Key Period Research Articles

RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms Regulating the Development of Different Adipose Tissues in Broiler Chicks.

In an effort to enhance growth rates, chicken breeders have undertaken intensive genetic selection. In the selection process, the primary aim is to accelerate growth, inadvertently leading to new chicken breeds having an increased capacity for rapid adipose tissue accumulation. However, little is known about the relationship between changes in gene expression and adipose tissue accumulation and deposition in chickens. Therefore, in this study, RNA-seq analysis was utilized, and transcriptome data were obtained from the abdominal fat, thoracic subcutaneous fat, and clavicular fat on day 1 (d1), day 4, day 7, day 11, and day 15 to reveal the molecular mechanisms regulating the development and deposition of different adipose tissues in broiler chicks. The results showed that the key period for adipocyte differentiation and proliferation was between d4 and d7 (abdominal fat development) and between d1 and d4 (chest subcutaneous fat and clavicular fat). In addition, candidate genes such as MYOG, S100A9, CIDEC, THRSP, CXCL13, and NMU related to adipose tissue growth and development were identified. Further, genes (HOXC9, AGT, TMEM182, ANGPTL3, CRP, and DSG2) associated with the distribution of adipose tissue were identified, and genes (MN1, ANK2, and CAP2) related to adipose tissue growth were also identified. Taken together, the results from this study provide the basis for future studies on the mechanisms regulating adipose tissue development in chickens. Further, the candidate genes identified could be used in the selection process.

Attachment, regulation, and competency in emerging adults: Validating a framework of resilience in a population with adverse childhood experiences

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a pervasive problem linked to a myriad of negative outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression) across key developmental periods, including emerging adulthood. The attachment, regulation, and competency (ARC) Framework of Resilience offers several factors through which the associations between ACEs and mental health symptoms may be reduced. ObjectiveExamine the utility of the ARC Framework of Resilience among a sample of emerging adults. Participants and SettingData were collected from 289 emerging adults from a large Midwestern University. MethodDescriptive statistics and bivariate relationships were examined. Independent sample t-tests were employed to explore differences in demographics and ARC variables for 4 or more ACEs, clinical anxiety symptoms, and clinical depressive symptoms. A path analysis was fit to examine the structural relationships between ACEs, ARC factors, and anxiety and depression. ResultsVariation in the variables of interest were found across high vs low ACEs and clinical levels of anxiety and depression. ACEs were related to attachment (R2 = 0.10) and competence (R2 = 0.02, but not regulation (R2 = 0.00). Connections between ARC factors and anxiety (R2 = 0.39) and depression (R2 = 0.28) were multifaceted. ConclusionsFindings offer preliminary support for the application of the ARC Framework of Resilience to emerging adults with a history of ACEs.

Heat stress from current and predicted increases in temperature impairs lambing rates and birth weights in the Australian sheep flock.

Livestock heat stress threatens production, particularly in semi-arid, arid and tropical regions. Using established temperature thresholds for sheep, we modelled +1 °C and +3 °C temperature increases over the historical baseline, estimating that 2.1 million potential lambs are lost annually due to heat stress alone, increasing to 2.5 and 3.3 million, respectively, as temperatures rise. Heat stress poses risks at key periods of the reproductive cycle, with consequences across the Australian sheep flock.

Nitrogen isotope gradient on continental margins during the late Paleoproterozoic

The late Paleoproterozoic was a key period in the evolution of Earth’s surface environments and life. It is generally accepted that during the 2.43–2.06 Ga Great Oxidation Episode, the atmospheric oxygen level rose to an intermediate state (0.1% to 10% of the present atmospheric level) and the chemical composition of the oceans changed significantly. The paleontological record indicates that eukaryotes appeared during the late Paleoproterozoic. Nitrogen, an essential nutrient for life, is thought to have been one of the key factors in eukaryote evolution. However, nitrogen bioavailability and spatial heterogeneity in nitrogen cycle in the late Paleoproterozoic oceans remain controversial. Here, we examine carbon and nitrogen cycling in the late Paleoproterozoic ocean, via analysis of redox-sensitive element contents and organic carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of black shales of the ca. 1.9 Ga Nuvilic Formation of the Povungnituk Group, Cape Smith Belt, Canada. Two diamond drill-holes (DDHs) 718–3333 (∼50 m-long) and 4G8069 (∼90 m-long) investigated in this study contain turbiditic greywackes and black shales deposited on the northern margin of the Archean Superior craton below the storm wave-base. Sedimentary rocks of DDH 4G8069 might have been deposited closer to the continental source area, as indicated by sandstone abundance, than those of DDH 718–3333. Redox-sensitive element (V, U, and Mo) contents in black shales of DDH 4G8069 are low and show positive correlation with Al contents, whereas those of DDH 718–3333 are irregularly elevated. Fe/Al ratios of DDH 718–3333 are low, which likely reflect Fe loss from sediments under anoxic water-column conditions. Depositional environment is inferred to be above and below the redoxcline for DDHs 4G8069 and 718–3333, respectively. Organic carbon isotope values of DDH 718–3333 are approximately 1.7‰ lighter than those of DDH 4G8069, which might reflect methane cycling at the redoxcline. Nitrogen isotope values are positive (> +3‰) for all the black shale samples, corresponding to aerobic nitrogen cycling and presence of bioavailable nitrate on the northern margin of the Superior craton during the late Paleoproterozoic. Furthermore, nitrogen isotope values for DDH 718–3333 are approximately 2‰ heavier than those for DDH 4G8069. The observed isotopic heterogeneity is similar to that in modern oxygen-minimum zones and could represent intense denitrification at the redoxcline. Although no ca. 1.9 Ga microfossils reported to date are considered unambiguously eukaryotic, the aerobic nitrogen cycling inferred for the Nuvilic Formation, as well as for the previously studied Rove, Virginia, and Menihek formations, suggests that nitrogen limitation was unlikely to have inhibited biological evolution during the late Paleoproterozoic, a finding that is consistent with molecular clock studies suggesting that the emergence of eukaryotes occurred during the Paleoproterozoic.

Episodic evolution of intracontinental orogenic deformation: Insight from the southern Bogda fold-and-thrust belt of the Tianshan Mountains, NW China

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic Tianshan orogenic belt, a key area for studying intracontinental orogenic deformation, experienced multiple uplift episodes due to the far-field effects from a series of collision events along the southern margin of Eurasia. Focusing on the fold-and-thwrust belt at the southern margin of the Bogda Mountain, a branch of the eastern Tianshan orogenic belt, we integrated 2D seismic data, borehole and outcrop data to construct a balanced and sequentially restored cross-section across the central part of this belt. The activities and mechanical evolution of the major faults were analyzed by using the discrete-element modeling (DEM) method, offering new insights into the tectonic transformation of the Turpan-Hami Basin influenced by episodic uplifts of the Bogda Mountain in an intracontinental setting. The studied fold-and-thrust belt can be divided into two deformation systems: (i) the piedmont deformation system, comprising a southward basement thrust system and a thin-skinned thrust system on Jurassic detachment, and (ii) the thrust front belt, exhibiting an en-echelon pattern in the basin center and featured by fault-propagation folds along the lower Jurassic coal unit. Stratigraphic and reported thermochronological analyses pinpoint four key contractional deformation periods: Late Jurassic, Late Cretaceous, Paleocene-Pliocene, and Pleistocene-present. The DEM numerical simulation results indicate a critical conical Coulomb wedge model governed by the episodic activities of the southern Bogda fold-and-thrust belts from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic. Surface processes (syntectonic erosion/deposition) significantly impacted differential activities between the orogenic belt and the basin's thrust structures. We propose that periodic arid climates in the Tianshan Mountains reduced erosion rates, promoting the expansion of the southern Bogda fold-and-thrust belts toward the basin and the widening of the orogenic belt.

More than a mask: Possible relationships between lifting of COVID-19 mask requirements and depression symptoms experienced by US adults with disabilities

BackgroundLifting of masking restrictions at key periods during the COVID-19 pandemic may have disproportionately negatively impacted the mental health of individuals with disabilities. ObjectiveThis study examines the prevalence of depression-related symptoms in individuals with and without disabilities preceding and following the US rollback of COVID-19 masking mandates. MethodsPandemic-era data on reported symptoms of depression from the federal Household Pulse Survey from dates surrounding two major announcements on masking relaxations were analyzed. Possible interactions between disability status and type, age grouping, educational attainment, race/Hispanic ethnicity, and sex variables were considered. ResultsFollowing relaxation of major masking restrictions, people with disabilities experienced elevation in depression symptom presence while people without disabilities experienced lessening in these symptoms. Differences between people with and without disabilities were significant. ConclusionsDirect causation between masking mandate relaxations and changes in symptoms of depression cannot be drawn from the available data. However, when considered with greater vulnerabilities to COVID-19 experienced by many individuals with disabilities and dismissive rhetoric surrounding masking decisions, negative feelings arising from mandate changes may have led to elevations in symptoms of depression in people with disabilities in sharp contrast to people without disabilities who may have felt relief. Findings indicate future public health decision making, even in times of crisis, should be undertaken with as much caution as possible regarding and in partnership with populations already at risk.

Fine mapping of a major QTL, qKl-1BL controlling kernel length in common wheat.

A major stable QTL, qKl-1BL, for kernel length of wheat was narrowed down to a 2.04-Mb interval on chromosome 1BL; the candidate genes were predicated and the genetic effects on yield-related traits were characterized. As a key factor influencing kernel weight, wheat kernel shape is closely related to yield formation, and in turn affects both wheat processing quality and market value. Fine mapping of the major quantitative trait loci (QTL) for kernel shape could provide genetic resources and a theoretical basis for the genetic improvement of wheat yield-related traits. In this study, a major QTL for kernel length (KL) on 1BL, named qKl-1BL, was identified from the recombinant inbred lines (RIL) in multiple environments based on the genetic map and physical map, with 4.76-21.15% of the phenotypic variation explained. To fine map qKl-1BL, the map-based cloning strategy was used. By using developed InDel markers, the near-isogenic line (NIL) pairs and eight key recombinants were identified from a segregating population containing 3621 individualsderived from residual heterozygous lines (RHLs)self-crossing. In combination with phenotype identification, qKl-1BL was finely positioned into a 2.04-Mb interval, KN1B:698.15-700.19Mb, with eight differentially expressed genes enriched at the key period of kernel elongation. Based on transcriptome analysis and functional annotation information, two candidate genes for qKl-1BL controlling kernel elongation were identified. Additionally, genetic effect analysis showed that the superior allele of qKl-1BL from Jing411 could increase KL, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and yield per plant (YPP) significantly, as well as kernel bulk density and stability time. Taken together, this study identified a QTL interval for controlling kernel length with two possible candidate genes, whichprovides an important basis for qKl-1BL cloning, functional analysis, and application in molecular breeding programs.

Current Situation and Strategy of Integrating Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture into English Reading Teaching in Senior High School

China's excellent traditional culture, which embodies the achievements of thousands of years of civilization, is our most precious treasure. The high school period is a key period for Chinese students to shape their values, and language carries the culture of various countries. Therefore, when learning English, high school students should integrate into the excellent traditional culture of our own country while learning Western culture, so as to achieve the purpose of English teaching. The value of integrating Chinese excellent culture into high school mainly lies in the two aspects of students' English learning and English application, and the path should start from the reform of teaching materials, teachers' quality and class type.

The Physiological Basis of Alfalfa Plant Height Establishment.

Plant height plays an important role in crop yield, product quality, and cultivation management. However, the physiological mechanisms that regulate the establishment of plant height in alfalfa plants remain unclear. Herein, we measured plant height traits, leaf characteristics, photosynthetic physiology, cell wall composition, and endogenous hormone contents of tall- and short-stalked alfalfa materials at different reproductive periods. We analyzed the physiology responsible for differences in plant height. The results demonstrated that the number of internodes in tall- and short-stalked alfalfa materials tended to converge with the advancement of the fertility period. Meanwhile, the average internode length (IL) of tall-stalked materials was significantly higher than that of short-stalked materials at different fertility periods, with internode length identified as the main trait determining the differences in alfalfa plant height. Leaf characteristics, which are closely related to photosynthetic capacity, are crucial energy sources supporting the expression of plant height traits, and we found that an increase in the number of leaves contributed to a proportional increase in plant height. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between plant height and leaf dry weight per plant during the branching and early flowering stages of alfalfa. The leaves of alfalfa affect plant height through photosynthesis, with the budding stage identified as the key period for efficient light energy utilization. Plant height at the budding stage showed a significant positive correlation with soluble sugar (SS) content and a significant negative correlation with intercellular CO2 concentration. Moreover, we found that alfalfa plant height was significantly correlated with the contents of indole-3-acetic acid in stem tips (SIAA), gibberellin A3 in leaves (LGA3), zeatin in stem tips (SZT), and abscisic acid in leaves (LABA). Further investigation revealed that SS, SIAA, and LGA3 contents were important physiological indicators affecting alfalfa plant height. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the formation of alfalfa plant height traits and for genetic improvement studies.

Summer warming during Heinrich Stadial 1 in Northeast China

Abstract The last deglaciation is considered a key period for exploring the underlying dynamics of temperature changes because it was characterized by multiple millennial-scale abrupt climatic events. However, the limited number of quantitative temperature records in Northeast (NE) China covering the last deglaciation hampers a complete understanding of the mechanisms and processes behind the temperature changes that occurred in that region. Here, we present a quantitative reconstruction of summer temperature over the last deglaciation based on bacterial branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) analyzed from the sediment sequence of Lake Kielguo, a small volcanic lake in NE China. The results show that summer temperature was lowest during the interval ca. 20–18.2 calibrated (cal.) k.y. B.P. with a value of ~11.1 °C and increased by ~1.9 °C during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1) and by ~2.7 °C during the transition to the Bølling-Allerød (B-A). The summer temperatures during the B-A warm interval and Younger Dryas cold interval were ~14.1 °C and ~12.0 °C, respectively. The summer temperature record from the Lake Kielguo sediment sequence indicates that summer warming dominated the climate change state during HS1 in East Asia, which is different from the cooling pattern controlled by winter temperatures in the North Atlantic and Greenland realms. This distinction can be explained by weakened winter cooling signals triggered by the collapse of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation when these signals propagated to East Asia, and increased summer temperature warming controlled by orbital and greenhouse gases during HS1 in East Asia.

Longitudinal Relationships Between School Climate, Academic Achievement, and Gaming Disorder Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents.

Despite growing concerns regarding the development of gaming disorder symptoms among adolescents, the longitudinal relationship between school factors and gaming disorder symptoms remains far from being fully understood. This two-year longitudinal study examined the relationship between school climate perceptions, academic achievement, and gaming disorder symptoms among three distinct demographic cohorts: preadolescents (n = 1513; 46.9% girls, Mage = 10.64 years, SD = 0.56), early adolescents (n = 1771; 48.3% girls, Mage = 13.54 years, SD = 0.70), and late adolescents (n = 2385; 50.1% girls, Mage = 16.41 years, SD = 0.59). A four-wave study was conducted (six months apart) using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to separate the within-person (state level) from the between-person (trait level) effects. The results obtained from the RI-CLPMs indicated that fluctuations in school climate perceptions negatively predicted subsequent changes in gaming disorder symptoms among preadolescents at the within-person level, but not among early and late adolescents. Fluctuations relating to gaming disorder symptoms also negatively predicted subsequent changes regarding academic achievement in late adolescents, but not in preadolescents and early adolescents. The effect of school-related factors on gaming disorder symptoms varies across different developmental stages. While preadolescents may represent a particularly susceptible subgroup for gaming disorder in terms of being predicted by their school environment, late adolescents appear to be more vulnerable to predictors of gaming disorder symptoms. The current study also discusses the implications of school-wide programs aimed at improving school climate and preventing the development of gaming disorder symptoms during key developmental periods.

Dendroarchaeology of Birnirk and Thule Architectural Timbers (10–13th Centuries)

Abstract Along the coast of northwestern Alaska, architectural wood remains are well preserved in the Birnirk and Thule coastal sites of the early 2nd millennium CE. These structural wood elements are unique archives for documenting climatic variations and cultural transformations during this key development period of Inuit culture. Along this treeless Arctic coast, driftwood accumulates from the subarctic forests of interior Alaska. Except for northwestern Alaska, regional tree-ring chronologies are too short (at best 350–400 years) to successfully date archaeological wood remains from Birnirk and Thule coastal sites using conventional dendrochronology. This paper examines the potential of tree-ring derived δ18O signal to annually date eight architectural wood samples from the Rising Whale (KTZ-304) site at Cape Espenberg, northwestern Alaska. We developed a δ18O master chronology, covering the period 935–1157 CE, using five wood samples from the KTZ-304 site. Blind isotope cross-dating of individual series belonging to this δ18O master chronology (one against the other four) showed conclusive dating and a very strong coherence of the isotopic signal. We, then, used the δ18O master chronology to cross-date three other wood samples for which we knew, from previous 14C wiggle-matching procedure, the first measured ring to be in this time interval, within a ± 18 to 30-year precision. Oxygen isotope dendrochronology provided a plausible date for one of the samples (the first measured ring at 1073 CE). This preliminary study encourages us to acquire additional data to extend in time and strengthen the δ18O master chronology of northwestern Alaska (NWAK18O) and help refine our understanding of climate and culture change during the 2nd millennium CE.

Genetic Information to Share with Parents when Newborn Screening Reveals the Presence of Sickle Cell Trait.

The primary purpose of newborn screening for sickle cell disease is to diagnose the disease before the appearance of symptoms and to initiate early treatment. To answer the question "What genetic information needs to be communicated to parents when newborn screening reveals the presence of a sickle cell trait," we conducted a survey using a self-administered online questionnaire. We received responses from 122 healthcare workers and members of sickle cell disease associations, in France and French overseas departments. Our results showed similar positions on this issue. The information conveyed is not consistent and is the result of grassroots initiatives. The negative consequences generated by this information could be reduced when this information is delivered by a multidisciplinary team, within the framework of a dedicated consultation. This information on sickle cell trait status should be given in at least three key periods: the neonatal period, early adolescence, and later adolescence, when reproductive implications become important. Neonatal screening programs should develop systems that allow referring physicians to easily access the results of neonatal screening electronically. Harmonization of practices should allow a better analysis of the consequences of this counselling on family projects.

Mapping Paddy Rice in Rice–Wetland Coexistence Zone by Integrating Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Data

Accurate mapping of vegetation in the coexisting area of paddy fields and wetlands plays a key role in the sustainable development of agriculture and ecology, which is critical for national food security and ecosystem balance. The phenology-based rice mapping algorithm uses unique flooding stages of paddy rice, and it has been widely used for rice mapping. However, wetlands with similar flooding signatures make rice extraction in rice–wetland coexistence challenging. In this study, we analyzed phenology differences between rice and wetlands based on the Sentinel-1/2 data and used the random forest algorithm to map vegetation in the Poyang Lake Basin, which is a typical rice–wetland coexistence zone in the south of China. The rice maps were validated with reference data, and the highest overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient was 0.94 and 0.93, respectively. First, monthly median composited and J-M distance methods were used to analyze radar and spectral data in key phenological periods, and it was found that the combination of the two approaches can effectively improve the confused signal between paddy rice and wetlands. Second, the VV and VH polarization characteristics of Sentinel-1 data enable better identification of wetlands and rice. Third, from 2018 to 2022, paddy rice in the Poyang Lake Basin showed the characteristics of planting structure around the Poyang Lake and its tributaries. The mudflats were mostly found in the middle and northeast of Poyang Lake, and the wetland vegetation was found surrounding the mudflats, forming a nibbling shape from the lake’s periphery to its center. Our study demonstrates the potential of mapping paddy rice in the rice–wetland coexistence zone using the combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery, which would be beneficial for balancing the changes between paddy rice and wetlands and improving the vulnerability of the local ecological environment.

Early Childhood Anemia in Rural Bangladesh: The Role of Iron Deficiency, Infections, and Inadequate Complementary Feeding Techniques

Anemia and iron deficiency increased quickly until 8 to 9 months of age, while the prevalence of subclinical infections remained stable. Apart from age and male sex, iron deficiency and subclinical infections were the main risk factors for anemia. Similarly, age, male sex, and subclinical illnesses were important risk factors for iron deficiency. In early rural Bangladeshi newborns, the burden of anemia and iron deficiency is particularly severe during the key transition period of increased physiological Fe requirements corresponding to the early phase of supplementary feeding, which lasts from 6 to 11 months of age. Nutritional and infection control strategies alone are insufficient. as soon as they begin providing them with complimentary foods. The increasing prevalence of anaemia and Iron Deficiency during the first 3 months of the complementary feeding period highlights the need to support mothers to introduce Fe supplements or Fe-rich foods or products in their infants’ diet as soon as they start giving them complementary foods. In order to reduce anemia and Iron Deficiency in this population, it is imperative to incorporate methods related to water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as parasitic disease control, given the high prevalence of subclinical infections and their role in these conditions. In order to avoid anemia during infancy in Bangladesh, a multipronged approach involving both infection control techniques and dietary Fe consumption improvements is required. A person's capacity to work is restricted by anemia and iron deficiency, which can potentially have serious negative economic repercussions and impede the advancement of the country. Because of all of this, it is generally accepted that lowering the global burden of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia is a top priority in public health nutrition.

Empirical Analysis of Vocabulary Teaching in Middle Schools Based on Situational Language Teaching

With the continuous development of globalization, English has become one of the important languages of China and international communication, playing an important role in our life. English has always been the traditional main subject of education at all levels in China, whether primary school, middle school, high school and university, all occupy a pivotal position. And in middle school education, English performance can affect the situation of admission, and English is also a subject with a huge gap. Middle school is a key period to learn English. How should we learn English well? As we all know, the important condition for learning English well is vocabulary. Only by mastering vocabulary can we learn English well. Vocabulary is the basis of learning English well. However, from the current situation of junior high school students learning vocabulary, it is not optimistic, and students face many difficulties to master vocabulary. The main difficulties we have include: firstly, students, only have single memory method and insufficient memory s in vocabulary memory skills, which make them difficult to master the vocabulary. secondly, the traditional classroom teaching approach is single, boring and inefficient; thirdly, many teachers ignore thinking and interest cultivation, and students can only memorize words and phrases, difficult to use flexibly in life, so that students often lack interest in vocabulary, and will be afraid when they face with vocabulary. we can’t learn English well in such a situation. Now, it is a common challenge for teachers and students to change the situation at present. In order that students can better master vocabulary, for this reason, teachers can find more appropriate teaching methods to change the dilemma they face. With the further research on the theories of vocabulary teaching, we understand some relevant teaching approaches and theories gradually, such as situational language teaching (SLT). Due to introduction of SLT, it has played a great influence in China’s basic education and made great progress in China’s education. Although the current situational teaching method is often used in English teaching, it has not always been applied to vocabulary teaching. It is unclear whether SLT is suitable for vocabulary teaching and can improve the efficiency of vocabulary teaching and change the current situation. Therefore, this article studies whether SLT is applicable to English vocabulary teaching in middle schools and verifies whether it is effective. However, SLT through the data analysis of post-trial test and questionnaire is suitable and feasible. By creating a real situation, let the students experience the true feelings, and then master the vocabulary, improve the interest in learning, improve the classroom efficiency. By creating a real situation, let the students experience the true feelings, and then master the vocabulary, improve the interest in learning, improve the classroom efficiency.

Genome-Wide Characterization of Differentially Expressed Scent Genes in the MEP Control Network of the Flower of Lilium 'Sorbonne'.

Fragrance is an important feature of ornamental lilies. Components of volatile substances and important genes for monoterpene synthesis in the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway were examined in this study. Twenty volatile compounds (2 in the budding stage, 3 in the initial flowering stage, 7 in the semi-flowering stage, 17 in the full-flowering stage, and 5 in withering stage) were detected in the Oriental lily 'Sorbonne' using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The semi- and full-flowering stages were key periods for volatile substance production and enzyme function. Sequence assembly from samples collected during all flowering stages resulted in the detection of 274,849 genes and 129,017 transcripts. RNA sequencing and heatmapping led to the detection of genes in the MEP monoterpene metabolism pathway. Through gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, we extracted key genes (LiDXS2, LiLIS, and LiMYS) and transcription factors (in the bHLH, MYB, HD-ZIP, and NAC families) associated with the MEP pathway. Tissue localization revealed that LiDXS2, LiLIS, and LiMYS were expressed in Lilium 'Sorbonne' petals in the full-flowering stage. Genes regulating the 1-deoxy-D-X-lignone-5-phosphate synthase family of rate-limiting enzymes, involved in the first step of monoterpene synthesis, showed high expression in the semi- and full-flowering stages. LiDXS2 was cloned and localized in chloroplast subcells. The relative expression of terpene-related genes in the MEP and mevalonic acid pathways of wild-type and LiLIS/LiMYS transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, and changes in chemical composition, confirmed that LiLIS/LiMYS regulates the monoterpene synthesis pathway. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the synthesis of lily aromatic substances and the cultivation of new garden flower varieties.

Right frontal cingulate cortex mediates the effect of prenatal complications on youth internalizing behaviors

Prenatal and perinatal complications represent well-known risk factors for the future development of psychiatric disorders. Such influence might become manifested during childhood and adolescence, as key periods for brain and behavioral changes. Internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence have been associated with the risk of psychiatric onset later in life. Both brain morphology and behavior seem to be affected by obstetric complications, but a clear link among these three aspects is missing. Here, we aimed at analyzing the association between prenatal and perinatal complications, behavioral issues, and brain volumes in a group of children and adolescents. Eighty-two children and adolescents with emotional-behavioral problems underwent clinical and 3 T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessments. The former included information on behavior, through the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 (CBCL/6-18), and on the occurrence of obstetric complications. The relationships between clinical and gray matter volume (GMV) measures were investigated through multiple generalized linear models and mediation models. We found a mutual link between prenatal complications, GMV alterations in the frontal gyrus, and withdrawn problems. Specifically, complications during pregnancy were associated with higher CBCL/6-18 withdrawn scores and GMV reductions in the right superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, a mediation effect of these GMV measures on the association between prenatal complications and the withdrawn dimension was identified. Our findings suggest a key role of obstetric complications in affecting brain structure and behavior. For the first time, a mediator role of frontal GMV in the relationship between prenatal complications and internalizing symptoms was suggested. Once replicated on independent cohorts, this evidence will have relevant implications for planning preventive interventions.

Sex-specific associations between placental corticotropin releasing hormone and problem behaviors in childhood

Placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (pCRH) is a neuroactive peptide produced in high concentrations in mid-late pregnancy, during key periods of fetal brain development. Some evidence suggests that higher pCRH exposure during gestation is associated with adverse neurodevelopment, particularly in female offspring. In 858 mother-child dyads from the sociodemographically diverse CANDLE cohort (Memphis, TN), we examined: (1) the slope of pCRH rise in mid-late pregnancy and (2) estimated pCRH at delivery as a measure of cumulative prenatal exposure. When children were 4 years-old, mothers reported on problem behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and cognitive performance was assessed by trained psychologists using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales. We fitted linear regression models examining pCRH in relation to behavioral and cognitive performance measures, adjusting for covariates. Using interaction models, we evaluated whether associations differed by fetal sex, breastfeeding, and postnatal neighborhood opportunity. In the full cohort, log-transformed pCRH measures were not associated with outcomes; however, we observed sex differences in some models (interaction p-values≤0.01). In male offspring, an interquartile (IQR) increase in pCRH slope (but not estimated pCRH at delivery), was positively associated with raw Total (β=3.06, 95%CI: 0.40, 5.72), Internalizing (β=0.89, 95%CI: 0.03, 1.76), and Externalizing (β=1.25, 95%CI: 0.27, 2.22) Problem scores, whereas, in females, all associations were negative (Total Problems: β=−1.99, 95%CI: −3.89, −0.09; Internalizing: β=−0.82, 95%CI: −1.42, −0.23; Externalizing: β=−0.56, 95%CI: −1.34, 0.22). No associations with cognitive performance were observed nor did we observe moderation by breastfeeding or postnatal neighborhood opportunity. Our results provide further evidence that prenatal pCRH exposure may impact subsequent child behavior in sex-specific ways, however in contrast to prior studies suggesting adverse impacts in females, steeper mid-gestation pCRH rise was associated with more problem behaviors in males, but fewer in females.

Aggrandisers and the first copper-base metallurgy in Southeast Asia

The settlement of Ban Non Wat charts the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in north-eastern Thailand. Examination of grave inclusions and mortuary treatment at this important site allows insights into social change during this key period. Increasing complexity and the inclusion of exotic items in the mortuary treatment of some individuals early in the Bronze Age is suggested to show the rise of a lineage of aggrandisers who controlled access to these symbolic articles. But, the author argues, their elevated status was ephemeral, forfeited as local bronze casting became established.