Roles and application of exosomes in the development, diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer.

As important messengers of intercellular communication, exosomes can regulate local and distant cellular communication by transporting specific exosomal contents and can also promote or suppress the development and progression of gastric cancer (GC) by regulating the growth and proliferation of tumor cells, the tumor-related immune response and tumor angiogenesis. Exosomes transport bioactive molecules including DNA, proteins, and RNA (coding and noncoding) from donor cells to recipient cells, causing reprogramming of the target cells. In this review, we will describe how exosomes regulate the cellular immune response, tumor angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis of GC cells, and the role and mechanism of exosome-based therapy in human cancer. We will also discuss the potential application value of exosomes as biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of GC and their relationship with drug resistance.

Occurrence of black queen cell virus in wild bumble bee communities in China.

Wild bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) play a vital role in agro-ecosystems as important pollinators. However, they are threatened by virus pathogens that are widespread in honey bees. Previous studies have reported that viruses were able to be transmitted across bee genera and caused potential danger to wild bumble bees. China is a global biodiversity hotspot for bumble bees. However, the impact of viruses on the wild bumble bee communities remains elusive. Black queen cell virus (BQCV) is one of the most common honey bee viruses. Here, a total of 72 wild bumble bee samples from 17 geographic regions of China were tested for BQCV. Thirteen positive samples were identified and sequence comparison of partial capsid genes demonstrated a genetic identity of 99.69% to 100%. A phylogenetic tree analysis also showed a close relationship between 13 BQCV isolates and others from a variety of recorded hosts in China. Meanwhile, a distinct evolutionary branch of China isolates was formed when clustering isolates from worldwide bumble bee species. A correlation between BQCV and their geographic locations were observed (P < 0.05). This study not only provides the first evidence of widespread BQCV in wild bumble bee communities in China but also detects a distinct set of genetically identical or closely related BQCV variants that circulate and evolutionarily differ from other countries.

Photoenzymatic Asymmetric Hydroamination for Chiral Alkyl Amine Synthesis.

Chiral alkyl amines are common structural motifs in pharmaceuticals, natural products, synthetic intermediates, and bioactive molecules. An attractive method to prepare these molecules is the asymmetric radical hydroamination; however, this approach has not been explored with dialkyl amine-derived nitrogen-centered radicals since designing a catalytic system to generate the aminium radical cation, to suppress deleterious side reactions such as α-deprotonation and H atom abstraction, and to facilitate enantioselective hydrogen atom transfer is a formidable task. Herein, we describe the application of photoenzymatic catalysis to generate and harness the aminium radical cation for asymmetric intermolecular hydroamination. In this reaction, the flavin-dependent ene-reductase photocatalytically generates the aminium radical cation from the corresponding hydroxylamine and catalyzes the asymmetric intermolecular hydroamination to furnish the enantioenriched tertiary amine, whereby enantioinduction occurs through enzyme-mediated hydrogen atom transfer. This work highlights the use of photoenzymatic catalysis to generate and control highly reactive radical intermediates for asymmetric synthesis, addressing a long-standing challenge in chemical synthesis.

Multiscale embedded printing of engineered human tissue and organ equivalents.

Creating tissue and organ equivalents with intricate architectures and multiscale functional feature sizes is the first step toward the reconstruction of transplantable human tissues and organs. Existing embedded ink writing approaches are limited by achievable feature sizes ranging from hundreds of microns to tens of millimeters, which hinders their ability to accurately duplicate structures found in various human tissues and organs. In this study, a multiscale embedded printing (MSEP) strategy is developed, in which a stimuli-responsive yield-stress fluid is applied to facilitate the printing process. A dynamic layer height control method is developed to print the cornea with a smooth surface on the order of microns, which can effectively overcome the layered morphology in conventional extrusion-based three-dimensional bioprinting methods. Since the support bath is sensitive to temperature change, it can be easily removed after printing by tuning the ambient temperature, which facilitates the fabrication of human eyeballs with optic nerves and aortic heart valves with overhanging leaflets on the order of a few millimeters. The thermosensitivity of the support bath also enables the reconstruction of the full-scale human heart on the order of tens of centimeters by on-demand adding support bath materials during printing. The proposed MSEP demonstrates broader printable functional feature sizes ranging from microns to centimeters, providing a viable and reliable technical solution for tissue and organ printing in the future.

Asymmetric Ion-Pairing Photoredox Catalysis for Stereoselective Cationic Polymerization under Light Control.

By virtue of noninvasive regulations by light, photocontrolled polymerizations have attracted considerable attention for the precision synthesis of macromolecules. However, a cationic polymerization with simultaneous photocontrol and tacticity-regulation remains elusive so far. Herein, we introduce an asymmetric ion-pairing photoredox catalysis strategy that allows for the development of a stereoselective cationic polymerization with concurrent light regulation for the first time. By employing an ion pair catalyst (PC+/*A-) consisting of a photoredox active cation (PC+) and a sterically confined chiral anion (*A-) to deliver the stereochemical control, the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers can be achieved with photocontrol and high isotactic selectivity (up to 91% m) at a remarkable low catalyst loading (50 ppm).

The Role of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation in Psoriasis Treatment.

Psoriasis is one of several chronic inflammatory skin diseases with a high rate of recurrence, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), as an important precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), has been reported to be a promising agent in treating various diseases, its positive effects including those induced via its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. For this reason, we have aimed to explore the possible role of NMN in the treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis models were constructed with imiquimod (IMQ) stimulation for 5 days in vivo and with M5 treatment in keratinocyte cell lines in vitro. NMN treatment during the IMQ application period markedly attenuated excess epidermal proliferation, splenomegaly, and inflammatory responses. According to GEO databases, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) levels significantly decreased in psoriasis patients' lesion tissues; this was also the case in the IMQ-treated mice, while NMN treatment reversed the SIRT1 decline in the mouse model. Moreover, NMN supplementation also improved the prognoses of the mice after IMQ stimulation, compared to the untreated group with elevated SIRT1 levels. In HEKa and HaCaT cells, the co-culturing of NMN and M5 significantly decreased the expression levels of proinflammation factors, the phosphorylation of NF-κB, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) levels, and reactive oxygen species levels. NMN treatment also recovered the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and respiration ability and reduced mtDNA in the cytoplasm, leading to the inhibition of autoimmune inflammation. The knockdown of SIRT1 in vitro eliminated the protective and therapeutic effects of NMN against M5. To conclude, our results indicate that NMN protects against IMQ-induced psoriatic inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction by activating the SIRT1 pathway.

Jiawei Yanghe Decoction attenuate allergic airway inflammation by suppressing group 2 innate lymphoid cells responses.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jiawei Yanghe Decoction (JWYHD) is modified Yanghe Decoction (YHD). YHD historically utilized as a potent medicinal solution for addressing chronic inflammatory conditions, holds promising therapeutic potential in the treatment of asthma. However, the mechanisms underlying JWYHD's effects on allergic asthma remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic effect as well as the underlying mechanisms of JWYHD on asthmatic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model was utilized, followed by the administration of JWYHD to allergic asthmatic mice. Subsequently, inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were conducted. The levels of various cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ in BALF, as well as the total immunoglobulin E (IgE) content in serum, were assessed. Lung function and tissue pathology examinations were performed to assess the protective impacts of JWYHD. The chemical components of JWYHD and its lung prototype compounds (referred to the chemical components present in JWYHD that were observed in the lung) were explored by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). RNA-seq analysis revealed the regulation mechanisms of JWYHD treating asthma. Furthermore, the effect of JWYHD on type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in asthmatic mice was detected by flow cytometry and Smart-RNA-seq analysis. Then molecular docking analysis was used to show the interaction between identified compounds and key targets. RESULTS: JWYHD significantly attenuated the airway inflammation of asthmatic mice, reduced the levels of inflammatory cells in BALF, as well the levels of the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α in BALF and IgE in serum. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and lung inflammation infiltration were also alleviated by JWYHD. Moreover, RNA-seq analysis revealed that JWYHD attenuated airway inflammation in asthmatic mice via regulating immunity. Flow cytometry confirmed that JWYHD could inhibit ILC2 responses. ILC2 Smart-RNA-seq analysis showed that JWYHD impaired the inflammation reaction-related signaling pathways in ILC2s, and neuropilin-1 (Nrp1), endothelial transcription factor 3 (GATA3) and interleukin 1 receptor like protein 1 (ST2) might be the key targets. The molecular docking analysis investigating the connection between the primary targets and JWYHD's prototype compounds in the lung demonstrated that liquiritin apioside, icariin, glycyrrhizic acid, and uralsaponin B, identified through UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, exhibited significant affinity in binding to the mentioned key targets. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that the mechanism of JWYHD in treating asthma might be related to limiting ILC2 responses. Our findings provided some pharmacological evidence for the clinical application of JWYHD in the treatment of asthma.

Exploration of the biodegradation pathway and enhanced removal of imazethapyr from soil by immobilized Bacillus marcorestinctum YN1.

Excessive or inappropriate applications of imazethapyr cause severe ecological deteriorations and health risks in human. A novel bacterial strain, i.e., Bacillus marcorestinctum YN1, was isolated to efficiently degrade imazethapyr, with the degradation pathways and intermediates predicted. Protein mass spectrometry analysis identified enzymes in strain YN1 potentially involved in imazethapyr biodegradation, including methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, carbon-nitrogen family hydrolase, heme degrading monooxygenase, and cytochrome P450. The strain YN1 was further immobilized with biochar (BC600) prepared from mushroom waste (i.e., spent mushroom substrate) by pyrolysis at 600 °C to evaluate its degrading characteristics of imazethapyr. Scanning electron microscope observation showed that strain YN1 was adsorbed in the rich pore structure of BC600 and the adsorption efficiency reached the maximum level of 88.02% in 6 h. Both energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses showed that BC600 contained many elements and functional groups. The results of liquid chromatography showed that biochar-immobilized strain YN1 (IBC-YN1) improved the degradation rate of imazethapyr from 79.2% to 87.4%. The degradation rate of imazethapyr by IBC-YN1 could still reach 81.0% in the third recycle, while the bacterial survival rate was 67.73% after 180 d storage at 4 °C. The treatment of IBC-YN1 significantly shortened the half-life of imazethapyr in non-sterilized soil from 35.51 to 11.36 d, and the vegetative growth of imazethapyr sensitive crop plant (i.e., Cucumis sativus L.) was significantly increased in soil remediated, showing that the inhibition rate of root length and fresh weight were decreased by 12.45% and 38.49% respectively. This study exhanced our understanding of microbial catabolism of imazethapyr, and provided a potential in situ remediation strategy for improving the soil environment polluted by imazethapyr.

Intrafibrillar mineralization of type I collagen with calcium carbonate and strontium carbonate induced by polyelectrolyte-cation complexes.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), possessing excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity, osteoconductivity and superior biodegradability, may serve as an alternative to hydroxyapatite (HAp), the natural inorganic component of bone and dentin. Intrafibrillar mineralization of collagen with CaCO3 was achieved through the polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) process for at least 2 days. This study aims to propose a novel pathway for rapid intrafibrillar mineralization with CaCO3 by sequential application of the carbonate-bicarbonate buffer and polyaspartic acid (pAsp)-Ca suspension. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, zeta potential measurements, atomic force microscopy/Kelvin probe force microscopy (AFM/KPFM), and three-dimensional stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (3D STORM) demonstrated that the carbonate-bicarbonate buffer significantly decreased the surface potential of collagen and CO32-/HCO3- ions could attach to collagen fibrils via hydrogen bonds. The electropositive pAsp-Ca complexes and free Ca2+ ions are attracted to and interact with CO32-/HCO3- ions through electrostatic attractions to form amorphous calcium carbonate that crystallizes gradually. Moreover, like CaCO3, strontium carbonate (SrCO3) can deposit inside the collagen fibrils through this pathway. The CaCO3-mineralized collagen gels exhibited better biocompatibility and cell proliferation ability than SrCO3. This study provides a feasible strategy for rapid collagen mineralization with CaCO3 and SrCO3, as well as elucidating the tissue engineering of CaCO3-based biomineralized materials.

A novel approach to full-mouth rehabilitation of dentinogenesis imperfecta type II: Case series with review of literature.

RATIONALE: Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI) is an autosomal-dominant disorder. The most common clinical manifestations, including obliterated tooth tissues and severe tooth wear, usually lead to tooth extractions. It remains a great challenge for dentists to preserve the residual tooth tissue and establish the esthetics and occlusion of dentitions. PATIENTS CONCERNS: 25-year-old twin sisters, who had suffered from dentinogenesis imperfecta type II for more than 10 years, presented with continuous tooth wear and discomfort from wearing a removable partial denture for more than 3 years. DIAGNOSIS: Intraoral examination showed extensive tooth wear with enamel exfoliation and typical amber-brown color with an opalescent discoloration. Their panoramic radiographs revealed completely obliterated tooth tissues and severe tooth wear. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: The dentitions were restored with post-and-core crowns and pin lays after preparing root post paths and pin holes guided by computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) procedures, resulting in a successful repair. LESSONS: Severe tooth wear and tooth tissue obliteration are typical clinical manifestations in DI-affected dentitions, increasing the complexity and difficulty in dental restorations. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatments are essential to achieve a favorable prognosis. CAD/CAM procedures, permitting accurate and effective treatment, possess promising potential in the treatment of DI-affected dentitions.

A glycol chitosan derivative with extrafibrillar demineralization potential for self-etch dentin bonding.

OBJECTIVES: Extrafibrillar demineralization is an etching technique that removes only minerals from around the collagen fibrils for resin infiltration. The intrafibrillar minerals are left intact to avoid their replacement by water that is hard for adhesive resin monomers to displace. The present work reported the synthesis of a water-soluble methacryloyloxy glycol chitosan-EDTA conjugate (GCE-MA) and evaluated its potential as an extrafibrillar demineralization agent for self-etch dentin bonding. METHODS: Glycol chitosan-EDTA was functionalized with a methacryloyloxy functionality. Conjugation was confirmed using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. The GCE-MA was used to prepare experimental self-etch primers. Extrafibrillar demineralization of the primers was evaluated with scaning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The feasibility of this new self-etch bonding approach was evaluated using microtensile bond strength testing and inhibition of dentin gelatinolytic activity. The antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of GCE-MA were also analyzed. RESULTS: Conjugation of EDTA and the methacryloyloxy functionality to glycol chitosan was successful. The functionalized conjugate was capable of extrafibrillar demineralization of mineralized collagen fibrils. Tensile bond strength of the experimental self-etch primer to dentin was comparable to that of phosphoric acid-etched dentin and the commercial self-etch primer Clearfil SE Bond 2. The GCE-MA also inhibited soluble rhMMP-9. In-situ zymography detected minimal fluorescence in hybrid layers conditioned with the experimental primer. The GCE-MA was noncytotoxic and possessed antibacterial activities against planktonic bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE: Synthesis of GCE-MA brought into fruition a self-etch conditioner that selectively demineralizes the extrafibrillar mineral component of dentin. A self-etch primer prepared with GCE-MA achieved bond strengths comparable to commercial reference adhesive systems.

Remote stereocontrol with azaarenes via enzymatic hydrogen atom transfer.

Strategies for achieving asymmetric catalysis with azaarenes have traditionally fallen short of accomplishing remote stereocontrol, which would greatly enhance accessibility to distinct azaarenes with remote chiral centres. The primary obstacle to achieving superior enantioselectivity for remote stereocontrol has been the inherent rigidity of the azaarene ring structure. Here we introduce an ene-reductase system capable of modulating the enantioselectivity of remote carbon-centred radicals on azaarenes through a mechanism of chiral hydrogen atom transfer. This photoenzymatic process effectively directs prochiral radical centres located more than six chemical bonds, or over 6 Å, from the nitrogen atom in azaarenes, thereby enabling the production of a broad array of azaarenes possessing a remote γ-stereocentre. Results from our integrated computational and experimental investigations underscore that the hydrogen bonding and steric effects of key amino acid residues are important for achieving such high stereoselectivities.

Deep Learning for Discrimination of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Hypertensive Heart Disease on MRI Native T1 Maps.

BACKGROUND: Native T1 and radiomics were used for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and hypertensive heart disease (HHD) differentiation previously. The current problem is that global native T1 remains modest discrimination performance and radiomics requires feature extraction beforehand. Deep learning (DL) is a promising technique in differential diagnosis. However, its feasibility for discriminating HCM and HHD has not been investigated. PURPOSE: To examine the feasibility of DL in differentiating HCM and HHD based on T1 images and compare its diagnostic performance with other methods. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 128 HCM patients (men, 75; age, 50 years ± 16) and 59 HHD patients (men, 40; age, 45 years ± 17). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T; Balanced steady-state free precession, phase-sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR) and multislice native T1 mapping. ASSESSMENT: Compare HCM and HHD patients baseline data. Myocardial T1 values were extracted from native T1 images. Radiomics was implemented through feature extraction and Extra Trees Classifier. The DL network is ResNet32. Different input including myocardial ring (DL-myo), myocardial ring bounding box (DL-box) and the surrounding tissue without myocardial ring (DL-nomyo) were tested. We evaluate diagnostic performance through AUC of ROC curve. STATISTICAL TESTS: Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, ROC, and AUC were calculated. Independent t test, Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi-square test were adopted for HCM and HHD comparison. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: DL-myo, DL-box, and DL-nomyo models showed an AUC (95% confidential interval) of 0.830 (0.702-0.959), 0.766 (0.617-0.915), 0.795 (0.654-0.936) in the testing set. AUC of native T1 and radiomics were 0.545 (0.352-0.738) and 0.800 (0.655-0.944) in the testing set. DATA CONCLUSION: The DL method based on T1 mapping seems capable of discriminating HCM and HHD. Considering diagnostic performance, the DL network outperformed the native T1 method. Compared with radiomics, DL won an advantage for its high specificity and automated working mode. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Knockout of OsSPL10 confers enhanced glufosinate resistance in rice.

This study shows that OsSPL10 is a novel genetic locus of glufosinate resistance in rice. OsSPL10 negatively regulates the expression of OsGS genes and thereby decreases GS activity. Knockout of OsSLP10 thus enhances glufosinate resistance, making it a candidate gene for improvement of crop glufosinate and stress resistance.

A PPARγ/long noncoding RNA axis regulates adipose thermoneutral remodeling in mice.

Interplay between energy-storing white adipose cells and thermogenic beige adipocytes contributes to obesity and insulin resistance. Irrespective of specialized niche, adipocytes require the activity of the nuclear receptor PPARγ for proper function. Exposure to cold or adrenergic signaling enriches thermogenic cells though multiple pathways that act synergistically with PPARγ; however, the molecular mechanisms by which PPARγ licenses white adipose tissue to preferentially adopt a thermogenic or white adipose fate in response to dietary cues or thermoneutral conditions are not fully elucidated. Here, we show that a PPARγ/long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) axis integrates canonical and noncanonical thermogenesis to restrain white adipose tissue heat dissipation during thermoneutrality and diet-induced obesity. Pharmacologic inhibition or genetic deletion of the lncRNA Lexis enhances uncoupling protein 1-dependent (UCP1-dependent) and -independent thermogenesis. Adipose-specific deletion of Lexis counteracted diet-induced obesity, improved insulin sensitivity, and enhanced energy expenditure. Single-nuclei transcriptomics revealed that Lexis regulates a distinct population of thermogenic adipocytes. We systematically map Lexis motif preferences and show that it regulates the thermogenic program through the activity of the metabolic GWAS gene and WNT modulator TCF7L2. Collectively, our studies uncover a new mode of crosstalk between PPARγ and WNT that preserves white adipose tissue plasticity.

Emerging and traditional organophosphate esters in office air from Hangzhou, East China: Seasonal variations, influencing factors and human exposure assessment.

Eight emerging and six traditional organophosphate esters (OPEs) were investigated in office air from Hangzhou China with all the traditional OPEs and 5 out of 8 emerging OPEs detected. The median concentrations of ∑traditional OPEs and ∑emerging OPEs were 61,200 and 5.81 pg/m3, respectively. Butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDPP) and trisisopropyltrisphenyl phosphate (TIPPP) were observed for the first time in indoor air and Chinese office, respectively. The levels of ∑traditional OPEs decreased in the following order: summer > autumn > spring > winter. Conversely, no obvious trends were observed for emerging OPEs. ∑traditional OPEs (p < 0.001) and tri(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) (p < 0.01) concentrations were positively correlated with temperature. Interestingly, ∑emerging OPEs and the individual emerging OPEs analytes had no significant correlations with temperature (p > 0.05). ∑traditional OPEs, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and TCIPP levels were significantly positively correlated with relative humidity (p < 0.05), while ∑emerging OPEs levels were negatively correlated with relative humidity (p < 0.05). Median intakes of traditional OPEs were estimated to be several orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding Reference Dose (RfD) values. The distinct environmental behaviors of emerging OPEs compared to traditional OPEs, coupled with the lack of established RfD values for them, underscore the need for their risk evaluations in future.

The OsNLP3/4-OsRFL module regulates nitrogen-promoted panicle architecture in rice.

Rice panicles, a major component of yield, are regulated by phytohormones and nutrients. How mineral nutrients promote panicle architecture remains largely unknown. Here, we report that NIN-LIKE PROTEIN3 and 4 (OsNLP3/4) are crucial positive regulators of rice panicle architecture in response to nitrogen (N). Loss-of-function mutants of either OsNLP3 or OsNLP4 produced smaller panicles with reduced primary and secondary branches and fewer grains than wild-type, whereas their overexpression plants showed the opposite phenotypes. The OsNLP3/4-regulated panicle architecture was positively correlated with N availability. OsNLP3/4 directly bind to the promoter of OsRFL and activate its expression to promote inflorescence meristem development. Furthermore, OsRFL activates OsMOC1 expression by binding to its promoter. Our findings reveal the novel N-responsive OsNLP3/4-OsRFL-OsMOC1 module that integrates N availability to regulate panicle architecture, shedding light on how N nutrient signals regulate panicle architecture and providing candidate targets for the improvement of crop yield.

Untargeted Lipidomics Analysis Unravels the Different Metabolites in the Fat Body of Mated Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) Queens.

The fat body has important functions in energy, fertility, and immunity. In female insects, mating stimulates physiological, behavioral, and gene expression changes. However, it remains unclear whether the metabolites in the fat body are affected after the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queen mates. Here, the ultrastructure and lipid metabolites in fat body of mated queens were compared with those of virgins. The fat body weight of mated bumblebee queens was significantly increased, and the adipocytes were filled with lipid droplets. Using LC-MS/MS-based untargeted lipidomics, 949 and 748 differential metabolites were identified in the fat body of virgin and mated bumblebee queens, respectively, in positive and negative ion modes. Most lipid metabolites were decreased, especially some biomembrane components. In order to explore the relationship between the structures of lipid droplets and metabolite accumulation, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy were used to observe the fat body ultrastructure. The size/area of lipid droplets was larger, and the fusion of lipid droplets was increased in the mated queen's fat body. These enlarged lipid droplets may store more energy and nutrients. The observed differences in lipid metabolites in the fat body of queens contribute to understanding the regulatory network of bumblebees post mating.

Correlation between family function and quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation. / å¿ƒæˆ¿é¢¤åŠ¨æ‚£è€ å®¶åº­åŠŸèƒ½ä¸Žç”Ÿæ´»è´¨é‡çš„ç›¸å ³æ€§.

OBJECTIVES: Many studies have shown that the quality of life for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is significantly impaired, but the impact on family function is still unclear. This study aims to evaluate the family function and quality of life in patients with AF using scales, to analyze the correlation between family function and quality of life, and to predict the influencing factors of quality of life. METHODS: A total of 223 patients with AF who were admitted to the Department of Cardiology and General Medicine of the Lanzhou University Second Hospital from January 1, 2021 to May 1, 2022, were selected as research subjects, the general information of patients with AF were collected via a questionnaire, the family function and quality of life were assessed by the Family Assessment Device (FAD) and Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) scale. The patients were divided into a non-family functional disorder group and a family functional disorder group on the basis of their FAD scores. The above data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. RESULTS: Among the 223 patients, 64 (28.70%) were in the non-family functional disorder group, and 159 (71.30%) were in the family functional disorder group. The total score of FAD and scores of all dimensions in the family functional disorder group were higher than those in the non-family functional disorder group (all P<0.01). AFEQT total score and symptoms, treatment concerns and daily activities in the non-family functional disorder group were significantly higher than those in the family functional disorder group (all P<0.01). The Pearson linear analysis showed that there was a linear negative correlation between the total score and each dimension of FAD with the total score and each dimension of AFEQT (all P<0.01). The variables with statistical significance in the univariate analysis were included in the multiple linear regression analysis, and the result showed that female, and the problem solving, role, affective involvement, and general functioning dimensions of family function had an impact on the quality of life (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with AF have different degrees of family dysfunction. The quality of life in patients with family functional disorder group is generally low. Female, and the problem solving, role, affective involvement, and general functioning of family function have a significant impact on the quality of life in patients with AF. In clinical treatment of AF, attention should be paid to the family function of patients, and family members can be involved in clinical intervention to improve family function and improve the quality of life.