properties and C6 compounds of Cabernet Gernischt grapes during ripening. Compared with the control group (CK), BTH treatment significantly increased the 100-berry weight, skin/berry ratio, pH, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content in ripe grapes. Additionally, BTH treatment led to significant reductions in reducing sugar, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and free C6 aldehydes. Furthermore, BTH treatment significantly decreased the contents of free C6 alcohols and increased the levels of free and bound C6 esters. BTH treatment also increased the activities of lipoxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol acetyltransferase enzymes, while it decreased the activity of hydroperoxide lyase enzyme. The application of BTH resulted in changes to the physicochemical properties and levels of C6 compounds in Cabernet Gernischt grapes by up-regulating enzyme activity and down-regulating precursors.

Presently, the environmental pollution problem, especially that of the small and medium-sized enterprises, has become a bottleneck restricting the high-quality development of China’s economy. It is imperative to accelerate the construction of a collaborative governance system with multiple subject participation. The behavior modes of Environmental Non-governmental Organizations (ENGOs), a key player in environmental care, in collaborating with core enterprises to control pollution from small and medium-sized suppliers should be explored. Therefore, we constructed a collaborative governance system consisting of ENGOs, focal firms and small and medium-sized suppliers. Then a two-stage game model was established to analyze the strategies of the governance system. Specifically, we studied the collaborative green cooperation strategy and antagonistic pressure supervision strategy between ENGOs and focal firms, analyzed factors influencing the strategic choices of each subject, and gave the advantages of the cooperation strategies through further comparisons. The results showed that: Under the cooperation strategy, ENGOs provided knowledge of environmental protection to the focal firms, then both the audit efforts of focal firms and the environmental protection efforts of small and medium-sized suppliers were effectively improved. Since ENGOs could not fully obtain the pollution information of small and medium-sized suppliers or accurately trace it from their downstream focal firms, it was difficult to drive the supply chain’s endogenous governance by this external monitoring of ENGOs, making the effect of pressure supervision strategy limited. The effectiveness of green cooperation strategy was positively correlated with the knowledge absorption capacity of focal firms, the unit product revenue, and the focal firms' violation penalties for small and medium-sized suppliers. When ENGOs' violation penalties for small and medium-sized suppliers were higher, or the reputation loss of focal firms was higher, more unfavorable conditions of green cooperation strategy could be achieved. Accordingly, ENGOs should choose to cooperate with focal firms with strong knowledge absorption ability and high profit per product; focal firms should learn environmental protection knowledge to improve the screening standards and review capabilities, and promote the achievement of green cooperation strategy conditions by strengthening active information disclosure; the government should promote the collaboration between ENGOs and focal firms by issuing environmental guidelines.

Phenolic ingredients of Hippophae tibetana (Tib) and H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis (Rha) berry from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-triple Quadrupole Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Results demonstrated that both of them possessed high levels of total phenolic and flavonoid, and compared to Tib, Rha berry exhibited higher contents. Moreover, flavonols was the most predominant subclass in Rha berry, flavonols and flavanols were the two most abundant subclasses in Tib berry. Among them, rutin and narcissin were present in the most abundant amounts in Rha berry, while (−)-epigallocatechin was the richest substance in Tib berry. Furthermore, both phenolic extracts of sea buckthorn berry exhibited strong in vitro and cellular antioxidant properties. Rha berry extract exhibited much stronger effects because of its higher levels of phenolic and flavonoid profiles. This finding proved that the Rha berry could serve as a food source for better health with great potential antioxidant activity.

Recently, core enterprises are compelled to invest in the environmental responsibility of upstream suppliers, since their brand image and market share will be significantly impacted when suppliers fail to comply with environmental regulations. However, the effectiveness of the core enterprises’ investment efficiency is limited by insufficient environmental knowledge. Although cooperating with the knowledge-advantaged environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO) may be an effective solution, we observe from the recent examples that not all core enterprises are willing to cooperate in a competitive market. Within this context, we develop a theoretical model to investigate whether competitive core enterprises can benefit from cooperating with the knowledge-advantaged ENGO to motivate the supplier’s environmental responsibility. Our results show that cooperation incentivizes core enterprises’ investments in the supplier’s environmental responsibility, which in turn motivates better environmental responsibility of the supplier. However, we illustrate that cooperation is not necessarily the optimal strategy for core enterprises in the duopoly scenario. Specifically, as the knowledge absorption ability increases, a core enterprise may free-ride on another’s investment, shifting its strategic preference from cooperating to not cooperating. In addition, competition may stimulate the core enterprises’ investments and cooperation motivation, thus improving the total environmental effort and supply chain members’ profits. Our findings provide insights into the competitive core enterprises’ strategic choice regarding suppliers’ environmental responsibility management.

Abstract Black point is a cereal disease caused by complex pathogens, of which the pathogenicity of Bipolaris sorokiniana is the most serious in wheat. Resistance to black point is quantitative in nature, and thus the mechanism is poorly understood. We conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in black point-slightly susceptible and -highly susceptible wheat lines at different timepoints following B. sorokiniana inoculation. DEGs associated with photosynthesis were upregulated in black point-slightly susceptible lines. The top Gene Ontology enrichment terms for biological processes were oxidation–reduction, response to cold, salt stress, oxidative stress, and cadmium ion; terms for cellular component genes were mainly involved in plasma membrane and cytoplasmic membrane-bounded vesicle, whereas those for molecular function were heme binding and peroxidase activity. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase were higher in slightly susceptible lines than those in highly susceptible lines (except peroxidase 12–24 days post-inoculation). Thus, resistance to B. sorokiniana-caused black point in wheat was mainly related to counteracting oxidative stress, although the specific metabolic pathways require further study. This study presents new insights for understanding resistance mechanisms of selected wheat lines to black point.

Abstract Background The Lycoris genus includes many ornamentally and medicinally important species. Polyploidization and hybridization are considered modes of speciation in this genus, implying great genetic diversity. However, the lack of effective molecular markers has limited the genetic analysis of this genus. Results In this study, mining of EST-SSR markers was performed using transcriptome sequences of L. aurea, and 839 primer pairs for non-redundant EST-SSRs were successfully designed. A subset of 60 pairs was randomly selected for validation, of which 44 pairs could amplify products of the expected size. Cross-species transferability of the 60 primer pairs among Lycoris species were assessed in L. radiata Hreb, L. sprengeri Comes ex Baker, L. chinensis Traub and L. anhuiensis, of which between 38 to 77% of the primers were able to amplify products in these Lycoris species. Furthermore, 20 and 10 amplification products were selected for sequencing verification in L. aurea and L. radiata respectively. All products were validated as expected SSRs. In addition, 15 SSRs, including 10 sequence-verified and 5 unverified SSRs were selected and used to evaluate the genetic diversity of seven L. radiata lines. Among these, there were three sterile lines, three fertile lines and one line represented by the offspring of one fertile line. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean analysis (UPGMA) demonstrated that the outgroup, L. aurea was separated from L. radiata lines and that the seven L. radiata lines were clustered into two groups, consistent with their fertility. Interestingly, even a dendrogram with 34 individuals representing the seven L. radiata lines was almost consistent with fertility. Conclusions This study supplies a pool of potential 839 non-redundant SSR markers for genetic analysis of Lycoris genus, that present high amplification rate, transferability and efficiency, which will facilitate genetic analysis and breeding program in Lycoris.

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the main production area of Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis (Rha) and H. tibetana (Tib), but studies on the types and contents of soluble sugars, organic acids, free phenolics, bound phenolics, vitamin C (VC), tocopherol (VE) and carotenoids of the two sea buckthorn berries from this region have not been reported. In this paper, we found that the soluble sugars in Rha and Tib were mainly glucose and fructose; Rha exhibited a higher content of total sugar and fructose compared to Tib. The organic acids were mainly quinic acid and malic acid; Rha exhibited a higher content of total acids and quinic acid, but lower tartaric acid and citric acid compared to Tib. Rha also possessed a higher total (free and bound) phenolic as well as total (free and bound) flavonoid content than those in Tib; twelve phenolic compounds were analyzed, among which flavonols were dominant. Catechin, isorhamnetin and quercetin were the main phenolic substances. VC and VE (γ-tocopherol (γ-VE) and δ-tocopherol (δ-VE)) were higher in Rha than Tib. The total carotenoid, lutein, β-carotene and lycopene content of Tib was remarkably higher than that in Rha. Moreover, both Rha and Tib showed good in vitro and cellular antioxidant activities, and Rha had a stronger antioxidant activity. Taken together, Rha had a higher antioxidant activity, which may be due to its higher content of phenolics, flavonoids, VC and VE.

Background: Although many risk prediction models have been released internationally, the application of these models in the Chinese population still has some limitations.Aims: The purpose of the study was to establish a heart failure (HF) prognosis model suitable for the Chinese population.Methods: According to the inclusion criteria, we included patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) who were admitted to the Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation of Tongji Hospital from March 2007 to December 2018, recorded each patient's condition and followed up on the patient's re-admission and death. All data sets were randomly divided into derivation and validation cohorts in a ratio of 7/3. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and Cox regression were used to screen independent predictors; a nomogram chart scoring model was constructed and validated.Results: A total of 547 patients were recruited in this cohort, and the median follow-up time was 519 days. The independent predictors screened out by the derivation cohort included age, atrial fibrillation (AF), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), diabetes mellitus (DM), peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2), heart rate at the 8th minute after the cardiopulmonary exercise peaked (HR8min), C-reaction protein(CRP), and uric acid (UA). The C indexes values of the derivation and the validation cohorts were 0.69 and 0.62, respectively, and the calibration curves indicate that the model's predictions were in good agreement with the actual observations.Conclusions: We have developed and validated a multiple Cox regression model to predict long-term mortality and readmission risk of Chinese patients with CHF.Registration Number: ChicTR-TRC-00000235.

Tillering ability is a key agronomy trait for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Studies on a dwarf monoculm wheat mutant (dmc) showed that ARF11 played an important role in tillering of wheat. In this study, a total of 67 ARF family members were identified and clustered to two main classes with four subgroups based on their protein structures. The promoter regions of T. aestivum ARF (TaARF) genes contain a large number of cis-acting elements closely related to plant growth and development, and hormone response. The segmental duplication events occurred commonly and played a major role in the expansion of TaARFs. The gene collinearity degrees of the ARFs between wheat and other grasses, rice and maize, were significantly high. The evolution distances among TaARFs determine their expression profiles, such as homoeologous genes have similar expression profiles, like TaARF4-3A-1, TaARF4-3A-2 and their homoeologous genes. The expression profiles of TaARFs in various tissues or organs indicated TaARF3, TaARF4, TaARF9 and TaARF22 and their homoeologous genes played basic roles during wheat development. TaARF4, TaARF9, TaARF12, TaARF15, TaARF17, TaARF21, TaARF25 and their homoeologous genes probably played basic roles in tiller development. qRT-PCR analyses of 20 representative TaARF genes revealed that the abnormal expressions of TaARF11 and TaARF14 were major causes constraining the tillering of dmc. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) contents in dmc were significantly less than that in Guomai 301 at key tillering stages. Exogenous IAA application significantly promoted wheat tillering, and affected the transcriptions of TaARFs. These data suggested that TaARFs as well as IAA signaling were involved in controlling wheat tillering. This study provided valuable clues for functional characterization of ARFs in wheat.

Benzothiadiazole (BTH) is a commercial chemical elicitor that can induce an innate immune response in grapevines and improve the phenolic components and color quality of grapes and corresponding products. The literature on the influence of BTH on the accumulation and metabolism of phenols from grapes is extensive. However, many unknown bio-mechanisms involved have been poorly investigated, which opens a gateway for pioneering research that needs to be done in this field. To this purpose, this review aims to analyze and explore the gaps in current research so that subsequent studies may be geared towards them.

The application of elicitors enhances grape quality, especially the volatile compounds. There are few studies on the influence of elicitors on the aroma compositions of grapes. Additionally, studies on the amino acids and aroma profiles of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes are scant. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of benzothiadiazole (BTH) treatments on the amino acids and aroma profiles of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes during berry development. BTH was sprayed on berries at three different stages during grape development; the fruit set period, swelling, and veraison stages. Physicochemical parameters, amino acids, and aroma compounds of the grapes were evaluated. The results showed increased an weight and color quality of treated grapes, while the content of primary metabolites such as sugar and amino acids in treated grapes declined relative to control grapes. However, total concentrations of the various aroma classes were higher in treated grapes, except for carbonyls and terpenoids, which presented higher levels in control grapes than in BTH-treated grapes. The correlation analysis between amino acids and aroma compounds revealed positive correlations in both samples with few negative correlations in BTH samples. The odor activity values (OAVs) affirmed the floral, fruity, and fresh-green nature of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes. BTH application to ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ berries significantly influenced the compositional qualities of the grapes.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is one of the major causes of mortality worldwide, representing the terminal stage of several cardiovascular diseases. Exercise-based rehabilitation is a beneficial therapy for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, there is a lack of specific guidance on clinical decision-making regarding optimal exercise intensity. It is necessary to optimize the clinical recommendations for HF exercises. We will evaluate the efficacy and safety of different aerobic exercise intensities in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): the HF-EI trial. This trial aims to assess the appropriate exercise intensity for patients with HFrEF.Methods: After a baseline assessment to determine the safety of exercise, 180 patients will be randomly assigned to supervised high-intensity exercise training (ET) group, supervised moderate intensity training (MIT) group, and control group at a ratio of 1:1:1. Patients randomly receiving high intensity training (HIT) undergo supervised ET (3 times/week, 30 min) for aerobic endurance at 70% peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) intensity for 12 weeks. The MIT patients will perform supervised aerobic ET (3 times/week, 35–42 min) at the anaerobic threshold (AT) intensity for 12 weeks. The control group will continue to maintain their daily activities and will not receive ET. During the baseline and follow-up period, physical examination, laboratory tests, cardiology diagnostic tests, cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET), 6-min walk distance (6MWD), scale scores, exercise steps, medications, and clinical events will be monitored. Throughout the research, sport bracelets and patient diaries will be used to monitor and record overall physical activity, training courses, and compliance.Discussion: The HF-EI trial will evaluate the effects of different aerobic exercise intensities on peak VO2, quality of life (QoL), and clinical events among patients with HFrEF. The findings of this trial will provide a basis for formulating exercise prescriptions for patients with HFrEF.Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier: ChiCTR2000036381.

Tillering is a key agronomy trait for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Previously, we have reported a dwarf-monoculm wheat mutant (dmc) obtained from cultivar Guomai 301 (wild type, WT), and found growth regulating factors (GRFs) playing important roles in regulating wheat tillering. This study is to systematically investigate the roles of all the wheat GRFs (T. aestivum GRFs, TaGRFs) in regulating tillering, and screen out the key regulators. A total of 30 TaGRFs were identified and their physicochemical properties, gene structures, conserved domains, phylogenetic relationships and tissue expression profiles were analyzed. The expression levels of all the TaGRFs were significantly lower in dmc than those in WT at early tillering stage, and the abnormal expressions of TaGRF2-7(A, B, D), TaGRF5-7D, TaGRF10-6(A, B, D) and TaGRF11-2A were major causes constraining the tillering of dmc. The transcriptions of TaGRFs were significantly affected by exogenous indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin acid (GA3) applications, which suggested that TaGRFs as well as IAA, GA signaling were involved in controlling wheat tillering. This study provided valuable clues for functional characterization of GRF genes in wheat.

To understand the blackening mechanism in black point diseased kernels, ultraviolet–visible light (UV–Vis) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) absorbance spectra of extracts made from the blackening parts of black point-affected (BP) kernels and the analogous part of black point-free (BPF) kernels were measured using susceptible wheat genotypes “PZSCL6” inoculated with Bipolaris sorokiniana (the dominant pathogen causing this disease). In addition, metabolite differences between BP and BPF kernels were identified by a method that combines gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Successively, symptoms of black point were produced in vitro. The results showed (i) the spectroscopic properties of the extracts from BP and BPF kernels were very similar, with an absorption peak at 235 nm and a small shoulder at 280–300 nm in both UV–Vis spectra and shared vibrations at 3400–3300, 2925 and 2852, 1512 and 1463, 1709, 1220, 600–860 cm–1 in FT-IR spectra that are consistent with similar bonding characteristics. In contrast, spectroscopic properties of extracts from wheat kernels were different from those of synthetic melanin and extracellular and intracellular melanin produced by B. sorokiniana. (ii) Levels of 156 metabolites in BP kernels were different from those in BPF kernels. Among those 156 metabolites, levels of phenolic acids (ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid), 11 phenolamides compounds, and four benzoxazinone derivatives were significantly higher in BP kernels than in BPF kernels. (iii) Symptom of black point could be produced in vitro in wheat kernels with supplement of phenol substrate (catechol) and H2O2. This result proved that blackening substance causing symptom of black point was produced by enzymatic browning in wheat kernels instead of by B. sorokiniana.

Elicitors as alternatives to agrochemicals are widely used as a sustainable farming practice. The use of elicitors in viticulture to control disease and improve phenolic compounds is widely recognized in this field. Concurrently, they also affect other secondary metabolites, such as aroma compounds. Grape and wine aroma compounds are an important quality factor that reflects nutritional information and influences consumer preference. However, the effects of elicitors on aroma compounds are diverse, as different grape varieties respond differently to treatments. Among the numerous commercialized elicitors, some have proven very effective in improving the quality of grapes and the resulting wines. This review summarizes some of the elicitors commonly used in grapevines for protection against biotic and abiotic stresses and their impact on the quality of volatile compounds. The work is intended to serve as a reference for growers for the sustainable development of high-quality grapes.

A dwarf, multi-pistil and male sterile dms mutant was previously reported by us. However, the genetic changes in this dms are unclear. To examine the genetic changes, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association, chromosome counting, and high-resolution chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques were employed. By comparing tall plants (T) with dwarf plants (D) in the offspring of dms mutant plants, SNP association analysis indicated that most SNPs were on chromosome 2A. There were three types in offspring of dms plants, with 42, 41 and 40 chromosomes respectively. High-resolution chromosome painting analysis demonstrated that T plants had all 42 wheat chromosomes; the medium plants (M) had 41 chromosomes, lacking one chromosome 2A; while D plants had 40 wheat chromosomes, and lacked both 2A chromosomes. These data demonstrated that dms resulted from a loss of chromosome 2A. We identified 23 genes on chromosome 2A which might be involved in the development of stamens or pollen grains. These results lay a solid foundation for further analysis of the molecular mechanisms of wheat male sterility. Because D plants can be used as a female parent to cross with other wheat genotypes, dms is a unique germplasm for any functional study of chromosome 2A and wheat breeding specifically targeting genes on 2A.

Background. Nicorandil in reducing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) following elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an inconsistent practice. This article aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nicorandil in preventing CIN after elective PCI. Methods. This is a pooled analysis of patients treated with elective PCI. The primary outcome was the incidence of CIN. The secondary outcomes were major adverse events, including mortality, heart failure, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, and renal replacement therapy. Results. A total of 1229 patients were recruited in our study. With statistical significance, nicorandil lowered the risk of CIN (odds ratio = 0.26; 95% confidence interval = 0.16–0.44; P0.05). Conclusions. Our article indicated that nicorandil could prevent CIN without increasing the major adverse events. Furthermore, sufficiently powered and randomized clinical studies are still needed in order to determine the role of nicorandil in preventing CIN after elective PCI.

Dongxiang wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) germplasm is a precious resource for the improvement of agronomic traits in rice. Rice seeds also harbor a diverse endophytic bacterial community, and their interactions with their hosts and each other can influence plant growth and adaptability. Here, we investigated the community composition of cultivable endophytic bacteria obtained from the surface-sterilized seeds of Dongxiang wild rice and screened them for plant growth-promoting traits. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the 47 isolates were affiliated with five classes and 13 discrete genera, and Bacillus and Microbacterium predominated. Evaluations of plant growth promoting (PGP) traits showed that 45 endophytic bacteria isolates produced between 3.37 and 90.11 μg mL−1 of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), with the highest yield of 90.11 μg mL−1 (Fse28). Further, 37 of the isolates were able to solubilize mineral phosphate, while 28 other isolates had the ability of N2-fixation, 17 isolates possessed 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity with the highest yield of 20.72 μmol mg−1 protein h−1 (Fse35), and 17 isolates were also able to produce siderophores. The two strains Fse28 and Fse35 had multiple PGP traits that significantly improved the agronomic traits (root length, shoot length, dry matter, and chlorophyll content) of cultivated rice seedlings. Our results illustrate the rich diversity of seed endophytic bacteria in Dongxiang wild rice and their potential for developing novel efficient bioinoculants to enhance soil fertility and favor seedling growth.

Background Galanthamine, one kind of Amaryllidaceae alkaloid extracted from the Lycoris species, is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In regards to medical and economic importance, the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of the secondary metabolites in Lycoris remain uninvestigated. Methods BLAST was used to identify the sequence of tyrosine decarboxylase in the transcriptome of Lycoris aurea (L’Hér) Herb. The enzyme activity of this TYDC was determined by using heterologous expressed protein in the Escherichia coli cells. The related productive contents of tyramine were detected using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). According to the available micro RNA sequencing profiles and degradome database of L. aurea, microRNA396 were isolated, which targets to LaTYDC1 and RNA Ligase-Mediated-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RLM-RACE) were used to confirm the cleavage. The expression levels of miR396 and LaTYDC1 were measured using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results LaTYDC1 was mainly expressed in root, bulb, leaf and flower fitting the models for galanthamine accumulation. This decarboxylase efficiently catalyzes tyrosine to tyramine conversion. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, the expression of LaTYDC1 and the content of tyramine sharply increase. The use of RLM-RACE confirms that miR396 promotes the degradation of LaTYDC1 mRNA. Under MeJA treatment, the expression of miR396 was suppressed while the expression level of LaTYDC1 sharply increased. Following the increase of the miR396 transcriptional level, LaTYDC1 was significantly repressed. Conclusion LaTYDC1 participates in the biosynthesis of galanthamine, and is regulated by miR396. This finding also provides genetic strategy for improving the yield of galanthamine in the future.

Over the past few decades, a gradual increase in sedentary lifestyles along with the increased consumption of a modern, hypercaloric diet has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of those classified as overweight or obese in China. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has become a key public health issue. However, it is important to be cautious when interpreting the literature as the majority of studies apply cross-sectional data to assess and subjectively compare the relationship between physical fitness and being overweight and obese. In the present study, longitudinal data were collected from 3066 students (enrolled in 2014) at a university in China at the beginning of each academic year throughout their four-year university program. The aim of this study was to analyze the various associations between BMI, explosive power, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance, and a random-intercept panel model (RIPM) was separately employed on male and female participants to identify between- and within-person variations. In this way, the associations for between-person physical fitness and normal/overweight/obese weight ranges, and for within-person physical fitness and normal/overweight/obese weight ranges could be observed. The results of this study revealed that every physical fitness test chosen for evaluation (such as the standing long jump for explosive power or the distance run for cardiorespiratory endurance) was negatively related to the BMI results, irrespective of sex, with the notable exception of the flexibility results. In addition, this study showed that both males and females exhibited positively correlated results in both between-person BMI and flexibility as well as within-person BMI and flexibility. Furthermore, the relationships between and within persons of cardiorespiratory endurance, explosive power, and flexibility all showed positive correlations across both sexes. The dynamics between physical fitness and BMI identified in this study could prove useful to practitioners and researchers investigating such relationships in the future.

ABSTRACT: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stem development significantly affects grain yield. The dwarf plants (D) of wheat mutant dms was less than 30cm. Here, we were to explore the molecular basis for the restrained stem development of the dwarf plants. The results were reached by compare the young spikes and stems transcriptomes of the tall (T) and D plants of mutant dms. We identified 663 genes highly expressed in stem tips. We identified 997 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in stem tips between T and D, 403 DEGs were significantly related with stem development. Most biological processes in stem tips on dwarf plants were significantly suppressed, such as phytohormone signaling etc. The sequencing analysis results were confirmed by quantitatively analysis the expression profiles of fourteen key DEGs via real-time QRT-PCR. We identified a group genes related to wheat stem development, identified a group DEGs related to the restrained stem development of D plants of dms. The suppressed phytohormone signaling, carbohydrate transport and metabolism were the major causal factors leading to dwarf plants of D. Our dataset provides a useful resource for investigating wheat stem development.

Tillers not only determine plant architecture but also influence crop yield. To explore the miRNA regulatory network restraining tiller development in a dwarf-monoculm wheat mutant (dmc) derived from Guomai 301 (wild type, WT), we employed miRNome and transcriptome integrative analysis, real-time qRT-PCR, histochemistry, and determinations of the key metabolites and photosynthesis parameters. A total of 91 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified between dmc and WT. Among them, 40 key DEMs targeted 45 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) including the key DEGs encode growth-regulating factors (GRF), auxin response factors (ARF), and other proteins involved in the metabolisms of hormones and carbohydrates, etc. Compared with WT, both the chlorophyll contents and the photosynthesis rate were lower in dmc. The contents of glucose, sucrose, fructose, and maltose were lower in dmc. The contents of auxin (IAA) and zeatin (ZA) were significantly lower, but gibberellin (GA) was significantly higher in the tiller tissues of dmc. This research demonstrated that the DEMs regulating hormone and carbohydrate metabolisms were important causes for dmc to not tiller. A primary miRNA–mRNA regulatory model for dmc tillering was established. The lower photosynthesis rate, insufficient energy, and abnormal hormone metabolisms restrict tillering in dmc.

Complete differentiation of the spikes guarantees the final wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield. A unique wheat mutant that prematurely terminated spike differentiation (ptsd1) was obtained from cultivar Guomai 301 treated with ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS). The molecular mechanism study on ptsd1 showed that the senescence-associated genes (SAGs) were highly expressed, and spike differentiation related homeotic genes were depressed. Cytokinin signal transduction was weakened and ethylene signal transduction was enhanced. The enhanced expression of Ca2+ signal transduction related genes and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused the upper spikelet cell death. Many genes in the WRKY, NAC and ethylene response factor (ERF) transcription factor (TF) families were highly expressed. Senescence related metabolisms, including macromolecule degradation, nutrient recycling, as well as anthocyanin and lignin biosynthesis, were activated. A conserved tae-miR164 and a novel-miR49 and their target genes were extensively involved in the senescence related biological processes in ptsd1. Overall, the abnormal phytohormone homeostasis, enhanced Ca2+ signaling and activated senescence related metabolisms led to the spikelet primordia absent their typical meristem characteristics, and ultimately resulted in the phenotype of ptsd1.

Tiller number is an important agronomic trait for grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A dwarf-monoculm wheat mutant (dmc) was obtained from cultivar Guomai 301 (wild type, WT). Here, we explored the molecular basis for the restrained tiller development of the mutant dmc. Two bulked samples of the mutant dmc (T1, T2 and T3) and WT (T4, T5 and T6) with three biological replicates were comparatively analyzed at the transcriptional level by bulked RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). In total, 68.8 Gb data and 463 million reads were generated, 80% of which were mapped to the wheat reference genome of Chinese Spring. A total of 4904 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the mutant dmc and WT. DEGs and their related major biological functions were characterized based on GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) categories. These results were confirmed by quantitatively analyzing the expression profiles of twelve selected DEGs via real-time qRT-PCR. The down-regulated gene expressions related to phytohormone syntheses of auxin, zeatin, cytokinin and some transcription factor (TF) families of TALE, and WOX might be the major causes of the mutant dmc, not tillering. Our work provides a foundation for subsequent tiller development research in the future.

BACKGROUND: Lycoris aurea, also called Golden Magic Lily, is an ornamentally and medicinally important species of the Amaryllidaceae family. To date, the sequencing of its whole genome is unavailable as a non-model organism. Transcriptomic information is also scarce for this species. In this study, we performed de novo transcriptome sequencing to produce the first comprehensive expressed sequence tag (EST) dataset for L. aurea using high-throughput sequencing technology. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Total RNA was isolated from leaves with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), salicylic acid (SA), or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, stems, and flowers at the bud, blooming, and wilting stages. Equal quantities of RNA from each tissue and stage were pooled to construct a cDNA library. Using 454 pyrosequencing technology, a total of 937,990 high quality reads (308.63 Mb) with an average read length of 329 bp were generated. Clustering and assembly of these reads produced a non-redundant set of 141,111 unique sequences, comprising 24,604 contigs and 116,507 singletons. All of the unique sequences were involved in the biological process, cellular component and molecular function categories by GO analysis. Potential genes and their functions were predicted by KEGG pathway mapping and COG analysis. Based on our sequence analysis and published literatures, many putative genes involved in Amaryllidaceae alkaloids synthesis, including PAL, TYDC OMT, NMT, P450, and other potentially important candidate genes, were identified for the first time in this Lycoris. Furthermore, 6,386 SSRs and 18,107 high-confidence SNPs were identified in this EST dataset. CONCLUSIONS: The transcriptome provides an invaluable new data for a functional genomics resource and future biological research in L. aurea. The molecular markers identified in this study will provide a material basis for future genetic linkage and quantitative trait loci analyses, and will provide useful information for functional genomic research in future.