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Stem strength plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants, as well as in their flowering and fruiting. It not only impacts the lodging resistance of crops, but also influences the ornamental value of ornamental plants. Stem development is closely linked to stem strength; however, the roles of the SPL transcription factors in the stem development of herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) are not yet fully elucidated. In this study, we obtained and cloned the full-length sequence of PlSPL14, encoding 1085 amino acids. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that the expression level of PlSPL14 gradually increased with the stem development of P. lactiflora and was significantly expressed in vascular bundles. Subsequently, utilizing the techniques of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and heterologous overexpression in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), it was determined that PlSPL14-silenced P. lactiflora had a thinner xylem thickness, a decreased stem diameter, and weakened stem strength, while PlSPL14-overexpressing tobacco resulted in a thicker xylem thickness, an increased stem diameter, and enhanced stem strength. Further screening of the interacting proteins of PlSPL14 using a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay revealed an interactive relationship between PlSPL14 and PlSLR1 protein, which acts as a negative regulator of gibberellin (GA). Additionally, the expression level of PlSLR1 gradually decreased during the stem development of P. lactiflora. The above results suggest that PlSPL14 may play a positive regulatory role in stem development and act in the xylem, making it a potential candidate gene for enhancing stem straightness in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum vitamin D is associated with hyperuricemia. However, previous studies have been controversial, with limited focus on children and adolescents. Objective: This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum vitamin D and serum uric acid (SUA) levels in children and adolescents. Methods: The cross-sectional survey comprised 4777 participants aged 6 to 18 years, while the longitudinal survey involved 1641 participants aged 6 to 12 years, all derived from an ongoing cohort study in Shenzhen, China. Restricted cubic splines were used to visualize the dose–response relationship between vitamin D and SUA and the risk of higher SUA status. Two-segment generalized linear models (GLM) and logistic models were used to assess the association between vitamin D and SUA and higher SUA status, respectively. The longitudinal analysis used GLM. Results: We observed an inverted U-shaped relationship between vitamin D and SUA (p-overall < 0.0001, p-nonlinear = 0.0002), as well as the risk of higher SUA status (p-overall = 0.0054, p-nonlinear = 0.0015), with the vitamin D inflection point at 24.31 and 21.29 ng/mL, respectively. A 10 ng/mL increment in 25(OH)D3 levels, when below 20.92 ng/mL, was associated with a 68% rise in the risk of higher SUA status (OR: 1.68, 95%CI: 1.07–2.66). Conversely, when 25(OH)D3 levels were above or equal to 20.92 ng/mL, a 10 ng/mL increment was associated with a 45% reduction risk of higher SUA status (OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.36–0.84). Longitudinal analysis indicated that the annual change of SUA was from −4.80 (β, 95%CI: −10.74, 1.13) to −9.00 (β, 95%CI: −15.03, −2.99) and then to −6.77 (β, 95%CI: −12.83, −0.71, p for trend = 0.0212) μmol/L when increasing the quartile of vitamin D3. Conclusions: An inverse U-shaped relationship was observed between vitamin D and SUA as well as the risk of higher SUA status. Sufficient vitamin D levels appear to play a preventative role against the age-related increase in SUA. Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels may be beneficial in improving uric acid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for linear growth and preventing stunting. Current evidence indicates that dietary protein intake in children and adolescents is often two to three times higher than the recommendations in many regions worldwide. However, few studies have focused on the association between high protein intake and linear growth and stunting in this population. We aim to investigate this association in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years in a population with relatively high protein consumption. Methods: We conducted a large cross-sectional study involving 3299 participants from Shenzhen, a modern metropolis of China. Protein intake, including total protein, animal protein, and plant protein, was evaluated by a food-frequency questionnaire and expressed as grams per kilogram of body weight per day (g·kg−1·d−1) and as a percentage of total energy intake (%E). The primary outcomes were body height and height-for-age Z score (HAZ). Generalized linear models and logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the associations between protein intake and outcomes. We also conducted stratified analyses across different genders and pubertal stages in the aforementioned associations. Results: The mean protein intake was 1.81 g·kg−1·d−1 (17% E). After adjusting for serum calcium, zinc, vitamin D3, vitamin A levels, birth outcomes, lifestyle, and parental characteristics, each standard deviation increase of 1 in protein intake (0.64 kg−1·d−1) is found to be associated with a −5.78 cm change in body height (95% CI: −6.12, −5.45) and a −0.79 change in HAZ (95% CI: −0.84, −0.74). Consistent results were observed when protein intake was expressed as %E or specifically as animal or plant protein. Moreover, the relationship between protein intake and linear growth remained consistent across genders in different pubertal stages, similar to that of the overall participants. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the potential hazards of high protein intake on linear growth in children and adolescents. Caution should be exercised when promoting increased protein consumption in children and adolescents who already have a high intake of protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the crucial pathogenesis for intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic diseases, especially in elderly adults. Lifestyle management may be a modifiable cost-effective measure for MAFLD prevention, but the evidence is limited. A total of 23,408 middle-aged and elderly individuals were included in a longitudinal study from 2008 to 2018. Combined lifestyle scores (range 0–6) were evaluated by BMI, smoking, drinking, diet, physical activity, and sleep. Logistic regression models were used to calculate ORs for the risks of MAFLD and specific subtypes. The mean age of participants was 61.7 years, and 44.5% were men. Compared with poor lifestyle (scores 0–2), ORs (95% CIs) of the ideal lifestyle (scores 5–6) were 0.62 (0.57–0.68) for MAFLD, 0.31 (0.28–0.34) for MAFLD with excess weight and obesity, 0.97 (0.75–1.26) for MAFLD with diabetes, and 0.56 (0.51–0.62) for MAFLD with metabolic dysregulation. Additionally, lifestyle improvement was associated with lower risks of MAFLD (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.68–0.86), MAFLD with excess weight and obesity (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.63–0.81), MAFLD with diabetes (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.54–1.02) and MAFLD with metabolic dysregulation (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.43–0.55), respectively. Our findings suggest that adherence to a combined healthy lifestyle was associated with lower risks of MAFLD, particularly in excess weight/obese individuals or those with metabolic dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are secondary plant metabolites that are enriched in rapeseed and related Brassica species, and they play important roles in defense due to their anti-nutritive and toxic properties. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study of six glucosinolate metabolites (mGWAS) in rapeseed, including three aliphatic glucosinolates (m145 gluconapin, m150 glucobrassicanapin and m151 progoitrin), one aromatic glucosinolate (m157 gluconasturtiin) and two indole glucosinolates (m165 indolylmethyl glucosinolate and m172 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin), respectively. We identified 113 candidate intervals significantly associated with these six glucosinolate metabolites. In the genomic regions linked to the mGWAS peaks, 187 candidate genes involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis (e.g., BnaMAM1, BnaGGP1, BnaSUR1 and BnaMYB51) and novel genes (e.g., BnaMYB44, BnaERF025, BnaE2FC, BnaNAC102 and BnaDREB1D) were predicted based on the mGWAS, combined with analysis of differentially expressed genes. Our results provide insight into the genetic basis of glucosinolate biosynthesis in rapeseed and should facilitate marker-based breeding for improved seed quality in Brassica species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paeonia ostii is an emerging woody oil crop, but the high temperature in summer is extremely unfavorable for its growth and development. Understory intercropping cultivation would provide shaded environments which could effectively reduce the ambient temperature. In order to explore whether understory intercropping cultivation would reduce the effects of high-temperature stress on P. ostii, the changes of leaf physiological indicators and leaf microstructures of sole-cropping and intercropping P. ostii were investigated. P. ostii that intercropping cultivated under Illinois pecans (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch) with 4 m × 4 m and 4 m × 8 m rowing spaces were used as samples in this study. The results showed that with continuous high temperature, the high-temperature damage index of P. ostii kept increasing, whereas the leaf relative water content continued to decline. Compared to sole-cropping, the high-temperature damage index, relative electrical conductivity, proline content, antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities of intercropping P. ostii under C. illinoinensis were significantly decreased, whereas the leaf relative water content was higher. Moreover, compared to sole-cropping, intercropping P. ostii under C. illinoinensis increased SPAD and chlorophyll contents, made mesophyll cell ultrastructures more intact, and made the chloroplasts rounder and more filled with starch granules and lipid globules, leading to enhanced photosynthesis (Pn) and transpiration rates (Tr). Notably, the reduction of high-temperature damage on intercropping P. ostii under C. illinoinensis with 4 m × 4 m rowing spaces was more significant than that under C. illinoinensis with 4 m × 8 m rowing spaces. This research provides some reference values for efficient plantation of P. ostii in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a commonly used indoor ornamental foliage, particularly in the middle and lower regions of the Yangtze River in China. It typically grows in the tropical area, and it is yet unclear whether prolonged winter temperatures cause plant damage and impact its development. In this study, the E. aureum chilling injury response was explored by maintaining it at 1 °C. Based on the acquired results, low-temperature stress (LTS) induced wilting and yellowing of leaves and diminished chloroplast pigment concentrations, particularly the chlorophyll b content. LTS also induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within E. aureum and enhanced the relative electrical conductivity and superoxide dismutase activity. In addition, with prolonged LTS, the anatomical structure of E. aureum was severely damaged, resulting in a marked reduction in the photochemical activity of the photosystem Ⅱ reaction center and suppressed photosynthesis. Moreover, results of the transcriptomic analysis revealed that LTS induced the expression of genes involved in the α-linolenic acid metabolic pathway, plant hormone network, host plant–pathogen association, and MAPK axis, suggesting that LTS would activate its resistant response to cold stress. These results unraveled the physiological and transcriptomical response of E. aureum to chilling injury, which would lay a theoretical foundation for the cultivation of low-temperature-tolerant varieties of E. aureum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is an ornamental plant with huge potential in the international flower market. Similar to the flowers of most other ornamental plants, the top sellers of P. lactiflora are those with red or pink flowers. However, most studies on flower colors have focused on the novel colors and have neglected the most common red flowers. In this study, a red cultivar of P. lactiflora ('Dafugui') and a pink cultivar ('Qingwen') were selected in order to study the discrepancy in the red color of the flowers. The results demonstrate that these two cultivars have the same compositions as anthocyanins, flavones, and flavonols but different contents. 'Dafugui' was found to have a high accumulation of upstream substances due to the higher expression of the early genes encoding phenylalanine ammonialyase (PlPAL) and flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (PlF3′H). Moreover, the anthocyanidin synthase gene (PlANS) and UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase gene (PlUF3GT) encoding enzymes catalyze these upstream substances into anthocyanins, resulting in more redness in 'Dafugui' than in 'Qingwen'. Our study thus provides a better understanding of the anthocyanin accumulation and coloring mechanism of P. lactiflora and can serve as a theoretical basis for breeding more red flowers using genetic engineering techniques to cater to consumers' preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Zhao D., Tang Y., Xia X., Sun J., Meng J., Shang J., Tao J. Integration of Transcriptome, Proteome, and Metabolome Provides Insights into How Calcium Enhances the Mechanical Strength of Herbaceous Peony Inflorescence Stems. Due to the authors having made an error, the control group and the control (enlargement) group in S3 and the nano-CaCO SB 3 sb group and the nano-CaCO SB 3 sb (enlargement) group in S4 of Figure 7A (marked in red) need to be corrected. Integration of Transcriptome, Proteome, and Metabolome Provides Insights into How Calcium Enhances the Mechanical Strength of Herbaceous Peony Inflorescence Stems. [Extracted from the article]

(1) Background: Pancreatic iron deposition has been found in the progression of type 2 diabetes (T2DM); however, whether ferroptosis contributes to the dysfunction of pancreatic β cells (PBC) remains enigmatic. Moreover, the potential protective effect of quercetin is also elusive; (2) Methods: T2DM mice model was established by multiple low dose streptozocin (STZ) injection, after which quercetin was intervened for 4 months; (3) Results: Substantially normalized glucose tolerance, diabetic symptoms, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and homeostasis model assessment for β cell (HOMA-β) index in comparison with the findings of T2DM control. Distorted pancreatic islets and especially shrunken mitochondria with cristae loss in PBC were observed in T2DM mice, which was ameliorated by quercetin. Meanwhile, quercetin lowered the iron level particularly in the islet in T2DM mice. In spite of compensatory xCT up-regulation, T2DM molding depleted glutathione (GSH), down-regulated glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and induced oxidative stress in pancreatic tissue, which was abolished partially by quercetin. More importantly, insulin secretion was worsened by ferroptosis-inducing erastin or RAS-selective lethal compounds 3 (RSL-3). Quercetin, ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 and iron-chelating deferoxamine, rescued cell viability when cells were challenged with high-glucose; (4) Conclusions: Our findings identify that ferroptosis contributes to the PBC loss and dysfunction. Quercetin exerts beneficial effects on T2DM potentially by inhibiting pancreatic iron deposition and PBC ferroptosis, highlighting promising control strategies of T2DM by quercetin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging evidence has supported that intensive exercise induces weakened performance and immune and metabolic disorders. We systematically evaluated the effects of quercetin against hepatic inflammatory damage caused by repeated intensive exercise and explored the potential mechanism. Methods: Male BALB/c mice were administered quercetin (100 mg/kg BW) for four weeks, and performed a treadmill running protocol of 28 m/min, 5° slope, 90 min/day concurrently for the last seven days. Results: Quercetin administration reduced the leakage of aspartic acid and alanine aminotransferase and improved ultrastructural abnormalities such as swelling, and degeneration caused by high-intensity running in mice. Quercetin significantly decreased the hepatic and plasmatic levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1—provoked by over-exercise. Furthermore, diminished activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB were found after quercetin treatment through inhibiting IKKα and Iκbα phosphorylation of intensive running mice. Conclusion: Quercetin offers protection for mouse livers against intensive sports-induced inflammatory injury, and the suppression of the NF-κB signal transduction pathway may play a role in its anti-inflammatory effects. Our findings broaden our understanding of natural phytochemicals as a promising strategy to prevent excessive exercise damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although some studies reported the impact of black carbon (BC) on the climate over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the contribution and mechanisms of BC affecting the water vapor transport to Tibet are not fully understood yet. Here, utilizing the satellite observations and reanalysis data, the effects of BC on the climate over the TP and water vapor transport to the Tibet were investigated by the Community Earth System Model (CESM 2.1.0). Due to the addition of BC, a positive net heat forcing (average is 0.39 W/m2) is exerted at the surface, which induces a pronounced warming effect over the TP and consequently intensifies the East Asian Summer monsoon (EASM). However, significant cooling effects in northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran are induced due to the BC and related feedbacks, which reduces significantly the meridional land–sea thermal contrast and finally weakens the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM). Consequently, the water vapor transport to the south border will be decreased due to addition of BC. Moreover, through affecting the atmospheric circulation, the BC could induce an increase in the imported water vapor from the west and east borders of the TP, and an increase outflowing away from the north border of the TP. Overall, due to the BC, the annual mean net importing water vapor over TP is around 271 Gt, which could enhance the precipitation over the TP. The results show that the mean increase in the precipitation over TP is about 0.56 mm/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of urban expansion, ecological protection cannot be delayed. The construction of ecological networks is of considerable significance to ecosystem services. However, in the process of constructing a corridor network, there is no uniform standard for the selection of ecological sources and the determination of cost factors. The InVEST model is an effective complement to ecosystem service assessment for sensitively measuring external threats and their threat intensity. Therefore, taking Wuhan as an example, we combined InVEST and the least cost path model (LCP) to construct a multi-target corridor network with comprehensive cost factors for birds and small terrestrial mammals. The results showed that: (1) The InVEST model provided a reliable basis for ecological source screening by demonstrating the distribution of habitat quality. (2) The corridor with a length of 12–25 km presented a "U" shape, and the impact of urbanization on small terrestrial mammals was more significant than that of birds. (3) The integrated network pattern proposed by the "point-line-plane" principle would provide a reference for urban ecological construction and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clouds play a critical role in adjusting the global radiation budget and hydrological cycle; however, obtaining accurate information on the cloud base height (CBH) is still challenging. In this study, based on Lidar and aircraft soundings, we investigated the features of the CBH and determined the thresholds of the environmental relative humidity (RH) corresponding to the observed CBHs over Southeast China from October 2017 to September 2018. During the observational period, the CBHs detected by Lidar/aircraft were commonly higher in cold months and lower in warm months; in the latter, 75.91% of the CBHs were below 2000 m. Overall, the RHs at the cloud base were mainly distributed between 70 and 90% for the clouds lower than 1000 m, in which the most concentrated RH was approximately 80%. In addition, for the clouds with a cloud base higher than 1000 m, the RH thresholds decreased dramatically with increasing CBH, where the RH thresholds at cloud bases higher than 2000 m could be lower than 60%. On average, the RH thresholds for determining the CBHs were the highest (72.39%) and lowest (63.56%) in the summer and winter, respectively, over Southeast China. Therefore, to determine the CBH, a specific threshold of RH is needed. Although the time period covered by the collected CBH data from Lidar/aircraft is short, the above analyses can provide some verification and evidence for using the RH threshold to determine the CBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure the equity of urban park green space, spatial matching between service supply and user group demand should be taken into consideration. However, if the demographic data, with the administrative division as the basic unit, are directly applied to characterize the spatial distribution of a user group, it may introduce inevitable deviation into the evaluation results due to the low-resolution nature and modifiable areal unit problem of such data. Taking the central area of Wuhan as an example, the population data spatialization method based on land use modeling was used to build a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model of land cover type and demographic data, and the spatial distribution of the population of the 150 m grid was obtained by inversion. Then, the equity of park green space in Wuhan central city was evaluated by population spatial data and network accessibility. The results showed that (1) the range of park green space in the central urban area of Wuhan was within a walking distance of 15 min, accounting for 25.8% of the total study area and covering 54.2% of the population in the study area; (2) the equity of park green space in Hongshan District was the worst; (3) and the use of population spatial data can measure equity on a more precise scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Epidemiological investigations have revealed that cold temperature can increase the risk of diarrhea in children, and similar observations have been made in early postweaning livestock. Recent studies have shown that cold temperature alters the gut microbiota, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of various intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases. However, few studies have focused on how to improve intestinal health from the perspective of the gut microbiota in early postweaning livestock during winter. In the present study, using early postweaning rabbits as a model, we analyzed the effects of drinking warm water (WW) on the growth performance and gut microbiota structure of postweaning rabbits during winter. Our results confirmed that drinking WW improved the growth performance and optimized gut microbiota in early postweaning rabbits during winter. Therefore, our results provide a new perspective for improving early postweaning rabbits welfare during winter. Accumulating evidence indicates that cold exposure changes the composition of the gut microbiota and reduces intestinal immunity in early postweaning livestock. However, little is known about the effects of drinking warm water (WW) on gut microbiota during winter. In this study, we investigated the effects of drinking WW in winter on the growth performance and gut microbiota structure of rabbits raised in poorly insulated housing from the early postweaning period (day 46) to the subadult period (day 82). The average daily gain and feed conversion ratio in rabbits drinking WW were significantly improved compared to those of the rabbits drinking cold water (CW) during 47–58 days. In addition, rabbits drinking WW had a significantly decreased the risk of diarrhea during 71–82 days. 16S rRNA sequence analysis revealed that the alpha diversity of the cecal microbiota was not significantly different between the WW and CW groups, but significantly increased with age. The relative abundance of cecal microorganisms, such as Coprococcus spp. was considerably increased at day 70 in the group drinking WW. Correlation analysis indicated that Coprococcus spp. was negatively associated with pro-inflammatory factors. In conclusion, our results suggest that drinking WW has a positive effect on growth performance and gut microbiota in rabbits during the early postweaning stage in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorbus alnifolia (Siebold & Zucc.) K.Koch (Rosaceae) is an economically important tree in the temperate forests of Eastern China. In recent decades, ever-increasing use and modification of forestlands have resulted in major degeneration of the natural habitat of S. alnifolia. Moreover, S. alnifolia seeds germinate in a complicated way, leading to a high cost of propagation. The current study aimed to determine the requirements for breaking seed dormancy and for germination as well as to characterize the type of seed dormancy present in this species. Moreover, the roles of temperature, cold/warm stratification, and gibberellic acid (GA3) in breaking dormancy were tested combined with a study of the soil seed bank. The results showed that intact seeds of S. alnifolia were dormant, requiring 150 days of cold stratification to achieve the maximum germination percentage at 5/15 °C. Exposure of the seeds to ranges of temperatures at 15/25 °C and 20/30 °C resulted in secondary dormancy. Scarifying seed coat and partial removal of the cotyledon promoted germination. Compared with long-term cold stratification, one month of warm stratification plus cold stratification was superior in breaking dormancy. Application of GA3 did not break the dormancy during two months of incubation. Seeds of S. alnifolia formed a transient seed bank. The viability of freshly matured S. alnifolia seeds was 87.65% ± 11.67%, but this declined to 38.25% after 6-months of storage at room temperature. Seeds of S. alnifolia have a deep physiological dormancy; cold stratification will be useful in propagating this species. The long chilling requirements of S. alnifolia seeds would avoid seedling death in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weak stem mechanical strength severely restrains cut flowers quality and stem weakness can be alleviated by calcium (Ca) treatment, but the mechanisms underlying Ca-mediated enhancement of stem mechanical strength remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analysis of herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) inflorescence stems treated with nanometer Ca carbonate (Nano-CaCO3). In total, 2643 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 892 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected between the Control and nano-CaCO3 treatment. Among the 892 DEPs, 152 were coregulated at both the proteomic and transcriptomic levels, and 24 DEPs related to the secondary cell wall were involved in signal transduction, energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and lignin biosynthesis, most of which were upregulated after nano-CaCO3 treatment during the development of inflorescence stems. Among these four pathways, numerous differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) related to lignin biosynthesis were identified. Furthermore, structural observations revealed the thickening of the sclerenchyma cell walls, and the main wall constitutive component lignin accumulated significantly in response to nano-CaCO3 treatment, thereby indicating that Ca can enhance the mechanical strength of the inflorescence stems by increasing the lignin accumulation. These results provided insights into how Ca treatment enhances the mechanical strength of inflorescence stems in P. lactiflora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study probed the association between bilirubin and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and progression. A cross-sectional analysis of 28,500 middle aged and elderly Chinese participants was performed to analyze the differences of bilirubin in terms of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive or negative and the correlation between bilirubin and severity of hepatic fibrosis estimated by non-invasive indices. Bilirubin was significantly higher in the HBsAg (+) group than the HBsAg (-) group. Higher bilirubin levels were consistently associated with elevated liver fibrosis indices among HBsAg carriers. Compared with quartile 1 of total bilirubin (TBil), the multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for elevated fibrosis indices of quartile 4 were 2.24 (95% CIs, 1.57-3.21) estimated by fibrosis 4 score (FIB-4) and 2.22 (95% CIs, 1.60-3.08) estimated by aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI). In addition, direct bilirubin (DBil) had a stronger association with elevated liver fibrosis indices than did indirect bilirubin (IBil). Furthermore, the relationship between DBil and elevated fibrosis indices was more robust among participants who were female, overweight or had central fat distribution. These findings suggested that bilirubin levels, especially DBil, were independently associated with an increased risk of increased fibrosis indices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.