Synthesis of Salt Responsive Spherical Polymer Brushes

A facile preparation of novel salt responsive spherical polymer brushes (SPB) consisting of a carbon spheres core and a shell of sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSSNa) was described. The SPB were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The radius R of carbon spheres and hydrodynamic radius Rh of SPB were ca. 370 nm and 785 nm, respectively. The brushes had Mw of 393600 g/mol with polydispersity Mw/Mn of 1.58. Furthermore, the dependence of PSSNa brushes on ionic strength and pH was investigated

“Seminal testosterone”, rising viewpoint of local spermatogenesis in nonobstructive azoospermia: One center long-term bidirectional cohort study

ObjectiveReproductive hormones are a traditional good method to evaluate spermatogenesis but might not accurately represent local spermatogenesis. To find a more accurate method, seminal reproductive hormones were studied.MethodsA bidirectional cohort study was performed. A total of 126 infertile men from 2018 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), oligozoospermia (OLZ) and normal (NOR) groups. A prospective study was conducted on patients in the NOA and OLZ groups for 2 years. Microscopic testicular sperm extraction was performed for NOA patients, who were divided into a focal spermatogenesis group (FS) and an idiopathic azoospermia group (IA). Drug treatment was for OLZ patients, who were divided into a valid group (VA) and an invalid group (IN). The differences in sperm parameters and reproductive hormones were compared. ANOSIM analysis was used between and within groups. Pearson correlation analysis, CO inertia analysis and Proctor’s analysis were for relationships. ROC curve for the specificity and sensitivity. Time series analysis was for the trends between hormones and time.ResultsThe b-FSH, b-LH, s-T and ΔT in the NOA group were significantly higher than those in the OLZ and NOR groups. However, the s-FSH, s-E2, s-P, ΔFSH, ΔLH, ΔP and ΔE2 were lower. Thirty-one NOA patients underwent MTSE, of whom 12 had sperm (FS) and 19 had no sperm (IA). The s-FSH and s-E2 of the FS group were higher than those of the IA group. Twenty-six OLZ patients completed 30 days of treatment, of which 11 had an improved sperm count (VA) and 15 had no (IN). The ΔT of the VA group was higher than that of the IN group. After follow-up for 2 years, 18 patients’ results showed that b-FSH, b-LH and s-T were different over time, with delays of 19, 3 and -19 days. SC is closely related to pH, s-FSH, s-LH, s-E2, s-P, s-T, b-FSH, b-LH, ΔFSH, ΔLH, ΔP, ΔE2 and ΔT. There were complex common trends and relationships between different kinds of hormones. s-FSH, s-LH, s-E2, s-P, s-T, b-FSH and b-LH were useful to judge spermatogenesis, of which s-T, b-FSH and b-LH were more sensitive. If s-T, b-FSH and b-LH reached 64.4, 9.4 and 4.7, respectively, their prediction performance was the strongest.ConclusionSeminal testosterone is sensitive for judging local spermatogenesis in nonobstructive azoospermia patients, which may be the direction of local spermatogenesis in nonobstructive azoospermia.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier ChiCTR2200060463

Exome Sequencing Identified a Recessive RDH12

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most important hereditary retinal disease caused by progressive degeneration of the photoreceptor cells. This study is to identify gene mutations responsible for autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) in a Chinese family using next-generation sequencing technology. A Chinese family with 7 members including two individuals affected with severe early-onset RP was studied. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. Exome sequencing was performed on a single RP patient (the proband of this family) and direct Sanger sequencing on other family members and normal controls was followed to confirm the causal mutations. A homozygous mutation c.437T<A (p.V146D) in the retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12) gene, which encodes an NADPH-dependent retinal reductase, was identified as being related to the phenotype of this arRP family. This homozygous mutation was detected in the two affected patients, but not present in other family members and 600 normal controls. Another three normal members in the family were found to carry this heterozygous missense mutation. Our results emphasize the importance of c.437T<A (p.V146D) substitution in RDH12 and provide further support for the causative role of this mutation in the pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis of RP

WFS1-Associated Optic Neuropathy : Genotype-Phenotype Correlations and Disease Progression

center dot OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pattern of vision loss and genotype-phenotype correlations in WFS1-associated optic neuropathy (WON).center dot DESIGN: Multicenter cohort study. center dot METHODS: The study involved 37 patients with WON carrying pathogenic or candidate pathogenic WFS1 variants. Genetic and clinical data were retrieved from the medical records. Thirteen patients underwent additional comprehensive ophthalmologic assessment. Deep phenotyping involved visual electrophysiology and advanced psychophysical testing with a complementary metabolomic study. Main Outcome Measures: WFS1 variants, functional and structural optic nerve and retinal parameters, and metabolomic profile.center dot RESULTS: Twenty-two recessive and 5 dominant WFS1 variants were identified. Four variants were novel. All WFS1 variants caused loss of macular retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual electrophysiology. Advanced psychophysical testing indicated involvement of the major RGC subpopulations. Modeling of vision loss showed an accelerated rate of deterioration with increasing age. Dominant WFS1 variants were associated with abnormal reflectivity of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) on OCT imaging. The dominant variants tended to cause less severe vision loss compared with recessive WFS1 variants, which resulted in more variable phenotypes ranging from isolated WON to severe multisystem disease depending on the WFS1 alleles. The metabolomic profile included markers seen in other neurodegenerative diseases and type 1 diabetes mellitus. center dot CONCLUSIONS: WFS1 variants result in heterogenous phenotypes influenced by the mode of inheritance and the disease-causing alleles. Biallelic WFS1 variants cause more variable, but generally more severe, vision and RGC loss compared with heterozygous variants. Abnormal cleftlike lamination of the OPL is a distinctive OCT feature that strongly points toward dominant WON. (Am J Ophthalmol 2022;241: 927. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ))Peer reviewe

Properties and Applications of High Emissivity Composite Films Based on Far-Infrared Ceramic Powder

Polymer matrix composite materials that can emit radiation in the far-infrared region of the spectrum are receiving increasing attention due to their ability to significantly influence biological processes. This study reports on the far-infrared emissivity property of composite films based on far-infrared ceramic powder. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray powder diffractometry were used to evaluate the physical properties of the ceramic powder. The ceramic powder was found to be rich in aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and silicon oxide, which demonstrate high far-infrared emissivity. In addition, the micromorphology, mechanical performance, dynamic mechanical properties, and far-infrared emissivity of the composite were analyzed to evaluate their suitability for strawberry storage. The mechanical properties of the far-infrared radiation ceramic (cFIR) composite films were not significantly influenced (p ≥ 0.05) by the addition of the ceramic powder. However, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) properties of the cFIR composite films, including a reduction in damping and shock absorption performance, were significant influenced by the addition of the ceramic powder. Moreover, the cFIR composite films showed high far-infrared emissivity, which has the capability of prolonging the storage life of strawberries. This research demonstrates that cFIR composite films are promising for future applications

Treatment progress of cryptozoospermia with Western Medicine and traditional Chinese medicine: A literature review

Abstract Background and Aims Cryptozoospermia is an extreme oligozoospermia with an unsatisfactory treatment effect, with an incidence rate of approximately 8.73% in male infertility, whose effective solution has become the call of the times. Western Medicine has achieved certain effects through drugs, surgery, and assisted reproductive therapy, but this is still not ideal. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made many achievements in other disciplines; however, there is still a lack of evidence‐based medical evidence to improve sperm production. Methods The relevant literatures from the China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) and PubMed in the past 10 years were collected in this article, of which the mechanisms, advantages, or current controversies of various treatment methods of Western Medicine and TCM were analyzed, to find new treatment methods and research directions. Results With the development of modern science and technology, medical treatments for cryptozoospermia have become increasingly abundant; however, there is still no universally recognized unified and effective guiding plan. Although TCM has not been fully verified by evidence‐based medicine, most TCM combined with Western Medicine can achieve unexpected results. Conclusion The combination of TCM and Western Medicine may become a bane for cryptozoospermia and bring good news to infertile men worldwide

Metabolomics Analysis of Litchi Leaves during Floral Induction Reveals Metabolic Improvement by Stem Girdling

Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures often results in a relatively low flowering rate in litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) trees with younger leaves. This study aimed to verify the impact of stem girdling on litchi flowering by identifying and characterizing the induced metabolic changes. After a 60 day exposure to cold treatment at 15 °C/10 °C (12 h/12 h), the flowering rate of the girdled trees was 100%, while that of the non-girdled trees was 20%, indicating that girdling improved litchi flowering at its turning stage. The metabolic profiles of litchi leaves with and without stem girdling during floral induction were compared and 505 metabolites potentially associated with litchi flowering were detected. Most metabolites were involved in the metabolism of starch and sucrose, fatty acid, and phenylpyruvic acid. The metabolic pathways concerned with the biosynthesis of epinephrine, sucrose, and d-maltose were induced in leaves after girdling treatment. The level of galactitol, phenylpyruvic acid, acetyl-CoA, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and 13-HPOT biosynthesis remained stable in the leaves from girdled trees but changed drastically in the leaves from non-girdled trees. In addition, 379 metabolites concerning flowering rate were characterized. Metabolism pathways of starch and sucrose, galactose, and linoleic acid are of great significance to the flowering of litchi. Linoleic acid exhibited the most significant variations between girdled trees and non-girdled trees with fold changes of up to 13.62. These results contribute to understanding the biological mechanism of litchi floral induction and the metabolic changes after stem girdling

A novel mutation in the VHL gene in a Chinese family with von Hippel-Lindau disease

Abstract Background Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal dominant inherited cancer syndrome, and VHL is identified as a tumor suppressor gene. The main objective of this study was to identify disease-causing mutations in a Chinese family affected with VHL disease. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood from a Chinese family with VHL. A predicted pathogenic variant was identified by targeted exome capture technology and next-generation sequencing. Results A novel heterozygous mutation (c.349 T > A, p.W117R) was detected in affected family members. No mutation was detected in unaffected family members or in the 150 normal controls. The mutation segregated with the disease phenotype throughout three generations. Histopathological examination revealed the characteristics of hemangioblastoma. Conclusions A novel W117R was detected in the VHL gene that caused retinal hemangioblastomas in affected members of a Chinese family

Titanium Dioxide Nanotube-Based Oxygen Indicator for Modified Atmosphere Packaging: Efficiency and Accuracy

Colorimetric oxygen indicators can be applied for non-destructive testing in packaging; especially in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). In this paper; titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube; which is used as a semiconductor photocatalyst in oxygen indicators; was synthesized via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) was used to analyze its crystal form and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).to characterize its morphology. Its properties were studied using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Diffuse Reflection Spectrum (DRS), and Bluebottle experiments. The results showed that the synthesized TiO2 nanotube was a mixture of rutile and anatase; with a specific surface area of 190.35 m2/g; and a wide band gap of 3.34 eV. Given the satisfactory performance; the TiO2-based oxygen indicator was prepared and combined with glycerol; methylene blue; and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC). The oxygen indicator demonstrated excellent photocatalytic performance and effectively avoided excitation by visible light. We studied the rheological properties; thixotropic properties; and wettability of the indicator. The results demonstrated the printability of the indicator solution; which was then printed in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film by screen printing and applied to MAP. The application results showed that the prepared oxygen indicator was able to provide visual support to judge whether the packaging was intact and the food was safe