Novel homozygous variants in ASTL and WEE2 responsible for female infertility characterized by abnormal fertilization.

Purpose: To identify the disease-causing gene behind infertile couples with female infertility and abnormal fertilization.

Methods: Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were used to identify variants in disease-causing genes in 119 infertile couples with abnormal fertilization. Molecular modeling and functional analysis were used to evaluate the pathogenic effects of the variants.

Effect of extruded soybean okara on the texture, rheology, and structural properties of high-fiber composite dough.

The impact of extrusion conditions on the physicochemical and structural characteristics of okara, as well as the effect of okara on dough properties, were investigated. The okara was modified by high temperature and high humidity extrusion, which significantly increased the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content (from 5.06% to 5.

Target Detection Method for Soil-Dwelling Termite Damage Based on MCD-YOLOv8.

With global climate change and the deterioration of the ecological environment, the safety of hydraulic engineering faces severe challenges, among which soil-dwelling termite damage has become an issue that cannot be ignored. Reservoirs and embankments in China, primarily composed of earth and rocks, are often affected by soil-dwelling termites, such as Odontotermes formosanus and Macrotermes barneyi. Identifying soil-dwelling termite damage is crucial for implementing monitoring, early warning, and control strategies.

Heterologous biosynthesis of betanin triggers metabolic reprogramming in tobacco.

Engineering of a specialized metabolic pathway in plants is a promising approach to produce high-value bioactive compounds to address the challenges of climate change and population growth. Understanding the interaction between the heterologous pathway and the native metabolic network of the host plant is crucial for optimizing the engineered system and maximizing the yield of the target compound. In this study, we performed transcriptomic, metabolomic and metagenomic analysis of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants engineered to produce betanin, an alkaloid pigment that is found in Caryophyllaceae plants.

Effects of the types and ages of vegetation restoration on land surface roughness in the Eastern Hobq Desert, Northern China.

Vegetation restoration has an important remodelling effect on near-surface characteristics, and consequent changes in land surface roughness (LSR) are key influences on soil wind erosion processes. However, the effects of vegetation restoration types and ages on LSR and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, the sand-fixing vegetation restoration area of the Hobq Desert was examined in comparison to a bare sand control area.

Comprehensive transcriptome and WGCNA analysis reveals the potential function of anthocyanins in low-temperature resistance of a red flower mutant tobacco.

The anthocyanin is a protective substance in various plants, and plays important roles in resisting to low-temperature. Here, we explored transcriptome analysis of pink flower (as CK) and the natural mutant red flower (as research objects) under low-temperature conditions, and aimed to reveal the potential functions of anthocyanins and anthocyanin-related regulatory factors in resistance to low-temperature. Our results showed that most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) encoding key enzymes in the late stage of anthocyanin metabolism in the mutant were significantly up-regulated.

Impacts of ethanol-plasticization and extrusion on development of zein network and structure of zein-starch dough.

To improve the viscoelasticity of zein in gluten-free dough, ethanol-plasticization and extrusion modification were employed. The peak viscosity of UZS (unextruded zein-starch) flour and EZS (extruded zein-starch) flour with ethanol (10 %, v/v) increased from 1340.0 to 1996.

PIF1, a phytochrome-interacting factor negatively regulates drought tolerance and carotenoids biosynthesis in tobacco.

The phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) function crucially in multiple physiological processes, but the biological functions of some PIFs remain elusive in some species. Here, a PIF transcription factor NtPIF1 was cloned and characterized in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).

Genome-wide analysis of UDP-glycosyltransferases family and identification of UGT genes involved in abiotic stress and flavonol biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacum.

Background: Uridine disphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferases (UGTs) act upon a huge variety of highly diverse and complex substrates, such as phytohormones and specialized metabolites, to regulate plant growth, development, disease resistance, and environmental interactions. However, a comprehensive investigation of UGT genes in tobacco has not been conducted.

Results: In this study, we carried out a genome-wide analysis of family-1 UDP glycosyltransferases in Nicotiana tabacum.

Development of a MAGIC population and high-resolution quantitative trait mapping for nicotine content in tobacco.

Multiparent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) population is an ideal genetic and breeding material for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and molecular breeding. In this study, a MAGIC population derived from eight tobacco parents was developed. Eight parents and 560 homozygous lines were genotyped by a 430K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip assay and phenotyped for nicotine content under different conditions.

Total value adjustment of Bermudan option valuation under pure jump Lévy fluctuations.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions have announced that their counterparties are struggling to fulfill contracts. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the counterparty default risk when pricing options. After the 2008 financial crisis, a variety of value adjustments have been emphasized in the financial industry.

Homozygous variants in PANX1 cause human oocyte death and female infertility.

PANX1, one of the members of the pannexin family, is a highly glycosylated channel-forming protein. Recently, we identified heterozygous variants in PANX1 that follow an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern and cause female infertility characterized by oocyte death. In this study, we screened for novel PANX1 variants in patients with the phenotype of oocyte death and discovered a new type of inheritance pattern accompanying PANX1 variants.

Simultaneous regulation of F5H in COMT-RNAi transgenic switchgrass alters effects of COMT suppression on syringyl lignin biosynthesis.

Ferulate 5-hydroxylase (F5H) catalyses the hydroxylation of coniferyl alcohol and coniferaldehyde for the biosynthesis of syringyl (S) lignin in angiosperms. However, the coordinated effects of F5H with caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) on the metabolic flux towards S units are largely unknown. We concomitantly regulated F5H expression in COMT-down-regulated transgenic switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.

Lévy noise induced transition and enhanced stability in a gene regulatory network.

We investigate a quantitative bistable two-dimensional model (MeKS network) of gene expression dynamics describing the competence development in the Bacillus subtilis under the influence of Lévy as well as Brownian motions. To analyze the transitions between the vegetative and the competence regions therein, two dimensionless deterministic quantities, the mean first exit time (MFET) and the first escape probability, are determined from a microscopic perspective, as well as their averaged versions from a macroscopic perspective. The relative contribution factor λ, the ratio of non-Gaussian and Gaussian noise strengths, is adopted to identify an optimum choice in these transitions.

Molecular docking studies and biological evaluation of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives bearing Schiff base moieties as tyrosinase inhibitors.

1,3,4-Thiadiazole derivatives bearing Schiff base moieties were designed, synthesized, and their tyrosinase inhibitory activities were evaluated. Some compounds displayed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, especially, 4-(((5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-imino)methyl)-2-methoxy-phenol (14) exhibited superior inhibitory effect to the other compounds with an IC value of 0.036μM.

Study on the synthesis and biological activities of α-substituted arylacetates derivatives.

Anisodamine was isolated from the medicinal herb, it was used in the treatment of gastrointestinal smooth muscle spasm, infective toxic shock and organophosphorus intoxication. But there is no report about anisodamine with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. In order to find novel α-glucosidase inhibitors, a series of α-substituted arylacetates derivatives have been synthesized based on the active unit of anisodamine.

Design and synthesis of aloe-emodin derivatives as potent anti-tyrosinase, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents.

Twenty aloe-emodin derivatives were designed, synthesized, and their biological activities were evaluated. Some compounds displayed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, especially, compounds with thiosemicarbazide moiety showed more potent inhibitory effects than the other compounds. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) were preliminarily discussed.

Microwave-assisted synthesis and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of chalcone derivatives.

A series of chalcones and their derivatives were synthesized, and their inhibitory effects on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity, and four compounds exhibited more potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the reference standard inhibitor kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one). Specifically, 1-(-1-(4-methoxyphen- yl)-3-phenylallylidene)thiosemicarbazide (18) exhibited the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 0.

Biological evaluation of coumarin derivatives as mushroom tyrosinase inhibitors.

A series of coumarin derivatives were synthesised and their inhibitory effects on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that some of the synthesised compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activities. Especially, 2-(1-(coumarin-3-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide bearing thiose-micarbazide group exhibited the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC(50) value of 3.

Evaluation of dihydropyrimidin-(2H)-one analogues and rhodanine derivatives as tyrosinase inhibitors.

A series of dihydropyrimidin-(2H)-one analogues and rhodanine derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory effects on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activities. Especially, compound 15 bearing a hydroxyethoxyl group at position-4 of phenyl ring exhibited most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC(50) value of 0.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 3-(4-halophenyl)-3-oxopropanal and their derivatives as novel antibacterial agents.

In continuing our program aimed to search for potent drugs for bacterial infections, a series of 3-(4-halophenyl)-3-oxopropanal and their derivatives were designed, synthesized and their antibacterial activities in vitro against both Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated. Compounds 7, 8, 13-16, 21 and 22 had moderate antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) <16 microg/ml), suggesting that the introduction of mono-methoxyamine or ethoxyamine moiety might play an important role in determining the potent antibacterial activities. Furthermore, the antibacterial activities of select compounds 7, 15 and 16 against the clinically important pathogenic bacteria-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were also investigated.

[Establishment of Saussurea involucrata hairy roots culture and plantlet regeneration].

Hairy root clones of Saussurea involucrata transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains R1601, R1000, and LBA9402 were established to investigate the flavonoid production. Opine synthesis and PCR analysis confirmed the integration of the T-DNA fragment of Ri plasmid from A. rhizogenes strain R1601 into the transformed root genome.