Photosynthesis: Genetic Strategies Adopted to Gain Higher Efficiency.

The global challenge of feeding an ever-increasing population to maintain food security requires novel approaches to increase crop yields. Photosynthesis, the fundamental energy and material basis for plant life on Earth, is highly responsive to environmental conditions. Evaluating the operational status of the photosynthetic mechanism provides insights into plants' capacity to adapt to their surroundings. Despite immense effort, photosynthesis still falls short of its theoretical maximum efficiency, indicating significant potential for improvement. In this review, we provide background information on the various genetic aspects of photosynthesis, explain its complexity, and survey relevant genetic engineering approaches employed to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis. We discuss the latest success stories of gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 and synthetic biology in achieving precise refinements in targeted photosynthesis pathways, such as the Calvin-Benson cycle, electron transport chain, and photorespiration. We also discuss the genetic markers crucial for mitigating the impact of rapidly changing environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures or drought, on photosynthesis and growth. This review aims to pinpoint optimization opportunities for photosynthesis, discuss recent advancements, and address the challenges in improving this critical process, fostering a globally food-secure future through sustainable food crop production.

Rethinking rural: Public health advocates' views on ENDS cessation for young adults in rural areas.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, commonly referred to as e-cigarettes), have become popular among young adults (YAs, 18-24 years) in the United States. YAs in rural areas increasingly consume more ENDS than those in urban areas. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the perspectives of public health advocates (PHAs) on ENDS use and cessation among YAs in rural areas. The objectives of the study are to describe the perspectives of PHAs and identify strategies to strengthen the capacity for promoting the cessation of ENDS among YAs in rural communities. A qualitative study and interpretive description were used with semi-structured interviews. The content analysis was used to analyze the data. Twenty-two PHAs, including public health officers, nurses, and tobacco-free educators, from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, were invited to the semi-structured interviews. Four themes emerged: (a) Perceived ENDS use and cessation; (b) rural contexts and infrastructure influencing ENDS use; (c) essential public health responsibilities controlling ENDS use in rural areas; and (d) regulating ENDS use: Policies and law. PHAs stressed the importance of increased awareness of ENDS use in YAs, improved regulation, and tailored policies to tackle rural communities' distinct challenges. The study emphasizes the urgency for specialized programs to aid YAs in quitting ENDS in rural areas. A comprehensive strategy is needed to effectively address ENDS use among YAs in rural areas, involving education, policy adjustments, and community-based initiatives.

Overcoming fixation and permeabilization challenges in flow cytometry by optical barcoding and multi-pass acquisition.

The fixation and permeabilization of cells are essential for labeling intracellular biomarkers in flow cytometry. However, these chemical treatments often alter fragile targets, such as cell surface and fluorescent proteins, and can destroy chemically-sensitive fluorescent labels. This reduces measurement accuracy and introduces compromises into sample workflows, leading to losses in data quality. Here, we demonstrate a novel multi-pass flow cytometry approach to address this long-standing problem. Our technique utilizes individual cell barcoding with laser particles, enabling sequential analysis of the same cells with single-cell resolution maintained. Chemically-fragile protein markers and their fluorochrome conjugates are measured prior to destructive sample processing and adjoined to subsequent measurements of intracellular markers after fixation and permeabilization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique in accurately measuring intracellular fluorescent proteins and methanol-sensitive antigens and fluorophores, along with various surface and intracellular markers. This approach significantly enhances assay flexibility, enabling accurate and comprehensive cell analysis without the constraints of conventional one-time measurement flow cytometry. This innovation paves new avenues in flow cytometry for a wide range of applications in immuno-oncology, stem cell research, and cell biology.

Effects of Aging on New Bone Regeneration in a Mandibular Bone Defect in a Rat Model.

The effects of aging on the healing capacity of maxillofacial bone defects have not been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aging on the regeneration of round bony defects in the mandible. We created a round-shaped bony defect in the mandibular angle area in rats of different ages (2-[2 M], 10-[10 M], and 20-month-old [20 M]) and evaluated new bone regeneration in these groups. Changes in bone turnover markers such as alkaline phosphatase, procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP), cross-linked C-telopeptide of type I collagen, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5B (TRAP5b) were investigated. The bone volume/total volume and bone mineral density of the 20 M group were significantly higher than those of the 2 M group (p = 0.029, 0.019). A low level of the bone formation marker PINP was observed in the 20 M group, and a high level of the bone resorption marker TRAP5b was observed in the 10 M and 20 M groups. Micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) results showed that older rats had significantly higher bone formation than younger rats, with lower serum levels of PINP and higher levels of TRAP5b. The local environment of the old rat bone defects, surrounded by thickened bone, may have affected the results of our study. In conclusion, old rats showed greater new bone regeneration and healing capacity for round mandibular bone defects. This result was related to the fact that the bone defects in the 20 M rat group provided more favorable conditions for new bone regeneration.

Dynamics of Noctiluca scintillans blooms: A 20-year study in Jangmok Bay, Korea.

This 20-year study (2001-2020) conducted in Jangmok Bay, Korea, assessed the intricate relationships between environmental factors and Noctiluca scintillans blooms. Granger causality tests and PCA analysis were used to assess the impact of sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, wind patterns, rainfall, and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration on bloom dynamics. The results revealed significant, albeit delayed, influences of these variables on bloom occurrence, with SST exhibiting a notable 2-month lag and salinity a 1-month lag in their impact. Additionally, the analysis highlighted the significant roles of phosphate, ammonium, and silicate, which influenced N. scintillans blooms with lags of 1 to 3 months. The PCA demonstrates how SST and wind speed during spring and summer, along with wind direction and salinity in winter, significantly impact N. scintillans blooms. We noted not only an increase in large-scale N. scintillans blooms but also a cyclical pattern of occurrence every 3 years. These findings underscore the synergistic effects of environmental factors, highlighting the complex interplay between SST, salinity, DO concentration, and weather conditions to influence bloom patterns. This research enhances our understanding of harmful algal blooms (HABs), emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach that considers multiple interconnected environmental variables for predicting and managing N. scintillans blooms.

Psychometric Testing of the Korean Version of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory Version 3.

PURPOSE: This methodological study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Self-Care of Coronary Heart Disease Inventory version 3 (SC-CHDI v3) in a Korean context. METHODS: The SC-CHDI v3 was translated into Korean following a rigorous translation process. Participants were 452 patients who had experienced coronary heart disease (CHD), all recruited from a tertiary hospital in Korea. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test construct validity. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating scores from the Korean version of the SC-CHDI v3 with those from the Cardiac Self-Efficacy Scale. Internal consistency was analyzed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. RESULTS: The Korean version of the SC-CHDI v3 consists of 21 items, excluding two from the original instrument. The self-care maintenance subscale identified a two-factor structure: "treatment adherence" and "health-promoting behaviors." The goodness-of-fit indices were satisfied: χ2 = 18.19, p = .110, comparative fit index (CFI) = .97, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = .95, and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = .04. The self-care monitoring subscale consisted of a one-dimensional structure ("monitoring behaviors") and the goodness-of-fit indices were satisfied: χ2 = 19.19, p = .059, CFI = .99, TLI = .99, and SRMR = .04. The self-care management subscales had a two-factor structure of "consulting behaviors" and "problem-solving behaviors." The goodness-of-fit indices were satisfied: χ2 = 16.44, p = .037, CFI = .99, TLI = .98, and SRMR = .03. Scores from the Cardiac Self-Efficacy Scale showed a positive correlation with the Korean version of SC-CHDI v3 subscales. Reliability estimates were ≥ .80 for all subscales except for the self-care maintenance subscale. CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of the SC-CHDI v3 consists of 21 items in 3 subscales and is a valid and reliable instrument. Therefore, healthcare providers can effectively utilize it to assess the self-care levels of patients with CHD.

High-Frequency Optical Coherence Elastography for Gingival Tissue Characterization: Variability in Stiffness and Response to Physiological Conditions.

Accurate measurement of gingiva's biomechanical properties in vivo has been an active field of research but remained an unmet challenge. Currently, there are no noninvasive tools that can accurately quantify tensile and shear moduli, which govern gingival health, with sufficiently high accuracy. This study presents the application of high-frequency optical coherence elastography (OCE) for characterizing gingival tissue in both porcine models and human subjects. Dynamic mechanical analysis, histology studies, and strain analysis are performed to support the OCE result. Our findings demonstrate substantial differences in tissue stiffness between supra-dental and inter-dental gingiva, validated by dynamic mechanical analysis and OCE. We confirmed the viscoelastic, nearly linear, and transverse-isotropic properties of gingiva in situ, establishing the reliability of OCE measurements. Further, we investigated the effects of tissue hydration, collagen degradation, and dehydration on gingival stiffness. These conditions showed a decrease and increase in stiffness, respectively. While preliminary, our study suggests OCE's potential in periodontal diagnosis and oral tissue engineering, offering real-time, millimeter-scale resolution assessments of tissue stiffness, crucial for clinical applications and biomaterial optimization in reconstructive surgeries.

Clinical features and outcomes of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome after heart transplantation: a case series.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a rare neurological disease that may be associated with hypertension, autoregulatory failure, and the use of calcineurin inhibitors following heart transplantation (HT). In this article, we present a case series of PRES, discussing its potential causes and management strategies. Among the 126 HT recipients at our hospital, four were diagnosed with PRES. Three of these patients developed PRES within 7 days after HT. Prior to the onset of PRES, all patients experienced sustained hypertension, and strict blood pressure (BP) control was maintained. Three of the four patients recovered without PRES recurrence, while one patient died of sepsis after an episode of altered consciousness. Hypertension was observed in all patients prior to the onset of PRES, and the majority experienced symptom improvement with BP control. While most cases of PRES were reversible with conservative treatment, including the administration of antiepileptics, one irreversible case resulted in in-hospital mortality. Thus, PRES can have serious outcomes and is not invariably benign.

Conversion of gingerols to shogaols in ginger (Zingiber officinale roscoe) by puffing.

Effect of puffing on conversion of gingerols to shogaols, physicochemical properties as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of puffed ginger was investigated. Puffing significantly increased extraction yield and the highest value was 12.52% at 980 kPa. The significant decrease in gingerols and increase in shogaols were occurred after puffing, respectively. Especially, 6-shogaol was dramatically increased from 4.84 to 99.10 mg/g dried ginger. Puffed ginger exhibited the higher antioxidant activities (analyzed by DPPH, ABTS, TPC, and TFC) than those of control, and they were significantly increased with increasing puffing pressure. In case of anti-inflammatory activity, puffed ginger did not inhibit NO production, but significantly inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 productions. Among gingerols and shogaols, 6-shogaol showed significantly strong correlations with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Consequently, puffed ginger can be applied to functional food industry, which dramatically increased the contents of 6, 8, 10-shogaols, the main bioactive compounds in ginger.

Perspectives on Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Use Cessation Among Adults in Rural Areas: Implications for Future Studies.

INTRODUCTION: More young adults (age 18-24 years) in rural areas versus urban areas use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) - also known as e-cigarettes. Little is known about young adults' perceptions toward ENDS use and cessation. The objective of this study was to examine barriers and facilitators to ENDS use cessation among young adults living in rural areas, as well as their perceptions about ENDS use and cessation and to determine implications for future cessation studies. METHODS: We administered cross-sectional online surveys to young adults living in rural Midwestern counties. A total of 100 individuals responded to the surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to report their perceptions of ENDS use as well as barriers and facilitators to ENDS use cessation. The content analysis method was used to analyze the answers to an open-ended question regarding perceptions about the ENDS use cessation in the context of rural areas. RESULTS: Barriers to ENDS use cessation included perceived advantages to ENDS use, high nicotine dependence, and the perception that ENDS use was less harmful cigarettes. Facilitators to ENDS use cessation included cost of ENDS use, perceived harm, and high confidence in ability to quit. Participants' perceptions about ENDS use cessation in the context of rural areas were conceptualized under the themes of (1) exposure to and initiation of ENDS use, (2) continuation of ENDS use, and (3) prevention and cessation of ENDS use. CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers, tobacco control researchers, and public health advocates should be aware of barriers and facilitators to ENDS use cessation among young adults for future cessation intervention studies relevant specifically to rural areas.

Titanium Silicide: A Promising Candidate of Recombination Layer for Perovskite/Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact Silicon Two-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells.

This study proposes a titanium silicide (TiSi2) recombination layer for perovskite/tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) 2-T tandem solar cells as an alternative to conventional transparent conductive oxide (TCO)-based recombination layers. TiSi2 was formed while TiO2 was made by oxidizing a Ti film deposited on the p+-Si layer. The reaction formation mechanism was proposed based on the diffusion theory supported by experimental results. The optical and electrical properties of the TiSi2 layer were optimized by controlling the initial Ti thicknesses (5-100 nm). With the initial Ti of 50 nm, the lowest reflectance and highly ohmic contact between the TiO2 and p+-Si layers with a contact resistivity of 161.48 mΩ·cm2 were obtained. In contrast, the TCO interlayer shows Schottky behavior with much higher contact resistivities. As the recombination layer of TiSi2 and the electron transport layer of TiO2 are formed simultaneously, the process steps become simpler. Finally, the MAPbI3/TOPCon tandem device yielded an efficiency of 16.23%, marking the first reported efficiency for a device including a silicide-based interlayer.

Antioxidant Activities in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) Shoots during Growth Stages and Destination of Chlorogenic Acid and Kaempferol Glycosides.

Apart from being utilized as a commercial fiber at maturity, kenaf shoots have potential as a food and feed source because of their diverse bioactivities. Previous studies have focused on mature stems because of their high biomass, whereas the antioxidant activities (AA) and the destination of AA contributors of kenaf stems and their high-yielding byproduct leaves during the growth stage have rarely been studied. Therefore, we investigated changes in AA and its relative components in kenaf leaves and stems during the four vital growth stages. Higher ABTS radical cation and DPPH radical scavenging abilities and ferric reducing antioxidant power, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total polysaccharide content were observed at all leaf stages and in the late stem stages. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and kaempferol glycosides, especially kaempferitrin (Kfr), were identified as representative phenolic acids and flavonoids in both kenaf leaves and stems. The content of CGA in both leaves and stems increased corresponding to the plant's growth stage, whereas kaempferol glycosides were enhanced in leaves but declined in stems. The highest correlation was observed between TPC and AA in all organs. Further evaluation of CGA and Kfr verified that CGA was the predominant contributor to AA, surpassing Kfr. These findings suggest that kenaf leaves increase antioxidant levels as they grow and can be a useful source of stem harvesting byproducts.

Carbapenem non-susceptibility overcalling by BD phoenix NMIC-500 panel.

We aimed to assess the accuracy of BD Phoenix for determining carbapenem susceptibility because we observed a decline in carbapenem susceptibility rate from the biannual cumulative data, after we transitioned to the BD Phoenix form Vitek 2 system. Between October 2021 and May 2022, we collected 82 non-duplicated Enterobacterales showing non-susceptible to at least one of the three carbapenems by BD Phoenix. We performed the broth microdilution (BMD) and disk diffusion (DD) according to the CLSI guideline. Compared to BMD, the categorical agreements for ertapenem (ERT), imipenem (IPM) and meropenem (MEPM) was 58.8%, 56.8% and 91.5% for BD Phoenix and it was 85.4%, 89.0%, and 97.6%, respectively, for DD (p value; 0.0001 for ERT and IPM, p value; 0.17 for MEPM). The major errors/minor errors for ERT, IPM, and MEPM were 14.0%/31.7%, 2.94%/40.7%, and 2.56%/6.10%, respectively for BD Phoenix, compared to 0%/14.6%, 0%/9.8%, and 0%/2.5%, for DD. While errors in the BD Phoenix showed tendency towards resistance, those in DD displayed no tendency towards either resistance or susceptibility. With DD, 21 out of the 27 isolates showing susceptible/intermediate/susceptible pattern (ERT/IPM/MEPM) and 13 out of the 16 isolates showing intermediate/susceptible/susceptible pattern (ERT/IPM/MEPM), were correctly categorized by DD. However, for 22 isolates showing resistant/susceptible/susceptible pattern (ERT/IPM/MEPM), only 13 isolates were correctly categorized by DD. In conclusion, to mitigate the risk of overcalling carbapenem non-susceptibility with BD Phoenix, it will be helpful to perform a complementary test using DD and to provide comments on the DD results to clinicians.

Pediatric Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Degree of Nystagmus and Concurrent Dizziness Differs from Adult BPPV.

Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is characterized by brief, intense episodes of vertigo triggered by abrupt changes in head position. It is generally accepted as being most common in adults, while it is regarded as rare in children. It is necessary to compare the disease between pediatric and adult patients for a better understanding of the disease's characteristics and its natural history. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of BPPV in children and compare them with those of adult BPPV patients. Methods: All children ≤ 18 years old who were diagnosed with BPPV were selected by searching the electronic database of our hospital. Clinical features were identified by medical record review. For adult patients, we collected data from patients > 19 years of age. Results: A total of 30 pediatric (13.65 ± 4.15 years old) and 264 adult patients (60.86 ± 13.74 years old) were included in the study. Among pediatric patients, the lateral canals were involved in 80% and the posterior canals in 16.67%. In adult patients, the lateral and posterior canals were involved similarly (p = 0.007). The degree of nystagmus in pediatric patients was 6.82 ± 12.09, while in adults it was 15.58 ± 20.90 (p < 0.001). The concurrent dizziness disorder was higher in the pediatric group and recurrence was higher in the adult group. In the regression analysis, it was found that adult patients had a stronger nystagmus with a value of 6.206 deg/sec, and the risk of concurrent dizziness disorder was found to be 5.413 times higher in the pediatric group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: BPPV occurs in pediatric patients with lower prevalence, but it cannot be overlooked. In the pediatric group, a relatively high proportion of patients demonstrated lateral canal involvement, weaker nystagmus, and additional dizziness disorder.

Light-Induced Antioxidant Phenolic Changes among the Sprouts of Lentil Cultivar.

Lentil is a leguminous crop with a high content of health-beneficial polyphenols. Lentil sprouts are popularly consumed in fresh vegetable markets, although their phytochemical qualities are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the accumulation of phenolics in lentil sprouts in response to photosynthetic and stress light qualities, including fluorescent light (FL), red LED (RL), blue LED (BL), ultraviolet A (UV-A), and ultraviolet B (UV-B). Three lentil cultivars, Lentil Green (LG), French Green (FG), and Lentil Red (LR), were used to evaluate sprouts grown under each light condition. The adequate light intensities for enhancing the antioxidant activity of lentil sprouts were found to be 11 W/m2 under photosynthetic lights (FL, RL, BL), and 1 W/m2 under stress lights (UV-A, UV-B). Subsequently, HPLC-ESI/Q-TOF MS analysis was conducted for the quantitative analysis of the individual phenolics that were accumulated in response to light quality. Four main phenolic compounds were identified: ferulic acid, tricetin, luteolin, and kaempferol. Notably, tricetin accumulation was significantly enhanced under BL across all three lentil cultivars examined. Furthermore, the study revealed that the other phenolic compounds were highly dependent on FL, BL, or UV-B exposure, exhibiting cultivar-specific variations. Additionally, the antioxidant activities of lentil extracts indicated that BL was most effective for LG and FG cultivars, whereas FL was most effective for enhancing antioxidant activity of LR cultivars as the sprouts grew.

Programmed Death 1 and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Can Serve as Prognostic Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive form of liver cancer with poor prognosis. The lack of reliable biomarkers for early detection and accurate diagnosis and prognosis poses a significant challenge to its effective clinical management. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic and prognostic potential of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in HCC. PD-1 and CTLA-4 gene expression was analyzed comparatively using PBMCs collected from HCC patients and healthy individuals. The results revealed higher PD-1 gene expression levels in patients with multifocal tumors, lymphatic invasion, or distant metastasis than those in their control counterparts. However, conventional serum biomarkers of liver function do not exhibit similar correlations. In conclusion, PD-1 gene expression is associated with OS and PFS and CTLA-4 gene expression is associated with OS, whereas the serum biomarkers analyzed in this study show no significant correlation with survival in HCC. Hence, PD-1 and CTLA-4 expressed in PBMCs are considered potential prognostic biomarkers for patients with HCC that can facilitate prediction of malignancy, response to currently available HCC treatments, and overall survival.

A novel vector field analysis for quantitative structure changes after macular epiretinal membrane surgery.

The aim of this study was to introduce novel vector field analysis for the quantitative measurement of retinal displacement after epiretinal membrane (ERM) removal. We developed a novel framework to measure retinal displacement from retinal fundus images as follows: (1) rigid registration of preoperative retinal fundus images in reference to postoperative retinal fundus images, (2) extraction of retinal vessel segmentation masks from these retinal fundus images, (3) non-rigid registration of preoperative vessel masks in reference to postoperative vessel masks, and (4) calculation of the transformation matrix required for non-rigid registration for each pixel. These pixel-wise vector field results were summarized according to predefined 24 sectors after standardization. We applied this framework to 20 patients who underwent ERM removal to obtain their retinal displacement vector fields between retinal fundus images taken preoperatively and at postoperative 1, 4, 10, and 22 months. The mean direction of displacement vectors was in the nasal direction. The mean standardized magnitudes of retinal displacement between preoperative and postoperative 1 month, postoperative 1 and 4, 4 and 10, and 10 and 22 months were 38.6, 14.9, 7.6, and 5.4, respectively. In conclusion, the proposed method provides a computerized, reproducible, and scalable way to analyze structural changes in the retina with a powerful visualization tool. Retinal structural changes were mostly concentrated in the early postoperative period and tended to move nasally.

Melatonin Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Insulin Sensitivity by Mitigating Inflammation and Activating AMPK Signaling in a Mouse Model of Sleep Fragmentation.

Sleep fragmentation (SF) can increase inflammation and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to metabolic dysfunction. SF is associated with inflammation of adipose tissue and insulin resistance. Several studies have suggested that melatonin may have beneficial metabolic effects due to activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). However, it is unclear whether melatonin affects the AMPK signaling pathway in SF-induced metabolic dysfunction. Therefore, we hypothesize that SF induces metabolic impairment and inflammation in white adipose tissue (WAT), as well as altered intracellular homeostasis. We further hypothesize that these conditions could be improved by melatonin treatment. We conducted an experiment using adult male C57BL/6 mice, which were divided into three groups: control, SF, and SF with melatonin treatment (SF+Mel). The SF mice were housed in SF chambers, while the SF+Mel mice received daily oral melatonin. After 12 weeks, glucose tolerance tests, insulin tolerance tests, adipose tissue inflammation tests, and AMPK assessments were performed. The SF mice showed increased weight gain, impaired glucose regulation, inflammation, and decreased AMPK in WAT compared to the controls. Melatonin significantly improved these outcomes by mitigating SF-induced metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and AMPK downregulation in adipose tissue. The therapeutic efficacy of melatonin against cardiometabolic impairments in SF may be due to its ability to restore adipose tissue homeostatic pathways.