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Objective To evaluate maternal–fetal outcomes and therapeutic efficacy in Takayasu arteritis (TA)-complicated pregnancies through integrated retrospective analysis and meta-analytic synthesis. Methods A dual-design study was conducted: (1) retrospective analysis of 20 pregnancies (17 patients) at West China Second Hospital (2012–2024), stratifying TA phases (acute/prolonged/stable); (2) systematic review with random-effects meta-analysis of 16 studies (568 pregnancies globally). Clinical data encompassed maternal–fetal profiles, TA-specific variables, laboratory metrics (hematologic/coagulation parameters), and therapies (glucocorticoids /immunosuppressants /antihypertensives). Outcomes were compared against normative standards using t-tests, Wilcoxon, chi-square, and meta-regression. Results Among 20 pregnancies (median maternal age 28.5 years), 50% had at least one obstetric complication, with arterial stenosis (80%) and hypertension (40%) predominant. Meta-analysis revealed 42.6% adverse outcomes: gestational hypertension (26.1%), fetal growth restriction (17.7%), and preterm delivery (13.6%). Hematological analysis ( n  = 20) showed elevated WBC, PCT, TT, fibrinogen, urinary protein, and ALT (all P  < 0.05), alongside reduced PT, albumin, and bilirubin ( P  < 0.05). Regarding the analysis results of inflammatory indicators, CRP (prepartum) (95%CI = 0.969–1.034, OR = 1.001), CRP (postpartum) (95%CI = 0.920–1.217, OR = 1.058), and ESR (95%CI = 0.952–1.101, OR = 1.024) showed no statistically significant association with pregnancy outcomes. Neither pre-pregnancy nor gestational glucocorticoids (prednisone vs methylprednisolone) or immunosuppressants significantly reduced complications (all RR 95% CI crossed 1; P  > 0.05). Antihypertensive therapy showed no correlation with preeclampsia ( P  > 0.05). Conclusion TA significantly elevates maternal–fetal risks, driving hypertension, growth restriction, and preterm birth via vasculopathic-inflammatory pathways. Postpartum hypercoagulability (↑fibrinogen, ↓prothrombin time) necessitates multidisciplinary coagulation monitoring and mandatory thromboprophylaxis.

Real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is a preferred method for rapid and accurate quantification of gene expression studies. Appropriate application of RT-qPCR requires accurate normalization though the use of reference genes. As no single reference gene is universally suitable for all experiments, thus reference gene(s) validation under different experimental conditions is crucial for RT-qPCR analysis. To date, only a few studies on reference genes have been done in other plants but none in papaya. In the present work, we selected 21 candidate reference genes, and evaluated their expression stability in 246 papaya fruit samples using three algorithms, geNorm, NormFinder and RefFinder. The samples consisted of 13 sets collected under different experimental conditions, including various tissues, different storage temperatures, different cultivars, developmental stages, postharvest ripening, modified atmosphere packaging, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment, hot water treatment, biotic stress and hormone treatment. Our results demonstrated that expression stability varied greatly between reference genes and that different suitable reference gene(s) or combination of reference genes for normalization should be validated according to the experimental conditions. In general, the internal reference genes EIF (Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A), TBP1 (TATA binding protein 1) and TBP2 (TATA binding protein 2) genes had a good performance under most experimental conditions, whereas the most widely present used reference genes, ACTIN (Actin 2), 18S rRNA (18S ribosomal RNA) and GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) were not suitable in many experimental conditions. In addition, two commonly used programs, geNorm and Normfinder, were proved sufficient for the validation. This work provides the first systematic analysis for the selection of superior reference genes for accurate transcript normalization in papaya under different experimental conditions.

BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP or KNAT1), a class-I KNOTTED1-like homeobox (KNOX) transcription factor in Arabidopsis thaliana, contributes to shaping the normal inflorescence architecture through negatively regulating other two class-I KNOX genes, KNAT2 and KNAT6. However, the molecular mechanism of BP-mediated transcription regulation remains unclear. In this study, we showed that BP directly interacts with the SWI2/SNF2 chromatin remodeling ATPase BRAHMA (BRM) both in vitro and in vivo. Loss-of-function BRM mutants displayed inflorescence architecture defects, with clustered inflorescences, horizontally orientated pedicels, and short pedicels and internodes, a phenotype similar to the bp mutants. Furthermore, the transcript levels of KNAT2 and KNAT6 were elevated in brm-3, bp-9 and brm-3 bp-9 double mutants. Increased histone H3 lysine 4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3) levels were detected in brm-3, bp-9 and brm-3 bp-9 double mutants. Moreover, BRM and BP co-target to KNAT2 and KNAT6 genes, and BP is required for the binding of BRM to KNAT2 and KNAT6. Taken together, our results indicate that BP interacts with the chromatin remodeling factor BRM to regulate the expression of KNAT2 and KNAT6 in control of inflorescence architecture.

Guavas are typical tropical fruit with high nutritional and commercial value. Because of their thin skin and high metabolic rate, guavas are highly susceptible to water loss, physical damage, and spoilage, severely limiting their shelf-life. Guavas can typically only be stored for approximately one week at room temperature, making transportation, storage, and handling difficult, resulting in low profit margins in the industry. This review focuses on the physiological and biochemical changes and their molecular mechanisms which occur in postharvest guavas, and summarizes the various management strategies for extending the shelf-life of these sensitive fruits by means of physical and chemical preservation and their combinations. This review also suggests future directions and reference ideas for the development of safe and efficient shelf-life extension techniques.

Phytohormone ethylene controls diverse developmental and physiological processes such as fruit ripening via modulation of ethylene signaling pathway. Our previous study identified that ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR11 (MaERF11), a transcription factor in the ethylene signaling pathway, negatively regulates the ripening of banana, but the mechanism for the MaERF11-mediated transcriptional regulation remains largely unknown. Here we showed that MaERF11 has intrinsic transcriptional repression activity in planta. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated that MaERF11 binds to promoters of three ripening-related Expansin genes, MaEXP2, MaEXP7 and MaEXP8, as well as an ethylene biosynthetic gene MaACO1, via the GCC-box motif. Furthermore, expression patterns of MaACO1, MaEXP2, MaEXP7, and MaEXP8 genes are correlated with the changes of histone H3 and H4 acetylation level during fruit ripening. Moreover, we found that MaERF11 physically interacts with a histone deacetylase, MaHDA1, which has histone deacetylase activity, and the interaction significantly strengthens the MaERF11-mediated transcriptional repression of MaACO1 and Expansins. Taken together, these findings suggest that MaERF11 may recruit MaHDA1 to its target genes and repress their expression via histone deacetylation.

Objective To investigate the effect of the restricted access to clean needles and syringes on needle and syringe sharing behavior like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) amongst the people who inject drugs (PWID) in Baise, Guangxi province of China, and to provide the scientific evidence for formulating public health policies aimed at preventing HIV transmission. Method Using the national unified questionnaire and plan, from 2010 to 2019, snowball sampling was conducted among the community drug users under sentinel surveillance in Baise City's county districts every April to June. During face-to-face interviews with each participant, a structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic, behavioral, and venous blood for serological surveillance. All of this information was input into the HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System (CRIMS). Following China’s enforcement of the Regulation on Supervision and Administration of Medical Devices(hereinafter referred to as the Regulation) in June 2014, which limited the sale of clean needles and syringes by community pharmacies. Therefore, we divided the period from 2010 to 2019 into from 2010 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2019. Utilizing the trends of HIV/HCV prevalences during these periods and taking them as indicators to measure the occurrence of needle and syringe sharing behavior. Employing the Event Study Method to verify the influence of community accessibility to needles and syringes for individuals of traditional drug users(TDU) on needle and syringe sharing, focusing on cumulative abnormal positive rates as a key metric. TDU came from the National HIV/AIDS CRIMS in 2010–2019 as the object, whose trend changes of annual HIV/HCV prevalences serve as a generation indicator of needle and syringe sharing. We set the period from 2010 to 2015 as the estimation window and from 2016 to 2019 as the event window, using the Chi-square trend tests to examine the changing trends in annual HIV/HCV prevalences. To construct a linear regression model based on the HIV/HCV prevalences from 2010 to 2015, the model was used to predict the expected prevalences from 2016 to 2019, which were compared with the actual prevalences from 2016 to 2019 to calculate the abnormal prevalences and the cumulative abnormal prevalences. Robustness tests were conducted on the cumulative abnormal prevalences to exclude the random changes in prevalences. Result In the event window, The actual trend of HIV/HCV prevalences were both statistically significant from 2010 to 2015( trend 2  = 7.479, P = 0.006 and trend 2  = 9.717, P < 0.001), but weren’t both statistically significant from 2016 to 2019( trend 2  = 0.604, P = 0.437 and trend 2  = 0.134, P  = 0.715). The Linear regression model indicates the HIV prevalence showed a negative correlation with time(adjusted R 2  =  0.911, P  < 0.001), and the HCV prevalence also exhibited a negative correlation with time from 2010 to 2015(adjusted R 2  =  0.869, P  < 0.001). During the event window from 2016 to 2019, the expected HIV and HCV prevalences were as follows: for HIV, 8.24%, 5.62%, 3.01%, and 0.39%; for HCV, 34.55%, 30.56%, 26.56%, and 22.57%. The abnormal HIV/HCV prevalences during this period were: for HIV, 3.29%, 6.26%, 9.56%, and 7.88%; for HCV, 4.71%, 10.69%, 15.28%, and 14.35%. The cumulative abnormal HIV/HCV prevalences were 3.29%, 9.55%, 19.11%, 26.99% for HIV, and 4.71%, 15.40%, 30.68%, 45.03% for HCV; the robustness test results indicated that the changes in HIV and HCV prevalences during the event window were not random events(U = 12.371, P < 0.001 for both Cumulative abnormal HIV/HCV prevalence). Conclusion When individuals practice injecting drugs, the important factor in needle and syringe sharing among TDU groups is the restricted access to clean needles and syringes from the community. The community commercial channel for needles and syringes should serve as a public health resource, addressing access to clean needles and syringes for individuals and reducing the frequency of needle and syringe sharing among community-active TDU groups. Public health policies aimed at preventing HIV epidemics in TDU populations should fully consider the accessibility of needles and syringes for the TDU groups in the community, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of public health measures.

Nanotechnology has been widely applied for pesticide carriers, which is an important way to improve the utilization, stability, and sustained release of pesticides. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are a nanomaterial with adjustable particle and pore sizes, with a high specific surface area and good biocompatibility. Rotenone is a non-systemic botanical insecticide that is easily degraded in the environment. We used a modified soft-template method to prepare MSNs, in which rotenone was loaded using the solvent evaporation method. The prepared rotenone nanopesticide based on mesoporous silica showed considerable drug loading rates of 33.2%. Moreover, the prepared rotenone nanoparticles showed improved photostability and sustained release behavior, which improved the translocation of rotenone in tomato plants. Finally, the rotenone nanoparticles displayed superior insecticidal activity compared to traditional preparations. In summary, the rotenone nanopesticide improved the persistence and utilization rates of rotenone. These findings are of significance in reducing pesticide usage, mitigating environmental pollution, and ensuring food safety. Graphical abstract

Flubendiamide is a widely used diamide insecticide with many adverse effects on environmental organisms. This study assessed its bioaccumulation and toxicity effects in zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) using LC-MS/MS. The concentrations of flubendiamide in the whole zebrafish increased in the early stages and achieved steady levels at 14 days. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of flubendiamide was 1.125-2.011. Although flubendiamide did not significantly affect the growth phenotypes of zebrafish, it significantly changed the hepatic somatic index (HSI) of zebrafish. Histopathological analysis showed that flubendiamide could cause structural damage to the liver tissue of zebrafish. Further physiological and biochemical analysis showed that flubendiamide significantly changed the activity of catalase (CAT) and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in liver of zebrafish. Moreover, flubendiamide significantly changed the mRNA expression levels of cell apoptosis-related genes, including p53 , puma , caspase-3 , caspase-9 , apaf-1 , and bax in liver of zebrafish. In summary, these results indicate that flubendiamide can cause liver damage by inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis in the liver of zebrafish. This study provides a background for further safety evaluation of flubendiamide to aquatic organisms.

Low-temperature storage is a common strategy for preserving and transporting vegetables and fruits. However, many fruits are hypersensitive to chilling injury, including bananas. In the present study, storage conditions of 11 °C delayed the ripening of Fenjiao (Musa ABB Pisang Awak) banana, and the pulp could be softened after ethephon treatment. Storage conditions of 7 °C prevented fruit from fully softening, and fruit contained a significantly higher starch content and lower soluble sugar content. MaEBF1, a critical gene component in the ethylene signaling pathway, was repressed during ripening after fruit had been stored for 12 days at 7 °C. The expression of a series of starch degradation-related genes and a MaNAC67-like gene were also severely repressed. Both MaEBF1 and MaNAC67-like genes were ethylene-inducible and localized in the nucleus. MaNAC67-like protein was able to physically bind to the promoter of genes associated with starch degradation, including MaBAM6, MaSEX4, and MaMEX1. Yeast two-hybrid, GST-pull down, and BiFC assays showed that MaEBF1 interacted with the MaNAC67-like protein, and their interaction further activated the promoters of MaBAM6 and MaSEX4. The current study indicates that MaNAC67-like is a direct regulator of starch degradation and potential for involvement in regulating chilling-inhibited starch degradation by interacting with the ethylene signaling components in banana fruit. The present work paves the way for further functional analysis of MaEBF1 and MaNAC67-like in banana, which will be useful for understanding the regulation of banana starch metabolism and fruit ripening.

The performance of p-Anisaldehyde (PAA) for preserving pitaya fruit quality and the underpinning regulatory mechanism were investigated in this study. Results showed that PAA treatment significantly reduced fruit decay, weight loss and loss of firmness, and maintained higher content of total soluble solids, betacyanins, betaxanthins, total phenolics and flavonoids in postharvest pitaya fruits. Compared with control, the increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and superoxide anion (O2•−) production was inhibited in fruit treated with PAA. Meanwhile, PAA significantly improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT). Moreover, PAA-treated pitaya fruit maintained higher ascorbic acid (AsA) and reduced-glutathione (GSH) content but lower dehydroascorbate (DHA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content, thus sustaining higher ratio of AsA/DHA and GSH/GSSG. In addition, activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and dehydrogenation ascorbic acid reductase (DHAR), as well as the expression of HpSOD, HpPOD, HpCAT, HpAPX, HpGR, HpDHAR and HpMDHAR, were enhanced after PAA treatment. The findings suggest that postharvest application of PAA may be a reliable method to control postharvest decay and preserve quality of harvested pitaya fruit by enhancing the antioxidant potential of the AsA-GSH cycle and activating an antioxidant defense system to alleviate reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation.