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This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of four drying methods, namely, hot air drying (HAD), microwave drying (MD), vacuum drying (VD), and microwave vacuum drying (MVD), on the quality of lemon slices. The relevant indicators, including total phenolic content, ascorbic acid content, browning, color, reducing sugar content, volatile component measurements, and principal component analysis of 0 and 30 days storage, were compared after exposure to the four drying methods. The shortest time of 64 min was used to treat the lemon slices via MVD at 1 KW. These samples displayed the least damage after drying and the highest rehydration ratio of 4.12. The contents of VC, reducing sugars, and total phenols of MVD samples were significantly higher than those in the HAD, VD, and MD groups, retaining 105.94 mg/100 g, 21.35 g/100 g, and 77.81 mg GAE/g, respectively, while their color difference values were also the smallest, with a browning degree of 3.55, significantly lower than those in the other treatment groups (p < 0.05), and the degree of browning of the samples in the HAD treatment group was the most serious; in terms of volatile flavor substances, the lemon slice samples in the MVD and HAD treatment groups were more diverse and of better quality. The order of product sensory evaluation was: MVD > VD > HAD > MD. The final scores after comprehensive analysis revealed the order of the four drying methods as MVD, HAD, VD, and MD. Therefore, MVD had a better effect on the sensory perception and nutritional properties of the lemon slices, providing a useful alternative to the conventional drying method. Practical Application: Lemon slices during drying are affected by various aspects, leading to changes in its color, aroma substances, and nutrient composition. The results of this work will not only provide a technical reference for the future production of high‐quality dried lemon slices, but also have important implications for fresh‐cut lemons in processing and storage. It also generates important implications for fresh‐cut lemons in processing and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes leading to male infertility including asthenozoospermia. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been widely recognized to be a potent antioxidant whose role is partially implemented by protein S-sulfhydration. However, protein S-sulfhydration has not been reported in germ cells. Therefore, we investigated whether asthenozoospermia could be associated with sperm protein S-sulfhydration. S-sulfhydrated proteins in human sperm were enriched via biotin-switch assay and analyzed using LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Two hundred forty-four S-sulfhydrated proteins were identified. Importantly, we validated that sperm histones H3.1 and H3.3 were the S-sulfhydrated proteins. Their S-sulfhydrated amino acid residue was Cysteine111. Abundances of S-sulfhydrated H3 (sH3) and S-sulfhydrated H3.3 (sH3.3) were significantly down-regulated in asthenozoospermic sperm, compared with the fertile controls, and were significantly correlated with progressive motility. Retinoic acid (RA) up-regulated level of sH3.3 in primary round spermatids and the C18-4 cells (a mouse spermatogonial stem cell line). Overexpression of the mutant H3.3 (Cysteine111 was replaced with serine) affected expression of 759 genes and raised growth rate of C18-4 cells. For the first time, S-sulfhydration H3 and H3.3 were demonstrated in the present study. Our results highlight that aberrant S-sulfhydration of H3 is a new pathophysiological basis in male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the financial market, the outbreak of systemic risk is affected by many factors, among which shadow banking is considered to be the essential reason to cause financial crisis and destroy the stability of the banking system. In view of the stability of the banking system, considering shadow banking, interbank lending, and complex relationships between banks, a dynamic complex interbank network model with shadow banking under different network structures is proposed. Based on the model, the effects of ROI, investment periods, average deposit, deposit interest rate, the density of shadow banks, and asset loss are studied quantitatively, and the sensitivity and difference of the banking system with shadow banking under different interbank networks are compared and analyzed. The findings indicate that the spread of systemic risks between banks is closely related to the interbank network structures. With the relatively concentrated interbank network structure, it is easier to increase the probability and degree of risk contagion. Under the random, small-world, and scale-free networks, the random network has the strongest ability to resist and absorb risks, while the small-world network is the weakest. However, once the banking network suffers a big shock, excessive risk will directly break through the protection of the banking network, detonate the systematic risk, and destroy the stability of the banking system with shadow banking. This study contributes to a future empirical research agenda on the topic. Moreover, it gives a reference for policymakers and regulatory authorities to prevent systemic risk introduced by shadow banking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chen [2016a, 2016b] studied global dynamics of the Filippov systems ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ + x ± sgn (x) = 0 , respectively. To study the global dynamics of ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ ± x ± sgn (x) = 0 completely, since the dynamics of ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ − x − sgn (x) = 0 is very simple, we are only interested in the global dynamics of ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ − x + sgn (x) = 0 in this paper. Firstly, we use Briot–Bouquet transformations and normal sector methods to discuss these degenerate equilibria at infinity. Secondly, we discuss the number of limit cycles completely. Then, the sufficient and necessary conditions of existence of the heteroclinic loop are found. To estimate the upper bound of the heteroclinic loop bifurcation function on parameter space, a result on the amplitude of a unique limit cycle of a discontinuous Liénard system is given. Finally, the complete bifurcation diagram and all global phase portraits are presented. The global dynamic property of system ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ − x + sgn (x) = 0 is totally different from systems ẍ + (α + β x 2) ẋ + x ± sgn (x) = 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Chinese National Infrastructure of Cell Line stores and distributes cell lines for biomedical research in China. This study aims to represent and integrate the information of NICR cell lines into the community-based Cell Line Ontology (CLO). Results: We have aligned, represented, and added all identified 2704 cell line cells in NICR to CLO. We also proposed new ontology design patterns to represent the usage of cell line cells as disease models by inducing tumor formation in model organisms, and the relations between cell line cells and their expressed or overexpressed genes or proteins. The resulting CLO-NICR ontology also includes the Chinese representation of the NICR cell line information. CLO-NICR was merged into the general CLO. To serve the cell research community in China, the Chinese version of CLO-NICR was also generated and deposited in the OntoChina ontology repository. The usage of CLO-NICR was demonstrated by DL query and knowledge extraction. Conclusions: In summary, all identified cell lines from NICR are represented by the semantics framework of CLO and incorporated into CLO as a most recent update. We also generated a CLO-NICR and its Chinese view (CLO-NICR-Cv). The development of CLO-NICR and CLO-NIC-Cv allows the integration of the cell lines from NICR into the community-based CLO ontology and provides an integrative platform to support different applications of CLO in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and predictors of cesarean scar defect (CSD) at 6 weeks postpartum in Shanghai, China.Material and Methods: Women scheduled to receive a cesarean section (CS) were recruited from a university hospital. Surgery-related factors, pregnancy complications, routine examinations, perioperative medications, and physical signs were collected and transvaginal ultrasonography was performed to assess the presence of a CSD at 6 weeks postpartum. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify the predictors for CSD.Results: A CSD was detected in 223 of 514 women (43.4%, 95% CI 39.1%-47.7%) by transvaginal ultrasonography. Of women with normal temperature (T < 37.5°C, CSD prevalence 33.9%, 95% CI 28.4%-39.5%), women with postpartum fever (T ≥ 38°C, CSD 44.1%, 95% CI 31.0%-57.1%), and women who were subfebrile in the postpartum (37.5 ≤ T ≤ 38.0°C, CSD 58.3%, 95% CI 50.9%-65.7%), the latter two had significantly increased risk for CSD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.2 and aOR 3.3, 95% CI 2.1-5.3, respectively). In comparison to single-dose antibiotic administration (CSD 49.0%, 95% CI 43.8%-54.3%), multi-dose antibiotic administration (CSD 31.1%, 95% CI 23.8%-38.3%) had a protective effect (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). Postpartum fever, intrapartum infection, emergency CS, and cervical dilation ≥ 3 cm were found to be the main predictors of multi-dose antibiotics management. Low platelet count postpartum (defined as ≤ 150 × 109 /L) and high fibrinogen pre-CS (defined as ≥ 4.5 g/L) increased CSD risk (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.6 and 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5, respectively).Conclusions: The prevalence of CSD in the Chinese population is high enough to be a concern. Perioperative infection and hypercoagulability should be considered CSD predictors, and multi-dose antibiotics have a protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient one-pot synthesis of optically active hydroquinoline-2-carboxylates from 1,3-cyclohexanediones, β,γ-unsaturated α-keto ester, and benzylamine in the presence of a chiral base catalyst and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) with good diastereoselectivity and high enantioselectivity is described. The reaction proceeds by a sequential asymmetric Michael/transamination/cyclization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transamination of α-keto acids with transaminases and pyridoxamine phosphate is an important process to form optically active α-amino acids in biological systems. Various biomimetic transamination systems have been developed for carbonyl compounds including α-keto acid derivatives, fluoroalkyl ketones, and unactivated ketones with chiral vitamin B6 analogues, artificial transaminase mimics, chiral nitrogen sources, and chiral catalysts. This review provides a brief summary of this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms that control TLR-induced responses, including endotoxin tolerance, have been not well understood. The tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (TSCl) is a tumor suppressor that inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We show in this study that deficiency of TSCl results in enhanced activation of not only mTOR complex 1 (mTORCl), but also JNKl/2, following LPS stimulation in macrophages. TSCI-deficient macrophages produce elevated proinflammatory cytokines and NO in response to multiple TLR Iigands. Such enhanced TLR-induced responses can be inhibited by reducing mTORCl and JNKl/2 activities with chemical inhibitors or small hairpin RNA, suggesting that TSCl negatively controls TLR responses through both mTORCl and JNKl/2. The impact of TSCl deficiency appeared not limited to TLRs, as NOD- and RIG-I/MDA-5-induced innate responses were also altered in TSCl-deficient macrophages. Furthermore, TSCl deficiency appears to cause impaired induction of endotoxin tolerance in vitro and in vivo, which is correlated with increased JNKl/2 activation and can be reversed by JNKl/2 inhibition. Our results reveal a critical role of TSCl in regulating innate immunity by negative control of mTORCl and JNKl/2 activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mast cells play critical roles in allergic disorders and asthma. The importance of tuberous sclerosis complex 1/2-mammalian target of rapamycin (TSC1/2-mTOR) signaling in mast cells is unknown. Here, we report that TSC1 is a critical regulator for mTOR signaling in mast cells downstream of FceRI and c-Kit, and differentially controls mast cell degranulation and cytokine production. TSC1 -deficiency results in impaired mast cell degranulation, but enhanced cytokine production in vitro and in vivo after FceRI engagement. Furthermore, TSC1 is critical for mast cell survival through multiple pathways of apoptosis including the downregulation of p53, miR-34a, reactive oxygen species, and the up-regulation of Bcl-2. Together, these findings reveal that TSC1 is a critical regulator of mast cell activation and survival, suggesting the manipulation of the TSC1/2-mTOR pathway as a therapeutic strategy for mast cell-mediated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Translation of the small G protein RhoA in neurons is regulated by the eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E. Here we show that this translation factor also regulates RhoA expression and activity in breast cancer cells. The introduction of eIF4E into breast tumor cells increased RhoA protein levels, while expression of an eIF4E siRNA reduced RhoA expression. Previous studies indicate that the axon repulsion factor Semaphorin3A (Sema3A) stimulates the eIF4E-dependent translation of RhoA in neurons, and breast tumor cells support autocrine Sema3A signaling. Accordingly, we next examined if autocrine Sema3A signaling drives eIF4E-dependent RhoA translation in breast cancer cells. The incubation of breast tumor cells with recombinant Sema3A rapidly increased eIF4E activity, RhoA protein levels, and RhoA activity. This Sema3A activity was blocked in tumor cells expressing an shRNA-specific for the Sema3A receptor, Neuropilin-1 (NP-1), as well as in cells incubated with an eIF4E inhibitor. Importantly, RhoA protein levels were reduced in Sema3A shRNA-expressing compared to control shRNA-expressing breast tumor cells, demonstrating that autocrine Sema3A increases RhoA expression in breast cancer. Considering that Sema3A suppresses axon extension by stimulating RhoA translation, we next examined if the Sema3A/RhoA axis impacts breast tumor cell migration. The incubation of control breast tumor cells, but not RhoA shRNA-expressing cells, with rSema3A significantly reduced their migration. Collectively, these studies indicate that Sema3A impedes breast tumor cell migration in part by stimulating RhoA. These findings identify common signaling pathways that regulate the navigation of neurons and breast cancer cells, thus suggesting novel targets for suppressing breast tumor cell migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming growth factor β4 (TGF-β4) is unique to avian species, though its roles in vivo have not yet been well established. In this paper we describe the expression and partial characterization of recombinant chicken TGF-β4. By using a GC-rich PCR system in a modified 5′RACE methodology we generated the 5′-end of cDNA sequence encoding the TGF-β4 precursor, which was in-frame cloned into pcDNA3.1/V5-His-TOPO and transfected into the Chinese hamster ovary cell line (CHO-K1). A cell line stably expressing TGF-β4 precursor protein was established from CHO-K1 cells. Acid-activated mature TGF-β4 inhibited the growth of mink lung epithelial (Mv1Lu) cell line. TGF-β4 also stimulated the expression of type I procollagen and enhanced heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47) expression in chicken tendon fibroblasts. Hsp47 expression by TGFβ4 is likely regulated through activation of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1). Because the presence of TGF-β1 has not been documented in avian cells and our data show that TGF-β4 elicits biological activities in chicken tendon cells, which closely parallel that of TGF-β1, we propose that TGF-β4 plays roles in avian species similar to what TGF-β1 plays in mammalian species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is common among the captive South China tigers in zoos. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to demonstrate the compositions and structures of the gastrointestinal microbiota of this species with IBS-D. Their healthy (F1) and mushy (F2) feces were allocated into two groups. A total of 21 and 31 fecal bacterial communities of major phyla and genera were detected, respectively. The F1 and F2 groups had five common microbiotas at the phylum level (Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes). Among the five phyla, the abundance of Bacteroidetes in the F2 group was significantly lower than that in the F1 group. The diversity level of fecal microbiota within the mild-diarrhea stool was also significantly lower than that of the healthy counterpart. Thirty-two metabolites were correlated to four genus-level bacteria (Bacteroides, Pseudoclavibacter, Streptococcus, and Ruminococcaceae-UCG-005). Due to its normal role in protein degradation and metabolism, we hypothesized that the lower abundance of Bacteroides within the F2 group could be associated with the IBS-D symptoms. Therefore, this work implied that ameliorating the daily diet with a supplement of probiotics, such as Bacteroides, could improve the gut health of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lolium perenne L. and Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf. are 2 common forages fed to blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur Hodgson, 1833) in captivity. However, the effect of these 2 forages on the gastrointestinal microbiota is largely unknown. We analyzed the diversity of the microbiota in the feces of captive blue sheep fed with L. perenne (group F1) and S. sudanense (group F2) by 16S rRNA sequencing. A total of 20 major phyla and 29 genera fecal bacterial communities were detected in the 2 groups. The F1 and F2 groups shared common microbiota at the phylum level, which mainly consisted of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 were the top 4 dominant taxa at the genus level. The percentage of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 was significantly higher in the F2 group (∼2.75-fold) than in F1 group. The diversity and abundance of the microbial community in F2 was higher than that in F1. Although both of L. perenne and S. sudanense affect the metabolism of the gastrointestinal microbiota of blue sheep, the S. sudanense improves more aspects of metabolism and biogenesis. In summary, our results demonstrated that L. perenne and S. sudanense affect blue sheep gastrointestinal microbiota in different ways. But S. sudanense efficiently improved the gastrointestinal microbiota of blue sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hippocampal formation, particularly the CA2 subregion, is critical for social memory formation and memory processing, relying on synaptic plasticity—a fundamental mechanism by which synapses strengthen. Given the role of the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) in various nervous system processes, including learning and memory, we were particularly interested in exploring the involvement of RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligases, such as UHRF2 (NIRF), in social behavior and synaptic plasticity. Our results revealed altered social behavior in mice with systemic Uhrf2 knockout, including changes in nest building, tube dominance, and the three-chamber social novelty test. In Uhrf2 knockout mice, the entorhinal cortex-CA2 circuit showed significant reductions in synaptic plasticity during paired-pulse facilitation and long-term potentiation, while the inability to evoke synaptic plasticity in the Schaffer-collateral CA2 synapses remained unaffected. These changes in synaptic plasticity correlated with significant changes in gene expression including genes related to vesicle trafficking and transcriptional regulation. The effects of Uhrf2 knockout on synaptic plasticity and the observed gene expression changes highlight UHRF2 as a regulator of learning and memory processes at both the cellular and systemic levels. Targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases, such as UHRF2, may hold therapeutic potential for memory-related disorders, warranting further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past ten years, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in biomedicine has increased rapidly, which roots in the rapid growth of biomedicine data, the improvement of computing performance, and the development of deep learning methods. At present, there are great difficulties in front of AI for solving complex and comprehensive medical problems. Ontology can play an important role in how to make machines have stronger intelligence and has wider applications in the medical field. By using ontologies, (meta) data can be standardized so that data quality is improved and more data analysis methods can be introduced, data integration can be supported by the semantics relationships which are specified in ontologies, and effective logic expression in nature language can be better understood by machine. This can be a pathway to stronger AI. Under this circumstance, the Chinese Conference on Biomedical Ontology and Terminology was held in Beijing in autumn 2019, with the theme "Making Machine Understand Data". The success of this conference further improves the development of ontology in the field of biomedical information in China, and will promote the integration of Chinese ontology research and application with the international standards and the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability(FAIR) Data Principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N-myc downstream regulated gene (NDRG) family consists of 4 members, NDRG-1, -2, -3, -4. Physiologically, we found Ndrg3, a critical gene which led to homologous lethality in the early embryo development, regulated the male meiosis in mouse. The expression of Ndrg3 was enhanced specifically in germ cells, and reached its peak level in the pachytene stage spermatocyte. Haplo-insufficiency of Ndrg3 gene led to sub-infertility during the male early maturation. In the Ndrg3+/− germ cells, some meiosis events such as DSB repair and synaptonemal complex formation were impaired. Disturbances on meiotic prophase progression and spermatogenesis were observed. In mechanism, the attenuation of pERK1/2 signaling was detected in the heterozygous testis. With our primary spermatocyte culture system, we found that lactate promoted DSB repair via ERK1/2 signaling in the male mouse germ cells in vitro. Deficiency of Ndrg3 gene attenuated the activation of ERK which further led to the aberrancy of DSB repair in the male germ cells in mouse. Taken together, we reported that Ndrg3 gene modulated the lactate induced ERK pathway to facilitate DSB repair in male germ cells, which further regulated meiosis and subsequently fertility in male mouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a chiral phosphine oxide as ligand, aryl 5-bromo-1,3-oxazinan-2-ones are synthesized from the title approach in good yields and high enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title sequence starts from β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters and 1,3-cyclohexanediones in the presence of the optically active ligand DASQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a diagram which shows the chemical structure of the enantioselective 6-exo-bromoaminocyclization of homoallylic N-tosylcarbamates catalyzed by a novel monophosphine-Sc(OTf)3 complex.

Optically active 5-bromo-1,3-oxazinan-2-ones are synthesized with excellent enantioselectivities and good yields by using DBDMH as the bromine source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 50 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinidine derivatives catalyze the asymmetric reductive amination of α-keto acetals with ortho-hydroxybenzylamine as nitrogen donor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geogenic contaminated groundwater (GCG), characterized by elevated arsenic, fluoride, and iodine levels, present a significant challenge to public health and government management. Conventional survey-based approaches of collecting groundwater samples, conducting physicochemical tests, and performing spatial interpolation to obtain regional groundwater chemical component maps are inefficient and costly. More importantly, it does not take into account the actual hydrogeological conditions or the characteristics of pollutant transport and enrichment. To address this issue, we utilized Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) to analyze the likelihood of occurrence of arsenic, fluoride, and iodine as well as their spatial distribution in shallow groundwater from the Hetao Basin. Our study incorporated 20 indicators related to meteorology, soil physicochemical properties, and groundwater conditions, along with 1505 labeled samples consisting of groundwater arsenic, fluoride, and iodine concentrations and their corresponding coordinates. Subsequently, the study automatically analyzed the meteorological, soil physicochemical properties and groundwater conditions by constructing a machine learning model using the available data. In order to optimise and select the best prediction model, this paper presents a quantitative evaluation of the prediction performance of various machine learning models. The accuracy (AC), area under curve (AUC) and mean squared error (MSE) were calculated to predict the spatial distribution of CGC. Subsequently, the optimized model for predicting the spatial distribution of GCG was selected. The results showed that the XGBoost algorithm provided optimal predictions for groundwater with arsenic concentrations above 10 μg/L and fluoride concentrations exceeding 1.5 mg/L, whereas the RF model provided the best predictions for groundwater with arsenic concentrations surpassing 50 μg/L and iodine concentrations exceeding 100 μg/L. Subsequently, groundwater health risk zones were delineated based on an optimal prediction model, and demographic analysis was conducted in both the direct and potential groundwater risk zones. Model predictions indicated that hundreds of thousands of people in the Hetao Basin were facing a public health crisis caused by high concentrations of arsenic, fluoride and iodine in groundwater. These findings underscore the significant health challenge in the study area. Considering the agricultural development and increasing groundwater use in the area, our findings can guide local governments in managing the extent of groundwater development, establishing control zones, and enhancing protection measures for populations at risk from groundwater contamination. [Display omitted] • Machine learning methods are used to predict the spatial distribution of GCG. • Quantitatively assessing the predictive accuracy of machine learning models (SVM, RF, AdaBoost and XGBoost) • Statistics on the number of people affected by GCG based on the optimal forecasting model [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cesarean scar defect (CSD) is a long‐term outcome of cesarean section (CS) and associated with numerous gynecological and obstetric problems. Previous studies indicate that infection may be a risk factor for CSD. Adjunctive azithromycin was shown to reduce the risk of postoperative infection in patients undergoing non‐elective primary cesarean delivery in labor or after the rupture of membranes compared with standard antibiotic prophylaxis. This study investigated the protective effect of adjunctive azithromycin in combination with single‐dose cephalosporin against CSD in women undergoing non‐elective cesarean delivery. Material and methods: A randomized, double‐blind, controlled clinical trial was conducted in a University hospital in Shanghai, China. A total of 242 women who underwent their first non‐elective CS were randomly assigned to receive 1500 mg cefuroxime sodium plus 500 mg intravenous azithromycin (n = 121; experimental group) or 1500 mg cefuroxime sodium plus a placebo (n = 121; placebo group). The primary outcome was CSD prevalence, as determined by transvaginal ultrasound and saline infusion sonohysterography within 6 months of delivery. Secondary outcomes were changes in infectious indicators (eg hypersensitive C‐reactive protein and procalcitonin), postoperative morbidity, and use of postoperative antibiotics. We also examined the operative procedure, pathogenic microorganism cultures, and fetal outcomes. Outcomes were compared between groups with the chi‐squared test, Fisher's exact test, or Student's t test. Results: Between May 2018 and May 2021, 121 women were randomized to each arm. Because the sonographic follow up was disrupted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and strict management policies, we merged the follow‐up time points (6 weeks and 6 months) into a single time period (6 weeks to 6 months); 104 and 108 women in the experimental and placebo groups, respectively, completed the first sonographic follow up. CSD was diagnosed by sonography in 34/104 (32.7%) and 50/108 (46.3%) patients in the experimental and placebo groups, respectively (relative risk 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.50–0.99; p = 0.043). Characteristics of CSD and short‐term infection outcomes did not differ between groups. Conclusions: A single dose of intravenous 500 mg azithromycin adjunctive to single‐dose cefuroxime prophylaxis significantly reduced the incidence of CSD in women undergoing non‐elective CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater serves as a vital source of drinking water in the Hetao Basin of northwestern China. However, the occurrence and intense spatial variability of high fluoride (F−>1.5 mg/L) groundwater poses a significant health threat to local residents. In this study, the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm was employed to develop two prediction models for high fluoride groundwater in Qiantao and Houtao plain, northwestern China, based on 650 groundwater samples. The models incorporated hydrochemical and geospatial datasets (climatic factors, topographic factors, and soil properties) to predict the probability of fluoride in groundwater exceeding 1.5 mg/L at a 250 m spatial resolution. The results show that the high-risk areas of the Qiantao Plain and Houtao Plain cover 33.0 % and 6.7 % of the total area of the plains, respectively. The ratio of high risk (F > 1.5 mg/L) samples correctly detected in Qiantao plain and Houtao plain were 86.7% and 94.5%, indicated an increased sensitivity to high fluoride category. Hydrochemical parameters were proven to be the most effective predictors. The spatial variability of high fluoride groundwater in two plains was dominated by the lithology, tectonic evolution, and hydrogeologic settings. Hyper-parameter optimized RF models demonstrate an outstanding performance in predicting the risk of high fluoride groundwater. This research presents a cooperative and successful effort to integrate hydrochemical and geospatial variables for prediction model, which can enhance the understanding of the geological origin and anthropogenic causes, and facilitate decision-making to identify potential risks in the areas affected by high levels of fluoride in groundwater. • A high F− groundwater prediction model was developed based on RFC modelling. • Driving factors of high F− probability were evaluated and ranked. • High-risk areas of fluoride exposure were delineated in intensively irrigation area. • High fluoride groundwater prediction maps were generated with a resolution of 250 m. • Tectonic and hydrogeologic setting dominate the spatial variability of groundwater F-. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disruptor. The exact effect of BPA on spermatogenesis and the specific epigenetic effects on mouse spermatogonia remain to be elucidated. The present study exposed the GC-1 spermatogonial cell line to a series of differing BPA concentrations and examined the subsequent effects on cell proliferation, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, DNA and histone methylation. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay revealed that BPA significantly inhibited cell growth at the concentration of 10 µg/ml, however no significant alterations were detected at lower BPA doses. The global DNA methylation levels were reduced at the dose of 10 µg/ml of BPA, via detection of 5-methylcytosine using a dot blot. The protein and mRNA expression levels of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 were decreased at 10 and 1 µg/ml of BPA, detected via western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The global levels of H3K27me3 was decreased at 10 µg/ml BPA, detected via western blotting. Increased phosphorylation of p38 and decreased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 were observed at 10 and 1 µg/ml BPA. The results demonstrated that high and low doses of BPA exposure exhibit differential effects on cell growth, global DNA methylation, histone H3K9Me3 and H3K27Me3 levels and additionally affect the MAPK signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An asymmetric biomimetic transamination process for β-branched α-keto esters (I) with a hydroquinine-derived chiral base and 4-cyano-benzylamine as the nitrogen source is reported. A wide range of branched α-amino esters (II) is obtained in 50--96% yield and 87-- 95% enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental BPA exposure has been shown to impact human sperm concentration and motility, as well as rodent spermatogenesis. However, it is unclear whether BPA exposure is associated with alteration in DNA hydroxymethylation, a marker for epigenetic modification, in human sperm. A genome-wide DNA hydroxymethylation study was performed using sperm samples of men who were occupationally exposed to BPA. Compared with controls who had no occupational BPA exposure, the total levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmc) increased significantly (19.37% increase) in BPA-exposed men, with 72.69% of genome regions harboring 5hmc. A total of 9,610 differential 5hmc regions (DhMRs) were revealed in BPA-exposed men relative to controls, which were mainly located in intergenic and intron regions. These DhMRs were composed of 8,670 hyper-hMRs and 940 hypo-hMRs, affecting 2,008 genes and the repetitive elements. The hyper-hMRs affected genes were enriched in pathways associated with nervous system, development, cardiovascular diseases and signal transduction. Additionally, enrichment of 5hmc was observed in the promoters of eight maternally expressed imprinted genes in BPA-exposed sperm. Some of the BPA-affected genes, for example, MLH1, CHD2, SPATA12 and SPATA20 might participate in the response to DNA damage in germ cells caused by BPA. Our analysis showed that enrichment of 5hmc both in promoters and gene bodies is higher in the genes whose expression has been detected in human sperm than those whose expression is absent. Importantly, we observed that BPA exposure affected the 5hmc level in 11.4% of these genes expressed in sperm, and in 6.85% of the sperm genome. Finally, we also observed that BPA exposure tends to change the 5hmc enrichment in the genes which was previously reported to be distributed with the trimethylated Histone 3 (H3K27me3, H3K4me2 or H3K4me3) in sperm. Thus, these results suggest that BPA exposure likely interferes with gene expression via affecting DNA hydroxymethylation in a way partially dependent on trimethylation of H3 in human spermatogenesis. Our current study reveals a new mechanism by which BPA exposure reduces human sperm quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new-paocai was innovatively prepared and DPCD was applied in infiltration stage. • Optimal DPCD treatment for new-paocai (25 MPa, 40 °C, 40 min). • DPCD treatment had minimal impacts on texture, nitrite, pH, total acid, organic acid and retained better quality. This study investigated the effect of dense phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) treatment on the organoleptic properties of new-paocai. Optimal DPCD treatment (25 MPa/40 °C/40 min) was determined by conducting single-factor and orthogonal experiments with the sensory, bactericidal, and electronic eye evaluations. DPCD treatment (25 MPa/40 °C/40 min) did not significantly affect the nitrite, pH, total acid, and organic acid of the new-paocai brine, and the texture of the radish slices did not display substantial changes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to characterize the new-paocai brine flavor, revealing 63 and 60 respective flavor compounds with and without DPCD treatment. In addition, DPCD treatment significantly reduced the total organic volatile compound content in the paocai from 48.182 μg/mL to 35.952 μg/mL, DPCD has a great influence on volatile flavor substances. The electronic nose (E-nose) effectively distinguished the flavor differences in the new-paocai brine with and without DPCD treatment. This study combined new food processing technology with traditional food production, could provide a new idea for pickle production technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The switch from mitosis to meiosis ensures the successive formation of gametes. However, it remains unclear how meiotic initiation occurs within the context of chromatin. Recent studies have shown that zinc finger HIT-type containing 1 (Znhit1), a subunit of the SRCAP chromatin remodeling complex, plays essential roles in modulating the chromatin structure. Herein, we report that the germline-conditional deletion of Znhit1 in male mice specifically blocks meiotic initiation. We show that Znhit1 is required for meiotic prophase events, including synapsis, DNA double-strand break formation, and meiotic DNA replication. Mechanistically, Znhit1 controls the histone variant H2A.Z deposition, which facilitates the expression of meiotic genes, such as Meiosin , but not the expression of Stra8. Interestingly, Znhit1 deficiency disrupts the transcription bubbles of meiotic genes. Thus, our findings identify the essential role of Znhit1-dependent H2A.Z deposition in allowing activation of meiotic gene expression, thereby controlling the initiation of meiosis. [Display omitted] • Inactivating Znhit1 impairs spermatogenesis in mouse • Znhit1 is not required for Stra8 induction but is essential for meiotic initiation • Znhit1-dependent H2A.Z deposition is required for Meiosin transcription • Znhit1/H2A.Z and Stra8 co-occupy DNA and synergistically activate meiotic gene expression The mitosis-to-meiosis decision is a key step in germline development, but how chromatin regulators impact this process remains unclear. Sun et al. find that Znhit1-dependent H2A.Z deposition works together with Stra8 to regulate the entry of male germ cells into meiosis through the activation of Meiosin transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has shown that hormone secretion is regulated by endocytosis. Eps15 homology domain-containing protein 3 (EHD3) is an endocytic-trafficking regulatory protein, but whether EHD3 is associated with testosterone secretion is not clear. This work aims to explore the role of EHD3 in testosterone synthesis. Testosterone concentration was determined by ELISA. The effects of EHD3 on endocytosis were assessed by exosomes tracing assay and Immunofluorescence. Targeting relationship between EHD3 and NR5A1 was verified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual luciferase reporter gene assay in Leydig cells. For in vivo assessments, conditional NR5A1 knockout mouse model was established with CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting technology. EHD3 overexpression significantly increased the concentration of testosterone. EHD3 knockdown markedly decreased testosterone synthesis by reducing endocytosis. The activity of the EHD3 promoter was positively regulated by NR5A1, which occupied the conserved sequence "AGGTCA" in the EHD3 promoter. Furthermore, mice with a Leydig cell-specific conditional NR5A1 knockout displayed the blunted levels of EHD3 and clathrin (a key factor for endocytosis), and serum testosterone concentration compared with NR5A1f/f mice. This study suggests a potential molecular mechanism of testosterone synthesis to fully understand male reproductive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CMP-UiO-66 is prepared through carboxylation and solvothermal method. • CMP-UiO-66 displays high MB removal efficiency via filtration under lower concentrations. • CMP-UiO-66 possesses the favorable reusability, simplicity and rapidity in removal process. • The isotherm models, thermodynamics and removal mechanisms are investigated. • The removal mechanisms include pores filling, electrostatic, π-π interactions and so forth. A novel and flexible paper-based filtration material, namely Zirconium-based metal-organic framework @ carboxymethylated filter paper (CMP-UiO-66), was synthesized in this work. The CMP-UiO-66 was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS mapping), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The removal performance and corresponding mechanisms were evaluated with the help of a batch experiments under different conditions, FTIR, isotherm models and thermodynamics studies. The Langmuir isotherm model can accurately describe the removal process under the initial concentrations from 10 to 50 mg/L. The values of thermodynamics parameters were positive standard entropy (ΔS) and standard enthalpy (ΔH) values, but negative standard Gibbs free energy (ΔG), indicating a random, endothermic and spontaneous process. The removal mechanisms which were made of physical interactions (fibers obstruction and pores filling) and chemical interactions (hydrogen bonding, electrostatic attraction, π-π and n-π interactions), synthetically played a role in the removal process. The CMP-UiO-66 exhibited the excellent removal efficiencies and partition coefficients toward methylene blue (MB) dye for a wide range of pH via simple filtration. Compared with powder-type absorbents, CMP-UiO-66 which possessed the favorable reusability, simplicity and rapidity can be considered as a promising adsorbent for effectively capturing the MB dye molecules. It could also be reused after a simple washing process. This work may provide an effective method for capturing the MB dye molecules by a simple filtration step of the dye solution in the short time, without causing secondary pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and validate a model for the preoperative prediction of the effectiveness of hysteroscopic resection of a uterine cesarean niche in patients with postmenstrual spotting. The predictive model was developed in a primary prospective cohort consisting of 208 patients with niche treated by hysteroscopic resection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to develop the predictive model, which incorporated preoperative menstrual characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Surgical efficacy was defined as a decrease in postmenstrual spotting duration of at least 3 days at the 3-month follow-up compared with baseline. The predictive model was presented with a nomogram, and the performance was assessed with respect to its calibration, discrimination, and clinical use. Internal validation was performed using tenfold cross-validation. The predictive factors in the final model were as follows: preoperative menstrual duration, thickness of the residual myometrium (TRM), length, TRM/thickness of the adjacent myometrium ratio, angle γ, area, and presence of a lateral branch of the niche. The model showed good performance in predicting the effectiveness of hysteroscopic niche resection. Incorporating the preoperative duration of the menstrual period and MRI findings of the niche into an easy-to-use nomogram facilitates the individualized prediction of the effectiveness of a hysteroscopic niche resection by 26 Fr resectoscope, but multicenter prospective studies are needed to validate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]