Testosterone Supplementation Promotes Estrogen Synthesis of Buffalo Cumulus Cells Surrounding In Vitro-Matured Oocytes.

Cumulus cells (CCs) synthesize estrogens that are essential for follicular development. However, the effects of androgen on estrogen production in buffalo CCs remain unknown. In the present study, the impacts of testosterone on estrogen synthesis of buffalo CCs surrounding in vitro-matured oocytes were investigated. The results showed that testosterone supplementation improved both the expression levels of estrogen synthesis-related genes (CYP11A1, CYP19A1, and 17ß-HSD) and the secretion levels of estradiol in buffalo CCs surrounding in vitro-matured oocytes. Furthermore, testosterone treatment enhanced the sensitivity of buffalo CCs surrounding in vitro-matured oocytes to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This study indicated that testosterone supplementation promoted the estrogen synthesis of buffalo CCs surrounding in vitro-matured oocytes mainly through strengthening the responsiveness of CCs to FSH. The present study serves as a foundation of acquiring high-quality recipient oocytes for buffalo somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Testosterone supplementation improves estrogen synthesis of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) granulosa cells.

Granulosa cells (GCs) synthesize estrogens needed for follicular growth. However, the effects of androgen on estrogen production in buffalo GCs remain unclear. In this study, the impacts of testosterone on estrogen synthesis in buffalo GCs were examined. The results showed that testosterone that was added to cell medium at a concentration of 10-7 mol/L and applied to GCs for 48 or 72 h enhanced the estrogen synthesis of buffalo GCs. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of ovarian endocrine mechanism for steroidogenesis.

Elucidating the Active Site and the Role of Alkali Metals in Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Phenols over Iron-Carbide-based Catalyst.

Iron-carbide-based catalysts have been explored in the selective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenol, aiming at elucidating the role of active site and alkali metal. Complementary characterization such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy, together with catalytic evaluations revealed a rapid structural reconstruction of iron carbide (Fe3 C) catalysts, leading to a stable defective graphene-covered metallic Fe active phase (G@Fe) under reaction conditions. Further studies using different alkali metals (i. e., Na, K, and Cs) revealed that alkali metals showed negligible effect on the phase transformation of Fe3 C. However, the reconstructed G@Fe doped with alkali metals inhibited the tautomerization, a facile reaction pathway to saturation of the aromatic ring, leading to enhanced selectivity to arene. The extent of inhibition of tautomerization or selectivity to arene was closely related to the degree of electron donation of alkali metal to Fe.

Tantalum clusters supported on silica-alumina: influence of support composition and chemistry on cluster structure.

Small cationic tantalum clusters were prepared on the surfaces of SiO2, silica-aluminas, and gamma-Al2O3 supports by treating physisorbed pentabenzyltantalum at 523 K for 24 h in flowing H2. The rate of decomposition and the products formed in the decomposition of pentabenzyltantalum are dependent on the support composition. When the support was SiO2, the evolved products were mainly biphenyl and a small amount of toluene, indicating that the Ta-C bond in pentabenzyltantalum was activated. As the alumina content of the support increased, diphenylmethane, benzene, and ethylene were increasingly formed, and these products show that the activation of the C-C bonds linking the C atoms of methyl groups to the aromatic rings of the benzyl ligands was facilitated. Infrared spectra of the surface species and mass spectra of the effluents formed during the treatment show that the composition of the support had significant influence on the decomposition of pentabenzyltantalum, and the chemistry is inferred to be related to the electron-donor properties of the supports. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra recorded at the Ta LIII edge indicate the formation of clusters with a Ta-Ta first-shell coordination number of approximately 3, and images obtained by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) confirm the presence of such small clusters. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) data indicate that the formal oxidation state of the tantalum in the clusters decreased from approximately 3.0 to approximately 2.6 as the support was changed from SiO2 to silica-aluminas to gamma-Al2O3. The data suggest that the tantalum clusters were anchored to the supports via bridging O atoms. The EXAFS data show that the support composition had little influence on the cluster structure.