Association between fine particulate matter and fecundability in Henan, China: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and fecundability. METHODS: This study included 751,270 female residents from Henan Province who participated in the National Free Pre-conception Check-up Projects during 2015-2017. Ambient cycle-specific PM2.5 exposure was assessed at the county level for each participant using satellite-based PM2.5 concentration data at 1-km resolution. Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying exposure were used to estimate the association between fecundability and PM2.5 exposure, adjusted for potential individual risk factors. RESULTS: During the study period, 568,713 participants were pregnant, monthly mean PM2.5 concentrations varied from 25.5 to 114.0 µg/m3 across study areas. For each 10 µg/m3 increase in cycle-specific PM2.5, the hazard ratio for fecundability was 0.951 (95 % confidence interval: 0.950-0.953). The association was more pronounced in women who were older, with urban household registration, history of pregnancy, higher body mass index (BMI), hypertension, without exposure to tobacco, or whose male partners were older, with higher BMI, or hypertension. CONCLUSION: In this population-based prospective cohort, ambient cycle-specific PM2.5 exposure was associated with reduced fecundability. These findings may support the adverse implications of severe air pollution on reproductive health.

Husband smoking is associated with Wife's thyrotropin abnormality: A population-based cohort study among Chinese reproductive-aged women.

OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively assess the association of husband smoking with wives' thyrotropin abnormality. METHODS: This population-based retrospective cohort study included 2 406 090 Chinese reproductive-aged women who had participated twice in the National Free Pre-pregnancy Checkups Project between 2010 and 2020. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for subnormal and supranormal thyrotropin were estimated according to the husband's smoking status. RESULTS: Husband smoking at the first visit was associated with a 17% (15%-20%) and 26% (24%-28%) increased odds of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin respectively compared to participants in neither-smoker group. In non-smoking participants with normal thyrotropin levels at the first visit, the corresponding increased risk of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin at the second visit were 15% (12%-18%) and 19% (16%-21%) in contrast to participants without husband-smoking exposure. In non-smoking participants with abnormal thyrotropin levels at their first visit, husband smoking cessation was associated with 27% (17%-35%) and 36% (31%-40%) reduced odds of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin at the second visit compared with the participants whose husband still smoking at the second visit. CONCLUSION: Husband smoking was associated with wives' subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin, and cessation of husband smoking could reduce the odds of thyrotropin abnormality. Couple-focused smoking intervention should be developed to reduce the burden of asymptomatic thyroid disease in females.

Preconception folic acid supplementation for the prevention of birth defects: a prospective, population-based cohort study in mainland China.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid supplementation is recommended for reducing the risk of birth defects. We aimed to assess the protective association of periconception folic acid supplements with birth defects in real-world setting. METHODS: This prospective, population-based cohort study utilized national preconception registered data of married Chinese couples planning a pregnancy within 6 months between 2010 and 2012 in Mainland China. Participated women are freely provided folic acid starting 3 months before conception till 3 months after conception. Birth defects were self-reported at 42 days postpartumn followup. R software (v4.0.2) was applied for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Complete data of 567,547 couples with pregnancy outcomes and folic acid supplementation were extracted for final analysis. A total of 74.7% women were with folic acid supplementation, and 599 birth defects were self-reported. The odd of birth defects was lower among women taking folic acid compared to their counterparts not taking (0.102% vs 0.116%, P < 0.001). In the multiple logistic regression analyses, the odd of birth defects was lower among couples with maternal folic acid supplementation (OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.66-0.95, P = 0.011), especially decreased odd of neural tube defects (NTDs) (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.39-0.82, P = 0.003). This association was confirmed by 1:4 and 1:10 case control analysis. Odds of birth defects were significantly lower among women with folic acid supplementation more than 3 months before pregnancy (P < 0.001), and moreover, the odds of cleft (P = 0.007) and NTDs (P = 0.007) were of notable decrease. CONCLUSION: This retrospective case cohort study provides programmatic evidence for public health strategy-making to for reducing the risk of NTDs and clefts.

Association between short-term air pollution exposure and perturbation in thyrotropin levels in 1.38 million Chinese women: A national longitudinal analysis, 2014-2019.

Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism substantially increased during the last decade in China, which has been commonly/clinically diagnosed as elevation in thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]). Tobacco smoke containing toxic substances has been linked to thyroid dysfunction; however, data on perturbation of TSH following air pollution exposure in human has not been assessed at nationwide population level. We investigated the longitudinal impact of daily ambient air pollution estimated at residential level on serum TSH in 1.38 million women from China's 29 mainland provinces between 2014 and 2019. We observed that particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 and ≤ 2.5 µm (PM10, PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at cumulative lag 0-7 days of exposure were associated with percent elevations in TSH (0.88% [95% CI: 0.71, 1.05] per [interquartile range, IQR: 54.8 µg/m3] of PM10; 0.89% [95% CI, 0.71, 1.07] per IQR [40.3 µg/m3] of PM2.5; 2.01% [95% CI: 1.81, 2.22] per IQR [27.4 µg/m3] of NO2). Greater associations were observed in participants living in areas with ≥adequate iodine intake and those with low BMI levels and high inflammation status. Our results suggest that increased concentrations of recent ambient air pollutants at exposure ranges commonly encountered in Asia were associated with increases in TSH, supporting disturbing role of short-term air pollution exposure on the regulation of thyroid hormone homeostasis.

Association of Fine Particulate Matter and Its Components with Macrosomia: A Nationwide Birth Cohort Study of 336 Chinese Cities.

To examine the associations between macrosomia risk and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its chemical components during pregnancy, we collected birth records between 2010 and 2015 in mainland China from the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project and used satellite-based models to estimate concentrations of PM2.5 mass and five main components, namely, black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), nitrate (NO3-), sulfate (SO42-), and ammonium (NH4+). Associations between macrosomia risk and prenatal exposure to PM2.5 were examined by logistic regression analysis, and the sensitive subgroups were explored by stratified analyses. Of the 3,248,263 singleton newborns from 336 cities, 165,119 (5.1%) had macrosomia. Each interquartile range increase in concentration of PM2.5 during the entire pregnancy was associated with increased risk of macrosomia (odds ratio (OR) = 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.17-1.20). Among specific components, the largest effect estimates were found on NO3- (OR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.35-1.38) followed by OC (OR = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.22-1.24), NH4+ (OR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.21-1.23), and BC (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.20-1.22). We also that found boys, women with a normal or lower prepregnancy body mass index, and women with irregular or no folic acid supplementation experienced higher risk of macrosomia associated with PM2.5 exposure.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated BoaAOP2s editing alters aliphatic glucosinolate side-chain metabolic flux and increases the glucoraphanin content in Chinese kale.

Glucoraphanin (GRA) is an aliphatic glucosinolate (GSL), and its hydrolysis product has powerful anticancer activity. ALKENYL HYDROXALKYL PRODUCING 2 (AOP2) gene, encodes a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, which can catalyze GRA to form gluconapin (GNA). However, GRA only present in trace amounts in Chinese kale. To increase the content of GRA in Chinese kale, three copies of BoaAOP2 were isolated and edited using CRISPR/Cas9 system. The content of GRA was 11.71- to 41.29-fold (0.082-0.289 µmol g-1 FW) higher in T1 generation of boaaop2 mutants than in wild-type plants, and this was accompanied by an increase in the GRA/GNA ratio and reductions in the content of GNA and total aliphatic GSLs. BoaAOP2.1 is an effective gene for the alkenylation of aliphatic GSLs in Chinese kale. Overall, targeted editing of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated BoaAOP2s altered aliphatic GSL side-chain metabolic flux and enhanced the GRA content in Chinese kale, suggesting that metabolic engineering of BoaAOP2s has huge potential in improving nutritional quality of Chinese kale.

Brassinosteroids fine-tune secondary and primary sulfur metabolism through BZR1-mediated transcriptional regulation.

For adaptation to ever-changing environments, plants have evolved elaborate metabolic systems coupled to a regulatory network for optimal growth and defense. Regulation of plant secondary metabolic pathways such as glucosinolates (GSLs) by defense phytohormones in response to different stresses and nutrient deficiency has been intensively investigated, while how growth-promoting hormone balances plant secondary and primary metabolism has been largely unexplored. Here, we found that growth-promoting hormone brassinosteroid (BR) inhibits GSLs accumulation while enhancing biosynthesis of primary sulfur metabolites, including cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) both in Arabidopsis and Brassica crops, fine-tuning secondary and primary sulfur metabolism to promote plant growth. Furthermore, we demonstrate that of BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1), the central component of BR signaling, exerts distinct transcriptional inhibition regulation on indolic and aliphatic GSL via direct MYB51 dependent repression of indolic GSL biosynthesis, while exerting partial MYB29 dependent repression of aliphatic GSL biosynthesis. Additionally, BZR1 directly activates the transcription of APR1 and APR2 which encodes rate-limiting enzyme adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductases in the primary sulfur metabolic pathway. In summary, our findings indicate that BR inhibits the biosynthesis of GSLs to prioritize sulfur usage for primary metabolites under normal growth conditions. These findings expand our understanding of BR promoting plant growth from a metabolism perspective.

Flavonoids in vegetables: improvement of dietary flavonoids by metabolic engineering to promote health.

Flavonoids are the most abundant polyphenols in plants, and have antioxidant effects as well as other bioactivities (e.g., anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-allergic, and neuroprotective effects). Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and are indispensable in our daily diet. Moreover, the vegetables as chassis for producing natural products would emerge as a promising means for cost-effective and sustainable production of flavonoids. Understanding the metabolic engineering of flavonoids in vegetables allows us to improve their nutrient composition. In this review, a comprehensive overview of flavonoids in vegetables, including the characterized types and distribution, health-promoting effects, associated metabolic pathways, and applied metabolic engineering are provided. We also introduce breakthroughs in multi-omics approaches that pertain to the elucidation of flavonoids metabolism in vegetables, as well as prospective and potential genome-editing technologies. Based on the varied composition and content of flavonoids among vegetables, dietary suggestions are further provided for human health.

Paternal smoking and preterm birth: a population-based retrospective cohort study among non-smoking women aged 20-49 years in rural China.

BACKGROUND: To comprehensively evaluate the association of paternal smoking and preterm birth (PTB). METHODS: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study in rural areas of China among 5,298,043 reproductive-aged couples who participated in the National Free Pre-Pregnancy Checkups Project (NFPCP), regarding outcome events that occurred in 2010-2016. Multivariate Cox proportional regression was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confident intervals (95%CI), and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to estimate the dose-response relationship. RESULTS: Compared to neither-smoker couples, the fully adjusted HR for PTB was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.03-1.04), 1.08 (0.96-1.22), and 1.11 (1.03-1.19) in the couples where only the female smoked, only the male smoked and both, respectively. HR of PTB for paternal smoking was 1.07 (1.06-1.07), compared with women without paternal smoking. Consistent with paternal smoking, preconception paternal smoking showed 1.07-fold higher risk of PTB (95%CI, 1.06-1.09). The multivariable-adjusted HRs of PTB were 1.05 (1.03-1.06), 1.04 (1.03-1.05), 1.05 (1.04-1.07), 1.07 (1.05-1.10) and 1.13 (1.12-1.14) for participants whose husband smoked 1-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, and ≥ 20 cigarettes/day respectively, compared with participants without paternal smoking. The HRs of PTB also increased with the increment of paternal smoking and preconception paternal smoking categories (Plinear < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Paternal smoking and preconception paternal smoking was independently positively associated with PTB risk. The importance of tobacco control, should be emphasized during preconception and pregnancy counselling should be towards not only women but also their husband.

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, as well as other system immaturity problem. But as one of important environmental tobacco smoking sources of maternal secondhand smoking in the family, paternal smoking is worthy for deep exploring of its potential impacts on PTB. Moreover, evidence on the independent role of preconception paternal smoking is still lacking. Thus, we conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to evaluate the association between paternal smoking and risk of PTB among among 5,298,043 reproductive-aged couples who participated in the National Free Pre-Pregnancy Checkups Project (NFPCP), regarding outcome events that occurred in 2010­2016.We found a significant association between paternal smoking and PTB. Smoking reduction should not only be advised to pregnant women but also to their partners to reduce PTB in their fetal. In addition, supporting patients to continue smoking reduction will be crucial when considering the adverse health outcome of smoking. Intervention of tobacco use before and during pregnancy, are critical for prevention of PTB. Avoiding both maternal and paternal smoking during pregnancy will benefit the developing fetus.

Massilia puerhi sp. nov., isolated from soil of Pu-erh tea cellar.

A Gram-reaction-negative, yellow-pigmented, non-spore-forming rod, aerobic, motile bacterium, designated SJY3T, was isolated from soil samples collected from a Pu-erh tea cellar in Bolian Pu-erh tea estate Co. Ltd. in Pu'er city, Yunnan, south-west China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate belonged to the genus Massilia. The closest phylogenetic relative was Massilia arenae CICC 24458T (99.5 %), followed by M. timonae CCUG45783T (97.9 %), M. oculi CCUG43427AT (97.8 %), and M. aurea DSM 18055T (97.8 %). The major fatty acids were C16 : 0 and C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-8 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 5.97 M bp and a G+C content of 65.4 mol%. Pairwise determined whole genome average nucleotide identity (gANI) values and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were all below the threshold. Although the 16S rRNA gene similarity of stain SJY3T and Massilia arenae CICC 24458T was more than 99 %, the gANI, dDDH values and genomic tree clearly indicated that they were not of the same species. In summary, strain SJY3T represents a new species, for which we propose the name Massilia puerhi sp. nov. with the type strain SJY3T (=CGMCC 1.17158T=KCTC 82193T).

Association between air particulate matter pollution and blood cell counts of women preparing for pregnancy: Baseline analysis of a national birth cohort in China.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence is known about whether long-term exposures to air borne particulate matters of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) impact human hematologic index for women preparing for pregnancy. No study assessed the effect of PM1, which is small enough to reach the blood circulation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether exposure to PM1 and PM2.5 is associated with blood cell count of woman preparing for pregnancy. METHOD: Based on the baseline data of a national birth cohort in China, we analysed the white blood cell (WBC), red blood cells (RBC) and thrombocyte counts of 1,203,565 women who are aged 18-45 years, being Han ethnicity, had no chronic disease and preparing for pregnancy. We matched their home addresses and examination date with daily concentrations of PM1 and PM2.5 which were estimated by a machine learning method with remote sensing, meteorological and land use information. Generalized additive mixed model to examine the associations between exposure to one-year average exposure to PMs prior to the health examination and the blood cells counts, after adjustment for potential individual variables. RESULTS: A 10 µg/m3 PM1 increment was associated with -1.49% (95%CI: 1.56%, -1.42%) difference in WBC count; with 0.33% (95%CI: 0.30%, 0.36%) difference of RBC count; and with 1.08% (95%CI: 1.01%, 1.15%) difference of thrombocyte count. For PM2.5, the corresponding difference was -0.47% (95%CI: 0.54%, -0.39%) for WBC; was 0.06% (95%CI: 0.03%, 0.09%) for RBC; and was 1.10% (95%CI: 1.02%, 1.18%) for thrombocyte. Women working as workers, being overweight and with tobacco smoking exposure had higher associations between PMs and hematologic index than their counterparts (p < 0.05 for interaction test). CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure to PMs were associated with decrement in WBC, as well as increment in RBC and thrombocytes among Han Chinese women preparing for pregnancy. Measures such as using air purifiers and wearing a mask in polluted areas should be improved to prevent women from the impact of PMs.

Puerhibacterium puerhi gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Promicromonosporaceae, isolated from Pu-erh tea pile-fermentation.

A Gram-staining positive aerobic bacterium, designated TLY-12T, was isolated from the Pu-erh tea pile-fermentation process in Pu'er city, Yunnan, China. Strain TLY-12T grew at 15-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and 0-9.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0%). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, C16:0 and iso-C16:0. The respiratory quinone were menaquinones MK-9 (H2) and MK-9 (H4). The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphoglycolipid (PGL), glycolipid (GL) and an unidentified phospholipid (PL). The peptidoglycan contained glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine and lysine, with the last named being the diagnostic diamino acid. Whole-cell sugars of the isolate were ribose, galactose and glucose. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene showed that this strain belonged to the family Promicromonosporaceae, and was most closely related to Isoptericola cucumis DSM 101603 T, which gave sequence similarity of 97.9%. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 3.91 Mbp and a G + C content of 75.0%. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values were all below the species threshold of described Promicromonosporaceae species. Genome phylogenetic analysis showed that strain TLY-12T formed a separate evolutionary branch, and was parallel to other related genera of Promicromonosporaceae. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genome pairwise data, strain TLY-12T is considered to represent a novel species in a new genus in the family Promicromonosporaceae, for which the name Puerhibacterium puerhi gen. nov, sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TLY-12T (= CGMCC 1.17157T = KCTC 49467T).

Paenibacillus puerhi sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Pu-erh tea plants (Camellia sinensis var. assamica).

An aerobic, Gram-staining-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming and motile bacterial strain, designated SJY2T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of tea plants (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) collected in the organic tea garden of the Jingmai Pu-erh tea district in Pu'er city, Yunnan, southwest China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate belonged to the genus Paenibacillus. The closest phylogenetic relative was Paenibacillus filicis DSM 23916T (98.1% similarity). The major fatty acids (> 10% of the total fatty acids) were anteiso-C15:0 and isoC16:0. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major polar lipid was diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine. The peptidoglycan contained glutamic acid, serine, alanine and meso-diaminopimelic acid. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 6.71 Mbp and a G + C content of 53.1%. Pairwise determined whole genome average nucleotide identity (gANI) values and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values suggested that strain SJY2T represents a new species, for which we propose the name Paenibacillus puerhi sp. nov. with the type strain SJY2T (= CGMCC 1.17156T = KCTC 43242T).

Association between airborne particulate matter and renal function: An analysis of 2.5 million young adults.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have examined the impact of airborne particulate matter of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) on renal function. No study has examined the effect of PM1, which is small enough to reach the blood circulation. We examined whether exposure to PM1 or PM2.5 affected renal function of young Han Chinese. METHOD: We included 2,546,047 young adults who were aged 18 to 45 years, being Han ethnicity and had no chronic disease from a Chinese national birth cohort. Serum creatinine (Scr) of each participant was measured during the baseline examination. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were calculated for each participant using the latest Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. One-year average exposure to PM1 and PM2.5 prior to the health examination for each participant were estimated using machine learning models with satellite remote sensing information. Generalized additive mixed models were used to estimate associations between PM1 or PM2.5 and renal function after adjusting for detailed individual variables. RESULTS: A 10 µg/m3 increment in PM1 exposure was associated with -0.95% (95%CI: -1.04%, -0.87%) difference of eGFR in females and -0.37% (95%CI: -0.44%, -0.31%) in males. For PM2.5, the corresponding difference of eGFR was -0.99% (95%CI: -1.05%, -0.93%) in females and -0.48% (95%CI: -0.53%, -0.43%) in males, respectively. Associations between eGFR and PM were higher in females compared to males (p < 0.05 for interaction test). Association with PM1 were weaker than that with other fractions included in PM2.5. Participants who worked as farmers, were of normal weight, were not exposed to tobacco smoking, did not drink alcohol, had higher associations between eGFR and PM than their counterparts (p < 0.05 for interaction test). CONCLUSION: Exposure to PM1 and PM2.5 was associated with reduced renal function among Han Chinese at reproductive age.

Analysis of a radiation-induced dwarf mutant of a warm-season turf grass reveals potential mechanisms involved in the dwarfing mutant.

Zoysia matrella [L.] Merr. is a widely cultivated warm-season turf grass in subtropical and tropical areas. Dwarf varieties of Z. matrella are attractive to growers because they often reduce lawn mowing frequencies. In this study, we describe a dwarf mutant of Z. matrella induced from the 60Co-γ-irradiated calluses. We conducted morphological test and physiological, biochemical and transcriptional analyses to reveal the dwarfing mechanism in the mutant. Phenotypically, the dwarf mutant showed shorter stems, wider leaves, lower canopy height, and a darker green color than the wild type (WT) control under the greenhouse conditions. Physiologically, we found that the phenotypic changes of the dwarf mutant were associated with the physiological responses in catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, soluble protein, lignin, chlorophyll, and electric conductivity. Of the four endogenous hormones measured in leaves, both indole-3-acetic acid and abscisic acid contents were decreased in the mutant, whereas the contents of gibberellin and brassinosteroid showed no difference between the mutant and the WT control. A transcriptomic comparison between the dwarf mutant and the WT leaves revealed 360 differentially-expressed genes (DEGs), including 62 up-regulated and 298 down-regulated unigenes. The major DEGs related to auxin transportation (e.g., PIN-FORMED1) and cell wall development (i.e., CELLULOSE SYNTHASE1) and expansin homologous genes were all down-regulated, indicating their potential contribution to the phenotypic changes observed in the dwarf mutant. Overall, the results provide information to facilitate a better understanding of the dwarfing mechanism in grasses at physiological and transcript levels. In addition, the results suggest that manipulation of auxin biosynthetic pathway genes can be an effective approach for dwarfing breeding of turf grasses.

Regulation of fruit ripening by the brassinosteroid biosynthetic gene SlCYP90B3 via an ethylene-dependent pathway in tomato.

The essential role of ethylene in fruit ripening has been thoroughly studied. However, the involvement of brassinosteroids (BRs) in the regulation of fruit ripening and their relationship with the ethylene pathway are poorly understood. In the current study, we found that BRs were actively synthesized during tomato fruit ripening. We then generated transgenic lines overexpressing or silencing SlCYP90B3, which encodes a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of BR synthesis. The expression level of SlCYP90B3 was positively related to the contents of bioactive BRs as well as the ripening process in tomato fruit, including enhanced softening and increased soluble sugar and flavor volatile contents. Both carotenoid accumulation and ethylene production were strongly correlated with the expression level of SlCYP90B3, corroborated by the altered expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes as well as ethylene pathway genes in transgenic tomato fruits. However, the application of the ethylene perception inhibitor 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) abolished the promotion effect of SlCYP90B3 overexpression on carotenoid accumulation. Taken together, these results increase our understanding of the involvement of SlCYP90B3 in bioactive BR biosynthesis as well as fruit ripening in tomato, thus making SlCYP90B3 a target gene for improvement of visual, nutritional and flavor qualities of tomato fruits with no yield penalty.

Effect of melatonin treatment on visual quality and health-promoting properties of broccoli florets under room temperature.

Effect of melatonin treatment on visual quality and contents of health-promoting compounds of broccoli florets under room temperature was investigated in the present study. Broccoli florets were treated with 1 µM melatonin and then stored at room temperature. Results showed that melatonin treatment could delay the post-harvest senescence of broccoli, and performed well in maintaining higher levels of antioxidants, such as carotenoids, vitamin C and total phenols, as well as higher antioxidant capacity than the control. Besides, 1 µM melatonin treatment sustained higher content of glucosinolates, and also resulted in increased percentage of the most potent anticarcinogenic profile, glucoraphanin. Further analysis revealed that 1 µM melatonin strongly induced the expression of glucosinolate biosynthesis-related genes BoMYB28, BoMYB34, BoCYP79F1, and BoCYP79B2, as well as BoTGG1, a gene involved in glucosinolate hydrolysis. In conclusion, post-harvest treatment with 1 µM melatonin is potential in maintaining visual quality and health-promoting properties of broccoli florets.

The association of husbands' smoking with wives' dysglycemia status: A cross-sectional study among over 10 million Chinese women aged 20-49.

BACKGROUND: We comprehensively evaluated the association between husbands' smoking amount and wives' dysglycemia status. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study which recruited 12 023 714 reproductive couples who participated in the National Free Pre-Pregnancy Checkups Project (NFPCP) between 2015 and 2016 in China. Multivariable logistic models were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI. Subgroup analysis and stratified analysis were further performed to investigate potential effect modification. RESULTS: Compared to the neither-smoker group, the multivariable-adjusted ORs for diabetes mellitus (DM) among women was 1.09 (95% CI, 1.07-1.10), 1.04 (95% CI, 0.87-1.23), and 1.28 (95% CI, 1.17-1.41) in the husband-smoker, wife-smoker, and both-smokers groups, respectively. An increased risk of DM was also observed for women whose husbands smoke 1 to 10 (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.07), 11 to 20 (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11-1.15), and over 20 cigarettes per day (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.17-1.31). The prevalence of wives' DM showed significant linear trends with husbands' smoking amount (Pfor trend < .001). A similar growth tendency was also observed between husband smoking amount and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) prevalence with ORs of 1.04 (95% CI, 1.04-1.05), 1.05 (95% CI, 1.04-1.06), and 1.09 (95% CI, 1.06-1.11) for 1-10, 11-20, and over 20 cigarettes per day, respectively. The relationship between husbands' smoking amount and wives' IFG/DM prevalence appear to be modified by body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows significant relationships between husbands' smoking and wives' risk of IFG/DM, and this result exists in both a categorical and dose-response manner. This association is modified by BMI. Family-oriented smoking interventions may both reduce husbands' active smoking and wives' risk of DM.

Preconception diabetes mellitus and adverse pregnancy outcomes in over 6.4 million women: A population-based cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, and optimization of glycemic control during pregnancy can help mitigate risks associated with diabetes. However, studies seldom focus precisely on maternal blood glucose level prior to pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate the associations between preconception blood fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study among 6,447,339 women aged 20-49 years old who participated in National Free Pre-Pregnancy Checkups Project and completed pregnancy outcomes follow-up between 2010 and 2016 in China. During the preconception health examination, serum FPG concentration was measured, and self-reported history of DM was collected. Women were classified into three groups (normal FPG group: FPG < 5.6 mmol/L and no self-reported history of DM; impaired fasting glucose [IFG]: FPG 5.6-6.9 mmol/L and no self-reported history of DM; and DM: FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or self-reported history of DM). The primary outcomes were adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, preterm birth (PTB), macrosomia, small for gestational age infant (SGA), birth defect, and perinatal infant death. Logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjusting for confounding variables. The mean age of women was 25.24 years, 91.47% were of Han nationality, and 92.85% were from rural areas. The incidence of DM and IFG was 1.18% (76,297) and 13.15% (847,737), respectively. Only 917 (1.20%) women reported a history of DM (awareness of their DM status), of whom 37.28% (337) had an elevated preconception FPG level (≥ 5.6 mmol/L), regarded as noncontrolled DM. A total of 1,005,568 (15.60%) women had adverse pregnancy outcomes. Compared with women with normal FPG, women with IFG had higher risks of spontaneous abortion (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.06-1.09; P < 0.001), PTB (1.02; 1.01-1.03; P < 0.001), macrosomia (1.07; 1.06-1.08; P < 0.001), SGA (1.06; 1.02-1.10; P = 0.007), and perinatal infant death (1.08; 1.03-1.12; P < 0.001); the corresponding ORs for women with DM were 1.11 (95% CI 1.07-1.15; P < 0.001), 1.17 (1.14-1.20; P < 0.001), 1.13 (1.09-1.16; P < 0.001), 1.17 (1.04-1.32; P = 0.008), and 1.59 (1.44-1.76; P < 0.001). Women with DM also had a higher risk of birth defect (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.15-1.91; P = 0.002). Among women without self-reported history of DM, there was a positive linear association between FPG levels and spontaneous abortion, PTB, macrosomia, SGA, and perinatal infant death (P for trend <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, 0.001, <0.001). Information about hypoglycemic medication before or during pregnancy was not collected, and we cannot adjust it in the analysis, which could result in underestimation of risks. Data on 2-hour plasma glucose level and HbA1c concentration were not available, and the glycemic control status was evaluated according to FPG value in women with DM. CONCLUSIONS: Women with preconception IFG or DM had higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, PTB, macrosomia, SGA, and perinatal infant death. Preconception glycemic control through appropriate methods is one of the most important aspects of preconception care and should not be ignored by policy makers.