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Simple Summary: It has been suggested that a circus has a limited ability to make improvements in animal welfare. Though the horse is a domesticated species, the activities as well as the management that horses are subjected to could perturb homeostasis, alerting the organism and resulting in stress conditions. In the current study, the plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, as well as the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-Roms) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP), were assessed in horses managed in different circuses. According to the results herein found, it appears that the welfare of horses under circus management was not compromised; nevertheless, better attention to the management of old horses is advocated, as they could be more susceptible to oxidative stress. Due to the paucity of information on circus management effects on the welfare of horses, this study investigated the plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, known to be indices of mental status, as well as the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-Roms) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP), likely to denote the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium of organisms, in horses managed in different Italian circuses. For the study, 56 circus horses of different breeds and ages were enrolled and divided into six groups according to the horses' management (circus management, groups G1–G5; classic riding management representing the control group, CG). From each horse, blood samples were collected in order to assess the concentration of selected parameters. One-way ANOVA showed no differences (p > 0.05) in serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, d-Roms and BAP values between circus and control horses. No differences related to the breed of the horses enrolled in the study were found in the values of all investigated parameters (p > 0.05). Furthermore, neurotransmitters showed overlapping levels between the different age classes of investigated horses (p > 0.05); contrariwise, the age of the horse displayed a significant effect on BAP values, with the oldest horses (16–21 age class) exhibiting lower BAP values compared to 4–5, 6–10 and 11–15 age classes (p < 0.05), whereas the d-Roms showed similar values in horses of different age classes (p > 0.05). The results gathered in the present study suggest that the mental status of horses under circus management was not compromised; however, better attention and care in the management of older horses is advocated, as they showed a lower biological antioxidant potential than younger horses; thus, they could be more susceptible to oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment and food. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded 13 individual PAHs are carcinogenic and genotoxic in vitro and in vivo. Food is recognized as the main source of exposure to PAHs for adult non-smokers, which contributed to more than 90% of total exposure. In this study, 300 food samples were collected in Hong Kong, analysed the levels of 16 European Union priority PAHs, the dietary exposure to these PAHs by the local adult population from these food items, and the associated health risk. The most predominant detectable PAH was chrysene (CHR) (14.4%), followed by benzo[c]fluorene (11.2%), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) (10.6%) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbFA) (7.8%). The dietary exposures for average consumers of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 (sum of BaP, CHR, BaA and BbFA) were 0.13–0.90 and 1.4–4.2 ng/kg bw/day respectively for lower and upper bound approaches. Cereal and its products contributed more than 50% to BaP and PAH4 for average consumers in a lower-bound approach. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used to assess the health risks of consumers. The calculated MOE values for both BaP and PAH4 of the average and high consumers (90th percentile) were >50,000, indicating a low concern for the health of the Hong Kong population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a prevalent food and environmental carcinogen. Chronic low-dose BaP exposure can promote the migratory and invasive capacities of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, yet its intricate molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Utilizing the established BaP-exposed HCC cell model, we analyzed the gene expression alteration, exosomal RNA cargo, and genetic variants induced by BaP through transcriptomic and whole-genome sequencing. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant dysregulation in genes and pathways associated with tumor metastasis, particularly those involved in steroidal lipid metabolism and cell migration. BaP exposure enriched PI3K-AKT, mTOR, and NF-κB signaling pathways and disrupted genes implicated in cellular secretory processes, suggesting the potential involvement of exosomes in metastasis. Exosome analysis depicted the RNA profiling in exosomes of HCC cells altered by BaP, and the exosomal circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was constructed. Finally, whole-genome sequencing delineated BaP-induced gene mutations and genomic instability in HCC cells. In summary, prolonged low-dose BaP exposure induces intricate molecular alterations in gene mutation and expression profiles in HCC cells, notably those secreted in exosomes, which may potentially remodel the tumor microenvironment and foster HCC metastasis. Our findings offer new insights into the molecular underpinnings of BaP-induced HCC metastasis, thereby advancing the comprehensive understanding of BaP toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants in the urban environment, because of their hydrophobic and lipophilic character, PAHs is an easily enriched in sludge, which is by-product of sewage treatment and widely used in cultivated land. Xuchang city is an important grain production area in China, the amount of sludge for agricultural utilization in Xuchang city is gradually increasing during recent years. To investigate the concentrations, potential sources and ecological risk of PAHs in sludge of Xuchang City, dewatered sludge samples from 10 large-scale sewage treatment plants were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the total concentration of PAHs varied from 1835 to 7188 µg/kg, with a mean value of 4362 µg/kg. The average value of PAHs concentration met the limit of China's agricultural sludge control standard, while the total concentrations of PAHs from HY, YC and RH exceeded the control standard and cannot be directly used for agricultural utilization. PAHs mainly contain 4~6 rings species, while 2~3 rings species occur rarely. The source tracing results showed that vehicle exhaust, industrial sources, coal and wood combustion are the main sources of PAHs in sludge. The ecological risk assessment showed that the toxic equivalent concentration TEQBaP16 range from 75.5 to 760.2 µg/kg and TEQBaPcancer range from 74.6 to 758.5 µg/kg. TEQBaPcancer accounts for up to 98% of TEQBaP16, suggesting that carcinogenic PAHs species are the main contributors to the risk of PAHs. TEQBaP10 in this study was almost 8 times higher than that specified value in the agricultural soil standard. The result of risk assessment suggests that PAHs in sludge of Xuchang City pose serious ecological and carcinogenic risk. Therefore, sludge must be conducted harmless treatment before agricultural utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambir (Uncaria gambir (Hunter) Robx.) contains secondary metabolite compounds such as catechins, floursein, catechutannic acid, and quercetin that can be utilized as natural dyes, antioxidants, and biopesticides. Gambir plants are propagated generatively through seeds so that the resulting saplings have a high level of genetic variability. In a short amount of time, callus culture using tissue culture technologies can produce vast numbers of uniformly shaped seedlings. This study was to determine the best concentration of 2,4-D and its effect on the formation and growth of gambier explant callus. The research design used a completely randomized design with the provision of 2,4-D consisting of 5 treatment levels, namely 0; 0.5; 1; 1.5; and 2 mg/L. The results indicated that gambir leaf explants were able to form callus at all concentrations of 2,4-D given. The concentration of 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D produced the fastest callus development at 17.86 days after planting, with whitish-yellowing callus color by 56.7% and friable texture by 76.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a basic micropropagation protocol for Oroxylum indicum, a well-liked plant in Southeast Asia with medicinal properties that have been recognized by various civilizations worldwide for centuries. Seeds were sterilized with 0.1% HgCl2 for 1 minute, yielding an optimal sterilization efficiency of 89.9%. MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP was the most effective medium for shoot initiation, and MS medium supplemented with 0.7 mg/l IBA was the best rooting medium.

Porang (Amorphophallus muelleri B.) is a tuberous plant with the potential to be the main source of carbohydrates and is rich in benefits. Porang proliferation is limited by a 6-month dormancy period per year, and generative propagation is unlikely due to the seeds being apomictic triploid. The aimed of my research to analyze the application of BAP and NAA in culture media for direct propagation of porang shoots. The explant used in this research was young leaves. The research was arranged in a completely randomized design with a combination of BAP and NAA hormones added to the MS medium. There were three BAP treatments, namely 1.0 mg/L, 2.0 mg/L, and 3.0 mg/L, while NAA treatments consisted of 2 levels, namely 2.0 mg/L and 4.0 mg/L. The addition of 1.0 mg/L BAP combined with 4.0 mg/L NAA was the best treatment that produced seven shoots with an average shoot length of 2.14 cm and root length of 3.6 cm, with the earliest bud emergence (9.7 weeks after planting).

Growth regulator is one of the important factors in the success of plant propagation by tissue culture. 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) is one of the most widely used cytokinin because it is more stable, less expensive and more effective. Thidiazuron (TDZ) can increase the action of other cytokinins, either exogenous cytokinin or endogenous cytokinin. 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) belongs to the more stable auxin group, because it is not easily decomposed and oxidized by enzymes released by plants. This study aimed to obtain the best types and concentrations of BAP, TDZ, and NAA for the in vitro multiplication of strawberry explant. The experiment was conducted at the Seed Technology and Tissue Culture Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, from April to July 2022. The explants used were axillary shoots of strawberry var. Sweet Charlie is derived from plantlets that were propagated in vitro. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design with six treatments and four replications. The media used were Murashige dan Skoog (MS) with the addition of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in the form of BAP (0 ppm and 0,5 ppm), TDZ (0 ppm and 0,1 ppm), and NAA (0 ppm and 0,1 ppm). The application of different types and concentrations of BAP, TDZ, and NAA resulted in different effects of in vitro shoot multiplication of strawberry explant var. Sweet Charlie. Concentration of 0.1 ppm TDZ produced the highest number of shoots (5.38). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research is the property of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Porkbush or Elephant bush is a popular succulent garden plant scientifically known as Portulacaria afra Jacq., is often used for bonsai through out the world. This plant is found to be effective in carbon sequestration (binding atmospheric carbon, which is responsible for climate change), in thickest and semi-arid landscape vegetation. It is also used for restoration purposes. In view of the importance of this plant, MS medium was optimized for callus induction from the leaves of the P. afra. The leaves were used as the explants for callus induction on biochemically modified MS media at different hormonal concentrations of MS+0.5 mg/L, MS+1.0 mg/L and MS+1.5 mg/L of 2,4-D and MS+0.1 mg/L, MS+0.25 mg/L and MS+0.5 mg/L of BAP and different Vitamin-Amino acid cocktail concentrations of VACT-1, VACT-2 and VACT-3 along with control media without PGR (VACT-0) and vitamin-amino acid concentrations. The optimum medium for effective callus induction from the leaves of P. afra was found to be MS+1.5 mg/L 2, 4-D, 0.5 mg/L of BAP and VACT-3 (Myo-Inositol-150 mg/L, Pyridoxine HCl-0.15 mg/L, Thiamine HCl-0.5 mg/L and Glycine-3.0 mg/L) with slight modification of micro nutrients under optimal culture conditions. Effective callus induction was seen on the modified MS medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variants in super-enhancers (SEs) are increasingly implicated as a disease risk-driving mechanism. Previous studies have reported an associations between benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exposure and some malignant tumor risk. Currently, it is unclear whether BaP is involved in the effect of genetic variants in SEs on prostate cancer risk, nor the associated intrinsic molecular mechanisms. In the current study, by using logistic regression analysis, we found that rs5750581T>C in 22q-SE was significantly associated with prostate cancer risk (odds ratio = 1.26, P = 7.61 × 10-5). We also have found that the rs6001092T>G, in a high linkage disequilibrium with rs5750581T>C (r² = 0.98), is located in a regulatory aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) motif and may interact with the FAM227A promoter in further bioinformatics analysis. We then performed a series of functional and BaP acute exposure experiments to assess biological function of the genetic variant and the target gene. Biologically, the rs6001092-G allele strengthened the transcription factor binding affinity to AhR, thereby upregulating FAM227A, especially upon exposure to BaP, which induced the malignant phenotypes of prostate cancer. The current study highlights that AhR acts as an environmental sensor of BaP and is involved in the SE-mediated prostate cancer risk, which may provide new insights into the etiology of prostate cancer associated with the inherited SE variants under environmental carcinogen stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the susceptibility of three strawberry cultivars ("Festival", "Fortuna", and "Rubygem") to drought stress induced by varying polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrations in the culture medium. Plantlets were cultivated on a solid medium supplemented with 1 mg/L BAP, and PEG concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 6 mg/L) were introduced to simulate drought stress. Morphological changes were observed, and morphometric analysis was conducted. Additionally, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis and machine learning approaches were integrated into this study. The results showed significant effects of PEG concentrations on plant height and multiplication coefficients, highlighting genotype-specific responses. This study employed various machine learning models, with random forest consistently demonstrating superior performance. Our findings revealed the random forest model outperformed others with a remarkable global diagnostic accuracy of 91.164%, indicating its superior capability in detecting and predicting water stress effects in strawberries. Specifically, the RF model excelled in predicting root length and the number of roots for "Festival" and "Fortuna" cultivars, demonstrating its reliability across different genetic backgrounds. Meanwhile, for the "Rubygem" cultivar, the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and Gaussian process (GP) models showed particular strengths in predicting proliferation and plant height, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of ML models, particularly RF, to enhance agricultural breeding and cultivation strategies through accurate phenotypic predictions, suggesting a promising direction for future research to improve these predictions further. This research contributes to understanding strawberry responses to drought stress and emphasizes the potential of machine learning in predicting plant characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) tests can easily and rapidly measure the state of oxidative stress in the blood; they have been used to determine the relationship between oxidative stress and various diseases. However, the extent to which the blood storage period affects the analyzed data remains unclear. In clinical practice, the storage conditions for samples after blood collection vary. Therefore, the influence of blood storage conditions, particularly the reversible redox state, on biochemical tests has been thoroughly investigated. The storage conditions of the sample may affect its state; however, its effect on oxidative stress has not been investigated yet. In this study, considering that the time from blood collection to blood cell separation differs depending on the clinical setting, we analyzed the effect of storage period on the redox analysis data of blood samples stored for a certain period in a 4 °C refrigerator without centrifugation. Heparinized plasma samples from three healthy adult men in their 30s were subjected to the d-ROMs and BAP tests. The analysis was performed at the following 12 time points: immediately after blood collection; 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h later; and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days later. The d-ROMs and BAP values varied and were unstable after 1 h of blood collection. These findings suggest that centrifugation should be performed within 1 h after blood collection, at the latest. In a clinical setting, data should be interpreted with caution if centrifugation is performed more than 1 h after blood collection, even if heparin is added and the samples are stored at 4 °C.

Cannabis sativa is a significant crop of the family (cannabaceae).Interest has been resurgent in the usage of the cannabis plant for medical purposes, industrial fibre, seed oil, food, and recreation.Auxin and cytokinins act antagonistically with each other in which cytokinins promote shoot branching and inhibit root branching, while auxin inhibits shoot branching and promotes root branching. Young cannabis leaves and petioles were used and inoculated in the MS medium with various combinations. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for explant were developed in additions of 25µl-450µl 2, 4 D, 25µl-450µl Kinetin, and 50µl-450µl BAP for callus induction. Shoot induction was developed on 2-3ml/l BAP-supplemented MS media from the callus. Root induction was developed from the shoot on MS5ml/2 litters (indole-3-acetic acid) IAA + 8ml/2 litters (indole-3-butyric acid)IBA-supplemented media.Seeds of cannabis were inoculated in the MS medium. After one week, seed germination was observed in the seeds of the DG Khan variety of Cannabis. MS media found better and more abundant Callus induction with 450µl 2, 4D +450µl Kinetin+450µlBAP from cannabis sativa leaves. 3ml/l BAP observed the high growth of the shoot. Better growth of roots was observed by 5ml/2 litters (indole-3-acetic acid) IAA + 8ml/2 litters (indole-3-butyric acid) IBA. In the present study, seed, callus, shoot, root, and meristem growth were observed using the combination and concentration of different growth regulators. By using different phytohormones, the growth rate and productivity of Cannabiswere significantly increased, which can be valuable for medical purposes.

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) can be detected in the human placenta. However, little is known about the effects of BaP exposure on different placental cells under various conditions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of BaP on mitochondrial function, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and apoptosis in three human trophoblast cell lines under normoxia, hypoxia, and inflammatory conditions. JEG-3, BeWo, and HTR-8/SVneo cell lines were exposed to BaP under normoxia, hypoxia, or inflammatory conditions for 24 h. After treatment, we evaluated cell viability, apoptosis, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein and cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene expression, mitochondrial function, including mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), intracellular adenosine triphosphate (iATP), and extracellular ATP (eATP), nitric oxide (NO), NLPR3 inflammasome proteins, and interleukin (IL)-1β. We found that BaP upregulated the expression of AhR or CYP genes to varying degrees in all three cell lines. Exposure to BaP alone increased ΔΨm in all cell lines but decreased NO in BeWo and HTR-8/SVneo, iATP in HTR-8/SVneo, and cell viability in JEG-3, without affecting apoptosis. Under hypoxic conditions, BaP did not increase the expression of AhR and CYP genes in JEG-3 cells but increased CYP gene expression in two others. Pro-inflammatory conditions did not affect the response of the 3 cell lines to BaP with respect to the expression of CYP genes and changes in the mitochondrial function and NLRP3 inflammasome proteins. In addition, in HTR-8/SVneo cells, BaP increased IL-1β secretion in the presence of hypoxia and poly(I:C). In conclusion, our results showed that BaP affected mitochondrial function in trophoblast cell lines by increasing ΔΨm. This increased ΔΨm may have rescued the trophoblast cells from activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and apoptosis after BaP treatment. We also observed that different human trophoblast cell lines had cell type-dependent responses to BaP exposure under normoxia, hypoxia, or pro-inflammatory conditions.

Due to the paucity of information on circus management effects on the welfare of horses, this study investigated the plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, known to be indices of mental status, as well as the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-Roms) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP), likely to denote the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium of organisms, in horses managed in different Italian circuses. For the study, 56 circus horses of different breeds and ages were enrolled and divided into six groups according to the horses’ management (circus management, groups G1–G5; classic riding management representing the control group, CG). From each horse, blood samples were collected in order to assess the concentration of selected parameters. One-way ANOVA showed no differences (p > 0.05) in serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, d-Roms and BAP values between circus and control horses. No differences related to the breed of the horses enrolled in the study were found in the values of all investigated parameters (p > 0.05). Furthermore, neurotransmitters showed overlapping levels between the different age classes of investigated horses (p > 0.05); contrariwise, the age of the horse displayed a significant effect on BAP values, with the oldest horses (16–21 age class) exhibiting lower BAP values compared to 4–5, 6–10 and 11–15 age classes (p < 0.05), whereas the d-Roms showed similar values in horses of different age classes (p > 0.05). The results gathered in the present study suggest that the mental status of horses under circus management was not compromised; however, better attention and care in the management of older horses is advocated, as they showed a lower biological antioxidant potential than younger horses; thus, they could be more susceptible to oxidative stress.

The in vitro production of equine embryos via ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has increased rapidly. There is a marked effect of the individual mare on the outcome of OPU-ICSI, but little is known about the influence of the mare's health condition. This study aimed to investigate the potential associations between the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) in serum of oocytes' donor mares and the subsequent embryonic development. Just before OPU, a blood sample was collected from 28 Warmblood donor mares, that were subjected to a routine OPU-ICSI program. The serum concentrations of IL-6, d-ROMs, and BAP were assayed photometrically. The maturation, cleavage and blastocyst rate as well as the kinetics of blastocyst development were recorded. The average blastocyst rate was 24.68 ± 5.16% and the average concentrations of IL-6, d-ROMs, and BAP were 519.59 ± 157.08 pg/mL, 171.30 ± 4.55 carratelli units (UCARR), and 2711.30 ± 4.55 μmol/L, respectively. Serum concentrations of IL-6, d-ROMs, and BAP were not significantly different between mares yielding at least one blastocyst (552.68 ± 235.18 pg/mL, 168.36 ± 5.56 UCARR, and 2524.80 ± 159.55 μmol/L) and mares yielding no blastocysts (468.47 ± 179.99 pg/mL, 175.85 ± 7.89 UCARR, and 2999.50 ± 300.13 μmol/L, respectively). Serum concentrations of d-ROMs were significantly lower in mares with fast growing (at day 7–8 post ICSI; 148.10 ± 8.13 UCARR) compared to those with slow growing blastocysts (≥ day 9 post ICSI; 179.41 ± 4.89 UCARR; P = 0.003). Taken together, the serum concentration of IL-6, d-ROMs, and BAP do not determine the mare's ability to produce blastocysts in vitro. Although it may be questioned whether a single sample is representative of the mare's health status, changes in serum metabolites related to oxidative stress at the time of oocyte retrieval were linked to a delayed blastocyst development in a clinical OPU-ICSI outcome. • Mares with higher serum concentrations of d-ROMs at the time of oocyte retrieval (OPU) show a delayed embryonic development. • The serum concentrations of IL-6 and d ROMs are not associated with the mares ability to produce blastocysts after OPU-ICSI. • The blastocyst rate was not significantly affected by age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study comprehensively explored the micropropagation and rooting capabilities of four distinct lavender genotypes, utilizing culture media with and without 2 g/L of activated charcoal. A systematic examination of varying concentrations of BAP for micropropagation and IBA for rooting identified an optimal concentration of 1 mg/L for both BAP and IBA, resulting in excellent outcomes. Following robust root development, the acclimatization of plants to external conditions achieved a 100% survival rate across all genotypes. In addition to the conventional techniques employed, integrating machine learning (ML) methodologies holds promise for further enhancing the efficiency of lavender propagation protocols. Using cutting-edge computational tools, including MLP, RBF, XGBoost, and GP algorithms, our findings were rigorously examined and forecast using three performance measures (RMSE, R2, and MAE). Notably, the comparative evaluation of different machine learning models revealed distinct R2 rates for plant characteristics, with MLP, RBF, XGBoost, and GP demonstrating varying degrees of effectiveness. Future studies may leverage ML models, such as XGBoost, MLP, RBF, and GP, to fine-tune specific variables, including culture media composition and growth regulator treatments. The adaptability and ability of ML techniques to analyze complex biological processes can provide valuable insights into optimizing lavender micropropagation on a broader scale. This collaborative approach, combining traditional in vitro techniques with machine learning, validates the success of current micropropagation and rooting protocols and paves the way for continuous improvement. By embracing ML in lavender propagation studies, researchers can contribute to advancing sustainable and efficient plant propagation techniques, thereby fostering the preservation and exploitation of genetic resources for conservation and agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hibiscus moscheutos L. 'Berry Awesome' is a complex hybrid of the new Proven Winners Summerific series of varieties with highly ornamental characteristics. Micropropagation of highly ornamental varieties is important for mass production of planting material for commercial purposes. The traditional methods for propagating Hibiscus varieties, such as cuttings or seed propagation, however, do not guarantee high rates of production of high-quality seedlings. To solve this problem, an attempt was made to develop protocols for micropropagation of Hibiscus moscheutos L. 'Berry Awesome' in vitro on agar and liquid medium using a bioreactor system, followed by ex vitro adaptation of the regenerants. The optimal method for sterilization of nodal explants as well as the optimal composition of the initiation medium for shoot proliferation and rooting were determined. For micropropagation on a liquid medium, a rocker-type bioreactor was used, and its advantages over micropropagation on an agar medium were demonstrated. The results showed that the best sterilization method for nodal segment explants was as follows: pretreatment by rinsing with running tap water, sterile water, and distilled water for 70 min and soaking for 5 min in a mixture of solutions of ethyl alcohol (96%), hydrogen peroxide (38%), and water in a ratio of 1:1:2. In this case, live and sterile explants accounted for 62.6%. The optimal initiation medium for axillary buds in nodal segments was the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L−1 N-(2-chloro-4-pyridinyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU), which resulted in 73.3% of axillary buds being induced. The optimal solid proliferation medium was MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L−1 CPPU with a proliferation coefficient of 5.8. In a liquid medium, the optimal concentration of CPPU was 0.05 mg L−1 with a proliferation coefficient of 9.2. The best medium for rooting/shoots with agar and in bioreactors was MS medium with the addition of 0.1 mg L−1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The highest rooting rate was 99.0% in both types of media, and the survival rate of plantlets was 88.7% in solid media and 98.7% in the bioreactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella's need for industrial raw materials is high as a medicinal plant. These needs can be met through rapid multiplication using tissue culture techniques. In this study, induction and proliferation for a callus of centella cv. Castina 3 was conducted in the MS basal medium plus 4 mgL-1 Dicamba withand enriched with 7 concentrations of BAP (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 mgL-1). Two kinds of explant were used, i.e., leaf and petiole. The results revealed that the addition of BAP in MS plus Dicamba medim stimulated better and produced a higher callus growth rate, both from leaf and petiole explants, than that media with Dicamba alone. Furthermore, 4 mgL-1 Dicamba + 1.1 mgL-1 BAP had a friable callus in the induction phase and a friable-compact callus in the proliferation phase. From this finding, it can be considered to use a combination of 4 mgL-1 Dicamba with 1.1 mgL-1 BAP in callus induction and proliferation for Centella rapid multiplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the apex food crops in terms of meeting the daily calorific and dietary requirement of the majority of the world population. However, rice productivity is severely limited by various biotic and abiotic attributes, causing a severe threat to global food security. In the use of functional genomics and genome editing for the generation of trait-enhanced genotypes, it is necessary to have an efficient genetic transformation and regeneration protocol. The recalcitrant nature and paucity of efficient and versatile genetic transformation and regeneration protocols for indica cultivars remains a constraint. In the present study, we have optimized a tissue culture method for MTU1010, a mega indica rice variety. We conducted a combinatorial analysis of different plant growth regulators on embryogenic callus induction efficiency, and it was observed that MSB5 medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/L 2-4D and 0.25 mg/L 6-BAP results in maximum embryogenic callus induction, i.e., 92%. The regeneration efficiency of a transformed callus can be enhanced by up to 50% with the supplementation of 1 mg/L kinetin alongside 2.5 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L NAA in the shooting medium. Furthermore, our results unveiled that the pre-activation of Agrobacterium culture for 30 min with 150 µM acetosyringone significantly increased the transformation efficiency of calli. Additionally, descaling the salt concentration to half strength in resuspension and co-cultivation increased the efficiency of transformation up to 33%. Thus, the protocol developed in this study will be instrumental for the genome editing and genetic engineering of indica rice cultivars for functional genomics studies and crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Young Intellectuals / Genç Mütefekkirler Dergisi is the property of Journal of Young Intellectuals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The increase in production of Dendrobium bigiante agrihorti orchids by in vitro culture is to produce numerous and uniform seedlings. This study aimed to determine the effect of Growmore and BAP concentrations on the growth of orchid plantlets. The experiment consisted of two factors namely Growmore concentration (0; 3; 6; 9 ppm), and BAP concentrations (0; 1; 3; 5 ppm). The factors combination on ½ MS media was repeated 3 times and obtained 48 experimental units. Observation parameters included the percentage of live plantlets, number of roots, number of leaves, plant height (cm), and wet weight of plantlets (g). Results showed that a Growmore concentration of 3 ppm had a significant effect on the number of roots and plant height at 4.36 units and 4.17 cm. BAP concentration of 3 ppm also had a significant effect on the number of roots, plant height, and wet weight of respectively 4.72 units, 3.22 cm, and 0.63 g. A combination of Growmore 3 ppm + BAP 0 ppm produced the largest percentage of live planets at 100% and plant height at 7.37 cm, Growmore 9 ppm + BAP 0 ppm produced the largest number of roots at 6.33 units and Growmore 6 ppm + BAP 3 ppm produced the largest number of leaves at 8.78 strands.

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a prevalent food and environmental carcinogen. Chronic low-dose BaP exposure can promote the migratory and invasive capacities of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, yet its intricate molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Utilizing the established BaP-exposed HCC cell model, we analyzed the gene expression alteration, exosomal RNA cargo, and genetic variants induced by BaP through transcriptomic and whole-genome sequencing. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant dysregulation in genes and pathways associated with tumor metastasis, particularly those involved in steroidal lipid metabolism and cell migration. BaP exposure enriched PI3K-AKT, mTOR, and NF-κB signaling pathways and disrupted genes implicated in cellular secretory processes, suggesting the potential involvement of exosomes in metastasis. Exosome analysis depicted the RNA profiling in exosomes of HCC cells altered by BaP, and the exosomal circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was constructed. Finally, whole-genome sequencing delineated BaP-induced gene mutations and genomic instability in HCC cells. In summary, prolonged low-dose BaP exposure induces intricate molecular alterations in gene mutation and expression profiles in HCC cells, notably those secreted in exosomes, which may potentially remodel the tumor microenvironment and foster HCC metastasis. Our findings offer new insights into the molecular underpinnings of BaP-induced HCC metastasis, thereby advancing the comprehensive understanding of BaP toxicity.

Bacteria of the genus Acinetobacter, especially Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab), have emerged as pathogens of companion animals during the last two decades and are commonly associated with hospitalization and multidrug resistance. A critical factor for the distribution of relevant strains in healthcare facilities, including veterinary facilities, is their adherence to both biotic and abiotic surfaces and the production of biofilms. A group of 41 A. baumannii isolates obtained from canine and feline clinical samples in Greece was subjected to phenotypic investigation of their ability to produce biofilms using the tissue culture plate (TCP) method. All of them (100%) produced biofilms, while 23 isolates (56.1%) were classified as strong producers, 11 (26.8%) as moderate producers, and 7 (17.1%) as weak producers. A correlation between the MDR and XDR phenotypes and weak or moderate biofilm production was identified. Moreover, the presence of four biofilm-associated genes bap, blaPER, ompA, and csuE was examined by PCR, and they were detected in 100%, 65.9%, 97.6%, and 95.1% of the strains respectively. All isolates carried at least two of the investigated genes, whereas most of the strong biofilm producers carried all four genes. In conclusion, the spread and persistence of biofilm-producing Ab strains in veterinary facilities is a matter of concern, since they are regularly obtained from infected animals, indicating their potential as challenging pathogens for veterinarians due to multidrug resistance and tolerance in conventional eradication measures. Furthermore, considering that companion animals can act as reservoirs of relevant strains, public health concerns emerge.

Background and Aim: Pollution and lifestyle changes expose mankind to a number of toxicants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that may cause life-threatening diseases. The present study was undertaken to explicate the protective role of Acetyl-11-Keto-Beta Boswellic Acid (AKBA), if any, in containing benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) induced alterations on hepatic membrane dynamics and lipidiome in female rats. Experimental procedure: The animals were divided into five groups viz. Normal control, Vehicle treated, BaP treated, AKBA treated and BaP + AKBA treated. To induce hepatotoxicity, BaP was administered orally at a dose level of 50 mg/kg b.wt. dissolved in olive oil twice a week for 4 weeks. AKBA was supplemented to animals four weeks prior to BaP treatment and continued for 8 weeks at a dose level of 50 mg/kg b.wt. thrice a week. Certain key indices that included oxidative stress biomarkers, lipid profile of membranes, membrane fluidity parameters and activities of ATPases were studied. Results and Conclusion: The results showed that benzo(a)pyrene treatment resulted in a significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and ROS but caused a significant decrease in the levels of total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol, glycolipids and activities of ATPases. Hepatic membrane fluidity as assessed by 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and Pyrene fluorescence probes was significantly increased in rats intoxicated with BaP. Interestingly, AKBA supplementation to BaP treated rats appreciably contained altered membrane dynamics and lipidiome as well as modulated hepatotoxicity by skirmishing activities of oxidative stress markers and also improved hepatic histoarchitecture. Our study thus concludes that AKBA can be used as a prophylactic intervention in providing protection to hepatocytes as it maintains membrane integrity in conditions of BaP induced toxicity.

An efficient attempt was conducted to increase the mass production of seven local cultivars of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Masafik, Melisse, Radisho, Armishte, Diala, Halapja, and Dwarf pomegranate cultured in the Kurdistan region of Iraq from October 2021 to February 2023. Micropropagation technique was applied using eight combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) added to two media (MS and WPM). The results indicated that immersing explants in 70% Ethyl alcohol (EtOH) for (2 minutes) followed by immersion in (2.5%) Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) plus 3 drops of tween 20 for 13 mins. was the more suitable combination for explant sterilization. MS and WPM media salts supplemented together with eight combinations of PGRs were carried out to evaluate the more suitable combination for the initiation stage. The obtained data clarified that the ½ strength of the MS medium (1/2 MS) supplemented with 0.5 BAP plus 0.5 mg/l Kinetin increases the pomegranate explant initiation response percentage. WPM basal medium was the preferred media to be used in the multiplication stage. The impact of different levels and protocols of Cytokinins, Auxins, and Gibberellins were investigated by eight protocols including using BAP, GA3, and adenine sulfate. The outcomes indicated that adding both concentrations of BAP (0.5 and 1.0 mg/l) separately supported by GA3 and adenine sulfate in amounts of (0.3 and 30 mg/l) respectively again were the most suitable protocol that affected the multiplication of regenerated shoots when compared to using BAP alone. Valuable results were found in rooting response after 6 weeks by using ½ strength of MS media along with two levels of Auxins (NAA, and IBA). Moreover, the visual observation records that around 85-90% of rooted cultures were successfully acclimatized by transferring the cultures from in vitro to the ex-vitro environment. Finally, Dwarf cultivars exceed all the other cultivars in studded parameters.

The known activities of cytokinins (CKs) are promoting shoot multiplication, root growth inhibition, and delaying senescence. 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) has been the most effective CK to induce shoot proliferation in cereal and grasses. Previously, we reported that in lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) micropropagation, BAP 10 µM induces high shoot proliferation, while the natural CK 6-(γ,γ-Dimethylallylamino)purine (2-iP) 10 µM shows less pronounced effects and developed rooting. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved, we perform a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network based on the genes of Brachypodium distachyon involved in shoot proliferation/repression, cell cycle, stem cell maintenance, auxin response factors, and CK signaling to analyze the molecular mechanisms in BAP versus 2-iP plants. A different pattern of gene expression was observed between BAP- versus 2-iP-treated plants. In shoots derived from BAP, we found upregulated genes that have already been demonstrated to be involved in de novo shoot proliferation development in several plant species; CK receptors (AHK3, ARR1), stem cell maintenance (STM, REV and CLV3), cell cycle regulation (CDKA-CYCD3 complex), as well as the auxin response factor (ARF5) and CK metabolism (CKX1). In contrast, in the 2-iP culture medium, there was an upregulation of genes involved in shoot repression (BRC1, MAX3), ARR4, a type A-response regulator (RR), and auxin metabolism (SHY2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the use of phytohormones for crop improvement has great potential, little is known about the molecular effects of phytohormones in crops. This work investigated the effect of the exogenous application of plant growth regulators (PGRs), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and cytokinin-like 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) on plant biomass and the phytochemical and biological parameters of Mentha rotundifolia L. aerial parts and roots. The results showed that the application of IAA and BAP significantly influenced the accumulation of phenolic compounds in the plant organs. Treatment with PGRs also induced remarkable increases in the amounts of individual phenolic compounds, with the greatest increases observed for salvianolic and rosmarinic acids in the aerial parts treated with 20 or 10 mg/mL of BAP. Salvianolic acid also showed the most significant increase in the roots of plants treated at 10 mg/mL (from 18.232 to 41.317 µg/g of extract). Furthermore, enhanced antioxidant and inhibitory enzyme effects in the treated plants was observed. Our findings suggest that exogenous hormones could be used to improve the synthesis of phenolic compounds and, as a result, the bioactivity of medicinal or food plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient attempt was conducted to increase the mass production of seven local cultivars of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Masafik, Melisse, Radisho, Armishte, Diala, Halapja, and Dwarf pomegranate cultured in the Kurdistan region of Iraq from October 2021 to February 2023. Micropropagation technique was applied using eight combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) added to two media (MS and WPM). The results indicated that immersing explants in 70% Ethyl alcohol (EtOH) for (2 minutes) followed by immersion in (2.5%) Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) plus 3 drops of tween 20 for 13 mins. was the more suitable combination for explant sterilization. MS and WPM media salts supplemented together with eight combinations of PGRs were carried out to evaluate the more suitable combination for the initiation stage. The obtained data clarified that the 1/2 strength of the MS medium (1/2 MS) supplemented with 0.5 BAP plus 0.5 mg/l Kinetin increases the pomegranate explant initiation response percentage. WPM basal medium was the preferred media to be used in the multiplication stage. The impact of different levels and protocols of Cytokinins, Auxins, and Gibberellins were investigated by eight protocols including using BAP, GA3, and adenine sulfate. The outcomes indicated that adding both concentrations of BAP (0.5 and 1.0 mg/l) separately supported by GA3 and adenine sulfate in amounts of (0.3 and 30 mg/l) respectively again were the most suitable protocol that affected the multiplication of regenerated shoots when compared to using BAP alone. Valuable results were found in rooting response after 6 weeks by using 1/2 strength of MS media along with two levels of Auxins (NAA, and IBA). Moreover, the visual observation records that around 85-90% of rooted cultures were successfully acclimatized by transferring the cultures from in vitro to the exvitro environment. Finally, Dwarf cultivars exceed all the other cultivars in studded parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatolia is one of the important production areas of garlic. Garlic production is conducted by using the head or the cloves inside the heads, which are actually the consumed part of the garlic, as propagation material. However, due to the use of cloves, which are the most valuable part of the market, as reproduction material, the profit is reduced by about 10%. The study aims to provide an alternative propagation material to reduce the losses resulting from this practice in local Kahramanmaraş garlic production. For this purpose, generating plantlets directly from stem discs of the garlic cloves in vitro and the effects of different growth regulators have been studied. For this, the plant growth regulators added to MS media as BAP (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg l-1), GA3 (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg l-1), 2-IP (0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 mg l-1); kinetin (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mg l-1) and TDZ (0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 mg l-1) were tested. In the study number of explants, number of infected explants, number of healthy explants, number of developed explants, healthy explant rate, developed explant rate, number of callused explants, callus growth rate, number of proliferated explants, proliferation rate, proliferation number, number of rooted explants, rooting rate and number of roots were investigated. However, shoot ratios, shoot numbers, and callus formation were the main focus. The highest rates of proliferation were found in 2-IP (53.8%, 45.5%, and 40.0% at 1.00, 0.75, and 1.25 mg l-1 dosages, respectively) and Kinetin (35.3% at 2.00 mg l-1). The maximum shoot number was reached with 2-IP at the dose of 1.00 mg l-1 as 1.9 shoot/explants. Kinetin at 3.00 mg l-1 and 2IP at 1.25 mg l-1 were the other successful applications with 1.8 shoots. This study indicated promising results to obtain plantlets directly from the clove's stem discs and including them into seedling production for the mass production of garlic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is an environmental pollutant widely exposed to human beings. While the relationship between BaP and missed abortion is few understood. To explore the association between missed abortion and BaP, genetic polymorphisms of AhR pathway, we recruited 112 cases women with missed abortion and 137 controls women with normal pregnancy from Shanxi, China. The BPDE-DNA adducts level in the case group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001). The subjects were categorized according to the tertiles of BPDE-DNA adduct concentrations: T1 (

After the departure of industrial facilities, reuse of the land in developed cities in China is problematic, due to the land contamination issues. The rapid remediation of sites with complex contamination is crucial and urgently needed. Herein, the case of on-site remediation of arsenic (As) in soil, as well as benzo(a)pyrene, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and As in groundwater was reported. For contaminated soil, the oxidant and deactivator (consisting of 20% sodium persulfate, 40% ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), and 40% portland cement) were applied to oxidize and immobilize As. As a result, the total amount and lixivium concentration of As were constrained under 20 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile, for contaminated groundwater, As and organic contaminants were treated by FeSO4/ozone and FeSO4/hydrogen peroxide with mass ratios of 1:5 and 1:8, respectively. The continuous monitoring of contaminants in 22 monitoring wells shown that all contaminants in groundwater were treated to meet the standards. In addition, the risk of secondary pollution and operation cost was effectively reduced by proper disposal and resourceful utilization. The findings indicated that the method of oxidation and precipitation/stabilization is technically, environmentally, and economically feasible for the remediation of contaminated sites with similar complex pollutants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Key quality criteria for pixel-based composites identified and assessed. • New method for comprehensive and quantitative assessment of composites. • Over 16,000 Landsat imagery were mosaicked and analyzed over Europe. • Best Available Pixel (BAP) and Medoid composites were assessed. • BAP was more temporally consistent while Medoid was more radiometrically consistent. Remote sensing is one of the main sources of information for monitoring forest dynamics; however, surface reflectance is often not possible to accurately derive due to haze, cloud, or cloud shadow. Pixel-based composites are generated from multi-temporal images to cover the entire area of interest using several different methods. While the availability of free and open remote sensing data has further expanded the use of compositing approaches, to date a comprehensive methodology to assess the quality of these composites does not exist, nor is there a detailed set of compositing requirements to ensure consistent and reliable outputs to produce maps and statistics. Herein, we introduce a pixel-based composite assessment methodology based on five criteria: (i) number of valid observations and number of pixels with no available observations (data gaps), (ii) amount of unscreened clouds, cloud shadows, haze, or smoke (noise), (iii) radiometric consistency of the surface reflectance data, (iv) temporal proximity of pixels acquisition dates, and (v) spatial agreement of pixels acquisition dates. To test our methodology, we processed more than 16,000 Landsat images to generate and assess the Best Available Pixel (BAP) and the Medoid pixel-based composites for summer 2019 (2019-Jun-1 to 2019-Aug-31) over Europe, with a focus on the forested ecosystems. We found that BAP resulted in composites that were more temporally consistent, whereas the Medoid approach resulted in composites that were more radiometrically consistent. Our results illustrate that our assessment approach is effective for comprehensively assessing the quality of pixel-based composites and could be implemented when using composites to generate statistical estimates (i.e. forest area) and for assessing the performance of new compositing algorithms or for selecting an appropriate compositing approach for a specific application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study aimed to assess the susceptibility of three strawberry cultivars (“Festival”, “Fortuna”, and “Rubygem”) to drought stress induced by varying polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrations in the culture medium. Plantlets were cultivated on a solid medium supplemented with 1 mg/L BAP, and PEG concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 6 mg/L) were introduced to simulate drought stress. Morphological changes were observed, and morphometric analysis was conducted. Additionally, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis and machine learning approaches were integrated into this study. The results showed significant effects of PEG concentrations on plant height and multiplication coefficients, highlighting genotype-specific responses. This study employed various machine learning models, with random forest consistently demonstrating superior performance. Our findings revealed the random forest model outperformed others with a remarkable global diagnostic accuracy of 91.164%, indicating its superior capability in detecting and predicting water stress effects in strawberries. Specifically, the RF model excelled in predicting root length and the number of roots for “Festival” and “Fortuna” cultivars, demonstrating its reliability across different genetic backgrounds. Meanwhile, for the “Rubygem” cultivar, the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and Gaussian process (GP) models showed particular strengths in predicting proliferation and plant height, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of ML models, particularly RF, to enhance agricultural breeding and cultivation strategies through accurate phenotypic predictions, suggesting a promising direction for future research to improve these predictions further. This research contributes to understanding strawberry responses to drought stress and emphasizes the potential of machine learning in predicting plant characteristics.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, endocrine-toxic, and immunotoxic. PAHs can be found in maternal and fetal blood and in the placenta during pregnancy. They may thus affect placental and fetal development. Therefore, the exposure levels and toxic effects of PAHs in the placenta deserve further study and discussion. This review aims to summarize current knowledge on the effects of PAHs and their metabolites on pregnancy and birth outcomes and on placental trophoblast cells. A growing number of epidemiological studies detected PAH-DNA adducts as well as the 16 high-priority PAHs in the human placenta and showed that placental PAH exposure is associated with adverse fetal outcomes. Trophoblasts are important cells in the placenta and are involved in placental development and function. In vitro studies have shown that exposure to either PAH mixtures, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) or BaP metabolite benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) affected trophoblast cell viability, differentiation, migration, and invasion through various signaling pathways. Furthermore, similar effects of BPDE on trophoblast cells could also be observed in BaP-treated mouse models and were related to miscarriage. Although the current data show that PAHs may affect placental trophoblast cells and pregnancy outcomes, further studies (population studies, in vitro studies, and animal studies) are necessary to show the specific effects of different PAHs on placental trophoblasts and pregnancy outcomes.

Background: Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruız & Pavón "mashua" is a native species of the central Andes and different propagation methods in vitro have been evaluated. However, this research has studied the in vitro propagation of 15 mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruíz & Pavón) morphotypes from the Ayacucho and Apurímac regions (Peru) Objective: To evaluate the effect of the additives naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylamino purine (BAP) on the micro-propagation rate of T. tuberosum. Material and Methods: For in vitro establishment, seedlings were used after disinfection with sodium hypochlorite, propagated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. For the evaluation of the effect of NAA and BAP additives, nodes were isolated from in vitro seedlings after 30 days of cultivation and transferred to MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, pH 5.6 and 7 g/L of agar according to T1 (MS + NAA 1ppm) and T2 (MS + BAP 1ppm) treatments. The samples were cultivated for 28 days at 19 °C ± 2 °C with photoperiods of 16 h/light and 8 h/darkness. Results: After evaluating 20 repetitions for each of the three treatments, the addition of NAA or BAP does not improve the micropropagation rate of practically all the morphotypes studied. Furthermore, BAP behaved as an inhibitor of the development of mashua seedlings. Conclusion: The best micropropagation medium of Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruíz & Pavón (mashua) is the basic Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without the NAA or BAP additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess and predict the food safety risk of benzopyrene (BaP) in edible oils in China, this study collected national sampling data of edible oils from 20 Chinese provinces and their prefectures in 2019, and constructed a risk assessment model of BaP in edible oils with consumption data. Initially, the k-means algorithm was used for risk classification; then the data were pre-processed and trained to predict the data using the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) models, respectively, and finally, the two models were combined using the inverse error method. To test the effectiveness of the prediction model, this study experimentally validated the model according to five evaluation metrics: root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), precision, recall, and F1 score. The variable-weight combined LSTM-XGBoost prediction model proposed in this paper achieved a precision of 94.62%, and the F1 score value reached 95.16%, which is significantly better than other neural network models; the results demonstrate that the prediction model has certain stability and feasibility. Overall, the combined model used in this study not only improves the accuracy but also enhances the practicality, real-time capabilities, and expandability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell cultures of Ocimum sanctum raised from leaf explants using Murashige and Skoog's medium showed best growth of callus in 2, 4-D (1.0 mg/l) and BAP (0.1 mg/l) supplemented medium. When 2, 4-D was replaced with another auxin, NAA, rosmarinic acid (RA) content increased. Yield of RA was augmented by addition of yeast extract. In addition, increasing sucrose content from 2 to 4% increased the RA accumulation from 3.8 to 8.5% of cell mass dry weight. Phenolic content of calli was in correlation with RA content (between 60 and 70%). The process can further be improved for commercial exploitation by evaluating more elicitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sente variegata plant (Alocasia macrorrhiza variegata) is a species of ornamental taro. The unique leaf color of sente variegata, which is a combination of white and green, attracts ornamental plant lovers for hunting or collecting. There has been no cultivation effort from the ornamental plant suppliers and traders for multiplication purposes until now. Sente variegata is obtained directly from the forest. This activity can cause extinction. Micropropagation efforts using plant tissue culture techniques are needed for commercial and sustainability issues. This study aimed to determine the effect of 6-Benzyl Amino Purine (BAP) and kinetin on the root formation and growth as one step in the shoot multiplication of sente variegata bulb explants. Variations in BAP and kinetin concentrations used separately in this study were 0, 2, 5, and 10 mg. L-1. The results showed that the application of BAP and Kinetin significantly affected the root growth of sente Variegata. Finally, kinetin 10 mg L-1 is the concentration and type of cytokinins recommended for the formation and root growth of sente variegate.

Physalis alkekengi is a fruit-bearing plant in Iran. It is very popular due to the nutritional and medicinal properties. The main limitations of its cultivation are short reproductive cycle, fruits susceptibility to pests and limited information about crop management. The use of different micropropagation methods to produce physalis is proposed as practical solution. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of culture medium and different concentrations of growth regulators on the seeds germination and organogenesis of P. alkekengi by using tissue culture technique as well as providing a suitable protocol for in vitro micropropagation of this plant. Seeds were cultured in 1/2 MS and distilled water with three different stabilizers including Plant Agar, Sand and Filter Paper. Direct regeneration (stem) and indirect regeneration (callusing from stem and leaf explants) were used for regeneration of the physalis. Explants were cultured in different hormone combinations of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP in 2 and 3 mg/L) and 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) (2 mg/L). The best seed germination medium was 1/2 MS contains plant agar as stabilizer (95%). The best explant for callusing was leaf and the best medium was ½ MS containing 2, 4-D (2 mg/ L). The best regeneration medium was BAP (3 mg / L) + GA3 (0.5 mg / L) on MS 1/2. The best hormone for direct organogenesis of stem was BAP at different concentrations. The best medium for micropropagation was ½ MS containing BAP (3 mg / L) + GA3 (0.5 mg / L) (more than 25 seedlings per explant). Rooting was performed using IBA (150 mg / L) followed by transferring seedlings to ½ MS after one week. Finally, seedlings were easily transferred to the soil and more than 95% of them survived in the greenhouse. These results suggest a protocol for commercial micropropagation of physalis plants.

Aiding optimal plant–environment interaction would favor plant resilience against environmental constrains including salt stress. We test the hypothesis that 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) primes grapevine’s salt tolerance in vines (Vitis vinifera) received salt water (NaCl 100 mM) through the modulation of gene expression of BAP (AHK4, AHP1) and salt-stress (CAT, APX) inducible genes and morpho-physiological traits. A subgroup of vines had previously (48 h) been primed with BAP (80 mg/L) before salt stress. The gene expressions were 30% (CAT) and 56% (APX) lower in primed salt-stressed vines than that in un-primed. Salt treatment did not increase leaf Na+ but it lowered stomatal conductance (gs), photosynthesis (A), stem water potential (less negative) and photosystem-II efficiency (Fv/Fm). Chlorophyll-a concentrations were 30% higher in BAP-primed compared to un-primed. Adverse effects of salt were significantly reduced, maintaining high A/gs, Fv/Fm and growth. After the relief of the stress, the BAP primed vines had a fast recovery.