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Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that is widely distributed in humans and warm-blooded animals. T. gondii chronic infections can cause toxoplasmic encephalopathy, adverse pregnancy, and male reproductive disorders. In male reproduction, the main function of the testis is to provide a stable place for spermatogenesis and immunological protection. The disorders affecting testis tissue encompass abnormalities in the germ cell cycle, spermatogenic retardation, or complete cessation of sperm development. However, the mechanisms of interaction between T. gondii and the reproductive system is unclear. The aims were to study the expression levels of genes related to spermatogenesis, following T. gondii infection, in mouse testicular tissue. Methods RNA-seq sequencing was carried out on mouse testicular tissues from mice infected or uninfected with the T. gondii type II Prugniaud (PRU) strain and validated in combination with real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence assays. Results The results showed that there were 250 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (P

With the increasing impact of global climate change, the frequency of extreme arid climates worldwide is rising. These extreme arid conditions can have adverse effects on expansive soil embankments. In this study, the digital image technology is used to study the crack development characteristics of expansive soil embankments. The findings indicate that the crack development process in expansive soil can be divided into three stages: slow development, rapid development, and stable development. During the drying process, cracks develop differently on the waterward side, the top of the embankment, and the backwater side of the embankment. Initially, cracks appear on the top of the embankment, and their degree of development is the highest in this area. The crack degree on the top of the embankment is approximately 2 to 3 times greater than that on the waterward and backwater sides. Furthermore, longitudinal cracks on the top of the embankment have been analyzed from both macro and micro perspectives. This study is expected to help analyze the underlying formation mechanisms of desiccation cracking-inducing geohazards and access the long-term performance of expansive soil embankments in arid climates.

A new cyprinid fish, Opsariichthys rubriventris sp. nov., is described from the Xizhijiang River, a tributary of the Pearl River basin in Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, southern China. The species is distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: predorsal scales 13–14; lower jaw projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; cheek with two mainly longitudinal rows of tubercles; and lower jaw, belly, pectoral fin, and anterior margin of anal fin in adult males being reddish-orange. The principal component analysis result of the morphological data indicated that O. rubriventris sp. nov. could be clearly distinguished fromfour other congeners. The phylogenetic analysis conducted in this study, utilizing both Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods, supported the monophyly of the novel species O. rubriventris sp. nov. at the species level. Additionally, the genetic distance analysis revealed that O. rubriventris sp. nov. exhibits a genetic distance ranging from 0.14 to 0.16 with its congeneric species, further affirming its taxonomic status.

Introduction. The correlation between potassium and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently still poorly understood. We conducted this study to explore the correlation between dietary potassium intake and NAFLD, as well as advanced hepatic fibrosis (AHF). The study also sought to identify any potential interactions. Methods. The data employed in this study were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program, encompassing a period from 2007 to 2018. Employing the multiple logistic regression analysis, we evaluated the association of dietary potassium intake with NAFLD and AHF. Subsequently, stratification analysis, based on demographic variables, was constructed so as to assess the stability of the results. In addition, potential interaction effects were assessed by interaction tests. Results. A total of 9443 participants were included in the analysis. The mean age of the participants was 50.4 years, and their daily mean dietary potassium and vitamin C intake was 2556.49 mg and 82.93 mg, respectively. Following comprehensive statistical analyses, the findings indicated a negative correlation between dietary potassium intake and both NAFLD and AHF. Participants in Q4 group with dietary potassium intake exhibited a 31% and 42% reduction in the odds of developing NAFLD and AHF, respectively, in comparison to Q1 group. An interaction effect of dietary vitamin C intake was observed in the association between dietary potassium intake and NAFLD. The results imply that high dietary vitamin C intake augment the inverse relationship between dietary potassium intake and NAFLD. Conclusion. Dietary potassium intake was found to have an inverse association with the odds of both NAFLD and AHF. The association between dietary potassium intake and NAFLD was amplified by the presence of vitamin C in the diet.

ZMT04 muscovite serves as a quality control reference material for K--Ar dating, with a recommended age of 1804 ± 21 Ma (2σ). Here, we check the homogeneity for ZMT04 muscovite and compare its age against the reference material Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs). Five sub-samples of ZMT04 muscovite were irradiated in three different reactors with different irradiation doses, analysed at varying sample masses over different time periods, and subjected to different mass spectrometric measurement procedures in two independent laboratories, which yielded consistent plateau ages with a mean of 1772.2 ± 2.7 Ma (2σ, MSWD = 1.30, and P = 0.18) and RFCs=28.294±0.072Ma ZMT04 = 105.53 ± 0.25 (2sd, MSWD = 0.88, and P = 0.57). The single-grain results are consistent with the multi-grain stepwise heating results, indicating good reproducibility and homogeneity of 40Ar* and K at the single-grain level. A single grain is sufficient to yield a high precision result when the J-value >0.01. We recommend 1 mg as the minimum sample mass to yield enough neutron-induced 39Ar signals for high-precision analysis (J-value <0.001). Accordingly, ZMT04 muscovite can represent a reliable 40Ar/ 39Ar dating and K--Ar dating reference material for Paleoproterozoic geological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence characteristics of shale oil are of great significance to the movability of shale oil. In this study, the occurrence characteristics of oil in the shale matrix at Funing Formation shale in Subei Basin were quantitatively evaluated by organic geochemistry and microscopic pore structure characterization experiments. The Multiple Isothermal Stages Pyrolysis (MIS) experiment results show that the content of total oil, adsorbed oil, and free oil in the shales are 3.15e11.25 mg/g, 1.41e4.95 mg/g, and 1.74e6.51 mg/g, respectively. among which the silicon-rich shale has the best oil-bearing. The relative content of free oil shows an increasing trend in pores with pore diameters greater than 3 nm. When the relative content of free oil reaches 100%, the pore size of silicon-rich shale is about 200 nm, while that of calcium-rich shale, clay-rich shale, and siliceous mixed shale is about 10 nm. The occurrence law of adsorbed oil is opposite to that of free oil, which indicates that shale oil will occur in the pores and fractures in a free state in a more extensive pore size range (>200 nm). This study also enables us to further understand the occurrence characteristics of shale oil under the interaction of occurrence state and occurrence space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN) has been shown to cause reproductive damage by inducing oxidative stress. Astaxanthin and L-carnitine are widely used to alleviate oxidative stress and promote sperm maturation. However, it remains uncertain whether they are effective in mitigating spermatogenesis disorders induced by ZEN. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanisms of Vigor King (Vig), a compound preparation primarily consisting of astaxanthin and L-carnitine, in alleviating ZEN-induced spermatogenesis disorders. In the experiment, mice received continuous oral gavage of ZEN (80 μg/kg) for 35 days, accompanied by a rescue strategy with Vig (200 mg/kg). The results showed that Vig effectively reduced the negative impact on semen quality and improved the structural and functional abnormalities of the seminiferous epithelium caused by ZEN. Additionally, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA double-strand breaks, apoptosis, and autophagy abnormalities were all significantly ameliorated. Intriguingly, the GSK3β-dependent BTRC-NRF2 signaling pathway was found to play an important role in this process. Furthermore, testing of offspring indicated that Vig could extend its protective effects to the next generation, effectively combating the transgenerational toxic effects of ZEN. In summary, our research suggests that Vig supplementation holds considerable promise in alleviating spermatogenesis disorders induced by zearalenone.