Longer Days Research Articles

Genetic variation in heading dates and phenological parameters of Myanmar rice

ABSTRACT Genetic variation in heading dates is essential for developing a rational rice cultivation program, optimizing irrigation practices, and advancing plant breeding in year-round irrigated environments. In this study, we investigated the heading dates of eight rice varieties with varying degrees of photoperiod sensitivity under natural field conditions by conducting year-round periodic sowing in 2019 in Nay Pyi Taw, located in the central region of Myanmar. We elucidated genetic differences in critical day length by observing the longest day length at 30 days before heading, which is likely to be the starting point for floral induction. We analyzed two phenological models: the conventional developmental rate (DVR) model and a modified model considering the critical day length. These analyses aimed to uncover the genetic differences in phenological parameters: temperature sensitivity, photoperiod sensitivity, and earliness among rice varieties. Incorporating the critical day length into the DVR model significantly improved its accuracy in predicting heading dates, particularly for photoperiod-sensitive rice varieties. The parameters derived from the 2019 data proved effective for predicting heading dates in 2018, especially for photoperiod-sensitive varieties. The genetic variation in critical day length and model parameters could be valuable for adapting rice cultivars to different seasons and determining yield and agronomic practices for varietal development programs. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of rice phenology and the genetic basis for photoperiod sensitivity in Myanmar rice.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals the molecular basis of photoperiod-regulated sex differentiation in tropical pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata Duch.)

BackgroundPhotoperiod, or the length of the day, has a significant impact on the flowering and sex differentiation of photoperiod-sensitive crops. The “miben” pumpkin (the main type of Cucurbita moschata Duch.) is well-known for its high yield and strong disease resistance. However, its cultivation has been limited due to its sensitivity to photoperiod. This sensitivity imposes challenges on its widespread cultivation and may result in suboptimal yields in regions with specific daylength conditions. As a consequence, efforts are being made to explore potential strategies or breeding techniques to enhance its adaptability to a broader range of photoperiods, thus unlocking its full cultivation potential and further promoting its valuable traits in agriculture.ResultsThis study aimed to identify photoperiod-insensitive germplasm exhibiting no difference in sex differentiation under different day-length conditions. The investigation involved a phenotypic analysis of photoperiod-sensitive (PPS) and photoperiod-insensitive (PPIS) pumpkin materials exposed to different day lengths, including long days (LDs) and short days (SDs). The results revealed that female flower differentiation was significantly inhibited in PPS_LD, while no differences were observed in the other three groups (PPS_SD, PPIS_LD, and PPIS_SD). Transcriptome analysis was carried out for these four groups to explore the main-effect genes of sex differentiation responsive to photoperiod. The main-effect gene subclusters were identified based on the principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses. Further, functional annotations and enrichment analysis revealed significant upregulation of photoreceptors (CmCRY1, F-box/kelch-repeat protein), circadian rhythm-related genes (CmGI, CmPRR9, etc.), and CONSTANS (CO) in PPS_LD. Conversely, a significant downregulation was observed in most Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) transcription factors. Regarding the gibberellic acid (GA) signal transduction pathway, positive regulators of GA signaling (CmSCL3, CmSCL13, and so forth) displayed higher expression levels, while the negative regulators of GA signaling, CmGAI, exhibited lower expression levels in PPS_LD. Notably, this effect was not observed in the synthetic pathway genes. Furthermore, genes associated with ethylene synthesis and signal transduction (CmACO3, CmACO1, CmERF118, CmERF118-like1,2, CmWIN1-like, and CmRAP2-7-like) showed significant downregulation.ConclusionsThis study offered a crucial theoretical and genetic basis for understanding how photoperiod influences the mechanism of female flower differentiation in pumpkins.

Floral-promoting GmFT homologs trigger photoperiodic after-effects: An important mechanism for early-maturing soybean varieties to regulate reproductive development and adapt to high latitudes.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a typical short-day plant, but has been widely cultivated in high-latitude long-day (LD) regions because of the development of early-maturing genotypes which are photoperiod-insensitive. However, some early-maturing varieties exhibit significant responses to maturity under different daylengths but not for flowering, depicting an evident photoperiodic after-effect, a poorly understood mechanism. In this study, we investigated the postflowering responses of 11 early-maturing soybean varieties to various preflowering photoperiodic treatments. We confirmed that preflowering SD conditions greatly promoted maturity and other postflowering developmental stages. Soybean homologs of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), including GmFT2a, GmFT3a, GmFT3band GmFT5a, were highly accumulated in leaves under preflowering SD treatment. More importantly, they maintained a high expression level after flowering even under LD conditions. E1 RNAi and GmFT2a overexpression lines showed extremely early maturity regardless of preflowering SD and LD treatments due to constitutively high levels of floral-promoting GmFT homolog expression throughout their life cycle. Collectively, our data indicate that high and stable expression of floral-promoting GmFT homologs play key roles in the maintenance of photoperiodic induction to promote postflowering reproductive development, which confers early-maturing varieties with appropriate vegetative growth and shortened reproductive growth periods for adaptation to high latitudes.

Factors Associated with Respiratory Insufficiency in Children with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

The risk factors for respiratory insufficiency in children with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) are poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with respiratory insufficiency in children with GBS. This retrospective study included children diagnosed with GBS by pediatric neurologists and admitted at the Wuhan Children's Hospital and other hospitals from January 2013 to October 2022. The patients were divided into the respiratory insufficiency and nonrespiratory insufficiency groups according to whether they received assist breathing during treatment. The median (interquartile range) age of onset of 103 patients were 5 (3.1-8.5) years, 69 (67%) were male, and 64 (62.1%) had a history of precursor infection. Compared with the nonrespiratory insufficiency group, the respiratory insufficiency group showed more facial and/or bulbar weakness (p = 0.002), a higher Hughes Functional Grading Scale (HFGS) at admission (p < 0.001), and a shorter onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.017). Compared with the acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) subtype, the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) subtype showed longer days from onset to lumbar (p = 0.000), lower HFGS at admission (p = 0.04), longer onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.001), and more cranial nerve involvement (p = 0.04). The incidence of respiratory insufficiency between AIDP and AMAN showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05). In conclusion, facial and/or bulbar weakness, HFGS at admission, and onset-to-admission interval were associated with respiratory insufficiency and might be useful prognostic markers in children with GBS.

The habit of strawberry flowering is the key for runner propagation, where the photoperiod is the main environmental factor - A review

Despite the advancement of tissue culture in strawberry plant propagation, the degree of elite for field cultivation depends on forcing the plant to produce runners. The strawberry flower habit [everbearing (EB), seasonal berry (SB), short-day (SD), long-day (LD), and day-neutral (DN)] defines the method of encouraging the plant to generate runners, since the formation of runners is mostly influenced by genetic factors before being influenced by environmental factors. Stolon production, which occurs as a result of vying for resources under certain environmental circumstances, is the reverse of blossoming. Therefore, any stimulus that encourages stolon formation and vegetative growth limits the development of flower buds, which is necessary for elite propagation. Long photoperiod, temperature, chilling hour, or cold storage, and plant growth regulators (PGR) are cited as these variables. Temperature has a significant impact on runner development, although the long daily photoperiod (LD) remains the most crucial component in runner induction. However, when LD interacts with other factors like temperature, cold storage, and gibberellins, its efficiency is increased. Thus, based on the cultivars and the seasonal climate of the geographical location, the best approach for strawberry propagation is identified by optimising the planting date for propagation or adjusting the propagation circumstances.

Influence of photoperiod and exogenous melatonin on testis morpho-physiology of sexually mature guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

The biological effects of simulated photoperiod and melatonin on the control of reproduction of guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) are not well understood. Herein, thirty (30) sexually mature guinea fowl cocks were randomly assigned to 1–6 groups (n = 5) and subjected to different photoperiodic regimes in the presence or absence of exogenous melatonin (Mel; 1 mg/kgBW/day, i/m) for eight weeks. Testes of the euthanized cocks were processed for gross morphology, histological, histochemical, and oxidative stress markers. Testosterone concentration was determined in serum samples using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. We observed an increase in testicular size in the Mel and Non-Mel groups under long-day (LD) photoperiods, and in the Non-Mel group under short-day (SD) photoperiod. Conversely, the testicular size was drastically reduced in the Mel group for SD. Seminiferous tubules in the Mel and Non-Mel groups of the SD showed cytomorphological changes, including degenerated cells, focal vacuolations, and depletion of germinal epithelium. However, the germinal epithelium appeared to be complete and active in both the Mel and Non-Mel groups for the LD. In all groups, the testes showed positive staining for PAS with varying intensities. There was a significant difference in PAS-staining intensity between different photoperiodic regimes and exogenous melatonin. The study observed the interaction between photoperiods and exogenous melatonin on glutathione reductase (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and serum testosterone. Overall, the results indicated that a long-day (LD) photoperiod, combined with exogenous melatonin, enhanced reproductive activity in male guinea fowl by increasing testicular size and serum testosterone concentration.

GIGANTEA accelerates wheat heading time through gene interactions converging on FLOWERING LOCUS T1.

Precise regulation of flowering time is critical for cereal crops to synchronize reproductive development with optimum environmental conditions, thereby maximizing grain yield. The plant-specific gene GIGANTEA (GI) plays an important role in the control of flowering time, with additional functions on the circadian clock and plant stress responses. In this study, we show that GI loss-of-function mutants in a photoperiod-sensitive tetraploid wheat background exhibit significant delays in heading time under both long-day (LD) and short-day photoperiods, with stronger effects under LD. However, this interaction between GI and photoperiod is no longer observed in isogenic lines carrying either a photoperiod-insensitive allele in the PHOTOPERIOD1 (PPD1) gene or a loss-of-function allele in EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3), a known repressor of PPD1. These results suggest that the normal circadian regulation of PPD1 is required for the differential effect of GI on heading time in different photoperiods. Using crosses between mutant or transgenic plants of GI and those of critical genes in the flowering regulation pathway, we show that GI accelerates wheat heading time by promoting FLOWERING LOCUS T1 (FT1) expression via interactions with ELF3, VERNALIZATION 2 (VRN2), CONSTANS (CO), and the age-dependent microRNA172-APETALA2 (AP2) pathway, at both transcriptional and protein levels. Our study reveals conserved GI mechanisms between wheat and Arabidopsis but also identifies specific interactions of GI with the distinctive photoperiod and vernalization pathways of the temperate grasses. These results provide valuable knowledge for modulating wheat heading time and engineering new varieties better adapted to a changing environment.

COL2-dependent photoperiodic floral induction in Nicotiana sylvestris seems to be lost in the N. sylvestris × N. tomentosiformis hybrid N. tabacum.

Plants are sessile organisms that maximize reproductive success by adapting to their environment. One of the key steps in the reproductive phase of angiosperms is flower development, requiring the perception of multiple endogenous and exogenous signals integrated via a complex regulatory network. Key floral regulators, including the main transcription factor of the photoperiodic pathway (CONSTANS, CO) and the central floral pathway integrator (FLOWERING LOCUS T, FT), are known in many species. We identified several CO-like (COL) proteins in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The NtCOL2a/b proteins in the day-neutral plant N.tabacum were most closely related to Arabidopsis CO. We characterized the diurnal expression profiles of corresponding genes in leaves under short-day (SD) and long-day (LD) conditions and confirmed their expression in phloem companion cells. Furthermore, we analyzed the orthologs of NtCOL2a/b in the maternal LD ancestor (N. sylvestris) and paternal, facultative SD ancestor (N.tomentosiformis) of N. tabacum and found that they were expressed in the same diurnal manner. NtCOL2a/b overexpression or knock-out using the CRISPR/Cas9 system did not support a substantial role for the CO homologs in the control of floral transition in N. tabacum. However, NsCOL2 overexpression induced flowering in N. sylvestris under typically non-inductive SD conditions, correlating with the upregulation of the endogenous NsFTd gene. Our results suggest that NsFTd is transcriptionally regulated by NsCOL2 and that this COL2-dependent photoperiodic floral induction seems to be lost in N. tabacum, providing insight into the diverse genetics of photoperiod-dependent flowering in different Nicotiana species.

Quantifying the impact of nitrogen levels on spring maize varieties (Zea mays L.) in Kanchanpur, Nepal

Maize has tremendous potential for increasing productivity, profitability, and sustainability in agriculture. A crucial obstacle to maximizing yield the suitable maize variety with appropriate nitrogen (N) doses. The current two-factorial research carried out in the farmer&amp;apos;s field at Kanchanpur, Nepal, aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of N on the growth and yield of spring maize varieties. Conducted from February to July 2022, the experiment design was randomized complete block with two factors; where hybrid varieties Bioseed 9220 and Arun-2 were the first factors and four different levels of nitrogen (0, 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha-1) were the second factors. Results showed that 180 kg N ha-1 and Bioseed 9220 treatment produced significantly higher plant height, kernel row-1, kernel row cob-1, cob plant-1, and thousand-grain weight as compared to other doses and Arun-2, respectively. Similarly, Bioseed 9220 and 180 kg N ha-1 treatment had significantly longer days for tasseling and silking. The grain yield of Bioseed 9220 (5.48 t ha-1) was significantly greater than Arun-2 (4.15 t ha-1) and the N level of 180 kg ha-1 had a higher yield (5.11 t ha-1) compared to 120 kg ha-1 (4.8 t ha-1), 60 kg ha-1 (4.78 t ha-1) and least in 0 kg ha-1 (4.56 t ha-1). The result indicates that Bioseed 9220 performs better than Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) Arun-2 in growth and yield attributes. N enrichment also boosts yield and yield-attributing characteristics. Bioseed 9220 with 180 kg N ha-1 should be prioritized among farmers to increase the productivity and yield of maize.

Soilless culture of tomato in naturally ventilated polyhouse under Assam conditions, India

In 2022, an experiment was conducted at the Experiment Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, to explore tomato cultivation possibilities using soilless media in a naturally ventilated polyhouse. Employing a randomized block design with 5 treatments and 4 replications, various media compositions, including cocopeat, vermiculite, perlite, sand, and loam soil in different ratios, were tested. The study uncovered that optimal tomato growth occurred in Loam soil: Sand: Vermicompost (1:1:1), showing maximum plant height (140.68 cm), primary branches (6.19), plant fresh weight (177.90 g), fruit weight (70.80 g), and a shorter time to flowering (42.5 days). This medium also resulted in higher residual N, P, K contents (2.58%, 2.51%, 2.64%, respectively) in the spent growing medium. Cocopeat: Sand: Vermicompost (5:2:3) yielded the highest plant dry weight (25.80 g), fruit set (48.24%), fruits/cluster (8.36), fruits/plant (71.74), yield/plant (4.88 kg), total yield (66.26 q/500sqm), and harvesting latitude (48.31 days). Meanwhile, Cocopeat: Vermiculite: Perlite (3:1:1) recorded the longest days to first harvest (83.75 days). Sand: Vermicompost (1:1) exhibited the highest chlorophyll content (2.50 mg/100 g), and fruit volume (73.10 cc), while Cocopeat: Vermicompost (1:1) had the maximum flowers per cluster (3.91). Economically, the analysis favored Loam soil: Sand: Vermicompost (1:1:1) with a maximum benefit-cost ratio of 2.20. In conclusion, while Cocopeat: Sand: Vermicompost (5:2:3) seems optimal for growth and yield, the economic advantage lies with Loam soil: Sand: Vermicompost (1:1:1).

Changes in the levels of WBC count, PCT, CRP and ESR in Patients with acute Community-acquired Lower Respiratory tract infections and their diagnostic value.

To investigate the levels of white blood cell count (WBC), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in patients with acute community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections and the value of their combined detection in predicting the occurrence of complications. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 218 patients with acute community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections admitted to Baoding No.1 Central Hospital from January 2021 to December 2021. All patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of complications during treatment: the group with complications (observation group) and the group without complications (control group). The treatment situation of the two groups was compared, and their levels of WBC, PCT, CRP and ESR were quantitatively detected and compared. Patients in the observation group were hospitalized for significantly longer days than those in the control group (P<0.05), and their combined pleural effusion percentage and oxygen uptake rate were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of WBC, PCT, CRP and ESR in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group at admission, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Moreover, the positive rates of WBC, PCT, CRP and ESR in the observation group were higher than those in the control group in the single detection and the combined detection (P<0.05). The combined detection of WBC, PCT, CRP and ESR has substantial predictive value in predicting the occurrence of complications in patients with community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.

SpeedFlower: a comprehensive speed breeding protocol for indica and japonica rice.

To increase rice yields and feed billions of people, it is essential to enhance genetic gains. However, the development of new varieties is hindered by longer generation times and seasonal constraints. To address these limitations, a speed breeding facility has been established and a robust speed breeding protocol, SpeedFlower is developed that allows growing 4-5 generations of indica and/or japonica rice in a year. Our findings reveal that a high red-to-blue (2R > 1B) spectrum ratio, followed by green, yellow and far-red (FR) light, along with a 24-h long day (LD) photoperiod for the initial 15 days of the vegetative phase, facilitated early flowering. This is further enhanced by 10-h short day (SD) photoperiod in the later stage and day and night temperatures of 32/30 °C, along with 65% humidity facilitated early flowering ranging from 52 to 60 days at high light intensity (800 μmol m-2 s-1). Additionally, the use of prematurely harvested seeds and gibberellic acid treatment reduced the maturity duration by 50%. Further, SpeedFlower was validated on a diverse subset of 198 rice accessions from 3K RGP panel encompassing all 12 distinct groups of Oryza sativa L. classes. Our results confirmed that using SpeedFlower one generation can be achieved within 58-71 days resulting in 5.1-6.3 generations per year across the 12 sub-groups. This breakthrough enables us to enhance genetic gain, which could feed half of the world's population dependent on rice.

Phenology, heat unit requirement and heat use efficiency of African marigold under year-round transplanting conditions of Punjab, India

The present study was conducted during 2021-22 and 2022-23 to study crop phenology, heat unit requirement and heat use efficiency (HUE) in African marigold under year-round transplanting at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The highest heat use efficiency for seed and flower production were recorded in crop transplanted in rainy season particularly in the month of August. Higher growing degree days (GDD) and photothermal units (PTU) for attaining bud visibility and 50 % flowering stages were recorded under spring and summer transplanting (February to June) due to longer day length conditions which forced the crop to witness shorter seed filling period with lesser seed yield and HUE. Optimum seed yield period in marigold (rainy season transplanting), however, recorded lesser GDD and PTU for attainment of bud visibility and 50 % flowering as compared to summer transplanting dates and consequently had longer seed filling period resulting in higher seed yield. Notably, GDD and PTU for seed filling period recorded higher values in rainy season transplanted crop as compared to crop transplanted in other seasons of year. Correlation studies were conducted to understand the role of weather variables for high seed yield obtained under rainy season transplanting. Seed yield in African marigold recorded the highest value of correlation with HUE for seed production (r2= 0.978) followed by GDD for seed filling period (r2= 0.810), HUE for flower production (r2= 0.787) and PTU for seed filling period (r2= 0.774), respectively. Apparently, mean temperature and sunshine hours during seed filling period are the most important determinants of seed yield in African marigold.

Utilization of Wastes Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) Substrates in the Cultivation of Oyster Mushroom: Modern View and Trends

Lemon grass wastes are abundant in both rural and urban areas and when carelessly disposed off to the environment by dumping or burning, they lead to environmental pollution, and consequently to health hazards. Growing of edible mushroom on these wastes can contribute to decrease in environment pollution. The aim of this study was conducted to compare the wastes lemon grass (cymbopogon citratus) substrates in the cultivation of Pleurotus sajor-caju and Pleurotus florida. Six substrate, namely, Trt1 (oil extracted lemongrass), Trt 2 (oil extracted lemon grass 40% + wheat straw 30%+ paddy straw 30%), Trt3 (oil extracted lemongrass 70% + wheat straw 30%), Trt4 (oil extracted lemon grass 50% + wheat straw 50%), Trt5 (oil extracted lemongrass 70% + paddy straw 30%) and Trt6 (oil extracted lemongrass 50% +paddy straw 50%) in the cultivation of PSC and PF. The results indicated that different substrate formulas gave a significant difference in complete full spawn run and days to pinhead formation were faster in Trt2 (15.5 and 13.70 days) and ( 18.40 and 17.40 days respectively) while Trt1 recorded the longest days (23.64 and 22.37) and (27.00 and 25.64 respectively) in PF and PSC. Number of fruiting bodies, fresh and dry weights of the mushroom was significantly higher in Trt2 than in the other substrates. The least number of fruiting bodies, fresh and dry weights were recorded in Trt1 of PF and PSC. The treatment Trt2 showed all over best result produce 884.37g.and 856.33g in PSC and PF. but as far as lemon grass (Trt1) alone and its combined effect all other treatments. Combination of lemon grass with wheat straw + paddy straw also showed significant produce while, using oil extracted lemongrass 100% does not show better results.

Maintenance of permanent sexual activity throughout the year in seasonal bucks using short photoperiodic cycles in open barns

Seasonality of reproductive activity in rams and bucks is the major constraint in temperate and subtropical zones. Rapid alternation between 1 month of short days and 1 month of long days (LD) over three years in lightproof buildings eliminates this seasonality. We examined if this would also work in open barns, using only supplementary light. Over two years, one group of bucks (n = 7) was subjected to alternate 1 month of LD and 1 month of permanent light (LD–LL) and another group (n = 7) to alternate 1 month of LD and 1 month of natural light (LD–NL). A simultaneous control group, used for both experiments (CG1, n = 6; CG2, n = 6), remained under natural photoperiod. BW, testis weight (TW), plasma testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) were evaluated in all bucks. CG1 and CG2 bucks showed identical dramatic seasonal variations in BW (stable or decreasing in summer), TW (from 85 ± 12 g in February to 127 ± 7 g in July) and T (from 2.7 ± 1.2 ng/mL in January–April to 24.3 ± 3.2 ng/mL in June–October). By contrast, BW of LD–LL and LD–NL bucks increased regularly during the experiment. From 5 and 9 months after the experiment onset, LD–LL and LD–NL bucks, respectively, maintained constant TW of 115 ± 5 g until the experiment end. After the first 3 months <5 ng/mL, T of LD–LL bucks remained constant (5–10 ng/mL) until the experiment end. By contrast, T of LD–NL bucks showed four periods of low (<5 ng/mL) and two periods of high concentrations (18.1 ± 2.6 and 11.9 ± 3.4 ng/mL). Plasma C remained low (5–8 ng/mL) and did not change with group or light treatment. These results show for the first time in any seasonal photoperiodic species that it is possible to maintain the sexual activity of males all year round in open buildings using alternating periods of LD and LL. By contrast, return to NL instead of LL every other month does not prevent seasonality in T concentration. These results raise interesting questions about the photoperiodic control of neuroendocrine regulation of seasonal sexual activity and suggest that these treatments can be used to manage males in open barns in farms and in artificial insemination centres. (Spanish and French versions of the full text are available as Supplementary Materials S1 and S2).

ZmELF6-ZmPRR37 module regulates maize flowering and salt response.

The control of flowering time in maize is crucial for reproductive success and yield, and it can be influenced by environmental stresses. Using the approaches of Ac/Ds transposon and transposable element amplicon sequencing techniques, we identified a Ds insertion mutant in the ZmPRR37 gene. The Ds insertion showed a significant correlation with days to anthesis. Further research indicated that ZmPRR37-CR knockout mutants exhibited early flowering, whereas ZmPRR37-overexpression lines displayed delayed flowering compared to WT under long-day (LD) conditions. We demonstrated that ZmPRR37 repressed the expression of ZmNF-YC2 and ZmNF-YA3 to delay flowering. Association analysis revealed a significant correlation between flowering time and a SNP2071-C/T located upstream of ZmPRR37. The SNP2071-C/T impacted the binding capacity of ZmELF6 to the promoter of ZmPRR37. ZmELF6 also acted as a flowering suppressor in maize under LD conditions. Notably, our study unveiled that ZmPRR37 can enhance salt stress tolerance in maize by directly regulating the expression of ABA-responsive gene ZmDhn1. ZmDhn1 negatively regulated maize salt stress resistance. In summary, our findings proposed a novel pathway for regulating photoperiodic flowering and responding to salt stress based on ZmPRR37 in maize, providing novel insights into the integration of abiotic stress signals into floral pathways.

The relationship between chronic diseases and mental health: A cross-sectional study

Objectivethe current study explores the association between four types of chronic diseases and mental health issues in Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data collected in 2021 MethodsThe study utilized data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The dataset was carefully selected, resulting in a sample size of 233,890 participants with 27 covariates. To assess the impact of chronic diseases on mental health, inverse propensity weights (IPW), which were generated based on the existence of the presence or absence of four specific chronic diseases (cholesterol disease, kidney disease, coronary heart disease, and asthma), were assigned to each participant. To check the balance of the selected baseline covariates, we compared the standardized mean difference (SMD) before and after applying the IPW. Linear regression models incorporating the inverse propensity weights were then utilized to examine the association between each of the four chronic diseases and the number of days participants experienced poor mental health within the last 30 days. ResultsAll four chronic diseases (cholesterol disease, kidney disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and asthma), were found to be significantly associated with mental health problems. After applying inverse propensity weighting (IPW) to the analysis, individuals diagnosed with cholesterol disease experienced an average of 0.5 (95 % CI: 0.32, 0.63) longer days of poor mental health within the last 30 days. Similarly, those with kidney disease, CHD and asthma reported 1.64 (95 % CI: 1.44, 1.84), 0.37 (95 % CI: 0.22, 0.52) and 4.33 (95 % CI: 4.21, 4.45) longer days of poor mental health. Participants with any type of the four chronic diseases experienced on an average of 0.65 (95 % CI: 0.58, 0.72) longer days of poor mental health within the same time frame. ConclusionThe four types of chronic diseases (cholesterol disease, kidney disease, CHD and asthma) are significantly associated with mental health concerns. Participants affected by any type of the four types of chronic diseases experienced an extended duration of poor mental health within the past 30 days.

INDETERMINATE1-mediated expression of FT family genes is required for proper timing of flowering in Brachypodium distachyon.

The transition to flowering is a major developmental switch in plants. In many temperate grasses, perception of indicators of seasonal change, such as changing day-length and temperature, leads to expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T1 (FT1) and FT-Like (FTL) genes that are essential for promoting the transition to flowering. However, little is known about the upstream regulators of FT1 and FTL genes in temperate grasses. Here, we characterize the monocot-specific gene INDETERMINATE1 (BdID1) in Brachypodium distachyon and demonstrate that BdID1 is a regulator of FT family genes. Mutations in ID1 impact the ability of the short-day (SD) vernalization, cold vernalization, and long-day (LD) photoperiod pathways to induce certain FTL genes. BdID1 is required for upregulation of FTL9 (FT-LIKE9) expression by the SD vernalization pathway, and overexpression of FTL9 in an id1 background can partially restore the delayed flowering phenotype of id1. We show that BdID1 binds in vitro to the promoter region of FTL genes suggesting that ID1 directly activates FTL expression. Transcriptome analysis shows that BdID1 is required for FT1, FT2, FTL12, and FTL13 expression under inductive LD photoperiods, indicating that BdID1 is a regulator of the FT gene family. Moreover, overexpression of FT1 in the id1 background results in rapid flowering similar to overexpressing FT1 in the wild type, demonstrating that BdID1 is upstream of FT family genes. Interestingly, ID1 negatively regulates a previously uncharacterized FTL gene, FTL4, and we show that FTL4 is a repressor of flowering. Thus, BdID1 is critical for proper timing of flowering in temperate grasses.

Multiparametric MR Evaluation of the Photoperiodic Regulation of Hypothalamic Structures in Sheep

Most organisms on earth, humans included, have developed strategies to cope with environmental day-night and seasonal cycles to survive. For most of them, their physiological and behavioral functions, including the reproductive function, are synchronized with the annual changes of day length, to ensure winter survival and subsequent reproductive success in the following spring.Sheep are sensitive to photoperiod, which also regulates natural adult neurogenesis in their hypothalamus. We postulate that the ovine model represents a good alternative to study the functional and metabolic changes occurring in response to photoperiodic changes in hypothalamic structures of the brain.Here, the impact of the photoperiod on the neurovascular coupling and the metabolism of the hypothalamic structures was investigated at 3T using BOLD fMRI, perfusion-MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). A longitudinal study involving 8 ewes was conducted during long days (LD) and short days (SD) revealing significant BOLD, rCBV and metabolic changes in hypothalamic structures of the ewe brain between LD and SD. More specifically, the transition between LD and SD revealed negative BOLD responses to hypercapnia at the beginning of SD period followed by significant increases in BOLD, rCBV, Glx and tNAA concentrations towards the end of the SD period. These observations suggest longitudinal mechanisms promoting the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells within the hypothalamic niche of breeding ewes.We conclude that multiparametric MRI studies including 1H-MRS could be promising non-invasive translational techniques to investigate the existence of natural adult neurogenesis in-vivo in gyrencephalic brains.

Daylength variation affects growth, photosynthesis, leaf metabolism, partitioning, and metabolic fluxes.

Daylength, a seasonal and latitudinal variable, exerts a substantial impact on plant growth. However, the relationship between daylength and growth is nonproportional, suggesting the existence of adaptive mechanisms. Thus, our study aimed to comprehensively investigate the adaptive strategies employed by plants in response to daylength variation. We grew false flax (Camelina sativa) plants, a model oilseed crop, under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) conditions and used growth measurements, gas exchange measurements, and isotopic labeling techniques, including 13C, 14C, and 2H2O, to determine responses to different daylengths. Our findings revealed that daylength influences various growth parameters, photosynthetic physiology, carbon partitioning, metabolic fluxes, and metabolite levels. SD plants employed diverse mechanisms to compensate for reduced CO2 fixation in the shorter photoperiod. These mechanisms included enhanced photosynthetic rates and reduced respiration in the light (RL), leading to increased shoot investment. Additionally, SD plants exhibited reduced rates of the glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) shunt and greater partitioning of sugars into starch, thereby sustaining carbon availability during the longer night. Isotopic labeling results further demonstrated substantial alterations in the partitioning of amino acids and TCA cycle intermediates between rapidly and slowly turning over pools. Overall, the results point to multiple developmental, physiological, and metabolic ways in which plants adapt to different daylengths to maintain growth.