Effects of Fatty Acid Treatments on the Dexamethasone-Induced Intramuscular Lipid Accumulation in Chickens

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid has an important effect on lipid metabolism in muscles, and the type of fatty acid likely affects mitochondrial utilization. Therefore, we hypothesize that the different fatty acid types treatment may affect the glucocorticoid induction of intramuscular lipid accumulation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on fatty acid metabolism and storage in skeletal muscle of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) was investigated with and without fatty acid treatments. Male Arbor Acres chickens (31 d old) were treated with either palmitic acid (PA) or oleic acid (OA) for 7 days, followed by DEX administration for 3 days (35-37 d old). The DEX-induced lipid uptake and oxidation imbalance, which was estimated by increased fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) expression and decreased carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 activity, contributed to skeletal muscle lipid accumulation. More sensitive than glycolytic muscle, the oxidative muscle in DEX-treated chickens showed a decrease in the AMP to ATP ratio, a decrease in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) alpha phosphorylation and its activity, as well as an increase in the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ribosomal p70S6 kinase, without Akt activation. DEX-stimulated lipid deposition was augmented by PA, but alleviated by OA, in response to pathways that were regulated differently, including AMPK, mTOR and FATP1. CONCLUSIONS: DEX-induced intramuscular lipid accumulation was aggravated by SFA but alleviated by unsaturated fatty acid. The suppressed AMPK and augmented mTOR signaling pathways were involved in glucocortcoid-mediated enhanced intramuscular fat accumulation

Carnosol Modulates Th17 Cell Differentiation and Microglial Switch in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Medicinal plants as a rich pool for developing novel small molecule therapeutic medicine have been used for thousands of years. Carnosol as a bioactive diterpene compound originated from Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) and Salvia officinalis, herbs extensively applied in traditional medicine for the treatment of multiple autoimmune diseases (1). In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and molecule mechanism of carnosol in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Carnosol treatment significantly alleviated clinical development in the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35–55) peptide-induced EAE model, markedly decreased inflammatory cell infiltration into the central nervous system and reduced demyelination. Further, carnosol inhibited Th17 cell differentiation and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 phosphorylation, and blocked transcription factor NF-κB nuclear translocation. In the passive-EAE model, carnosol treatment also significantly prevented Th17 cell pathogenicity. Moreover, carnosol exerted its therapeutic effects in the chronic stage of EAE, and, remarkably, switched the phenotypes of infiltrated macrophage/microglia. Taken together, our results show that carnosol has enormous potential for development as a therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases such as MS

Dynamic Analysis of a Two-Language Competitive Model with Control Strategies

The dynamic behavior of a two-language competitive model is analyzed systemically in this paper. By the linearization and the Bendixson-Dulac theorem on dynamical system, some sufficient conditions on the globally asymptotical stability of the trivial equilibria and the existence and the stability of the positive equilibrium of this model are presented. Nextly, in order to protect the endangered language, an optimal control problem relative to this model is explored. We derive some necessary conditions to solve the optimal control problem and present some numerical simulations using a Runge-Kutta fourth-order method. Finally, the languages competitive model is extended to this model assessing the impact of state-dependent pulse control strategy. Using the Poincaré map, differential inequality, and method of qualitative analysis, we prove the existence and stability of positive order-1 periodic solution for this control model. Numerical simulations are carried out to illustrate the main results and the feasibility of state-dependent impulsive control strategy.This paper has been partially supported by the Scientific Research Programmes of Colleges in Xinjiang (Grant no. XJEDU2011S08), the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang (Grant no. 2011211B08), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants nos. 11001235, 11271312, and 11261056), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grants nos. 20110491750 and 2012T50836), and the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain), Project no. MTM2010-15314 and has been co-financed by the European Community Fund FEDERS

The continual presence of C3d but not IgG glomerular capillary deposition in stage I idiopathic membranous nephropathy in patients receiving corticosteroid treatment

BACKGROUND: Pathologic diagnosis of stage I idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN-I) requires electron microscopy or immunohistochemistry that shows a glomerular capillary staining pattern of IgG and C3. However, it is not uncommon that renal biopsy did not obtain sufficient material for electron microscopy and that IgG and C3 staining in glomeruli largely lost at biopsy due to corticosteroid treatment. Since C3d is one of the final degradation products of C3 that is more stable in vivo, we determine if C3d staining could be used as a novel immunohistochemical marker for MN-I. METHODS AND RESULTS: 74 MN-I patients with electron microscopy proven MN-I were examined by immunoperoxidase staining of C3d. Intensive C3d staining was present in glomerular capillary like the staining pattern of IgG and C3 in MN-I. Importantly, in 40 MN-I patients who underwent corticosteroid treatment at biopsy the intensity and glomerular capillary pattern of C3d staining remained largely intact while the staining for IgG had substantially reduced and the pattern of glomerular capillary staining became unrecognizable. CONCLUSIONS: C3d glomerular capillary staining may be a novel marker for pathologic diagnosis of MN-I that is continuously present at biopsy in patient who has received corticosteroid treatment. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/212078007573447

The investigations of the PP-wave BsB_s states combining quark model and lattice QCD in the coupled channel framework

Combining the quark model, the quark-pair-creation mechanism and $B^{(*)}K$ interaction, we have investigated the near-threshold $P$-wave $B_s$ states in the framework of the Hamiltonian effective field theory. With the heavy quark flavor symmetry, all the parameters are determined in the $D_s$ sector by fitting the lattice data. The masses of the bottom-strange partners of the $D^{*}_{s0}(2317)$ and $D^{*}_{s1}(2460)$ are predicted to be $M_{B^{*}_{s0}}=5730.2_{-1.5}^{+2.4}$ MeV and $M_{B^{*}_{s1}}= 5769.6_{-1.6}^{+2.4}$ MeV, respectively, which are well consistent with the lattice QCD simulation. The two P-wave $B_s$ states are the mixtures of the bare $b\bar s$ core and $B^{(*)}K$ component. Moreover, we find a crossing point between the energy levels with and without the interaction Hamiltonian in the finite volume spectrum in the $0^+$ case, which corresponds to a CDD (Castillejo-Dalitz-Dyson) zero in the $T$-matrix of the $BK$ scattering. This CDD zero will help deepen the insights of the near-threshold states and can be examined by the future lattice calculation.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Application of the Expanded Theory of Planned Behavior in Intercity Travel Behavior

Congestion in intercity corridors of metropolitan area has been increasing steadily. To alleviate congestion, many major investment projects, such as the high speed railway projects, were proposed by agency. To evaluate the adequacy and efficiency of these projects, the intercity travel behavior should be analyzed in metropolitan area. The paper constructed a Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model according to an expanded theory of planned behavior (TPB) to study the travel behavior of choosing from the choice set of the traditional train, the high speed railway and the coach by demographic and psychological factors. Through empirical data collection and analysis, we found that demographic factors of travelers indeed positively engender the latent variables in MIMIC, and descriptive norm and habit had direct or indirect significant effect on travel behavior and intention. On the basis of the effect of psychological constructors of the expanded TPB on the intercity travel behavior and differentiation of traveler's demographic characteristics, the agency can make reasonable policies and proper information for the intercity transportation. The results will support the basic theory of optimizing the transportation system in metropolitan area. Implications for researchers and suggestions for future research are also addressed in this study

Protein tyrosine kinase 6 is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma poor prognosis and metastasis

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) samples, and to identify whether PTK6 can serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC. METHODS: We used quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis to detect mRNA and protein expression of PTK6 in NPC cell lines and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell lines. 31 NPC and 16 non-tumorous nasopharyngeal mucosa biopsies were collected to detect the difference in the expression of mRNA level of PTK6 by quantitative RT-PCR. We also collected 178 NPC and 10 normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cases with clinical follow-up data to investigate the expression of PTK6 by immunohistochemistry staining (IHC). PTK6 overexpression on cell growth and colony formation ability were measured by the method of cell proliferation assay and colony formation assay. RESULTS: The expression of PTK6 was higher in most of NPC cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels than in immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell lines (NPECs) induced by Bmi-1 (Bmi-1/NPEC1, and Bmi-1/NPEC2). The mRNA level of PTK6 was high in NPC biopsies compared to non-tumorous nasopharyngeal mucosa biopsies. IHC results showed the expression of PTK6 was significantly correlated to tumor size (P<0.001), clinical stage (P<0.001), and metastasis (P=0.016). The patients with high-expression of PTK6 had a significantly poor prognosis compared to those of low-expression (47.8% versus 80.0%, P<0.001), especially in the patients at the advanced stages (42.2% versus 79.1%, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the level of PTK6 expression was an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of patients with NPC (P <0.001). Overexpression of PTK6 in HNE1 cells enhanced the ability of cell proliferation and colony formation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high-expression of PTK6 is an independent factor for NPC patients and it might serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with NPC