Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone: Different Mycotoxins with Different Toxic Effects in the Sertoli Cells of .

(1) Background: Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) are type B trichothecene mycotoxins that exert serious toxic effects on the reproduction of domestic animals. However, there is little information about the toxicity of mycotoxins on testis development in . This study investigated the biological effects of DON and ZEA exposure on Sertoli cells (SCs) of ; (2) Methods: We administered 10 μM and 30 μM DON and ZEA to cells cultured in vitro; (3) Results: The results showed that 10 μM DON exposure remarkably changed pyroptosis-associated genes and that 30 μM ZEA exposure changed inflammation-associated genes in SCs.

The advantages of carbon nanoparticles in level VII lymph node dissection in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Background: The characteristics of level VII lymph nodes were explored and the advantages of using carbon nanoparticles (CNs) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) surgeries were examined. This was a retrospective study investigating the clinical data of patients with PTC who underwent surgical treatment.

Methods: From September 2019 to December 2020, a total of 191 consecutive patients with PTC were retrospectively analyzed.

Pentoxifylline Enhances Antioxidative Capability and Promotes Mitochondrial Biogenesis in D-Galactose-Induced Aging Mice by Increasing Nrf2 and PGC-1 through the cAMP-CREB Pathway.

Aging is a complex phenomenon associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential ameliorative effects of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor pentoxifylline (PTX) on the aging process and its underlying mechanisms. We treated D-galactose- (D-gal-) induced aging mice with PTX and measured the changes in behavior, degree of oxidative damage, and mitochondrial ultrastructure and content as well as the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2- (Nrf2-) mediated antioxidant genes and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1-alpha- (PGC-1-) dependent mitochondrial biogenesis genes.

Antiviral drugs arbidol and interferon alpha-1b contribute to reducing the severity of COVID-19 patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of antiviral drugs in reducing the risk of developing severe illness in patients with moderate COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 403 adult patients with moderate COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, China. The antiviral drugs arbidol, interferon alpha-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin were distributed to the patients for treatment.

Novel Thin Film Nanocomposite Forward Osmosis Membranes Prepared by Organic Phase Controlled Interfacial Polymerization with Functional Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.

Novel high-quality thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes for enhanced forward osmosis (FO) were first synthesized through organic phase controlled interfacial polymerization by utilizing functional multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). As 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) grafted MWCNTs via an amidation reaction significantly promoted the dispersion in organic solution, MWCNTs-APTES with better compatibility effectively restricted the penetration of trimesoyl chloride (TMC), thus adjusting the morphology and characters of TFN membranes. Various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), sessile droplet analysis and FO experiments and reverse osmosis (RO) operation were taken to characterize and evaluate the performance of nanocomposites and membranes.

DDB1 binds histone reader BRWD3 to activate the transcriptional cascade in adipogenesis and promote onset of obesity.

Obesity has become a global pandemic. Identification of key factors in adipogenesis helps to tackle obesity and related metabolic diseases. Here, we show that DDB1 binds the histone reader BRWD3 to promote adipogenesis and diet-induced obesity.

Confined assembly of ultrathin nanoporous nitrogen-doped graphene nanofilms with dual metal coordination chemistry.

Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with unique structure have received much attention in providing opportunity for high-performance membranes in separation. However, the rational design of ultrathin graphene membranes with controlled structures remains a big challenge. Here, we report a methodology to synthesize dual metal-coordinated ultrathin nanoporous graphene nanofilms by tailoring well-aligned nanocrystals as building blocks on heteroatom-doped GO nanosheets with tunable architectures.

Testosterone ameliorates age-related brain mitochondrial dysfunction.

Brain mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced testosterone levels are common features of aging in men. Although evidence suggests that the two phenomena are interrelated, it is unclear whether testosterone supplementation ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging male brain. Here, we show that testosterone supplementation significantly alleviates exploratory behavioral deficits and oxidative damage in the substantia nigra and hippocampus of aging male rats.

Alterations in thymocyte populations under conditions of endotoxin tolerance.

Background: Endotoxin tolerance (ET) is a protective phenomenon in which pre-treatment with a tolerance dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to dramatically elevated survival. Accumulating evidence has shown that peripheral T cells contribute to the induction of ET. However, what happens to T cell development in the thymus under ET conditions remains unclear.

Nitrogen-carbon materials base on pyrolytic graphene hydrogel for oxygen reduction.

Hypothesis: Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has played a significant role in the utilization of energy nowadays. Nitrogen-doped carbon materials are seen as promising catalysts for ORR, so it is of great significance in studying the functions of different nitrogen moieties.

Experiments: The graphene hydrogel-based nitrogen-arbon materials (GH N-C) were fabricated by first obtaining a gel through hydrothermal treatment using graphene oxide (GO) as precursor, and then calcined in an ammonia atmosphere at different temperatures to form N-doped graphitized materials with divers nitrogen configuration.

Reduced hyaluronan cross-linking induces breast cancer malignancy in a CAF-dependent manner.

Hyaluronan (HA) cross-linking is a conformational state of HA, a covalent complex between HA and heavy chains (HCs) from inter-α-trypsin inhibitor (I-α-I) mediated by tumor necrosis factor-induced protein 6 (TSG6). Cross-linked HA has been identified as a protective factor in physiological and inflammatory conditions. However, the state of HA cross-linking in tumor microenvironment has not been fully elucidated.

Parecoxib alleviates the motor behavioral decline of aged rats by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction in the substantia nigra via COX-2/PGE2 pathway inhibition.

Mitochondrial dysfunction manifests as an early event in the substantia nigra (SN) in aging and Parkinson disease. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis pathway, is implicated in aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases; moreover, inhibition of COX-2 expression has been shown to be neuroprotective for nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. However, it is not known whether the neuroprotective effect of COX-2 inhibition is related to improved mitochondrial function during the aging process.

Bimetallic ZIF-Derived Co/N-Codoped Porous Carbon Supported Ruthenium Catalysts for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Exploring the economical, powerful, and durable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is highly required for practical application. Herein, nanoclusters-decorated ruthenium, cobalt nanoparticles, and nitrogen codoped porous carbon (Ru-pCo@NC) are prepared with bimetallic zeolite imidazole frameworks (ZnCo-ZIF) as the precursor. Thus, the prepared Ru-pCo@NC catalyst with a low Ru loading of 3.

TCR Affinity Controls the Dynamics but Not the Functional Specification of the Antimycobacterial CD4 T Cell Response.

The quality of T cell responses depends on the lymphocytes' ability to undergo clonal expansion, acquire effector functions, and traffic to the site of infection. Although TCR signal strength is thought to dominantly shape the T cell response, by using TCR transgenic CD4 T cells with different peptide:MHC binding affinity, we reveal that TCR affinity does not control Th1 effector function acquisition or the functional output of individual effectors following mycobacterial infection in mice. Rather, TCR affinity calibrates the rate of cell division to synchronize the distinct processes of T cell proliferation, differentiation, and trafficking.

Minimally invasive surgery rib fracture fixation based on location and anatomical landmarks.

Background: Rib fracture is closely related to thoracic injury with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the clinical effect of Zhang ZhiFei (ZZF) zoning method on the selection of incision and approach in minimally invasive surgery for rib fracture.

Methods: A total of 110 patients with rib fractures from July 2017 to July 2019 were enrolled in the study.

Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) regulates cell phenotype and invadopodia formation in luminal-like breast cancer cells.

Although luminal breast cancer cells are typically highly cohesive epithelial cells and have low invasive ability, many eventually develop metastasis. Until now, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this work, we showed that the level of hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) was positively correlated with the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells.

Facile synthesis of iron oxide supported on porous nitrogen doped carbon for catalytic oxidation.

Iron oxide (FeO) supported on porous nitrogen doped carbon is synthesized by a facile pyrolysis method. SiO and NaNO are used as the template and activation agent respectively for porous structure generation and large specific surface area (SSA) creation. The obtained materials show superior catalytic oxidation ability and can activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in a wide pH range (3-9) to degrade organic pollutants.

PPE31 Contributes to Host Cell Death.

Genome scale mutagenesis identifies many genes required for mycobacterial infectivity and survival, but their contributions and mechanisms of action within the host are poorly understood. Using CRISPR interference, we created a knockdown of gene in (), which reduced the resistance to acid medium. To further explore the function of PPE31, the mutant strain was generated in and (), respectively.

A non-invasive model for predicting liver fibrosis in HBeAg-positive patients with normal or slightly elevated alanine aminotransferase.

Early and accurate diagnosis of liver fibrosis is necessary for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal or slightly increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Liver biopsy and many non-invasive predicting markers have several application restrictions in grass-roots hospitals. We aimed to construct a non-invasive model based on routinely serum markers to predict liver fibrosis for this population.A total of 363 CHB patients with HBeAg-positive, ALT ≤2-fold the upper limit of normal and liver biopsy data were randomly divided into training (n = 266) and validation groups (n = 97).

Sub-basin scale inhomogeneity of mantle in the South China Sea revealed by magnesium isotopes.

The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest extensional basin in the western Pacific and was formed after rifting of the Euro-Asian continental margin. The nature of its underlying mantle remains enigmatic due to the lack of sampling of the seafloor's igneous crust. The International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 349 cored seafloor basalts of the southwestern (Site U1433) and eastern (Site U1431) SCS sub-basins.