Case report: A case of Paget disease outside the axillary breast.

BACKGROUND: Extramammary Paget disease is a relatively rare and less malignant intraepithelial adenocarcinoma. t is found in areas with abundant distribution of apocrine sweat glands such as the external genitalia, external genitalia, and perianal area, with fewer armpits. The disease progresses slowly and is prone to misdiagnosis in clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a female patient. She had a left axillary mass for more than 2 years. Recently, the mass increased and the surface skin was ulcerated. Then she went to Jiangxi Provincial Dermatology Hospital for left axillary lesion resection, and the postoperative pathology showed Paget disease outside the breast. For further diagnosis and treatment, she came to our hospital. We diagnosed a tumor with uncertain or unknown dynamics in the left axillary breast. Under general anesthesia, left subaxillary mass resection, freezing and left breast cancer breast conserving surgery was performed. RESULTS: The postoperative pathology of the left axillary mass combined with morphological and immunohistochemical results was consistent with Paget disease. Postoperative immunohistochemistry showed estrogen receptor (+, 20%), progesterone receptor (-), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (3+), Ki-67 (30%), cytokine7 (+), and p63 (-). Following up for 22 months, there has been no local recurrence, no swelling of the right axillary lymph node, no distant metastasis found on follow-up, and no complications such as upper limb lymphedema, upper limb sensory abnormalities, or motor disorders have been observed. CONCLUSION: Paget disease outside the axillary breast is relatively rare, and surgical resection is the best choice. The prognosis is good, and the recurrence rate is low.

SARS-CoV-2 infection increases airway bleeding risk in patients after tracheostomies.

BACKGROUND: Airway bleeding events are a rare incident in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients after tracheostomies. We aimed to explore the correlation between airway bleeding and SARS-CoV-2 infection and evaluate the consistency of SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results in the upper and lower airway samples from patients after tracheostomies. METHODS: Forty-four patients after temporary or permanent tracheostomy were divided into a positive group (29 patients) and a negative group (15 patients) based on the SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results of their oropharyngeal swabs. The oropharyngeal and tracheal swabs of the positive group were re-collected for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection. Demographic and clinical characteristics and airway bleeding events were recorded for all enrolled patients. RESULTS: Airway bleeding was reported in eleven patients of the positive group (11/29), with seven displaying bloody sputum or hemoptysis, and four featuring massive sputum crust formation in the trachea that resulted in dyspnea, and only one patient in the negative group (1/15), with a significant difference in the airway bleeding rate (37.9% vs. 6.7%, p < 0.05). The SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results showed a statistical difference in cycle threshold (Ct) values between oropharyngeal swabs and tracheal swabs (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: After tracheostomies, patients are more susceptible to airway bleeding if they are infected with SARS-CoV-2. The findings signify that in addition to droplet transmission through tracheostoma, SARS-CoV-2 may infect the oropharynx by airborne and close contact transmission, and that given the higher viral load and longer infection time in the trachea, tracheal swabs are more reliable for SARS-CoV-2 detection in these patients.

Whole-Genome Resequencing-Based Qualitative Trait Locus Mapping Correlated yellow with the Mutant Color in Honeybees, Apis cerana cerana.

The honeybee, Apis cerana cerana (Ac), is an important pollinator and has adapted to the local ecological environment with relevant coloration. The cuticle coloration of the brown (br) mutant is brown instead of black in wild-type individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and characterize the gene responsible for the br mutation. Genome resequencing with allele segregation measurement using Euclidean distance followed by Lowess regression analysis revealed that the color locus linked to the mutation was located on chromosome 11. A 2-base deletion on exon 4 was identified in the g7628 (yellow) gene after genome assembly and sequence cloning. In addition, the cuticle color of the abdomen of worker bees changed from black to brown when a defect was induced in the yellow gene using short interfering RNA (siRNA); however, the survival rate did not decrease significantly. These results indicate that the yellow gene participated in the body pigmentation, and its defect was responsible for the br mutation. This study promotes the understanding of the molecular basis of body coloration in honeybees, enriching the molecular mechanisms underlying insect pigmentation.

Protect the recurrent laryngeal nerves in US-guided microwave ablation of thyroid nodules at Zuckerkandl tubercle: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of US-guided microwave ablation in patients with thyroid nodules at Zuckerkandl tubercle. METHODS: 103 consecutive patients with thyroid nodules at Zuckerkandl tubercle (ZTTN) were enrolled in this study from November 2017 to August 2021. Prior to the surgery or US-guided microwave ablation (MWA), preoperative ultrasound visualization of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and ZTTN was performed, the size and the position relationship between them were observed. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after MWA and the volume reduction rates (VRR) of the thyroid nodules were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients successfully had the RLN and ZTTN detected using ultrasound before surgery or ablation with a detection rate of 100%. For the 103 patients, the majority of ZTTN grades were categorized as grade 2, with the distance from the farthest outside of ZTTN to the outer edge of thyroid ranging between 6.0 and 10.0 mm. The position relationship between ZTTN and RLN was predominantly type A in 98 cases, with type D observed in 5 cases. After MWA, the median nodule volume had significantly decreased from 4.61 (2.34, 8.70) ml to 0.42 (0.15, 1.41) ml and the VRR achieved 84.36 ± 13.87% at 12 months. No nodules regrew throughout the 12-month follow-up period. Of the 11 patients experienced hoarseness due to RLN entrapment before ablation, 7 recovered immediately after separation of the RLN and ZTTN during MWA, 2 recovered after one week, and the other 2 recovered after two months. CONCLUSIONS: The RLN is closely related to ZTTN and mainly located at the back of ZTTN. The RLN can be separated from ZTTN by hydrodissection during MWA. US-guided MWA is a safe and effective treatment for ZTTN.

Acute Adenoviral Infection Elicits an Arrhythmogenic Substrate Prior to Myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Viral cardiac infection represents a significant clinical challenge encompassing several etiological agents, disease stages, complex presentation, and a resulting lack of mechanistic understanding. Myocarditis is a major cause of sudden cardiac death in young adults, where current knowledge in the field is dominated by later disease phases and pathological immune responses. However, little is known regarding how infection can acutely induce an arrhythmogenic substrate before significant immune responses. Adenovirus is a leading cause of myocarditis, but due to species specificity, models of infection are lacking, and it is not understood how adenoviral infection may underlie sudden cardiac arrest. Mouse adenovirus type-3 was previously reported as cardiotropic, yet it has not been utilized to understand the mechanisms of cardiac infection and pathology. METHODS: We have developed mouse adenovirus type-3 infection as a model to investigate acute cardiac infection and molecular alterations to the infected heart before an appreciable immune response or gross cardiomyopathy. RESULTS: Optical mapping of infected hearts exposes decreases in conduction velocity concomitant with increased Cx43Ser368 phosphorylation, a residue known to regulate gap junction function. Hearts from animals harboring a phospho-null mutation at Cx43Ser368 are protected against mouse adenovirus type-3-induced conduction velocity slowing. Additional to gap junction alterations, patch clamping of mouse adenovirus type-3-infected adult mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes reveals prolonged action potential duration as a result of decreased IK1 and IKs current density. Turning to human systems, we find human adenovirus type-5 increases phosphorylation of Cx43Ser368 and disrupts synchrony in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, indicating common mechanisms with our mouse whole heart and adult cardiomyocyte data. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these findings demonstrate that adenoviral infection creates an arrhythmogenic substrate through direct targeting of gap junction and ion channel function in the heart. Such alterations are known to precipitate arrhythmias and likely contribute to sudden cardiac death in acutely infected patients.

Electro-oxidation of Ibuprofen using carbon-supported SnOx-CeOx flow-anodes: The key role of high-valent metal.

Exploiting electrochemically active materials as flow-anodes can effectively alleviate mass transfer restriction in an electro-oxidation system. However, the electrocatalytic activity and persistence of the conventional flow-anode materials are insufficient, resulting in limited improvement in the electro-oxidation rate and efficiency. Herein, we reported a rational strategy to substantially enhance the electrocatalytic performance of flow-anodes in electro-oxidation by introducing the redox cycle of high-valent metal in a suitable carbon substrate. The characterization suggested that the SnOx-CeOx/carbon black (CB) featured well-distributed morphology, rapid charge transfer, high oxygen evolution potential, and strong water adsorption, and stood out among three kinds of SnOx-CeOx loaded carbon materials. Mechanistic analysis indicated that the redox cycle of Ce species played a key role in accelerating the electron transfer from SnOx to CB directionally and could continuously create the electron-deficient state of the SnOx, thereby sustainably triggering the generation of ·OH. All these features enabled the resulting SnOx-CeOx/CB flow-anode to accomplish a calculated maximum kinetic constant of 0.02461 1/min, a higher current efficiency of 47.1%, and a lower energy consumption of 21.3 kWh/kg COD compared with other conventional flow-anodes reported to date. Additionally, SnOx-CeOx/CB exhibited excellent stability with extremely low leaching concentrations of Sn and Ce ions. This study provides a feasible manner for efficient water decontamination using the electro-oxidation system with SnOx-CeOx/CB.

Mannitol and hyponatremia regulate cardiac ventricular conduction in the context of sodium channel loss of function.

Scn5a heterozygous null (Scn5a+/-) mice have historically been used to investigate arrhythmogenic mechanisms of diseases such as Brugada syndrome (BrS) and Lev's disease. Previously, we demonstrated that reducing ephaptic coupling (EpC) in ex vivo hearts exacerbates pharmacological voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav)1.5 loss of function (LOF). Whether this effect is consistent in a genetic Nav1.5 LOF model is yet to be determined. We hypothesized that loss of EpC would result in greater reduction in conduction velocity (CV) for the Scn5a+/- mouse relative to wild type (WT). In vivo ECGs and ex vivo optical maps were recorded from Langendorff-perfused Scn5a+/- and WT mouse hearts. EpC was reduced with perfusion of a hyponatremic solution, the clinically relevant osmotic agent mannitol, or a combination of the two. Neither in vivo QRS duration nor ex vivo CV during normonatremia was significantly different between the two genotypes. In agreement with our hypothesis, we found that hyponatremia severely slowed CV and disrupted conduction for 4/5 Scn5a+/- mice, but 0/6 WT mice. In addition, treatment with mannitol slowed CV to a greater extent in Scn5a+/- relative to WT hearts. Unexpectedly, treatment with mannitol during hyponatremia did not further slow CV in either genotype, but resolved the disrupted conduction observed in Scn5a+/- hearts. Similar results in guinea pig hearts suggest the effects of mannitol and hyponatremia are not species specific. In conclusion, loss of EpC through either hyponatremia or mannitol alone results in slowed or disrupted conduction in a genetic model of Nav1.5 LOF. However, the combination of these interventions attenuates conduction slowing.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cardiac sodium channel loss of function (LOF) diseases such as Brugada syndrome (BrS) are often concealed. We optically mapped mouse hearts with reduced sodium channel expression (Scn5a+/-) to evaluate whether reduced ephaptic coupling (EpC) can unmask conduction deficits. Data suggest that conduction deficits in the Scn5a+/- mouse may be unmasked by treatment with hyponatremia and perinexal widening via mannitol. These data support further investigation of hyponatremia and mannitol as novel diagnostics for sodium channel loss of function diseases.

A prospective cohort of men with localized prostate cancer on active surveillance protocol in Hong Kong, China: what did we learn?

This study aimed to report the outcomes of active surveillance (AS) in the management of low-risk prostate cancer (PCa). It recruited 87 men who were prospectively followed up according to the Prostate Cancer Research International Active Surveillance (PRIAS) protocol with local adaptation at SH Ho Urology Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China. We investigated the predictors of disease progression and found that baseline prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) and the presence of the highest Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score 5 lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are significantly correlated with disease progression. Moreover, men with PSAD >0.2 ng ml-2 or PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions had significantly worse upgrading-free survival compared to those with PSAD ≤0.2 ng ml-2 and PI-RADS 2 or 3 lesions. The study concludes that AS is a safe and effective management strategy for selected patients to defer radical treatment and that most disease progression can be detected after the first repeated biopsy. The combination of PSAD >0.2 ng ml-2 and PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions may serve as a useful predictor of early disease progression and provide a guide to optimize follow-up protocols for men in different risk groups.

Novel adaptive loss weighted transfer network for partial domain fault diagnosis.

Mechanical fault transfer diagnosis has been confirmed as a feasible approach for tackling intelligent diagnosis with incomplete fault information and scarce labeled data on the basis of big data through the transfer of diagnostic knowledge from one or more conditions to any other condition. However, existing research has developed a hypothesis, i.e., the target domain shares an identical label space with the source domain, making it unfeasible to address the practical issue that the target domain label space is a subset of the source domain label space, resulting in low transfer diagnosis accuracy. To address this issue, a novel unsupervised intelligent diagnosis approach named double classifiers-dependent transfer diagnosis network is developed. In this approach, the label distribution weights are generated through the probability output of the classifier of source domain label space to target domain samples, by which small weights are assigned to irrelevant source samples to avoid negative transfer in the global-local maximum mean discrepancies (GL-MMD). In addition, classifiers of the source domain label space and the shared label space are built separately to improve the reliability of label distribution weights and GL-MMD. By training the network in the shared label space, diagnostic knowledge in partial domain issues is effectively transferred. Two cases are implemented to verify the effectiveness of the developed approach. Compared with other transfer diagnosis approaches, the developed approach achieved better diagnostic performance.

Atmospheric Nitrogen Pollution Control Benefits the Coastal Environment.

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient and a major limiting element for the ocean ecosystem. Since the preindustrial era, substantial amounts of nitrogen from terrestrial sources have entered the ocean via rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric deposition. China serves as a key hub in the global nitrogen cycle, but the pathways, sources, and potential mitigation strategies for land-ocean nitrogen transport are unclear. By combining the CHANS, WRF-Chem, and WNF models, we estimated that 8 million tonnes (Tg) of nitrogen was transferred into the ocean in 2017 in China, with atmospheric deposition contributing 1/3. About half variation of the offshore chlorophyll concentration was explained by atmospheric deposition. The Bohai Sea was the hot spot of nitrogen input, estimated at 214 kg N ha-1, while other areas were around 25-51 kg N ha-1. The largest contributors are agricultural systems (4 Tg, 55%), followed by domestic sewage (2 Tg, 21%). Abatement measures could reduce nitrogen export to the ocean by 43%, and mitigating ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions accounts for 33% of this reduction, highlighting the importance of addressing air pollution in resolving ocean pollution. The cost-benefit analysis suggests the priority of nitrogen reduction in cropland and transport systems for the ocean environment.

Combined multiple regional anesthesia for microwave ablation of liver Tumors: Initial experience.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the feasibility and safety of combined multiple regional anesthesia (CMRA) as a potential strategy to decrease pain and reliance on intravenous analgesics during and after ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (US-guided-MWA) of liver tumors. METHODS: A cohort of 75 patients with a total of 99 liver tumors who underwent US-guided-MWA of liver tumors were enrolled. These patients were randomly allocated into three groups: A, B, and C. Prior to the ablation procedure, Group A patients received a combination of hepatic hilar block (HHB), Transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB), and local anesthesia (LA). Patients in Group B were administered HHB in conjunction with LA, while those in Group C received TAPB and LA. Evaluative parameters included the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores, consumption of morphine, incidence of complications, and factors influencing perioperative pain. RESULTS: All patients successfully underwent US-guided-MWA. The peak NRS scores for pain during ablation across the three groups were 2.36 ± 1.19, 3.28 ± 1.59, and 4.24 ± 1.42 respectively (P < 0.01), while the count of patients requiring morphine were 4/25, 8/25, and 13/25 respectively (P < 0.01). Postoperative NRS scores for the three groups at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36-hour intervals demonstrated a pattern of initial increase followed by a decrease, with the order at each interval being: Group A < Group C < Group B. Factors associated with increased pain included larger tumor size, greater number of tumors, and longer procedure and ablation time (P < 0.05). No major complications were recorded across the three groups. CONCLUSION: CMRA offers an effective and safe modality to manage pain during and after US-guided-MWA of liver tumors.

[Advances in targeted delivery of proteolysis targeting chimeras in cancer therapy].

Small-molecule anticancer drugs inhibited tumor growth based on targeted inhibition of specific proteins, while most of oncogenic proteins are "undruggable". Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) is an attractive and general strategy for treating cancer based on targeted degradation of oncogenic proteins. This review briefly describes the peptide-based PTOTAC and small molecule-based PROTAC. Subsequently, we summarize the development of targeted delivery of PROTAC, such as targeting molecule-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC, nanomaterial-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC and controllable activation of small-molecular PROTAC prodrug. Such strategies show potential application in improving tumor selectivity, overcoming off-target effect and reducing biotoxicity. At the end, the druggability of PROTAC is prospected.

[Oral dexketoprofen tromethamine for preemptive analgesia in extraction of impacted teeth: a randomized controlled double-blind trial].

PURPOSE: To study the preemptive analgesic effect of dexketoprofen tromethamine in extraction of impacted teeth. METHODS: Twenty patients with bilateral mandibular impacted teeth were selected, and were randomly divided into dexketoprofen tromethamine group(experimental group) and placebo group(control group). The pain scores of patients at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after tooth extraction were counted by numeric rating scale(NRS), and the total dosage of emergent analgesic drugs used in 24 hours was recorded. COX analysis method was used to compare the interval time and the number of cases of first application of emergent analgesic drugs after two operations, and the survival curve was drawn. SPSS 20.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The NRS scores of postoperative pain in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group at 2, 4, 8 and 12 hours after operation (P＜0.05). The dose of emergent analgesics used in the experimental group for 24 h was significantly lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). Survival curve showed that the interval time between the first application of analgesics in the experimental group was significantly longer than that in the control group(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dexketoprofen tromethamine can achieve obvious analgesic effect within 12 hours, but the analgesic effect is not obvious after 12 hours.

Effect of Moxibustion Combined With Cisplatin on Tumor Microenvironment Hypoxia and Vascular Normalization in Lewis Lung Cancer Mice.

PURPOSE: This study was developed to evaluate the effects of moxibustion on tumor microenvironmental hypoxia in a murine model of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). METHODS: Twenty-four tumor-bearing mice were randomized into tumor group (T), tumor + cisplatin group (TC), tumor + moxibustion group (TM), and tumor + cisplatin + moxibustion group (TMC) (n = 6/group). Six age-matched C57BL/6 mice were employed as control group (Ctrl). A tumor model was established by implanting LLC cells into the right flank of each mouse. Animals in the TM group received moxibustion treatment at the ST36 (bilateral) and GV4 acupoints on the day of visible tumor formation. Moxibustion treatment was performed every other day for a total of 7 sessions. Animals in the TC group were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) on day 3 after visible tumor formation, and this treatment was performed every 3 days for 4 times. Animals in the TMC group underwent combined moxibustion and chemotherapy treatment, following the same conditions as outlined above. Following treatment, the concentrations of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD31, and Ki67 were measured using ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Compared to the tumor group, treatment in the TM, TC, and TCM groups resulted in varying reductions in tumor growth (P < .001 or P < .05), while tumor microenvironmental hypoxia was alleviated as evidenced by the downregulation of HIF-1α, VEGFA, and CD31(P < .001-P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that a combined approach of moxibustion and cisplatin can alleviate intratumoral hypoxia, promote vascular normalization, and slow the growth of LLC tumors in mice.

Ion channels in cancer-induced bone pain: from molecular mechanisms to clinical applications.

Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) caused by bone metastasis is one of the most prevalent diseases, and current treatments rely primarily on opioids, which have significant side effects. However, recent developments in pharmaceutical science have identified several new mechanisms for CIBP, including the targeted modification of certain ion channels and receptors. Ion channels are transmembrane proteins, which are situated on biological cell membranes, which facilitate passive transport of inorganic ions across membranes. They are involved in various physiological processes, including transmission of pain signals in the nervous system. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the role of ion channels in chronic pain, including CIBP. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the current literature on ion channels, related receptors, and drugs and explore the mechanism of CIBP. Targeting ion channels and regulating their activity might be key to treating pain associated with bone cancer and offer new treatment avenues.

Urinary continence in high-risk prostate cancer after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Urinary incontinence is common postoperative complication following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Despite the increasing adoption of RARP in the treatment of high-risk PCa (HRPC), concerns persist regarding the adequacy of reported continence outcomes in this subgroup. This review aims to illuminate the state of continence recovery in HRPC patients post-RARP. RECENT FINDINGS: Urinary continence (UC) recovery rates in HRPC was reported to be lower than the intermediate/low-risk counterparts from 6 to 24 months post-RARP. Predictive models showed that age, obesity, race, disease status, and surgical approaches represent predictors of continence recovery. Special techniques like NeuroSAFE technique and Retzius-Sparing approach also play a role in reducing incontinence also in the high-risk scenario. SUMMARY: RARP for HRPC appears to be associated with worse continence compared with other risk groups. A multimodality approach for prediction and prevention of incontinence after RARP is vital. Further research into this area is necessary to enhance continence recovery outcomes in HRPC patients undergoing RARP.

Descending dopaminergic pathway facilitates itch signal processing via activating spinal GRPR+ neurons.

A11 dopaminergic neurons regulate somatosensory transduction by projecting from the diencephalon to the spinal cord, but the function of this descending projection in itch remained elusive. Here, we report that dopaminergic projection neurons from the A11 nucleus to the spinal dorsal horn (dopaminergicA11-SDH ) are activated by pruritogens. Inhibition of these neurons alleviates itch-induced scratching behaviors. Furthermore, chemogenetic inhibition of spinal dopamine receptor D1-expressing (DRD1+ ) neurons decreases acute or chronic itch-induced scratching. Mechanistically, spinal DRD1+ neurons are excitatory and mostly co-localize with gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), an endogenous neuropeptide for itch. In addition, DRD1+ neurons form synapses with GRP receptor-expressing (GRPR+ ) neurons and activate these neurons via AMPA receptor (AMPAR). Finally, spontaneous itch and enhanced acute itch induced by activating spinal DRD1+ neurons are relieved by antagonists against AMPAR and GRPR. Thus, the descending dopaminergic pathway facilitates spinal itch transmission via activating DRD1+ neurons and releasing glutamate and GRP, which directly augments GRPR signaling. Interruption of this descending pathway may be used to treat chronic itch.

Submillimeter Multifunctional Ferromagnetic Fiber Robots for Navigation, Sensing, and Modulation.

Small-scale robots capable of remote active steering and navigation offer great potential for biomedical applications. However, the current design and manufacturing procedure impede their miniaturization and integration of various diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities. Herein, submillimeter fiber robots that can integrate navigation, sensing, and modulation functions are presented. These fiber robots are fabricated through a scalable thermal drawing process at a speed of 4 meters per minute, which enables the integration of ferromagnetic, electrical, optical, and microfluidic composite with an overall diameter of as small as 250 µm and a length of as long as 150 m. The fiber tip deflection angle can reach up to 54o under a uniform magnetic field of 45 mT. These fiber robots can navigate through complex and constrained environments, such as artificial vessels and brain phantoms. Moreover, Langendorff mouse hearts model, glioblastoma micro platforms, and in vivo mouse models are utilized to demonstrate the capabilities of sensing electrophysiology signals and performing a localized treatment. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the fiber robots can serve as endoscopes with embedded waveguides. These fiber robots provide a versatile platform for targeted multimodal detection and treatment at hard-to-reach locations in a minimally invasive and remotely controllable manner.

Honey bee maternal effects improve worker performance and reproductive ability in offspring.

Maternal effects are an evolutionary strategy used to improve offspring quality. In an example of maternal effects in honey bees (Apis mellifera), mother queens produce larger eggs in queen cells than in worker cells in order to breed better daughter queens. In our current study, morphological indexes, reproductive tissues, and the egg-laying ability of newly reared queens reared with eggs laid in queen cells (QE), eggs laid in worker cells (WE), and 2-day-old larvae in worker cells (2L) were evaluated. In addition, morphological indexes of offspring queens and working performance of offspring workers were examined. The thorax weight, number of ovarioles, egg length, and number of laid eggs and capped broods of QE were significantly higher than those of WE and 2L, indicating that the reproductive capacity of QE group was better than that of other groups. Furthermore, offspring queens from QE had larger thorax weights and sizes than those from the other two groups. Offspring worker bees from QE also had larger body sizes and greater pollen-collecting and royal jelly-producing abilities than those of other two groups. These results demonstrate that honey bees display profound maternal effects on queen quality that can be transmitted across generations. These findings provide a basis for improving queen quality, with implications in apicultural and agricultural production.