Search Results (3,242)

This study evaluated the effects of oligomeric ultrafine-nano hydrogen water (OUHW) on production performance, egg quality, egg nutrient deposition, systemic metabolism, intestinal barrier function, and reproductive status in late-laying hens. Unlike conventional hydrogen-rich water, which primarily delivers molecular hydrogen dissolved in water, OUHW integrates oligomeric water with ultrafine-nano-sized hydrogen bubbles, providing a distinct physicochemical form of hydrogen-water intervention. A total of 288 healthy 67-week-old Jingfen No. 8 laying hens were assigned to 2 treatments with 6 independent replicates per treatment (24 hens per replicate) and provided with either tap water or OUHW for 11 weeks. Compared with the control, OUHW reduced the feed conversion ratio and the rates of manure-spotting while increasing the laying rate, qualified egg rate, and total egg number during weeks 5–8 (p < 0.05). These productive and egg quality improvements were phase-specific effects observed in the late laying stage during the 11-week trial. At week 4, OUHW significantly increased egg weight (p < 0.05). At week 8, OUHW also improved eggshell compressive elastic deformation, eggshell thickness, albumen height, and Haugh unit (p < 0.05). At week 6, eggs from OUHW-treated hens had higher concentrations of glutamate, glycine, alanine, C18:0, C18:1n9c, C20:4n6, and C22:6n3 (p < 0.05). Serum metabolomics showed that 25 differential metabolites from the OUHW treatment group were predominantly enriched in glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, branched-chain amino acid, histidine, and tryptophan metabolism. In the cecum, OUHW decreased p-cresol and increased isovaleric acid and acetic acid (p < 0.05). Notably, the overall community structures of the cecal and oviductal microbiota exhibited no significant treatment-related alterations, indicating limited structural changes in the microbial communities in response to the OUHW intervention. OUHW also reduced interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α, increased interleukin-10 in the jejunum and oviductal isthmus (p < 0.05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of ovarian steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and intestinal Occludin, Claudin-1, and Mucin-2 (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that OUHW improved laying performance, egg quality, and egg nutrient deposition, possibly through modulation of the metabolism, intestinal barrier function, ovarian function, and oviductal inflammation. Full article

Seasonal variation in SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility is difficult to estimate directly from year-round epidemic data because interventions, behavior, reporting, immunity, and viral evolution change concurrently. We therefore asked whether cross-country differences observed during the initial exponential-growth phase could be used to infer country-specific seasonal modulation. Early-pandemic basic reproduction numbers (R₀) from 118 countries were linked to 96 harmonized environmental and population-level predictors. Among nine candidate algorithms evaluated across 100 repeated train–test splits, ridge regression using the combined predictor set provided the best balance of predictive accuracy, generalization, and temporal stability. The selected model was then driven by daily climatological covariates to reconstruct annual baseline R₀(t) profiles. Predicted transmissibility generally peaked during winter in the Northern Hemisphere and approximately six months later in the Southern Hemisphere, whereas equatorial countries showed weaker or multimodal patterns. Seasonal forcing amplitude increased strongly with absolute latitude (r = 0.85; mean 0.064 across 77 temperate countries), and predicted R₀ peaks aligned more closely with minimum ultraviolet radiation than with minimum temperature. These ecological associations do not establish causality, but they provide country-specific seasonal-forcing parameters for epidemic models and a baseline environmental context for comparing early-pandemic trajectories. Full article

Background: Thin endometrium is a significant cause of infertility due to impaired regeneration, reduced receptivity, and insufficient angiogenesis. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived secretome (MSCsec) is a promising cell-free therapy because it contains bioactive molecules that promote tissue repair. This study evaluated the effects of Wharton’s jelly-derived MSC secretome (WJ-MSCsec) on human endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) and endothelial cells in vitro. Methods: WJ-MSCs were isolated from umbilical cord tissue, characterized, and cultured under serum-free conditions. The concentrated secretome was analyzed using a human angiogenesis proteome array. EnSCs were isolated from endometrial biopsies. EnSC proliferation and migration in the presence of WJ-MSCsec were assessed using CCK-8 and scratch wound-healing assays. Pro-angiogenic activity of WJ-MSCsec was evaluated using a Matrigel tube formation assay with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: Proteomic analysis of WJ-MSCsec revealed the presence of angiogenic, mitogenic, immunomodulatory, and chemotactic factors. Treatment with WJ-MSCsec significantly enhanced EnSC proliferation and accelerated wound closure. Furthermore, WJ-MSCsec markedly promoted endothelial tube formation, increasing total tube length, junction number, and mesh formation. Conclusions: WJ-MSCsec stimulates EnSC proliferation and migration while enhancing angiogenesis in vitro. WJ-MSCsec represents a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy for endometrial regeneration and reproductive disorders associated with impaired endometrial function. Full article

Meningitis is a significant public health problem despite the availability of effective vaccination programs, especially in children and young people. The memory-dependent features of disease transmission, immunity and vaccination dynamics are not often represented in classical integer-order epidemic models. This study proposes a fractional-order model of meningitis transmission with memory using the Atangana–Baleanu–Caputo fractional derivative. The model features susceptible, vaccinated, exposed, infectious, treated, and recovered populations to assess the impact of vaccination coverage, vaccine effectiveness, loss of vaccine immunity, and treatment on the spread of meningitis. The basic mathematical characteristics of the model, such as positivity, existence, uniqueness, and stability of solution are proven. The Laplace–Adomian Decomposition Method (LADM) is used to obtain the approximate analytical solutions, and a numerical simulation is used to analyze the influence of the fractional-order memory and epidemiological parameters on the epidemic process. The most important parameters that influence the basic reproduction number are found in sensitivity analysis to be the transmission rate and the vaccination-related parameters. The results show that simply increasing the vaccination coverage and vaccine effectiveness can substantially decrease the number of disease transmissions, and vaccine coverage can produce memory effects to change the timing and duration of outbreaks. The suggested fractional-order computational framework is a framework that is vital for studying the dynamics of meningitis and can be used for the design of long-term vaccination and disease-control strategies. Full article

As a high-value meat duck breed, Muscovy ducks exhibit marked individual differences in egg production that limit the economic efficiency of commercial farming. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we integrated phenotypic observation, ovarian transcriptome sequencing, and cecal 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to compare high- and low-laying black-feathered Muscovy duck populations. We recorded 40-day egg production, assessed ovarian morphology, quantified gene expression profiles, and characterized microbial community structure. High-laying ducks produced significantly more eggs (24.60 ± 9.22) than low-laying ducks (15.80 ± 6.64, p < 0.01), with larger ovaries and a greater number of follicles at all developmental stages. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 823 DEGs, with KEGG enrichment implicating pathways governing ovarian physiology, including MAPK, Calcium, Notch, and Wnt signaling. Microbial profiling demonstrated significant differences in α/β diversity between groups, with high-laying ducks exhibiting an elevated Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio and decreased abundance of Ligilactobacillus. Integrative correlation analysis identified significant associations between Ligilactobacillus abundance and the expression of Arhgap27 and HOXA10, two genes linked to reproductive function, and highlighted the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway as a convergently enriched signaling cascade shared between gut microbiome and ovarian transcriptome. This multi-omics study uncovers the molecular and microbial basis of egg production variation in Muscovy ducks, offering potential targets for improving breeding efficiency through microbiota-directed or gene-based interventions. These findings deepen our understanding of host–microbe interactions in poultry reproduction and identify candidate genes and microbial taxa that may serve as potential targets for future nutritional or genetic interventions to enhance laying performance in commercial duck production. Full article

This study investigated age- and sex-related variations in pituitary gonadotroph morphometry and serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations in 90 clinically healthy dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals were grouped into three age categories (2–4, 5–10, and ≥11 years), with equal representation of males and females. The precise reproductive status of the female camels (e.g., estrous stage or pregnancy status) was not determined and should be considered when interpreting the endocrine findings. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed significant age- and sex-related differences in gonadotroph number and morphometric characteristics (p < 0.05). Gonadotroph counts were 8.3 ± 0.4, 9.4 ± 0.5, and 8.1 ± 0.4 cells in the 2–4, 5–10, and ≥11-year age groups, respectively, with males showing a higher overall count than females (9.1 ± 0.4 vs. 8.2 ± 0.3; p < 0.05). Overall cell size, cell area, cell volume, nucleus area, and nucleus volume were also greater in males than females (p < 0.05). The largest nucleus size, nucleus area, and nucleus volume were observed in camels ≥11 years of age, with values of 4.7 ± 0.1 µm, 18.5 ± 0.8 µm², and 60.3 ± 4.1 µm³, respectively. Ultrastructural analysis further showed a significant sex difference in granule size (58.0 ± 0.7 vs. 52.2 ± 0.8 nm) and granule percentage (56.2 ± 3.6 vs. 43.5 ± 3.3% in males and females, respectively; p < 0.05). Serum FSH concentrations were higher in males than females (4.8 ± 0.1 vs. 4.2 ± 0.1 µIU/mL; p < 0.05), whereas LH concentrations were 1.2 ± 0.1 and 1.2 ± 0.1 µIU/mL in males and females, respectively. LH concentration was highest in 5–10-year-old males (1.3 ± 0.2 µIU/mL), while FSH concentration was highest in ≥11-year-old males (4.8 ± 0.2 µIU/mL). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive associations between gonadotroph morphometric parameters and circulating gonadotropins, with correlations ranging from 0.52 to 0.74 for cell/nuclear measurements with LH and FSH. Overall, the findings demonstrate marked age- and sex-associated differences in gonadotroph morphology, ultrastructure, and circulating gonadotropin concentrations in dromedary camels, with males generally exhibiting greater gonadotroph dimensions and secretory granule characteristics. These structural and endocrine differences provide evidence of age- and sex-related variation in pituitary gonadotrophic activity, although the findings should be interpreted in light of the cross-sectional design and the undetermined reproductive status of female camels. Overall, these findings demonstrate pronounced age- and sex-associated differences in pituitary gonadotroph morphology, ultrastructure, and endocrine activity, with males generally exhibiting greater cellular and secretory characteristics. The findings provide novel morphological and endocrine evidence of reproductive aging and sexual dimorphism in the dromedary camel pituitary and may contribute to improved understanding of reproductive function across different life stages. However, interpretation should consider the cross-sectional design and the inability to determine the precise reproductive stage of female camels before slaughter. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of 17 heavy metals measured in the liver and kidney tissues of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) as a function of age, sex, organ type, and sampling area. In addition, we assessed the relationships between trace element profiles and reproductive parameters and highlighted their potential relevance from a food-safety perspective. Age-related comparisons revealed significantly higher concentrations of Ti, Fe, Cd, and Hg in adult individuals, whereas no statistically significant differences were detected for the remaining elements. No significant sex-related differences were found for any of the investigated elements. In contrast, the organ-based analysis revealed substantial differences. The concentrations of all elements differed significantly between the liver and the kidney. Correlation analyses identified positive associations between Mn and Zn concentrations, as well as between Mn and Cu concentrations, in both organs. The relationship between Zn and Cd was also positive and statistically significant. A comparison among sampling areas showed no significant spatial differences in the concentrations of Cr, Fe, Cu, and Mo. The greatest spatial heterogeneity was observed for Co, Hg, Pb, and Se, with Se concentrations differing significantly among nearly all sampling areas. Our results indicate strongly overlapping spatial heavy metal profiles, suggesting a gradual rather than sharply differentiated geographical pattern and similar emission characteristics. This interpretation is further supported by the clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) results. PERMANOVA analyses indicated that trace element profiles did not significantly influence the number of placental scars. Furthermore, neither age nor its interaction with trace element profiles exerted a detectable effect on variation in placental scar numbers. Full article

Background: Infertility is a common reproductive health disorder that affects roughly 10–15% of couples during their reproductive period. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is a widely utilized imaging modality for assessing uterine cavity morphology and fallopian tube patency and continues to play a central role in infertility investigations. Nevertheless, the interpretation of HSG findings may vary according to the experience and expertise of the evaluator, potentially leading to inconsistencies in clinical decision-making. Although artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated considerable potential in medical image analysis across various specialties, evidence regarding its application in the interpretation of HSG examinations remains scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the level of agreement among radiologists, gynecologists, and an AI-based system in the assessment of identical HSG images. Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 1443 HSG images obtained from 414 women who underwent hysterosalpingography as part of an infertility evaluation between January 2021 and January 2025 were reviewed. Cases with incomplete clinical records or suboptimal image quality were excluded from the analysis. All examinations were independently assessed by an experienced radiologist, a gynecologist specializing in infertility management, and a multimodal artificial intelligence system based on ChatGPT-5, with each evaluator blinded to the assessments of the others and to the patients’ clinical information. Image interpretation included the evaluation of contrast distribution, peritoneal spill, uterine cavity findings, tubal patency, and overall HSG impression, which were categorized according to predefined diagnostic criteria. The primary outcome was the degree of interobserver agreement among the evaluators. Agreement analyses were performed using Cohen’s kappa (κ) and Gwet’s AC1 coefficients. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 30.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and R statistical software (version 4.4.0; R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 (two-sided). Results: A total of 1443 HSG images obtained from 414 women were included in the final analysis. The mean age of the study population was 30.97 ± 5.59 years, and primary infertility accounted for 87.9% of cases. The average number of images acquired per examination was 3.49 ± 1.05. According to Cohen’s kappa analysis, the highest levels of agreement were observed for the assessment of image artifacts and contrast medium distribution. Agreement between the AI system and the radiologist was particularly strong for contrast medium distribution (κ = 0.757). For the overall interpretation of HSG findings, AI demonstrated substantial agreement with the radiologist (κ = 0.637), exceeding the level of agreement observed between the radiologist and the gynecologist (κ = 0.363). In contrast, concordance involving AI was lower for the evaluation of uterine abnormalities, intrauterine filling defects, and tubal patency. When agreement was reassessed using Gwet’s AC1 statistic, concordance coefficients were consistently higher than the corresponding kappa values across all evaluator pairs. Near-perfect agreement between AI and the radiologist was identified for contrast medium distribution (AC1 = 0.954), peritoneal spill (AC1 = 0.893), and patterns of peritoneal contrast passage (AC1 = 0.841). Procedures performed under local anesthesia yielded a significantly greater number of images than those conducted under general anesthesia (3.86 ± 0.86 vs. 3.08 ± 1.10, p < 0.001). No significant associations were detected between abnormal HSG findings and either infertility type or anesthetic technique. In multivariable analysis, the use of general anesthesia was independently associated with a lower image count, whereas the presence of tubal pathology emerged as an independent predictor of acquiring a greater number of images during the examination. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that AI-assisted interpretation of HSG images has the potential to complement expert assessment, showing substantial concordance in several key diagnostic domains. While the technology appears promising as a decision-support tool in infertility evaluation, further research and refinement are warranted, particularly regarding the assessment of tubal and uterine pathologies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The domestic yak (Bos grunniens) is a livestock species of major relevance in high-altitude environments and an important model for studying adaptation and reproductive isolation within Bovini. Despite its close phylogenetic relationship with cattle (Bos taurus), yak × cattle hybrids show a marked sex-biased fertility pattern, with fertile females and generally sterile F1 males, suggesting that subtle chromosomal or genomic differences may underlie post-zygotic reproductive barriers. In this study, we performed a cytogenetic characterization of eight adult yak bulls imported and reared in Central Italy using conventional and molecular cytogenetic approaches. Results: GTG-, RBG-, RBA- and CBA-banding confirmed the yak diploid number as 2n = 60 and the fundamental number as NF = 62, with banding patterns highly comparable to the standardized cattle karyotype. CBA-banding showed an X chromosome lacking evident constitutive heterochromatin and a Y chromosome with distal C-positive blocks. Chromosome instability was low, with 3.75% abnormal metaphases, mainly represented by chromatid and iso-chromatid breaks, while the mean sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rate was 5.19 ± 2.14 per cell. Sequential Ag-NOR/RBA staining localized nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) at the telomeres of autosomes 2, 3, 4, 11 and 25, as in cattle. Zoo-FISH using bovine chromosome paints for X, Y, 5 and 15 showed complete hybridization to the corresponding yak chromosomes, and BAC-FISH mapped the Y-linked ZFY and SRY genes to positions homologous to those reported in cattle. A comparative bioinformatics analysis of available yak genome assemblies confirmed the overall genome-wide correspondence with cattle, while revealing chromosome orientation issues and small local inconsistencies that may be relevant for comparative mapping and probe design. Conclusions: Overall, at the resolution tested, these findings support broad macrostructural conservation of yak and cattle karyotypes and provide cytogenetic reference data for yak populations reared outside of their traditional range. The persistence of F1 male sterility despite this large-scale chromosomal conservation suggests that fine-scale sex chromosome differences, particularly involving pseudoautosomal regions, recombination boundaries, or heterochromatin organization, may deserve targeted investigation. Full article

Research on endocrine patterns associated with reproduction and lactation in felids has focused mainly on rare or endangered species and remains limited in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Using a non-invasive longitudinal approach, we measured faecal glucocorticoid, progesterone, and testosterone metabolites (fGCm, fPm, and fTm) in nine females before mating and during three months of lactation, examining associations with litter characteristics and kitten survival. Lactational concentrations were expressed relative to each female’s median baseline, while baseline concentrations were analysed separately. Relative fGCm concentrations were negatively associated with the number of surviving kittens but not with litter losses. Relative fPm concentrations were positively associated with both fGCm and fTm, whereas the fGCm–fTm relationship did not reach statistical significance. Relative fPm concentrations were lower in the third than in the first month of lactation, while fTm showed a similar decreasing tendency. Baseline fGCm and fPm were not associated with reproductive parameters. Median baseline fTm showed a negative, non-significant relationship with first-month kitten survival. These findings indicate distinct temporal patterns and associations among steroid metabolites, while the relationship between baseline fTm and kitten survival requires validation in larger datasets. Full article

Fibrillins (FBNs) are conserved plastid-associated proteins implicated in plant development and abiotic stress responses; however, their roles in maize remain unclear. In this study, through a genome-wide bioinformatic analysis, we identified 14 ZmFBN genes in the maize genome and characterized their phylogeny, chromosomal distribution, gene structure, conserved motifs, and promoter cis-elements. ZmFBN members were grouped into several subfamilies that all retain a conserved PAP_fibrillin domain, whereas the variation in exon–intron organization, motif composition, and regulatory elements suggests functional diversification. Expression profiling revealed pronounced tissue-preferential patterns, with many genes highly expressed in leaves and reproductive tissues, and distinct responses to drought, salt, heat, and cold stresses. qRT-PCR assays showed that ZmFBN8 and ZmFBN9 are strongly induced by both salt and PEG-simulated drought, ZmFBN2 and ZmFBN5 are predominantly drought-responsive, and ZmFBN11 is mainly activated by salt. Genome-wide association analysis further detected significant loci near ZmFBN1 and ZmFBN4, whose allelic variants are associated with the survival rate under drought and with key agronomic traits, including the tassel branch number, flowering time, ear diameter, and kernel length. These results demonstrate that ZmFBN genes make diversified contributions to maize growth, development, and stress adaptation and highlight several members as promising targets for functional studies and the molecular breeding of stress-tolerant maize. Moreover, selection pressure analysis indicated ZmFBN7 experienced relaxed purifying selection, and ZmFBN12 underwent positive selection, which drives the functional diversification of the ZmFBN family during maize evolution. Full article

Objectives: This study clarified sex-specific short- and long-term impacts of maternal excessive palm oil (plant-derived saturated) and lard (animal-derived saturated fat) intake on offspring reproductive health and underlying mechanisms. Methods: Female mice were randomized to control, palm oil, or lard diets during gestation and lactation. Offspring received a control diet post-weaning until adulthood, followed by an optional 16-week HFD rechallenge. Gonadal weight and organ index, sperm quality, ovarian follicle number, serum sex hormones, metabolic phenotypes (serum lipid profiles, glucose and insulin tolerance), oxidative stress, apoptosis, proliferation, and transcriptomic profiles were detected at weaning, early and late adulthood. Results: In males, excessive maternal lard intake significantly induces sperm malformation and reduces seminiferous tubule diameter and spermatogenic epithelium thickness upon HFD rechallenge during adulthood, with no changes in oxidative stress, proliferation, and apoptosis. Transcriptomics identified Slc24a5 upregulation as a potential correlate through metal ion transmembrane transporter activity and cellular calcium ion homeostasis. Under normal adult diets, reduced sperm motility resulting from maternal excess lard may be mediated by apoptosis, whereas that induced by maternal high palm oil likely arises from suppressed proliferation and thinner spermatogenic epithelium. GO analysis revealed palm oil-specific Ugt1a5 upregulation associated with altered steroid hormone metabolism. In females, maternal palm oil intake reduced primordial follicles and increased atresia, with sequencing predicted to involve Nedd4 downregulation; lard intake elevated ovarian oxidative stress and atresia only upon HFD rechallenge, with Lamc3 upregulation predicted as a putative regulatory factor. Conclusions: Maternal excessive intake of saturated fat exerts offspring reproductive damage in a sex-specific and source-dependent manner with distinct mechanisms. This work provides novel insights into fat source-dependent and sex-specific effects of nutritional interventions during pregnancy and lactation. Full article

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of anovulatory infertility and a frequent indication for in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). Multivariable regression estimates adjusted associations, whereas association rule mining (ARM) can describe frequently co-occurring attributes; however, ARM outputs are unadjusted and may be sensitive to analytic specification. Objectives: We used ARM alongside multivariable logistic regression and internal robustness analyses to describe combinations of clinical and treatment-related variables that co-occurred with clinical pregnancy failure among women with PCOS undergoing IVF/ICSI. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 733 deidentified patients with PCOS from the Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi. The original one-hot-encoded analytic file was linked to a supplemental clinical record file containing continuous age, BMI, infertility duration, anti-Müllerian hormone, total gonadotropin dose, fertilization method, embryo-transfer day, number of embryos transferred, and embryo score. Embryo quality was derived from D3 cleavage-stage and blastocyst morphology records. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted associations. ARM results were assessed using Fisher’s exact test, Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction, 1000 bootstrap resamples, fivefold cross-validation, and threshold/cutoff sensitivity analyses. Results: In the multivariable model (n = 730), age remained associated with clinical pregnancy failure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.04 per year, 95% CI 1.00–1.08, p = 0.031), whereas BMI was not independently associated with failure (aOR = 1.00 per kg/m², 95% CI 0.96–1.05, p = 0.860). Transfer of two embryos (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.35–0.85, p = 0.008), D5 blastocyst transfer (aOR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.32–0.75, p = 0.001), and transfer of at least one high-quality embryo (aOR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.43–0.93, p = 0.020) were associated with lower odds of failure. Under the primary host-factor specification, age > 35 years + BMI ≥ 24 kg/m² + pelvic adhesion defined 48 patients, 30 of whom had clinical pregnancy failure (support = 0.07; confidence = 0.63; lift = 1.38; FDR q = 0.098). In the secondary treatment-inclusive analysis, infertility duration > 5 years + no high-quality embryo transferred defined 43 patients with 30 failures (support = 0.06; confidence = 0.70; lift = 1.54; FDR q = 0.026). Lift represents the subgroup failure proportion divided by the overall failure proportion and is not an adjusted risk ratio. The rule composition and the number of FDR-supported rules changed under alternative cutoffs and confidence thresholds. Conclusions: ARM described transparent but specification-sensitive co-occurrence profiles that complement, rather than compete with, regression. Treatment-inclusive profiles combine baseline and downstream cycle characteristics and are therefore especially exploratory. These findings require prospective multicenter validation before any clinical decision-support use. Full article

Protective net systems are increasingly used in Mediterranean apple orchards to mitigate climate-related production risks, yet their long-term agronomic and economic performance remains insufficiently documented. This study evaluated five protective net systems (black, grey, white, red, and yellow) and an uncovered control over six consecutive growing seasons (2020–2025) in a Mediterranean ‘Fuji’ apple orchard. Vegetative growth, reproductive development, yield, fruit quality, sunburn incidence, and economic performance were assessed under contrasting seasonal conditions. Yield ranged from 27 to 69 t ha⁻¹ and was strongly correlated with fruit number per tree (r = 0.90, p < 0.001), whereas net type did not significantly affect fruit number, mean fruit weight, or yield. Black nets reduced predicted sunburn incidence by 64% relative to the uncovered control (from 25.7% to 9.3%), promoted the greatest cumulative annual shoot growth (39.4 m tree⁻¹), and achieved the highest average final revenue among the evaluated treatments (€28,038 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Under two assumed hail-damage scenarios (moderate and severe), estimated payback periods for the black net were 3.1 and 1.8 years, respectively. Overall, black nets combined the lowest predicted sunburn incidence, the greatest cumulative shoot growth, and the highest mean final revenue among the evaluated treatments, while yields remained comparable to the uncovered control, suggesting that they may represent a promising climate-adaptation strategy for Mediterranean ‘Fuji’ apple orchards. Full article

Soil salinity is a major constraint limiting rice productivity, particularly at the reproductive stage. To elucidate the genetic basis of reproductive stage salinity tolerance, this study validated and fine-mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for yield-related traits using a salinity-tolerant line SL506, identified through screening of Nona Bokra–CSSLs in a Koshihikari background. In 2016, the F₂ population derived from SL506/Koshihikari was evaluated under long-term salt stress; three QTLs associated with plant dry weight, panicle number, and grain weight were detected on chromosome 2. In 2023, validation analysis using F₃ individuals confirmed the presence of these QTLs. Subsequent fine-mapping using F₄ near-isogenic lines (NILs) delimited the QTL to a 1.7 Mb interval and high-resolution mapping using an F₅ recombinant population progressively refined it to a 473 kb genomic region containing 69 annotated genes. Variant Effect Predictor analysis identified 15 deleterious nonsynonymous variants (SIFT < 0.05) in six candidate genes. Based on annotated gene functions, predicted variant effects, and their membership in stress-related gene families, OsPP2C24, OsFbox102, and OsWAK14 were suggested as the most promising candidate genes underlying qPDW2. These findings provide insights into the genetic basis of reproductive-stage salinity tolerance from valuable resources for the future improvement of salt tolerance and yield stability in rice. Full article