Effects of di-n-butyl phthalate on male rat reproduction following pubertal exposure

Di-n-butyl phthalate （DBP） is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has the potential to affect male reproduction. However, the reproductive effects of low-dose DBP are still not well known, especially at the molecular level. In the present study, pubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered DBP at a wide range of doses （0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 and 500 mg kg^-1 day^-1） for 30 days. The selected end points included reproductive organ weights, testicular histopathology and serum hormonal levels. Additionally, proteomic analysis was performed to identify proteins that are differentially expressed as a result of exposure to DBP at low doses （0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg kg^-1 day^-1）. Toxic effects were observed in the high-dose groups, including anomalous development of testes and epididymides, severe atrophy of seminiferous tubules, loss of spermatogenesis and abnormal levels of serum hormones. Treatment with low doses of DBP seemed to exert a ＇stimulative effect＇ on the serum hormones. Proteomics analysis of rat testes showed 20 differentially expressed proteins. Among these proteins, alterations in the expression of HnRNPA2/B1, vimentin and superoxide dismutase 1 （SOD1） were further confirmed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Taken together, we conclude that high doses of DBP led to testicular toxicity, and low doses of DBP led to changes in the expression of proteins involved in spermatogenesis as well as changes in the number and function of Sertoli and Leydig cells, although no obvious morphological changes appeared. The identification of these differentially expressed proteins provides important information about the mechanisms underlying the effects of DBP on male rat reproduction.

Search for the chiral magnetic effect in heavy ion collisions

Quark interactions with topological gluon fields in quantum chromodynamics can yield local P and CP violations that could explain the matter–antimatter asymmetry in our universe. Effects of P and CP violations can lead to charge separation under a strong magnetic field, a phenomenon called the chiral magnetic effect(CME).Early measurements of the CME-induced charge separation in heavy ion collisions are dominated by physics backgrounds. This report discusses the recent innovative efforts in eliminating those backgrounds, namely by eventshape engineering, invariant mass dependence, and reaction and participant plane comparison. The backgroundfree CME measurements using these novel methods are presented.

Comparative proteomic analysis of plasma proteins in patients with age-related macular degeneration

AIM:To find the significant altered proteins in agerelated macular degeneration(AMD)patients as potential biomarkers of AMD.METHODS:A comparative analysis of the protein pattern of AMD patients versus healthy controls was performed by means of proteomic analysis using twodimensional gel electrophoresis followed by protein identification with MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometry.RESULTS:We identified 28 proteins that were significantly altered with clinical relevance in AMD patients.These proteins were involved in a wide range of biological functions including immune responses,growth cytokines,cell fate determination,wound healing,metabolism,and anti-oxidance.CONCLUSION:These results demonstrate the capacity of proteomic analysis of AMD patient plasma.In addition to the utility of this approach for biomarker discovery,identification of alterations in endogenous proteins in the plasma of AMD patient could improve our understanding of the disease pathogenesis.

Rare location and drainage pattern of right pulmonary veins and aberrant right upper lobe bronchial branch: A case report

BACKGROUND Complex aberration in lung is rare,which may increase risk of vascular injury and cause ligation of wrong pulmonary vein or bronchus by mistake during lung surgery,and result in sever complication like pulmonary congestion or atelectasis.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old female was admitted for a ground glass nodule(24 mm in diameter)in her right upper lobe.Video-assisted thoracoscopic(VATS)right upper lobectomy with lymph nodes dissection was performed.During operation,we simultaneously identified extremely rare aberrations of right preeparterial bronchus,right upper lobe vein behind pulmonary artery and right middle lobe vein drained into left atrium in this patient.The patient was well recovered and discharged at the postoperative-day 4.CONCLUSION Preoperatively,three-dimensional reconstruction can help to identify inconspicuous variation of pulmonary vessels and bronchus effectively.During lung surgery,if anatomic aberration is suspected,careful dissection of vessels and bronchus will help to confirm whether there is an aberration or not.

The Supply Chain Contract Design under Cap-and-Trade Mechanism with Free Riding

This paper studies the influence of free riding on enterprise product pricing and carbon emissions reduction investment, as well as the contract design to achieve supply chain coordination under the carbon trading mechanism. First, we discuss the situation where carbon emissions reduction investment affects the product price and income. It demonstrates that the optimal investment of the upstream manufacturer increases with the degree of the free riding of the downstream manufacturer. The upstream manufacturer can improve their carbon reduction investment and the whole supply chain achieves Pareto improvement when the investment cost sharing contract is introduced. Nevertheless, under the cost-sharing contract the optimal investment of the decentralized supply chain is still lower than that of the centralized supply chain, and only in some particular cases can the two types of supply chain achieve equal total profits. Then, we preliminarily explore the situation where the product price and income is influenced by carbon emissions reduction investment. The consequences indicate that the optimal investment of the upstream manufacturers in this situation is less than the former one's, and the transfer payment mechanism is able to improve the level of the supply chain overall carbon emissions-reduction. Moreover, compared to the former situation, the effects of free riding of the downstream manufacturer are even more serious. The conclusions can provide some intellectual support for manufacturing enterprises to make reasonable emissions reduction strategies and coordinate the supply chain existing in free riding.

Evolution of microstructure,mechanical and magnetic properties of electrodeposited 50% Ni-Fe alloy foil after thermal treatment

In order to expand the application of the electrodeposited Ni-Fe alloy foil,their mechanical and magnetic properties were studied after heat treatment.The development of grain growth during annealing was in-situ online investigated using a heating stage microscope,and the texture was analyzed via X-ray diffraction（XRD）and electron back-scattered diffraction（EBSD）.The results indicated that abnormal grain growth usually occurred during annealing at 1000-1050°C.The{111}oriented grains preferentially grew as the annealing temperature and holding time increased.The plasticities of the electrodeposited Ni-Fe alloy foils after heat treatment were better than those of the original samples.The excellent ductility was obtained without a loss in magnetic properties after annealing at 1100°C for 6h.