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Juvenile hormone (JH) absence induces photoperiod-mediated reproductive diapause, which is characterized by reproductive cessation. Although the role of methoprene-tolerant (Met)-mediated JH signaling in photoperiod-mediated female reproduction has been well documented, its role in male reproduction remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of JH in regulating photoperiod-mediated development of the male internal reproductive system (IRS) in the predatory ladybeetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas). In a previous study, we found that adult male H. axyridis reared under either a short-day (SD) or long-day (LD) photoperiod had obvious differences in IRS development, but we were unable to identify the regulators of male reproductive diapause. In this study, we found that beetles reared under an SD photoperiod had significantly lower JH titer and a relatively undeveloped male IRS compared with those reared under an LD photoperiod. Additionally, application of the JH analog (JHA) methoprene promoted IRS development. Furthermore, Met knockdown strongly blocked JH signaling in males reared under the LD photoperiod, thereby slowing IRS development. Moreover, exogenous JHA did not reverse the suppressed development of the male IRS caused by Met knockdown. These results indicate that photoperiod regulates male IRS development in H. axyridis through a conserved Met-dependent JH signaling pathway.

Hypophosphatemia might cause respiratory and heart failure and even death. We aimed to evaluate risk factors for hypophosphatemia and refeeding-related hypophosphatemia in patients requiring parental nutrition (PN).This was a single-center, retrospective study. Clinical parameters were obtained from medical records. Serum phosphate (inorganic phosphorus) was measured by photometric analysis. Hypophosphatemia was confirmed when serum phosphate level was less than 0.8 mmol/L (≈2.5 mg/dl). Refeeding related hypophosphatemia was confirmed if serum phosphate level had a decrease of 0.16 mmol/L or more from baseline and if the final assessment was below 0.65 mmol/L.A total number of 655 (426 men and 229 women, aged 62.8 ± 14.8 years) hospitalized patients requiring PN were included in the study, and 60.6% of them were patients with cancer. The average body mass index (BMI) was 21.1 ± 4.1 kg/mHypophosphatemia is common (37.6%) in hospitalized patients requiring PN. Monitoring of serum level of phosphorus is necessary to facilitate early treatment of hypophosphatemia.

The Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis is an important predator of several agricultural pests, including aphids and whiteflies, and thus can contribute to pest management. Commercial viability as a pest control method requires that the beetle can be mass-reared, and that workable conditions for extended shelf-life can be guaranteed. One of the features of Harmonia's life cycle is that it enters diapause in the adult stage when the length of the photophase starts shortening in late summer. Reduction of juvenile hormone (JH) titer has been demonstrated to be the common endocrine mechanism inducing reproductive diapause in insects. However, whether H. axyridis enters diapause dependent on JH shutdown and how the JH level is regulated before diapause remains unknown.Like in other insects, the absence of JH triggers the induction and maintenance of reproductive diapause in H. axyridis, indicated by JH measurements and the knockdown of an intracellular JH receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met). Methoprene, a JH analog, significantly reversed diapause into reproduction via Met. Combined with RNA-sequencing and RNA interference, we also demonstrated that JH biosynthesis rather than the JH degradation pathway determines the reduction of JH titer in diapausing females.Our results reveal the vital role of JH in regulating reproductive diapause in female H. axyridis. Harmonia axyridis diapause could thus be manipulated by targeting JH production and JH signaling. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

The association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with subclinical macrovascular and microvascular diseases has been less investigated. We sought to examine the association between NLR and new-onset subclinical macrovascular and microvascular abnormalities in the Chinese population.From a community cohort, we included 6,430 adults aged ≥ 40 years without subclinical macrovascular and microvascular diseases at baseline. We measured subclinical macrovascular and microvascular abnormalities separately using the ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and albuminuria.During a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, 110 participants developed incident abnormal ABI, 746 participants developed incident elevated baPWV, and 503 participants developed incident albuminuria. Poisson regression analysis indicated that NLR was significantly associated with an increased risk of new-onset abnormal ABI, elevated baPWV, and albuminuria. Compared to overweight/obese participants, we found a much stronger association between NLR and subclinical vascular abnormalities in participants with normal weight. Furthermore, we found an interaction between the NLR and body mass index (BMI) on the risk of new-onset abnormal ABI (NLR was associated with subclinical macrovascular and microvascular diseases in the Chinese population. Furthermore, in participants with normal weight, the association between NLR and subclinical vascular abnormalities was much stronger.

Recent clinical trials of lung adenocarcinoma with immune checkpoint inhibitors revealed that lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations have a poor response to immunotherapy. However, the mechanisms have not been addressed. We performed immunohistochemistry analyses of resected lung adenocarcinoma tissues with and without EGFR mutations to investigate and compare the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME). We retrospectively enrolled a total of 323 lung adenocarcinoma patients (164 had EGFR mutations), and their corresponding tissue samples were analyzed by the EGFR mutation test and immunohistochemistry. We selected the markers of the immune checkpoint molecule (PD1, PD-L1, and LAG-3) and immune cell (CD3, CD4, CD8, and Foxp3) as markers of the tumor microenvironment. Our results revealed that patients had a distinct tumor microenvironment between EGFR-mutant and wild-type lung adenocarcinomas; the expression of CD3, CD4, PD-L1, and Foxp3 in EGFR-mutant tumors was significantly higher than that in wild-type tumors, while the expression of LAG3 and PD-1 showed a positive correlation with EGFR-wild-type tumors. In survival analysis, EGFR-wild-type patients had longer disease-free survival (DFS) than EGFR-mutant patients ( P = 0.0065 ). Our research demonstrates significant differences in tumor microenvironment composition between EGFR-mutant and wild-type patients. Our findings provide novel evidence that contributes to understanding the mechanism underlying the poor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

To determine serum bile acid (BA) and fatty acid (FA) profiles in Chinese children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).A total 76 children aged 4-17 years were categorized into three groups according to the presence and absence of as well as the severity of NAFLD, that is, non-NAFLD (control), mild and moderate to severe NAFLD groups, respectively, based on their liver ultrasonography findings. Serum BA and FA profiles were quantified separately by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. General linear models were performed to assess the differences among the groups.After adjusted for potential confounders, children with NAFLD had higher levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), unconjugated primary BAs (CDCA + cholic acid) but lower levels of deoxycholic acid (DCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), total DCA (DCA + TDCA + GDCA), glycolithocholic acid (GLCA) and total lithocholic acid (GLCA + taurolithocholic acid) than children without NAFLD. As for FAs, children with mild and moderate to severe NAFLD had higher levels of n-7 monounsaturated FA.Circulating BA and FA profiles may change in children with NAFLD. Further studies are needed to determine their associations and to understand the underlying mechanism of action.

To compare the prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome (MS) in obese children, according to three commonly used 'Pediatric MS definitions': (1) the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), (2) Cook, et al, and(3)da Silva, et al, in order to choose an appropriate one for the Chinese obese children. It was also intended to assess the variances of American or Chinese cutoff values on MS prevalence.A retrospective study was performed in obese children from Obesity Outpatient Service Program from January 2004 to December 2008. Subjects were eligible if they met the following criteria: (1) aged 7 to 18 years, (2) with no following conditions as hereditary endocrine or metabolic diseases, secondary obesity, hepatic or renal disease, using medication that alters blood pressure or glucose or lipid metabolism etc., (3) data were complete on the variables of interest. Height, weight and waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting lipid profiles, blood sugar and insulin were measured. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). American or Chinese cutoff values were used to identify central obesity and hypertension. The prevalence rates of MS under three definitions were calculated and compared by Kappa test to determine the degree of agreement.136 patients with 103 males and 33 females were enrolled in the study. According to the American cutoff value, 19.2%, 34.6%, 52.9% of the subjects were classified as MS under definitions of IDF, Cook, et al, da Silva, et al respectively, matching well with 19.2%, 43.4%, 58.1% when the Chinese cutoff value was used (Kappa = 1, 0.79, 0.90). The degrees of agreement according to the Kappa statistics between Cook, et al and da Silva, et al (0.52, American cutoff value/0.51, Chinese cutoff value) were better than the others (0.24 - 0.4). Children who were diagnosed as MS under the definitions of Cook, et al. or da Silva, et al. appeared to have had serious insulin resistance when compared to those without MS.Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome appeared to be high among the obese pediatric outpatients, which was probably due to the definition being chosen. The use of definitions provided by Cook, et al and da Silva, et al might be more suitable for MS diagnosis in obese children in the outpatient department, if insulin resistance was under consideration. Both American and Chinese cutoff value could be used for MS diagnosis in the Chinese obese children.