Lake Sinai virus is a diverse, globally distributed but not emerging multi-strain honeybee virus.

Domesticated honeybees and wild bees are some of the most important beneficial insects for human and environmental health, but infectious diseases pose a serious risk to these pollinators, particularly following the emergence of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor as a viral vector. The acquisition of this novel viral vector from the Asian honeybee Apis ceranae has fundamentally changed viral epidemiology in its new host, the western honeybee A. mellifera. While the recently discovered Lake Sinai Viruses (LSV) have been associated with weak honeybee colonies, they have not been associated with vector-borne transmission. By combining a large-scale multi-year survey of LSV in Chinese A. mellifera and A. cerana honeybee colonies with globally available LSV-sequence data, we investigate the global epidemiology of this virus. We find that globally distributed LSV is a highly diverse multi-strain virus, which is predominantly associated with the western honeybee A. mellifera. In contrast to the vector-borne deformed wing virus, LSV is not an emerging disease. Instead, demographic reconstruction and strong global and local population structure indicates that it is a highly variable multi-strain virus in a stable association with its main host, the western honeybee. Prevalence patterns in China suggest a potential role for migratory beekeeping in the spread of this pathogen, demonstrating the potential for disease transmission with the man-made transport of beneficial insects.

Actively tunable plasmon-induced transparency in terahertz based on Dirac semimetal metamaterials.

We numerically investigate a tunable plasmon-induced transparency based on bulk Dirac semimetal (BDS) metamaterial in the terahertz band. In the unit cell, the prominent transparent peak appears to be due to the interference between the cut wires (CWs) and split-ring resonators (SRRs). An active modulation via near-field coupling is obtained by varying the Fermi level of the BDS. Introducing photoactive silicon, it will be found that once the intensity of the pump light is adjusted, a tunable transparent peak will appear. Furthermore, by shifting the coupling distance between CWs and SRRs, the depth of the transparent peak will change accordingly. Finally, we place the structure in environments with different refractive indices, which will exhibit excellent sensitivity and facilitate the application of biochemical sensors. This simple and easy-to-fabricate metamaterial structure will have excellent potential applications in modulation, filters, and detection.

Nickel-Catalyzed Unsymmetrical Bis-Allylation of Alkynes.

The catalytic bis-allylation of alkynes is an important but challenging protocol to construct all-carbon tetra-substituted alkenes. Particularly, the catalytic unsymmetrical bis-allylation of alkynes remains as an underexplored task to date. We herein report an unprecedented unsymmetrical bis-allylation by simultaneously utilizing electrophilic trifluoromethyl alkene and nucleophilic allylboronate as the allylic reagents. With the aid of robust Ni0 /NHC catalysis, valuable skipped trienes can be obtained in high regio- and stereo-selectivities under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction may proceed through a ß-fluorine elimination of a nickelacycle followed by a transmetalation step with allylboronate. The present method exhibits a good tolerance of various functional groups. Besides, the skipped triene products can undergo an array of elaborate transformations, which highlights the potential applications of this strategy.

Recovery and genetic characterization of black queen cell virus.

Black queen cell virus (BQCV) is a severe threat to the honeybee (Apis mellifera) worldwide. Although several BQCV strains have been reported in China, the molecular basis for BQCV pathogenicity has not been well understood. Thus, a reverse genetic system of BQCV is required for studying viral replication and its pathogenic mechanism. Here, the complete genome sequence of BQCV was obtained from honeybees using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), namely a BQCV China-GS1 strain (KY741959). Then, a phylogenetic tree was built to analyse the genetic relationships among BQCV strains from different regions. Our results showed that the BQCV China-GS1 contained two ORFs, consistent with the known reference strains, except for the BQCV China-JL1 strain (KP119603). Furthermore, the infectious clone of BQCV was constructed based on BQCV China-GS1 using a low copy vector pACYC177 and gene recombination. Due to the lack of culture cells for bee viruses, we infected the healthy bees with infectious clone of BQCV, and the rescued BQCV resulted in the recovery of recombinant virus, which induced higher mortality than those of the control group. Immune response after inoculated with BQCV further confirmed that the infectious clone of BQCV caused the cellular and humoral immune response of honeybee (A. mellifera). In conclusion, the full nucleotide sequence of BQCV China-GS1 strain was determined, and the infectious clone of BQCV was constructed in this study. These data will improve the understanding of pathogenesis and the host immune responses to viral infection.

Polarization-independent and ultra-sensitive biosensor with a one-dimensional topological photonic crystal.

Optical biosensor, which perceptively captures the variety of refractive index (RI) of the surrounding environment, has great potential applications in detecting property changes and types of analytes. However, the disequilibrium of light-matter interaction in different polarizations lead to the polarization-dependence and low sensitivity. Here, we propose a polarization-independent and ultrasensitive biosensor by introducing a one-dimensional topological photonic crystal (1D TPhC), where two N-period 1D photonic crystals (PhC1 and PhC2) with different topological invariants are designed for compressing the interaction region of the optical fields, and enhancing the interaction between the light and analyte. Since the strong light-matter interaction caused by the band-inversion is polarization-independent, the biosensor can obtain superior sensing performance both for TE and TM polarization modes. The sensitivity and Figure of Merit (FOM) of the designed biosensor are 1.5677×106 RIU-1 (1.3497 × 106 RIU-1) and 7.8387×1010 RIU-1deg-1 (4.4990×1010 RIU-1deg-1) for TM (TE) polarization mode, which performs two orders of magnitude enhancement compared with the reported biosensors. With the protection of the topological edge state, this biosensor has high tolerance to the thickness deviations and refractive index (RI) variations of the component materials, which can reduce the requirements on fabrication and working environment. It is anticipated that the proposed biosensor possesses excellent sensing performances, may have great potentials in environmental monitoring, medical detection, etc.

Microplastic Polystyrene Ingestion Promotes the Susceptibility of Honeybee to Viral Infection.

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging threat to ecological conservation and biodiversity; however, little is known of the types and possible impacts of MPs in pollinators. To examine whether MPs were present in honeybees, we analyzed the honeybee samples collected in fields from six provinces in China. Four types MPs were identified in honeybee including polystyrene (PS) by Raman spectroscopic analysis, and these plastic polymers were detected in 66.7% bee samples. Then, we assessed the physical and biological impacts of PS of three sizes (0.5, 5, and 50 µm) on bees for 21 days. Next, we measured how the presence of PS affected the Israeli acute paralysis virus proliferation, a small RNA virus associated with bee colony decline. Experimental evidence showed that a large mass of PS was ingested and accumulated within the midgut and enhanced the susceptibility of bees to viral infection. Not only histological analysis showed that PS, especially 0.5 µm PS, damaged the midgut tissue and was subsequently transferred to the hemolymph, trachea, and Malpighian tubules, but also qPCR and transcriptomic results indicated that genes correlated with membrane lipid metabolism, immune response, detoxification, and the respiratory system were significantly regulated after PS ingestion. Our results highlight neglected MP contamination to the bees, a pollination ecosystem stressed by the anthropogenic pollution, and have implications for human health via ingestion of bee products.

IAPV-Induced Paralytic Symptoms Associated with Tachypnea via Impaired Tracheal System Function.

Although it had been reported that Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can cause systemic infection in honey bees, little is known about how it establishes this infection and results in the typical symptoms, paralysis and trembling. Here, we used our previously constructed IAPV infectious clone to investigate viral loads in different tissues of honey bees and further identify the relation between tissue tropism and paralytic symptoms. Our results showed that tracheae showed a greater concentration of viral abundance than other tissues. The abundance of viral protein in the tracheae was positively associated with viral titers, and was further confirmed by immunological and ultrastructural evidence. Furthermore, higher viral loads in tracheae induced remarkable down-regulation of succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase genes, and progressed to causing respiratory failure of honey bees, resulting in the appearance of typical symptoms, paralysis and body trembling. Our results showed that paralysis symptoms or trembling was actually to mitigate tachypnea induced by IAPV infection due to the impairment of honey bee tracheae, and revealed a direct causal link between paralysis symptoms and tissue tropism. These findings provide new insights into the understanding of the underlying mechanism of paralysis symptoms of honey bees after viral infection and have implications for viral disease prevention and specific therapeutics in practice.

Copper-catalyzed boroacylation of allenes to access tetrasubstituted vinylboronates.

A distinct copper-catalyzed boroacylation of allenes with acyl chlorides and bis(pinacolato)diboron is developed. For aromatic acyl chlorides, 1,2-boroacylation of allenes readily takes place, leading to the formation of tetrasubstituted vinylboronates with exclusive (E)-stereoselectivity. In comparison, the employment of alkyl acyl chlorides as electrophiles alters the selectivity to 2,3-boroacylated products. Additionally, the product can easily undergo Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling to afford tetrasubstituted alkene with complete retention of the configuration.

A Reverse Genetics System for the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus and Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus.

Honey bee viruses are associated with honey bee colony decline. Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) is considered to have a strong impact on honey bee survival. Phylogenetic analysis of the viral genomes from several regions of the world showed that various IAPV lineages had substantial differences in virulence. Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), another important honey bee virus, can induce two significantly different symptoms. However, the infection characteristics and pathogenesis of IAPV and CBPV have not been completely elucidated. Here, we constructed infectious clones of IAPV and CBPV using a universal vector to provide a basis for studying their replication and pathogenesis. Infectious IAPV and CBPV were rescued from molecular clones of IAPV and CBPV genomes, respectively, that induced typical paralysis symptoms. The replication levels and expression proteins of IAPV and CBPV in progeny virus production were confirmed by qPCR and Western blot. Our results will allow further dissection of the role of each gene in the context of viral infection while helping to study viral pathogenesis and develop antiviral drugs using reverse genetics systems.

LncRNA-ENST00000501520 promotes the proliferation of malignant-transformed BEAS-2B cells induced with coal tar pitch mediated by target genes.

As a human carcinogen, coal tar pitch (CTP) can significantly increase the risk of lung cancer. However, the mechanism underlying CTP-induced lung carcinogenesis has not been well understood. This study aims to explore the role of the LncRNA-ENST00000501520 in the proliferation of malignant-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (BAES-2B) induced by CTP extract for the first time. BEAS-2B cells were stimulated with 2.4 µg/mL CTP extract, and then passaged for three times, which were named passage 1 and then passaged until passage 30 (named as CTP group). The ENST000001520 of cells in CTP group was interfered using siRNA. The results showed that ENST000001520 located in cell nucleus (>80%) had no or weak ability of protein encoding. After interference of ENST000001520, the migration and proliferation of cells in CTP group were inhibited, and the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase; however, the apoptosis of cells in CTP group was promoted. The target genes (SKB1, CLTB, TAP2, PIPK2, and SOCS3) of ENST000001520 were screened out, and the mRNA and protein expression of SBK1 and SOCS3 was significantly decreased after ENST000001520 interference. SBK1 and SOCS3 may play a promoting role in occurrence and development of cancers. The study suggests that LncRNA-ENST00000501520 could promote the proliferation in malignant-transformed BEAS-2B cells induced with CTP extract which may be mediated by target genes. This study may provide a new target for prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

Retraction: Zhao et al. Protective Effect of Glycyrrhizic Acid on Alcoholic Liver Injury in Rats by Modulating Lipid Metabolism. Molecules 2018, 23(7), 1623.

As the authors of the title paper [...].

The role of telenursing in the management of diabetes：A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a common chronic disease that requires a long-term regimen. However, the management of diabetes by telenursing is limited and inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of telenursing on control in diabetes. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Studies comparing telenursing with usual care in diabetes patients were included. RESULTS: A total of 17 randomized controlled trials were identified. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) dates were pooled using a random effects meta-analysis method, followed by subgroup analyses to examine heterogeneity. The meta-analysis showed that the use of telenursing (vs. usual care) was associated with a significant reduction in HbA1c levels compared to usual care, with a pooled 0.68% (95% CI: 0.33-1.03, p = 0.0001; I2  = 95%). For the secondary outcome, the SMD of body mass index (BMI) was -0.25% (95% CI: -0.81 to 0.32%, p = 0.39), with no statistically significant change; the fasting blood sugar (FBS) SMD was -0.19% (95% CI: 0.20 to 1.01, p = 0.003), with a statistically significant change; the total cholesterol (TC) SMD was -0.09% (95% CI: -0.03 to 0.21, p = 0.12), with no statistically significant change. CONCLUSIONS: Telenursing, as a useful tool for patient education and behavioral interventions, can help diabetes patients to improve their glycemic control. However, more studies on up-to-date and cost-effective technologies are needed.

Protective Effect of Glycyrrhizic Acid on Alcoholic Liver Injury in Rats by Modulating Lipid Metabolism.

Glycyrrhhizic acid (GA), including 18α-glycyrrhizic acid (18α-GA) and 18ß-glycyrrhizic acid (18ß-GA), is the main active ingredient of licorice. GA is generally considered an effective pharmacological strategy protecting against hepatic disease; however, the optimal compatibility proportion of 18α-GA and 18ß-GA against alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and the underlying mechanism are not well established. Hence, this study was designed to explore the optimal compatibility proportion of 18α-GA and 18ß-GA against ALD, followed by investigating the underlying mechanisms. SD rats were administered 40% ethanol once a day, accompanied by treatment with different proportions of 18α-GA and 18ß-GA for four weeks. Then all rats were anesthetized with chloral hydrate and blood samples were taken from the abdominal aorta for biochemical assay. Livers were also collected and the liver function, lipid profile, ROS production, and mRNA and protein levels of related genes involved in lipid metabolism were assessed. The results showed that 18α-GA and 18ß-GA, particularly at a proportion of 4:6, significantly reduced liver damage, lipid accumulation, and oxidative stress in ethanol-induced rats, as indicated by the decreased levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aminotransferase (AST) in serum, improvement of liver histopathological changes, regulation of total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and modulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and malonaldehyde (MDA). Moreover, the combination treatment with 18α-GA and 18ß-GA substantially reduced the mRNA and protein levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and acetyl-coal carboxylase (ACC); meanwhile, increased levels of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) and carnitine palmitoy transferase-1 (CTP-1) in the liver tissues of ethanol-induced rats. In conclusion, our results indicated that the optimal compatibility proportion of 18α-GA and 18ß-GA protecting against ALD was 4:6, and the mechanism was associated with the regulation of oxidative stress and lipid metabolism.

Confined surface plasmon of fundamental wave and second harmonic waves in graphene nanoribbon arrays.

The confined surface plasmon of fundamental wave and second harmonic wave (SHW) are investigated in graphene grating structure. The linear-optical absorption spectra with various fermi energy and carrier mobility are investigated with the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations and coupled mode theory (CMT). Based on the CMT, a theoretical model for the graphene grating is established to study the spectrum features of fundamental wave. The lifetimes of linear-optical resonant modes in theoretical model are investigated through the theoretical fitting of exact values in simulation, which are tunable with both the fermi energy and carrier mobility. We also have investigated the second-order nonlinearity of graphene grating by introducing the second-order nonlinear source. The proposed configuration and method are useful for research of the absorption, local field enhancement factor, lifetime of light, and nonlinear optical processes in highly integrated graphene photoelectric devices.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of pectin-based nanoparticles for hepatocellular carcinoma drug chemotherapy.

The fabrication and evaluation of a natural pectin-based drug delivery system are reported in this study. The drug delivery system displays specific active targeting ability to hepatocellular carcinoma due to the presence of excess galactose residues in the polymer structure as the natural targeting ligands. The system was prepared under very mild conditions in an aqueous medium containing Ca(2+) and CO3(2-) ions, generating uniform pectin-based nanoparticles with an average diameter of 300 nm, and the drug-loading content of anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is around 24.8%. Cytotoxicity study of the 5-FU-loaded nanoparticles (5-FU-NPs) in HepG2 and A549 cell lines demonstrated their greater potency in killing cancer cells with overexpressed asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) on the cell surface, compared to that of the free drug. Pharmacokinetics study using Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats further confirmed that the drug-loaded nanoparticles showed a much longer half-life in the circulation fluids than the free drug. Tissue distribution was investigated on Kunming mice, and the results also demonstrated that the 5-FU-NPs has a long circulation effect. Taken together, the pectin-based drug delivery systems exhibit size-induced prolonged circulation as well as ASGP receptor-mediated targeting ability to cancer cell lines; therefore, it is a promising platform for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chronic bee paralysis virus exploits host antimicrobial peptides and alters gut microbiota composition to facilitate viral infection.

The significance of gut microbiota in regulating animal immune response to viral infection is increasingly recognized. However, how chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) exploits host immune to disturb microbiota for its proliferation remains elusive. Through histopathological examination, we discovered that the hindgut harbored the highest level of CBPV, and displayed visible signs of damages. The metagenomic analysis showed that a notable reduction in the levels of Snodgrassella alvi and Lactobacillus apis, and a significant increase in the abundance of the opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacter hormaechei and Enterobacter cloacae following CBPV infection. Subsequent co-inoculation experiments showed that these opportunistic pathogens facilitated the CBPV proliferation, leading to accelerated mortality in bees and exacerbation of bloated abdomen symptoms after CBPV infection. The expression level of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) was found to be significantly up-regulated by over 1000 times in response to CBPV infection, as demonstrated by subsequent transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR investigations. In particular, through correlation analysis and a bacteriostatic test revealed that the AMPs did not exhibit any inhibitory effect against the two opportunistic pathogens. However, they did demonstrate inhibitory activity against S. alvi and L. apis. Our findings provide different evidence that the virus infection may stimulate and utilize the host's AMPs to eradicate probiotic species and facilitate the proliferation of opportunistic bacteria. This process weakens the intestinal barrier and ultimately resulting in the typical bloated abdomen.

Berberine directly targets AKR1B10 protein to modulate lipid and glucose metabolism disorders in NAFLD.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Berberine (BBR) is the main active component from Coptidis rhizome, a well-known Chinese herbal medicine used for metabolic diseases, especially diabetes for thousands of years. BBR has been reported to cure various metabolic disorders, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the direct proteomic targets and underlying molecular mechanism of BBR against NAFLD remain less understood. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the direct target and corresponding molecular mechanism of BBR on NAFLD is the aim of the current study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice and oleic acid (OA) stimulated HepG2 cells were utilized to verify the beneficial impacts of BBR on glycolipid metabolism profiles. The click chemistry in proteomics, DARTS, CETSA, SPR and fluorescence co-localization analysis were conducted to identify the targets of BBR for NAFLD. RNA-seq and shRNA/siRNA were used to investigate the downstream pathways of the target. RESULTS: BBR improved hepatic steatosis, ameliorated insulin resistance, and reduced TG levels in the NAFLD models. Importantly, Aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) was first proved as the target of BBR for NAFLD. The gene expression of AKR1B10 increased significantly in the NAFLD patients' liver tissue. We further demonstrated that HFD and OA increased AKR1B10 expression in the C57BL/6 mice's liver and HepG2 cells, respectively, whereas BBR decreased the expression and activities of AKR1B10. Moreover, the knockdown of AKR1B10 by applying shRNA/siRNA profoundly impacted the beneficial effects on the pathogenesis of NAFLD by BBR. Meanwhile, the changes in various proteins (ACC1, CPT-1, GLUT2, etc.) are responsible for hepatic lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, glucose uptake, etc. by BBR were reversed by the knockdown of AKR1B10. Additionally, RNA-seq was used to identify the downstream pathway of AKR1B10 by examining the gene expression of liver tissues from HFD-fed mice. Our findings revealed that BBR markedly increased the protein levels of PPARα while downregulating the expression of PPARγ. However, various proteins of PPAR signaling pathways remained unaffected post the knockdown of AKR1B10. CONCLUSIONS: BBR alleviated NAFLD via mediating PPAR signaling pathways through targeting AKR1B10. This study proved that AKR1B10 is a novel target of BBR for NAFLD treatment and helps to find new targets for the treatment of NAFLD by using active natural compounds isolated from traditional herbal medicines as the probe.

Interaction of acetamiprid, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae in honey bees.

Health of honey bees is threatened by a variety of stressors, including pesticides and parasites. Here, we investigated effects of acetamiprid, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae, which act either alone or in combination. Our results suggested that interaction between the three factors was additive, with survival risk increasing as the number of stressors increased. Although exposure to 150 µg/L acetamiprid alone did not negatively impact honey bee survival, it caused severe damage to midgut tissue. Among the three stressors, V. destructor posed the greatest threat to honey bee survival, and N. ceranae exacerbated intestinal damage and increased thickness of the midgut wall. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that different combinations of stressors elicited specific gene expression responses in honey bees, and genes involved in energy metabolism, immunity, and detoxification were altered in response to multiple stressor combinations. Additionally, genes associated with Toll and Imd signalling, tyrosine metabolism, and phototransduction pathway were significantly suppressed in response to different combinations of multiple stressors. This study enhances our understanding of the adaptation mechanisms to multiple stressors and aids in development of suitable protective measures for honey bees. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: We believe our study is environmentally relevant for the following reasons: This study investigates combined effects of pesticide, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae. These stressors are known to pose a threat to long-term survival of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and stability of the ecosystems. The research provides valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms of honey bees in response to multiple stressors and developing effective conservation strategies. Further research can identify traits that promote honey bee survival in the face of future challenges from multiple stressors to maintain the overall stability of environment.

Correlation between newborn weight and serum BCAAs in pregnant women with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential amino acids for mammals. Maternal BCAAs during pregnancy have been associated with newborn development. Meanwhile, BCAAs have been tightly linked with insulin resistance and diabetes in recent years. Diabetes in pregnancy is a common metabolic disorder. The current study aims to assess the circulating BCAA levels in pregnant women with diabetes and their relationship with neonatal development. METHODS: The serum concentrations of BCAAs and their corresponding branched-chain α-keto acids (BCKAs) catabolites in 33 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance, 16 pregnant women with type 2 diabetes before pregnancy (PDGM), and 15 pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were determined using a liquid chromatography system coupled to a mass spectrometer. The data were tested for normal distribution and homogeneity of variance before statistical analysis. Correlations were computed with the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The maternal serum BCAAs and BCKAs levels during late pregnancy were higher in women with PGDM than those in healthy women. Meanwhile, the circulating BCAAs and BCKAs showed no significant changes in women with GDM compared with those in healthy pregnant women. Furthermore, the circulating BCAA and BCKA levels in women with PGDM were positively correlated with the weight of the newborn. The circulating leucine level in women with GDM was positively correlated with the weight of the newborn. BCAA and BCKA levels in healthy pregnant women showed no correlation with newborn weight. CONCLUSIONS: The serum BCAAs in pregnant women with diabetes, which was elevated in PGDM but not GDM, were positively correlated with newborn weight. These findings highlight potential approaches for early identification of high-risk individuals and interventions to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Multiple stresses induced by chronic exposure to flupyradifurone affect honey bee physiological states.

Flupyradifurone (FPF) has been reported to have a potential risk to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effects of chronic FPF exposure on bees were systematically investigated at the individual behavioral, tissue, cell, enzyme activity, and the gene expression levels. Chronic exposure (14 d) to FPF led to reduced survival (12 mg/L), body weight gain (4 and 12 mg/L), and food utilization efficiency (4 and 12 mg/L). Additionally, FPF exposure (12 mg/L) impaired sucrose sensitivity and memory of bees. Morphological analysis revealed significant cellular and subcellular changes in brain neurons and midgut epithelial cells, including mitochondrial damage, nuclear disintegration, and apoptosis. FPF exposure (4 and 12 mg/L) led to oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation and alterations in antioxidant enzyme activity. Notably, gene expression analysis indicated significant dysregulation of apoptosis, immune, detoxification, sucrose responsiveness and memory-related genes, suggesting the involvement of different pathways in FPF-induced toxicity. The multiple stresses and potential mechanisms described here provide a basis for determining the intrinsic toxicity of FPF.