Beneficial effects of resistance exercise on metabolic health and particularly muscle hypertrophy and fat loss are well established, but the underlying chemical and physiological mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we identified a myometabolite‐mediated metabolic pathway that is essential for the beneficial metabolic effects of resistance exercise in mice. We showed that substantial accumulation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate α‐ketoglutaric acid (AKG) is a metabolic signature of resistance exercise performance. Interestingly, human plasma AKG level is also negatively correlated with BMI. Pharmacological elevation of circulating AKG induces muscle hypertrophy, brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, and white adipose tissue (WAT) lipolysis in vivo. We further found that AKG stimulates the adrenal release of adrenaline through 2‐oxoglutarate receptor 1 (OXGR1) expressed in adrenal glands. Finally, by using both loss‐of‐function and gain‐of‐function mouse models, we showed that OXGR1 is essential for AKG‐mediated exercise‐induced beneficial metabolic effects. These findings reveal an unappreciated mechanism for the salutary effects of resistance exercise, using AKG as a systemically derived molecule for adrenal stimulation of muscle hypertrophy and fat loss.

Embryo sac abortion occurs frequently in the spikelet of indica/ japonica hybrids in rice. To provide a comprehensive understanding of embryo sac sterility in typical indica/japonica hybrids, a simple eosin B staining procedure for use with confocal microscopy was developed to observe the mature embryo sacs of 35 indica/japonica F 1 s making up an incomplete diallel cross design (5 · 7). A diversity of abnormal embryo sacs existed in the hybrids. The main types were classified into five categories: (i) embryo sac degeneration (ESD), (ii) embryo sac without egg apparatus, (iii) embryo sac without female germ unit, (iv) embryo sac with abnormal polar nuclei and (v) abnormal small embryo sac (ASES). The frequencies of abnormal embryo sacs in the 35 hybrids ranged from 26.0% to 76.3%, with an average of 48.6%. The highest frequency of abnormality was 31.3% ESD. The frequencies of various abnormalities varied with parental genotype and environment.

Polyploidization has played an important role in plant evolution and is a pathway for plants to increase genetic diversification and to get higher heterosis comparing with that of diploid does. This study was undertaken to assess the genetic variation and relationships among 40 autotetraploid rice genotypes and their counterpart diploid cultivars with 99 SSR markers screened from published rice genome. The 99 SSR markers detected polymorphism among autotetraploid genotypes and revealed a total of 291 alleles with an average of 2.949 alleles per locus. Autotetraploid lines showed higher genetic diversity and significant variation in agronomic traits than diploid cultivars. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of autotetraploid lines were genetically different from their diploid parents, and inter-subspecific hybrids were prepared on the basis of genetic distance between parents. Inter-subspecific autotetraploid hybrids showed a higher and positive heterobeltiosis and competitive heterosis than diploid hybrids, especially for grain yield. Genetic distance appeared not to predict heterosis in diploid rice for all traits; however, it showed a significant correlation with grain yield, grain length and grain length to width ratio in autotetraploid rice. This extensive research on autotetraploid heterosis and genetic diversity will be useful for the development of autotetraploid rice hybrids.

Embryo sac abortion is one of the major reasons for sterility in indica/japonica hybrids in rice. To clarify the causal mechanism of embryo sac abortion, we studied the female gametophyte development in two indica/japonica hybrids via an eosin B staining procedure for embryo sac scanning using confocal laser scanning microscope. Different types of abnormalities occurred during megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were demonstrated. The earliest abnormality was observed in the megasporocyte. A lot of the chalazal-most megaspores were degenerated before the mono-nucleate embryo sac stage. Disordered positioning of nucleus and abnormal nucellus tissue were characteristics of the abnormal female gametes from the mono-nucleate to four-nucleate embryo sac stages. The abnormalities that occurred from the early stage of the eight-nucleate embryo sac development to the mature embryo sac stage were characterized by smaller sizes and wrinkled antipodals. Asynchronous nuclear migration, abnormal positioning of nucleus, and degeneration of egg apparatus were also found at the eight-nucleate embryo sac stage. The abnormalities that occurred during female gametophyte development resulted in five major types of abnormal embryo sacs. These abnormal embryo sacs led to abnormal fertilization. Hand pollination using normal pollens on the spikelets during anthesis showed that normal pollens could not exclude the effect of abnormal embryo sac on seed setting.

Background As a result of the one‐child policy of 1979, today there are numerous one‐child families with adolescents in Mainland China. Little is known about the experiences of parents of such adolescents diagnosed with cancer. Objectives This study explored the experiences of parents whose adolescent child was diagnosed with cancer in one‐child families in China. Methods A qualitative methodology based on hermeneutic phenomenology was employed. The participants were parents of adolescent cancer patients in one‐child families. Data were collected using in‐depth semi‐structured interviews and analysed using van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The COREQ checklist was used for this study. Results Fourteen parents (eleven mothers, three fathers) participated in the study. One overarching theme emerged: feeling like the sky is falling down. In addition, there were five related themes: self‐condemnation; ‘white lies’ – that is, difficulty in telling the truth; struggling with a sense of collapse; fear of losing the child and hopelessness. Almost all the participants experienced insomnia after learning about the diagnosis. In a few cases, hopelessness‐induced suicidal ideation or even suicidal behaviour. Conclusions Parents of adolescents diagnosed with cancer in one‐child families in China experienced extremely painful emotions. The truth about their child's condition not only caused immense psychological trauma but also induced pessimism about their own future. Implications for clinical practice The experiences of parents in one‐child families where an adolescent child has been diagnosed with cancer should be taken seriously. In addition, support should be provided to help parents maintain a normal life and feel hopeful for their future.