Maturation Period Research Articles

Limosilactobacillus fermentum SLAM 216-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Intestinal Maturation in Mouse Organoid Models.

Probiotics, when consumed in adequate amounts, can promote the health of the host and beneficially modulate the host's immunity. Particularly during the host's early life, the gut intestine undergoes a period of epithelial maturation in which epithelial cells organize into specific crypt and villus structures. This process can be mediated by the gut microbiota. Recent studies have reported that the administration of probiotics can further promote intestinal maturation in the neonatal intestine. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from the Limosilactobacillus fermentum SLAM 216 strain, which is an established probiotic with known immune and anti-aging effects on intestinal epithelial maturation and homeostasis, using mouse small intestinal organoids. As per our findings, treatment with L. fermentum SLAM 216-derived LF216EV (LF216EV) has significantly increased the bud number and size of organoid buds. Furthermore, extracellular vesicle (EV) treatment upregulated the expression of maturation-related genes, including Ascl2, Ephb2, Lgr5, and Sox9. Tight junctions are known to have an important role in the intestinal immune barrier, and EV treatment has significantly increased the expression of genes associated with tight junctions, such as Claudin, Muc2, Occludin, and Zo-1, indicating that it can promote intestinal development. This was supported by RNA sequencing, which revealed the upregulation of genes associated with cAMP-mediated signaling, which is known to regulate cellular processes including cell differentiation. Additionally, organoids exposed to LF216EV exhibited upregulation of genes associated with maintaining brain memory and neurotransmission, suggesting possible future functional implications.

Dopaminergic Perturbation in the Aetiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Brain development may be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, with potential consequences that may last through the lifespan. Alterations during neurogenesis are linked to neurodevelopmental cognitive disorders. Many neurotransmitters and their systems play a vital role in brain development, as most are present prior to synaptogenesis, and they are involved in the aetiology of many neurodevelopmental disorders. For instance, dopamine (DA) receptor expression begins at the early stages of development and matures at adolescence. The long maturation period suggests how important it is for the stabilisation and integration of neural circuits. DA and dopaminergic (DAergic) system perturbations have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. The DAergic system controls key cognitive and behavioural skills including emotional and motivated behaviour through DA as a neurotransmitter and through the DA neuron projections to major parts of the brain. In this review, we summarise the current understanding of the DAergic system's influence on neurodevelopment and its involvement in the aetiology and progression of major disorders of the developing brain including autism, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, down syndrome, and fragile X syndrome.

Преимущества сортов груши с хорошей восстановительной способностью после подмерзания в условиях Южного Урала

Abstract. A long period of consumer maturity and the keeping quality of pear fruits are qualities that, when crossed with wild, highly hardy species, are poorly manifested in hybrid offspring. The purpose of the work is to evaluate the quality of fruits and yields on pear varieties with different levels of winter hardiness in the conditions of the forest-steppe zone of the Chelyabinsk region. Methods. The study was conducted at the Chelyabinsk State Variety testing site for fruit and berry crops. The 2009 bookmark experience included 68 varieties and promising numbers, some of which were excluded from the discussion due to very low yields. Scientific novelty. With good regenerative ability, less hardy varieties with high fruit qualities are not inferior in yield to hardy varieties. Results. In the group of hardy varieties (with the highest freezing score of 2), fruits are often characterized by low fruit qualities, medium-sized, high content of stony cells and other disadvantages. In the group of insufficiently hardy varieties, there are significantly more varieties with high fruit qualities. In the group of hardy varieties, the average annual yield ranges from 29.3 c/ha (Lel’) to 171.6 c/ha (Kuyumskaya). In the group of slightly hardy varieties – from 23.6 c/ha (Zabava) to 100.1 c/ha (Zolotoy shar). With a difference in the average yield values for varieties (84.3 c/ha for hardy and 46.3 c/ha for weakly hardy), statistical processing did not reveal significant differences between the groups in the degree of winter hardiness. In the conditions of the Southern Urals, some varieties bred in northern latitudes are prone to maceration of the pulp at the time of maturation.

Wood and Mint Aroma Interactions During Spirit Oak Cask Maturation: A Sensory Case Study

ABSTRACTThe aroma of fine matured spirits is typically complex, resulting from numerous reactions occurring during the production process and some developing during maturation in oak casks. The refreshing sensation brought by mint notes was often expected, even after years of maturation. The main challenge lies in achieving an aromatic balance characterised by the seamless integration of woody aromas while maintaining the initial distillate's freshness. The present study examines the sensory effects associated with the interactions between wood, mint and cold sensations in spirits. Nine spirit model solutions were prepared, representing different combinations of terpene ketones (imparting mint aroma) and wood compounds, each at three concentration levels. The quantitative composition of mint compounds simulated varying degrees of mintiness in the distillate (low, medium and high), while the concentrations of wood compounds mimicked three maturation periods (short, intermediate and long term) in wooden casks. Samples were sensorily analysed by discriminative (triangle test) and rate‐all‐that‐apply (RATA) methodologies. An increase in woody intensity was notably perceived in samples with a low‐mint profile and containing wood compounds associated with medium and long‐term maturation. However, no significant sensory differences were observed in mint and cold perception between model solutions regardless of the simulated maturation conditions, indicating a limited influence of the studied wood compounds on the sensation of freshness in spirits due to competitive perceptual interactions with terpene ketones.

Long-term integrated agronomic optimization maximizes soil quality and synergistically improves wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency

Integrated agronomic optimization (IAO) adopts suitable crop varieties, sowing dates, planting density and advanced nutrient management to redesign the entire production system according to the local environment, which can achieve synergistic improvements in crop yields and resource utilization. However, the intensity and magnitude of the impacts of IAO on soil quality under long-term intensive production and high nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) require further clarification. Based on a 13-year field experiment conducted in Dawenkou, Tai'an, China, we investigated the effects of four cultivation modes on the grain yield, NUE, soil aggregate structure, as well as the fraction of organic matter (SOM) and soil quality, reflected by integrated fertility index (IFI) during the winter wheat maturation period in 2020–2022. The four cultivation modes were traditional local farming (T1), farmer-based improvement (T2), increased yield regardless of production cost (T3), and integrated soil–crop system management (T4). As IAO modes, T2 and T4 were characterized by denser planting, reduced nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates, and delayed sowing compared to T1 and T3, respectively. In this long-term experiment, IAO was found to maintain aggregate stability, increase SOM content (by increasing organic carbon and total nitrogen of the light fraction (LF) and the particulate organic matter fraction (POM)), and improve SOM quality by increasing the proportions of LF and POM and the ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen in SOM. Compared to T1, the IFI of T2, T3, and T4 increased by 10.91, 23.38, 25.55%, and by 17.78, 6.41, 28.94% in the 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil layers, respectively. The grain yield of T4 was 22.52% higher than that of T1, reaching 95.98% of that in T3. Furthermore, NUE of T4 was 35.61% higher than that of T1 and T3. In conclusion, our results suggest that T4 synergistically increases grain yield and NUE in winter wheat, while maximizing soil quality.

Quantitative inversion of soil trace elements from spectroscopic effects across multiple crop growth periods

Human health is directly impacted by trace components found in soil, for which hyperspectral remote sensing technology offers a novel way to rapidly assess dynamic soil environmental quality. In most studies, the premise of quantitative inversion on soil elements is that the known target elements will cause growth stress. However, such stress is unusual in non-polluted areas. Consequently, broad-area soil trace element monitoring in non-contaminated areas remains challenging. Spectral inversion of plant material has a longer time window and is more sensitive to elemental changes than soil spectral inversion (bare soil period). In this work, we conducted a wheat pot experiment with concentration gradients of four trace elements (Fe, B, Mo, and Zn), analyzed leaf (jointing stage) and spike (maturity period) samples using spectral measurements and chemical tests, and filtered the characteristic positions and inverse modeling using the spectra of the element-accumulating preference organs in plant canopies. The canopy aggregation sites differed for each element, and both simple linear regression (SLR) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models based on the spectra of canopy aggregation sites achieved high accuracy. The results of this study enable the construction of an inverse model of plant spectra-plant element content-elements in soil, which can serve as a reference for soil monitoring and assessment in typical crop cover areas.

교사의 목표직위가 교직단계별 교직이탈의사에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This study analyzed how a teacher's target position (i.e., head teacher, educational manager, educational specialist) affects the intention to leave the teaching profession at each stage of a teaching career. Methods: Based on data from the first year of the Seoul Teacher Longitudinal Study 2020, basic analysis and logistic regression analysis were applied to verify the impact of teachers' target positions. Results: Whether or not a teacher has a target position of promotion was found to have a statistically significant effect on the intention to leave the teaching profession at each stage of a teaching career. In addition, in the initial period, gender, motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic), burnout, school level, establishment type, and school autonomy have an influence, but in the growth period, gender, extrinsic motivation, burnout, and school size have an influence, and in the mature period, gender, household income, and motivation (Intrinsic, extrinsic) and burnout influenced the intention to leave the teaching profession. Conclusion: Teachers with a high intention to leave the teaching profession are likely to be dissatisfied with their current position and not be faithful to their assigned role. Therefore, a career development stage is required to set a new target position in addition to the existing promotion system so that teachers can have an appropriate target position.

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The production of drought-tolerant rice varieties in Malaysia and the information regarding the response of local varieties to water stress are still lacking. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to determine the growth, physiological performance, molecular response, and yield of ten available rice varieties, namely MR 219, MR 220-CL2, MR 297, MRQ 76, Vietnam Hybrid, UKM RC2, UKM RC8, Putra 1, MR 303, and MR 307, under ten days of cyclic water stress. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Plant height, tiller number, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, chlorophyll content, biomass partitioning, genotyping of SSR markers, days of harvest, and yield component were measured. Results showed that water limitations reduced tiller number per hill, while plant height, leaf dry matter, and panicle length were enhanced. It was found that MR 297 had the shortest plant height, while MR 220-CL2 had a short maturity period, a shorter panicle length, and an enhanced filled grain percentage. Putra 1 and UKM RC8 showed a higher photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate under water limitation at 99 days after sowing (DAS). Under well-watered conditions, the total grain weight per pot of Putra 1 and MR 307 was enhanced compared to MR 219. Meanwhile, under water limitation, the total grain weight per pot of UKM RC2, MR 220-CL2, MR 307, MR 297, and Vietnam Hybrid was comparable to MR 219 and slightly enhanced in UKM RC8, Putra 1, and MR 303. Among the tested varieties, MR 220-CL2 can be selected based on early maturity criteria for the potential development of drought-tolerant varieties.

Optimizing cotton growth in saline soil: Compound microbial agent modulates indigenous bacteria to enhance photosynthesis and vegetative-reproductive balance

Salt-tolerant composite plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (STC-PGPR) can alleviate salt stress, though its complexity makes its stability and mechanisms in indeterminate-growing crops unclear. We tested STC-PGPR on two cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties (G1: Xinluzao 72, G2: Zhongmiansuo 49), with two microbial treatments (B1: none, B2: with STC-PGPR) and three salinity levels (S1: 0 g NaCl kg−1, S2: 4 g NaCl kg−1, S3: 8 g NaCl kg−1). The pot experiment used a three-factor completely randomized design in a greenhouse, with NaCl mixed into the soil before transplanting. STC-PGPR (Paenibacillus polymyxa SC2, Bacillus velezensis DSYZ, Lactobacillus casei DY-3, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DY-4) was applied 14 days post-transplant and during flowering and boll development. STC-PGPR was diluted with water and applied to the rhizosphere. Results showed that under S1, STC-PGPR increased G2’s seed cotton dry matter accumulation (Sc) by 25.1 %. Under S2, STC-PGPR increased G1’s boll dry matter accumulation (Bo) from 0.21 g to 7.7 g per pot. Other STC-PGPR treatments were less effective due to overdeveloped vegetative organs, highlighting the need for balanced vegetative and reproductive growth. High salinity reduced STC-PGPR effectiveness under S3. Random forest analysis identified crucial indicators regulated by STC-PGPR that significantly affected reproductive organ dry matter accumulation (P<0.001). Bioinformatics and correlation analyses showed biomarkers enriched by STC-PGPR influenced these indicators, not STC-PGPR directly. In S1, G2B2’s biomarkers enhanced stomatal conductance, increasing the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and promoting dry matter accumulation. They also increased stem diameter and inhibited vegetative growth, enhancing transport and channeling energy to reproductive organs. In S2, G1B2’s biomarkers reduced leaf thickness, increased chlorophyll content to enhance Pn, and extended the maturation period. This enabled cotton to accumulate more photosynthetic products and allocate them to reproductive organs. This study demonstrates that STC-PGPR enhances productivity under salt stress, providing insights for optimizing saline soil cultivation.

Potassium persulfate enhances humification of chicken manure and straw composting: The perspective of rare and abundant microbial community structure and ecological interactions

Improper disposal of organic solid waste results in serious environmental pollution. Aerobic composting provides an environmentally friendly treatment method, but improving humification of raw materials remains a challenge. This study revealed the effect of different concentrations of potassium persulfate (PP) on humification of chicken manure and straw aerobic composting and the underlying microbial mechanisms. The results showed that when 0.6 % PP was added (PPH group), humus and the degree of polymerization were 80.77 mg/g and 2.52, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in 0.3 % PP (PPL group). As the concentration of PP was increased, the composition of rare taxa (RT) changed and improved in evenness, while abundant taxa (AT) was unaffected. Additionally, the density (0.037), edges (3278), and average degree (15.21) in the co-occurrence network decreased compared to PPL, while the average path (4.021) and modularity increased in PPH. This resulted in facilitating the turnover of matter, information, and energy among the microbes. Interestingly, cooperative behavior between microorganisms during the maturation period (24–60 d) occurred in PPH, but competitive relationships dominated in PPL. Cooperative behavior was positively correlated with humus (p < 0.05). Because the indices, such as higher degree, betweenness centrality, eigenvector centrality, and closeness centrality of the AT, were located in the microbial network center compared to RT, they were unaffected by the concentration of PP. The abundance of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways, which play an important role in humification, were higher in PPH. These findings contribute to understanding the relative importance of composition, interactions, and metabolic functionality of RT and AT on humification during chicken manure and straw aerobic composting under different concentrations of PP, as well as provide a basic reference for use of various conditioning agents to promote humification of organic solid waste.

A study on nutritional status among rural Bengalee Muslim school going adolescent girls

Background: Adolescent period is in-between period of childhood and adulthood. Studies revealed that rural female adolescents are suffering more than the urban girls, due to insufficient food intake, poor healthcare facilities and socioeconomic differences. Present study was an attempt to survey current malnutrition scenario among rural adolescent girls of Bengalee Muslim community of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. Methods: A community based, cross sectional study has conducted from April to May, 2023 among rural Bengalee Muslim adolescent girls aged 10-14 years (n=160) of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. Data were collected after informing and explaining the purpose of the present study to school authorities, students and their parents. Three anthropometric measurements like, height, weight, MUAC recorded using standard procedures. Derived variable BMI was calculated and nutritional status was assessed using height for age and BMI for age. The degree of stunting (low height for age) and thinness (low BMI for age) were categorized on the basis of the position of the plot. Age specific mean and standard deviation was done. One way ANOVA was done to find out age specific mean differences in the Anthropometric variables. The p value &lt;0.05 was considered as statistically significance. Results: Overall prevalence of stunting and thinness was 28.12% and 22.5% respectively. Prevalence of overall severe stunting and thinness was 10.6% and 10% respectively. Overall prevalence of overweight was 11% respectively. Conclusions: Present study revealed about existence of double burden of malnutrition among rural Bengalee Muslim population.

Transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analyses reveal key genes and pathways involved in early fruit ripening in Citrus sinensis

BackgroundThe fruit ripening period is an important target trait in fruit tree crop breeding programs. Thus, citrus tree breeders seek to develop extreme early ripening cultivars that allow optimization of citrus maturation periods. In this study, we explored the regulatory network involved in fruit ripening in Citrus sinensis using the ‘Newhall’ navel orange variety and its early-ripening mutant, ‘Gannanzao’. This research will provide a basis for further research on important signaling pathways, gene functions and variety breeding of Citrus sinensis related to fruit ripening period.ResultsPhysiological analyses suggested that early fruit ripening in ‘Gannanzao’ is regulated by early accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA), persistently high levels of jasmonic acid (JA), and higher sucrose content in the pericarp. Pericarp samples from ‘Gannanzao’ and ‘Newhall’ navel oranges were sampled for RNA sequencing analysis at 180, 200, and 220 days after flowering; 1430 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction and sugar metabolism pathways, as well as other pathways related to fruit ripening. Important DEGs associated with fruit ripening in ‘Gannanzao’ included genes involved in ABA and JA metabolism and signal transduction, as well as sugar metabolism. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that the deep pink module had the strongest correlations with ABA content, JA content, and early ripening. Based on gene functionality and gene expression analyses of 37 genes in this module, two candidate hub genes and two ethylene response factor 13 (ERF13) genes (Cs_ont_5g000690 and Cs_ont_5g000700) were identified as key genes regulated by ABA and JA signaling. These findings will help to clarify the mechanisms that underlie early citrus fruit ripening and will lead to the development of excellent genetic resources for further breeding of extreme early-ripening varieties.ConclusionsThrough analyses of the ‘Newhall’ navel orange cultivar and its early-ripening mutant ‘Gannanzao’, we identified genes involved in ABA and JA metabolism, signal transduction, and sugar metabolism that were related to fruit ripening. Among these, two ERF13 genes were inferred to be key genes in the regulation of fruit ripening. These findings provide insights into the genetic architecture related to early fruit ripening in C. sinensis.

Analyzing Financial Synergy Through Leland's (2007) Framework and Ensuring Shariah Compliance in Sukuk Issuance

The objective of this study is to determine whether issuing sukuk as part of separate financing of a project would increase the value of business. This study adopts Leland Framework (2007) to measure the impact of several variables in separate financing to the value of the firm. The findings revealed that changes in maturity period, tax rate, interest rate and standard deviation can bring similar or different effects depending on each variable. It can be concluded that the separate financing using hypothetical sukuk issuance has a positive effect on the firm. This is visible from the value of the change in optimally levered firm as well as firm value in this paper which both are positive. This shows that the variables above have an impact on the optimal capital structure as well as the results of structured financing. This study further proposes to modify Leland’s model (2007) by using a stochastic model rather than a static one, considering that some sukuk use a profit-sharing contract.

Mitigating cold stress in rice: a study of genotype performance and sowing time

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an essential food for half of the global population and is vital in maintaining global food security. Climate change, increasing population and recent incident of COVID pandemic has generated financial burden and threaten the global food security. Due to theses factors rice cultivation also has to face significant challenges. frequent weather changes pose a considerable challenge to agricultural planning, which was previously relaying on consistent seasonal variations. In this context, rice cultivation is particularly sensitive to cold, where its development and productivity inhibited by low temperatures (< 18 °C). Developing rice varietes with low temprature tolerence and good yield potential is one of the major goals of current breeding efforts of plant scientists. For this purpose, short duration and early rice varieties are most favorable to avoid cold stress and yield more in less number of days. this study was designed to investigate the effect of low temperatures on different rice varieties. the study was designed to identify low temprature tolerent genotypes with early and regular cultivation. For this, thirty-four genotypes were evaluated in two gorwing seasons (2018–2019) with four different sowing times. Statistically sowing time showed significant interaction between all yield contributing parameters. The data indicate that exposure to low temperatures during the reproductive phase prolongs the maturation period of the crop, also length of the panicle and the fertility of the spikelets drops, resulting in a significant decrease in the production of sensitive varieties. Some varieties are more sensitive to cold stress compared to others. In the Egyptian context, Giza176, Sakha104, and Sakha107 are recommended for early cultivation, while the genotypes Giza 179, Sakha101, Sakha104, and GZ 9730-1-1-1-1 are indicated for the normal cultivation period. The Sakha104 variety is particularly notable, as it is recommended for both purposes. In addition, the data obtained in this study provide valuable information for selecting rice varieties suitable for double cropping in the North Delta of Egypt. This study also contributes to the existing literature, providing insights into the resilience of rice cultivation in the face of climate change.

Devaneios

Reflecting on the creative act is an important moment of pause for us to understand the paths that feed our processes, evaluate the transformations our practices have taken, and delve more deeply into our artistic work. During the creative process, the artist uses an initial idea, which is often reconfigured after a period of maturation, reflection, and experimentation. This investigative trajectory is permeated by doubts and uncertainties, tests, errors, abandonments, successes, revisions, deviations, migrations, expansions, ramifications, and new inspirations; a constant advance and retreat of possibilities lead to the realisation of the work, the emergence of other works or new areas of interest to be investigated. It is a process of constant metamorphosis, which requires moments of distance from the artist for the maturation of their aesthetic issues.

Comparing the Effects of Lime Soil and Yellow Soil on Cadmium Accumulation in Rice during Grain-Filling and Maturation Periods.

The karst area has become a high-risk area for Cadmium (Cd) exposure. Interestingly, the high levels of Cd in soils do not result in an excessive bioaccumulation of Cd in rice. Carbonate rock dissolution ions (CRIs) could limit the accumulation and translocation of Cd in rice. CRIs can become a major bottleneck in the remediation and management of farmlands in karst areas. However, there is limited research on the effects of CRIs in soils on Cd accumulation in rice. The karst area of lime soil (LS) and the non-karst areas of yellow soil (YS) were collected, and an external Cd was added to conduct rice cultivation experiments. Cd and CRIs (Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32-/HCO3-, and OH-) in the rice-soil system were investigated from the grain-filling to maturity periods. The results showed that CRIs of LS were significantly higher than that of YS in different treatments. CRIs of LS were 2.05 mg·kg-1 for Ca2+, 0.90 mg·kg-1 for Mg2+, and 42.29 mg·kg-1 for CO32- in LS. CRIs could influence DTPA Cd, resulting in DTPA Cd of LS being lower than that of YS. DTPA Cd of YS was one to three times larger than that of YS. Cd content in different parts of rice in YS was higher than that of LS. Cd in rice grains of YS was one to six times larger than that of LS. The uptake of Cd from the soil during Filling III was critical in determining rice Cd accumulation. CRIs in the soil could affect Cd accumulation in rice. Ca2+ and Mg2+ had significant negative effects on Cd accumulation of rice at maturity and filling, respectively. CO32-/HCO3- and OH- had significant negative effects on DTPA Cd in soil.

The enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes in swine manure compost was related to the bulking agent types

Composting is a major method to produce organic fertilizers, and the variation in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during composting is crucial for the safe utilization of mature compost. The effects of different bulking agents (cellulose-rich cornstalk and lignin-rich garden waste) on ARGs variations during swine manure composting were investigated. The results showed that composting thermophilic could effectively reduce ARGs (58–61 %), whereas ARGs rebounded and were enriched with decreasing temperature during the maturation stage. Compared to their initial abundance, ARGs were enriched 6.97 times (cornstalk) and 22.27 times (garden waste) during the maturation period. The ARGs enrichment mechanism in swine manure composting differed for cornstalk and garden waste amendments. The cornstalk was used as the bulking agent, the selective pressure of continuous high temperature resulted in the proliferation of spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus, Sporosarcina and Psychrobacillus), which are potential host bacteria of ARGs and cause ARGs enrichment through vertical gene proliferation. In the garden waste treatment, the enriched ARGs in the final compost were related to horizontal gene transfer mediated by mobile genetic elements (intl1), with the primary potential host bacteria being Bacillus, Saccharomonospora, and Caldicoprobacter. The types of enriched ARGs were consistent across different bulking agents composting process, and the risk genes enriched in the final mature compost included ermB, ermF, sul1, sul2, tetO, and tetX.

Dendritic Morphology of Developing Hippocampal Neurons in Cyp11a1 Null Mice.

Neurosteroids have a variety of neurological functions, such as neurite growth, neuroprotection, myelination, and neurogenesis. P450scc, encoded by CYP11A1 gene, is the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in steroidogenesis. In this study, we examine the dendritic morphology in developing hippocampal neurons of Cyp11a1 null mice at P15, a critical period for synapse formation and maturation. Knockout mice were maintained until P15 with hormone administration. The Golgi-Cox method stained CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus to reveal dendritic morphology. We demonstrated that Cyp11a1 null mice usually die within 7 days after birth and thus collected brain samples at postnatal day 5 (P5) for examination. There was significant shrinkage of dendrite size and diminishment of dendritic branching in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus of Cyp11a1 null mice, suggesting a developmental delay. We wonder if this delay may catch up later in life. Since the age of P15 is a critical period for synapse formation and maturation, the Cyp11a1 null mice were rescued by receiving hormone administration until P15 that the dendritic morphology in the developing hippocampal neurons could be examined. The results indicated that the total dendritic length, the number of dendritic branches, as well as dendritic arborization in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons are significantly decreased in P15 knockout mice when compared to the wild type. The spine densities were also significantly decreased. In addition, the Western blot analysis revealed decreased PSD-95 expression levels in the knockout mice compared to the wild type at P15. These results suggested that Cyp11a1 deficiency impairs the dendritic structures in the developing hippocampal pyramidal neurons.

Early Childhood Onset Vanishing White Matter Disease with Multiple Cranial Nerve Enhancement: A New Consensus Criteria?

Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWM), also known as Childhood Ataxia with Central Nervous System Hypomyelination (CACH), although a rare neurological condition, is a prevalent hereditary leukoencephalopathy with a characteristic phenotype of gradual neurologic deterioration with ataxia being a prominent feature. It is characterized by a wide range of onset, from antenatal and infantile periods to early childhood and later adulthood periods. The early childhood form is considered the prevailing form, characterized by a preceding phase of normal development until the second or 3rd year of life, followed by progressive neurologic deterioration, accentuated by certain stressors, such as infections or minor trauma. Diagnosis is achieved based on the clinical pretext combined with distinctive MRI brain features, confirmed by DNA analysis detection of elf2B mutation. Our case is a healthy 18-month-old male who after a preceding upper respiratory tract infection, developed an ataxic gait, encephalopathy, and recurrent generalized seizures. Physical assessment revealed signs of generalized spasticity and hyperreflexia. Neuroimaging revealed diffuse symmetric supratentorial and infratentorial diffuse white matter hypomyelination. Interestingly, there was notable enhancement of the 3rd and 5th cranial nerves. Differential diagnosis included acute demyelinating leukoencephalopathies; and neuromatobolic disorders with acute presentations (including leukodystrophies, hypomyelinating disorders, and mitochondrial encephalopathies). In the early course of his management, he received immunomodulatory therapy in the form of pulse steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, and oral tapering course of steroids. He had limited response to these interventions. Whole exome sequencing yielded a homozygous mutation in EIF2B3, confirming the diagnosis of VWMD/CACH. The presence of enhancing cranial neuropathies represent an atypical phenotype reported in other case reports and should alert the physician to avoid unnecessary intervention with immunosuppressive therapies.

Analysis of the Correlation between Persimmon Fruit-Sugar Components and Taste Traits from Germplasm Evaluation.

Persimmon fruits are brightly colored and nutritious and are fruits that contain large amounts of sugar, vitamins, mineral elements, and phenolic substances. The aim of this study was to explore the differences in fruit-sugar components of different persimmon germplasms and their relationships with phenotypic and flavor indices through the determination of phenotypes and sugar components and through electronic-tongue indices, which provided the basis and inspiration for the selection of different sugar-accumulating types of persimmon fruits and the selection of high-sugar persimmon varieties. Our results showed that persimmon germplasm fruit-sugar components were dominated by sucrose, glucose and fructose and that the remaining sugar components were more diverse but less distributed among the various germplasm types. Based on the proportion of each sugar component in the fruit, persimmon germplasms can be categorized into sucrose-accumulating and reduced-sugar-accumulation types. Sucrose-accumulating types are dominated by sucrose, galactose, fucose and inositol, while reduced-sugar-accumulation types are dominated by glucose, fructose, mannose-6-phosphate, and xylose. The content of sugar components in the germplasm persimmon of fruits of different types and maturity periods of also differed, with significant differences in sugar components between PCNA (pollination-constant non-astringent) and PCA (pollination-constant astringent) fruits. Cluster analysis classified 81 persimmon germplasms into three clusters, including cluster I-A, with low glucose and fructose content, and cluster I-B, with medium glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents. Cluster II was high in sucrose and fructose. Cluster III had high contents of glucose and fructose and low contents of sucrose and inositol.