Correlation between seminal plasma biochemical markers and semen parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia: identification of biomarkers for L-carnitine therapy.

Background: L-carnitine therapy for idiopathic sperm abnormalities exhibits variable effectiveness, and currently, there are no established criteria to predict patient response. This study investigated correlations between seminal plasma markers and semen parameters to identify biomarkers that can guide indications for L-carnitine therapy indications in patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 223 male patients with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia, who sought medical attention at our clinic between January 2020 and October 2022. These patients underwent a pretreatment seminal plasma biochemical analysis, followed by a three-month continuous L-carnitine treatment. The correlation between seminal plasma biochemical parameters and pretreatment semen parameters was analyzed. Semen quality was compared between cases with normal and abnormal seminal plasma biochemical parameters, both pretreatment and posttreatment. The correlation between the changes in semen parameters after treatment and seminal plasma biochemical parameters were investigated. Results: Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between all pretreatment semen parameters and seminal plasma biochemical markers, except for liquefying time and the ratio of normal morphology. Subgroup analysis, stratified by seminal fructose, zinc, citric acid, and neutral glycosidase levels, demonstrated that abnormal groups exhibited significantly different levels of semen parameters compared with the normal groups. The changing difference and changing ratio in the ratio of forward motile sperm showed a negative correlation with seminal fructose levels (r=-0.165 and -0.144). The changing difference in semen volume was negatively correlated with the level of seminal neutral glycosidase (r=-0.158). The changing ratio in semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and count of forward motile sperm all exhibited negative correlations with the levels of seminal neutral glycosidase (range from -0.178 to -0.224). Conclusion: Seminal plasma biochemical markers, particularly fructose and neutral glycosidase, may serve as valuable indicators for determining the eligibility of patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities for L-carnitine therapy.

Ultra-Large Compressive Plasticity of E-Ga2 O3 Thin Films at the Submicron Scale.

Gallium oxide (Ga2 O3 ) usually fractures in the brittle form, and achieving large plastic deformability to avoid catastrophic failure is in high demand. Here, ε-Ga2 O3 thin films with columnar crystals and partial unoccupied Ga sites are synthesized, and it is demonstrated that the ε-Ga2 O3 at the submicron scale can be compressed to an ultra-large plastic strain of 48.5% without cracking. The compressive behavior and related mechanisms are investigated by in situ transmission electron microscope nanomechanical testing combined with atomic-resolution characterizations. The serrated plastic flow and large strain burst are two major deformation forms of ε-Ga2 O3 during compression, which are attributed to the dislocation nucleation and avalanches, formation of new grains, and amorphization. The ultra-large compressive plasticity of ε-Ga2 O3 thin films at the submicron scale can inspire new applications of Ga2 O3 in micro- or nano- electronic and optoelectronic devices, especially those that require impact resistance during processing or service.

High detectivity solar blind photodetector based on mechanical exfoliated hexagonal boron nitride films.

As an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has drawn great attention in solar-blind photodetection owing to its wide bandgap and high thermal conductivity. In this work, a metal-semiconductor-metal structural two-dimensional h-BN photodetector was fabricated by using mechanically exfoliated h-BN flakes. The device achieved an ultra-low dark current (16.4 fA), high rejection ratio (R205nm/R280nm= 235) and high detectivity up to 1.28 × 1011Jones at room temperature. Moreover, due to the wide bandgap and high thermal conductivity, the h-BN photodetector showed good thermal stability up to 300 °C, which is hard to realize for common semiconductor materials. The high detectivity and thermal stability of h-BN photodetector in this work showed the potential applications of h-BN photodetectors working in solar-blind region at high temperature.

Enhanced Electromagnetic Shielding and Thermal Conductive Properties of Polyolefin Composites with a Ti3C2Tx MXene/Graphene Framework Connected by a Hydrogen-Bonded Interface.

The rapid increase of operation speed, transmission efficiency, and power density of miniaturized devices leads to a rising demand for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and thermal management materials in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, it is essential to improve both the EMI shielding and thermal conductive properties of commonly used polyolefin components (such as polyethylene (PE)) in electronic systems. Currently, melt compounding is the most common method to fabricate polyolefin composites, but the difficulty of filler dispersion and high resistance at the filler/filler or filler/matrix interface limits their properties. Here, a fold fabrication strategy was proposed to prepare PE composites by incorporation of a well-aligned, seamless graphene framework premodified with MXene nanosheets into the matrix. We demonstrate that the physical properties of the composites can be further improved at the same filler loading by nanoscale interface engineering: the formation of hydrogen bonds at the graphene/MXene interface and the development of a seamlessly interconnected graphene framework. The obtained PE composites exhibit an EMI shielding property of ∼61.0 dB and a thermal conductivity of 9.26 W m-1 K-1 at a low filler content (∼3 wt %, including ∼0.4 wt % MXene). Moreover, other thermoplastic composites with the same results can also be produced based on our method. Our study provides an idea toward rational design of the filler interface to prepare high-performance polymer composites for use in microelectronics and microsystems.

Optical Properties of Bulk Single-Crystal Diamonds at 80-1200 K by Vibrational Spectroscopic Methods.

Bulk diamonds show great potential for optical applications such as for use in infrared (IR) windows and temperature sensors. The development of optical-grade bulk diamond synthesis techniques has facilitated its extreme applications. Here, two kinds of bulk single-crystal diamonds, a high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) diamond and a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond, were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy at a range of temperatures from 80 to 1200 K. The results showed that there was no obvious difference between the HPHT diamond and the CVD diamond in terms of XRD and Raman spectroscopy at 300-1200 K. The measured nitrogen content was ~270 and ~0.89 ppm for the HPHT diamond and the CVD diamond, respectively. The moderate nitrogen impurities did not significantly affect the temperature dependence of Raman spectra for temperature-sensing applications. However, the nitrogen impurities greatly influence FTIR spectroscopy and optical transmittance. The CVD diamond showed higher transmittance, up to 71% with only a ~6% drop at temperatures as high as 873 K. This study shows that CVD bulk diamonds can be used for IR windows under harsh environments.

Whole-exome sequencing of a large Chinese azoospermia and severe oligospermia cohort identifies novel infertility causative variants and genes.

Rare coding variants have been proven to be one of the significant factors contributing to spermatogenic failure in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and severe oligospermia (SO). To delineate the molecular characteristics of idiopathic NOA and SO, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 314 unrelated patients of Chinese Han origin and verified our findings by comparing to 400 fertile controls. We detected six pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and four variants of unknown significance, in genes known to cause NOA/SO, and 9 of which had not been earlier reported. Additionally, we identified 20 novel NOA candidate genes affecting 25 patients. Among them, five (BRDT, CHD5, MCM9, MLH3 and ZFX) were considered as strong candidates based on the evidence obtained from murine functional studies and human single-cell (sc)RNA-sequencing data. These genetic findings provide insight into the aetiology of human NOA/SO and pave the way for further functional analysis and molecular diagnosis of male infertility.

A Diamond Temperature Sensor Based on the Energy Level Shift of Nitrogen-Vacancy Color Centers.

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond has been widely investigated in quantum information and quantum biosensors due to its excellent photon emission stability and long spin coherence time. However, the temperature dependence of the energy level of NV color centers in diamond is different from other semiconductors with the same diamond cubic structure for the high Debye temperature and very small thermal expansion coefficient of diamond. In this work, a diamond sensor for temperature measurement with high precision was fabricated based on the investigation of the energy level shifts of NV centers by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The results show that the intensity and linewidth of the zero-phonon line of NV centers highly depend on the environmental temperature, and the energy level shifts of NV centers in diamond follow the modified Varshni model very well, a model which is better than the traditional version. Accordingly, the NV color center shows the ability in temperature measurement with a high accuracy of up to 98%. The high dependence of NV centers on environmental temperature shows the possibility of temperature monitoring of NV center-based quantum sensors in biosystems.

Single-Step Formation of Ni Nanoparticle-Modified Graphene-Diamond Hybrid Electrodes for Electrochemical Glucose Detection.

The development of accurate, reliable devices for glucose detection has drawn much attention from the scientific community over the past few years. Here, we report a single-step method to fabricate Ni nanoparticle-modified graphene-diamond hybrid electrodes via a catalytic thermal treatment, by which the graphene layers are directly grown on the diamond surface using Ni thin film as a catalyst, meanwhile, Ni nanoparticles are formed in situ on the graphene surface due to dewetting behavior. The good interface between the Ni nanoparticles and the graphene guarantees efficient charge transfer during electrochemical detection. The fabricated electrodes exhibit good glucose sensing performance with a low detection limit of 2 µM and a linear detection range between 2 µM-1 mM. In addition, this sensor shows great selectivity, suggesting potential applications for sensitive and accurate monitoring of glucose in human blood.

Modeling and Analysis of Single Point Incremental Forming Force with Static Pressure Support and Ultrasonic Vibration.

In order to solve the problem of low accuracy caused by instability and springback during the single point incremental forming (SPIF) process, static pressure support (SPS) and ultrasonic vibration (UV) are introduced into the technology for auxiliary forming. In order to qualitatively and quantitatively study the mechanism of static pressure support-ultrasonic vibration-single point incremental forming (SPS-UV-SPIF) force, a typical truncated cone is used as the research object. The working principle and motion rules of the technology are analyzed. The sheet micro-element of the sidewall area is taken as an analysis object. The spatial stress balance equation of the sheet is constructed. The various stresses are integrated and calculated. The forces in each area of the sheet are analyzed and modeled. Finally, an analytical model for SPS-UV-SPIF force is established. The influence law of the static pressure parameter and the vibration parameter on the forming force is obtained. The corresponding SPS system and UV system are designed. The Kistler forming force test system is built. The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis results, which verifies the correctness of the analytical model.

Electrochemical Enantiomer Recognition Based on sp³-to-sp² Converted Regenerative Graphene/Diamond Electrode.

It is of great significance to distinguish enantiomers due to their different, even completely opposite biological, physiological and pharmacological activities compared to those with different stereochemistry. A sp³-to-sp² converted highly stable and regenerative graphene/diamond electrode (G/D) was proposed as an enantiomer recognition platform after a simple ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) drop casting process. The proposed enantiomer recognition sensor has been successfully used for d and l-phenylalanine recognition. In addition, the G/D electrode can be simply regenerated by half-minute sonication due to the strong interfacial bonding between graphene and diamond. Therefore, the proposed G/D electrode showed significant potential as a reusable sensing platform for enantiomer recognition.

Eg5 orchestrates porcine oocyte maturational progression by maintaining meiotic organelle arrangement.

BACKGROUND: Kinesin superfamily proteins are microtubule-based molecular motors essential for the intracellular transport of various cargos, including organelles, proteins, and RNAs. However, their exact roles during mammalian oocyte meiosis have not been fully clarified. RESULTS: Herein, we investigated the critical events during porcine oocyte meiotic maturation with the treatment of Eg5-specific inhibitor monastrol. We found that Eg5 inhibition resulted in oocyte meiotic failure by displaying the poor expansion of cumulus cells and reduced rate of polar body extrusion. In the meantime, the spindle assembly and chromosome alignment were compromised, accompanied by the decreased level of acetylated α-tubulin, indicative of less stable microtubules. Impaired actin dynamics and mitochondria integrity were also observed in Eg5-inhibited oocytes. Additionally, inhibition of Eg5 caused the abnormal distribution of cortical granules and ovastacin, a cortical granule component, potentially leading to the fertilization failure. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that Eg5 possesses an important function in porcine oocyte meiotic progression by regulating the organelle dynamics and arrangement.

Highly stable and regenerative graphene-diamond hybrid electrochemical biosensor for fouling target dopamine detection.

Graphene is widely recognized as a promising nanomaterial for the construction of high-performance electrochemical biosensors. However, the lack of strong interfacial forces between graphene and conductive substrates is a bottleneck in the fabrication of highly stable graphene electrodes. In this work, few-layer graphene was directly formed on a high pressure high temperature (HPHT) diamond substrate via sp3-to-sp2 conversion by catalytic thermal treatment and using diamond itself as the carbon source. The hybrid electrode prototype was also highly conductive and had a linear electrochemical response to dopamine in the concentration range of 5 µM - 2 mM, with a low detection limit of 200 nM. After prolonged and repeated exposure to dopamine, electrode fouling was observed which led to sensitivity degradation. Based on the strong interfacial bonding between graphene and HPHT diamond, regeneration of the fouled electrode and full performance recovery would be easily achieved by ultrasonic cleaning. The hybrid electrode is highly robust, and shows potential in its application to the detection of biofouling molecules, food processing and wastewater treatment.

Label-Free Electrochemical Detection of Vanillin through Low-Defect Graphene Electrodes Modified with Au Nanoparticles.

Graphene is an excellent modifier for the surface modification of electrochemical electrodes due to its exceptional physical properties and, for the development of graphene-based chemical and biosensors, is usually coated on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) via drop casting. However, the ease of aggregation and high defect content of reduced graphene oxides degrade the electrical properties. Here, we fabricated low-defect graphene electrodes by catalytically thermal treatment of HPHT diamond substrate, followed by the electrodeposition of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with an average size of ≈60 nm on the electrode surface using cyclic voltammetry. The Au nanoparticle-decorated graphene electrodes show a wide linear response range to vanillin from 0.2 to 40 µM with a low limit of detection of 10 nM. This work demonstrates the potential applications of graphene-based hybrid electrodes for highly sensitive chemical detection.

Yiqixue buganshen recipe regulates the expression of integrin ανß3 in the endometrium of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation mice.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Yiqixue Buganshen recipe(, YBR) on the expression of integrin ανß3 in the endometrium of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation mice. METHODS: A total of 180 mice were divided into three groups: model group, treatment group and control group. The treatment and model groups were intraperitoneally injected with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue for 7 days; pregnant mare serum gonadotropin was also injected on the 7th day. After 48 h, human chorionic gonadotropin was injected. The control group was injected with an equal volume of saline at the same time. From the start of the experiment, the treatment group was intragastrically administered Jinghouzengzhi Recipe() and Cuhuangti Recipe(). The model group and the control group were intragastrically administered an equal volume of saline. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of integrin ανß3 in mouse endometrium. RESULTS: Integrin ανß3 was expressed in mouse endometrium in all groups. Integrin αßß3 expression increased gradually along with pregnancy, progressing from pregnant day (Pd) 1. Integrin ανß3 expression significantly increased on Pd 4, then began to decrease on Pd 6. Integrin ανß3 expression in the treatment group was higher than in the model group, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). The difference between the treatment group and the control group was not statistically significant (P >0.05). CONCLUSION: YBR improves endometrial receptivity, and may play an important role in embryonic implantation.

New dimensions in the quantitative classification of mental illness.

CONTEXT: Patterns of comorbidity among mental disorders are thought to reflect the natural organization of mental illness. Factor analysis can be used to investigate this structure and construct a quantitative classification system. Prior studies identified 3 dimensions of psychopathology: internalizing, externalizing, and thought disorder. However, research has largely relied on common disorders and community samples. Consequently, it is unclear how well the identified organization applies to patients and how other major disorders fit into it. OBJECTIVE: To analyze comorbidity among a wide range of Axis I disorders and personality disorders (PDs) in the general outpatient population. DESIGN: Clinical cohort study. SETTING: A general outpatient practice, the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project. PARTICIPANTS: Outpatients (N = 2900) seeking psychiatric treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality. RESULTS: We tested several alternative groupings of the 25 target disorders. The DSM-IV organization fit the data poorly. The best-fitting model consisted of 5 factors: internalizing (anxiety and eating disorders, major depressive episode, and cluster C, borderline, and paranoid PDs), externalizing (substance use disorders and antisocial PD), thought disorder (psychosis, mania, and cluster A PDs), somatoform (somatoform disorders), and antagonism (cluster B and paranoid PDs). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the validity of the 3 previously found spectra in an outpatient population. We also found novel somatoform and antagonism dimensions, which this investigation was able to detect because, to our knowledge, this is the first study to include a variety of somatoform and personality disorders. The findings suggest that many PDs can be placed in Axis I with related clinical disorders. They also suggest that unipolar depression may be better placed with anxiety disorders than with bipolar disorders. The emerging quantitative nosology promises to provide a more useful guide to clinicians and researchers.

[Comparison of myogenic differentiation ability of adipose-derived stem cells from different sites in rabbit].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the myogenic differentiation ability in vitro of rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (ADCSs) from different sites so as to provide ideal seed cells for repair and reconstruction of urinary tract. METHODS: Adipose tissues were obtained from the nape of the neck, post peritoneum, and vicinity of epididymis of a 4-month-old male New Zealand rabbit and ADSCs were harvested through collagenase digestion. ADSCs were purified by differential attachment method. The protein marker CD44 of rabbit ADSCs was used to identify the stem cells by immunocytochemistry, then the 5th generation of ADSCs were induced to differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, and myogenic cells. Multi-differentiation was confirmed by Oil red O staining, von Kossa staining, and RT-PCR. Myogenic differentiation abilities of ADSCs from 3 different sites were compared between the control group (L-DMEM medium containing 10%FBS) and the experimental group (myogenic medium) by RT-PCR method. RESULTS: ADSCs could be easily isolated from adipose tissues of the nape of the neck, post peritoneum, and vicinity of epididymis. ADSCs displayed a typical cobblestone morphology. Brown particles could be seen in ADSCs by CD44 immunocytochemistry staining. Oil red O staining showed red fat drops in ADSCs after 14 days of adipogenic culture. Black matrix could be seen in ADSCs by von Kossa staining after 28 days of osteogenic culture. RT-PCR detection showed moderate alpha-actin expression in the control group and strong alpha-actin expression in the experimental group after 42 days of myogenic culture. The growth rate of alpha-actin from the adipose tissue of post peritoneum (28.622% +/- 4.879%) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those from the adipose tissues of the nape of the neck (35.471% +/- 3.434%) and vicinity of epididymis (38.446% +/- 4.852%). CONCLUSION: The ADSCs from different sites show different myogenic differentiation abilities in vitro. ADSCs from the adipose tissues of the nape of the neck and vicinity of epididymis can be used as ideal seed cells for tissue engineering of lower urinary tract.