Association between anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations and sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) is commonly performed to retrieve sperm in the testes for assisted reproductive techniques in patients with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia (iNOA). However, the success rate of sperm retrieval varies among individuals. We aim to investigate the association between clinical parameters and sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with iNOA. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from database inception to August 2, 2023. The main measure was whether sperm retrieval was successful in patients with iNOA who underwent mTESE. Pooled estimates of the sperm retrieval rate and weighted mean differences were calculated using random-effects models. The overall sperm retrieval rate was 36.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 27.5%-46.0%, I2 = 95.0%) in nine studies comprising 1892 patients with iNOA. No significant differences were found in age, testicular volume, serum total testosterone concentrations, or inhibin B concentrations between positive and negative sperm retrieval outcomes. Lower anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in patients with iNOA were associated with a positive outcome of mTESE (weighted mean differences: -2.70; 95% CI: -3.94--1.46, I2 = 79.0%). In conclusion, this study shows a significant relationship between anti-Müllerian hormone and sperm retrieval outcomes in patients with iNOA, while age, testicular volume, total testosterone, and inhibin B show no significant association. These findings have important implications for assessing the potential success of sperm retrieval and selecting appropriate treatment strategies in patients with iNOA.

Integrated proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and N-glycoproteomic analyses of small extracellular vesicles from C2C12 myoblasts identify specific PTM patterns in ligand-receptor interactions.

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are important mediators of intercellular communication by transferring of functional components (proteins, RNAs, and lipids) to recipient cells. Some PTMs, including phosphorylation and N-glycosylation, have been reported to play important role in EV biology, such as biogenesis, protein sorting and uptake of sEVs. MS-based proteomic technology has been applied to identify proteins and PTM modifications in sEVs. Previous proteomic studies of sEVs from C2C12 myoblasts, an important skeletal muscle cell line, focused on identification of proteins, but no PTM information on sEVs proteins is available.In this study, we systematically analyzed the proteome, phosphoproteome, and N-glycoproteome of sEVs from C2C12 myoblasts with LC-MS/MS. In-depth analyses of the three proteomic datasets revealed that the three proteomes identified different catalogues of proteins, and PTMomic analysis could expand the identification of cargos in sEVs. At the proteomic level, a high percentage of membrane proteins, especially tetraspanins, was identified. The sEVs-derived phosphoproteome had a remarkably high level of tyrosine-phosphorylated sites. The tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins might be involved with EPH-Ephrin signaling pathway. At the level of N-glycoproteomics, several glycoforms, such as complex N-linked glycans and sialic acids on glycans, were enriched in sEVs. Retrieving of the ligand-receptor interaction in sEVs revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell adhesion molecule (CAM) represented the most abundant ligand-receptor pairs in sEVs. Mapping the PTM information on the ligands and receptors revealed that N-glycosylation mainly occurred on ECM and CAM proteins, while phosphorylation occurred on different categories of receptors and ligands. A comprehensive PTM map of ECM-receptor interaction and their components is also provided.In summary, we conducted a comprehensive proteomic and PTMomic analysis of sEVs of C2C12 myoblasts. Integrated proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and N-glycoproteomic analysis of sEVs might provide some insights about their specific uptake mechanism.

Determination of Acetylamantadine by γ-Cyclodextrin-Assisted α-HL Nanopore for Potential Cancer Prediagnosis.

The high expression of Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT-1) is an important indicator in early cancer diagnosis. Here, we developed a nanopore-based methodology with γ-cyclodextrin as an adaptor to detect and quantify acetylamantadine, the specific SSAT-1-catalyzed product from amantadine, to accordingly reflect the activity of SSAT-1. We employ γ-cyclodextrin and report that amantadine cannot cause any secondary signals in γ-cyclodextrin-assisted α-HL nanopore, while its acetylation product, acetylamantadine, does. This allows γ-cyclodextrin to practically detect acetylamantadine in the interference of excessive amantadine, superior to the previously reported ß-cyclodextrin. The quantification of acetylamantadine was not interfered with even a 50-fold amantadine and displayed no interference in artificial urine sample analysis, which indicates the good feasibility of this nanopore-based methodology in painless cancer prediagnosis. In addition, the discrimination mechanism is also explored by 2-D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nanopore experiments with a series of adamantane derivatives with different hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. We found that both the hydrophobic region matching effect and hydrophilic interactions play a synergistic effect in forming a host-guest complex to further generate the characteristic signals, which may provide insights for the subsequent design and study of drug-cyclodextrin complexes.

Kinship And Care: Racial Disparities In Potential Dementia Caregiving In The U.S. From 2000 To 2060.

BACKGROUND: Although the family plays a pivotal role in older adults' care, there is limited research on how evolving demographic trends affect older adults' support networks and how the trends vary by race. To fill this gap, we examine the influence of shifting family demographics on future care needs for older adults with dementia, emphasizing the unequal health and potential caregiving burdens by race in the U.S. METHODS: Using demographic models of kinship, we estimate the availability of potential caregivers, and dementia prevalence among one's kin by race, kin type, and the age of a focal person from 2000 to 2060. We introduce an index called the Dementia Dependency Ratio to assess dementia caregiving demands at the population level, taking into account the age and kinship structure of the population. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that Black individuals tend to have more children, grandchildren, and nieces/nephews as they age. However, Black individuals also tend to have more kin with dementia compared to their White counterparts. This elevated prevalence of dementia among Black kinship networks counterbalances the advantage of having more kin as potential caregivers. A further projection analysis suggests that the racial gap in caregiving demand within the kinship network will widen in the next four decades if the racial gap in dementia prevalence remains unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the urgency of reducing racial inequality in dementia prevalence rates and increasing public support for families with extended members affected by dementia. With the shrinkage of nuclear families and population aging in the next few decades, extended family members may undertake more caregiving responsibilities for dementia. We call for a kinship perspective in understanding dementia care in future research.

IL-6 mediates olfactory dysfunction in a mouse model of allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Immune-inflammatory response is a key element in the occurrence and development of olfactory dysfunction (OD) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). As one of the core factors in immune-inflammatory responses, interleukin (IL)-6 is closely related to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. It may also play an important role in OD induced by diseases, such as Sjögren's syndrome and coronavirus disease 2019. However, there is no study has reported its role in OD in AR. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of IL-6 in AR-related OD, in an attempt to discover a new target for the prevention and treatment of OD in patients with AR. METHODS: Differential expression analysis was performed using the public datasets GSE52804 and GSE140454 for AR, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by obtaining the intersection points between these two datasets. IL-6, a common differential factor, was obtained by intersecting the DEGs with the General Olfactory Sensitivity Database (GOSdb) again. A model of AR mice with OD was developed by sensitizing with ovalbumin (OVA) to verify the reliability of IL-6 as a key factor of OD in AR and explore the potential mechanisms. Furthermore, a supernatant and microglia co-culture model of nasal mucosa epithelial cells stimulated by the allergen house dust mite extract Derp1 was established to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms of IL-6-mediated OD in AR. RESULTS: The level of IL-6 in the nasal mucosa and olfactory bulb of AR mice with OD significantly increased and showed a positive correlation with the expression of olfactory bulb microglia marker Iba-1 and the severity of OD. In-vitro experiments showed that the level of IL-6 significantly increased in the supernatant after the nasal mucosa epithelial cells were stimulated by Derp1, along with significantly decreased barrier function of the nasal mucosa. The expression levels of neuroinflammatory markers IL-1ß and INOS increased after a conditioned culture of microglia with the supernatant including IL-6. Then knockdown (KD) of IL-6R by small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of IL-1ß and INOS significantly diminished. CONCLUSION: IL-6 plays a key role in the occurrence and development of OD in AR, which may be related to its effect on olfactory bulb microglia-mediated neuroinflammation.

Insecure Attachment and Depressive Symptoms among a Large Sample of Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Self-Compassion.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the relationship between insecure attachment (attachment anxiety and avoidance) and depressive symptoms in Chinese young adults as well as the mediating roles of positive and negative self-compassion. METHODS: An online survey was administered among college students in mainland China. This involved their completion of questionnaires encompassing socio-demographic details, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Attachment anxiety and avoidance exhibited connections with depressive symptoms through increased negative self-compassion and decreased positive self-compassion. Attachment anxiety was associated with depressive symptoms primarily through the mediating effect of negative self-compassion. Conversely, attachment avoidance was related to depressive symptoms mainly through the mediating role of positive self-compassion. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment anxiety exerted a slightly stronger influence on negative self-compassion, whereas attachment avoidance exhibited a more prominent impact on positive self-compassion. Despite these differences, both attachment styles were comparable in their overall influence on depressive symptoms. This revelation provides fresh insights into the relationship between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms among young adults, underscoring the importance for intervention program development.

Photoinduced deformation behavior of poly(aryl ether)s with different azobenzene groups in the side chain.

Azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether)s are a potential type of photoinduced deformable high-performance polymer. However, research on photoinduced deformation of azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether)s focuses mainly on poly(aryl ether)s containing azobenzene groups in the main chain. In this paper, the photoinduced deformation of poly(aryl ether)s containing azobenzene groups in the side chain was studied for the first time. Two novel poly(aryl ether)s containing azobenzene groups in the side chain were synthesized, and their photoinduced isomerization behavior and photoinduced deformation behavior were studied. It could be seen that the match of the excitation luminescence to the maximum absorption peak of the azobenzene groups was more compatible, and the photoinduced motion of the polymers was faster. In addition, poly(aryl ether)s containing azobenzene groups in the side chain showed highly stable photoinduced deformation. The results of this work will be helpful for designing polymers which could be controlled by lasers of different wavelengths.

Testicular volume is a noninvasive predictor of sperm retrieval failure in idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the prognostic importance of noninvasive factors in predicting sperm retrieval failure in idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia (iNOA). We studied 193 patients with nonobstructive azoospermia who underwent microsurgical testicular sperm extraction. The Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U tests for clinical parameters and seminiferous tubule distribution were used for between-group comparisons. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of retrieval failure. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for each variable was evaluated, and the net clinical benefit was calculated using a clinical decision curve. Patients with iNOA had a lower sperm retrieval rate than those with known causes. Moreover, testicular volume was an independent factor affecting sperm extraction outcomes (odds ratio = 0.79, P < 0.05). The testicular volume cut-off value was 6.5 ml (area under the curve: 0.694). The patients with iNOA were categorized into two groups on the basis of the distribution of seminiferous tubules observed. The sperm retrieval rate and testicular volume were significantly different between the groups with a uniform or heterogeneous tubule distribution. There was also a significant association between a uniform tubule distribution and testicular volume. In conclusion, a testicular volume of more than 6.5 ml effectively predicts microsurgical testicular sperm extraction failure due to a uniform tubule distribution in patients with iNOA.

Integrative Analysis of miRNA and circRNA Expression Profiles and Interaction Network in HSV-1-Infected Primary Corneal Epithelial Cells.

PURPOSE: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are products of alternative splicing with roles as competitive endogenous RNAs or microRNA sponges, regulating gene expression and biological processes. However, the involvement of circRNAs in herpes simplex keratitis remains largely unexplored. METHODS: This study examines circRNA and miRNA expression profiles in primary human corneal epithelial cells infected with HSV-1, compared to uninfected controls, using microarray analysis. Bioinformatic analysis predicted the potential function of the dysregulated circRNAs and microRNA response elements (MREs) in these circRNAs, forming an interaction network between dysregulated circRNAs and miRNAs. RESULTS: A total of 332 circRNAs and 16 miRNAs were upregulated, while 80 circRNAs and six miRNAs were downregulated (fold change ≥2.0 and p < 0.05). Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses were performed on parental genes of dysregulated circRNAs to uncover potential functions in HSV-1 infection. Notably, miR-181b-5p, miR-338-3p, miR-635, and miR-222-3p emerged as pivotal miRNAs interacting with multiple dysregulated circRNAs. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive study offers insights into differentially expressed circRNAs and miRNAs during HSV-1 infection in corneal epithelial cells, shedding light on circRNA-miRNA interactions' potential role in herpes simplex keratitis pathogenesis.

Factors influencing passage of time judgment in individuals' daily lives: evidence from the experience sampling and diary methods.

People often express feeling that time passes quickly or slowly in their daily lives, which is termed passage of time judgment (PoTJ). Past studies have shown that PoTJ is affected by emotional valence and arousal; however, few studies have verified the effects of alertness, attention to time, and time expectation on PoTJ and whether the effects are stable over different time periods. Using the experience sampling method (ESM) and diary method, the present study collected data from 105 participants and examined for the first time whether alertness, attention to time, and time expectation affect PoTJ based on daily life data, as well as whether above factors, emotional valence, and arousal are stable over different time periods. All participants answered a questionnaire five times a day on their in-the-day PoTJ and related factors regarding the last 30 min, and answered the same questionnaire once a day at 23:00 regarding the of-the-day PoTJ. The results showed that alertness and time expectation, as well as emotional valence and arousal, predicted an individual's in-the-day PoTJ over a shorter period (i.e., the last 30 min); in contrast, only time expectation and emotional arousal predicted of-the-day PoTJ over a longer period (i.e., the past day). These results suggest that, alertness and time expectation are important factors influencing PoTJ, in addition to emotional state. Of-the-day PoTJ correlates most strongly with the mean and latest in-the-day PoTJ, implying that overall perception of time passage is influenced by both cumulative temporal experience and recent temporal experience.

Alkaloids from Corydalis saxicola and their antiproliferative activity against cancer cells.

Eight undescribed alkaloids named corydalisine D-K (1-7), including one isoquinoline benzopyranone alkaloid (1), one benzocyclopentanone alkaloid (2), four benzofuranone alkaloids (3, 4, and 5a/5b) and two protoberberine alkaloids (6 and 7), along with fourteen known ones, were isolated from the Corydalis saxicola. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were unambiguously identified using spectroscopic techniques, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron circular dichroism calculation. Compounds 2, 14 and 21 exhibit antiproliferative activity against five cancer cell lines. The aporphine alkaloid demethylsonodione (compound 14), which exhibited the best activity (IC50 = 3.68 ± 0.25 µM), was subjected to further investigation to determine its mechanism of action against the T24 cell line. The molecular mechanism was related to the arrest of cell cycle S-phase, inhibition of CDK2 expression, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), induction of cell apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration, and activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway. The results indicated that 14 could be used as a potential candidate agent for further development of anti-bladder transitional cell carcinoma.

Therapeutic efficacy of optimal pulse technology in the treatment of chalazions.

Introduction: To evaluate the efficacy of optimized pulse technology in treating chalazia. Methods: Prospective before-after study. All patients received two sessions of optimal pulse technology (OPT) with an interval of 1 week. The first visit was before treatment and the patients underwent 2 treatment sessions with a 1-week interval. The non-invasive tear breakup time (NIBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score, Schirmer's test I without anesthesia, conjunctival hyperemia, and meibomian gland area were compared before and after treatment, and the related factors of curative effect were analyzed. Results: 23 patients (23 eyes) with chalazia were included. All patients received two sessions of OPT treatment at 1-week intervals. Following the first OPT treatment, a reduction in the chalazion size was observed in 17 patients (73.91%). One patient was completely cured, and 1 patient had an increase in the diameter of the chalazion. The meibomian gland area increased significantly compared to before treatment (p = 0.023). Compared with baseline, the conjunctival congestion and ST decreased, NIBUT increased, and there was no statistical difference. After the second treatment, the chalazion size decreased in 21 cases, and 3 patients were cured. A significant increase in the meibomian gland area compared with the baseline area (p < 0.001). Additionally, conjunctival congestion decreased significantly. After two sessions, the Schirmer test exhibited a decrease, and NIBUT increased, although these changes did not reach statistical significance. The curative effect was unrelated to sex, age, first onset, single disease, and other factors. Conclusion: After treatment, the diameter of chalazions was reduced in 91.3% of the patients, and the area of the meibomian gland was significantly increased compared with that before treatment, which suggested that 2 OPT treatments at an interval of 1 week can improve the signs of adult patients in the non-acute infectious stage with chalazia.

Efficacy of various surgical approaches in treating hematospermia using transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy.

PURPOSE: To explore the efficacy of different approaches of seminal vesiculoscopy surgery and the predictive factors of good treatment outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 68 patients who underwent seminal vesiculoscopy for hematospermia in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2021. According to different surgical approaches, they were divided into three groups: natural ejaculatory ducts (method A, 45 cases), assisted transurethral resection/incision of ejaculatory ducts (method B, 14 cases), fenestration in prostatic utricle (method C, 9 cases). We analyzed the recurrence rate of the three surgical approaches and the predictive factors of treatment efficacy. RESULTS: The total recurrence rate after the seminal vesiculoscopy for hematospermia in this group was 32.35%. The postoperative recurrence rates of the three methods were 24.44% for method A, 50.00% for method B and 44.44% for method C, and there was no significant difference among the three methods (P > 0.05). The data of five predictors of 45 cases in method A group were included in the Univariate Logistic analysis, the results suggest that whether complicated with seminal tract stones/cysts was an effective predictor (OR 0.250, P = 0.022), which was still an effective predictor in the Multivariate Logistic analysis model (OR 0.244, P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: The Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy technique demonstrates a low postoperative recurrence rate in treating hematospermia. Among the various approaches, the intraoperative use of natural orifices through the ejaculatory duct exhibits the lowest recurrence rate. Additionally, seminal tract stones/cysts effectively predict favorable postoperative outcomes.

Corrigendum: Global burden of non-communicable chronic diseases associated with a diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1202763.].

Recognition of Oligonucleotide C by Polydopamine-Coated Solid-State Nanopores.

Selective recognition of short oligonucleotides at the single-molecule level is particularly important for early disease detection and treatment. In this work, polydopamine (PDA)-coated nanopores were prepared via self-polymerization as a solid-state nanopore sensing platform for the recognition of oligonucleotide C (PolyC). The PDA coating possesses abundant active sites, such as indole, amino, carboxyl, catechol, and quinone structures, which had interactions with short oligonucleotides to slow down the translocation rate. PDA-coated nanopores selectively interact with PolyC20 by virtue of differences in hydrogen bonding forces, generating a larger blocking current, while polyA and polyT demonstrated very small blockings. At the same time, PDA-coated nanopores can sensitively distinguish PolyC with different lengths, such as 20, 14, and 10 nt. The functionalization of PDA on the solid-state nanopore provides an opportunity for the rational design of the recognition surface for biomolecules.

Solid-State Nanopore Distinguishes Ferritin and Apo-Ferritin with Identical Exteriors through Amplified Flexibility at Single-Molecule Level.

Protein identification and discrimination at the single-molecule level are big challenges. Solid-state nanopores as a sensitive biosensor have been used for protein analysis, although it is difficult to discriminate proteins with similar structures in the traditional discrimination method based on the current blockage fraction. Here, we select ferritin and apo-ferritin as the model proteins that exhibit identical exterior and different interior structures and verify the practicability of their discrimination with flexibility features by the strategy of gradually decreasing the nanopore size. We show that the larger nanopore (relative to the protein size) has no obvious effect on discriminating two proteins. Then, the comparable-sized nanopore plays a key role in discriminating two proteins based on the dwell time and fraction distribution, and the conformational changes of both proteins are also studied with this nanopore. Finally, in the smaller nanopore, the protein molecules are trapped rather than translocated, where two proteins are obviously discriminated through the current fluctuation caused by the vibration of proteins. This strategy has potential in the discrimination of other important similar proteins.

Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Intense Pulsed Light for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light combined with meibomian gland expression (IPL-MGX) for treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) associated with chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD). METHODS: This retrospective study included 18 patients (18 eyes) with Fitzpatrick skin type ≤ IV, who underwent 3 to 8 sessions of IPL-MGX. Dry eye symptomology, ocular surface parameters, and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 18 eyes, 83.3% and 66.7% showed severe oGVHD and severe MGD, respectively. At 4 weeks after the final session, significant improvements in the OSDI (P < 0.001), SPEED (P = 0.001), meibum expressibility (P < 0.001), and meibum quality (P = 0.016) were observed. At 12 weeks after, the OSDI (P = 0.009), SPEED (P = 0.002), and meibum expressibility (P = 0.008) significantly improved. No adverse events owing to IPL were reported. CONCLUSION: IPL-MGX may improve the ocular symptoms, ameliorate meibomian gland secretion, and is considered as a safe treatment for MGD in oGVHD patients.

Brain response in asthma: the role of "lung-brain" axis mediated by neuroimmune crosstalk.

In addition to typical respiratory symptoms, patients with asthma are frequently accompanied by cognitive decline, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), sleep disorders, olfactory disorders, and other brain response manifestations, all of which worsen asthma symptoms, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate the burden on families and society. Therefore, studying the mechanism of neurological symptoms in patients with asthma is necessary to identify the appropriate preventative and therapeutic measures. In order to provide a comprehensive reference for related research, we compiled the pertinent literature, systematically summarized the latest research progress of asthma and its brain response, and attempted to reveal the possible "lung-brain" crosstalk mechanism and treatment methods at the onset of asthma, which will promote more related research to provide asthmatic patients with neurological symptoms new hope.

Global burden of non-communicable chronic diseases associated with a diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the global burden of disease from non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) due to diet low in fruits from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Based on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019, the global burden of disease due to diet low in fruits was analyzed for each country or region, disaggregated by disease type, age, sex, and year. The number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), population attributable fraction (PAF), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) were calculated, and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to describe trends in ASMR and ASDR from 1990 to 2019. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the number of deaths and DALYs due to diet low in fruits increased by 31.5 and 27.4%, respectively. Among the tertiary diseases, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and kidney disease were the top three contributors to the global increase in deaths and DALYs. However, both ASMR and ASDR showed a decreasing trend. The fastest decline in ASMR and ASDR was in stroke, with AAPC of -2.13 (95% CI: -2.22, -2.05, p < 0.05) and -0.56 (95% CI: -0.62, -0.51, p < 0.05), respectively. For GBD regions, high PAF occurred mainly in South Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. Age-specific PAF for stroke and ischemic heart disease death attributable to diet low in fruits was significantly negatively associated with age. Diet low in fruits related ASMR and ASDR showed an M-shaped relationship with the socio-demographic index (SDI), but with an overall decreasing trend. Conclusion: The number of deaths and DALYs due to diet low in fruits continues to increase. Therefore, early nutritional interventions should be implemented by the relevant authorities to reduce the burden of diseases caused by diet low in fruits.

A new lithophilous species of Gesneriaceae, Petrocodonrubrostriatus, from the karst area of South Yunnan, China.

A new lithophytic species of Gesneriaceae, Petrocodonrubrostriatus K.Tan, X.Q.Song & M.X.Ren, sp. nov. from Lvchun County, South Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated here. It closest resembles P.mollifolius (W.T.Wang) A.Weber & Mich.Möller, but the new species is differentiated from it by red to brownish-red stripes in the yellow corolla throat and 4.5 mm long bract lobes, a ca. 10 mm long style, and staminodes inserted at 2.5-3 mm from the corolla base. The species is preliminarily assessed as 'Critically Endangered' (CR) according to IUCN criteria, since currently only one single locality is known with a few subpopulations on a fragmented limestone cliff, with fewer than 300 individuals.