Flavobacterium potami sp. nov., a multi-metal resistance genes harbouring bacterium isolated from shallow river silt.

Environmental pollution by heavy metals is becoming an increasing problem and has become a matter of great concern due to the adverse effects worldwide. In this study, we report a novel strain of multi-metal resistant bacteria. A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, yellow, rod-shaped strain 17AT, was isolated from the shallow silt of Fuyang River located in Longdian town, Hengshui city, Hebei province, China. Strain 17AT grew at 20-35 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5-10 (optimum, pH 7) and 0-2% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1%). Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 17AT was closely related to members of the genus Flavobacterium, and had the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with 'Flavobacterium panacis' DCY106T (97.5%), followed by Flavobacterium johnsoniae subsp. johnsoniae UW101T (97.3%), Flavobacterium cutihirudinis E89T (97.2%), Flavobacterium limi THG-AG6.4T (97.2%), Flavobacterium hibisci THG-HG1.4T (97.2%) and Flavobacterium johnsoniae subsp. aurantiacum DSM 6792T (97.1%). The genome size of strain 17AT was 5.4 Mb and the DNA G + C content was 34.0%. The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity values among strain 17AT and reference strains were in the ranges of 79.8-86.1%, 24.1-31.4% and 80.5-88.6%, respectively, lower than the threshold values for species delineation. Strain 17AT contained iso-C15:0 and C16:0 3-OH as the predominant fatty acids (≥ 10%). The main isoprenoid quinone of strain 17AT was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids, two unidentified aminophospholipids and six unidentified lipids. Comparative genomics analysis between strain 17AT and its reference type strains revealed that there are a number of metal-resistant genes in strain 17AT, which are located in 15 gene clusters responsible for the copper homeostasis, cobalt-zinc-cadmium resistance, copper resistance, and arsenic/antimony resistance, with the copper resistance protein NlpE being unique to 17AT. Combined data from phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic studies demonstrated that strain 17AT is a representative of a novel species within the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium potami sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 17AT (= GDMCC 1.2723T = JCM 34833T).

A meta-analysis of mRNA expression profiling studies in sheep with different FecB genotypes.

The FecB mutation in the sheep BMPRIB is strongly correlated with high ovulation traits but its mechanism remains unclear. This study explored differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their associated molecular mechanisms that may be involved in FecB mutation-induced high ovulation from the perspective of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. The PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, WanFang, and CBM databases were searched for eligible articles published before August 2022, focusing on mRNA sequencing of different tissues in the HPG axis in sheep with different FecB genotypes. A total of 6555 DEGs were identified from the analysis of six published articles and experimental results from our laboratory. The DEGs were screened by vote-counting rank and robust rank aggregation. Among these, in the follicular phase, FKBP5, CDCA7 and CRABP1 were upregulated in the hypothalamus. INSM2 was upregulated, while LDB3 was downregulated in the pituitary. CLU, SERPINA14, PENK, INHA and STAR were upregulated, while FERMT2 and NPY1R were downregulated in the ovary. On the HPG axis, TAC1 was upregulated and NPNT was downregulated. Many DEGs were found in sheep with different FecB genotypes. The genes FKBP5, CDCA7, CRABP1, INSM2, LDB3, CLU, SERPINA14, PENK, INHA, STAR, FERMT2, NPY1R, TAC1 and NPNT, may be associated with FecB mutation-induced high ovulation in different tissues. These candidate genes will further improve the mechanism of multiple fertility traits induced by the FecB mutation from the perspective of the HPG axis.

Competitive adsorption and desorption of three antibiotics in distinct soil aggregate size fractions.

Multiple antibiotics that are used in veterinary medicine coexist in soils, but their interaction and the effects on adsorption and desorption in soils have not been extensively studied. In this study, using batch experiments, we evaluated the adsorption and desorption of sulfadiazine (SDZ), tetracycline (TC), and norfloxacin (NFX) using four different soil aggregate size fractions and discovered that: (1) TC had the highest adsorption (76-98 %) and the lowest desorption in each tested system, whereas SDZ showed opposite adsorption and desorption ability, (2) the highest adsorption and the lowest desorption of all three tested antibiotics were observed with soil macroaggregates (250-2000 µm) in all the cases; in contrast, opposite adsorption and desorption ability were observed for soil clay (<53 µm), and (3) adsorption of each antibiotic was in the following order: single system (71-89 %) > binary system (56-84 %) > ternary system (50-78 %); however, desorption were in the reverse order. The Freundlich equation fitting and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis further demonstrated that the adsorption competition between the tested antibiotics depended mainly on the specific surface area of each soil aggregate size fractions and its chemical properties. In conclusion, soil macroaggregates play a key role in the retention of antibiotics in soils, and the coexistence of multiple antibiotics greatly increases leaching risk.

Historical evolution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution in Chaihe Reservoir from 1863 to 2018.

Pollution from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) spreads and changes worldwide. The pollution evolution in the regional water environment evolves in response to multiple factors, requiring considerable attention. PAH heterogeneity in the sediment core from Chaihe Reservoir was investigated to indicate dynamic changes in PAH pollution levels and sources and propose recommendations for controlling PAHs. Dynamic PAH patterns showed that the overall decline in PAH pollution was in association with local anthropogenic activities, temperature, and precipitation over the period 1863-2018. Nevertheless, coal, oil, and natural gas consumptions still played significant roles in transferring PAHs to the reservoir. Meanwhile, there were dominant local origins, including grass, wood, and coal combustion. The results highlight that the joint action of natural and anthropogenic interventions mitigated PAH pollution in the reservoir. Promoting improved fuels, new energy vehicles, and cleaner energy may further lower PAH pollution.

Effects of forest age on soil erosion and nutrient loss in Dianchi watershed, China.

Soil erosion and nutrient loss are important environmental and ecological problems in the Dianchi watershed in southwestern China. Woodlands-the primary land type in the Dianchi watershed-play an important ecological role in controlling soil and water loss. In this study, we compared soil erosion and loss of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in woodlands of different ages, i.e., young forest, medium forest, and near-mature forest, at the Dongda River catchment in south-western Dianchi watershed. Furthermore, changes in stoichiometries in soil were analyzed. The average degree of erosion of each forest age stage was below moderate. Based on the non-arable soil erosion modulus models of 137Cs and 210Pbex, the soil erosion rates decreased gradually with the increasing forest age. The forest age affected soil nutrient distribution and loss. The losses of TOC and TP gradually decreased, while the losses of TN first increased and then decreased with the growth of forest age. TOC, TN, and TP were enriched in the topsoil. Forest age affected soil stoichiometry and soil nutrient supply level. In general, the forest can effectively reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss in the red soil area with the forest age increasing.

Recovery of microbial community in strongly alkaline bauxite residues after amending biomass residue.

The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of cornstalk biomass amendments on microbial communities in bauxite residues (BRs) by phylogenetic analysis. Improvements in soil geochemical, physical, and biological properties were assessed to identify the major factors controlling microbial community development in BRs. After one year of incubation, the salinity and structure of the amended BRs had gradually improved, with pH dropping from 11.39 to 9.89, the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) dropping from 86.3% to 35.2%, and the mean weight diameter (MWD) rising from 0.12 mm to 0.38 mm. Further analysis of community level physiological profiles (CLPP) showed that the microbial utilization of different carbohydrates had shifted significantly, in addition to increases in the diversity index H' (0.7-7.34), U (2.16-3.14), and the average well color development (0.059-1.08). Over the one-year outside incubation, the dominant fungal phyla in the BRs had shifted gradually from Ascomycota (85.64%) to Ascomycota (52.07%) and Basidiomycota (35.53%), while the dominant bacterial phyla had shifted from Actinobacteria (38.47%), Proteobacteria (21.39%), and Gemmatimonadetes (12.72%) to Actinobacteria (14.87%), Proteobacteria (23.53%), and Acidobacteria (14.37%). Despite these shifts, microbial diversity remained lower in the amended BRs than in the natural soil. Further redundancy analysis indicated that pH was the major factor driving shifts in the bacterial community, while aggregates were the major factor driving shifts in the fungal community. This study demonstrated that amendment with cornstalk biomass shifted the microbial community in the BRs from halophilic groups to acidogenic groups by improving the soil environmental conditions.

Differential expression and functional prediction of mRNA in the ovaries of Hanper sheep of high and low fecundity.

Hanper ewes that were either monotocous or polytocous provided ovarian follicles of diameter >3 mm in the follicular phase and, in the luteal phase, samples of corpora lutea that had developed from follicles of diameter >3 mm. Differentially expressed mRNAs (monotocous versus polytocous) were then identified, and their functions were predicted. Results showed that 1508 mRNAs were differentially expressed in the follicular phase, with 885 being in the luteal tissues. Those which were differentially expressed in the follicular phase were mainly involved in the regulation of the ferroptosis and lysosome signalling pathways, whereas, for the luteal tissue, the differentially expressed mRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of steroid biosynthesis. Based on the results, it was inferred that these pathways could explain variations in the fecundity of sheep.

Decorating Metal Nitrate with a Coplanar Bipyridine Moiety: A Simple and General Method for Fabricating Photochromic Complexes.

As a significant class of photochromic materials, crystalline hybrid photochromic materials (CHPMs) have attracted widespread attention of researchers because of their possibilities for generating other photoresponsive properties and advantages in understanding the underlying relationship between structure and photoresponsive performance. The predesign of suitable ligands plays a major role in generating desirable CHPMs. Hitherto, most CHPMs have been built from photodeformable or photoresponsive tectons. However, the synthesis of these ligands is usually time-consuming and expensive, and this greatly restricts their large-scale preparation and practical application. Therefore, it is necessary to explore new families of CHPMs besides the existing CHPMs. Herein, a simple and general method for constructing CHPMs by decorating metal nitrate with a coplanar bipyridine moiety, namely 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), is reported. The resulting products exhibit photocoloration in response to Xe-lamp irradiation. The electron transfer (ET) from the coplanar NO3 - species (as π-electron donors, π-EDs) to coplanar phen moieties (as π-electron acceptors, π-EAs) is responsible for the resulting photochromism. The influence of the coordination environment and central metal ion on the photochromism was also studied. This work demonstrates that the introduction of coplanar organic tectons as π-EAs to metal nitrates as π-EDs with the collaboration of ET and coordination-assembly strategies is a simple and general method to manufacture CHPMs.

Fetal growth velocity references from a Chinese population-based fetal growth study.

BACKGROUND: Fetal growth velocity standards have yet to be established for the Chinese population. This study aimed to establish such standards suitable for the Chinese population. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, population-based longitudinal cohort study including 9075 low-risk singleton pregnant women. Data were collected from the clinical records of 24 hospitals in 18 provinces of China. Demographic characteristics, reproductive history, fetal ultrasound measurements, and perinatal outcome data were collected. The fetal ultrasound measurements included biparietal diameter (BPD), abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC), and femur diaphysis length (FDL). We used linear mixed models with cubic splines to model the trajectory of four ultrasound parameters and estimate fetal weight. Fetal growth velocity was determined by calculating the first derivative of fetal size curves. We also used logistic regression to estimate the association between fetal growth velocities in the bottom 10th percentile and adverse perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: Fetal growth velocity was not consistent over time or among individuals. The estimated fetal weight (EFW) steadily increased beginning at 12 gestational weeks and peaked at 35 gestational weeks. The maximum velocity was 211.71 g/week, and there was a steady decrease in velocity from 35 to 40 gestational weeks. The four ultrasound measurements increased in the early second trimester; BPD and HC peaked at 13 gestational weeks, AC at 14 gestational weeks, and FDL at 15 gestational weeks. BPD and HC also increased from 19 to 24 and 19 to 21 gestational weeks, respectively. EFW velocity in the bottom 10th percentile indicated higher risks of neonatal complications (odds ratio [OR] = 2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.79-2.78) and preterm birth < 37 weeks (OR = 3.68, 95% CI: 2.64-5.14). Sensitivity analyses showed that EFW velocity in the bottom 10th percentile was significantly associated with more adverse pregnancy outcomes for appropriate-for-gestational age neonates. CONCLUSIONS: We established fetal growth velocity curves for the Chinese population based on real-world clinical data. Our findings demonstrated that Chinese fetal growth patterns are somewhat different from those of other populations. Fetal growth velocity could provide more information to understand the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, especially for appropriate-for-gestational age neonates.

Differential expression and prediction of function of lncRNAs in the ovaries of low and high fecundity Hanper sheep.

Litter size is an important trait that determines the production efficiency of sheep bred for meat. Its detailed investigation can reveal the molecular mechanisms that control the fecundity of sheep and possibly accelerate the breeding process of new varieties of sheep that have high prolificacy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have proven to be an important factor in the regulation of follicular development. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate litter size in sheep remain unclear. In the present study, ovarian tissues from the follicular (F) or luteal phase (L) of Hanper sheep that were either monotocous (M) or polytocous (P; FM, FP, LM and LP groups) were collected and sequenced to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and predict their function. The results indicate that the number of up- and down-regulated lncRNAs in the follicular phase (FM vs. FP) was 95 and 111 and 109 and 49, respectively, in the luteal phase (LM vs. LP). The functional enrichment of the different lncRNAs coexpressed with mRNA was analysed. The results demonstrated that the KISS1-GnRH-LH/FSH-E2 and EGF-EGFR-RAS-PI3K signalling pathways promoted the initiation of the primordial period, follicular development and ovulation in the follicular phase (FM vs. FP). During the luteal phase (LM vs. LP), the production and development of the corpus luteum in ewes was influenced by the KITLG-KIT/FGF-FGFR/HGF-MET-RAS-ERK signalling pathway. STEM clustering functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed lncRNAs indicated that profile11 was principally enriched in the Cytokine-Jak-STAT, PDGF-PDGFR-PI3K and KITLG-KIT-RAS-ERK signalling pathways. By analysis of the differential expression of the lncRNAs and their expression in each group, lncRNAs Xist (loc101112291) and Gtl2 (loc101123329) were found to be highly expressed, suggesting that regulation of follicular development was mediated through methylation processes.

Resilience of fungal flora in bauxite residues amended with organic matter and vermiculite/fly ash.

The fungal community and soil geochemical, physical and biological parameters were analyzed, respectively, in bauxite residues (BRs) treated with organic matter and vermiculite/fly ash by phylogenetic analysis of ITS-18 S rRNA, community level physiological profiles (CLPP) and so on. The results indicated that after amendment of the BR, microbial utilization of carbohydrates and their enzyme activities were significantly increased, but fungal compositions at the phylum level were similar and dominated by the phylum of Ascomycota (82.05-98.96%, RA: relative abundance) after one year of incubation. The fungal taxa in the amended BR treatments, however, show significantly less alpha and beta diversity compared with the reference soils, although they still harbor a substantial novel taxon. The combined amendment of organic matter (OM) and vermiculite/fly ash significantly increases the fungal taxa at the genus and species level compared with solely OM amendment. The results of the following canonical correspondence analysis found that, over 90% variation of the fungal community could be explained by pH, OM and mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates; but the biological indicators, including urease (UR), dehydrogenase (DHA) and the value of average well color development (AWCD) could explain only 50% variation of the fungal flora in BRs. This paper indicated that resilience of fungal community in BRs was positively correlated with the BRs' improvement in fertility as well as biogeochemical properties, but alkalinity must be firstly decreased to the target level of BRs' rehabilitation.

Expression, location and biological effects of four and a half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) on granulosa cells in ovine.

Previous studies have shown that four and a half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) plays an essential role in the regulation of follicular development in mammals. Although the FHL2 genes of human and mouse have been well characterized, the expression and location of FHL2 in ovary and the biological functions of FHL2 on granulosa cells (GCs) of ovine are still not clear. In this study, full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of FHL2 from ovine follicular GCs was amplified by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). The expression and location of FHL2 in ovary and GCs of ovine were studied by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, and the biological effects of FHL2 on the cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, cell cycles and expression level of related genes of ovine GCs were also explored by overexpression or knockdown of FHL2. The results indicated that FHL2 was expressed in ovine follicular GCs and the sequence of the FHL2 cDNA was consistent with that predicted in GenBank, which did not cause an amino acid change. According to the results, FHL2 was expressed in ovine ovary and mainly located in the cytoplasm and nucleus of GCs. In addition, overexpression of FHL2 significantly reduced the cell viability, promoted the cell apoptosis and decreased the percentage of G0/G1 and S phase cells. RT-PCR showed that overexpression of FHL2 significantly increased the mRNA expression level of Bax and decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio compared with the control group. Besides, the knockdown of FHL2 gene in ovine GCs significantly improved the cell viability, suppressed the cell apoptosis, decreased the mRNA expression level of Caspase-3 gene, increased the Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio and increased the percentage of S and G2/M phase cells. Our results suggest that FHL2 may play an important role in the biological functions of GCs in ovine.

Toxicity Assessment of Binary Metal Mixtures (Copper-Zinc) to Nitrification in Soilless Culture with the Extended Biotic Ligand Model.

Metals are always found in the environment as mixtures rather than as solitary elements. Only a limited number of studies have developed appropriate models that incorporate bioavailability to estimate the toxicity of heavy-metal mixtures. In the present study, we explored the applicability of two extended biotic ligand model (BLM) approaches-BLM-f mix and BLM-toxicity unit (TU)-to predict and interpret mixture toxicity with the assumption that interactions between metal ions obey the BLM theory. Exposure assays of single and mixed metals were performed with inoculums of an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium SD5 isolated from soil. Nitrification of the cultures was the end point used to quantify the toxic response. The results indicated that the developed BLM-f mix approach could well estimate the single toxicity of Cu2+ and Zn2+ as well as their binary mixture toxicity to nitrification with >90% of toxicity variation explained. Assuming that metal ions compete with each other for binding at a single biotic ligand, the BLM-f mix approach (root-mean-square error [RMSE] = 19.66, R 2 = 0.8879) showed better predictive power than the BLM-TU approach (RMSE = 31.12, R 2 = 0.6892). The present study supports the use of the accumulation of metal ions at the biotic ligands as predictor of toxicity of single metals and metal mixtures.

Promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis therapy for acute intracerebral hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the current evidence available regarding the promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (PBCRBS) therapy for Chinese patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: Six databases were searched from their inception to November 2013. The studies assessed in ≥ 4 domains with 'yes' were selected for detailed assessment and meta-analysis. The herbal compositions for PBCRBS therapy for acute ICH patients were also assessed. RESULTS: From the 6 databases, 292 studies claimed randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Nine studies with 798 individuals were assessed in ≥ 4 domains with 'yes' by using the Cochrane RoB tool. Meta-analysis showed that PBCRBS monotherapy and adjuvant therapy for acute ICH could improve the neurological function deficit, reduce the volume of hematoma and perihematomal edema, and lower the mortality rate and dependency. Moreover, there were fewer adverse effects when compared with Western conventional medication controls. Xueshuantong Injection and Fufang Danshen Injection, Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Liangxue Tongyu formula, and three herbs (danshen root, sanqi and leech) were the most commonly used Chinese herbal patent injections, herbal prescriptions and single herbs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite the apparently positive findings, it is premature to conclude that there is sufficient efficacy and safety of PBCRBS for ICH because of the high clinical heterogeneity of the included studies and small number of trials in the meta-analysis. Further large sample-sizes and rigorously designed RCTs are needed.

Amelioration of the physicochemical properties enhanced the resilience of bacteria in bauxite residues.

Bacteria-driven strategies have gained attention because of their effectiveness, viability, and cost-efficiency in the soil formation process of bauxite residues. However, further investigation is needed to enhance the extreme environment of bauxite residues and facilitate long-term sustainable development of bacteria. Here, soil, phosphogypsum, and leaf litter were selected as amendments, and soil and leaf litter were also used as bacterial inoculants in a 12-month microcosm experiment with bauxite residues. The results showed significant improvements in physicochemical properties, including alkalinity, organic carbon content, nutrient availability, and physical structure, when bauxite residue was mixed with amendments, particularly when different amendments were combined. The diversity, structure, and function of the bacterial community were significantly enhanced with the amelioration of the physicochemical properties. In the treated samples, especially those treated with a combination of different amendments, the relative abundance (RA) of alkali-resistant bacterial taxa decreased, whereas the RA of some common taxa found in normal soil increased, and the structure of the bacterial community gradually changed towards that of normal soil. A strong correlation between physicochemical and biological properties was found. These findings suggest that rational application of soil, phosphogypsum, and leaf litter effectively improves the environmental conditions of bauxite residues and facilitate long-term sustainable bacterial communities.

Superior performance of biocomposite nanoparticles PLGA-RES in protecting oocytes against vitrification stimuli.

Irreversible cryogenic damage caused by oocyte vitrification limits its widespread use in female fertility preservation. In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have gained great attention as potential alternatives in protecting oocytes against cryoinjuries. In this paper, a novel composite nanoparticle, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-resveratrol (PLGA-RES) was designed to improve the biocompatibility and sustained release properties by encapsulating natural antioxidant RES into PLGA NPs. Firstly, biotoxicity and oxidation resistance of PLGA-RES were determined, and the results showed that PLGA-RES had nontoxic effect on oocyte survival during in vitro maturation (IVM) (97.08% ± 0.24% vs. 98.89% ± 1.11%, p > 0.05). Notably, PLGA-RES even increased maturation (65.10% ± 4.11% vs. 52.85% ± 2.87%, p < 0.05) and blastocyst rate (56.13% ± 1.36% vs. 40.91% ± 5.85%, p < 0.05). Moreover, the reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level (13.49 ± 2.30 vs. 34.07 ± 3.30, p < 0.01), increased glutathione (GSH) (44.13 ± 1.57 vs. 37.62 ± 1.79, p < 0.01) and elevated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels (43.10 ± 1.81 vs. 28.52 ± 1.25, p < 0.01) were observed in oocytes treated with PLGA-RES when compared with that of the control group. Subsequently, the role of PLGA-RES played in oocytes during vitrification was systematically evaluated. The results showed that the addition of PLGA-RES during vitrification and thawing significantly improved the survival rate (80.42% ± 1.97% vs. 75.37% ± 1.3%, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, increased GSH (15.09 ± 0.86 vs. 14.51 ± 0.78, p < 0.01) and mitochondrial membrane potential (22.56 ± 3.15 vs. 6.79 ± 0.60, p < 0.01), decreased reactive oxygen species levels (52.11 ± 2.95 vs. 75.41 ± 7.23, p < 0.05) and reduced mitochondrial abnormality distribution rate (25.00% ± 0.29% vs. 33.33% ± 1.15%, p < 0.01) were assessed in vitrified MII oocytes treated with PLGA-RES. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that PLGA-RES participated in endocytosis and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway regulation, which was verified by the rescued expression of ARRB2 and ULK3 protein after PLGA-RES treatment. In conclusion, PLGA-RES exhibited potent antioxidant activity, and could be used as an efficacious strategy to improve the quality of vitrified oocytes.

Efficacy and safety of Suanzaoren decoction for primary insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is a widespread human health problem, but there currently are the limitations of conventional therapies available. Suanzaoren decoction (SZRD) is a well known classic Chinese herbal prescription for insomnia and has been treating people's insomnia for more than thousand years. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SZRD for insomnia. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed for 6 databases up to July of 2012 to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) involving SZRD for insomniac patients. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed independently using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. RESULTS: Twelve RCTs with total of 1376 adult participants were identified. The methodological quality of all included trials are no more than 3/8 score. Majority of the RCTs concluded that SZRD was more significantly effective than benzodiazepines for treating insomnia. Despite these positive outcomes, there were many methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed, including insufficient information about randomization generation and absence of allocation concealment, lack of blinding and no placebo control, absence of intention-to-treat analysis and lack of follow-ups, selective publishing and reporting, and small number of sample sizes. A number of clinical heterogeneity such as diagnosis, intervention, control, and outcome measures were also reviewed. Only 3 trials reported adverse events, whereas the other 9 trials did not provide the safety information. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the apparent reported positive findings, there is insufficient evidence to support efficacy of SZRD for insomnia due to the poor methodological quality and the small number of trials of the included studies. SZRD seems generally safe, but is insufficient evidence to make conclusions on the safety because fewer studies reported the adverse events. Further large sample-size and well-designed RCTs are needed.

Biochar-derived dissolved black carbon accelerates ferrihydrite microbial transformation and subsequent imidacloprid degradation.

The effects of an electron shuttle (dissolved black carbon (DBC) derived from biochar) on the microbial reduction of ferrihydrite and subsequent imidacloprid (IMI) degradation were studied. The results showed that DBC addition enhanced the microbial reduction of Fe(III) in ferrihydrite and increased the quantity of Fe(II) released into the liquid phase. The electron transfer capacity of DBC was significantly influenced by the content of redox-active oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., quinone, hydroquinone, and polyphenol groups), which was dependent on the pyrolysis temperature. The electrochemical characteristics of DBC resulted in enhanced electron transfer, which promoted Fe(III) reduction and mediated the microbial transformation of ferrihydrite. The microbial transformation of ferrihydrite resulted in the formation of secondary minerals such as siderite and vivianite. The IMI degradation efficiency was related to the Fe(III) reduction rate and the pyrolysis temperature used in DBC production, and the degradation pathways were nitrate reduction and imino hydrolysis induced by the Fe(II) generated from the reduction of Fe(III) in ferrihydrite. The results obtained in this study provide new data for understanding the multifunctional roles of biochar-derived DBC in the redox and transformation processes of iron minerals induced by iron-reducing bacteria, the related biogeochemical cycles of iron and the fate of pollutants.

Identification and functional analysis of differentially expressed proteins in high and low freezing tolerance sheep sperm.

The purpose of this study was to identify proteins associated with differences in the freezing tolerance of sheep sperm and to analyze their functions. Qualified fresh semen from four breeds of rams, the Australian White, white-head Dorper, Black-head Dorper, and Hu sheep breeds, were selected for cryopreservation. The sperm freezing tolerance was investigated by evaluation of the overall vitality, progressive vitality, and rapidly advance vitality of the sperm. A differential model of sperm freezing tolerance was constructed for sheep breeds showing significant differences. Differentially expressed proteins associated with sperm freezing tolerance were identified using iTRAQ and the protein functions were analyzed. It was found that sperm freezing tolerance was best in Hu sheep and worst in white-head Dorper sheep. These two breeds were used for the construction of a model based on differences in freezing tolerance and the identification of sperm proteins expressed differentially before freezing and after thawing. A total of 128 differentially expressed proteins (88 up-regulated and 40 down-regulated) were identified before freezing and after thawing in Hu sheep sperm (fresh/frozen Hu sheep sperm referred to as HL vs. HF), while 219 differentially expressed proteins (106 up-regulated and 113 down-regulated) were identified in white-head Dorper sheep (fresh/frozen white-head Dorper sheep sperm referred to as WL vs. WF). A comparison of these differentially expressed proteins showed that 57 proteins overlapped between the two breeds while 71 were only expressed in Hu sheep and 162 were only expressed in white-head Dorper sheep. Functional annotation and enrichment analyses of differentially expressed proteins down-regulated in Hu sheep involved in phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases, regulation of GTPase activity and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis signaling pathway. Up-regulated proteins of Hu sheep participated in oxidoreductase activity and oxidative phosphorylation process of sperm freezing. Furthermore, down-regulated in white-head Dorper sheep involved in the metabolic regulation of carbohydrate and nuclear sugar metabolism. Up-regulated proteins of white-head Dorper sheep involved in the ferroptosis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Collectively, These proteins were found to participate mainly in oxidative phosphorylation as well as phosphorylation and metabolic processes in the mitochondria to affect the freezing tolerance of sheep sperm.

Integrated transcriptomics and proteomics assay identifies the role of FCGR1A in maintaining sperm fertilization capacity during semen cryopreservation in sheep.

Semen cryopreservation is a promising technology employed in preserving high-quality varieties in animal husbandry and is also widely applied in the human sperm bank. However, the compromised qualities, such as decreased sperm motility, damaged membrane structure, and reduced fertilization competency, have significantly hampered the efficient application of this technique. Therefore, it is imperative to depict various molecular changes found in cryopreserved sperm and identify the regulatory network in response to the cryopreservation stress. In this study, semen was collected from three Chinese Merino rams and divided into untreated (fresh semen, FS) and programmed freezing (programmed freezing semen, PS) groups. After measuring different quality parameters, the ultra-low RNA-seq and tandem mass tag-based (TMT) proteome were conducted in both the groups. The results indicated that the motility (82.63% ± 3.55% vs. 34.10% ± 2.90%, p < 0.05) and viability (89.46% ± 2.53% vs. 44.78% ± 2.29%, p < 0.05) of the sperm in the FS group were significantly higher compared to those in the PS group. In addition, 45 upregulated and 291 downregulated genes, as well as 30 upregulated and 48 downregulated proteins, were found in transcriptomics and proteomics data separately. Moreover, three integrated methods, namely, functional annotation and enrichment analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis, and two-way orthogonal partial least squares (O2PLS) analysis, were used for further analysis. The results suggested that various differentially expressed genes and proteins (DEGs and DEPs) were mainly enriched in leishmaniasis and hematopoietic cell lineage, and Fc gamma receptor Ia (FCGR1A) was significantly downregulated in cryopreserved sperm both at mRNA and protein levels in comparison with the fresh counterpart. In addition, top five genes (FCGR1A, HCK, SLX4, ITGA3, and BET1) and 22 proteins could form a distinct network in which genes and proteins were significantly correlated (p < 0.05). Interestingly, FCGR1A also appeared in the top 25 correlation list based on O2PLS analysis. Hence, FCGR1A was selected as the most potential differentially expressed candidate for screening by the three integrated multi-omics analysis methods. In addition, Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that the expression level of FCGR1A was positively correlated with sperm motility and viability. A subsequent experiment was conducted to identify the biological role of FCGR1A in sperm function. The results showed that both the sperm viability (fresh group: 87.65% ± 4.17% vs. 75.8% ± 1.15%, cryopreserved group: 48.15% ± 0.63% vs. 42.45% ± 2.61%, p < 0.05) and motility (fresh group: 83.27% ± 4.15% vs. 70.41% ± 1.07%, cryopreserved group: 45.31% ± 3.28% vs. 35.13% ± 2.82%, p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in fresh and frozen sperm when FCGR1A was blocked. Moreover, the cleavage rate of embryos fertilized by FCGR1A-blocked sperm was noted to be significantly lower in both fresh (95.28% ± 1.16% vs. 90.44% ± 1.56%, p < 0.05) and frozen groups (89.8% ± 1.50% vs. 82.53% ± 1.53%, p < 0.05). In conclusion, our results revealed that the downregulated membrane protein FCGR1A can potentially contribute to the reduced sperm fertility competency in the cryopreserved sheep sperm.