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This study explored the effect of commercial ripened Pu-erh tea (Y562, China Tea (Yunnan) Industry Co. Ltd.) on improving the health of populations with abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism. Qualified volunteers were recruited for nutritional epidemiological and clinical intervention studies. The volunteers were asked to drink the tea for three months. Their body composition (body mass, body mass index (BMI), body fat ratio and visceral fat), body circumferences (waist circumference, hip circumference and neck circumference), glucose metabolism-related indicators (fasting blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glycosylated hemoglobin), lipid metabolism-related indicators (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1 and B), blood uric acid levels, liver fat contents, and gut microbiota were tested and compared before and after drinking the tea to explore its health benefits. The results showed that after drinking Y562 without any change in diet or exercise for three months, the body mass, BMI, body circumferences, blood lipids (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1 and B), and liver fat contents of the volunteers were significantly improved (P 0.05). Moreover, the gut microbiota was improved, showing increased uniformity. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium screenens and Streptococcus thermophilus was increased, while that of Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Paraacteroides distasonis was decreased. This study suggests that ripened Pu-erh tea Y562 has the potential to help reduce the body mass, improve the body shape, reduce blood glucose and lipids, and alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of the intestinal microecology and the bile acid pathways by Pu-erh tea.

GhPEL48_Dt, a Pectate lyase (PEL, EC4.2.2.2), is a crucial enzyme involved in cell-wall modification and pectin degradation. Studies have shown that the GhPEL48_Dt also plays a significant role in cotton-fiber development; however, the specific function and regulatory mechanism of GhPEL48_Dt in cotton-fiber development are still not fully understood. Here, we found that the histone deacetylase inhibitor-Trichostatin A significantly reduces the transcript levels of GhPEL48_Dt and its enzyme activity. Further, silencing of GhPEL48_Dt significantly inhibits the initiation and elongation of cotton fibers by promoting pectin degradation, and the heterologous expression of GhPEL48_Dt promotes the development of trichomes and root hairs in Arabidopsis, which suggests that GhPEL48_Dt plays a positive and conserved role in single cell i.e., fiber, root hair, and leaf trichome development. Collectively, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental characteristics and functions of GhPEL48_Dt in fiber development, including the regulatory role of histone acetylation on GhPEL48_Dt, which contributes to the understanding of pectin degradation pathways and establishes a theoretical foundation for elucidating its regulatory mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have an extremely diverse application nowadays as an environmentally friendly and renewable new energy storage technology. The porous structure of the separator, one essential component of LIBs, provides an ion transport channel for the migration of ions and directly affects the overall performance of the battery. In this work, we fabricated a composite separator (GOP-PH-ATP) via simply laminating an electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) nanofibrous membrane coated with attapulgite (ATP) nanoparticles onto a PP nonwoven microfibrous fabric, which exhibits a unique porous structure with a pore-size gradient along the thickness direction that ranges from tens of microns to hundreds of nanometers. As a result, besides the enhanced thermal stability given by the chosen materials, the GOP-PH-ATP separator was endowed with a superhigh porosity of ~95%, strong affinity with electrolyte, and great electrolyte uptake of ~760%, thus effectively enabling an ionic conductivity of 2.38 mS cm−1 and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.62. Furthermore, the cell with the GOP-PH-ATP separator shows an excellent cycling performance with a capacity retention of 91.2% after 150 cycles at 1 C, suggesting that the composite separator with a pore-size gradient structure has great potential to be applied in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the level of quality of life (QoL) and its influencing factors on children with asthma before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study carried out cross-sectional surveys on children with asthma and their parents in China before and during the epidemic. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Family Management Scale for Children with Asthma (FMSCA), and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). Participants from before the epidemic were matched by their propensity score in a 1:1 ratio with individuals from during the epidemic. The level of QoL of children with asthma was subsequently analyzed. Both univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were employed to identify the influencing factors. Compared to their level before the epidemic, the total score of PAQLQ and its three dimensions decreased during the epidemic. Regression analysis revealed that before the epidemic, the total score of PAQLQ was significantly associated with follow-up visits, attendance of asthma lectures, and the total score of FMSCA (p < 0.05). During the epidemic, the total score of the PAQLQ was significantly associated with three dimensions of the FMSCA (future expectation, children identity, and views of condition), and two classifications of the family management styles (FMS) (enduring and accommodating) (p < 0.05). The QoL of children with asthma deteriorated during the epidemic. Influencing factors changed during the epidemic, with more emphasis on the family environment. Future intervention strategies need to take into account the development of interactions between children and environmental forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur is a critical element for plant growth and development, and it is assimilated through a pathway called the sulfur assimilation pathway. APS REDUCTASE (APR) is a key rate‐limiting enzyme in this pathway, and it plays a vital role in regulating sulfur flow and plant development. However, the exact role and mechanism of APR in cotton fiber and root hair development are still not fully understood. This study used in vitro cultured ovules grown on a sulfur‐deficient medium to explore the role of sulfur in fiber development. Genetic approaches such as virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) was used to determine the role of target genes. In vitro assays revealed the role of sulfur in fiber development and identified GhAPR2 as a key candidate gene. The GhAPR2 negatively regulates fiber cell initiation and Arabidopsis root hair elongation. Further studies demonstrated that overexpression of GhAPR2 increased the contents of sulfite and GSH to enhance sulfur assimilation in Arabidopsis, leading to abnormal accumulation of ROS in root hair. This down‐regulates the transcription of proline‐rich cell wall protein‐coding genes such as AtEXTs and AtPRPs, reducing the content of hydroxyproline in the cell wall, disrupting the development of the root hair cell wall, and inhibiting root hair elongation. This study elucidated the functional pathway of APR2 in the regulation of root hair development. APR2 first affects sulfur assimilation, which affects the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and finally affects the content of hydroxyproline‐rich glycoprotein, which in turn affects the development of root hair. This model also contributes to the understanding of the role of sulfur in fiber development, as well as cell differentiation and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]