Interplay between n-3 and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the endocannabinoid system in brain protection and repair.

The brain is enriched in arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) of the n-6 and n-3 series, respectively. Both are essential for optimal brain development and function. Dietary enrichment with DHA and other long-chain n-3 PUFA, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have shown beneficial effects on learning and memory, neuroinflammatory processes and synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. ARA, DHA and EPA are precursors to a diverse repertoire of bioactive lipid mediators, including endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoid system comprises cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands, the endocannabinoids, and their biosynthetic and degradation enzymes. Anandamide (AEA) and 2-archidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are the most widely studied endocannabinoids, and are both derived from phospholipid-bound ARA. The endocannabinoid system also has well established roles in neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, suggesting an overlap in the neuroprotective effects observed with these different classes of lipids. Indeed, growing evidence suggests a complex interplay between n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA and the endocannabinoid system. For example, long-term DHA and EPA supplementation reduces AEA and 2-AG levels, with reciprocal increases in levels of the analogous endocannabinoid-like DHA and EPA-derived molecules. This review summarises current evidence of this interplay and discusses the therapeutic potential for brain protection and repair

Probing polydopamine adhesion to protein and polymer films: microscopic and spectroscopic evaluation

Polydopamine has been found to be a biocompatible polymer capable of supporting cell growth and attachment, and to have antibacterial and antifouling properties. Together with its ease of manufacture and application, it ought to make an ideal biomaterial and function well as a coating for implants. In this paper, atomic force microscopy was used to measure the adhesive forces between polymer-, protein- or polydopamine-coated surfaces and a silicon nitride or polydopamine-functionalised probes. Surfaces were further characterised by contact angle goniometry, and solutions by circular dichroism. Polydopamine was further characterised with infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that polydopamine functionalisation of the atomic force microscope probe significantly reduced adhesion to all tested surfaces. For example, adhesion to mica fell from 0.27 ± 0.7 nN nm-1 to 0.05 ± 0.01 nN nm-1. The results suggest that polydopamine coatings are suitable to be used for a variety of biomedical applications

Surface topography parameters important in contact mechanics

The random surface models are important to many statistical peak-based contact models of rough surfaces. Statistics of 3D surface topographies and 2D profiles are compared and their interrelationship examined for generated and measured common random engineering surfaces. The applicability of the spectral moments approach to random surface specification is checked. Parameters important in contact mechanics, like summit density, summit curvature and summit height obtained by their definitions and predicted by the spectral moment approach, as well as calculated directly from profiles are compared. Also, the values of plasticity index are computed using various methods. Good agreement is found between theory and measurement

ATLAS “Baby-DEMO”

Evaporative CO 2 has been selected as the main detector cooling technology for the Phase II upgrade of the LHC silicon detectors at CERN. In order to provide input to the ATLAS Pixel TDR about the minimum attainable cooling temperature by the end of 2017, ATLAS, with a contribution of CMS, has launched a dedicated detector cooling R&D; study nick-named Baby-DEMO. The Baby-DEMO is the demonstration of a typical 2PACL CO 2 cooling plant operating at the lowest temperature ever achieved. A real size ATLAS mock-up is used to hold realistic manifolding as its critical path might have strong impact on the cooling performance. Additionally, the “Baby-DEMO” program addresses the study of high power flexible vacuum insulated coaxial transfer lines and warm nose boiling enhancement as possible solutions for the Phase II upgrade. This paper describes the system design including CO 2 plant, primary chiller and typical distribution. Challenges and solutions used to achieve the lowest possible evaporation temperatures are reported. The result of this study, even if at the preliminary stage, are of great interest for the design of the cooling systems that ATLAS and CMS will use in the Phase II era