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Metabolic fitness of T cells is essential for their vitality, which is largely dependent on the behavior of the mitochondria. The nature of mitochondrial behavior in tumor-infiltrating T cells remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that mitofusin-2 (MFN2) expression is positively correlated with the prognosis of multiple cancers. Genetic ablation of Mfn2 in CD8+ T cells dampens mitochondrial metabolism and function and promotes tumor progression. In tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, MFN2 enhances mitochondria–endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact by interacting with ER-embedded Ca2+-ATPase SERCA2, facilitating the mitochondrial Ca2+ influx required for efficient mitochondrial metabolism. MFN2 stimulates the ER Ca2+ retrieval activity of SERCA2, thereby preventing excessive mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation and apoptosis. Elevating mitochondria-ER contact by increasing MFN2 in CD8+ T cells improves the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Thus, we reveal a tethering-and-buffering mechanism of organelle cross-talk that regulates the metabolic fitness of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and highlights the therapeutic potential of enhancing MFN2 expression to optimize T cell function. Editor's summary: Organelle cross-talk plays a fundamental role in cell biology, but how this cross-talk controls tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells (TILs) is not understood. Yang et al. investigate the role of MFN2 in CD8+ TILs, identifying that mitochondrial interaction with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is required for metabolic fitness and antitumor activity. Through interaction with SERCA2 on the ER, MFN2 was required for mitochondria-ER contact and Ca2+ homeostasis. MFN2 expression was associated with better survival in patients with cancer, and promoting MFN2 expression in CD8+ T cells improved response to immune checkpoint blockade in mice. Together, these findings identify a critical role for MFN2 in regulating the metabolism, function, and survival of CD8+ T cells and suggest that boosting MFN2 expression is an attractive avenue for improving immunotherapy. —Hannah Isles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to explore the effect of different fat sources in diet on growth of Ctenopharyngodon idella, Mylopharyngodon piceus and Carassius auratus gibelio, as well as conventional muscle nutrients and fatty acid composition. A total of 240 fish with an initial body weight of (34.8±0.4) g Ctenopharyngodon idella, (35.0±0.4) g Mylopharyngodon piceus, (26.3±0.1) g Carassius auratus gibelio were randomly divided into four groups with three replicates in each group and 60 fish in each replicate (three species mixed culture, 20 fish per species). The basic diet (BD group) without oil and fat was used as control group, and 6% soybean oil (SO group), fish oil (FO group) and lard (LO group) were added to basic diet as test groups. The experiment lasted for 8 w. The results showed that the average survival rate of the three species of fish in each group was significantly higher than that in BD group (P<0.05), and the survival rate of Mylopharyngodon piceus in test group was significantly higher than that in BD group (P<0.05). The total final weight and average weight gain of the three fish in each group were significantly higher than that in BD group (P<0.05). The feed coefficient of each group was significantly lower than that in BD group (P<0.05). The visceral body ratio and liver body ratio of Ctenopharyngodon idella in FO group were significantly higher than those in BD group (P<0.05), and the visceral body ratio and liver body ratio of Mylopharyngodon piceus in LO group were significantly higher than those in BD group (P<0.05). The visceral body ratio of Carassius auratus gibelio in BD group was significantly lower than that in other groups (P<0.05), and the liver to body ratio of Carassius auratus gibelio in FO group was significantly lower than that in other groups (P<0.05). The crude protein content of Ctenopharyngodon idella in FO group was significantly higher than that in BD group and SO group (P<0.05), and the crude protein content of Mylopharyngodon piceus in SO group was significantly lower than that in other groups (P<0.05). The crude fat content of Ctenopharyngodon idella in LO group was significantly higher than that in other groups (P<0.05), and the crude fat content of Mylopharyngodon piceus in SO group was significantly higher than that in other groups (P<0.05). The content of C16:0 was the highest in the three fish muscle fatty acids, followed by C18:1n-9, C18:0 and C18:2n-6. The content of C18: 2n-6, C18:3n-3 in SO group were significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05). The content of C20: 5n-3, C22:6n-3 in FO group were significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05). The content of C16:0, C18:1n-9 in LO group were significantly higher than those in other groups (P<0.05). The study indicates that adding fish oil to Ctenopharyngodon idella bait has a good growth-promoting effect, but adding 6% soybean oil and lard has no obvious growth-promoting effect, which indicates that Ctenopharyngodon idella has lower requirements for feed fat level. Adding 6% soybean oil, fish oil and lard to Mylopharyngodon piceus bait has better growth-promoting effect. Adding 6% fish oil and lard to Carassius auratus gibelio has better growth-promoting effect, but soybean oil has poor effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the anaesthetic and sedative effects of eugenol applied on yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco). In the anaesthesia induction and recovery experiment, fish were treated with five concentrations of eugenol (0, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mg/L), respectively, and in the transportation experiment, fish treated with 10 mg/L eugenol were evaluated after 12 h simulated transportation. Induction and recovery time were recorded. The induction time shortened with the increasing eugenol concentration, whereas the recovery time prolonged with the increasing eugenol concentration. The effective concentration of eugenol for short‐term anaesthesia induction was between 25 and 30 mg/L. The post‐transportation survival rate of yellow catfish was 100%. The content of ammonia nitrogen in the eugenol group was lower (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, yellow catfish in the anaesthetized transportation group showed a significant decrease in blood cortisol levels (p < 0.05), whereas the levels of glucose and lysozyme significantly increased (p < 0.05). Both hsp70 and hsp90 mRNA expression in the liver of anaesthetized yellow catfish were found to significantly upregulate after transportation (p < 0.05). In summary, eugenol was an effective anaesthetic for yellow catfish. For short‐term anaesthesia, the recommended concentration is 25–30 mg/L and for long‐time transportation, the appropriate concentration is 10 mg/L in order to reduce stress response of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a special subgroup of multiple intracranial aneurysms, mirror aneurysms are located bilaterally on the corresponding intracranial arteries. The current study sought to compare the clinical and demographic features of patients harboring mirror aneurysm, and to elucidate the corresponding risk factors. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 2641 intracranial aneurysms patients, who were admitted to our hospitals between January 2005 and June 2014. Patients were subdivided into three groups based on the inclusion criteria: (i) single (n=2250); (ii) non-mirror multiple (n=285); and (iii) mirror aneurysms (n=106). Clinical and demographic files of the three groups were collected and compared, and medical histories including stroke, hyperlipemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, valvular heart disease were considered as potential risk factors. Potential morphological reasons for mirror cerebral aneurysms rupture, including aneurysms size, irregular walls and cerebral hemispheric dominance, were also compared. Our data showed that the male to female ratio of mirror aneurysms patients was 1:3.61, which was significantly different from that of single aneurysm (1:1.27) and multiple aneurysms (1:2.00). The prevalence of mirror aneurysms in women is higher than that in men (P<0.001). Older patients (especially 60-69 years old) also appear to be more vulnerable to mirror aneurysm than single aneurysm (P<0.001). In 84 mirror aneurysm patients the aneurysms were located on the internal carotid arteries (79.2%), most typically at the PComA or in the Cavernous ICA. Patients with medical history of hyperlipemia appear to have an increased risk of harboring mirror aneurysms. Larger aneurysm size and presence of an irregular aneurysm wall appear to be the morphological factors that predispose for mirror aneurysms rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of surrounding rock stability is a complicated system problem involving various uncertain factors. To overcome the drawbacks of conventional evaluation methods based on single-type information, a new combination evaluation method based on set pair analysis was proposed. This method made full use of available information sources from the different conventional methods while avoiding the most erroneous evaluation. First, the problem was treated with the single-type evaluation methods. Then, the set pair consisting of double evaluation results was analyzed on the identical-discrepancy-contrary principle to establish a connectional matrix. And the weights of the realted single-type evaluation methods in the comprehensive model were determined respectively through the connectional matrix. Finally the surrounding rock stability level was evaluated with the linear combination method. The results of the application case show that the proposed model is effective and feasible in improving the prediction accuracy through coupling the advantages of the related conventional evaluation methods. This method makes a good reference for other similar evaluation problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Previous research has shown that fresh milk might be polluted by some organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs). In this study the dissipation of nine OPPs, namely chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, diazinon, dichlorvos, fenthion, malathion, phorate, pirimiphos-methyl and trichlorphon, in skimmed milk was investigated to clarify their susceptibility towards lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yogurt starters. RESULTS Skimmed milk was spiked with nine OPPs, inoculated with five strains of LAB and two commercial yogurt starters at 42 °C for 24 and 5 h respectively and subjected to quantitative OPP analysis by gas chromatography. Degradation kinetic constants of these OPPs were calculated based on a first-order reaction model. OPP dissipation in the milk was enhanced by the inoculated strains and starters, resulting in OPP concentrations decreasing by 7.0-64.6 and 7.4-19.2% respectively. Totally, the nine OPPs were more susceptible to Lactobacillus bulgaricus, as it enhanced their degradation rate constants by 18.3-133.3%. Higher phosphatase production of the assayed stains was observed to bring about greater OPP degradation in the milk. CONCLUSION Both LAB and yogurt starters could enhance OPP dissipation in skimmed milk, with the nine OPPs studied having different susceptibilities towards them. Phosphatase was a key factor governing OPP dissipation. The LAB of higher phosphatase production have more potential to decrease OPPs in fermented foods. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using He''s semi-inverse method, a variational principle for the Broer–Kaup–Kupershmidt equation is established. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]