Control Checks Research Articles

Glutamine alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-induced corneal epithelial inflammation and oxidative stress in dogs

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogenic bacteria in canine ophthalmology. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component in the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria, is released following bacterial lysis and causes pathology and inflammation of the cornea. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial keratitis, and the reuse of antibiotics can easily cause bacterial resistance. Research has shown that glutamine (GLN) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant biological functions. Herein, we explored the effects and underlying mechanisms of GLN and established an LPS-induced cornea inflammation model. Treatment groups comprised: control check (CK), LPS, LPS + GLN, and Sham groups. Topical GLN treatment alleviated corneal opacity, reduced corneal injury, and accelerated corneal wound healing. Furthermore, GLN treatment altered the uniform distribution of corneal epithelial cells and transformed the healing approach of these cells in the corneal wound from crawling to filling. The expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), IL-6, TNF-α, and p-p65 and the activity of myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase decreased while the content of malondialdehyde increased in the LPS + GLN group compared with those in the LPS group. Thus, our study suggests that LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress may be suppressed via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway by GLN and that GLN could be used as an adjunct therapy to reduce antibiotic use.

Calibration method and performance of a time-of-flight detector to measure absolute beam energy in proton therapy.

The beam energy is one of the most significant parameters in particle therapy since it is directly correlated to the particles' penetration depth inside the patient. Nowadays, the range accuracy is guaranteed by offline routine quality control checks mainly performed with water phantoms, 2D detectors with PMMA wedges, or multi-layer ionization chambers. The latter feature low sensitivity, slow collection time, and response dependent on external parameters, which represent limiting factors for the quality controls of beams delivered with fast energy switching modalities, as foreseen in future treatments. In this context, a device based on solid-state detectors technology, able to perform a direct and absolute beam energy measurement, is proposed as a viable alternative for quality assurance measurements and beam commissioning, paving the way for online range monitoring and treatment verification. This work follows the proof of concept of an energy monitoring system for clinical proton beams, based on Ultra Fast Silicon Detectors (featuring tenths of ps time resolution in 50μm active thickness, and single particle detection capability) and time-of-flight techniques. An upgrade of such a system is presented here, together with the description of a dedicated self-calibration method, proving that this second prototype is able to assess the mean particles energy of a monoenergetic beam without any constraint on the beam temporal structure, neither any a priori knowledge of the beam energy for the calibration of the system. A new detector geometry, consisting of sensors segmented in strips, has been designed and implemented in order to enhance the statistics of coincident protons, thus improving the accuracy of the measured time differences. The prototype was tested on the cyclotron proton beam of the Trento Protontherapy Center (TPC). In addition, a dedicated self-calibration method, exploiting the measurement of monoenergetic beams crossing the two telescope sensors for different flight distances, was introduced to remove the systematic uncertainties independently from any external reference. The novel calibration strategy was applied to the experimental data collected at TPC (Trento) and CNAO (Pavia). Deviations between measured and reference beam energies in the order of a few hundreds of keV with a maximum uncertainty of 0.5 MeV were found, in compliance with the clinically required water range accuracy of 1mm. The presented version of the telescope system, minimally perturbative of the beam, relies on a few seconds of acquisition time to achieve the required clinical accuracy and therefore represents a feasible solution for beam commission, quality assurance checks, and online beam energy monitoring.

The evolution of nitrogen transformation microorganism consortium under continued manganese domestication conditions

Manganese redox-stimulated bioremediation of nitrogen wastewater is receiving increasing attention. However, the nitrogen metabolic capacity and community evolution during manganese-mediated nitrogen transformation process under continued manganese domestication conditions are ambiguous. In this study, nitrogen- metabolizing microbial consortiums were incubated with synthesized Mn-humic acid complex (Mn-HA) for one month (M1), three months (M2) and six months (M3), respectively. During the Mn-HA incubation period, Bio-MnOx accompanying with bacterial consortiums (MnOB consortiums) with high TIN removal capacities were obtained. The TIN removal rates in M1, M2 and M3 were 0.220, 1.246 and 4.237 mg·L−1·h−1, respectively, which were 15.961, 90.006 and 1550.006 times higher than CK (Control Check group, no Mn-HA added group) (0.014 mg·L−1·h−1), respectively. Functional genes (amoA, AMX and narG) were most abundant in M3, which was associated with the highest nitrogen removal rate in M3. MnOB1 (bacterial consortium in M1), including Geobactor, Geothrix, Anaeromyxobacter and Bacillus, may be responsible for the Mnammox-NDMO (MnOx reduction coupled to ammonium oxidation – nitrate/nitrite-dependent low-valent Mn oxidation) process. MnOB3 (bacterial consortium in M2) enriched nitrifying bacteria Ellin6067, and denitrifying bacteria Denitratisoma, which dominated nitrogen transformation. MnOB6 (bacterial consortium in M3) enriched denitrifiers Denitratisoma, nitrifiers Ellin6067 and potential anammox bacteria SM1A02, Candidatus_Brocadia. Combined with the reduced abundance of Nitrospirae, a short-cut partial nitrification and denitrification (PND) or partial nitrification, denitrification and anammox (PNDA) could occurred in M2 and M3. It is suggested that community may have evolved into an energetically efficient short-cut nitrification, denitrification and anammox consortium to replace the full-range nitrification and denitrification community in M1 and CK under the continued manganese domestication conditions. Enhanced metabolic pathways of hydroxylamine oxidation and the nitric oxide reduction may confirm that PND or PNDA occurred in M2 and M3.

Classification of epoxy molding compounds by Tandem LA-ICP-MS/LIBS to enhance the reliability of electronic devices

Epoxy molding compounds are the most commonly used composite material for encapsulation in the semiconductor industry. They consist of a polymer-based matrix, inorganic filler particles, and a wide range of (in)organic additives to fine-tune the properties. As the encapsulation material is in direct contact with the delicate semiconductor components, the reliability and lifetime of electronic devices heavily depend on applying an appropriate type of encapsulation material. Semiconductor manufacturers typically obtain epoxy molding compounds from specialized external suppliers. Therefore, quality control checking if the correct molding compound was obtained and whether its properties deviate from previous batches is of great interest to the semiconductor industry. In this work, we investigate the capabilities of a Tandem LA-ICP-MS/LIBS approach to comprehensively characterize epoxy molding compounds to construct a classification model capable of distinguishing between different molding compound types. Tandem LA-ICP-MS/LIBS enables detection of the elemental composition of all relevant components within epoxy molding compounds: LIBS can detect polymer-specific signals and the major and minor elements present in the matrix (inorganic filler particles and additives). LA-ICP-MS provides information about elements present at trace levels (e.g., contaminations), which can provide information about batch-to-batch variations. We analyzed 29 samples of 20 molding compound types from 4 different suppliers. Using exploratory data analysis (PCA and HCA), we investigated the spectral fingerprint of the different molding compound types. Finally, a Random Decision Forest-based classifier is optimized and characterized, and a model is constructed. The final classifier is tested with independent samples that were not part of the training set, revealing a satisfying performance and highlighting some molding compound types that are difficult to distinguish.

Differential expression profiles and functional analysis of long non-coding RNAs in calcific aortic valve disease

AimTo evaluate the expression profile of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and explore their potential mechanism of action.MethodsThe gene expression profiles (GSE153555, GSE148219, GSE199718) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and FastQC was run for quality control checks. After filtering and classifying candidate lncRNAs by differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and weighted co-expression networks (WGCNA) in GSE153555, we predicted the potential cis- or trans-regulatory target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) by using FEELnc and established the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network by miRanda, more over functional enrichment was analyzed using the ClusterProfiler package in R Bioconductor. The hub cis- or trans-regulatory genes were verified in GSE148219 and GSE199718 respectively.ResultsThere were 340 up-regulated lncRNAs identified in AS group compared with the control group (|log2Fold Change| ≥ 1.0 and Padj ≤ 0.05), and 460 down-regulated lncRNAs. Based on target gene prediction and co-expression network construction, twelve Long non-coding RNAs (CDKN2B-AS1, AC244453.2, APCDD1L-DT, SLC12A5-AS1, TGFB3, AC243829.4, MIR4435-2HG, FAM225A, BHLHE40-AS1, LINC01614, AL356417.2, LINC01150) were identified as the hub cis- or trans-regulatory genes in the pathogenesis of CAVD which were validated in GSE148219 and GSE19971. Additionally, we found that MIR4435-2HG was the top hub trans-acting lncRNA which also plays a crucial role by ceRNA pattern.ConclusionLncRNAs may play an important role in CAVD and may provide a new perspective on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. Further studies are required to illuminate the underlying mechanisms and provide potential therapeutic targets.

High-resolution high-accuracy orthophoto map and digital surface model of Forni Glacier tongue (Central Italian Alps) from UAV photogrammetry

ABSTRACT This work presents the high-resolution high-accuracy orthophoto map and the Digital Surface Model of Forni Glacier (Italian Alps). These represent the status of the glacier tongue in mid-August 2022 when surveys were carried out with a DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone. The processing was carried out in Leica Infinity, and a 3 cm orthomosaic and a 20 cm Digital Surface Model were generated and made available for analysis of the current status of the glacier, which shows signs of downwasting, with the occurrence of collapsing areas and a rapidly changing proglacial landscape. This work can also be used as a reference to investigate the glacier evolution, also in light of climate change. Accuracy requirements of the deliverables were ensured by combining Post Processed Kinematic and Structure from Motion integrated with bundle block adjustment, and using Ground Control Points and Check Points, to guarantee redundancy and evaluate the geolocation accuracy and precision.

Optimal sampling-based path planning for mobile cable-driven parallel robots in highly constrained environment

Mobile cable-driven parallel robots (MCDPRs) is a novel concept of cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) developed by mounting several mobile bases to discrete the conventional fixed frame. However, the additional mobile bases introduce more degree-of-freedom (DoF), thereby causing the kinematic redundancy. Moreover, mobile bases are susceptible to disturbances causing inconsistent performance. Hence, path planning of MCDPRs becomes a challenging issue due to various internal and external constraints involved. In this article, an optimization-based path planning method is proposed for MCDPRs in highly constrained environments with considering kinematic stability. The proposed approach quickly generates feasible paths for coupled mobile bases by using the developed multi-agent rapidly exploring random tree (MA-RRT). In this process, the tree can share information through the heuristics method to optimize the path, and the adaptive sampling strategy is thus proposed to increase the tree growth efficiency by self-adjusting sampling space. Moreover, the developed dynamic control checking method (DCC) is integrated with MA-RRT to smooth the path and the kinodynamic constraints of mobile bases can be satisfied. To generate the path of the end-effector, two performance metrics are designed considering the kinematic and stability of the MCDPR. Based on the performance metrics, the grid-based search method is developed to generate the path for the end-effector. Finally, the convincing performance of the proposed method is revealed through the dynamic simulation software (CoppeliaSim) and real-world experiments based on a self-built MCDPR prototype.

Potential Mechanisms of Metformin-Induced Apoptosis in HeLa Cells

Metformin is a traditional antidiabetic drug that also shows potential antitumor effects in cervical cancer. However, some of its apoptosis-related mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, flow cytometry, western blotting, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were used to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of metformin in HeLa cells. The results showed that metformin inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis, the protein expression level of Caspase-3 (CASP3) was increased and that of BCL-2 was decreased in HeLa cells treated with metformin. The RNA-seq results indicated a total of 239 differentially expressed genes between the metformin and control check (CK) groups, with 136 genes upregulated and 103 genes downregulated, and 14 of them were found to be associated with apoptosis signaling pathways. The DDIT3 and HRK genes were robustly upregulated in HeLa cells by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Metformin also affects the expression of PPP2R5C, PPP2R5A, and RRAGA, which participate in biological processes such as PI3K-AKT, mTOR, and AMPK signaling pathways. Metformin mediates the expression of related genes to induce apoptosis.

Improving The Quality of Coffee Beans Using Electronic Fermenters To Increase The Economic Value Of Coffee

Coffee is one of the most popular commodities, including in the international market. The process in developing the Robusta coffee commodity and increasing its economic value is to make fermented coffee into wine coffee. Coffee wine fermentation is traditionally placed in a closed place or container without temperature control and pH value checking. This study aims to create a fermentor system that can control temperature, detect pressure in the fermentor and determine the pH value in the fermentation process. Temperature control in the fermenter uses the PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) method. The PID controller determines the setpoint of 31oC. The actuators of the system are a series of thermocouples and TRIAC which control the light of an incandescent lamp which is a source of heat to raise the temperature in the fermenter. The fermentation process is complete when the pH value has touched 4. The results of this study produced fermented coffee which had a pH value of 4 using a fermenter for approximately 4 weeks, while for the traditional method without temperature control it took approximately 6 weeks. Testing the caffeine content in coffee before fermentation was 2.43% and the caffeine content after fermentation was 2.00%.

MIRD Pamphlet No. 28, Part 1: MIRDcalc-A Software Tool for Medical Internal Radiation Dosimetry.

Medical internal radiation dosimetry constitutes a fundamental aspect of diagnosis, treatment, optimization, and safety in nuclear medicine. The MIRD committee of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging developed a new computational tool to support organ-level and suborgan tissue dosimetry (MIRDcalc, version 1). Based on a standard Excel spreadsheet platform, MIRDcalc provides enhanced capabilities to facilitate radiopharmaceutical internal dosimetry. This new computational tool implements the well-established MIRD schema for internal dosimetry. The spreadsheet incorporates a significantly enhanced database comprising details for 333 radionuclides, 12 phantom reference models (International Commission on Radiological Protection), 81 source regions, and 48 target regions, along with the ability to interpolate between models for patient-specific dosimetry. The software also includes sphere models of various composition for tumor dosimetry. MIRDcalc offers several noteworthy features for organ-level dosimetry, including modeling of blood source regions and dynamic source regions defined by user input, integration of tumor tissues, error propagation, quality control checks, batch processing, and report-preparation capabilities. MIRDcalc implements an immediate, easy-to-use single-screen interface. The MIRDcalc software is available for free download (www.mirdsoft.org) and has been approved by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

MULTI-TEMPORAL AND MULTI-SENSOR GLACIER MONITORING

Abstract. Glaciers are subject to drastic mass loss in the last decades and their importance as an environmental and hydrological resource requires regular monitoring. Geomatics techniques are the ideal tool to survey these complex and remote areas, with different remote sensing platforms and sensors to choose from depending on the scale and accuracy to be monitored.In this case study, the Broulè glacier (Valpelline, Aosta Valley, Italy) was monitored for several years using a DJI Phantom 4 RTK UAV, an airborne PhaseOne camera, and a very high-resolution images Pléiades satellite stereo pair to estimate the glacier's melting and to investigate the possibility of carrying out monitoring campaigns limiting in-situ surveys. A comparison of the 3D models and cartographic products obtained from the different sensors made it possible to estimate the accuracies achievable and check them on rocky areas around the glacier considered to be invariant over time. Although the orography of the area and the poor accessibility did not allow a balanced distribution of Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Check Points (CPs), the RMSE in the photogrammetric models was a few centimetres. An altimetric comparison between the photogrammetric DSMs allowed us to estimate the error at -1.6 m, which is strongly influenced by the altimetry of the terrain.Therefore, although it is impossible to rely solely on satellite imagery for a centimetric survey, it seems possible to continue the multi-temporal monitoring over the years using remote sensing (aerial and satellite) with a previous good cartographic base supported by good field campaigns.

Establishing the Quality Assurance programme for the strip sensor production of the ATLAS tracker upgrade including irradiation with neutrons, photons and protons to HL-LHC fluences

The successful pre-production delivery of strip sensors for the new Inner Tracker (ITk) for the upgraded ATLAS detector at the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) at CERN was completed and based on their performance full production has commenced. The overall delivery period is anticipated to last 4 years to complete the approximately 22000 sensors required for the ITk. For Quality Assurance (QA), a number of test structures designed by the collaboration, along with a large area diode and miniature version of the main sensor, are produced in every wafer by the foundry Hamamatsu Photonics K.K (HPK). As well as Quality Control (QC) checks on every main sensor, samples of the QA pieces from each delivery batch are tested both before and after irradiation with results after exposure to neutrons, gammas or protons to fluences and doses corresponding to those anticipated after operation at the HL-LHC to roughly 1.5 times the ultimate integrated luminosity of 4000 fb-1. In this paper the procedures are presented and the studies carried out to establish that the seven ITk QA Strip Sensor irradiation and test sites meet all the requirements to support this very extensive programme throughout the strip sensor production phase for the ITk project.

Maleic anhydride promotes humus formation via inducing functional enzymes response in composting

The purpose of this paper was to explore the promotion of maleic anhydride on the polymerization of precursors into humus in composting, and analyze the changes of key functional enzymes. The results showed that the content of humus in the treatment group added maleic anhydride (MAH) was higher than that in the control check (CK). The decrease rate of humus precursor concentration of MAH was also higher than that of CK. In MAH, the activities of laccase and tyrosinase were improved, thus enhanced the catalytic conversion of humus precursors. The analysis of bacterial community showed that maleic anhydride optimized the community structure of humification functional enzymes producing bacteria, with the most obvious increase of Firmicutes. In conclusion, this study provided theoretical supports for the introduction of maleic anhydride into the compost system to promote the polymerization of precursors to form humus.

Genome-wide association study reveals candidate markers related to field fertility and semen quality traits in Holstein-Friesian bulls

In vitro assessment of bull semen quality is routinely used in bull semen processing centres in order to ensure that semen destined to be used in the field has passed minimum standards. Despite these stringent quality control checks, individual bulls that pass the quality control checks can still vary in field fertility by up to 25%. A genome-wide association study was undertaken to determine genetic markers associated with prefreeze and post-thaw bull sperm quality traits as well as field fertility. Genome-wide association analysis was performed using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) regression mixed linear model in WOMBAT. Genes within a 250 Kb span of a suggestive (P ≤ 1 × 10−5) SNP were considered as candidate genes. One SNP was associated with adjusted pregnancy rate, and 21 SNPs were associated across the seven semen quality traits (P ≤ 1 × 10−5). Functional candidate genes include SIPA1L2 which was associated with adjusted pregnancy rate. This encodes a Rap GTPase-activating protein involved in Rap1 signalling pathway and was previously found to play a role in the process of sperm differentiation. Gene ontology (GO) analysis also identified significantly enriched biological processes involved protein tyrosine kinase activity including genes such as DYRK1A, TEC and TXK that were associated with sperm motility prior to freezing. Another candidate gene associated with post-thaw sperm motility was FHDC1 which coordinates actin filament and microtubule dynamics. The induced 11 GO terms in the ejaculates rejected after freezing trait were related to ATPase, phosphatase and hydrolase activity. These results reveal novel specific genomic regions and candidate genes associated with economically important phenotypes such as field fertility and semen quality traits.

Grass-Legume Mixture with Rhizobium Inoculation Enhanced the Restoration Effects of Organic Fertilizer.

The establishment of artificial grassland is crucial in restoring degraded grassland and resolving the forage-livestock conflict, and the application of organic fertilizer and complementary seeding of grass-legume mixture are effective methods to enhance grass growth in practice. However, its mechanism behind the underground is largely unclear. Here, by utilizing organic fertilizer in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this study assessed the potential of grass-legume mixtures with and without the inoculation of Rhizobium for the restoration of degraded grassland. The results demonstrated that the application of organic fertilizer can increase the forage yield and soil nutrient contents of degraded grassland, and they were 0.59 times and 0.28 times higher than that of the control check (CK), respectively. The community composition and structure of soil bacteria and fungi were also changed by applying organic fertilizer. Based on this, the grass-legume mixture inoculated with Rhizobium can further increase the contribution of organic fertilizer to soil nutrients and thus enhance the restoration effects for degraded artificial grassland. Moreover, the application of organic fertilizer significantly increased the colonization of gramineous plant by native mycorrhizal fungi, which was ~1.5-2.0 times higher than CK. This study offers a basis for the application of organic fertilizer and grass-legume mixture in the ecological restoration of degraded grassland.

Serum Metabolomics Combined With 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing to Analyze the Changes of Intestinal Flora in Rats With MI and the Intervention Effect of Fuling-Guizhi

Objective: This research aimed to assess the relationship between intestinal flora and metabolites in rats with myocardial ischemia (MI) and to offer a new perspective to elucidate the pathological mechanisms of MI and Fuling-Guizhi (FLGZ). Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control check (CK), model (MX), propranolol (XDAZ), and FLGZ groups. Metabolomic analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to obtain differential metabolites and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis to obtain differential intestinal flora and perform functional prediction. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to reveal the correlation between different metabolites and altered intestinal flora. Results: By serum metabolomics, 14 different metabolites were identified, mainly involving amino acid, lipid, carbohydrate, and energy metabolic pathways. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis indicated that at the genus level, MI was associated with Phascolarctobacterium, Oscillospira, Allobaculum, and Ruminococcus, involving amino acids, carbohydrates, energy, lipids, cofactors and vitamins, other amino acids, terpenoids, and polyketides metabolism. Correlation analysis showed that ethanolamine, phosphate, L-glutamine, L-threonine, oxalic acid, and linoleic acid were closely associated with Phascolarctobacterium, Oscillospira, Allobaculum, and Ruminococcus. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results tentatively confirm that MI is closely tied to the dysregulation of metabolites and intestinal flora. FLGZ may affect amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid, and energy metabolism through Phascolarctobacterium, Oscillospira, Allobaculum, and Ruminococcus to attenuate inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Activities of product quality control bodies during the emergency period

The subject of the study. In the conditions of the introduction of martial law on the territory of Ukraine, the Government canceled some regulatory and other restrictions on economic activity and suspended measures of state supervision (control) over economic activity in order to ensure the stable functioning of economic entities under martial law, protection of rights and interests. The purpose. It will study the characteristics of legal norms regulating state supervision (control) of economic activity in the conditions of martial law, in accordance with the current legislation, and offer proposals for their improvement. Field of application of results. The restriction and removal of certain articles of laws and other restrictions requires additional scientific and theoretical studies and refinement of the current legislation, its introduction of changes and additions taking into account the peculiarities of the legal regime of martial law. Results of the work. Establishment of changes in the conduct of control and supervisory measures during martial law regarding the conduct of unscheduled measures, the delimitation of the powers of control and supervisory bodies, as well as the simplification of the administrative procedure for appealing the results of unscheduled inspections in the event of a violation by the control bodies of the requirements of the law. Conclusions. The implementation of economic activity in the conditions of martial law and the reduction of control and supervisory pressure due to the cancellation of control and supervisory checks can provoke numerous offenses caused by significant risks in the activities of economic entities.

The transcriptomic response of bovine uterine tissue is altered in response to sperm from high- and low-fertility bulls†.

Despite stringent quality control checks, some bulls with apparently normal semen quality yield lower than expected pregnancy rates. This study profiled the transcriptome and performed histological analysis of the bovine uterus in response to sperm from high-fertility (HF) and low-fertility (LF) bulls. Postmortem uterine biopsies and uterine explants were collected from heifers 12h after a fixed time artificial insemination (AI) to a synchronized estrus with frozen-thawed semen from five HF (fertility rate 4.01% ± 0.25) and five LF (fertility rate - 11.29% ± 1.11; mean ± SEM) bulls. Uterine biopsies were also collected from control (CTRL) heifers, which were not inseminated. RNA-sequencing and histological analysis were performed for differential gene expression and neutrophil quantification. In the HF treatment relative to CTRL heifers, there were 376 genes significantly differentially expressed in the endometrium with just one gene differentially expressed in the LF treatment relative to CTRL heifers. Comparing the HF and LF treatments directly, there were 40 significantly differentially expressed genes (P < 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis shows a predominant role for the inflammatory marker Interleukin-1 alpha, which was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Quantification of neutrophils in the endometrium showed a significant effect of sperm; however, there was no difference in neutrophil numbers between HF and LF groups. In conclusion, this novel study clearly shows a distinct inflammatory response to sperm in the endometrium and a divergent transcriptomic response to semen from HF and LF bulls.

Sediment remediation using submerged plants mitigated the bioaccumulation of organic contaminants in benthic organisms in simulated freshwater aquaculture ponds

Few studies have investigated whether growing submerged plants can provide significant mitigation of both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and antibiotics (ATBs) in sediments and cultured aquaculture products. In this study, Corbicula fluminea was selected as the indicator organism in the laboratory simulation experiment, and four remediation systems using Vallisneria natans L. (VN), Hydrilla verticillate L. (HV), Elodea nuttallii P. (EL) and Control Check (CK) were constructed individually. The accumulated concentrations (Cb) and changes in both bioavailability (Cfree) and bulk burden (Cs) of 16 PAHs and four ATBs were analyzed before, during, and after the experiment. Compared with the CK group, the introduction of VN, HV, and EL reduced: Cb of ΣPAHs by 43%, 32%, and 27%, respectively; ΣATBs by 68%, 49%, and 39%, respectively, in Corbicula fluminea; the corresponding cancer risk of ΣPAHs by 19%, 8.9%, and 13%, respectively; and the target hazard quotients of ΣATBs by 73%, 48%, and 41%, respectively. The freely dissolved concentrations of ΣPAHs and ΣATBs (Cfree) in the experimental groups decreased by 38%− 58% and 37%− 70%, respectively. More ATBs than PAHs were reduced in biota, with VN showing the highest efficiency. Reduction in Cfree was more related to reduction in Cb than reduction in Cs. In terms of Cb reduction, Cfree was more indicative for ATBs than PAHs. Analyses of the bacterial community revealed that the introduction of submerged plants significantly increased the abundance of Sphingomonas and Mycobacterium, with specific degradation effects observed for high molecular weight PAHs in the sediment.

Transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed that phosphate improves the cold tolerance of alfalfa.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a highly nutritious leguminous forage that plays an essential role in animal husbandry. In the middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, there are problems with its low rates of overwintering and production. The application of phosphate (P) is an important measure to improve the cold resistance and production of alfalfa, but little is known about the mechanism of P in improving the cold resistance of alfalfa. This study integrated the transcriptome and metabolome to explain the mechanism of alfalfa in response to low-temperature stress under two applications of P (50 and 200 mg kg-1) and a control of none applied. The application of P fertilizer improved the root structure and increased the content of soluble sugar and soluble protein in the root crown. In addition, there were 49 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 23 upregulated and 24 metabolites with 12 upregulated when 50 mg kg-1 of P was applied. In contrast, there were 224 DEGs with 173 upregulated and 12 metabolites with 6 upregulated in the plants treated with 200 mg kg-1 of P compared with the Control Check (CK). These genes and metabolites were significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites and the metabolic pathways of carbohydrates and amino acids. The integration of the transcriptome and metabolome indicated that P affected the biosynthesis of N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine, L-serine, lactose, and isocitrate during the period of increasing cold. It could also affect the expression of related genes that regulate cold tolerance in alfalfa. Our findings could contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanism that alfalfa uses to tolerate cold and lay a theoretical foundation for breeding alfalfa that is highly efficient at utilizing phosphorus.