Search Results (4,943)

Sperm count, motility, and morphology are semen parameters that directly affect male fertility. The presence of cytokines in seminal plasma negatively or positively influences these parameters. Interleukins and prostaglandins are proinflammatory cytokines present in human seminal plasma and play crucial roles in fertilization, in general and after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures. This study aimed to investigate the possible influence of interleukins IL-17 and IL-18, and prostaglandins PGE2 and PGF2α on male infertility. Semen samples were collected from 58 males who underwent the ICSI procedure. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of IL-17, IL-18, PGE2, and PGF2α, and these concentrations were then correlated with semen parameters and the rate of fertilization. Furthermore, the chromatin integrity of the sperm was evaluated with an Acridine Orange (AO) assay. The results showed an inversely proportional relationship between the AO binding intensity and fertilization rate (r = −0.394; p ≤ 0.002). Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between the IL-18 concentration and positive AO (p ≤ 0.021). Moreover, the IL-18 concentration was positively correlated with the fertilization rate (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, IL-17 did not significantly correlate with any semen parameters or with the fertilization rate. Seminal PGE2 levels were significantly correlated with embryo cleavage at 72 h (p ≤ 0.05). To conclude, this study revealed that denaturation of sperm nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contributes to low fertilization rates. In addition, this study proposed a potential role for IL-18 in fertilization. PGE2 likely influences embryo development, but further studies are needed to examine the impact of seminal PGE2 on the oocyte to fully elucidate its contribution to this complex biological process. Full article

Background: Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) may occur when two or more drugs are taken together, leading to undesired side effects or potential synergistic effects. Most clinical effects of drug combinations have not been assessed in clinical trials. Therefore, predicting DDIs can provide better patient management, avoid drug combinations that can negatively affect patient care, and exploit potential synergistic combinations to improve current therapies in women’s healthcare. Methods: A DDI prediction model was built to describe relevant drug combinations affecting reproductive treatments. Approved drug features (chemical structure of drugs, side effects, targets, enzymes, carriers and transporters, pathways, protein–protein interactions, and interaction profile fingerprints) were obtained. A unified predictive score revealed unknown DDIs between reproductive and commonly used drugs and their associated clinical effects on reproductive health. The performance of the prediction model was validated using known DDIs. Results: This prediction model accurately predicted known interactions (AUROC = 0.9876) and identified 2991 new DDIs between 192 drugs used in different female reproductive conditions and other drugs used to treat unrelated conditions. These DDIs included 836 between drugs used for in vitro fertilization. Most new DDIs involved estradiol, acetaminophen, bupivacaine, risperidone, and follitropin. Follitropin, bupivacaine, and gonadorelin had the highest discovery rate (42%, 32%, and 25%, respectively). Some were expected to improve current therapies (n = 23), while others would cause harmful effects (n = 11). We also predicted twelve DDIs between oral contraceptives and HIV drugs that could compromise their efficacy. Conclusions: These results show the importance of DDI studies aimed at identifying those that might compromise or improve their efficacy, which could lead to personalizing female reproductive therapies. Full article

This article aims to analyze the role of migration in the process of the third demographic transition (TDT) in the context of key mediating determinants, such as migrants’ religiosity and economic conditions in the countries of origin and settlement. TDT refers to population changes resulting from migration as a demographic compensatory mechanism in countries with a low total fertility rate (TFR). The study is based on a network analysis of keywords in the scientific literature using the Scopus database and VOSviewer. The results point to three main research approaches to TDT—investigating quantitative population changes, the sociodemographic consequences of migration, and its effect on urbanization—and to the fact that economic and axionormative determinants are under-researched. This article contributes to TDT theory, pointing to the need for that theory to include cultural, economic, and axiological factors as key determinants influencing the permanence of TDT. Full article

Chemical fertilizers pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. To investigate the effect of substituting nitrogen fertilizer with vermicompost tea on wheat yield, shoot chemical constituents, and grain quality under clay-loam soil conditions, two field experiments were conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. A split-plot design in randomized complete blocks with three replications was employed. Vermicompost tea was assigned to the main plots, while wheat cultivars were assigned to the subplots. The cultivars were evaluated under four treatments involving partial substitution of mineral nitrogen (recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN%, 190 kg N ha⁻¹): a control (90% of RDN + 25 kg vermicompost tea), 80% of RDN + 37.5 kg vermicompost tea, and 70% of RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. Nitrogen fertilizer (RDN%) was applied at rates of 190 (control), 170 (90%), 150 (80%), and 130 (70%) kg N ha⁻¹. The results indicated that partially substituting mineral nitrogen with vermicompost tea significantly increased grain weight/Ha, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, carotenoids, nitrogen, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content in shoots, as well as ash, crude protein, crude fiber, total sugar, and N, P, and K content in wheat grains. The grain weight/Ha of the Sakha-95, Giza-171, and Sads-14 cultivars increased by 38.6%, 33.5%, and 39.3%, respectively, when treated with 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. The combination of the Sads-14 cultivar and 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea resulted in the highest values for grain weight/ha (9.43 tons ha⁻¹), chlorophyll A (1.39 mg/g), chlorophyll B (1.04 mg/g), N (5.08%), P (1.63%), and P (2.43%) content in shoots. The same combination also improved ash (2.89%), crude fiber (2.84%), and K (6.05%) content in grains. In conclusion, the application of vermicompost tea in conjunction with chemical fertilizers offers a viable alternative to using chemical fertilizers alone, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and improving wheat production. It is recommended that mineral nitrogen fertilizer be partially replaced with vermicompost tea to enhance both the productivity and grain quality of wheat while minimizing environmental pollution. Full article

In China’s Loess Plateau, sustainable agricultural end products are affected by an insufficiency of water resources. Rising crop water use efficiency (WUE) through field management pattern improvement is a crucial plan of action to address this issue. However, there is no agreement among researchers on the most appropriate field management practices regarding WUE, which requires further integrated quantitative analysis. We conducted a meta-analysis by quantifying the effect of agricultural practices surrounding nitrogen (N) fertilizer management. The two experimental cultivars were Yunhan–20410 and Yunhan–618. The subplots included nitrogen 0 kg·ha⁻¹ (N0), 90 kg·ha⁻¹ (N90), 180 kg·ha⁻¹ (N180), 210 kg·ha⁻¹ (N210), and 240 kg·ha⁻¹ (N240). Our results show that higher N rates (up to N210) enhanced water consumption during the node-flowering and flowering-maturity time periods. YH–618 showed higher water use during the sowing–greening and node-flowering periods but decreased use during the greening-node and flowering-maturity periods compared to YH–20410. The N210 treatment under YH–618 maximized water use efficiency (WUE). Increased N rates (N180–N210) decreased covering temperatures (T_max, T_min, T_aver) during flowering, increasing the level of grain filling. Spike numbers rose with N application, with an off-peak at N210 for strong-gluten wheat. The 1000-grain weight was at first enhanced but decreased at the far end of N180–N210. YH–618 with N210 achieved a harvest index (HI) similar to that of YH–20410 with N180, while excessive N (N240) or water reduced the HI. Dry matter accumulation increased up to N210, resulting in earlier stabilization. Soil water consumption from wintering to jointing was strongly correlated with pre-flowering dry matter biological process and yield, while jointing–flowering water use was linked to post-flowering dry matter and spike numbers. Post-flowering dry matter accumulation was critical for yield, whereas spike numbers positively impacted yield but negatively affected 1000-grain weight. In conclusion, our results provide evidence for determining suitable integrated agricultural establishment strategies to ensure efficient water use and sustainable production in the Loess Plateau region. Full article

Achieving food security for a growing population under a changing climate is a key concern in Senegal, where agriculture employs 77% of the workforce with a majority of small farmers who rely on the production of crops for their subsistence and for income generation. Moreover, due to the underproductive soils and variable rainfall, Senegal depends on imports to fulfil 70% of its food requirements. In this research, we considered four crops that are crucial for Senegalese agriculture: millet, sorghum, peanuts and rice. We used crop simulation models to explore existing yield gaps and optimal agronomic practices. Improving the N fertilizer management in sorghum and millet resulted in 40–100% increases in grain yields. Improved N symbiotic fixation in peanuts resulted in yield increases of 20–100% with highest impact in wetter locations. Optimizing irrigation management and N fertilizer use resulted in 20–40% gains. The best N fertilizer strategy for sorghum and millet included applying low rates at sowing and in early development stages and adjusting a third application, considering the expected rainfall. Peanut yields of the variety 73-33 were higher than Fleur-11 in all locations, and irrigation showed no clear economic advantage. The best N fertilizer management for rainfed rice included applying 30 kg N/ha at sowing, 25 days after sowing (DAS) and 45 DAS. The best combination of sowing dates for a possible double rice crop depended on irrigation costs, with a first crop planted in January or March and a second crop planted in July. Our work confirmed results obtained in field research experiments and identified management practices for increasing productivity and reducing yield variability. Those crop management practices can be implemented in pilot experiments to further validate the results and to disseminate best management practices for farmers in Senegal. Full article

Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers enhance crop production and reduce environmental pollution, but their slow nitrogen release may cause insufficient nitrogen supply in the early stages of crop growth. Mixed nitrogen fertilization (MNF), combining slow-release nitrogen fertilizer with urea, is an effective way to increase yield and income and improve nitrogen fertilizer efficiency. This study used urea alone (Urea) and slow-release nitrogen fertilizer alone (C/SRF) as controls and employed meta-analysis and a random forest model to assess MNF effects on crop yield and nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFPN), and to identify key influencing factors. Results showed that compared with urea, MNF increased crop yield by 7.42% and PFPN by 8.20%, with higher improvement rates in Northwest China, regions with an average annual temperature ≤ 20 °C, and elevations of 750–1050 m; in soils with a pH of 5.5–6.5, where 150–240 kg·ha⁻¹ nitrogen with 25–35% content and an 80–100 day release period was applied, and the blending ratio was ≥0.3; and when planting rapeseed, maize, and cotton for 1–2 years. The top three influencing factors were crop type, nitrogen rate, and soil pH. Compared with C/SRF, MNF increased crop yield by 2.44% and had a non-significant increase in PFPN, with higher improvement rates in Northwest China, regions with an average annual temperature ≤ 5 °C, average annual precipitation ≤ 400 mm, and elevations of 300–900 m; in sandy soils with pH > 7.5, where 150–270 kg·ha⁻¹ nitrogen with 25–30% content and a 40–80 day release period was applied, and the blending ratio was 0.4–0.7; and when planting potatoes and rapeseed for 3 years. The top three influencing factors were nitrogen rate, crop type, and average annual precipitation. In conclusion, MNF should comprehensively consider crops, regions, soil, and management. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing slow-release nitrogen fertilizers and promoting the large-scale application of MNF in farmland. Full article

Objective: This retrospective observational study evaluated the efficacy and safety of an ovarian stimulation protocol for embryo banking that involves continuous administration of clomiphene citrate (CC) in combination with gonadotropins, without the use of GnRH antagonists. Methods: Conducted at the Serum IVF Clinic in Athens, Greece, the study included 250 women aged 25–45 who underwent IVF for embryo banking. The protocol involved administering 150 mg of CC daily from day 2 of the menstrual cycle until the day before hCG trigger, alongside 150 IU/day of Meriofert. Outcomes assessed included oocyte yield, fertilization rates, incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), and hormonal correlations. Comparative and regression analyses explored differences between age groups and predictors of success. Results: The protocol demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no cases of OHSS and yielded a mean of 10.25 oocytes per patient. Group analysis showed significantly more oocytes retrieved in women under 40 (mean: 12.5) versus those over 40 (mean: 8.43), while fertilization rates were paradoxically higher in the older cohort (59.16% vs. 30.68%, p < 0.0001). Regression models revealed basal FSH to be a significant inverse predictor of oocyte yield, but it was positively associated with fertilization rate. Continuous CC use effectively suppressed premature LH surges without compromising oocyte or embryo quality, allowing flexible and cost-effective stimulation with minimal monitoring. Conclusions: Continuous administration of clomiphene citrate in combination with gonadotropins presents a promising, antagonist-free ovarian stimulation protocol for embryo banking. The approach is economically efficient, reduces monitoring requirements, and maintains safety and effectiveness and is particularly notable in women over 40. Further studies are warranted to validate these findings and refine protocol mechanisms. Full article

Vaccinium oldhamii, a blueberry species native to Korea, is a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae family. Its fruit possesses various pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory effects and potential for treating osteoporosis. This study evaluated the effects of five fertilization concentration levels using Multifeed 20 (N:P:K = 20:20:20) on the growth and physiological characteristics of one-year-old V. oldhamii container seedlings. Treatments included 0 g·L⁻¹ (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g·L⁻¹. Increases in stem thickness, root length, and total dry weight were observed in the control, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g·L⁻¹ treatments, whereas growth declined at 2.0 g·L⁻¹. Mortality rates exceeded 15% at concentrations above 1.0 g·L⁻¹. Photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll content increased with fertilization. However, while growth improved with increasing fertilizer up to a certain level, it declined at the highest concentration. A fertilization rate of 0.5 g·L⁻¹ proved to be the most economically and environmentally efficient for producing healthy seedlings. This study provides the first fertilization threshold for V. oldhamii, offering practical guidance for nursery production and forming a foundation for future domestication strategies. Full article

Objectives: To investigate how the FLASH effect modulates radiation response on multiple developmental endpoints of zebrafish embryos under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, after irradiation with proton beams at a conventional and an ultra-high dose rate (UHDR). Methods: Embryos were obtained from adult zebrafish and irradiated with a 228 MeV proton beam 24 h post-fertilization (hpf) at a dose rate of 0.6 and 317 Gy/s. For the hypoxic group, samples were kept inside a hypoxic chamber prior to irradiation, while standard incubation was adopted for the normoxic group. After irradiation, images of single embryos were acquired, and radiation effects on larval length, yolk absorption, pericardial edema, head size, eye size, and spinal curvature were assessed at specific time points. Results: Data indicate a general trend of significantly reduced toxicity after exposure to a UHDR compared to conventional regimes, which is maintained under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Differences are significant for the levels of pericardial edema induced by a UHDR versus conventional irradiation in normoxic conditions, and for eye and head size in hypoxic conditions. The toxicity scoring analysis shows a tendency toward a protective effect of the UHDR, which appears to be associated with a lower percentage of embryos in the high score categories. Conclusions: A radioprotective effect at a UHDR is observed both for normoxic (pericardial edema) and hypoxic (head and eye size) conditions. These results suggest that while the UHDR may preserve a potential to reduce radiation-induced damage, its protective effects are endpoint-dependent; the role of oxygenation might also be dependent on the tissue involved. Full article

(1) Background: Polyploid fish are highly important in increasing fish production, improving fish quality, and breeding new varieties. The loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), as a naturally polyploid fish, serves as an ideal biological model for investigating the mechanisms of chromosome doubling; (2) Methods: In this study, tetraploidization in diploid loach was induced by heat shock treatment, and, for the first time, the role of the key cell cycle gene cdk1 (cyclin-dependent kinase 1) in chromosome doubling was investigated; (3) Results: The experimental results show that when eggs are fertilized for 20 min and then subjected to a 4 min heat shock treatment at 39–40 °C, this represents the optimal induction condition, resulting in a tetraploid rate of 44%. Meanwhile, the results of the cdk1 knockout model (2n cdk1^−/−) constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 showed that the absence of cdk1 significantly increased the chromosome doubling efficiency of the loach. The qPCR analysis revealed that knockout of cdk1 significantly upregulated cyclin genes (ccnb3,ccnc, and ccne1), while inhibiting expression of the separase gene espl1 (p < 0.05); (4) Conclusions: During chromosome doubling in diploid loaches induced by heat shock, knocking out the cdk1 gene can increase the tetraploid induction rate. This effect may occur through downregulation of the espl1 gene. This study offers novel insights into optimizing the induced breeding technology of polyploid fish and deciphering its molecular mechanism, while highlighting the potential application of integrating gene editing with physical induction. Full article

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a vital role in the restoration of tropical forests by enhancing soil fertility, facilitating plant establishment, and improving ecosystem resilience. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global scientific output on AMF in the context of ecological restoration, based on 3835 publications indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases from 2001 to 2024. An average annual growth rate of approximately 9.45% was observed, with contributions from 10,868 authors across 880 journals. The most prominent journals included Mycorrhiza (3.34%), New Phytologist (3.00%), and Applied Soil Ecology (2.79%). Thematically, dominant research areas encompassed soil–plant interactions, phytoremediation, biodiversity, and microbial ecology. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified “arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,” “diversity,” “soil,” and “plant growth” as core topics, while emerging topics such as rhizosphere interactions and responses to abiotic stress showed increasing prominence. Despite the expanding body of literature, key knowledge gaps remain, particularly concerning AMF–plant specificity, long-term restoration outcomes, and integration of microbial community dynamics. These findings offer critical insights into the development of AMF research and underscore its strategic importance in tropical forest restoration, providing a foundation for future studies and informing ecosystem management policies. Full article

This study demonstrated that application of the particular plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains Erwinia sp. and Serratia sp. (named C15 and C20, respectively) significantly enhanced tea plant resilience in Zn (zinc)-, Pb (lead)-, and Zn + Pb-contaminated soils by the improving survival rates (over 60%) and chlorophyll content of tea plants, and by reducing the accumulation of these metals in tea plants’ tissues (by 19–37%). The PGPRs elevated key soil nutrients organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TH), hydrolysable nitrogen (HN), and available potassium (APO) and phosphorus (APH) contents. Compared to non-PGPR controls, both strains consistently increased microbial α-diversity (Chao1 index: +28–42% in Zn/Pb soils; Shannon index: +19–33%) across all contamination regimes. PCoA/UniFrac analyses confirmed distinct clustering of PGPR-treated communities, with strain-specific enrichment of metal-adapted taxa, including Pseudomonas (LDA = 6) and Bacillus (LDA = 4) under Zn stress; Rhodanobacter (LDA = 4) under Pb stress; and Lysobacter (LDA = 5) in Zn + Pb co-contamination. Fungal restructuring featured elevated Mortierella (LDA = 6) in Zn soils and stress-tolerant Ascomycota dominance in co-contaminated soils. Multivariate correlations revealed that the PGPR-produced auxin was positively correlated with soil carbon dynamics and Mortierellomycota abundance (r = 0.729), while the chlorophyll content in leaves was closely associated with Cyanobacteria and reduced by Pb accumulation. These findings highlighted that PGPR could mediate and improve in tea plant physiology, soil fertility, and stress-adapted microbiome recruitment under heavy metal contaminated soil and stress. Full article

The premature senescence of red raspberry leaves severely affects plant growth. In this study, the double-season red raspberry cultivar ‘Polka’ was used, with N₁₅₀ (0.10 g N·kg⁻¹) selected as the treatment group (T150) and N₀ (0 g N·kg⁻¹) set as the control (CK). This study systematically investigated the mechanism of premature senescence in red raspberry leaves under different nitrogen application levels by measuring physiological parameters and conducting a combined multi-omics analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics. Results showed that T150 plants had 8.34 cm greater height and 1.45 cm greater ground diameter than CK. The chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble protein, and sugar contents in all leaf parts of T150 were significantly higher than those in CK, whereas soluble starch contents were lower. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide anion (O₂⁻) generation rate in the lower leaves of T150 were significantly lower than those in CK. Superoxide sismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities in the middle and lower functional leaves of T150 were higher than in CK, while catalase (CAT) activity was lower. Transcriptomic analysis identified 4350 significantly differentially expressed genes, including 2062 upregulated and 2288 downregulated genes. Metabolomic analysis identified 135 differential metabolites, out of which 60 were upregulated and 75 were downregulated. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis showed enrichment in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (ko00940) and flavonoid biosynthesis (ko00941) pathways, with the former acting as an upstream pathway of the latter. A premature senescence pathway was established, and two key metabolites were identified: chlorogenic acid content decreased, and naringenin chalcone content increased in early senescent leaves, suggesting their pivotal roles in the early senescence of red raspberry leaves. Modulating chlorogenic acid and naringenin chalcone levels could delay premature senescence. Optimizing fertilization strategies may thus reduce senescence risk and enhance the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the red raspberry industry. Full article

Water scarcity and spatial variability in soil fertility are key constraints to stable grain production in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. However, the interaction mechanisms between regulated deficit irrigation and soil fertility influencing yield formation and water-nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat remain unclear. In this study, a two-year field experiment (2022–2024) was conducted to investigate the effects of two irrigation regimes—regulated deficit irrigation during the heading to grain filling stage (D) and full irrigation (W)—under four soil fertility levels: F1 (N: P: K = 201.84: 97.65: 199.05 kg ha⁻¹), F2 (278.52: 135: 275.4 kg ha⁻¹), F3 (348.15: 168.75: 344.25 kg ha⁻¹), and CK (no fertilization). The results show that aboveground dry matter accumulation, total nitrogen content, pre-anthesis dry matter and nitrogen translocation, and post-anthesis accumulation significantly increased with fertility level (p < 0.05). Regulated deficit irrigation promoted the contribution of post-anthesis dry matter to grain yield under the CK and F1 treatments, but suppressed it under the F2 and F3 treatments. However, it consistently enhanced the contribution of post-anthesis nitrogen to grain yield (p < 0.05) across all fertility levels. Higher fertility levels prolonged the grain filling duration by 18.04% but reduced the mean grain filling rate by 15.05%, whereas regulated deficit irrigation shortened the grain filling duration by 3.28% and increased the mean grain filling rate by 12.83% (p < 0.05). Grain yield significantly increased with improved fertility level (p < 0.05), reaching a maximum of 9361.98 kg·ha⁻¹ under the F3 treatment. Regulated deficit irrigation increased yield under the CK and F1 treatments but reduced it under the F2 and F3 treatments. Additionally, water use efficiency exhibited a parabolic response to fertility level and was significantly enhanced by regulated deficit irrigation. Nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) declined with increasing fertility level (p < 0.05); Regulated deficit irrigation improved NPFP under the F1 treatment but reduced it under the F2 and F3 treatments. The highest NPFP (41.63 kg·kg⁻¹) was achieved under the DF1 treatment, which was 54.81% higher than that under the F3 treatment. TOPSIS analysis showed that regulated deficit irrigation combined with the F1 fertility level provided the optimal balance among yield, WUE, and NPFP. Therefore, implementing regulated deficit irrigation during the heading–grain filling stage under moderate fertility (F1) is recommended as the most effective strategy for achieving high yield and efficient resource utilization in winter wheat production in this region. Full article