In maintaining genome integrity and regulating gene expression, epigenetic modifications hold paramount importance. Adaptability, growth, development, and stress response in all organisms, including plants, are significantly influenced by DNA methylation, a primary mechanism of epigenetic control. To comprehend the mechanisms governing these processes, and to devise strategies for greater productivity and stress resistance in crops, it is critical to detect DNA methylation. Bisulfite sequencing, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism, genome-wide DNA methylation analysis, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing, mass spectrometry, and immuno-based techniques are several strategies for discerning plant DNA methylation. Differences in profiling approaches are observed in DNA input needs, the precision of resolution, the extent of genomic region coverage, and the bioinformatics analytical methodologies. To select an apt methylation screening approach, a thorough understanding of all these procedures is crucial. An overview of DNA methylation profiling methods in crop plants is presented in this review, along with a comparative analysis of their effectiveness in model and crop plants. Detailed analysis of the strengths and limitations of each methodological approach is presented, highlighting the importance of incorporating technical and biological factors. Methods for adjusting DNA methylation are also presented for both model systems and crops. In summary, this review supports scientists in making thoughtful decisions regarding the selection of suitable DNA methylation profiling methods.

As a source of medicinal compounds, apricot fruits are edible. Secondary metabolites of plants, flavonols, with antioxidant and antitumor properties, may contribute to the maintenance of cardiovascular health.
The 'Kuijin' and 'Katy' were examined for flavonoid content at three development points. This was then followed by metabolome and transcriptome investigation to ascertain the metabolic basis of flavonol creation.
Metabolite analysis of fruit at different stages within the same cultivar, and between different cultivars at the same stage, demonstrated a reduction in flavonoid concentrations as fruits developed. The 'Kuijin' cultivar showed a decrease from 0.028 mg/g to 0.012 mg/g, and 'Katy' exhibited a drop from 0.023 mg/g to 0.005 mg/g. Analysis of the metabolomes and transcriptomes of apricot ('Kuijin' and 'Katy') fruit pulp at three distinct developmental stages was conducted to elucidate the regulation of flavonol synthesis. From the 'Kuijin' and 'Katy' pulp, 572 metabolites were found, including a significant 111 flavonoids. The heightened flavonol content in young 'Kuijin' fruits, 42 days after full bloom, is principally attributable to the presence of ten types of flavonols. Three contrasting pairs of flavonol concentrations were found to be statistically significant. Among these three comparative groupings, three structural genes demonstrated a robust correlation with the abundance of ten flavonol types (Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding 0.8, p-values less than 0.005), including PARG09190, PARG15135, and PARG17939. causal mediation analysis Analysis of weighted gene co-expression networks indicated a strong association (P < 0.001) between genes within the turquoise module and flavonol levels. In this module, there were 4897 different genes present. Of the 4897 genes, 28 transcription factors, determined by weight, are associated with 3 structural genes. PMA activator Transcription factors, two in number, are not only linked to PARG09190 but also to PARG15135, highlighting their crucial role in flavonoid biosynthesis. PARG27864 and PARG10875 are the two TFs.
Insight into flavonol biosynthesis is offered by these discoveries, possibly clarifying the substantial variation in flavonoid content observed across the 'Kuijin' and 'Katy' cultivars. genetic constructs Furthermore, it will contribute to the genetic enhancement of apricots, leading to improved nutritional and health benefits.
Illuminating the pathways of flavonol biosynthesis, these findings may help explain the substantial differences in flavonoid content between the 'Kuijin' and 'Katy' cultivars. Consequently, it will contribute to the genetic refinement of apricots, boosting their nutritional and health attributes.

A major cancer worldwide, breast cancer continues its grim prevalence. In Asia, breast cancer maintains its position as the leading cause of both new cases and deaths from cancer. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research contributes substantially to the advancement of clinical treatment methodologies. This systematic review's objective was to consolidate the evidence concerning the health-related quality of life and associated factors in breast cancer patients located within low- and middle-income Asian nations.
A systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA standards, incorporated studies retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases, up to November 2020. Studies, rigorously screened and found to meet the pre-defined eligibility criteria, were extracted and evaluated for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
The systematic review encompassed 28 studies, chosen from a pool of 2620 retrieved from three databases, that met the specified criteria. Based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, breast cancer patients' Global Health Status (GHS) scores varied between 5632 2542 and 7248 1568. Scores on the FACT-G and FACT-B, measuring HRQoL, varied from 6078 1327 to 8223 1255 and 7029 1333 to 10848 1982, respectively. The determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in breast cancer patients included factors such as age, level of education, income, marital status, lifestyle choices, tumor severity, treatment method, and the duration of treatment. HRQoL was consistently correlated with patient income, while other contributing factors displayed inconsistent results across various studies. In short, the health-related quality of life for breast cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) within Asia was low, and the contributing sociodemographic factors require more detailed investigation in subsequent studies.
Following a search encompassing 2620 studies across three databases, 28 were found to meet the selection criteria and were subsequently incorporated into the systematic review. The EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire's findings on Global Health Status (GHS) in breast cancer patients displayed a range spanning from 5632 2542 to 7248 1568. The range of HRQoL scores, as determined by the FACT-G and FACT-B instruments, demonstrated a dispersion from 6078 to 8223 with a standard deviation of 1327, and from 7029 to 10848 with a standard deviation of 1333 and 1982, respectively. Factors influencing the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients diagnosed with breast cancer were diverse and included age, educational attainment, income levels, marital status, lifestyle choices, tumor stage, the chosen treatment method, and the overall duration of treatment. The impact of patient income on HRQoL was consistently positive, yet other influential elements yielded inconsistent conclusions across various studies. In summary, breast cancer patients' quality of life in low- and middle-income Asian countries exhibited a deficiency, subject to multiple sociodemographic determinants that should be the focus of enhanced future research.

COVID-19's impact on the hospitality and tourism sector has been profound, with technology and contactless interactions becoming integral parts of the new landscape. Although a growing number of service companies are integrating robots into their operations, past efforts and implementations have frequently yielded disappointing results. Previous explorations imply that socio-economic conditions are potentially relevant in the successful use of these contemporary technologies. Yet, these studies omit the contributions of profile factors and presume a uniform response to robotic integration in service operations throughout the pandemic period. Through the framework of the diffusion of innovation theory and a study involving 525 participants, this research explores the divergent attitudes, involvement levels, and optimistic outlook of customers toward service robots in five key hotel service areas (front desk, concierge, housekeeping, room service, and food and beverage), further broken down by five defining participant profiles (age, gender, income, education, and trip purpose). Analysis using MANOVA reveals substantial differences across all variables tied to demographic characteristics; namely, male, younger, more educated, higher-income, and leisure travelers show increased positive attitudes, greater involvement, higher optimism, and a stronger intention to utilize service robots in various hotel departments. In particular, the average scores for the human-centric areas of hotel operations were demonstrably lower. Hotel service robot usage comfort and optimism levels sorted participants into clusters. In light of the service industry's rapid advancements and the widespread integration of service robots, this paper significantly contributes to the scholarly exploration of service robots by examining how guest characteristics shape their responses to these automated assistants.

The global health problem of parasitic infections is especially acute in less developed countries. An investigation of intestinal parasites in northern Iran emphasizes molecular identification of Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis) and Trichostrongylus spp. through analysis of mitochondrial COX1 and ITS2 gene sequences. In the northern Iranian city of Sari, 540 stool samples were acquired from medical diagnostic labs affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.