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Objective To exploring the effect of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells(hAMSCs) on the repair of rat uterine scars. Methods The hAMSCs were isolated and cultured,Female SPF grade SD rats were selected for full-thickness incision of uterine wall and then implanted with hAMSCs. On the 30th day after operation, the uterine incision was examined histologically.ImageJ image analysis software was used to analyze and to compare the thickness of uterine myometrium and the percentage of fibrotic area in each group.Immunohistochemical method was used for detecting the percentage of positive areas of α-SMA, TGF-β1, and Ki-67. Results Compared with the PBS group, the hAMSCs group showed significant thickening of the uterine muscle layer and fibrotic area was decreased, The positive expression of α-SMA, and Ki-67 significantly increased(P＜0.05), while the expression of TGF-β1 was significantly reduced(P＜0.05). Conclusions The hAMSCs may promote the repair of uterine incision scars by reducing the formation of scar fibrosis and promoting the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in uterine scars.

Abstract Background Yaks are a vital livestock in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau area for providing food products, maintaining sustainable ecosystems, and promoting cultural heritage. Because of uncontrolled mating, it is impossible to estimate inbreeding level of yak populations using the pedigree-based approaches. With the aims to accurately evaluate inbreeding level of two Chinese yak populations (Maiwa and Jiulong), we obtained genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by DNA sequencing and calculated five SNP-by-SNP estimators ( $$\:{F}_{HOM}$$ , $$\:{F}_{L\&H}$$ , $$\:{F}_{VR1}$$ , $$\:{F}_{VR2}$$ , and $$\:{F}_{YAN}$$ ), as well as two segment-based estimators of runs of homozygosity (ROH, $$\:{F}_{ROH}$$ ) and homozygous-by-descent (HBD, $$\:{F}_{HBD}$$ ). Functional implications were analyzed for the positional candidate genes located within the related genomic regions. Results A total of 151,675 and 190,955 high-quality SNPs were obtained from 71 Maiwa and 30 Jiulong yaks, respectively. Jiulong had greater genetic diversity than Maiwa in terms of allele frequency and nucleotide diversity. The two populations could be genetically distinguished by principal component analysis, with the mean differentiation index (Fst) of 0.0054. The greater genomic inbreeding levels of Maiwa yaks were consistently supported by all five SNP-by-SNP estimators. Based on simple proportion of homozygous SNPs ( $$\:{F}_{HOM}$$ ), a lower inbreeding level was indicated by three successfully sequenced old leather samples that may represent historical Maiwa yaks about five generations ago. There were 3304 ROH detected among all samples, with mean and median length of 1.97 Mb and 1.0 Mb, respectively. A total of 94 HBD segments were found among all samples, whereas 92 of them belonged to the shortest class with the mean length of 10.9 Kb. Based on the estimates of $$\:{F}_{ROH}$$ and $$\:{F}_{HBD}$$ , however, there was no difference in inbreeding level between Maiwa and Jiulong yaks. Within the genomic regions with the significant Fst or enriched by ROH, we found several candidate genes and pathways that have been reported to be related to diverse production traits in farm animals. Conclusions We successfully evaluated the genomic inbreeding level of two Chinese yak populations. Although different estimators resulted in inconsistent conclusions on their genomic inbreeding levels, our results may be helpful to implement the genetic conservation and utilization programs for the two yak populations.

Purposes In order to obtain additional microstructural information on the ConMoS(n＝1-5) cluster and establish a theoretical foundation for subsequent investigations of its electronic properties and catalytic performance, the atomic interaction relationships and frontier orbital compositions of the cluster are investigated. Methods To accomplish this, density functional theory with the B3LYP functional and def2-TZVP basis set is adopted to optimize the cluster configuration and perform theoretical analysis under various spin multiplicities with the Gaussian09 software package. Findings The results demonstrate the existence of 21 stable configurations. AIM theory, electron localization function, and deformation density are analyzed to obtain information on the degree of internal interaction and electron density transfer trends of the cluster. The findings indicate that covalent bonding interactions between Co, Mo, and S atoms are strong in the internal atom interactions of the cluster, with S atoms exhibiting high localization and low probability of electron escape from the domain. In contrast, Co and Mo atoms exhibit strong delocalization and are likely to exchange electrons with the outside electrons. Through Hirshfeld analysis of atomic contribution rates, it can be observed that metal atoms are the primary contributors to the HOMO and LUMO orbitals, with Mo and Co atoms dominating the frontier orbitals. Overall, covalent bonding is the primary atomic interaction within the cluster, but the strength of these interactions varies. Mo and Co atoms should be the focus in chemical reactions of the cluster.

Changes in the functional properties of myosin and the tissue microstructure of hooked, trawl-netted, and radar-netted hairtail (Trichiurus haumela) were investigated under different heating temperatures. Hairtails were water bathed at 30, 50, 70 or 90 ℃ and evaluated for cooking loss and water-holding capacity (WHC) as well as myosin turbidity, solubility, emulsifying capacity, foaming capacity and foam stability, and carbonyl content after 10 min. Besides, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to analyze the effects of different heating temperatures on the tissue microstructure of hairtails. The results showed that as the heating temperature rose, the cooking loss and water-holding capacity of muscle decreased gradually for the three kinds of hairtail. Myosin turbidity and carbonyl content increased, and solubility, emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI), foaming capacity and foam stability decreased continuously. The decrease in muscle WHC and myosin solubility and the increase in myosin turbidity were all smaller in radar-netted hairtails than in the two other kinds. In addition, the HE staining results showed that with increasing heating temperature, the space between muscle fiber bundles in muscle tissues increased for all kinds of hairtail, and different degrees of breakage occurred. When the heating temperature was 50 ℃, the structure of collagen and muscle fibers was the most complete in the muscle tissue of radar-netted hairtail. Summarily, the muscle quality of all three kinds of hairtail decreased with the increase in heating temperature, and the muscle quality of radar-netted hairtail was the most stable.

The Late Ediacaran Dengying Formation, located in the Sichuan Basin of the northwestern Yangtze Craton, is of significant interest in oil and gas exploration due to its abundant pores and vugs within microbial mound-shoal complexes. However, there is still uncertainty regarding the spatiotemporal distribution and controlling factors of the platform margin. This study comprehensively analyzes the retrogradation pattern of the Dengying Formation platform margin using seismic data, well logs, field outcrops, and petrological characteristics. Our findings reveal that the Dengying Formation strata surrounding the rift basin at the northwestern of the Yangtze Craton can be divided into three main depositional facies: basin facies, slope facies, and platform margin facies. Additionally, based on the integration of lithological, log, and seismic characteristics, the Dengying Formation is subdivided into four third-order sequences, with five sequence boundaries and three seismic facies identified. Supported by sequence stratigraphy and geophysical data, we have reconstructed the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the multiple platform margins on the eastern side of the Deyang-Anyue rift in the Sichuan Basin during the late Ediacaran. Our findings indicate that the platform underwent two phases of retrogradation. The second-stage platform margin underwent retrogradation towards the interior, spanning a distance between 10 and 80 km, based on the initial configuration established by the first-stage platform margin. The main controls for progradation and retrogradation of carbonate platforms are eustatic sea-level changes and tectonic activity. Eustatic sea-level changes can be divided into constructive and destructive phases. Constructive phases are commonly observed in highstand systems tracts, while destructive phases are often associated with transgressive systems tracts and are related to platform retrogradation processes. However, sea-level changes alone cannot fully control the process of platform retrogradation. The thermal subsidence following mantle plume events likely played a significant role in the retrogradation of the platform in the study area. During this period, tectonic processes controlled the geometry of the platform and the deposition of carbonates in the platform margin-slope-basin environment. Additionally, karst-related mound-shoal complexes developed extensively along the platform margin of the Dengying Formation in the northwestern Yangtze Craton. The Lower Cambrian dark shales represent high-quality hydrocarbon source rocks, while the Dengying Formation exhibits an optimal source-reservoir configuration.

ABSTRACT: Nutritional therapy, which may have advantages over medication, is being investigated as a novel treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension. Several studies have shown that probiotic yogurt supplementation during pregnancy has beneficial effects on maternal and fetal health. In this study, fermented buffalo milk was produced with yogurt culture and Lactobacillus plantarum B, a probiotic isolated from healthy breast milk with high angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity. The fermentation conditions under which the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity reached 84.51% were optimized by the response surface method as follows: 2 × 106 cfu/mL of L. plantarum B, yogurt culture 2.5 × 105 cfu/mL, and 8 h at 37°C. The distribution of ACE inhibitory peptides from fermented buffalo milk and fermented cow milk were further analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. By searching according to the structural features of ACE inhibitory peptides, 29 and 11 peptides containing ACE inhibitory peptide features were found in fermented buffalo milk and fermented cow milk, respectively. To investigate the in vivo antihypertensive activity of fermented buffalo milk, 18 pregnant rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 6 in each group) and administered 10 mL of normal saline, yogurt (20 mg/kg), or labetalol hydrochloride (4 mg/kg) daily from the beginning of pregnancy to parturition. To induce hypertension, methyl nitrosoarginine (125 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously every day from d 15 of pregnancy to the day of delivery. Blood pressure was not significantly changed in the yogurt and labetalol groups after induction of hypertension and was lower compared with the normal saline group, but there was no difference between the yogurt and labetalol groups. This implied that the buffalo yogurt had a preventive and antihypertensive effect in the pregnancy-induced hypertensive rat model. Further studies to determine the mechanism of action, as well as a randomized control trial, are warranted.

Since implementing the postdoctoral system in China, the number and quality of postdocs have improved greatly. Under the policy of creating world-class universities, most universities have focused unprecedentedly on recruiting postdoctoral fellows, and the management regulations for postdocs have become increasingly diverse. Through in-depth interviews with postdoctoral fellows at three universities in a metropolitan city, we found that postdoctoral roles have been multidimensional and sometimes conflicting, including the quasi-role of university teacher, the rigid role of independent researcher, the inertial role of student and the unofficial role of associate supervisor. Sociocultural norms, institutional contexts, and professional community shape these role identities.