Two duplicated gsdf homeologs cooperatively regulate male differentiation by inhibiting cyp19a1a transcription in a hexaploid fish.

Although evolutionary fates and expression patterns of duplicated genes have been extensively investigated, how duplicated genes co-regulate a biological process in polyploids remains largely unknown. Here, we identified two gsdf (gonadal somatic cell-derived factor) homeologous genes (gsdf-A and gsdf-B) in hexaploid gibel carp (Carassius gibelio), wherein each homeolog contained three highly conserved alleles. Interestingly, gsdf-A and gsdf-B transcription were mainly activated by dmrt1-A (dsx- and mab-3-related transcription factor 1) and dmrt1-B, respectively. Loss of either gsdf-A or gsdf-B alone resulted in partial male-to-female sex reversal and loss of both caused complete sex reversal, which could be rescued by a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor. Compensatory expression of gsdf-A and gsdf-B was observed in gsdf-B and gsdf-A mutants, respectively. Subsequently, we determined that in tissue culture cells, Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B both interacted with Ncoa5 (nuclear receptor coactivator 5) and blocked Ncoa5 interaction with Rora (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) to repress Rora/Ncoa5-induced activation of cyp19a1a (cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1a). These findings illustrate that Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B can regulate male differentiation by inhibiting cyp19a1a transcription in hexaploid gibel carp and also reveal that Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B can interact with Ncoa5 to suppress cyp19a1a transcription in vitro. This study provides a typical case of cooperative mechanism of duplicated genes in polyploids and also sheds light on the conserved evolution of sex differentiation.

Vertebral bone quality score was associated with paraspinal muscles fat infiltration, but not modic classification in patients with chronic low back pain: a prospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The lumbar vertebra and paraspinal muscles play an important role in maintaining the stability of the lumbar spine. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between paraspinal muscles fat infiltration and vertebral body related changes [vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score and Modic changes (MCs)] in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: Patients with CLBP were prospectively collected in four hospitals and all patients underwent 3.0T magnetic resonance scanning. Basic clinical information was collected, including age, sex, course of disease (COD), and body mass index (BMI). MCs were divided into 3 types based on their signal intensity on T1 and T2-weighted imaging. VBQ was obtained by midsagittal T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and calculated using the formula: SIL1-4/SICSF. The Proton density fat fraction (PDFF) values and cross-sectional area (CSA) of paraspinal muscles were measured on the fat fraction map from the iterative decomposition of water and fat with the echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation quantitation (IDEAL-IQ) sequences and in/out phase images at the central level of the L4/5 and L5/S1 discs. RESULTS: This study included 476 patients with CLBP, including 189 males and 287 females. 69% had no Modic changes and 31% had Modic changes. There was no difference in CSA and PDFF for multifidus(MF) and erector spinae (ES) at both levels between Modic type I and type II, all P values>0.05. Spearman correlation analysis showed that VBQ was weakly negatively correlated with paraspinal muscles CSA (all r values < 0.3 and all p values < 0.05), moderately positive correlation with PDFF of MF at L4/5 level (r values = 0.304, p values<0.001) and weakly positively correlated with PDFF of other muscles (all r values<0.3 and all p values<0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that age (ß = 0.141, p < 0.001), gender (ß = 4.285, p < 0.001) and VBQ (ß = 1.310, p = 0.001) were related to the total PDFF of muscles. For MCs, binary logistic regression showed that the odds ratio values of age, BMI and COD were 1.092, 1.082 and 1.004, respectively (all p values ＜ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PDFF of paraspinal muscles was not associated with Modic classification. In addition to age and gender, PDFF of paraspinal muscles is also affected by VBQ. Age and BMI are considered risk factors for the MCs in CLBP patients.

Genomic anatomy of male-specific microchromosomes in a gynogenetic fish.

Unisexual taxa are commonly considered short-lived as the absence of meiotic recombination is supposed to accumulate deleterious mutations and hinder the creation of genetic diversity. However, the gynogenetic gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) with high genetic diversity and wide ecological distribution has outlived its predicted extinction time of a strict unisexual reproduction population. Unlike other unisexual vertebrates, males associated with supernumerary microchromosomes have been observed in gibel carp, which provides a unique system to explore the rationales underlying male occurrence in unisexual lineage and evolution of unisexual reproduction. Here, we identified a massively expanded satellite DNA cluster on microchromosomes of hexaploid gibel carp via comparing with the ancestral tetraploid crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Based on the satellite cluster, we developed a method for single chromosomal fluorescence microdissection and isolated three male-specific microchromosomes in a male metaphase cell. Genomic anatomy revealed that these male-specific microchromosomes contained homologous sequences of autosomes and abundant repetitive elements. Significantly, several potential male-specific genes with transcriptional activity were identified, among which four and five genes displayed male-specific and male-biased expression in gonads, respectively, during the developmental period of sex determination. Therefore, the male-specific microchromosomes resembling common features of sex chromosomes may be the main driving force for male occurrence in gynogenetic gibel carp, which sheds new light on the evolution of unisexual reproduction.

Comparing the effects of team-based and problem-based learning strategies in medical education: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Recently, there has been a concerted effort within medical schools to depart from conventional lecture-based learning approaches to alternative teaching methods such as team-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL), with the aim of enhancing both student engagement and instructional efficacy. Despite this shift, a comprehensive review that directly compares the impacts of PBL and TBL methods in medical education is lacking. This study seeks to address this gap by conducting a meta-analysis that compares the effects of TBL and PBL in the context of medical education. METHODS: Studies from Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Wanfang Database were searched, from inception to July 11, 2023. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata 14.0, and a total of 10 studies (including 752 participants) were included. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to estimate pooled effects. Heterogeneity was detected using the I2 statistic and further explored using meta-regression analysis. RESULTS: Compared with PBL, TBL significantly increased the number of theoretical tests (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.02-0.73). Additionally, TBL greatly improved teamwork skills compared with PBL. However, there were no significant differences between the TBL and PBL groups concerning practical skill scores, learning interest, or understanding skills. CONCLUSION: TBL in the theoretical aspects of medical education appears to be more effective than PBL in improving theoretical test scores and teamwork skills, providing evidence for the implementation of TBL in medical education.

Gonadal transcriptomes reveal sex-biased expression genes associated with sex determination and differentiation in red-tail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides).

BACKGROUND: Red-tail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides) is an important commercially farmed catfish in southern China. Males of red-tail catfish grow faster than females, suggesting that all-male catfish will produce more significant economic benefits in aquaculture practice. However, little research has been reported on sex determination and gonadal development in red-tail catfish. RESULTS: In this study, we performed the first transcriptomic analysis of male and female gonads at four developmental stages at 10, 18, 30, and 48 days post hatching (dph) using RNA-seq technology. A total of 23,588 genes were screened in 24 sequenced samples, of which 28, 213, 636, and 1381 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at four developmental stages, respectively. Seven candidate genes of sex determination and differentiation were further identified. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) further confirmed that anti-Mullerian hormone (amh), growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a), testis-specific gene antigen 10 (tsga10), and cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A (cyp17a) were highly expressed mainly in the male, while cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A polypeptide 1b (cyp19a1b), forkhead box L2 (foxl2), and hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 1 (hsd17b1) were highly expressed in the female. The KEGG pathway enrichment data showed that these identified DEGs were mainly involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis and TGF-ß signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Based on RNA-seq data of gonads at the early developmental stages, seven DEGs shared by the four developmental stages were identified, among which amh and gdf6a may be the male-biased expression genes, while foxl2, cyp19a1b and hsd17b1 may be the female-biased expression genes in red-tail catfish. Our study will provide crucial genetic information for the research on sex control in red-tail catfish, as well as for exploring the evolutionary processes of sex determination mechanisms in fish.

Changes in Ploidy Drive Reproduction Transition and Genomic Diversity in a Polyploid Fish Complex.

Unisexual animals are commonly found in some polyploid species complexes, and most of these species have had a long evolutionary history. However, their method for avoiding genomic decay remains unclear. The polyploid Carassius complex naturally comprises the sexual amphidiploid C. auratus (crucian carp or goldfish) (AABB) and the gynogenetic amphitriploid C. gibelio (gibel carp) (AAABBB). Recently, we developed a fertile synthetic amphitetraploid (AAAABBBB) male from C. gibelio by incorporating a C. auratus genome. In this study, we generated novel amphitriploids (AAABBB) by backcrossing the amphitetraploid male with the amphidiploid C. auratus. Whole-genome resequencing revealed the genomic changes, including recombination and independent assortment between homologs of C. gibelio and C. auratus. The fertility, sex determination system, oocyte development, and fertilization behaviors of the novel amphitriploids were investigated. Approximately 80% of the novel amphitriploid females recovered the unisexual gynogenesis ability. Intriguingly, two types of primary oocyte (with and without homolog synapsis) were discovered, and their distinct development fates were observed. Type I oocytes entered apoptosis due to improper synaptonemal complex assembly and incomplete double-strand break repair, whereas subsequent type II oocytes bypassed meiosis through an alternative ameiotic pathway to develop into mature eggs. Moreover, gynogenesis was stabilized in their offspring, and a new array of diverse gynogenetic amphitriploid clones was produced. These revealed genomic changes and detailed cytological data provide comprehensive evidence that changes in ploidy drive unisexual and sexual reproduction transition, thereby resulting in genomic diversity and allowing C. gibelio avoid genomic decay.

Anisotropic Black Phosphorene Structural Modulation for Thermal Storage and Solar-Thermal Conversion.

Exploiting novel strategies for simultaneously harvesting ubiquitous, renewable, and easily accessible solar energy based on the photothermal effect, and efficiently storing the acquired thermal energy plays a vital role in revolutionizing the current fossil fuel-dominating energy structure. Developing black phosphorene-based phase-change composites with optimized photothermal conversion efficiencyand high latent heat is the most promising way to achieve efficient solar energy harvesting and rapid thermal energy storage. However, exfoliating high-quality black phosphorene nanosheets  remains challenging, Furthermore, an efficient strategy that can construct the aligned black phosphorene frameworks to maximize thermal conductivity enhancement is still lacking. Herein, high-quality black phosphorene nanosheets are prepared by an optimized exfoliating strategy. Meanwhile, by regulating the temperature gradient during freeze-casting, the framework consisting of shipshape aligned black phosphorene at long-range is successfully fabricated, improving the thermal conductivity of the poly(ethylene glycol) matrix up to 1.81 W m-1  K-1 at 20 vol% black phosphorene loading. The framework also endows the composite with excellent phase-change material encapsulation capacity and  high latent heat of 103.91 J g-1 . It is envisioned that the work advances the paradigm of contrasting frameworks with nanosheets toward controllable structure thermal enhancement of the composites.

NONSTOP GLUMES1 Encodes a C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein That Regulates Spikelet Development in Rice.

The spikelet is an inflorescence structure unique to grasses. The molecular mechanisms underlying spikelet development and evolution are unclear. In this study, we characterized three allelic recessive mutants in rice (Oryza sativa): nonstop glumes 1-1 (nsg1-1), nsg1-2, and nsg1-3 In these mutants, organs such as the rudimentary glume, sterile lemma, palea, lodicule, and filament were elongated and/or widened, or transformed into lemma- and/or marginal region of the palea-like organs. NSG1 encoded a member of the C2H2 zinc finger protein family and was expressed mainly in the organ primordia of the spikelet. In the nsg1-1 mutant spikelet, LHS1 DL, and MFO1 were ectopically expressed in two or more organs, including the rudimentary glume, sterile lemma, palea, lodicule, and stamen, whereas G1 was downregulated in the rudimentary glume and sterile lemma. Furthermore, the NSG1 protein was able to bind to regulatory regions of LHS1 and then recruit the corepressor TOPLESS-RELATED PROTEIN to repress expression by downregulating histone acetylation levels of the chromatin. The results suggest that NSG1 plays a pivotal role in maintaining organ identities in the spikelet by repressing the expression of LHS1, DL, and MFO1.

Gene Structural Specificity and Expression of MADS-Box Gene Family in Camellia chekiangoleosa.

MADS-box genes encode transcription factors that affect plant growth and development. Camellia chekiangoleosa is an oil tree species with ornamental value, but there have been few molecular biological studies on the developmental regulation of this species. To explore their possible role in C. chekiangoleosa and lay a foundation for subsequent research, 89 MADS-box genes were identified across the whole genome of C. chekiangoleosa for the first time. These genes were present on all the chromosomes and were found to have expanded by tandem duplication and fragment duplication. Based on the results of a phylogenetic analysis, the 89 MADS-box genes could be divided into either type I (38) or type II (51). Both the number and proportion of the type II genes were significantly greater than those of Camellia sinensis and Arabidopsis thaliana, indicating that C. chekiangoleosa type II genes experienced a higher duplication rate or a lower loss rate. The results of both a sequence alignment and a conserved motif analysis suggest that the type II genes are more conserved, meaning that they may have originated and differentiated earlier than the type I genes did. At the same time, the presence of extra-long amino acid sequences may be an important feature of C. chekiangoleosa. Gene structure analysis revealed the number of introns of MADS-box genes: twenty-one type I genes had no introns, and 13 type I genes contained only 1~2 introns. The type II genes have far more introns and longer introns than the type I genes do. Some MIKCC genes have super large introns (≥15 kb), which are rare in other species. The super large introns of these MIKCC genes may indicate richer gene expression. Moreover, the results of a qPCR expression analysis of the roots, flowers, leaves and seeds of C. chekiangoleosa showed that the MADS-box genes were expressed in all those tissues. Overall, compared with that of the type I genes, the expression of the type II genes was significantly higher. The CchMADS31 and CchMADS58 genes (type II) were highly expressed specifically in the flowers, which may in turn regulate the size of the flower meristem and petals. CchMADS55 was expressed specifically in the seeds, which might affect seed development. This study provides additional information for the functional characterization of the MADS-box gene family and lays an important foundation for in-depth study of related genes, such as those involved in the development of the reproductive organs of C. chekiangoleosa.

GelMA Hydrogel as a Promising Delivery System for Osthole in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Targeting the miR-1224-3p/AGO1 Axis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifaceted, chronic, progressive autoimmune disease. This study aims to explore the potential benefits of an enhanced drug delivery system utilizing optimized Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA) vectors in RA management. We evaluated the levels of miR-1124-3p and AGO1 in RA tissues and cell lines using qPCR, WB, and immunofluorescence. The effects of osthole on inflammatory response and joint morphology were determined by qPCR, H&E staining, and micro-CT. The data showed that miR-1224-3p was downregulated in RA tissues and HUM-iCell-s010RA cells, while the overexpression of miR-1224-3p in HUM-iCell-s010RA cells reduced the expression of IL-6 and IL-1ß. Luciferase assay demonstrated that AGO1 was a direct target gene of miR-1224-3p. Additionally, osthole treatment increased miR-1224-3p levels and decreased AGO1 expression. The release data showed that osthole loaded on GelMA was released at a slower rate than free osthole. Further studies in a mouse model of CIA confirmed that osthole-loaded GelMA was more effective in attenuating osteopenia in RA as well as alleviating autoimmune arthritis. These findings suggest that osthole can regulate the miR-1224-3p/AGO1 axis in RASFs cells and has the potential to be developed as a clinical anti-RA drug. GelMA could provide a new approach to long-term RA treatment.

Functional Divergence of Multiple Duplicated Foxl2 Homeologs and Alleles in a Recurrent Polyploid Fish.

Evolutionary fates of duplicated genes have been widely investigated in many polyploid plants and animals, but research is scarce in recurrent polyploids. In this study, we focused on foxl2, a central player in ovary, and elaborated the functional divergence in gibel carp (Carassius gibelio), a recurrent auto-allo-hexaploid fish. First, we identified three divergent foxl2 homeologs (Cgfoxl2a-B, Cgfoxl2b-A, and Cgfoxl2b-B), each of them possessing three highly conserved alleles and revealed their biased retention/loss. Then, their abundant sexual dimorphism and biased expression were uncovered in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Significantly, granulosa cells and three subpopulations of thecal cells were distinguished by cellular localization of CgFoxl2a and CgFoxl2b, and the functional roles and the involved process were traced in folliculogenesis. Finally, we successfully edited multiple foxl2 homeologs and/or alleles by using CRISPR/Cas9. Cgfoxl2a-B deficiency led to ovary development arrest or complete sex reversal, whereas complete disruption of Cgfoxl2b-A and Cgfoxl2b-B resulted in the depletion of germ cells. Taken together, the detailed cellular localization and functional differences indicate that Cgfoxl2a and Cgfoxl2b have subfunctionalized and cooperated to regulate folliculogenesis and gonad differentiation, and Cgfoxl2b has evolved a new function in oogenesis. Therefore, the current study provides a typical case of homeolog/allele diversification, retention/loss, biased expression, and sub-/neofunctionalization in the evolution of duplicated genes driven by polyploidy and subsequent diploidization from the recurrent polyploid fish.

Do Polystyrene Nanoplastics Have Similar Effects on Duckweed (Lemna minor L.) at Environmentally Relevant and Observed-Effect Concentrations?

Although the biological effects of nanoplastics (<100 nm in size) in aquatic environments have been increasingly investigated, almost all such studies have been performed at observed-effect concentrations (higher than 1 µg/mL). The use of observed-effect concentrations of nanoplastics can provide essential data for evaluating the potential risks, but how these results apply to the effects of concentrations of nanoplastics observed in the environment remains unclear. Here, we show that exposure to both positively and negatively charged nanoplastics at the observed-effect concentration (ranging from 0 to 50 µg/mL) can result in physiological changes of Lemna minor L., a typical flowering aquatic plant species, inducing H2O2 and O2- accumulation and even cell death. However, the nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations (lower than 0.1 µg/mL) had no obvious effects on phenotype of L. minor. Moreover, nanoplastics at both observed-effect and environmentally relevant concentrations were adsorbed onto the roots and fronds of the plants, whereas uptake by the roots and fronds occurred only at the observed-effect concentration. Although no phenotypic changes across 30 generations of cultivation were observed when the plants were exposed to 0.015 µg/mL nanoplastics, the expression of genes related to the response to stimuli and to oxidative and osmotic stress was upregulated under both observed-effect and environmentally relevant concentrations. Our findings suggest that the long-term presence of nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations might induce some variations in the transcription level and have potential threat to floating microphytes and aquatic ecosystems.

The reduction reaction of carbon dioxide on a precise number of Fe atoms anchored on two-dimensional biphenylene.

In recent accomplishments, a new two-dimensional allotrope of carbon-biphenylene (BP) was experimentally synthesized [Fan et al., Science, 372, 852-856 (2021)]. The BP sheet is composed of four-, six-, and eight-membered carbon rings constructed using periodically arranged sp2-hybridized carbon atoms. Unlike semi-metallic graphene, BP is metallic with quite active atoms and chemical bonds, and the binding strength with reaction intermediates will be enhanced, which means that it may exhibit good catalytic activity in some electrochemical catalytic reactions. Using spin-polarized density functional theory based on first-principles simulations and ab initio molecular dynamic calculations, we systematically investigated the structure, thermodynamic stability, CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) activity and product selectivity of a precise number of Fen (n = 1-3) atoms embedded on a BP monolayer. The calculated results indicate that our designed Fe1@BP, Fe2@BP and Fe3@BP complexes possess good thermodynamic and electrochemical stabilities and strong absorption for CO2, which promotes the activation of CO2. Furthermore, the Fe2@BP catalyst possesses good catalytic ability for the CO2RR to CH3OH due to a small rate determining potential of -0.48 V. In addition, Fe2- and Fe3@BP catalysts demonstrate superior catalytic performance for the CO2RR to CH4 with low rate-limiting steps. More importantly, both the Fe2 and Fe3@BP catalysts can effectively suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) during the entire CO2RR process. The electronic structure analysis shows that the enhanced ability of Fe1-3@BP catalysts for effective CO2 reduction can be attributed to the establishment of strong hybridization between Fe-3d and O-2p or C-2p states, which is conducive to the transfer of strong electrons to the anti-bond orbital of CO2. This work provides an in-depth insight into the intrinsic catalytic mechanisms of the CO2RR on Fe1-3@BP catalysts, and highlights the excellent performance of the BP sheet as a substrate material for the polyatomic catalyst.

Cryotherapy on Subjective Sleep Quality, Muscle, and Inflammatory Response in Chinese Middle- and Long-Distance Runners After Muscle Damage.

ABSTRACT: Qu, C, Wu, Z, Xu, M, Lorenzo, S, Dong, Y, Wang, Z, Qin, F, and Zhao, J. Cryotherapy on subjective sleep quality, muscle, and inflammatory response in Chinese middle- and long-distance runners after muscle damage. J Strength Cond Res 36(10): 2883-2890, 2022-The purpose of this investigation was to explore the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI), contrast-water therapy (CWT), and whole-body cryotherapy (CRY) on subjective sleep quality, muscle damage markers, and inflammatory markers in middle- and long-distance runners after muscle damage. Twelve male runners from Beijing Sport University completed a muscle damage exercise protocol and were treated with different recovery methods (CWI, CWT, CRY, or control [CON]) immediately after exercise and at 24-, 48-, and 72-h postexercise. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire score, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, myoglobin (Mb) activity, interleukin-6 (IL-6) activity, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) activity were measured at 7 time points (preexercise; immediately postexercise; and at 1-, 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h postexercise). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores indicated that the CRY condition had improved sleep quality compared with the CON and CWI conditions (p < 0.05). In terms of LDH activity, the CRY and CWT conditions had improved recovery compared with the CON and CWI conditions (p < 0.05). In terms of Mb activity, the CRY condition exhibited improved recovery compared with that of the CON and CWI conditions (p < 0.05), and the CWT condition showed better recovery than that of the CON condition (p < 0.05). In terms of IL-6 activity, the CRY condition showed improved recovery compared with the CWI condition (p < 0.05). Finally, in terms of sICAM-1 activity, the CRY condition had enhanced recovery compared with the other 3 conditions (p < 0.05). The results from this study suggest that CRY improves subjective sleep quality and reduces muscle damage and inflammatory responses in middle- and long-distance runners. In addition, CWT reduced muscle damage and inflammatory responses, but its effects on the other parameters were inconclusive.

[Correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation index and high DNA stainability with teratospermia severity and the patient's age: A study of 1 393 infertile males].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of the severity of teratospermia and the age of the patient with sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS) in male infertility patients. METHODS: We collected semen samples from 1 393 infertile males from July to December 2021. Based on the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed), we performed sperm morphology analysis, examined perm DFI and HDS by flow cytometry, and analyzed the impacts of the severity of teratospermia and the age of the patients on sperm DFI and HDS. RESULTS: Among the 1 393 male infertility patients, 124 (8.90%) were found with extremely severe, 214 (15.36%) with severe, 235 (16.87%) with moderate, 163 (11.70%) with mild teratospermia, and 657 (47.16%) with morphologically normal sperm (MNS), with statistically significant differences in sperm DFI and HDS among the five groups, and 822 (59.00%) were aged <35 years, 306 (21.97%) 35－<40 years, 223 (16.01%) 40－<45 years and 42 (3.02%) ≥45 years, with statistically significant differences in sperm DFI and HDS among different age groups (P < 0.05). Sperm DFI and HDS were correlated negatively with the percentage of MNS (P > 0.05), but positively with the age of the patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increased severity of teratospermia and age of the patient can increase sperm DFI and HDS, and sperm nuclear chromatin integrity and maturity are important indicators of male fertility.

Identification, systematic evolution and expression analyses of the AAAP gene family in Capsicum annuum.

BACKGROUND: The amino acid/auxin permease (AAAP) family represents a class of proteins that transport amino acids across cell membranes. Members of this family are widely distributed in different organisms and participate in processes such as growth and development and the stress response in plants. However, a systematic comprehensive analysis of AAAP genes of the pepper (Capsicum annuum) genome has not been reported. RESULTS: In this study, we performed systematic bioinformatics analyses to identify AAAP family genes in the C. annuum 'Zunla-1' genome to determine gene number, distribution, structure, duplications and expression patterns in different tissues and stress. A total of 53 CaAAAP genes were identified in the 'Zunla-1' pepper genome and could be divided into eight subgroups. Significant differences in gene structure and protein conserved domains were observed among the subgroups. In addition to CaGAT1, CaATL4, and CaVAAT1, the remaining CaAAAP genes were unevenly distributed on 11 of 12 chromosomes. In total, 33.96% (18/53) of the CaAAAP genes were a result of duplication events, including three pairs of genes due to segmental duplication and 12 tandem duplication events. Analyses of evolutionary patterns showed that segmental duplication of AAAPs in pepper occurred before tandem duplication. The expression profiling of the CaAAAP by transcriptomic data analysis showed distinct expression patterns in various tissues and response to different stress treatment, which further suggest that the function of CaAAAP genes has been differentiated. CONCLUSIONS: This study of CaAAAP genes provides a theoretical basis for exploring the roles of AAAP family members in C. annuum.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals an association of gibel carp fatty liver with ferroptosis pathway.

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver has become a main problem that causes huge economic losses in many aquaculture modes. It is a common physiological or pathological phenomenon in aquaculture, but the causes and occurring mechanism are remaining enigmatic. METHODS: Each three liver samples from the control group of allogynogenetic gibel carp with normal liver and the overfeeding group with fatty liver were collected randomly for the detailed comparison of histological structure, lipid accumulation, transcriptomic profile, latent pathway identification analysis (LPIA), marker gene expression, and hepatocyte mitochondria analyses. RESULTS: Compared to normal liver, larger hepatocytes and more lipid accumulation were observed in fatty liver. Transcriptomic analysis between fatty liver and normal liver showed a totally different transcriptional trajectory. GO terms and KEGG pathways analyses revealed several enriched pathways in fatty liver, such as lipid biosynthesis, degradation accumulation, peroxidation, or metabolism and redox balance activities. LPIA identified an activated ferroptosis pathway in the fatty liver. qPCR analysis confirmed that gpx4, a negative regulator of ferroptosis, was significantly downregulated while the other three positively regulated marker genes, such as acsl4, tfr1 and gcl, were upregulated in fatty liver. Moreover, the hepatocytes of fatty liver had more condensed mitochondria and some of their outer membranes were almost ruptured. CONCLUSIONS: We reveal an association between ferroptosis and fish fatty liver for the first time, suggesting that ferroptosis might be activated in liver fatty. Therefore, the current study provides a clue for future studies on fish fatty liver problems.

Sperm donor lifestyle survey: modifiable risk factors for potential sperm donors.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between modifiable lifestyle factors and the main semen parameter values, the number of qualified sperm donors, and to provide some sensible guidance for sperm donors. METHODS: Healthy men screened as potential sperm donors were recruited in the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank of China from March 2019 to December 2019. Participants were invited to complete interviewer-assisted questionnaires on eleven items of information. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to analyze which lifestyle factors collected by the questionnaire had an impact on the eligibility and main semen parameters of sperm donors. RESULTS: The eligibility of men as sperm donors was strongly influenced by the duration of abstinence (P = 0.002). The rate of eligibility sperm donors increased significantly with the number of days of abstinence. In addition, semen volume increased with abstinence time (P = 0.000). Exercise frequency (P = 0.025) and abstinence time (P = 0.000) were positively correlated with sperm concentration, and masturbation frequency was negatively correlated with sperm concentration (P = 0.013). Progressive sperm motility was significantly affected by abstinence time (P = 0.000) and bedtime (P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Abstinence time was highly associated with semen parameters and donor qualification. Increase the abstinence time before donation may be meaningful in improving the proportion of eligible sperm donors.

Combination of mutagenesis and adaptive evolution to engineer salt-tolerant and aroma-producing yeast for soy sauce fermentation.

BACKGROUND: The moromi fermentation of high-salt liquid-state fermentation (HLF) soy sauce is usually performed in high-brine solution (17-20%, w/w), which decreases the metabolic activity of aroma-producing yeast. To enhance the soy sauce flavors, increasing the salt tolerance of aroma-producing yeasts is very important for HLF soy sauce fermentation. RESULTS: In the present study, atmospheric and room-temperature plasma (ARTP) was first used to mutate the aroma-producing yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus, and the salt tolerant strains were obtained by selection of synthetic medium with a sodium chloride concentration of 18% (w/w). Furthermore, adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) was used to improve the salt tolerance of the mutant strains. The results obtained indicated that the combination use of ARTP and ALE markedly increased the NaCl tolerance of the yeast by increasing the cellular accumulation of K+ and removal of cytosolic Na+ , in addition to promoting the production of glycerin and strengthening the integrity of the cell membrane and cell wall. In soy sauce fermentation, the engineered strains improved the physicochemical parameters of HLF soy sauce compared to those produced by the wild-type strain, and the engineered strains also increased the alcohol, acid and aldehyde production, and enriched the types of esters in the soy sauce. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicated that the combination of ARTP mutagenesis and ALE significantly improved the salt tolerance of the aroma-producing yeast, and also enhanced the production of volatiles of HLF soy sauce. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Mixed-Method Approach of Pre-Cooling Enhances High-Intensity Running Performance in the Heat.

We investigated whether single or combined methods of pre-cooling could affect high-intensity exercise performance in a hot environment. Seven male athletes were subjected to four experimental conditions for 30 min in a randomised order. The four experimental conditions were: 1) wearing a vest cooled to a temperature of 4 ℃ (Vest), 2) consuming a beverage cooled to a temperature of 4 ℃ (Beverage), 3) simultaneous usage of vest and consumption of beverage (Mix), and 4) the control trial without pre-cooling (CON). Following those experimental conditions, they exercised at a speed of 80% VO2max until exhaustion in the heat (38.1 ± 0.6 ℃, 55.3 ± 0.3% RH). Heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (Tcore), skin temperature (Tskin), sweat loss (SL), urine specific gravity (USG), levels of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), thermal sensation (TS), and levels of blood lactic acid ([Bla]) were monitored. Performance was improved using the mixed pre-cooling strategy (648.43 ± 77.53 s, p = 0.016) compared to CON (509.14 ± 54.57 s). Tcore after pre-cooling was not different (Mix: 37.01 ± 0.27 ℃, Vest: 37.19 ± 0.33 ℃, Beverage: 37.03 ± 0.35 ℃) in all cooling conditions compared to those of CON (37.31 ±0.29 ℃). A similar Tcore values was achieved at exhaustion in all trials (from 38.10 ℃ to 39.00 ℃). No difference in the level of USG was observed between the conditions. Our findings suggest that pre-cooling with a combination of cold vest usage and cold fluid intake can improve performance in the heat.