Maternal metabolic stress may affect oviduct gatekeeper function

We hypothesized that elevated non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) modify in vitro bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) metabolism and barrier function. Hereto, BOECs were studied in a polarized system with 24h-treatments at day 9: 1) CONTROL (0µM NEFA + 0%EtOH), 2) SOLVENT CONTROL (0µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH), 3) BASAL NEFA (720µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH in the basal compartment), 4) APICAL NEFA (720µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH in the apical compartment). FITC-albumin was used for monolayer permeability assessment, and related to Transepithelial Electric Resistance (TER). Fatty acid (FA), glucose, lactate and pyruvate concentrations were measured in spent medium. Intracellular lipid droplets (LD) and FA-uptake were studied using Bodipy 493/503 and immunolabelling of FA-transporters (FAT/CD36, FABP3 and caveolin1). BOEC-mRNA was retrieved for qRT-PCR. Results revealed that APICAL NEFA reduced relative TER-increase (46.85%) during treatment, and increased FITC-albumin flux (27.59%) compared to other treatments. In BASAL NEFA, FAs were transferred to the apical compartment as free FAs: mostly palmitic and oleic acid increased, respectively 56.0 % and 33.5% of initial FA-concentrations. APICAL NEFA allowed no FA-transfer, but induced LD-accumulation and upregulated FA-transporter expression (↑CD36, ↑FABP3, ↑CAV1-protein-expression). Gene expression in APICAL NEFA indicated increased anti-apoptotic (↑BCL2) and anti-oxidative (↑SOD1) capacity, upregulated lipid metabolism (↑CPT1, ↑ACSL1 and ↓ACACA), and FA-uptake (↑CAV1). All treatments had similar carbohydrate metabolism and oviduct function specific gene expression (=OVGP1, ESR1, FOXJ1). Overall, elevated NEFAs affected BOEC-metabolism and barrier function differently depending on NEFA-exposure side. Data substantiate the concept of the oviduct as a gatekeeper that may actively alter early embryonic developmental conditions

Creative and Stylistic Devices Employed by Children During a Storybook Narrative Task: A Cross-Cultural Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of culture on the creative and stylistic features children employ when producing narratives based on wordless picture books. Method: Participants included 60 first- and second-grade African American, Latino American, and Caucasian children. A subset of narratives based on wordless picture books collected as part of a larger study was coded and analyzed for the following creative and stylistic conventions: organizational style (topic centered, linear, cyclical), dialogue (direct, indirect), reference to character relationships (nature, naming, conduct), embellishment (fantasy, suspense, conflict), and paralinguistic devices (expressive sounds, exclamatory utterances). Results: Many similarities and differences between ethnic groups were found. No significant differences were found between ethnic groups in organizational style or use of paralinguistic devices. African American children included more fantasy in their stories, Latino children named their characters more often, and Caucasian children made more references to the nature of character relationships. Conclusion: Even within the context of a highly structured narrative task based on wordless picture books, culture influences children’s production of narratives. Enhanced understanding of narrative structure, creativity, and style is necessary to provide ecologically valid narrative assessment and intervention for children from diverse cultural backgrounds

Influence of Fe in giant magnetoresistance ratio and magnetic properties of La[sub 0.7]Ca[sub 0.3]Mn[sub 1−x]Fe[sub x]O[sub 3] perovskite type compounds

In this work polycrystalline perovskite with composition La0.7Ca0.3Fe0.05Mn0.95O3 has been produced by standard ceramic method. A considerable change occurs in magnetic, transport and magnetoresistance properties with respect to the classic composition without Fe. The introduction of a different metal, Fe, in Mn-O layer causes a decrease of about 50 K in the value of T-C. In the same way, a decrease of about 10-15% in the average magnetic moment measured at 1 T is also observed. On the other hand, the introduction of Fe does not cause any appreciable change in the value of the lattice parameter. This new compound presents 60% of giant magnetoresistance ratio at 200 K. Magnetization vs. temperature measurements in zero field cooling and field cooling show clear differences at applied fields below 80 km(-1). Such a behavior, also observed in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 sample, is not recognizable as a simple ferromagnetic one. A qualitative discussion of the effect in the magnetic and transport properties of these compounds, caused by the substitution of some Mn atoms by Fe is given

Determination of the asphaltene precipitation envelope and bubble-point pressure for a Mexican crude oil by scanning transitiometry

International audienceIn this work, the phase transitions (liquid−solid, liquid−vapor, and solid−liquid) for a Mexican crude oil were measured with the transitiometric technique over wide temperature and pressure ranges to determine its asphaltene envelope. A titration of this crude oil with n-heptane based on ASTM D3279 and ASTM D4124 standard methods was carried out to make sure that the phase transition corresponds to the asphaltene precipitation. As a result of the experimental work performed here, it is shown that scanning transitiometry is a suitable experimental technique that can be used to determine the asphaltene precipitation onset and the bubble point pressures for a variety of crude oils, where the density of the crude oil is not a limiting factor. The thermodynamic modeling of the asphaltene precipitation envelope was successfully performed using the statistical associating fluid theory for potentials of variable range (SAFT-VR) equation of state (EoS) in the framework of the McMillan− Mayer theory, as reported by Buenrostro-Gonzalez et al. (AIChE J. 2004, 50, 2552−2570). A satisfactory representation of the bubble pressures line was obtained using the Peng−Robinson (PR) EoS

Tailored Jeffamine Molecular Tools for Ordering Mesoporous Silica

Herein, we report the formation of organized mesoporous silica materials prepared from a novel nonionic gemini surfactant, myristoyl-end-capped Jeffamine, synthesized from a polyoxyalkyleneamine (ED900). The behavior of the modified Jeffamine in water was first investigated. A direct micellar phase (L₁) and a hexagonal (H₁) liquid crystal were found. The structure of the micelles was investigated from the SAXS and the analysis by generalized indirect Fourier transformation, which show that the particles are globular of core–shell type. The myristoyl chains, located at the ends of the amphiphile molecule, are assembled to form the core of the micelles and, as a consequence, the molecules are folded over on themselves. Mesoporous materials were then synthesized from the self-assembly mechanism. The recovered materials were characterized by SAXS measurements, nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The results clearly evidence that by modifying the synthesis parameters, such as the surfactant/silica precursor molar ratio and the hydrothermal conditions, one can control the size and the nanostructuring of the resulting material. It was observed that, the lower the temperature of the hydrothermal treatment, the better the mesopore ordering

Acetate-Derived Metabolites from the Brown Alga <i>Lobophora variegata</i>

Seven new nonadecaketides (<b>1</b>–<b>7</b>), lobophorols A–C, lobophopyranones A and B, and lobophorones A and B, along with the first naturally occurring related metabolites (<b>8</b>–<b>10</b>), were isolated from specimens of <i>Lobophora variegata</i> collected from the Canary Islands. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods. In addition, an insight into the biosynthesis of these compounds on the basis of the involvement of type III polyketide synthases is proposed. Lobophorol A (<b>1</b>) showed significant antibacterial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>