Meng Wang¹, Onkei Lei^1,2, Frankie U Kei Wong¹, Water Soi Po Wong¹, Walter Heung Chin Hui¹, Gasper Chi Hong Leong¹, Wenze Fang^1,3, Zhaowei Kong^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 363-378, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.060875 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Background: This study evaluated physical fitness and mental health in young and elderly women 3 months after mild COVID-19 infection, and examined the impact of infection and age on long COVID occurrence and trajectory. Methods: There were 213 eligible female volunteers (107 young, 106 elderly) recruited approximately three months after the significant outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Participants completed a fitness test and mental health assessment using the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-Assessment Scale (PTSD) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI). Results: Despite no significant difference in physical fitness, infected young and elderly females experienced poorer… More >

Jun Zhang^1,#,*, Li Wang^1,#, Shan Liu¹, Yurong Yang², Jingyi Fan³, Yijia Zhang¹

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 287-302, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.060064 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Background: Parents of children with autism are susceptible to parenting burnout due to tremendous parenting burden and parenting challenges. Parenting burnout has a detrimental effect on both children with autism and their parents. However, the underlying mechanisms that lead to parenting burnout remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parenting stress and parenting burnout, along with the serial mediation effect of social support and coping strategies in the context of families with autistic children. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 231 parents of autistic children in four autism facilities located in… More >

Wan Ying Gan^1,#,*, Wei-Leng Chin^2,3,#, Shih-Wei Huang^4,5, Serene En Hui Tung⁶, Ling Jun Lee¹, Wai Chuen Poon⁷, Yan Li Siaw⁸, Kerry S. O’Brien⁹, Iqbal Pramukti¹⁰, Kamolthip Ruckwongpatr¹¹, Jung-Sheng Chen¹², Mark D. Griffiths¹³, Chung-Ying Lin^{10,11,14,15,*}

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.3, pp. 319-331, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.060049 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Background: Weight-related self-stigma (WRSS) is prevalent among individuals with different types of weight status and is associated with a range of negative health outcomes. Social support and coping models explain how individuals may use different coping methods to deal with their mental health needs. Psychological distress (e.g., depression and stress) could lead to overuse of social media and smartphones. When using social media or smartphones, individuals are likely to be exposed to negative comments regarding weight/shape/size posted on the social media. Consequently, individuals who experience problematic social media use (PSMU) or problematic smartphone use (PSPU)… More >

Chen Lin^1,*, Zidan Zhang¹, Zhao Zhang¹, Yuxiang Long¹, Xuwen Shen¹, Jinghao Zhang¹, Youping Wang^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 583-601, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.063086 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) represent a large and diverse enzyme family ubiquitously distributed across the plant kingdom. These proteins catalyze the conjugation of glutathione (GSH) with electrophilic substrates in response to various stress conditions. Beyond their role in stress adaptation, certain GSTs are integral regulators of plant growth and development, contributing to a range of physiological processes. Most GST proteins exhibit dual enzymatic activities, functioning as both transferases and peroxidases, which enables their involvement in diverse cellular processes, including detoxification and stress responses. Recent advancements, particularly in X-ray crystallography, have enabled detailed structural analysis of GST More >

Chengyi Zou¹, Sara Zafar^2,*, Umbreen Bibi², Manzar Abbas³, Zuhair Hasnain^4,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 603-621, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062560 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Soil metal pollution is a global issue due to its toxic nature affecting ecosystems and human health. This has become a concern since metals are non-biodegradable and toxic. Most of the reclamation methods currently used for soils rely on the use of physical and chemical means, which tend to be very expensive and result in secondary environmental damage. However, microbe-aided phytoremediation is gaining attention as it is an eco-friendly, affordable, and technically advanced method to restore the ecosystem. It is essential to understand the complex interaction between plants and microbes. The primary function of plant… More > Graphic Abstract

Blanca Olivia Trejo-Paniagua¹, Nancy Ruiz-Lau^2,*, María Goretty Caamal-Chan³, Rosa Isela Cruz-Rodríguez¹, Anayancy Lam-Gutiérrez⁴, Víctor Manuel Ruíz-Valdiviezo¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 861-873, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062410 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Exogenous proline is an effective agent for increasing plant tolerance to abiotic stress in plants. In this study, we evaluated its effect on seedlings of Siete Caldos chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens), a semi-domesticated variety. The Capsicum genus is known for its sensitivity to water stress. We pretreated the seedlings’ roots by immersing them in proline solutions (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mM) for 48 h. Then, we exposed them to water stress using a Hoagland nutrient solution supplemented with 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG-8000) for nine days. We analyzed key physiological and biochemical parameters, including relative… More >

Zubair Ashraf¹, Yasar Sajjad^1,*, Sabaz Ali Khan¹, Gulzar Akhtar², Ahmed Mahmoud Ismail^3,4,*, Tarek A. Shalaby³, Bader Alsubaie⁵, Othman Al-Dossary⁵

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 987-1006, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062351 - 31 March 2025

Abstract The medicinal herb Geranium wallichianum belongs to the family Geraniaceae. The East Asian Himalayas are its primary habitat. Overexploitation and overharvesting pose a threat to this plant, given its extensive ethnomedical utilization in the community. In Pakistan, its population has already declined by over 75%. Given its critical medicinal importance, urgent conservation efforts are needed to prevent extinction. The aim of the current research was to determine the effectiveness of sucrose and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in decelerating the growth of this medicinally important species. Nodal segments were utilized as explant with varying levels of polyethylene glycol… More >

Rui Zhang¹, Le Ren¹, Zhihang Liu¹, Xinyue Gu¹, Shanshan Du¹, Xiao Chen¹, Bingran Xi¹, Bingnan Zhao^1,2, Chao Si^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 709-721, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.062281 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Plant invasion poses a serious environmental challenge to freshwater ecosystems. Heavy metal pollution and nutrient enrichment, particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), are two additional critical environmental issues known to influence the growth of invasive plants. Notably, the N/P ratio in the environments is often inconstant; however, whether these variations can cause differential responses in invasive plants remains underexplored, despite its crucial importance for understanding plant invasiveness. In this study, we examined the effects of different N/P ratios (4:1, 16:1, 32:1, 64:1) on the growth of a widespread invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides in cadmium (Cd) polluted… More >

Antonio Rodrigues da Cunha Neto¹, Alexandra dos Santos Ambrósio¹, Arlinda de Jesus Rodrigues Resende¹, Breno Régis Santos¹, Michele Carla Nadal^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 539-560, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.061776 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Cytokinins are plant hormones that are essential for plant growth and development and are involved in a variety of processes. They are synthesized by the modification of adenine with an isoprenoid chain, resulting in cytokinins such as isopentenyladenine and zeatin. The levels of these hormones are regulated by conjugation, degradation and oxidation processes that modulate their activity. Cytokinins are perceived by cells through specific receptors that, when activated, trigger signaling cascades responsible for regulating the expression of genes critical for development. In addition, cytokinins interact with other hormones, such as auxins, to coordinate plant growth… More >

Ting Li¹, Jun Xv¹, Defang Zhang^1,2,3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 911-927, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.061770 - 31 March 2025

Abstract The use of a stable reference gene is fundamental for achieving reliable quantitative qRT-PCR (qPCR) results. Developing and evaluating the stability of reference genes is necessary for studying the molecular mechanisms of M. transitoria in response to drought stress. In this study, 18 candidate reference genes were selected from transcriptome sequencing data of M. transitoria according to their FPKM values under different drought stress degrees. Cluster-23533.34641 was identified as the most stable reference gene for M. transitoria under drought stress based on qPCR results and combined analysis of Genorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Delta Ct algorithms. The reference genes More >