Optimizing the intermediates adsorbability and revealing the dynamic reconstruction of Co6Fe3S8 solid solution for bifunctional water splitting

Co9S8 has been extensively studied as a promising catalyst for water electrolysis. Doping Co9S8 with Fe improves its oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance by regulating the catalyst self-reconfigurability and enhancing the absorption capacity of OER intermediates. However, the poor alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) properties of Co9S8 limit its application in bifunctional water splitting. Herein, we combined Fe doping and sulfur vacancy engineering to synergistically enhance the bifunctional water-splitting performance of Co9S8. The as-synthesized Co6Fe3S8 catalyst exhibited excellent OER and HER characteristics with low overpotentials of 250 and 84 mV, respectively. It also resulted in the low Tafel slopes of 135 mV dec-1 for the OER and 114 mV dec-1 for the HER. A two-electrode electrolytic cell with Co6Fe3S8 used as both the cathode and anode produced a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at a low voltage of only 1.48 V, maintaining high stability for 100 h. The results of in/ex-situ experiments indicated that the OER process induced electrochemical reconfiguration, forming CoOOH/FeOOH active species on the catalyst surface to enhance its OER performance. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations revealed that Fe doping and the presence of unsaturated coordination metal sites in Co6Fe3S8 promoted H2O and H* adsorption for the HER. The findings of this study can help develop a strategy for designing highly efficient bifunctional water splitting electrocatalysts.

Boosting the reversibility of Zn anodes via synergistic cation-anion interface adsorption with addition of multifunctional potassium polyacrylate

Rechargeable aqueous Zn batteries have the edge in resource reserve, cost, energy and conversion efficiency due to the inherent features of metal Zn anodes. However, the application of Zn-based batteries is being seriously hindered by Zn dendrites and water-induced side-reactions. Here, potassium polyacrylate (K-PAM) is proposed as the electrolyte additive to form a synergistic cation-anion interface on Zn surface. The carboxyl anions and K+ cations are preferentially adsorbed on the Zn surface due to the intrinsic surfactant characteristics, which could homogenize Zn plating and suppress parasitic reactions. The synergistic regulation of K-PAM additive endows the ZnZn symmetric cells with excellent cyclic durability of 1250 h at 1 mA cm-2, which is significantly better than the polyacrylic acid additive only with carboxyl anions. Moreover, trace K-PAM addition into traditional ZnSO4 electrolyte endows the ZnCu batteries with a considerable average Coulombic efficiency of 99.2 %. Additionally, higher capacity retention and excellent cycling stability of ZnVO2 cells further mark K-PAM as a potentially impressive aqueous electrolyte additive for high-performance Zn-based batteries. This work will provide a promising method for the synergistic regulation with cations and anions of electrolyte additives to improve the stability and reversibility of Zn anodes.

Confinement Effect and 3D Design Endow Unsaturated Single Ni Atoms with Ultrahigh Stability and Selectivity toward CO2 Electroreduction

Developing single-atomic catalysts with superior selectivity and outstanding stability for CO2 electroreduction is desperately required but still challenging. Herein, confinement strategy and three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous structure design strategy are combined to construct unsaturated single Ni sites (Ni-N3) stabilized by pyridinic N-rich interconnected carbon nanosheets. The confinement agent chitosan and its strong interaction with g-C3N4 nanosheet are effective for dispersing Ni and restraining their agglomeration during pyrolysis, resulting in ultrastable Ni single-atom catalyst. Due to the confinement effect and structure advantage, such designed catalyst exhibits a nearly 100% selectivity and remarkable stability for CO2 electroreduction to CO, exceeding most reported state-of-the-art catalysts. Specifically, the CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) maintains above 90% over a broad potential range (-0.55 to -0.95 V vs. RHE) and reaches a maximum value of 99.6% at a relatively low potential of -0.67 V. More importantly, the FECO is kept above 95% within a long-term 100 h electrolyzing. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations explain the high selectivity for CO generation is due to the high energy barrier required for hydrogen evolution on the unsaturated Ni-N3. This work provides a new designing strategy for the construction of ultrastable and highly selective single-atom catalysts for efficient CO2 conversion.

One-Step Syntheses of 3,4-Disubstituted Isochroman-1-ones by the Annulation of Benzoic Acids with Nitroalkenes

The Rh(III)-catalyzed annulation of benzoic acids with nitroalkenes was disclosed to afford a wide range of 3,4-disubstituted isochroman-1-ones with excellent regioselectivity and high catalytic efficiency. Both aromatic and aliphatic nitroalkenes participated in this cyclization reaction successfully. The synthetic value of 3,4-disubstituted isochroman-1-ones was proven by a series of derivatizations. Furthermore, a reliable mechanism is outlined on the basis of experimental investigations and related precedents.

Buffer solution induced highly crystalline sodium-rich Prussian blue for sodium storage

In this work, we have developed an efficient method to synthesize Prussian blue by self-decomposition of sodium ferrocyanide in acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer solution. This buffer solution-based proton pool provides a relatively low and stable concentration of protons for the slow decomposition of sodium ferrocyanide to get highly crystalline and sodium rich Prussian blue, which can be used as the cathode for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

Operando crystal-amorphous transformation cathode for enhanced zinc storage

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have obtained broad attention due to their high safety, eco-friendliness, and low cost. However, they are still in the developing stage considering the limited candidate of high-performance cathode materials. Furthermore, the intrinsic storage zinc mechanism is also needed to uncover. Here, we propose an operando crystal-amorphous transformation of tunnel-type VOOH and the obtained amorphous V2O5 serves as a high-performance zinc-ion battery cathode. In-situ X-ray diffraction corroborates the unique operando crystal-amorphous transformation of VOOH during the initial charging process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy further demonstrate the element valence evolution and the lattice structure change, respectively. The operando electrochemical crystal-amorphous transformation allows the obtained amorphous V2O5 to achieve the high capacity of ∼ 350.7 mAh g-1, rate performance (151.2 mAh g-1 at 6.4 A g-1), energy and power densities (137 Wh kg-1 at 6831 W kg-1), unveiling a promising approach of cathode materials via operando crystal-amorphous transformation to achieve the enhanced zinc storage.

Seasonal Variations in Production Performance, Health Status, and Gut Microbiota of Meat Rabbit Reared in Semi-Confined Conditions

In this study, we investigated the variations in production performance, health status, and gut microbiota of meat rabbits raised in the semi-confined barn during summer and winter. Compared to summer, rabbits reared in winter possessed significantly higher slaughter weight and carcass weight. Rabbits fed in the summer were more vulnerable to different stressors, which led to increased protein levels of HSP90, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, and concentrations of MDA, but declined GSH and SOD activities. Additionally, significant differences in gut microbial communities were observed. Compared to the winter, rabbits fed in the summer had significantly lower and higher alpha and beta diversity. Both Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota were the dominant phyla, and they accounted for greater proportions in the winter than in the summer. At lower microbial taxa levels, several seasonal differentially enriched microbes were identified, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, the Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group, the Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Alistipes, and Muribaculaceae. Functional capacities linked to microbial proliferation, nutrient metabolism, and environmental adaptive responses exhibited significantly different abundances between summer and winter. Moreover, strong interactions among different indicators were presented. Based on our findings, we not only proposed several potential strategies to ameliorate the undesirable effects of seasonal changes on the productivity and health of meat rabbits but also underscored the directions for future mechanistic studies of adaptation physiology.

Identification of postnatal development dependent genes and proteins in porcine epididymis

BACKGROUND

The epididymis is a highly regionalized tubular organ possesses vectorial functions of sperm concentration, maturation, transport, and storage. The epididymis-expressed genes and proteins are characterized by regional and developmental dependent pattern. However, a systematic and comprehensive insight into the postnatal development dependent changes in gene and protein expressions of porcine epididymis is still lacking. Here, the RNA and protein of epididymis of Duroc pigs at different postnatal development stages were extracted by using commercial RNeasy Midi kit and extraction buffer (7 M Urea, 2 M thiourea, 3% CHAPS, and 1 mM PMSF) combined with sonication, respectively, which were further subjected to transcriptomic and proteomic profiling.

RESULTS

Transcriptome analysis indicated that 198 and 163 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were continuously up-regulated and down-regulated along with postnatal development stage changes, respectively. Most of the up-regulated DEGs linked to functions of endoplasmic reticulum and lysosome, while the down-regulated DEGs mainly related to molecular process of extracellular matrix. Moreover, the following key genes INSIG1, PGRMC1, NPC2, GBA, MMP2, MMP14, SFRP1, ELN, WNT-2, COL3A1, and SPARC were highlighted. A total of 49 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) corresponding to postnatal development stages changes were uncovered by the proteome analysis. Several key proteins ACSL3 and ACADM, VDAC1 and VDAC2, and KNG1, SERPINB1, C3, and TF implicated in fatty acid metabolism, voltage-gated ion channel assembly, and apoptotic and immune processes were emphasized. In the integrative network, the key genes and proteins formed different clusters and showed strong interactions. Additionally, NPC2, COL3A1, C3, and VDAC1 are located at the hub position in each cluster.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified postnatal development dependent genes and proteins in the present study will pave the way for shedding light on the molecular basis of porcine epididymis functions and are useful for further studies on the specific regulation mechanisms responsible for epididymal sperm maturation.

Observation of the short-term curative effect of using SuperPATH approach to treat elderly femoral neck fractures with schizophrenia

As China enters an aging society, the incidence of femoral neck fractures is increasing year by year. For some patients, total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the treatment of choice for displaced femoral neck fractures. Schizophrenia is a common combination of elderly patients with femoral neck fractures, and there are few reports on the treatment. This study describes the short-term efficacy of the supercapsular percutaneously assisted (SuperPATH) approach in the treatment of patients suffered with displaced femoral neck fractures combined with schizophrenia. A retrospective analysis of 20 elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures combined with schizophrenia who underwent THA using the SuperPATH approach. Record demographic data, postoperative reexamination of X-ray film to observe the position and the loosening condition of the prosthesis, the length of hospitalization, complications in the hospital and after discharge. The Harris score of hip joint function was used to evaluate postoperative hip joint function. The average age of the 20 patients was 73.1 years. All patients were followed up by outpatient clinic or telephone. The follow-up time was 3-12 months, with an average of 9.2 months. There was no incision infection, no tissue structure damage such as important nerves and blood vessels, and no complications such as early dislocation, loosening of the joint prosthesis, and deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities. The efficacy of the last follow-up was evaluated according to the Harris score of hip joint function: an average of 91 points (78-98 points); 13 cases were excellent, 5 cases were good, and 2 cases were fair. The SuperPATH approach has the advantages of less surgical damage, shorter recovery time, good surgical safety, preserving the normal tension of the muscles around the hip joint, and reducing the incidence rate of early postoperative dislocation of the joint prosthesis. The THA of the SuperPATH approach can treat patients with displaced femoral neck fractures combined with schizophrenia safely and effectively.

Regulating Zinc Storage Behaviors of Tunnel Structure Cathodes Via Tungsten Induction

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have received continuous interests because of applying low-cost and eco-friendly aqueous electrolytes and having high safety. Beyond energetically to explore new-type cathode materials, it is of great significance to regulate the zinc storage behavior of the existing cathodes in order to understand the underlying working mechanism. Therefore, as a proof of concept, this work achieves the regulation of zinc storage behaviors of the tunnel structure tunnel structure B-phase vanadium dioxide (VO2 (B)) and vanadium oxide (V6 O13 ) cathodes via a simple chemical tungsten-doping induction approach. Under low-concentration tungsten-doping induction of 1, 2 and 3 at.%, the tunnel sizes of VO2 (B) can be controlled readily. Moreover, the V6 O13 with large size tunnels can be achieved by medium-concentration tungsten induction of 6 and 9 at.%. It is demonstrated that tungsten induced VO2 (B) can achieve zinc storage without lattice structure change via operando X-ray diffraction analyses. Remarkably, via operando and non-operando analyses, tungsten induced V6 O13 with lager size tunnels can realize the oriented 1D zinc ion intercalation/deintercalation. The further kinetics analysis shows that the zinc storage is mainly diffusion control, which is different from most of vanadium-based cathodes with capacitance control. This viable tungsten-doping induction strategy provides a new insight into achieving the controllable regulation of zinc storage behaviors.

[Clinical observation on the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis]

To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in China. A small sample self-controlled study before and after treatment was conducted to retrospective analysis patients with moderate to severe AD treated with dupilumab in the department of dermatology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from July 2020 to March 2022. Dupilumab 600 mg was injected subcutaneously at week 0, and then 300 mg was injected subcutaneously every 2 weeks. The condition was evaluated by SCORAD(severity scoring of atopic dermatitis), NRS(numerical rating scale), DLQI(dermatology life quality index) and POEM(patient-oriented eczema measure). The improvement of SCORAD, NRS, DLQI and POEM was analyzed by paired t test and non-parametric paired Wilcoxon. The results showed that a total of 67 patients with moderate to severe AD received dupilumab treatment, of which 41 patients (the course of treatment was more than 6 weeks) had reduced the severity of skin lesions, improved quality of life and reduced pruritus. A total of 23 patients completed 16 weeks of treatment. At 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks, SCORAD, NRS, DLQI and POEM decreased compared with the baseline, and the differences were statistically significant. SCORAD (50.13±15.19) at baseline, SCORAD (36.08±11.96)(t=6.049,P<0.001) at week 4,SCORAD (28.04±11.10)(t=10.471,P<0.001) at week 8, SCORAD (22.93±9.72)(t=12.428,P<0.001) at week 12, SCORAD (16.84±7.82)(t=14.609,P<0.001) at week 16, NRS 7(6,8) at baseline, NRS 4(3,5)(Z=-3.861,P<0.001) at week 4, NRS 2(1,4)(Z=-4.088,P<0.001) at week 8, NRS 1(0,2)(Z=-4.206,P<0.001) at week 12, NRS 2(0,2)(Z=-4.222,P<0.001) at week 16, DLQI (13.83±5.71) at baseline, DLQI (8.00±4.02)(t=6.325,P<0.001) at week 4, DLQI (5.61±3.50)(t=8.060,P<0.001) at week 8, DLQI (3.96±1.99)(t=8.717,P<0.001) at week 12, DLQI (2.70±1.89)(t=10.355,P<0.001) at week 16, POEM (18.04±6.41) at baseline, POEM (9.70±4.70)(t=7.031,P<0.001) at week 4, POEM (7.74±3.48)(t=8.806,P<0.001) at week 8, POEM (6.35±3.33)(t=10.474,P<0.001) at week 12, POEM (4.26±2.51)(t=11.996,P<0.001) at week 16. In the 16th week, 100%(23 patients), 91.3%(21 patients), 34.8%(8 patients) and 8.7%(2 patients) of 23 patients reached SCORAD30, SCORAD50, SCORAD70, and SCORAD90 statuses, respectively. There were 82.6%(19 patients), 95.7%(22 patients) and 95.7%(22 patients) of 23 patients with NRS, DLQI and POEM improved by≥4 points compared with baseline. Twelve patients with AD who continued to receive dupilumab after 16 weeks showed further improvement in skin lesions. The adverse events were conjunctivitis and injection site reaction. In conclusion, dupilumab is an effective and safe treatment for moderate and severe AD. However, the longer-term efficacy and safety require further studies involving larger sample sizes and a longer follow-up time.

Sensitive detection of Escherichia coli in diverse foodstuffs by electrochemical aptasensor based on 2D porphyrin-based COF

The two-dimensional porphyrin-based covalent organic framework (denoted by Tph-TDC-COF) was used as the sensitive layerto build an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of Escherichia coli (E.coli). Tph-TDC-COF produced with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)-21H, 23H-porphine (Tph) and [2,2'-bithiophene]-2,5'-dicarbaldehyde (TDC) as building blocks exhibited a highly conjugated structure, outstanding conductivity, large specific surface area, and strong bioaffinity towards aptamers. The adoption of Tph-TDC-COF-modified electrode resulted in improved sensing performance and increased anchoring affinity toward the E.coli-targeted aptamer. Under optimal conditions, the Tph-TDC-COF-based electrochemical aptasensor demonstrated an extremely low detection limit of 0.17 CFU mL-1 for E.coli detection within a linear range of 10 to 1 × 108 CFU mL-1, accompanied by good stability, excellent reproducibility and regeneration ability, and wide practical applications. The current electrochemical aptasensing technique has the potential to be extended to detect different foodborne bacteria using specific aptamer, therefore widening the application of COFs in biosensing and food safety fields.

Preparation and Performance of Silicone Rubber Composites Modified by Polyurethane

Silicone rubber composites with good comprehensive properties modified with polyurethane were obtained through mixing and vulcanizing methods. Firstly, the polyurethane prepolymer with double bonds was prepared by polytetrahydrofuran glycol (PTMG, Mn = 1000), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The prepolymer was then added to the silicone rubber compounds to prepare silicone rubber composites, combining the excellent properties of polyurethane with the silicone rubber materials. The effects of polyurethane content on the mechanical properties, insulation, hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and flame retardancy of composites were studied in detail. The results showed that the silicone rubber composites not only have good hydrophobicity, thermal stability and flame retardant properties, but the addition of polyurethane significantly improves the tensile strength at room and low temperatures and the volume resistivity of the materials. The tensile strength increased by 32.5%, and the volume resistivity nearly doubled. The excellent electrical insulation, high hydrophobicity and good mechanical properties make the silicone rubber composites appropriate for use in the field of polymeric house arresters.

Influence of electron donor and acceptor substituents on tuning the nonlinear optical properties of zinc phthalocyanine derivatives

Four phthalocyanine derivatives with different electron donor and acceptor substituents (B1, B2, B3, and B4) were synthesized by a solid-phase melting method. The influence of substituent type on the nonlinear optical properties of the materials was investigated in detail. In the case of similar conjugated structures, B3, which has amino electron-donor groups, presents high intramolecular charge transfer, a low energy gap (2.05 eV), and good nonlinear optical properties. Compared with B3, B4 has a larger π-conjugated structure and its energy gap is 0.04 eV smaller. Moreover, B4 has stronger reverse saturation absorption (7 × 10-12 m/W) and optical limiting performance. The four phthalocyanine derivatives exhibit third harmonic generation (THG) characteristics. Furthermore, the third harmonic strengths of B1, B2, B3, and B4 are 4 times, 9 times, 11 times, and 21 times that of SiO2, respectively. So, B4 has the best application potential in laser protection and frequency conversion.

Analysis of the factors influencing male infertility of reproductive age in Jinan

OBJECTIVE

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines infertility as a person failing to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility includes female infertility and male infertility. The aim of this paper is to study the etiology of infertility and related influencing factors in men of reproductive age in Jinan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, 172 male infertile patients who attended the Department of Assisted Reproduction of Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong, China and the Infertility Clinic of Jinan Central Hospital in Shandong, China from August 2021 to April 2022 are selected as the study population (infertility group). A convenience sampling method is used to select 257 men from couples attending the Obstetrics Department of Qilu Hospital in Shandong, China, the Obstetrics Department of the Second Hospital of Shandong University in Shandong, China, and the Obstetrics Department of Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong, China from October 2021 to February 2022 as the study subjects (control group). A self-designed questionnaire is used to conduct the survey, which includes basic personal information, lifestyle information, marital and family-related information, and one-way and multi-way logistic regression analyses are performed.

RESULTS

The average age of the case group and the control group are 34.03±5.13 years old and 33.61±8.18 years old; the average height is 175.80±5.91 cm and 176.78±5.25 cm; the average weight is 80.28±14.70 kg and 83.09±45.36 kg. The differences in age, height, and weight between the case group and the control group are not statistically significant by t-test. Moderate oligospermia is the predominant cause of infertility in men of reproductive age in Jinan. A multifactorial logistic regression analysis yields that academic qualifications (OR=2.518, 95% CI: 1.023 to 6.196), coffee consumption (OR=7.692, 95% CI: 1.623 to 36.460), living in a room that had been renovated within a period of time (OR=2.769, 95% CI: 1.104 to 6.949), stress level (OR=47.280, 95% CI: 23.656-94.494), quality of sexual life (OR=3.352, 95% CI: 1.331-8.442), and duration of couple separation (OR=3.851, 95% CI: 1.094-13.557) are the main risk factors for infertility in men of reproductive age in Jinan.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, a total of 6 risk factors are screened for male infertility in Jinan in the reproductive age, including high academic qualifications, coffee consumption, living in a room that has finished renovation within 3 months, high stress, poor quality of sexual life, and long spousal separation. Three factors can be controlled, avoided, or reduced through personal actions; the factors are coffee consumption, living in a room that has finished renovation within 3 months, and high stress, all of which may reduce the level of male reproductive health.

The Effects of Temperature and Humidity Index on Growth Performance, Colon Microbiota, and Serum Metabolome of Ira Rabbits

This study investigates the effects of different THI values on growth performance, intestinal microbes, and serum metabolism in meat rabbits. The results showed that there were significant differences in THI in different location regions of the rabbit house. The high-THI group (HG) could significantly reduce average daily gain and average daily feed intake in Ira rabbits (p < 0.05). The low-THI group (LG) significantly increased the relative abundance of Blautia (p < 0.05). The HG significantly increased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and reduced bacterial community interaction (p < 0.05). The cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway, and toll-like receptor signaling pathway in each rabbit's gut were activated when the THI was 26.14 (p < 0.05). Metabolic pathways such as the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis and phenylalanine metabolisms were activated when the THI was 27.25 (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the TRPV3 and NGF genes that were associated with heat sensitivity were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05). In addition, five metabolites were found to be able to predict THI levels in the environment with an accuracy of 91.7%. In summary, a THI of 26.14 is more suitable for the growth of meat rabbits than a THI of 27.25, providing a reference for the efficient feeding of meat rabbits.

Alterations in gene expressions of Caco-2 cell responses to LPS and ploy(I:C) stimulation

The intestinal epithelium barrier serves as a highly dynamic immunologic frontier in the defense against invading pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Hence, understanding of the complicated underlying relationship between enteric pathogens and the intestinal epithelium barrier is vital for developing strategies to improve the intestinal health of farm animals. To this end, Caco-2 cells were stimulated by 1 µg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h and 5 µg/ml polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (ploy(I:C)) for 4 h to imitate bacterial and viral infection processes, respectively. The specific alterations in gene expression of Caco-2 cells after stimulation were characterized by transcriptome sequencing. Seventy differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified under LPS exposure, and 17 DEGs were observed under ploy(I:C) exposure. We found that most DEGs were specific, and only one common DEG SPAG7 was observed. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation analysis indicated that all DEGs identified in the different treatments were mainly derived from GO terms related to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Moreover, specific DEGs such as SLC39A10, MT2A, and MT1E regulated by LPS treatment, while IFIT2 and RUNX2 mediated by ploy(I:C) treatment, which are derived from immune function modulation related GO terms, were confirmed by both transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR. In addition, both transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR results verified that LPS specifically down-regulated the DEGs INHBE and ARF6, which are involved in inflammation responses related to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway including the TGF-beta signaling pathways and the Ras signaling pathway. Ploy(I:C) uniquely suppressed the DEGs GABARAP and LAMTOR3, which participated in viral replication-associated pathways including autophagy and mTOR signaling pathway.

Polar Electrocatalysts for Preventing Polysulfide Migration and Accelerating Redox Kinetics in Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries

Due to the high theoretical energy density, low cost, and rich abundance of sodium and sulfur, room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries are investigated as the promising energy storage system. However, the inherent insulation of the S₈ , the dissolution and shuttle of the intermediate sodium polysulfides (NaPSs), and especially the sluggish conversion kinetics, restrict the commercial application of the RT Na-S batteries. To address these issues, various catalysts are developed to immobilize the soluble NaPSs and accelerate the conversion kinetics. Among them, the polar catalysts display impressive performance. Polar catalysts not only can significantly accelerate (or alter) the redox process, but also can adsorb polar NaPSs through polar-polar interaction because of their intrinsic polarity, thus inhibiting the notorious shuttle effect. Herein, the recent advances in the electrocatalytic effect of polar catalysts on the manipulation of S speciation pathways in RT Na-S batteries are reviewed. Furthermore, challenges and research directions to realize rapid and reversible sulfur conversion are put forward to promote the practical application of RT Na-S batteries.

House ammonia exposure causes alterations in microbiota, transcriptome, and metabolome of rabbits

Introduction

Pollutant gas emissions in the current production system of the livestock industry have negative influences on environment as well as the health of farm staffs and animals. Although ammonia (NH3) is considered as the primary and harmful gas pollutant in the rabbit farm, less investigation has performed to determine the toxic effects of house ammonia exposure on rabbit in the commercial confined barn.

Methods

In this study, we performed multi-omics analysis on rabbits exposed to high and low concentration of house ammonia under similar environmental conditions to unravel the alterations in nasal and colonic microbiota, pulmonary and colonic gene expression, and muscular metabolic profile.

Results and discussion

The results showed that house ammonia exposure notably affected microbial structure, composition, and functional capacity in both nasal and colon, which may impact on local immune responses and inflammatory processes. Transcriptome analysis indicated that genes related to cell death (MCL1, TMBIM6, HSPB1, and CD74) and immune response (CDC42, LAMTOR5, VAMP8, and CTSB) were differentially expressed in the lung, and colonic genes associated with redox state (CAT, SELENBP1, GLUD1, and ALDH1A1) were significantly up-regulated. Several key differentially abundant metabolites such as L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, L-ornithine, oxoglutaric acid, and isocitric acid were identified in muscle metabolome, which could denote house ammonia exposure perturbed amino acids, nucleotides, and energy metabolism. In addition, the widespread and strong inter-system interplay were uncovered in the integrative correlation network, and central features were confirmed by in vitro experiments. Our findings disclose the comprehensive evidence for the deleterious effects of house ammonia exposure on rabbit and provide valuable information for understanding the underlying impairment mechanisms.

Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of polyurethane composites containing a pyrene derivative

The pyrene derivative (PD) was synthesized with pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde and p-aminoazobenzene by a Schiff base reaction. Then the obtained PD was dispersed in polyurethane (PU) prepolymer to prepare polyurethane/pyrene derivative PU/PD materials with good transmittance. The nonlinear optical (NLO) performances of the PD and PU/PD materials were studied by the Z-scan technique under picosecond and femtosecond laser pulses. The PD has reverse saturable absorption (RSA) properties under the excitation of 532 nm 15 ps pulses, 650 and 800 nm 180 fs pulses, and a low optical limiting (OL) threshold (0.01J/c m ²). The PU/PD has a larger RSA coefficient than that of the PD under 532 nm 15 ps pulses. With the enhanced RSA, the PU/PD materials exhibit excellent OL (OL) performance. Good NLO properties, high transparency, and easy processing performances make the PU/PD an excellent choice for use in OL and laser protection fields.

Evaluating the Effects of Cryopreservation on the Viability and Gene Expression of Porcine-Ear-Skin Fibroblasts

Owing to the inherent heterogeneity and plasticity of fibroblasts, they are considered as the conventional biological resources for basic and clinical medical research. Thus, it is essential to generate knowledge about the establishment of fibroblast cultures and the effects of cryopreservation processes on their biological characteristics. Since the pig (Sus scrofa) possesses numerous genetic, physiological, and anatomical similarities with humans, porcine fibroblasts are naturally regarded as useful analogues of human fibroblasts. Nonetheless, less attention has been given to the alterations in viability and gene expression of cryopreserved porcine fibroblasts. In this study, we aimed to obtain fibroblasts from porcine ear skin and evaluate the effects of cryopreservation on the cell survival, proliferation, and gene expression profiles of the fibroblasts by trypan-blue-staining assay, Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and RNA-sequencing analysis, respectively. Our results suggested that morphologically stable fibroblast cultures can be constructed from pig-ear skin. The post-thaw survival rate of the cryopreserved fibroblasts at 0 h and 24 h was over 90%. The proliferative activity of the cryopreserved fibroblasts was similar to that of the non-cryopreserved fibroblasts after 7 days of in vitro culture, which suggested that cryopreservation did not influence the viability. The RNA-sequencing analysis indicated that this should be attributed to the 867 differentially expressed genes (DGEs) identified, which are involved in molecular process related to cell recovery and survival after cryo-stimulation. In addition, eight important DEGs BMP2, GDF15, EREG, AREG, HBEGF, LIF, IL-6, and HOX-7 could potentially be applied to improve the efficiency of fibroblast cryopreservation, but comprehensive and systematic studies on understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for their modulatory roles are urgently needed.

Extensive identification of serum metabolites related to microbes in different gut locations and evaluating their associations with porcine fatness

Gut microbiota plays important roles in host metabolism. Whether and how much the gut microbiota in different gut locations contributes to the variations of host serum metabolites are largely unknown, because it is difficult to obtain microbial samples from different gut locations on a large population scale. Here, we quantified the gut microbial compositions using 16S rRNA gene sequencing for 1070 samples collected from the ileum, cecum and faeces of 544 F6 pigs from a mosaic pig population. Untargeted metabolome measurements determined serum metabolome profiles. We found 1671, 12,985 and 103,250 significant correlations between circulating serum metabolites and bacterial ASVs in the ileum, cecum, and faeces samples. We detected nine serum metabolites showing significant correlations with gut bacteria in more than one gut location. However, most metabolite-microbiota pairwise associations were gut location-specific. Targeted metabolome analysis revealed that CDCA, taurine, L-leucine and N-acetyl-L-alanine can be used as biomarkers to predict porcine fatness. Enriched taxa in fat pigs, for example Prevotella and Lawsonia intracellularis were positively associated with L-leucine, while enriched taxa in lean pigs, such as Clostridium butyricum, were negatively associated with L-leucine and CDCA, but positively associated with taurine and N-acetyl-L-alanine. These results suggested that the contributions of gut microbiota in each gut location to the variations of serum metabolites showed spatial heterogeneity.

Synthesis of 2-(2-Nitroalkyl)indoles by Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C-H Alkylation

The Rh(III)-catalyzed addition of the indole C2-H bond to nitroalkenes under an ambient atmosphere is disclosed, providing direct access to a wide range of 2-(2-nitroalkyl)indoles (33 examples) with excellent chemo- and regioselectivity. In addition, pyrrole derivatives also successfully participated in this Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. Representative nitroalkane products could be converted into structurally diverse and valuable indole derivatives. Furthermore, a series of control experiments were conducted, and a plausible mechanism was proposed.

Effects of Europium Complex on Thermal and Photoluminescence Properties of Polyurethane-Europium Materials

A europium complex with double bonds was synthesized with crotonic acid as the ligand and a europium ion as the center ion. Then, the obtained europium complex was added to synthesized poly(urethane-acrylate) macromonomers to prepare the bonded polyurethane-europium materials by the polymerization of the double bonds in the complex and the poly(urethane-acrylate) macromonomers. The prepared polyurethane-europium materials had high transparency, good thermal stability and good fluorescence. The storage moduli of polyurethane-europium materials are obviously higher than those of pure polyurethane. Polyurethane-europium materials exhibit bright red light with good monochromaticity. The light transmittance of the material decreases slightly with increases in the europium complex content, but the luminescence intensity gradually increases. In particular, polyurethane-europium materials possess a long luminescence lifetime, which has potential applications for optical display instruments.

The integrated analysis of digestive physiology and gastrointestinal microbiota structure in Changle goose

Changle goose in Fujian, China is a rare genetic resource and in urgent need to be protected. Understanding the characteristics of digestive physiology and spatial variation of gastrointestinal microbiota is crucial for developing nutritional intervention strategies to improve intestinal health and production performance of goose. Hence, histomorphological assay was used for observing development status of proventriculus, jejunum, and cecum in 70-day-old Changle geese, whereas digesta from 6 alimentary canal locations (crop, proventriculus, gizzard, jejunum, cecum, and rectum) were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) quantitative analysis. The histomorphological observation indicated that the jejunum and cecum of Changle goose were well developed. The alpha diversity analysis revealed that, except rectum, microbiota in other noncecum sections were in high diversity as cecum. The Nonmetric MultiDimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that microbial community of proventriculus, gizzard, and jejunum formed a cluster, which distinctly discrete with the microbiota of the other gastrointestinal locations. Additionally, the proportions of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Campilobacterota at the phylum level and Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Helicobacter, and Subdoligranulum at the genus level exhibited tremendous alternations among different gastrointestinal locations. The characteristic bacterial composition in each section was further disclosed by analyzing the core and feature Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and SCFAs pattern. Importantly, 7 body-weight-associated ASVs and 2 cecum-development-related ASVs were identified via correlation analysis. In a whole, our findings provided the first insights into the specialized digestive physiology of Changle geese and distinctive regional distribution of gastrointestinal microbiota, which laid the important foundation for improving growth performance through microbiota manipulation in geese.

Elastic Buffering Layer on CuS Enabling High-Rate and Long-Life Sodium-Ion Storage

The latest view suggests the inactive core, surface pulverization, and polysulfide shuttling effect of metal sulfides are responsible for their low capacity and poor cycling performance in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Whereas overcoming the above problems based on conventional nanoengineering is not efficient enough. In this work, erythrocyte-like CuS microspheres with an elastic buffering layer of ultrathin polyaniline (PANI) were synthesized through one-step self-assembly growth, followed by in situ polymerization of aniline. When CuS@PANI is used as anode electrode in SIBs, it delivers high capacity, ultrahigh rate capability (500 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1, and 214.5 mAh g^-1 at 40 A g^-1), and superior cycling life of over 7500 cycles at 20 A g^-1. A series of in/ex situ characterization techniques were applied to investigate the structural evolution and sodium-ion storage mechanism. The PANI swollen with electrolyte can stabilize solid electrolyte interface layer, benefit the ion transport/charge transfer at the PANI/electrolyte interface, and restrain the size growth of Cu particles in confined space. Moreover, finite element analyses and density functional simulations confirm that the PANI film effectively buffers the volume expansion, suppresses the surface pulverization, and traps the polysulfide.

Nonlinear Optical Properties of Pyrene Derivatives Based on a Donor-Acceptor Structure and Its Polyurethane Composites

Two pyrenyl Schiff base derivatives with π conjugated structures (B2 and B3) were designed and synthesized. Then, B2 and B3 were added into polyurethane to obtain doped and bonded polyurethane nonlinear optical materials (B2/PU and B3/PU), respectively. The synthesized B2, B3, and polyurethane nonlinear optical materials were tested by a nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) pulse Z-scan at a 532 nm wavelength. Due to the two-photon absorption-induced excited state absorption (TPA-ESA), B2, B3, and polyurethane nonlinear optical materials show reverse saturable absorption (RSA). From a quantum chemistry calculation, it can be concluded that the RSA of B2 and B3 comes from the large π conjugated system and intramolecular charge transfer. Furthermore, B2, B3, and the polyurethane nonlinear optical materials show good optical limiting. B2/PU and B3/PU not only have excellent nonlinear optical properties but also have good transmittance, thermal stability, and processability of polyurethane materials. The combination of pyrenyl Schiff base derivatives and polyurethane materials greatly improves the application of nonlinear small molecules in the field of optical limiting and all-optical switching.

Features and clinical significance of tertiary lymphoid structure in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) plays an important role in anti-tumor immunity, largely reflecting the prognosis. However, its clinical implication in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the features of TLS in cSCC and its association with clinicopathological characteristics.

METHODS

Two independent RNA-seq data of cSCC were used to investigate the tumor immune microenvironment, as well as TLS-related chemokines and cytokines. The density and location of TLSs were assessed in a total of 82 cSCC patients, and the clinicopathologic association was examined.

RESULTS

Bioinformatics analysis showed that a large amount of immune cell infiltration and significant up-regulation of TLS-related chemokines were observed in cSCC. Histologically, TLSs appeared as highly organized structures in 72 (87.8%) cases with different levels of density and maturation, among which 14 cases were in low-density group and 58 cases were in high-density group. Clinically, the presence of TLS was prominently associated with better degree of histopathological grades and higher level of sun exposure. Furthermore, the presence of intratumoral TLS was associated with lower lymphovascular invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

TLS is highly organized in cSCC, and the presence of TLS is a positive prognostic factor for cSCC, which will provide a theoretical basis for the future diagnostic and therapeutic value in cSCC.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) Improves Boar Sperm Quality and Antioxidant Capacity in Liquid Preservation (17°C) Linked to AMPK Activity Maintenance

Liquid preservation of boar sperm is crucial for artificial insemination application in pig production. However, time-dependent oxidative damage to sperm is one of the major challenges during the liquid preservation period. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) possesses excellent antioxidant properties and has potential therapeutic use in reproductive organ injury linked to oxidative stress. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) involves in modulating the cellular redox state and exerts a beneficial effect on sperm preservation. In the present study, we firstly assessed different concentrations of CAPE that affect sperm quality during liquid storage to determine the appropriate addition. To further investigate whether CAPE exerts protective effects on boar sperm through modulation of AMPK activity, sperm quality parameters, antioxidant capacity, and marker protein expressions were evaluated under co-incubation with H₂O₂. The results showed that sperm treated with 210 μmol/L CAPE exhibited the highest motion parameters (total motility and progressive motility) and best functional integrity (mitochondrial activity, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosomal integrity). Even in the presence of H₂O₂, the addition of 210 μmol/L CAPE not only significantly improved sperm quality parameters, but also elevated CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px activities to enhance sperm antioxidant capacity. In addition, we found that CAPE could affect the protein activities of AMPK, phospho-AMPK α (p-AMPK), SOD, and Caspase-3 regardless of whether H₂O₂ is present or not. Our findings suggested that CAPE has potential application in liquid preservation of boar sperm and preliminary indicated that CAPE-induced improvement of sperm quality and antioxidant capacity should be mediated through conservation of AMPK activity. Further studies are required to illustrate the specific mechanism by which CAPE attenuates oxidative stress-mediated damages dependent on AMPK activity.

Treatment dependent sodium-rich Prussian blue as a cathode material for sodium-ion batteries

In the preparation of Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), Na⁺ loss and Fe²⁺ oxidation take place when washing with water. Sodium-rich PBAs were prepared with sodium ascorbate aqueous solution as the washing solution, which can suppress the Na⁺ loss and Fe²⁺ oxidation. As the cathode of sodium-ion batteries, it exhibited excellent electrochemical performance.

Construction of bifunctional electrochemical biosensors for the sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2 N-gene based on porphyrin porous organic polymers

In this study, a novel porphyrin-based porous organic polymer (POP) was constructed using 5,10,15,20-tetramine (4-aminophenyl) porphyrin (TAPP) and 5,5'-diformyl-2,2'-bipyridine (DPDD) as organic ligands via a solvothermal method (represented as TAPP-DPDD-POP). Then, it was utilized as a bifunctional scaffold for constructing a sensitive sensing strategy toward the nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N-gene) of SARS-CoV-2. The obtained TAPP-DPDD-POP is composed of nanospheres with a size of 100-300 nm and possesses a highly conjugated and π-π stacking network. The coexistence of the porphyrin and bipyridine moieties of TAPP-DPDD-POP afforded considerable electrochemical activity and a strong binding interaction toward the SARS-CoV-2 N-gene-targeted antibody and targeted the aptamer strands of the N-gene. The TAPP-DPDD-POP-based aptasensor and immunosensor were manufactured for the sensitive analysis of SARS-CoV-2 N-gene, and exhibited the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.59 fg mL^-1 and 0.17 fg mL^-1, respectively, within the range of 0.1 fg mL^-1 to 1 ng mL^-1 of N-gene. The sensing performances of both the TAPP-DPDD-POP-based aptasensor and immunosensor were better than those of existing electrochemical biosensors for analyzing the N-gene, accompanied with excellent stability, high selectivity and reproducibility. The TAPP-DPDD-POP-based aptasensor and immunosensor were then employed to detect the N-gene from various environments, including human serum, river water, and seafoods. This work provides a new method of using an electrochemically active POP to sensitively and selectively analyze SARS-CoV-2 in diverse environments.

Evidence of a shared binding site for Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa toxins in Cnaphalocrocis medinalis cadherin

Insect midgut cadherins function as receptors and play critical roles as protein receptors of insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins used as biopesticides and in Bt transgenic crops worldwide. Here, we cloned and characterized the full-length midgut cadherin (CmCad) cDNA from the rice leaffolder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis), a destructive pest of rice in many Asian countries. Expression of recombinant proteins corresponding to the extracellular domain of CmCad allowed testing binding of Cry proteins. Results from in vitro ligand blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays supported that the extracellular domain of CmCad contains regions recognized by both Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa. Molecular modelling and docking simulations indicated that binding to both Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa is localized primarily within a CmCad motif corresponding to residues T1417-D1435. A recombinant CmCad protein produced without residues T1417-D1435 lacked binding to Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa, confirmed our modelling predictions that CmCad has a shared Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa binding site. The potential existence of a shared binding region in CmCad suggests that caution should be taken when using combinations of Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa in pyramided transgenic rice, as their combined use could speed the evolution of resistance to both toxins.

Successful use of tofacitinib in epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa

This case report describes 26-year-old woman who had multiple clusters of pale-pink lichenoid papules since childhood and the accompanying itching was intense. Skin biopsy revealed obvious fissures had formed under the epidermis. The patient was diagnosed with epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa and was successfully treated with tofacitinib.

Gut and Vagina Microbiota Associated With Estrus Return of Weaning Sows and Its Correlation With the Changes in Serum Metabolites

More and more studies have indicated that gut microbiota takes part in the biosynthesis and metabolism of sex hormones. Inversely, sex hormones influence the composition of gut microbiota. However, whether microbiota in the gut and vagina is associated with estrus return of weaning sows is largely unknown. Here, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in 158 fecal and 50 vaginal samples, we reported the shifts in the gut and vaginal microbiota between normal return and non-return sows. In fecal samples, Lactobacillus and S24-7 were enriched in normal return sows, while Streptococcus luteciae, Lachnospiraceae, Clostridium, and Mogibacterium had higher abundance in non-return sows. In vaginal swabs, the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) annotated to Clostridiales, Ruminoccaceae, and Oscillospira were enriched in normal return sows, while those OTUs annotated to Campylobacter, Anaerococcus, Parvimonas, Finegoldia, and Dorea had higher abundances in non-return sows. Co-abundance group (CAG) analysis repeated the identification of the bacterial taxa associated with the estrus return of weaning sows. The predicted functional capacities in both gut and vaginal microbiome were changed between normal return and non-return sows. Serum metabolome profiles were determined by non-targeted metabolome analysis in seven normal return and six non-return sows. The metabolite features having higher abundance in normal return sows were enriched in the pathways Steroid hormone biosynthesis, Starch and sucrose metabolism, Galactose metabolism, and Vitamin B6 metabolism, while the metabolite features belonging to organic acids and derivatives, indoles and derivatives, sulfoxides, and lignans and neolignans had significantly higher abundance in non-return sows. Correlation analysis found that the changes in gut microbiota were associated with the shifts of serum metabolites and suggested that certain bacteria might affect estrus return of weaning sow through serum metabolites. These findings may provide new insights for understanding the role of the gut and vaginal microbiota in sow return to estrus after weaning.

Prevotella copri increases fat accumulation in pigs fed with formula diets

BACKGROUND

Excessive fat accumulation of pigs is undesirable, as it severely affects economic returns in the modern pig industry. Studies in humans and mice have examined the role of the gut microbiome in host energy metabolism. Commercial Duroc pigs are often fed formula diets with high energy and protein contents. Whether and how the gut microbiome under this type of diet regulates swine fat accumulation is largely unknown.

RESULTS

In the present study, we systematically investigated the correlation of gut microbiome with pig lean meat percentage (LMP) in 698 commercial Duroc pigs and found that Prevotella copri was significantly associated with fat accumulation of pigs. Fat pigs had significantly higher abundance of P. copri in the gut. High abundance of P. copri was correlated with increased concentrations of serum metabolites associated with obesity, e.g., lipopolysaccharides, branched chain amino acids, aromatic amino acids, and the metabolites of arachidonic acid. Host intestinal barrier permeability and chronic inflammation response were increased. A gavage experiment using germ-free mice confirmed that the P. copri isolated from experimental pigs was a causal species increasing host fat accumulation and altering serum metabolites. Colon, adipose tissue, and muscle transcriptomes in P. copri-gavaged mice indicated that P. copri colonization activated host chronic inflammatory responses through the TLR4 and mTOR signaling pathways and significantly upregulated the expression of the genes related to lipogenesis and fat accumulation, but attenuated the genes associated with lipolysis, lipid transport, and muscle growth.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the results proposed that P. copri in the gut microbial communities of pigs fed with commercial formula diets activates host chronic inflammatory responses by the metabolites through the TLR4 and mTOR signaling pathways, and increases host fat deposition significantly. The results provide fundamental knowledge for reducing fat accumulation in pigs through regulating the gut microbial composition. Video Abstract.

The association between the vaginal microenvironment and fecundability: a register-based cohort study among Chinese women

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between the vaginal microenvironment and fecundability among women.

DESIGN

Register-based nationwide cohort study.

SETTING

Chinese National Free Pre-conception Check-up Project from 2015 to 2018.

POPULATION

Our study included a total of 3 388 554 eligible women who were attempting to become pregnant.

METHOD

We assessed the vaginal microenvironment at baseline by considering four indices: vaginal pH, clue cell examination, whiff test and vaginal cleanliness grading. If any of these indicators was abnormal, the vaginal microenvironment was defined as poor. Propensity score matching was used to control for potential confounders and reduce bias. Logistic models were used to estimate the fecundability odds ratios (FORs) after adjustment for covariates.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Achievement of a pregnancy within 1 year.

RESULTS

Of the total study population, 379 718 women (11.2%) had a poor vaginal microenvironment and their pregnancy rate after 1 year was significantly lower than the group with a normal microenvironment (71.8% versus 76.1%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, the women with a poor vaginal microenvironment were associated with a 9% reduction in fecundability compared with the normal microenvironment group (FOR 0.91, 95% CI 0.90-0.92). The adverse effects of a poor vaginal microenvironment were stronger among multipara (FOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.90) or women with irregular menstruation (FOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.84-0.89).

CONCLUSION

There was a negative association between a poor vaginal microenvironment and the fecundability of women. These findings highlight the significance of assessing the vaginal microenvironment during pre-pregnancy health examinations.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Women with a poor vaginal microenvironment were associated with a reduction in fecundability.

A216 CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF LYSOSOMAL ACID LIPASE DEFICIENCY (LAL-D): THE INTERNATIONAL LAL-D REGISTRY

Background

Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) is a rare, autosomal recessive disease caused by pathogenic variants in the LIPA gene. Lysosomal accumulation of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides leads to cirrhosis and dyslipidemia across a clinical spectrum, and affect both infants and children/adults.

Aims

An international registry (NCT01633489; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2013–ongoing) was established to better understand the natural history of lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) and to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes.

Methods

Baseline findings for patients enrolled through July 1, 2019 are presented. Of 190 patients enrolled, 35 were excluded from this analysis (LIPA carrier, deceased at enrollment, unconfirmed LAL-D diagnosis); 155 patients with confirmed LAL-D diagnosis were included (12 infants, 143 children/adults). LAL enzyme activity analysis was performed for 145/154 patients (94%) and genetic testing for 128/154 patients (83%).

Results

Of 105 children/adults with reported LIPA mutations, 39 were homozygous and 34 were compound heterozygous for the common LIPA mutation E8SJM (c.894G&gt;A); 6 infants with reported LIPA mutations were homozygotes and 2 were compound heterozygotes. Of the 155 patients, 62% were &lt;18 years, 52% were male, and 85% were white. Median (range) age at clinical onset was 0.2 years (0.0–0.7) among infants and 6.0 years (0.0–41.3) among 133 children/adults with data; median (range) age at diagnosis was 0.2 years (−0.1 to 1.2) among infants and 10.8 years (0.2–53.6) among 135 children/adults with data. Manifestations that raised suspicion of LAL-D were reported in 149/155 patients. Infants (12 with data) presented predominantly with hepatomegaly (75%), splenomegaly (58%), nausea/vomiting (58%), and diarrhea (50%), and 50% had a known family history of LAL-D. Children/adults (n=143) presented predominantly with elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (67%), hepatomegaly (66%), and elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels (65%). Of 74 children/adults with baseline liver biopsy, 58% had microvesicular steatosis, 16% had micro- and macrovesicular steatosis, and 32% had lobular inflammation. Of the 155 patients, 6% had a medical history of cirrhosis. Analyses exploring the genotype-phenotype relationship will be presented.

Conclusions

Registry data of &gt;150 LAL-D patients demonstrate early symptom onset, variable clinical manifestations, and a significant diagnostic delay in children/adults.

Funding Agencies

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Identification of the relationship between the gut microbiome and feed efficiency in a commercial pig cohort

Feed efficiency (FE) is an economically important trait in pig production. Gut microbiota plays an important role in energy harvest, nutrient metabolism, and fermentation of dietary indigestible components. Whether and which gut microbes affect FE in pigs are largely unknown. Here, a total of 208 healthy Duroc pigs were used as experimental materials. Feces and serum samples were collected at the age of 140 d. We first performed 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing analysis to investigate the relationship between the gut microbiome and porcine residual feed intake (RFI). 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis detected 21 operational taxonomic units showing the tendency to correlation with the RFI (P < 0.01). Metagenomic sequencing further identified that the members of Clostridiales, e.g., Ruminococcus flavefaoiens, Lachnospiraceae bacterium 28-4, and Lachnospiraceae phytofermentans, were enriched in pigs with low RFI (high-FE), while 11 bacterial species including 5 Prevotella spp., especially, the Prevotella copri, had higher abundance in pigs with high RFI. Functional capacity analysis suggested that the gut microbiome of low RFI pigs had a high abundance of the pathways related to amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis, but a low abundance of the pathways associated with monosaccharide metabolism and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Serum metabolome and fecal short-chain fatty acids were determined by UPLC-QTOF/MS and gas chromatography, respectively. Propionic acid in feces and the serum metabolites related to amino acid metabolism were negatively correlated with the RFI. The results from this study may provide potential gut microbial biomarkers that could be used for improving FE in pig production industry.