Selenium Status Associates with Thyroid Hormone and Thyroid Dysfunction in Older Chinese Adults.

Selenium (Se) is physiologically essential for thyroid function. However, epidemiological studies on the association between Se status and thyroid function are limited and the results are inconsistent. Therefore, we explored this association in an elderly Chinese population sample. Participants in the cross-sectional study were people aged 65 years or older who provided fingernail and whole blood samples. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were defined by serum thyroid hormones concentrations, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT3), and free thyrotropin (FT4). Significant positive association was observed between whole blood and fingernail Se concentrations (r = 0.672, P < 0.001). Compared with the lowest Se quartile (Q1), the other fingernail Se quartile groups had lower TSH, higher FT3 and FT4 levels, and Q2 had higher TT3 levels after adjusting for covariates; the other whole blood Se quartile groups had lower TSH levels, Q2 had higher FT3, FT4 and TT3 levels, Q3 had higher FT3 levels, and Q4 had higher FT4 levels after adjusting for covariates. Compared with Q1, the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) of hypothyroidism for Q4 of whole blood Se was 0.141 (0.029,0.675), and the adjusted OR (95%CIs) of hyperthyroidism for Q2 and Q3 of fingernail Se were 4.121 (1.233,13.733) and 3.614 (1.095,11.926). Higher Se levels were significantly associated with lower TSH levels and higher levels of TT3, FT3 and FT4. Meanwhile, higher Se levels were associated with lower risk of hypothyroidism and higher risk of hyperthyroidism.

Environmental pollution of paraben needs attention: A study of methylparaben and butylparaben co-exposure trigger neurobehavioral toxicity in zebrafish.

Parabens (PBs) are commonly utilized as preservatives in various commodities. Of all the PBs, methylparaben (MeP) and butylparaben (BuP) are usually found together at similar levels in the aqueous environment. Although a few studies have demonstrated that PBs are neurotoxic when present alone, the neurobehavioral toxic effects and mechanisms of coexisting MeP and BuP at environmental levels has not been determined. Neurobehavior is a sensitive indicator for identifying neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants. Therefore, adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio) were chronic co-exposure of MeP and BuP at environmental levels (5, 50, and 500 ng/L) for 60 d to investigate the effects on neurobehavior, histopathology, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitters and gene expression. The results demonstrated that chronic co-exposure of MeP and BuP interfered with several behaviors (learning-memory, anxiety, fear, aggressive and shoaling behavior) in addition to known mechanisms of producing oxidative stress and disrupting energy. More intriguingly, chronic co-exposure of MeP and BuP caused retinal vacuolization and apoptosis in the optic tectum zone. It even has further effects on the phototransduction pathway, impairing optesthesia and leading to neurotransmitters dysregulation. These are critical underlying mechanisms resulting in neurobehavioral abnormalities. This study confirms that the pollution of multiple PBs by chronic co-exposure in aquatic environments can result neurobehavioral toxicity. It also suggests that the prolonged effects of PBs on aquatic ecosystems and health require close attention.

Insight into the Relationship between the Causes of Off-Odour and Microorganism Communities in Xuanwei Ham.

To expound on the correlation between the microorganism communities and the formation of off-odour in Xuanwei ham, the microorganism communities and volatile compounds were investigated in the biceps femoris (BF) and semimembranosus (SM) of Xuanwei ham with different quality grades (normal ham and spoiled ham). The single molecule real-time sequencing showed that differential bacteria and fungi were more varied in normal hams than in spoiled hams. Headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography (HS-SPME-GC-MS) results indicated that aldehydes and alcohols were significantly higher in spoiled hams than those in normal hams (p < 0.05). The off-odour of spoiled hams was dominated by ichthyic, malodourous, sweaty, putrid, sour, and unpleasant odours produced by compounds such as trimethylamine (SM: 13.05 µg/kg), hexanal (BF: 206.46 µg/kg), octanal (BF: 59.52 µg/kg), methanethiol (SM: 12.85 µg/kg), and valeric acid (BF: 15.08 µg/kg), which are positively correlated with Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas sp., Aspergillus ruber, and Moraxella osloensis. Furthermore, the physicochemical property and quality characteristics results showed that high moisture (BF: 56.32 g/100 g), pH (BF: 6.63), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (SM: 1.98 MDA/kg), and low NaCl content (SM: 6.31%) were also responsible for the spoilage of hams with off-odour. This study provided a deep insight into the off-odour of Xuanwei ham from the perspective of microorganism communities and a theoretical basis for improving the flavour and overall quality of Xuanwei hams.

Triphenyltin induced darker body coloration by disrupting melanocortin system and pteridine metabolic pathway in a reef fish, Amphiprion ocellaris.

Triphenyltin (TPT) is a typical persistent organic pollutant whose occurrence in coral reef ecosystems may threaten the survival of reef fishes. In this study, a brightly colored representative reef fish, Amphiprion ocellaris was used to explore the effects of TPT at environmental levels (1, 10, and 100 ng/L) on skin pigment synthesis. After the fish were exposed to TPT for 60 days, the skin became darker, owing to an increase in the relative area of black stripes, a decrease in orange color values while an increase in brown color values, and an increase in the number of melanocytes in the orange part of the skin tissues. To explore the mechanisms by which TPT induces darker body coloration, the enzymatic activity and gene expression levels of the members of melanocortin system that affect melanin synthesis were evaluated. Leptin levels and lepr expression were found to be increased after TPT exposure, which likely contributed to the increase found in pomc expression and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) levels. Then Tyr activity and mc1r, tyr, tyrp1, mitf, and dct were upregulated, ultimately increasing melanin levels. Importantly, RT-qPCR results were consistent with the transcriptome analysis of trends in lepr and pomc expression. Because the orange color values decreased, pterin levels and the pteridine metabolic pathway were also evaluated. The results showed that TPT induced BH4 levels and spr, xdh, and gch1 expression associated with pteridine synthesis decreased, ultimately decreasing the colored pterin content (sepiapterin). We conclude that TPT exposure interferes with the melanocortin system and pteridine metabolic pathway to increase melanin and decrease colored pterin levels, leading to darker body coloration in A. ocellaris. Given the importance of body coloration for the survival and reproduction of reef fishes, studies on the effects of pollutants (others alongside TPT) on body coloration are of high priority.

Effects of butyl paraben on behavior and molecular mechanism of Chinese striped-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis).

Butyl paraben (BuP) is widely used in cosmetics, drugs, and food preservation. Recently it is an identified new pollutant that affects various aspects of reproduction, lipid metabolism, and nervous system. Behavioral activity serves as a pre-warning biomarker for predicting water quality. So, in this study, the changes in some behaviors and its neurotransmitters and cell apoptosis in the brain of Chinese striped-necked turtles (Mauremys sinensis) were studied when the turtles were exposed to BuP concentrations of 0, 5, 50, 500, and 5000 µg/L for 21 weeks. The results showed that, the basking time and altering scores to external stimuli in the groups of 50, 500, and 5000 µg/L were significantly reduced, while the time for body-righting was significantly increased, compared with the control (0 µg/L), indicating that the turtles exhibited depression and inactive behavior. The analysis of neurotransmitter in the brain showed that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) contents in the groups of 500 and 5000 µg/L were significantly higher than the other groups, which was due to an increase in the mRNA relative expression levels of the 5-HT receptor gene (5-HTR), neurotransmitter transporter genes (Drd4, Slc6a4), and neurotransmitter synthase tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH). Furthermore, GABA transaminase (GABA-T) activity increased in the 500 and 5000 µg/L groups, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity increased dramatically in the 5000 µg/L group. However, acetyl-CoA (AChE) activity was significantly reduced in these four BuP exposure groups. These changes could be attributed to decreased movement velocity and increased inactivity. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression level of BAX, Bcl-2, caspase-9 and TUNEL assay indicated the occurrence of cell apoptosis in the brains of the higher BuP exposed groups, which may play an important role in neuronal death inducing behavior change. In summary, these findings offer fundamental insights into turtle ecotoxicology and serve as a foundation for a comprehensive assessment of the ecological and health risks associated with BuP.

Oxygen Reduction Kinetics of Fe-N-C Single Atom Catalysts Boosted by Pyridinic N Vacancy for Temperature-Adaptive Zn-Air Batteries.

The design of temperature-adaptive Zn-air batteries (ZABs) with long life spans and high energy efficiencies is challenging owing to sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics and an unstable Zn/electrolyte interface. Herein, a quasi-solid-state ZAB is designed by combining atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts containing pyridinic N vacancies (FeNC-VN) with a polarized organo-hydrogel electrolyte. First-principles calculation predicts that adjacent VN sites effectively enhance the covalency of Fe-Nx moieties and moderately weaken *OH binding energies, significantly boosting the ORR kinetics and stability. In situ Raman spectra reveal the dynamic evolution of *O2- and *OOH on the FeNC-VN cathode in the aqueous ZAB, proving that the 4e- associative mechanism is dominant. Moreover, the ethylene glycol-modulated organo-hydrogel electrolyte forms a zincophilic protective layer on the Zn anode surface and tailors the [Zn(H2O)6]2+ solvation sheath, effectively guiding epitaxial deposition of Zn2+ on the Zn (002) plane and suppressing side reactions. The assembled quasi-solid-state ZAB demonstrates a long life span of over 1076 h at 2 mA cm-2 at -20 °C, outperforming most reported ZABs.

Genomic divergence and demographic history of Quercus aliena populations.

BACKGROUND: Quercus aliena is a major montane tree species of subtropical and temperate forests in China, with important ecological and economic value. In order to reveal the species' population dynamics, genetic diversity, genetic structure, and association with mountain habitats during the evolutionary process, we re-sequenced the genomes of 72 Q. aliena individuals. RESULTS: The whole chloroplast and nuclear genomes were used for this study. Phylogenetic analysis using the chloroplast genome dataset supported four clades of Q. aliena, while the nuclear dataset supported three major clades. Sex-biased dispersal had a critical role in causing discordance between the chloroplast and nuclear genomes. Population structure analysis showed two groups in Q. aliena. The effective population size sharply declined 1 Mya, coinciding with the Poyang Glaciation in Eastern China. Using genotype-climate association analyses, we found a positive correlation between allele frequency variation in SNPs and temperature, suggesting the species has the capacity to adapt to changing temperatures. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study illustrates the genetic divergence, genomic variation, and evolutionary processes behind the demographic history of Q. aliena.

Monotropein Induced Apoptosis and Suppressed Cell Cycle Progression in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether monotropein has an anticancer effect and explore its potential mechanisms against colorectal cancer (CRC) through network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with experimental verification. METHODS: Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict potential targets of monotropein against CRC. Cell counting kit assay, plate monoclonal assay and microscopic observation were used to investigate the antiproliferative effects of monotropein on CRC cells HCT116, HT29 and LoVo. Flow cytometry and scratch assay were used to analyze apoptosis and cell cycle, as well as cell migration, respectively in HCT116, HT29, and LoVo cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell migration, and the expression of proteins key to the Akt pathway. RESULTS: The Gene Ontology and Reactome enrichment analyses indicated that the anticancer potential of monotropein against CRC might be involved in multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. Among these pathways, RAC-beta serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt1, Akt2), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cell division control protein 42 homolog (CDC42) were shown as the potential anticancer targets of monotropein against CRC. Molecular docking suggested that monotropein may interact with the 6 targets (Akt1, Akt2, CDK6, MMP9, EGFR, CDC42). Subsequently, cell activity of HCT116, HT29 and LoVo cell lines were significantly suppressed by monotropein (P<0.05). Furthermore, our research revealed that monotropein induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 and increasing Bax, induced G1-S cycle arrest in colorectal cancer by decreasing the expressions of CyclinD1, CDK4 and CDK6, inhibited cell migration by suppressing the expressions of CDC42 and MMP9 (P<0.05), and might play an anticancer role through Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Monotropein exerts its antitumor effects primarily by arresting the cell cycle, causing cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration. This indicates a high potential for developing novel medication for treating CRC.

Effect of Butyl Paraben on Oxidative Stress in the Liver of Mauremys sinensis.

Butyl paraben (BuP) has been widely used as a preservative in the cosmetics, food, and medicine industries. Recently, it has become a new pollutant and has attracted much attention. In order to evaluate the toxic effect of BuP on aquatic animals, Chinese striped-neck turtles (Mauremys sinensis) were exposed to BuP solutions with different concentrations of 0, 5, 50, 500, and 5000 µg/L for 20 weeks. The results showed that with an increase in BuP concentration, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GSH-PX) in liver decreased. The expression of key genes in the Nrf2-Keap1 signal pathways first increased and then decreased, while the expression of the HSP70 and HSP90 genes increased. In addition, the liver had an inflammatory reaction. The expression of the BAFF and IL-6 genes increased and then decreased with an increase in BuP concentration, while the expression of P50 and P65 increased significantly. Oxidative stress induced apoptosis, and the expression of pro-apoptosis genes (BAX, cytc, Caspase3 and Caspase9) increased, while the expression of the anti-apoptosis gene Bcl2 decreased. The results provide an important reference for the comprehensive ecological and health risk assessment of environmental BuP.

A Novel Swept-Back Fishnet-Embedded Microchannel Topology.

High in reliability, multi in function, and strong in tracking and detecting, active phased array antennas have been widely applied in radar systems. Heat dissipation is a major technological barrier preventing the realization of next-generation high-performance phased array antennas. As a result of the advancement of miniaturization and the integration of microelectronics technology, the study and development of embedded direct cooling or heat dissipation has significantly enhanced the heat dissipation effect. In this paper, a novel swept-back fishnet-embedded microchannel topology (SBFEMCT) is designed, and various microchannel models with different fishnet runner mesh density ratios and different fishnet runner layers are established to characterize the chip Tmax, runner Pmax, and Vmax and analyze the thermal effect of SBFEMCT under these two operating conditions. The Pmax is reduced to 72.37% and 57.12% of the original at mesh density ratios of 0.5, 0.25, and 0.125, respectively. The maximum temperature reduction figures are average with little change in maximum velocity and a small increase in maximum pressure drop across the number of fishnet runner layers from 0 to 4. This paper provides a study of the latest embedded thermal dissipation from the dimension of a single chip to provide a certain degree of new ideas and references for solving the thermal technology bottleneck of next-generation high-performance phased array antennas.

Mechanistic toxicity and growth abnormalities mediated by subacute exposure to environmentally relevant levels of benzophenone-3 in clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris).

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is a UV filter that is ubiquitously present in the environment due to its photostability and degradation resistance and has wide applications in personal care products. BP-3 will eventually be discharged into the ocean. Studies shows BP-3 interferes with endocrine system of aquatic organisms, especially fish. However, the toxicity and mechanisms of subacute exposure of the coral reef fish to BP-3 remain elusive. Here, we exposed the one-month-old clown anemonefish to BP-3 at 1 and 10 µg/L for 14 and 28 days, respectively. After chronic exposure, the effects of BP-3 on the growth of clown anemonefish were investigated in terms of growth-related hormones, immune enzyme activity, digestive enzyme activity, transcriptional profiling of feeding- and obesity-related genes and digital RNA sequencing. The body weight in the BP-3 groups were abnormally increased (1 µg/L group in 14 days treatment and all groups in 28 days treatment), altered insulin content (28 days exposure), immune-related and digestive-related enzymatic activities. At the molecular level, BP-3 interferes with the expression of feeding- and obesity-related genes. Digital RNA sequencing analysis showed that BP-3 interferes with Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways related to growth, social behavior (learning behavior), Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and insulin secretion. Notably, in the insulin secretion, BP-3 induced Ca2+ up-regulation that may damage ß cells. Growth abnormalities and social behavior (learning behavior) KEGG pathway disturbances may have potential impacts on populations of clown anemonefish. Our results reveal the toxicological effects of subacute exposure to BP-3, and provides insight into the effects and mechanisms of BP-3 on clown anemonefish growth.

Butylparaben disordered intestinal homeostasis in Chinese striped-necked turtles (Mauremys sinensis).

Butylparaben (BuP) is regarded as a widespread pollutant, which has potential risk to aquatic organisms. Turtle species are an important part of aquatic ecosystems, however, the effect of BuP on aquatic turtles is not known. In this study, we evaluated the effect of BuP on intestinal homeostasis of Chinese striped-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis). We exposed turtles to concentrations of BuP (0, 5, 50, and 500 µg/L) for 20 weeks, then investigated the composition of gut microbiota, the structure of intestine, and the inflammatory and immune status. We found BuP exposure significantly changed the composition of gut microbiota. Specially, the unique genus in three concentrations of BuP-treated groups mainly was Edwardsiella, which was not present in control group (0 µg/L of BuP). In addition, the height of intestinal villus was shortened, and the thickness of muscularis was thinned in BuP-exposed groups. Particularly, the number of goblet cells obviously decreased, the transcription of mucin2 and zonulae occluden-1 (ZO-1) significantly downregulated in BuP-exposed turtles. Meanwhile, neutrophils and natural killer cells in lamina propria of intestinal mucosa increased in BuP-treated groups, especially in high concentration of BuP (500 µg/L). Moreover, the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-1ß showed a significant upregulation with BuP concentrations. Correlation analysis indicated the abundance of Edwardsiella was positively correlated with IL-1ß and IFN-γ expression, whereas its abundance was negatively correlative with the number of goblet cells. Taken together, the present study demonstrated BuP exposure disordered intestinal homeostasis through inducing dysbiosis of gut microbiota, causing inflammatory response and impairing gut physical barrier in turtles, which emphasized the hazard of BuP to health of aquatic organism.

Reactive boride as a multifunctional interface stabilizer for garnet-type solid electrolyte in all-solid-state lithium batteries.

All-solid-state batteries are one of the most important game changers in electrochemical energy storage since they are free from the risk of leakage of hazardous flammable liquid solvents. Among the various types of solid-state electrolytes, Li7-xLa3Zr2-xTaxO12 garnets possess many desirable advantages to be considered a suitable candidate for lithium-ion batteries. However, their practical application has been hindered by premature short-circuits due to lithium dendrite growth, nonnegligible electronic conductivity and interfacial air sensitivity issues. Herein, we propose a multifunctional layer strategy to simultaneously address both the interface and electronic conductivity issues. With the help of a facile chemical process based on reactive cobalt boride, electron leakage was effectively blocked and the electrochemical performance/stability could be well maintained over extended cycles. The cobalt boride-coating layer also possessed an impressive Li metal wetting ability while sustaining a low interfacial resistance. A full cell paired with a commercialized cathode showed satisfactory performance with low overpotentials and a high specific capacity over 150 mA h g-1. Moreover, first-principle calculations further revealed the status of the rearrangement of the electron cloud behind the charge-density difference, and the nature of the low diffusion energy barrier of the reactive cobalt boride protective layer. Our strategy highlights the necessity of designing proper multifunctional layers in the garnet-type solid-state lithium-ion battery system.

Effect of Ball-Milling Process on Microwave Absorption Behaviors of Flaky Carbonyl Iron Powders.

Electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption performance is greatly affected by the microscopic morphology of the absorbing material particles. In this study, a facile and efficient ball-milling method was applied to increase the aspect ratio of particles and prepare flaky carbonyl iron powders (F-CIPs), one of the most readily commercially available absorbing materials. The effect of ball-milling time and rotation speed on the absorption behaviors of the F-CIPs was investigated. The microstructures and compositions of the F-CIPs were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The EM parameters were measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA) in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz. The results indicated that the ball-milled flaky CIPs exhibited a better absorption ability than the raw spherical CIPs. Among all the samples, the sample milled at 200 r/min for 12 h and the sample milled at 300 r/min for 8 h showed remarkable EM parameters. The ball-milling sample with 50 wt.% F-CIPs had a minimum reflection loss peak of -14.04 dB at a thickness of 2 mm and a maximum bandwidth (RL < -7 dB) of 8.43 GHz at a thickness of 2.5 mm, a result that conformed with the transmission line theory. Hence, the ball-milled flaky CIPs were considered to be beneficial for microwave absorption.

Occurrence and Distribution of Antibiotics in a Tropical Mariculture Area of Hainan, China: Implications for Risk Assessment and Management.

With the rapid global demand for mariculture products in recent years, the use of antibiotics has increased intensively in the mariculture area. Current research on antibiotic residues in mariculture environments is limited, and less information is available on the presence of antibiotics in tropical waters, limiting a comprehensive understanding of their environmental presence and risk. Therefore, this study investigated the environmental occurrence and distribution of 50 antibiotics in the near-shore aquaculture waters of Fengjia Bay. A total of 21 antibiotics were detected in 12 sampling sites, including 11 quinolones, 5 sulfonamides, 4 tetracyclines, and 1 chloramphenicol; the quinolones pyrimethamine (PIP), delafloxacin (DAN), flurofloxacin (FLE), ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), pefloxacin (PEF), enrofloxacin (ENO), and minocycline (MNO) of the tetracycline class were detected in all sampling points. The total antibiotic residue concentrations in the study area ranged from 153.6 to 1550.8 ng/L, the tetracycline antibiotics were detected in the range of 10 to 1344.7 ng/L, and the chloramphenicol antibiotics were detected in the range of 0 to 106.9 ng/L. The detected concentrations of quinolones ranged from 81.3 to 136.1 ng/L, and the residual concentrations of sulfonamide antibiotics ranged from 0 to 313.7 ng/L. The correlation analysis with environmental factors revealed that pH, temperature, conductivity, salinity, NH3--N, and total phosphorus had a strong correlation with antibiotics. Based on PCA analysis, the main sources of antibiotic pollution in the area were determined to be the discharge of farming wastewater and domestic sewage. The ecological risk assessment indicated that the residual antibiotics in the water environment of the near-shore waters of Fengjiawan had certain risks to the ecosystem. Among them, CIP, NOR, sulfamethoxazole (TMP), ofloxacin (OFL), enrofloxacin (ENO), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and FLE showed medium to high risk. Therefore, it is recommended to regulate the use of these antibiotics and the discharge and treatment of culturing wastewater, and measures should be taken to reduce the environmental pollution caused by antibiotics and to monitor the long-term ecological risk of antibiotics in the region. Overall, our results provide an important reference for understanding the distribution and ecological risk of antibiotics in Fengjiawan.

Memristive Circuit Implementation of Caenorhabditis Elegans Mechanism for Neuromorphic Computing.

To overcome the energy efficiency bottleneck of the von Neumann architecture and scaling limit of silicon transistors, an emerging but promising solution is neuromorphic computing, a new computing paradigm inspired by how biological neural networks handle the massive amount of information in a parallel and efficient way. Recently, there is a surge of interest in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), an ideal model organism to probe the mechanisms of biological neural networks. In this article, we propose a neuron model for C. elegans with leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) dynamics and adjustable integration time. We utilize these neurons to build the C. elegans neural network according to their neural physiology, which comprises: 1) sensory modules; 2) interneuron modules; and 3) motoneuron modules. Leveraging these block designs, we develop a serpentine robot system, which mimics the locomotion behavior of C. elegans upon external stimulus. Moreover, experimental results of C. elegans neurons presented in this article reveals the robustness (1% error w.r.t. 10% random noise) and flexibility of our design in term of parameter setting. The work paves the way for future intelligent systems by mimicking the C. elegans neural system.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus MN-431 Metabolic Tryptophan Alleviates Complementary Food-Induced Diarrhea through PXR-NF-κB Pathway and AHR-Th17 Cell Response Pathways.

SCOPE: Lactobacillus rhamnosus MN-431 tryptophan broth culture (MN-431 TBC) can prevent complementary food-induced diarrhea (CFID). However, it is not clear whether this effect is related to indole derivatives. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, the anti-CFID effects of different components in MN-431 TBC including MN-431 cells, unfermented tryptophan broth, and supernatant of MN-431 TBC (MN-431 TBS) are investigated. Only MN-431 TBS can significantly prevent CFID, indicating that indole derivatives produced by MN-431 can exert antidiarrheal effects. Intestinal morphological analysis reveals that MN-431 TBS can increase the number of goblet cells, height of ileal villi, and length of rectal glands while also increasing the expression of ZO-1 in colon. Furthermore, HPLC analysis reveals the indole derivatives in MN-431 TBS are IAld and skatole. Cell experiments demonstrate that MN-431 TBS promotes the transcription of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR), comparable to the synergistic effect of IAld and skatole. MN-431 TBS can activate AHR and reduces the concentrations of Th17 cell-inflammatory factors IL-17A and IL-21 in intestine and IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22 in serum. MN-431 TBS can also activate PXR and reduces the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in intestine and serum. CONCLUSION: MN-431 TBS, containing IAld and skatole, can exert anti-CFID effects through the AHR-Th17 and PXR-NF-κB pathways.

Butylparaben Exposure Induced Darker Skin Pigmentation in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Butylparaben (BuP), as an emerging contaminant with endocrine-disrupting effects, may exert effects on skin pigmentation in fish by interfering with the neuroendocrine system. Therefore, models of BuP exposure in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were established by adding different doses of BuP (0, 5, 50, 500, and 5000 ng/L) for 56 days. The obtained results showed that BuP exposure induced darker skin pigmentation, manifested as increased melanin content of skin, while genes related to melanin synthesis, including α-MSH and Asip2, significantly changed. In addition, BuP exposure reduced dopamine and γ-aminobutyric acid content in the brain, which is related to the synthesis of α-MSH. Furthermore, the release of neurotransmitters from the brain is affected by light. Thus, the relative gene expression levels in the phototransduction pathway were evaluated to explore the molecular mechanism of BuP-induced darker skin pigmentation, and the obtained results showed that Arr3a and Arr3b expression was significantly upregulated, whereas Opsin expression was significantly downregulated in a BuP dose-dependent manner, indicating that BuP inhibited phototransduction from the retina to the brain. Importantly, correlation analysis results showed that all melanin indexes were significantly positively correlated with Arr3b expression and negatively correlated with Opsin expression. This study indicated that BuP induced darker skin pigmentation in Nile tilapia via the neuroendocrine circuit, which reveals the underlying molecular mechanism for the effects of contaminants in aquatic environments on skin pigmentation in fish.

Brain metabolite profiles provide insight into mechanisms for behavior sexual dimorphisms in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has historically been a useful model for research in genetics, ecology, biology, toxicology, and neurobehavior. Zebrafish have been demonstrated to have brain sexual dimorphism. However, the sexual dimorphism of zebrafish behavior demands our attention, particularly. To evaluate the behavior and brain sexual dimorphisms in zebrafish, this study assessed sex differences in adult D. rerio in four behavioral domains, including aggression, fear, anxiety, and shoaling, and further compared with metabolites in the brain tissue of females and males. Our findings showed that aggression, fear, anxiety and shoaling behaviors were significantly sexually dimorphic. Interestingly, we also show through a novel data analysis method, that the female zebrafish exhibited significantly increased shoaling behavior when shoaled with male zebrafish groups and, for the first time, we offer evidence that male shoals are beneficial in dramatically alleviating anxiety in zebrafish. In addition, there were significant changes in metabolites in zebrafish brain tissue between the sexes. Furthermore, zebrafish behavioral sexual dimorphism may be associated with brain sexual dimorphism, with significant differences in brain metabolites. Therefore, to prevent the influence or even bias of behavioral sex differences on results, it is suggested that behavioral studies or behavioral-based other relevant investigations consider sexual dimorphism of behavior and brain.