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Summary: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles, measuring 40–160 nm in diameter, that are released by many cell types and tissues, including adipose tissue. Exosomes are critical mediators of intercellular communication and their contents are complex and diverse. In recent years, accumulating evidence has proved that multiple adipose tissue‐derived exosomal noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of diverse metabolic diseases, such as obesity. In this narrative review, we focus on the adipose tissue‐derived exosomal ncRNAs, especially exosomal miRNAs, and their dysregulation in multiple types of metabolic diseases. A deeper understanding of the role of adipose tissue‐derived exosomal ncRNAs may help provide new diagnostic and treatment methods for metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide-reinforced aluminum matrix composites (SiCp/Al) have excellent physical properties, but the presence of SiC particles in the reinforcing phase causes severe tool wear and more serious surface defects during cutting, which seriously hinders the machining efficiency of SiCp/Al composites. To improve the surface quality of SiCp/Al composites and improve the tool wear problem, it were carried out that simulation and experimental verification of the milling tool parameters of SiCp/Al composites and experimental study of CMQL with the selected tool parameters. The results show that the cutting tool with rake angle of 4° and relief angle of 10° can achieve efficient cutting of SiCp/Al composites. The CMQL condition can effectively reduce the surface roughness, improve the surface microstructure, reduce tool wear and increase tool life; The increase of cutting speed can reduce the machined surface roughness, while the increase of feed and cutting depth will lead to the increase of surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the changes in fundus parameters in patients with Alzheimer's type dementia (ATD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), to record flash electroretinograms (ERG) using the RETeval system and to explore changes in retinal function., Methods: Twenty-nine patients with ATD and 26 age-matched normal subjects were enrolled. All subjects underwent OCTA scans to analyse the superficial retinal vessel parameters in the macular area, including the vessel length density, the vessel perfusion density and the area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), as well as the choroidal thickness. The differences between the patients with ATD and the normal control group were compared and explored the relevant factors affecting vessel parameters. We also recorded the flash ERGs using the RETeval system and intended to explore changes in retinal function by analysing the ERG image amplitude in patients with ATD., Results: The vessel parameters [ P vessel length density =0.005 and P vessel perfusion density =0.006) and average choroid thickness ( P <0.001) in the macular area of the ATD group was less than the control group. The FAZ area was statistically significantly enlarged in the ATD group ( P <0.001). These parameters were correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)., Conclusion: Patients with ATD exhibit decreases in the parameters associated with fundus. In addition, these indicators significantly correlate with the MMSE score and the MoCA score. OCTA may be an adjunct tool with strong potential to track changes in the diagnosis and monitoring the progression of the disease., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Aim: To establish a simple, convenient and harmless non-radioactive method of determining protein kinase A (PKA) activity in vitro., Methods: Human PKAα cDNA was amplified from total RNA of HEK293 cells using RT-PCR method and then cloned into pGEX-6p-1 vector. In vitro purified GST-PKAα protein was identified by Western blot analysis. Finally, a non-radioactive method, Kinase-Glo luminescent kinase assay, was employed to determine the kinase activity of purified GST-PKAα., Results: After the optimization of the induction conditions, we purified GST-PKAα protein successfully. We then determined GST-PKAα activity using Kinase-Glo luminescent kinase assay. We also further confirmed the kinase activity of GST-PKAα using H-89, a specific PKA inhibitor, and determined its IC(50); value (35.2±3.97) nmol/L which is consistent with reported value., Conclusion: The non-radioactive Kinase-Glo luminescent kinase assay is a simple, convenient and harmless method of determining the kinase activity of PKA. This method is effective for pre-clinical high-throughput screening of PKA inhibitor, discovering novel target proteins of PKA and investigating PKA phosphorylation sites in target proteins.