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Pyrethroid insecticides are ubiquitously detected in environmental media, food, and urine samples. Our previous epidemiological study reported a correlation between increased pyrethroid exposure and delayed pubertal development in Chinese girls. In this study, we further investigated the effects of perinatal exposure to low doses of cypermethrin (CP) on pubertal onset and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in the female mice offspring. The treatment of CP with 60 μg/kg/day from gestation day 6 (GD6) to postnatal day 21 (PND21) significantly decreased the time to puberty in the female offspring. Exposure of CP increased the serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and the expression of GnRH genes in a dose-dependent manner in the female offspring. CP also induced the serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), as well as the expression of gonadotropin subunit genes [LHβ, FSHβ, and chorionic gonadotropin α (Cgα)]. Furthermore, CP induced serum estradiol (E

Doubanjiang-meju has been used as an intermediate for producing Pixian Douban (PXDB) and contributes significantly to its flavor. In this study, a profiling analysis of volatile compounds in open fermented doubanjiang-meju (OFD) and closed fermented doubanjiang-meju (CFD) was performed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O). A total of 42 and 50 volatile compounds were identified in the OFD and CFD, respectively. Compared with the OFD, more diversity and higher concentrations of alcohols and esters were found in the CFD. Ten and 12 volatile compounds were finally identified as the major aroma-active compounds in the OFD and CFD, respectively, by the combined analysis of aroma intensity values and odor activity values (OAVs). The CFD had significantly stronger umami and soy sauce flavor but weaker beany when compared with the OFD (p

Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal that occurs in the environment in large quantities through human activities, has been shown to have adverse effects on female reproductive health. However, the association between cadmium exposure and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), one of the most prevalent ovarian diseases in women, has not been examined yet. This case–control study involving 169 POI cases and 209 healthy controls was conducted in Zhejiang Province, China. The urinary concentrations of cadmium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In addition, serum levels of reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol, were measured. The median concentration of urinary cadmium in POI cases (0.43 μg/L, 0.58 μg/g for creatinine adjustment) was significantly higher than that of controls (0.29 μg/L, 0.43 μg/g for creatinine adjustment). The results of binary logistic regression models showed that the concentrations of urinary cadmium were positively significantly correlated with the odds ratio (ORs) of POI before the adjustment of confounders. After the adjustment, a significantly positive association was still present between the increased concentrations of cadmium and the ORs of POI (2.50, 95% CIs: 1.34–4.65 for the third tertile, p for trend = 0.001). The serum levels of FSH and LH were positively associated with urinary cadmium, while AMH and estradiol levels were inversely correlated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported positive association of cadmium exposure with the risk of POI in women.

Background To assess the indications and complications of late amniocentesis and the advanced genetic test results in a tertiary university fetal medical medicine unit. Methods In this retrospective study, women that underwent amniocentesis at 24+ 0 to 39+ 4 weeks, between January 2014 and December 2019, were recruited. Indications, complications, genetic test results, and pregnancy outcomes were reported for each pregnancy and compared with those who underwent the traditional amniocentesis at 16+ 0 to 23+ 6 weeks (control group). Information was retrieved from patient medical records, checked by research staff, and analyzed. Results Of the 1287 women (1321 fetuses) included in the late amniocentesis group, late detected sonographic abnormalities (85.5%) were the most common indication. The overall incidence of preterm birth and intrauterine demise after amniocentesis were 2.5 and 1.3%, respectively. Sixty-nine fetuses with aneuploidy (5.3%) and seventy-two fetuses with pathogenic copy number variations (5.5%) were identified by chromosomal microarray analysis. The maximal diagnostic yield (70%) was in the subgroup of fetuses with the abnormal diagnostic test results, followed by abnormal NIPT results (35.7%) and multiple abnormalities (23.8%). And 35.4% of the pregnancies were finally terminated. Conclusions Due to the high detection rates of advanced genetic technologies and the safety of the invasive procedure (3.9% vs 4.0%), it is reasonable to recommend late amniocentesis as an effective and reliable method to detect late-onset fetal abnormalities. However, chromosomal microarray and whole-exome sequencing may result in uncertain results like variants of uncertain significance. Comprehensive genetic counseling is necessary.

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is the most widely cultivated and high-value turfgrass species. Genetic linkage maps of creeping bentgrass were constructed for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of gray snow mold (Typhula incarnata) resistance, recovery and leaf width. A segregating population of 188 pseudo-F2 progeny was developed by two-way pseudo-testcross mapping strategy. Amplified fragment length polymorphism, new developed Agrostis specific expressed sequence tag-single sequence repeat (SSR), random amplified polymorphic DNA and genomic SSR markers corresponding to DNA polymorphisms heterozygous in one parent and null in the other, were scored and placed on two separate genetic linkage maps, representing each parent. In the male parent map, 100 markers were mapped to 14 linkage groups covering a total length of 793 cM with an average interval of 8.2 cM. In the female parent map, 146 markers were clustered in another 14 linkage groups spanning 805 cM with an average distance of 5.9 cM between adjacent markers. We identified three putative QTL for leaf width and one QTL for snow mold disease resistance. The construction of a linkage map and QTL analysis are expected to facilitate the development of disease resistant creeping bentgrass cultivars by using molecular marker-assisted selection.