The 'Improved White Ponni' (IWP) rice variety, which is susceptible to lodging, leading to yield losses. Our primary goal is to develop new rice lines with non-lodging traits, enhancing stem strength and resistance to adverse conditions. Additionally, we aim to improve yield-contributing agronomic traits, benefiting farmers, food security, and the environment. Our work contributes to scientific knowledge and addresses a significant issue in Southern Indian rice cultivation. In the present study, early and semi-dwarf early mutants of IWP were developed without altering the native grain quality traits using gamma ray-mediated mutagenesis. The seeds (500) were irradiated with γ-rays after fixing the Lethal Dose 50 (LD50), and selection for semi-dwarfism and earliness was imposed on a large M2 population. The selected traits were confirmed by evaluating the M3 lines at morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. The response of mutants to gibberellic acid has been studied, which identified responsive mutants as well as slow-responding mutant lines including IWP-11-2, IWP-48-2, IWP-50-11, and IWP-33-2. Agar plate assay indicated low α- amylase content in IWP-50-11, IWP-33-2, IWP-43-1, IWP-47-2, and IWP-18-1. The scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the mutants displayed an increased cellular dimension in comparison to the wild type. In dwarf mutants, null alleles were observed for the SD1 gene-specific primers which depicts gene undergone mutation. Further sequencing revealed the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SD1 gene resulting in semi-dwarfism in the mutant IWP-D-1. The impact of a defective gibberellic acid-mediated signaling pathway in mutants to produce a novel high-yielding and early maturing semi-dwarf rice variety.

Familial hypobetalipoproteinemias (FHBL) are rare genetic diseases characterized by lipid malabsorption. We focused on abetalipoproteinemia (FHBL-SD1) and chylomicron retention disease (FHBL-SD3), caused by mutations in microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) and SAR1B genes, respectively. Treatments include a low-fat diet and high-dose fat-soluble vitamin supplementations. However, patients are not supplemented in carotenoids, a group of lipid-soluble pigments essential for eye health. Our aim was to evaluate carotenoid absorption and status in the context of hypobetalipoproteinemia. We first used knock-out Caco-2/TC7 cell models of FHBL-SD1 and FHBL-SD3 to evaluate carotenoid absorption. We then characterized FHBL-SD1 and FHBL-SD3 patient status in the main dietary carotenoids and compared it to that of control subjects. In vitro results showed a significant decrease in basolateral secretion of α- and β-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin (-88.8 ± 2.2 % to -95.3 ± 5.8 %, -79.2 ± 4.4 % to -96.1 ± 2.6 %, -91.0 ± 4.5 % to -96.7 ± 0.3 % and -65.4 ± 3.6 % to -96.6 ± 1.9 %, respectively). Carotenoids plasma levels in patients confirmed significant deficiencies, with decreases ranging from -89 % for zeaxanthin to -98 % for α-carotene, compared to control subjects. Given the continuous loss in visual function despite fat-soluble vitamin treatment in some patients, carotenoid supplementation may be of clinical utility. Future studies should assess the correlation between carotenoid status and visual function in aging patients and investigate whether carotenoid supplementation could prevent their visual impairment.

To evaluate referral rates and factors associated with referrals to a community agency for children evaluated for an asthma exacerbation at a pediatric emergency department (PED) and compare PED visits for asthma the following year between those referred and not referred. We reviewed electronic health records of children 2-18 years evaluated in our PED from 01/01/2019 to 12/31/2019 with an ICD-10 diagnostic code for asthma (J45x) following the introduction of a portal where clinicians could refer children to a community agency focused on improving health outcomes for asthma. We abstracted data on demographics, PED visits, and hospitalizations and used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with referrals. Of the 2262 charts analyzed, the majority of patients were male (61%), Black (76%), and held public insurance (71%). Only a minority of patients (n = 140, 6%) were referred. Age [6-12 years (AOR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.21-3.08, p = .006), 13-18 years (AOR: 10.61, 95% CI: 6.53-17.24, p = .001)] and lifetime number of PED asthma visits [≥3 visits (AOR: 1.91, 95% CI, 1.01-3.62, p = .05)] were associated with referral. There was no significant difference in the mean number of PED visits in one year [referred: 0.59 (SD1.2) vs. not referred: 0.79 (SD1.3), t = 1.70, p = .09] between the two groups. The referral rate to community agency from PED for asthma is low. There was no difference in short-term PED utilization for asthma between those referred and not referred.

Probiotics provide health benefits in various aspects and are believed to modulate the immune system by balancing gut microbiota homeostasis, termed the "microbiota-immune axis". Recent evidence supports that several Lactobacillus strains possess glucose-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects in an animal model of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Although probiotics of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei SD1 (SD1) and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus SD11 (SD11) exert human oral health benefits by reducing harmful bacterial populations, their clinical application regarding hypoglycemic-related traits as well as the underlying mechanisms are still lacking. In this report, we used multiple low doses of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic BALB/c mice to explore the effects of SD1 and SD11 supplementation on the regulation of markers related to T1D. Experimental mice were randomly assigned into five groups, non-STZ + V, STZ + V, STZ + SD1, STZ + SD11, and STZ + SDM (mixture of SD1 and SD11), and physiological data were measured every week. Blood and pancreas samples were collected at 4- and 8-weeks. Our results indicate that supplementation with SD1, SD11, or SDM for 8 weeks significantly improved body weights, glycemic levels, glucose tolerance, insulin levels, and lipid profiles. Probiotic administration also preserved islet integrity and increased β-cell mass in STZ-injected mice, as well as prevented infiltration of macrophages, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells into the islets. Significantly, SD1 and SD11 suppressed the levels of IL1-β, TNF-α and IFN-γ and increased IL-10, which is concomitant with the inhibition of cleaved caspase 3, caspase 9, caspase 8, proapoptotic Bax, NF-κBp65, pSTAT1, and iNOS. Additionally, the survival ability of β-cells was mediated by upregulated anti-apoptotic Bcl2. We conclude that SD1 and SD11 attenuate STZ-induced diabetic mice by stabilizing glycemic levels and reducing inflammation, thereby protecting β-cells. Among the probiotic treatment groups, SD11 revealed the best results in almost all parameters, indicating its potential use for alleviating hyperglycemia-associated symptoms.

Although it is known that sound exposure evokes changes in autonomic activity, the effects of noise and music on the nonlinear behavior of heart rate fluctuations remain poorly understood and controversial. This study aims to assess the influence of sound subjective emotional valence and arousal on the nonlinear characteristics of the autonomic nervous system during passive listening. In this study, 42 subjects listened to four sounds: (1) white noise, (2) road traffic noise, (3) excitatory music, and (4) a lullaby. The experiment consisted of two consecutive sessions: 5 minutes of rest, followed by 5 minutes of listening. RR intervals were recorded during both sessions. The following linear and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) indices were computed: Standard deviation of NN (SDNN), The root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), F, high frequency (HF), approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn), correlation dimension (D2), Poincaré plot indices (SD1, SD2), fractal scaling exponents (alpha1, alpha2), and recurrence plot indices (mean line length [Lmean], maximum line length [Lmax], determinism [DET], laminarity [LAM], maximal vertical length [Vmax], trapping time [TT], Shannon entropy of line length distribution [ShanEn]). Excitatory music was associated with a significant decrease in SDNN (from 47.3 ± 3.59 to 38.31 ± 3.16, P < 0.01), RMSSD (from 51.07 ± 4.75 to 42.53 ± 3.9, P < 0.05), HF (from 1516.26 ± 245.74 to 884.07 ± 183.44, P < 0.001), and low frequency (LF; from 973.33 ± 176.09 to 760.28 ± 150.35, P < 0.05). Excitatory music exposure induced significant increases in DET (P < 0.01), SD1 (P < 0.05), and SD2 (P < 0.05), but changes in detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), SampEn, and D2 were nonsignificant. Traffic noise, white noise, and the lullaby did not cause significant changes in the measures of HRV. Presentation of excitatory music that evokes strong negative emotions elicits a prominent decrease in respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Poincaré plot and recurrence plot measures possess high sensitivity to excitatory music. Contrary to previous studies, we did not find the effects of relaxing music on HRV.