Differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into Leydig-like cells with testicular extract liquid in vitro.

Differentiation of Leydig cells plays a key role in male reproductive function. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have emerged as a potential cell source for generating Leydig-like cells due to their multipotent differentiation capacity and accessibility. This study aimed to investigate the morphological and genetic expression changes of BMSCs during differentiation into Leydig-like cells. Testicular extract liquid, which simulates the microenvironment in vivo, induced the third passage BMSCs differentiated into Leydig-like cells. Changes in cell morphology were observed by microscopy, the formation of lipid droplets of androgen precursor was identified by Oil Red Staining, and the expression of testicular specific genes 3ß-HSD and SF-1 in testicular stromal cells was detected by RT-qPCR. BMSCs isolated from the bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were cultured for 3 generations and identified as qualified BMSCs in terms of morphology and cell surface markers. After 14 days of induction with testicular tissue lysate, lipid droplets appeared in the cytoplasm of P3 BMSCs by Oil Red O staining. RT-qPCR detection was performed on BMSCs on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st day after induction. Relative expression levels of 3ß-HSD mRNA significantly increased after 14 days of induction, while the relative expression of SF-1 mRNA increased after 14 days of induction but was not significant. BMSCs can differentiate into testicular interstitial cells with reserve androgen precursor lipid droplets after induction by testicular tissue lysate. The differentiation ability of BMSCs provides the potential to reconstruct the testicular microenvironment and is expected to fundamentally improve testicular function and provide new treatment options for abnormal spermatogenesis diseases.

Desertivirga arenae gen. nov., sp. nov. and Desertivirga brevis sp. nov., isolated from desert soil, and reclassification of Pedobacter xinjiangensis as Desertivirga xinjiangensis comb. nov. and Pedobacter mongoliensis as Paradesertivirga mongoliensis gen.nov., comb. nov.

Two novel bacterial strains, designated as SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T, were isolated from sandy soil of the Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang, north-west China. SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T shared 99.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, and were both most closely related to Pedobacter xinjiangensis 12157T with 96.1 % and 96.0 % similarities, respectively. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses revealed that the two isolates and P. xinjiangensis 12157T formed a separate distinct cluster in a stable subclade with the nearby species Pedobacter mongoliensis 1-32T, as well as the genera Pararcticibacter and Arcticibacter. Furthermore, P. mongoliensis 1-32T formed a separate deep-branching lineage and did not form a cluster with members of the genus Pedobacter. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T and related species were well below the thresholds for species delineation (<81.0 % and <24.0 %, respectively). The genomes of SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T were 6.19 and 6.43 Mbp in size with 40.4 % and 40.5 % DNA G+C contents, respectively. The predominant fatty acids (>10 %) of SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c). Menaquinone-7 was the only respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, glycosphingolipid, aminoglycolipid/glycolipid, aminophospholipid and three or four unidentified polar lipids. These data indicated that strains SYSU D00823T and SYSU D00873T should be assigned to two novel species of a new genus within the family Sphingobacteriaceae, for which the names Desertivirga arenae gen. nov., sp. nov. and Desertivirga brevis sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are SYSU D00823T (=CGMCC 1.18630T=MCCC 1K04973T=KCTC 82278T) and SYSU D00873T (=CGMCC 1.18629T=MCCC 1K04974T=KCTC 82281T), respectively. Accordingly, the reclassification of P. xinjiangensis as Desertivirga xinjiangensis comb. nov., and P. mongoliensis as Paradesertivirga mongoliensis gen. nov., comb. nov. are also proposed.

Bibliometrics analysis of hotspots research on infertility syndromes and polystyrene.

Polystyrene plastic pollution poses a pressing environmental concern and represents a significant risk factor for infertility. Despite this, a comprehensive overview of the field remains scarce, with future trends largely unknown. Bibliometrics, an applied mathematical and statistical method, offers a means to analyze textual information across various levels, facilitating quantitative assessments of all knowledge carriers and unveiling the nature and developmental trajectories of a discipline. This study aimed to employ bibliometric methods to scrutinize the current status and research hotspots within the realm of polystyrene and infertility. Literature spanning from 1980 to 2023 pertaining to polystyrene and infertility was retrieved from the core database of Web of Science. Quantitative analyses were conducted utilizing CiteSpace (version 5.7.R7), VOSviewer (version 1.6.18.0), and an online literature analysis website (https://bibliometric.com/). The analysis visually represented countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords within the field. This study delved into the development history, knowledge structure, research hotspots, and potential trends in the field, furnishing a macro perspective for researchers. The investigation encompassed 267 articles published across 120 journals by 1,352 authors affiliated with 417 institutions in 51 countries, with these articles garnering 10,310 citations across 2,811 journals. The top three countries contributing the most articles were China, the United States, and Germany. In essence, the research hotspots primarily revolved around metabolism, endocrinology, and immunity. Despite China's relatively recent entry into this field, its rapid development is evident. However, the low citation frequency suggests a need for improved article quality.

Hierarchical porous amorphous metal-organic frameworks constructed from ZnO/MOF glass composites.

For the first time, hierarchical porous amorphous metal-organic frameworks (HP-aMOFs) containing ultramicropores, micropores, and mesopores were synthesized by etching a composite of MOF glass (agZIF-76) and ZnO using ammonia. These materials show potential applications in the adsorption of C2 hydrocarbons.

Mimicking Motor Proteins: Wall-Guided Self-Navigation of Microwheels.

Untethered micro/nanorobots (MNRs) show great promise in biomedicine. However, high-precision targeted in vivo navigation of MNRs into both deep and tiny microtube networks comes with big challenges because the present medical imaging cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of high resolution, high penetration depth, and high real-time performance. Inspired by intracellular motor proteins that transport cargo along cytoskeletal tracks, this study proposed a microtube inwall-guided targeted self-navigation strategy of magnetic microwheels (µ-wheels) that relies only on interactions with a microtube inwall, compared to conventional techniques that rely on real-time imaging and tracking of MNRs. By presetting the direction of the rotating magnetic field, the µ-wheel realized targeted navigation along the inwall. The propulsion principles behind it are elaborated. The targeted self-navigation of the µ-wheels in three-dimensional microtube networks, a spiral microtube, and an intrahepatic bile duct of a pig was conducted. Lastly, based on the strategy, a practical tumor early detection method was proposed and verified by means of magnetic resonance imaging. The microtube inwall-guided targeted self-navigation strategy reduces the dependence of in vivo targeted navigation of MNRs on the real-time performance of medical imaging technology and greatly contributes to the development of MNRs in biomedical applications.

Iodine Adsorption-Desorption-Induced Structural Transformation and Improved Ag+ Turn-On Luminescent Sensing Performance of a Nonporous Eu(III) Metal-Organic Framework.

Posttreatment of pristine metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with suitable vapor may be an effective way to regulate their structures and properties but has been less explored. Herein, we report an interesting example in which a crystalline nonporous Eu(III)-MOF was transferred to a porous amorphous MOF (aMOF) via iodine vapor adsorption-desorption posttreatment, and the resulting aMOF showed improved turn-on sensing properties with respect to Ag+ ions. The crystalline Eu-MOF, namely, Eu-IPDA, was assembled from Eu(III) and 4,4'-{4-[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl]pyridine-2,6-diyl}dibenzoic acid (H2IPDA) and exhibited a two-dimensional (2D) coordination network based on one-dimensional secondary building blocks. The close packing of the 2D networks gives rise to a three-dimensional supramolecular framework without any significant pores. Interestingly, the nonporous Eu-IPDA could absorb iodine molecules when Eu-IPDA crystals were placed in iodine vapor at 85 °C, and the adsorption capacity was 1.90 g/g, which is comparable to those of many MOFs with large BET surfaces. The adsorption of iodine is attributed to the strong interactions among the iodine molecule, the carboxy group, and the N-containing group and leads to the amorphization of the framework. After immersion of the iodine-loaded Eu-IPDA in EtOH, approximately 89.7% of the iodine was removed, resulting in a porous amorphous MOF, denoted as a-Eu-IPDA. In addition, the remaining iodine in the a-Eu-IPDA framework causes strong luminescent quenching in the fluorescence emission region of the Eu(III) center when compared with that in Eu-IPDA. The luminescence intensity of a-Eu-IPDA in water suspensions was significantly enhanced when Ag+ ions were added, with a detection limit of 4.76 × 10-6 M, which is 1000 times that of pristine Eu-IPDA. It also showed strong anti-interference ability over many common competitive metal ions and has the potential to sense Ag+ in natural water bodies and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. A mechanistic study showed that the interactions between Ag+ and the absorbed iodine, the carboxylate group, and the N atoms all contribute to the sensing performance of a-Eu-IPDA.

Insight into Multiphase Interlayer Molecular Packing and Stepwise Phase Transition in 4-(Phenylazo)benzoate Anion-Intercalated Layered Zinc Hydroxide.

The properties of layered intercalation hybrids are closely related to interlayer molecular packing. To develop functional intercalation hybrids, it is essential to gain deep insights into interlayer molecular packing. This work reports a new comprehensive insight into the controllable multiphase interlayer molecular packing in 4-(phenylazo)benzoate anion-intercalated layered zinc hydroxide (LZH-4-PAB intercalation hybrids). The new insight breaks up the general understanding that the interlayer molecular packing of anions is usually single-phase, lacking diversity and controllability. Furthermore, it uncovers an interesting stepwise rather than the generally expected continuous phase transition of the interlayer molecular packing. The intercalated 4-PAB anions initially organize into the horizontal monolayer packing (θ = 0°, Phase I), which stepwise transforms to the tilted interdigitated antiparallel bilayer packing (θ ≈ 50°, Phase II) along with an increased intercalation loading and eventually to the vertical interdigitated antiparallel bilayer packing (θ = 90°, Phase III). The LZH-4-PAB hybrids exhibited a greatly enhanced interlayer molecular packing-dependent UV-vis absorption. This study provides helpful guidance for developing property-tailored intercalation hybrids. It may attract new interest in more layered intercalation hybrids. New and rich intercalation chemistry might be discovered in more functional intercalation hybrids beyond the 4-PAB anion-intercalated layered zinc hydroxide.

EGR1 modulates EPHB4-induced trophoblast dysfunction in recurrent spontaneous abortion†.

Recurrent spontaneous abortion, defined as at least three unexplained abortions occurring before the 20-24 week of pregnancy, has a great impact on women's quality of life. Ephrin receptor B4 has been associated with trophoblast function in preeclampsia. The present study aimed to verify the hypothesis that ephrin receptor B4 regulates the biological functions of trophoblasts in recurrent spontaneous abortion and to explore the upstream mechanism. Ephrin receptor B4 was overexpressed in mice with recurrent spontaneous abortion. Moreover, ephrin receptor B4 inhibited trophoblast proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis. Downregulation of early growth response protein 1 expression in mice with recurrent spontaneous abortion led to ephrin receptor B4 overexpression. Poor expression of WT1-associated protein in mice with recurrent spontaneous abortion reduced the modification of early growth response protein 1 mRNA methylation, resulting in decreased early growth response protein 1 mRNA stability and expression. Overexpression of WT1-associated protein reduced the incidence of recurrent spontaneous abortion in mice by controlling the phenotype of trophoblasts, which was reversed by early growth response protein 1 knockdown. All in all, our findings demonstrate that dysregulation of WT1-associated protein contributes to the instability of early growth response protein 1, thereby activating ephrin receptor B4-induced trophoblast dysfunction in recurrent spontaneous abortion. Our study provides novel insights into understanding the molecular pathogenesis of recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Characterization and Effect of a Nematophagous Fungus Talaromyces cystophila sp. nov. for the Biological Control of Corn Cyst Nematode.

The dynamic of plant-parasitic nematode populations in soil is closely related to soil microorganisms. Fungi from Heterodera zeae cysts were isolated to explore the phenomenon of decline in the H. zeae population in the soil. Phylogenetic study of partial ITS, BenA, CaM, and RPB2 gene sequences, in addition to morphological investigations, was utilized to identify a nematode-destroying fungus. The nematicidal activity of a novel strain GX1 against H. zeae was assessed in vitro and in the greenhouse. Our findings revealed that strain GX1 is a new species of Talaromyces, named Talaromyces cystophila. It has a strong parasitic and lethal effect on H. zeae cysts, with 91.11% parasitism on cysts at 3 days after treatment. The contents of second-stage juveniles (J2s) and eggs inside the cysts were degraded and formed dense vacuoles, and the damaged eggs could not hatch normally. The spore suspension exhibited high nematophagous activity against nematodes, and fermentation filtrate exhibited marked inhibition of egg hatching and nematicidal activities on J2s. The hatching inhibition rates of eggs exposed to 1 × 108 CFU/ml spore suspensions or 20% 1-week fermentation filtrate (1-WF) for 15 days were 98.56 and 100%, respectively. The mortality of J2s exposed to 1 × 108 CFU/ml spore suspension reached 100% at 24 h; exposure to 50% 2-WF was 98.65 and 100% at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Greenhouse experiments revealed that the spore suspension and fermentation broth considerably decreased H. zeae reproduction by 56.17 to 78.76%. T. cystophila is a potential biocontrol strain with nematophagous and nematicidal activity that deserves attention and application.

Research on the dentification of Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolium using catalysed hairpin assembly technology.

INTRODUCTION: Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolium are traditional Chinese herb medicines and similar in morphology and some chemical components but differ in drug properties, so they cannot be mixed. However, the processed products of them are often sold in the form of slices, powder, and capsules, which are difficult to identify by traditional morphological methods. Furthermore, an accurate evaluation of P. ginseng, P. quinquefolium and the processed products have not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish a catalysed hairpin assembly (CHA) identification method for authenticating products made from P. ginseng and P. quinquefolium based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences. METHOD: By analysing the differences of SNP in internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) in P. ginseng and P. quinquefolium to design CHA-specific hairpins. Establish a sensitive and efficient CHA method that can identify P. ginseng and P. quinquefolium, use the sequencing technology to verify the accuracy of this method in identifying Panax products, and compare this method with high-resolution melting (HRM). RESULTS: The reaction conditions of CHA were as follows: the ratio of forward and reverse primers, 20:1; hairpin concentration, 5 ng/µL. Compared with capillary electrophoresis, this method had good specificity and the limit of detection was 0.5 ng/µL. The result of Panax product identification with CHA method were coincidence with that of the sequencing method; the positive rate of CHA reaction was 100%. CONCLUSION: This research presents an effective identification method for authenticating P. ginseng and P. quinquefolium products, which is helpful to improve the quality of Panax products.

Reducing Perovskite/C60 Interface Losses via Sequential Interface Engineering for Efficient Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cell.

Wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells hold tremendous potential for realizing efficient tandem solar cells. However, nonradiative recombination and carrier transport losses occurring at the perovskite/electron-selective contact (e.g. C60 ) interface present significant obstacles in approaching their theoretical efficiency limit. To address this, a sequential interface engineering (SIE) strategy that involves the deposition of ethylenediamine diiodide (EDAI2 ) followed by sequential deposition of 4-Fluoro-Phenethylammonium chloride (4F-PEACl) is implemented. The SIE technique synergistically narrows the conduction band offset and reduces recombination velocity at the perovskite/C60 interface. The best-performing WBG perovskite solar cell (1.67 eV) delivers a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.8% and an impressive open-circuit voltage of 1.262 V. Moreover, through integration with double-textured silicon featuring submicrometer pyramid structures, a stabilized PCE of 29.6% is attained for a 1 cm2 monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem cell (certified PCE of 29.0%).

Resistance of the Ginseng Gray Mold Pathogen, Botrytis cinerea, to Boscalid and Pyraclostrobin Fungicides in China.

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea severely threatens the yield of ginseng (Panax ginseng). Various categories of fungicides have been utilized to control gray mold on this crop. In this study, the resistance of 102 isolates of B. cinerea from 11 commercial ginseng-growing regions in China to fungicides was examined. A total of 32.4% were resistant to boscalid, with EC50 values that ranged from 12.26 to 235.87 µg/ml, and 94.1% were resistant to pyraclostrobin, with EC50 values that ranged from 5.88 to 487.72 µg/ml. Except for sdhA and sdhD, the amino acid substitutions of P225F, P225L, N230I, H272Y, and H272R in the sdhB subunit from 24 (4 sensitive [S] and 20 resistant [R]), 5 (1 S and 4 R), 1 (S), 1 (R), and 8 (4 S and 4 R) strains, respectively, and the concurrent amino acid substitutions of G85A + I93V + M158V + V168I in the sdhC subunit from 5 (4 S and 1 R) strains were identified. A G143A substitution in cytochrome b was identified in 96 isolates that were resistant to pyraclostrobin and three that were sensitive to it. The Bcbi-143/144 intron was identified in the other three isolates sensitive to pyraclostrobin, but it was absent in the isolates that harbored the G143A mutation. The results showed that the populations of B. cinerea on ginseng have developed strong resistance to pyraclostrobin. Therefore, it is not recommended to continue using this fungicide to control gray mold on P. ginseng. Boscalid is still effective against most isolates. However, to prevent fungicide resistance, it is recommended to use a mixture of boscalid with other categories of fungicides.

Three-Dimensional Rock Core-Like Microstructure Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing for Petroleum Engineering.

To improve the recovery rate of oil in the formation, oil recovery technology has been continuously studied. Considering the experimental cost and data measurement in oil recovery research, laboratory oil recovery is the most effective method. The rock core model used in the simulation directly affects whether the research results are credible. However, the current three-dimensional rock core model manufacturing methods and corresponding models lack of reproducible, customizable, and visualized characteristics. In this study, a reproducible rock core model of microsphere accumulation based on the structure of natural rock core was designed and manufactured by microstereolithography. Oil recovery experiments and simulation studies show that the rock core model has similar flow characteristics to natural rock cores. In addition, resin rock core models with different structures and hydrogel rock core models with deformability are also manufactured by microstereolithography and used for simulation analysis. This research provides an effective and reproducible rock core structure model for the experiment of oil recovery research.

Acquired aplastic anaemia after SARS-CoV-2 infection in China: a case report.

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, several research groups in different countries have described cases of aplastic anaemia (AA) after COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination. Here, we present the case of a patient with new-onset AA in Changsha, China, that was presumably associated with preceding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We conducted an epidemiological assessment of the incidence rate of blood system diseases from July 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, in the haematology department of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and Hunan Children's Hospital. The detection rates of AA and leukaemia in the first two months after the epidemic outbreak were higher than those before and during the outbreak. However, only the difference in the detection rate of leukaemia was statistically significant.

Trends in the prevalence and economic burden of hypertension and its socioeconomic disparities in rural southwestern China: two repeated cross-sectional studies.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyse trends in the prevalence and economic burden of hypertension and its socioeconomic disparities in rural southwestern China. DESIGN: Two repeated cross-sectional studies were conducted to collect interview and health examination data among individuals aged ≥35 years in rural Yunnan Province, China. SETTING: Three rural areas of Yunnan, China. PARTICIPANTS: We invited 8187 consenting participants in 2010-2011 and 7572 consenting participants in 2020-2021 to undergo interviews and health examinations. RESULTS: The standardised prevalence of hypertension significantly increased from 26.1% in 2011 to 40.4% in 2021 (p<0.01), and the per capita direct, indirect and disease economic burdens increased from US$1323, US$46 and US$1369 to US$2196, US$49 and US$2244, respectively. In addition to the indirect economic burden, the direct and disease economic burdens increased significantly. The prevalence of hypertension was higher in illiterate population, among participants with low annual household income per capita, and participants with good access to medical services than in their counterparts who had good education, high annual household income per capita and poor access to medical services (all p<0.05). Moreover, the prevalence of hypertension showed a downward trend with improvement in socioeconomic position (SEP) (p<0.05). The per capita direct and disease economic burdens increased most in participants with low SEP, but the per capita indirect economic burden increased most in participants with upper-middle SEP. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence and economic burden of hypertension have visibly accelerated in rural Yunnan Province over the 10 years studied, and socioeconomic disparities have been found in the prevalence and economic burden of hypertension. These findings highlight that socioeconomic differentials should be tailored to address the timing of effective interventions for hypertension prevention and control and reduce the economic burden of hypertension in rural southwestern China.

Leptin Receptor Gln223Arg Polymorphism of Human Spermatozoa Associated with Male Infertility in a Chinese Population.

Background: Leptin (LEP) is believed to play a crucial role in male reproduction, while the molecular mechanisms through which LEP affects the male reproductive system are unclear. LEP acts by binding to a leptin receptor (LEPR) which mediates its physiological action, but there are only limited studies on the function of LEPR in human sperm. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the Gln223Arg polymorphisms of the LEPR gene in human spermatozoa and evaluate their possible relationship with semen variables. Methods: The study was performed on Chinese men: 115 healthy subjects and 108 patients with primary and 98 with secondary infertility. Semen samples were obtained from all patients, and semen variables were analyzed. The genotypic and allelic frequencies of Gln223Arg polymorphism in spermatozoa were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann-Whitney test. Results: There were no significant differences in genotypic or allelic frequency distributions of Gln223Arg polymorphism among men with primary infertility, secondary infertility, and controls. Similarly, semen volume and sperm concentration did not differ with the different genotypes in all groups of men. The percentages of motile sperm for AA + AG genotypes in men with primary infertility (31.98%) were significantly lower than those in secondary infertility, and control men with GG genotypes were 34.41% and 59.36%, respectively. At the same time, the percentages of normal morphology sperm for AA + AG genotypes in men with primary infertility (2.93%) were significantly lower than those in secondary infertility and control men with GG genotypes 3.71% and 6.54%, respectively. Conclusion: This study reveals a possible association between the Gln223Arg polymorphism of the LEPR gene in spermatozoa affecting spermatozoal membrane integrity and having a direct role in sperm motility.

Altered neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with non-affective first episode psychosis and its relationship with symptom severity and cognitive impairment.

Signatures of immune dysregulation as clinical biomarker for psychosis have remained unclear. We aimed to compare the Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) of patients with acute non-affective first-episode psychosis (FEP) with healthy controls after accounting for emotional states. We also explored the associations of NLR with symptom severity, onset profile and cognitive functions. The NLR was enumerated from complete blood count taken within a week of assessment. All FEP patients were rated on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Clinician Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) with verbal memory and executive functions assessed with the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Prevailing emotional state was measured with Beck Depression Inventory-II and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Out of seventy-nine consecutive FEP patients presenting to the study site, twenty-seven subjects were eligible and recruited. Twenty-seven age-/sex-matched controls were recruited. FEP patients had an NLR of 1.886 over the controls after accounting for scores on emotional states. The NLR of FEP patients was positively associated with CGI-S scores, PANSS positive symptom, disorganization and excitation scores. There was no significant correlation between NLR with the duration of untreated psychosis and cognitive performances. These findings support using NLR as a clinical biomarker in FEP, purporting further prospective study to measure NLR changes in the course of treatment.

Mitigating the adverse effects of Aflatoxin B1 in LMH, IPEC-J2 and 3D4/21 cells by a novel integrated agent.

This study was to evaluate the efficacy of TOXO-XL (XL), an integrated mycotoxin-mitigating agent, on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced damage in Leghorn male hepatoma (LMH), porcine jejunum epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) and porcine alveolar macrophages (3D4/21) cells, and to explore its potential mechanisms. The results showed that 30% inhibition concentration (IC30) of AFB1 in LMH, IPEC-J2 and 3D4/21 cells was 0.5, 15.0, and 2.5 mg/L, respectively. Notably, cell viability, ROS, apoptosis and DNA lesion induced by AFB1 (IC30) could be ameliorated by the supplementation with XL at the dosage of 0.025, 0.025 and 0.005%, respectively. Additionally, the migration and phagocytosis abilities impaired by AFB1 were also restored by XL in 3D4/21. Further experiments revealed that XL supplementation markedly attenuated AFB1-induced inflammatory response by decreasing IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-10 in LMH, IL-6 in IPEC-J2 and IL-1ß in 3D4/21 cells. Meanwhile, XL supplementation reversed the alterations of BAX, BCL-2 and caspase-3 induced by AFB1 in the three cells, suggesting that AFB1-induced apoptosis may be suppressed via the mitochondria-dependent pathway. Furthermore, XL may have a protective effect on the intestinal barrier through the restoration of occludin protein. Conclusively, these findings indicated that XL could alleviate AFB1-induced cytotoxicity in the three cells, potentially through the regulation of cytokines, ROS, apoptotic and DNA damage signaling.

Corrigendum: Isolation, identification, biological characteristics, and antifungal efficacy of sodium bicarbonate combined with natamycin on Aspergillus niger from Shengzhou nane (Prunus salicina var. taoxingli) fruit.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1075033.].

Icariin Ameliorates Spermatogenesis Disorder in Obese Mice Induced by High-Fat Diet through Regulating the Glycolytic Pathway.

SCOPE: Obesity is a global threat for male infertility, which can cause spermatogenic dysfunction. However, there are no available drugs for the treatment of obesity-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction. This study characterizes the protective effects of icariin (ICA) on spermatogenesis dysfunction in obese mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Obese mice are induced by a high-fat diet to determine whether ICA has a protective effect. ICA treatment reduces body weight and the proportion of abnormal sperm, brings about a recovery of sperm count, and the number of spermatogenic cells. ICA treatment improves histopathological changes of the testes and inhibits testicular apoptosis, as evidenced by reduced the expression of Bax and increased the expression of Bcl-2, PCNA, WT1, GATA-4, vimentin, HK2, PKM2, and LDHA in the testes. In vitro, TM4 cells are treated with 0.4 mm palmitic acid (PA) to induce Sertoli cell injury, and are then utilized for ICA treatment. ICA improves PA-induced decreased TM4 cells viability, reduces the levels of lactate, and increases the levels of pyruvate and the expression of HK2, PKM2, and LDHA and restores the glycolytic process in vitro. CONCLUSION: ICA ameliorates spermatogenic dysfunction in obese mice by regulating glycolytic activity, providing effective strategies for obesity treatment.