Microglial Cell Activation Increases Saturated and Decreases Monounsaturated Fatty Acid Content,but Both Lipid Species are Proinflammatory

Neuroinflammation is a component of age-related neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. Saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids are bioactive molecules that may play different extrinsic and intrinsic roles in neuroinflammation, serving as exogenous ligands for cellular receptors, or endogenous components of cell structural, energetic and signaling pathways. We determined the fatty acyl profile of BV2 microglial cells before and after acute activation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We also investigated the effect of SFA and MUFA pretreatment on the production of an invasive, neurotoxic phenotype in BV2 cells. Acute activation of BV2 microglia resulted in an increase in the relative content of SFA (12:0, 16:0, 18:0, 20:0, 22:0, and 24:0 increased significantly), and a relative decrease in the content of MUFA (16:1n7, 18:1n7, 18:1n9, 20:1n9, 24:1n9 decreased significantly). In agreement, the major stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) isoform in BV2 cells, SCD2, was significantly down-regulated by LPS. We next treated cells with SFA (16:0 or 18:0) or MUFA (16:1n7 or 18:1n9), and found that levels of secreted IL6 were increased, as was secreted MMP9-mediated proteolytic activity. To test the functional significance, we treated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells with conditioned medium from BV2 cells pretreated with fatty acids, and found a small but significant induction of cell death. Our findings suggest differential intrinsic roles for SFA and MUFA in activated microglial cells, but similar extrinsic roles for these fatty acid species in inducing activation. Expansion of SFA is important during microglial cell activation, but either supplemental SFA or MUFA may contribute to chronic low-grade neuroinflammation.     

Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products on dairy calves: Performance and health

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) on performance and health of calves during the first 63 d of age. Sixty Holstein calves (30 males and 30 females) at 2 d of age were blocked by sex and date of birth then randomly assigned within blocks to 1 of 3 treatments. A texturized calf starter was fed ad libitum containing 0 (control), 0.5, or 1% SCFP (Original XPC, Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA) of DM. In addition, the supplemented calves were fed 1 g/d SCFP (SmartCare, Diamond V) in milk until d 30. All calves were fed 4 L of colostrum within 1 h of birth and were subsequently fed milk twice daily until weaned at 56 d of age. Male calves were harvested on d 56. Performance and health of weaned female calves were monitored until 63 d of age to determine the effect of preweaning treatment of SCFP on weaning stress. Starter intake, fecal scores, and medical treatments were recorded daily. Body weight measures and blood samples were collected on d 2, 28, 56, and 63. Serum was analyzed for blood urea nitrogen, fatty acids, insulin-like growth factor-1, glucose, and total protein. Oxidative biomarkers and total antioxidant capacity were also evaluated in the serum. Body weight, DMI, blood parameters, and oxidative biomarkers did not differ among treatments. Supplementation of SCFP lowered fecal scores in the pre- and postweaning periods. Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products can be used to reduce the diarrhea in calves grown under normal commercial conditions.     

A three-dimensional microfluidic tumor cell migration assay to screen the effect of anti-migratory drugs and interstitial flow

Most anti-cancer drug screening assays are currently performed in two dimensions, on flat, rigid surfaces. However, there are increasing indications that three-dimensional (3D) platforms provide a more realistic setting to investigate accurate morphology, growth, and sensitivity of tumor cells to chemical factors. Moreover, interstitial flow plays a pivotal role in tumor growth. Here, we present a microfluidic 3D platform to investigate behaviors of tumor cells in flow conditions with anti-migratory compounds. Our results show that interstitial flow and its direction have significant impact on migration and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines such as HepG2 and HLE. In particular, HepG2/HLE cells tend to migrate against interstitial flow, and their growth increases in interstitial flow conditions regardless of the flow direction. Furthermore, this migratory activity of HepG2 cells is enhanced when they are co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We also found that migration activity of HepG2 cells attenuates under hypoxic conditions. In addition, the effect of Artemisinin, an anti-migratory compound, on HepG2 cells was quantitatively analyzed. The microfluidic 3D platform described here is useful to investigate more accurately the effect of anti-migratory drugs on tumor cells and the critical influence of interstitial flow than 2D culture models.     

An application of experimental design‐an improvement of a golden mill

Abstract

The seismic behavior of lifeline systems is predominately controlled by the ground displacement/strain characteristics. This study investigates the wave propagation effect and the ground displacements and ground strains from the latest strong‐motion array data recorded at the Public Work Research Institute (PWRI) of Japan by using finite element method. Usually, the buried pipeline almost moves with the surrounding soil during seismic shaking. In this respect, the investigation of ground displacement characteristics can be used for further application to seismic design of buried pipelines.     

Analytical study of wave‐induced nearshore currents

Abstract

Nearshore circulation, produced by a wave‐induced radiation stress gradient, forms different circulation patterns under different wave characteristics and topographical conditions. A more general equation was deduced on the orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system to unify the diversities among related theories and to investigate the nearshore circulation on an arc‐shaped coast. The results show that circulation patterns depend on the flow torque factor which is in turn determined by both the wave characteristics and the topographical conditions. Due to the differences of this torque factor, the straight coast and the arc‐shaped coast will produce different circulation patterns.     

Nonlinear system identification using BBO-based multilayer perceptron network method

Microsystem Technologies - Recently, nonlinear system identification has received increasingly more attention due to its promising applications in engineering fields. It has become a challenging...     

A Variant in the Osteoprotegerin Gene Is Associated with Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from a Candidate Gene Study

Objective: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have accelerated atherosclerosis, but there is limited information about the genetic contribution to atherosclerosis in this population. Therefore, we examined the association between selected genetic polymorphisms and coronary atherosclerosis in patients with RA. Methods: Genotypes for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 152 candidate genes linked with autoimmune or cardiovascular risk were measured in 140 patients with RA. The association between the presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and SNP allele frequency was assessed by logistic regression with adjustment for age, sex, and race. To adjust for multiple comparisons, a false discovery rate (FDR) threshold was set at 20%. Results: Patients with RA were 54 ± 11 years old and predominantly Caucasian (89%) and female (69%). CAC was present in 70 patients (50%). A variant in rs2073618 that encodes an Asn3Lys missense substitution in the osteoprotegerin gene (OPG, TNFRSF11B) was significantly associated with the presence of CAC (OR = 4.09, p < 0.00026) and withstands FDR correction. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a polymorphism of the TNFRSF11B gene, which encodes osteoprotegerin, is associated with the presence of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with RA. Replication of this finding in independent validation cohorts will be of interest.