Arachidonic acid alleviates the detrimental effects of acetylsalicylic acid on human granulosa cells performance in vitro

Here, we investigated the biological effects of arachidonic acid (AA) in human cumulus granulosa cells (CGCs) after exposure to ASA. Cells were isolated from the follicular fluid and incubated with 0.5 mM acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and 50 µM AA. Cell viability was analyzed by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. E₂ and P₄ levels were measured by chemiluminescence assay. Expression of genes including CYP19A1, FACN, and SCD1 was measured by real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay. Oxidative status was analyzed by monitoring glutathione peroxidase activity. The fatty acid profile was analyzed by the gas chromatography technique. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in CGCs after exposure to ASA and AA. Protein levels of the estrogen receptor were studied by immunofluorescence staining. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy imaging. ASA treatment reduced E₂ production, Cyp19a1 expression, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and estradiol receptor expression in CGCs. The addition of AA prevented the ASA‐induced E₂ reduction (p < .05) and expression of Cyp19a1. Moreover, AA increased the antioxidant capacity of CGCs exposed to ASA by promoting GPx activity (p < .05). AA increased monounsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio compared with the ASA group (p < .05). AA supplementation triggered the synthesis and secretion of PGE₂ in ASA‐treated CGCS (p < .05). Cytoplasmic vacuolation observed in the ASA group and treatment with AA intensified vacuolation rate. The expression of the estrogen receptor was increased after AA supplementation. Data demonstrated that AA decreased the detrimental effects of ASA on human CGCs after 72 hr.     

Highly Efficient Semiconductor-Based Metasurface for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: Broadband Light Perfect Absorption with Dimensions Smaller than the Diffusion Length

Plasmonics - In this paper, we demonstrate a highly efficient light trapping design that is made of a metal-oxide-semiconductor-semiconductor (nanograting/nanopatch) (MOSSg/p) four-layer design to...     

Anti‐inflammatory and immune‐modulatory impacts of berberine on activation of autoreactive T cells in autoimmune inflammation

Autoreactive inflammatory CD4⁺ T cells, such as T helper (Th)1 and Th17 subtypes, have been found to associate with the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. On the other hand, CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺ T regulatory (Treg) cells are crucial for the immune tolerance and have a critical role in the suppression of the excessive immune and inflammatory response promoted by these Th cells. In contrast, dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages are immune cells that through their inflammatory functions promote autoreactive T‐cell responses in autoimmune conditions. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to exploring effective immunomodulatory or anti‐inflammatory agents from the herbal collection of traditional medicine. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, is one of the main active ingredients extracted from medicinal herbs and has been shown to exert various biological and pharmacological effects that are suggested to be mainly attributed to its anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Several lines of experimental study have recently investigated the therapeutic potential of berberine for treating autoimmune conditions in animal models of human autoimmune diseases. Here, we aimed to seek mechanisms underlying immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory effects of berberine on autoreactive inflammatory responses in autoimmune conditions. Reported data reveal that berberine can directly suppress functions and differentiation of pro‐inflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells, and indirectly decrease Th cell‐mediated inflammation through modulating or suppressing other cells assisting autoreactive inflammation, such as Tregs, DCs and macrophages.     

Differential expression of microRNA in serum fractions and association of Argonaute 1 microRNAs with heart failure

The serum or plasma microRNA (miRNA) molecules have been suggested as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, in various pathological conditions. However, these molecules are also found in different serum fractions, such as exosomes and Argonaute (Ago) protein complexes. Ago1 is the predominant Ago protein expressed in heart tissue. The objective of the study was to examine the hypothesis that Ago1‐associated miRNAs may be more relevant to cardiac disease and heart failure compared with the serum. In total, 84 miRNA molecules were screened for their expression in the whole serum, exosomes and Ago1, and Ago2 complexes. Ago1‐bound miR‐222‐3p, miR‐497‐5p and miR‐21‐5p were significantly higher, and let‐7a‐5p was significantly lower in HF patients compared with healthy controls, whereas no such difference was observed for those markers in the serum samples among the groups. A combination of these 4 miRNAs into an Ago1‐HF score provided a ROC curve with an AUC of 1, demonstrating clear discrimination between heart failure patients and healthy individuals. Ago1 fraction might be a better and more specific platform for identifying HF‐related miRNAs compared with the whole serum.     

Flow‐injection determination of manganese (II) using surfactant enhanced diperiodatonickelate (IV)‐rhodamine 6G chemiluminescence

Chemiluminescence (CL) of the rhodamine 6‐G‐diperiodatonickelate (IV) (Rh6‐G‐Ni(IV) complex) in the presence of Brij‐35 was examined in an alkaline medium and implemented using flow‐injection analysis to analyze Mn(II) in natural waters. Brij‐35 was identified as the surfactant of choice that enhanced CL intensity by about 62% of the reaction. The calibration curves were linear in the range 1.7 × 10^?3 – 0.2 (0.9990, n = 7) and 8.0 × 10^?4 – 0.1 μg ml^?1 (0.9990, n = 7) with limits of detection (LODs) (S:N = 3) of 5.0 × 10^?4 and 2.4 × 10^?4 μg ml^?1 without and with using an in‐line 8‐hydroxyquinoline (8‐HQ) resin mini‐column, respectively. The sample throughput and relative standard deviation were 200 h^?1 and 1.7–2.2% in the range studied respectively. Mn(II) concentrations in certified reference materials and natural water samples was successfully determined. A brief discussion about the possible CL reaction mechanism is also given. In addition, analysis of V(III), Cr(III) and Fe(II) was also performed without and with using an in‐line 8–HQ column and selective elution of each metal ion was achieved by adjusting the pH of the sample carrier stream with aqueous HCl solution.     

Impacts of the Toba eruption and montane forest expansion on diversification in Sumatran parachuting frogs (Rhacophorus)

Catastrophic events, such as volcanic eruptions, can have profound impacts on the demographic histories of resident taxa. Due to its presumed effect on biodiversity, the Pleistocene eruption of super‐volcano Toba has received abundant attention. We test the effects of the Toba eruption on the diversification, genetic diversity, and demography of three co‐distributed species of parachuting frogs (Genus Rhacophorus) on Sumatra. We generate target‐capture data (~950 loci and ~440,000 bp) for three species of parachuting frogs and use these data paired with previously generated double digest restriction‐site associated DNA (ddRADseq) data to estimate population structure and genetic diversity, to test for population size changes using demographic modelling, and to estimate the temporal clustering of size change events using a full‐likelihood Bayesian method. We find that populations around Toba exhibit reduced genetic diversity compared with southern populations, and that northern populations exhibit a shift in effective population size around the time of the eruption (~80 kya). However, we infer a stronger signal of expansion in southern populations around ~400 kya, and at least two of the northern populations may have also expanded at this time. Taken together, these findings suggest that the Toba eruption precipitated population declines in northern populations, but that the demographic history of these three species was also strongly impacted by mid‐Pleistocene forest expansion during glacial periods. We propose local rather than regional effects of the Toba eruption, and emphasize the dynamic nature of diversification on the Sunda Shelf.     

To what extent can the tiny parasitoid wasps,Eretmocerus mundus,fly upwind?

Body miniaturization in insects is predicted to result in decreased flight speed and therefore limited ability of these insects to fly upwind. Therefore, tiny insects are often regarded as relying on passive dispersal by winds. We tested this assumption in a wind tunnel by measuring the burst speed of Eretmocerus mundus (Mercet), a beneficial parasitoid wasp with body length <1 mm. Insects were filmed flying upwind towards a UV light source in a range of wind speed 0–0.5 m/s. The Insects flew towards the UV light in the absence and presence of wind but increased their flight speed in the presence of wind. They also changed flight direction to be directly upwind and maintained this body orientation even while drifted backwards relative to the ground by stronger winds. Field measurements showed that the average flight speed observed in the wind tunnel (0.3 m/s) is sufficient to allow flying between plants even when the wind speed above the vegetation was 3–5 folds higher. A simulation of the ability of the insects to control their flight trajectory towards a visual target (sticky traps) in winds show that the insects can manipulate their progress relative to the ground even when the wind speed exceeds their flight speed. The main factors determining the ability of the insects to reach the trap were trap diameter and the difference between insect flight speed and wind speed. The simulation also predicts the direction of arrival to the sticky target showing that many of the insects reach the target from the leeward side (i.e. by flight upwind). In light of these results, the notion that miniature insects passively disperse by winds is misleading because it disregards the ability of the insects to control their drift relative to the ground in winds that are faster than their flight speed.     

Association of a variant in the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene with risk of cervical cancer

Molecular Biology Reports - Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the regulation of the immune system and potentially the progression of cervical...