The Effects of a Synbiotic Mixture of Galacto-Oligosaccharides and Bacillus Strains in Caspian Salmon,Salmo trutta caspius Fingerlings

The effect of dietary supplementation with a synbiotic mixture of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and Bacillus spp. was examined in Caspian salmon, Salmo trutta caspius (Kessler, 1877) fingerlings. Caspian salmon fed with the synbiotic diet had significantly higher weight gain rate, protein efficiency ratio, and survival rate, as well as lower feed conversion ratio, compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The serum protein, albumin, globulin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels of the fish fed with the synbiotic diet were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05), while the serum alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05). The activities of the innate immune response parameters, including lysozyme, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were significantly higher in the Caspian salmon fed with the synbiotic diet (P < 0.05). The gut microbiota of the Caspian salmon fed with the synbiotic diet contained significantly elevated total viable aerobic bacterial counts (TVABCs), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) levels, and LAB/TVABCs ratio (P < 0.05). Additionally, the gut activities of amylase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin in the gut, as well as the trypsin/chymotrypsin ratio, were significantly increased in the fish that received the synbiotic diet (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined GOS and Bacillus spp. supplement positively affected the growth, survival rate, immunobiochemical parameters, digestive activity, and beneficial microbial density in the gut of Caspian salmon fingerlings.

     

Tumor‐propagating cells and Yap/Taz activity contribute to lung tumor progression and metastasis

Metastasis is the leading cause of morbidity for lung cancer patients. Here we demonstrate that murine tumor propagating cells (TPCs) with the markers Sca1 and CD24 are enriched for metastatic potential in orthotopic transplantation assays. CD24 knockdown decreased the metastatic potential of lung cancer cell lines resembling TPCs. In lung cancer patient data sets, metastatic spread and patient survival could be stratified with a murine lung TPC gene signature. The TPC signature was enriched for genes in the Hippo signaling pathway. Knockdown of the Hippo mediators Yap1 or Taz decreased in vitro cellular migration and transplantation of metastatic disease. Furthermore, constitutively active Yap was sufficient to drive lung tumor progression in vivo. These results demonstrate functional roles for two different pathways, CD24‐dependent and Yap/Taz‐dependent pathways, in lung tumor propagation and metastasis. This study demonstrates the utility of TPCs for identifying molecules contributing to metastatic lung cancer, potentially enabling the therapeutic targeting of this devastating disease.     

A formulation for calculating the translational velocity of a vortex ring or pair

Cephalopods, among other marine animals, use jet propulsion for swimming. A simple actuator is designed to loosely mimic pulsatile jet formation in squid and jellyfish. The actuator is comprised of a cavity with an oscillating diaphragm and an exit orifice. Periodic oscillation of the diaphragm results in the formation of an array of vortex rings and eventually could generate a periodic pulsatile jet. A general formulation for calculating the velocity of a steadily translating vortical structure in two-dimensional and axi-symmetric shear flows is presented. This technique is based on taking the variational derivative of an energetic function at its critical point. This technique is general, applicable to vortices in liquid and gas media, with no limitation on the relative size of the vortex core. The technique is then implemented to estimate the translational velocity of a vortex ring in a Helmholtz vortex ring generator.     

Modified high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection method for plasma measurement of levodopa, 3-O-methyldopa, dopamine, carbidopa and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid

Plasma measurements of levodopa and its major metabolites including dopamine and 3-O-methyldopa have been limited by cumbersome methods and poor sensitivity within relatively narrow ranges of plasma levels. We now report a modification of an HPLC method that permits concomitant measurements of a wide range of concentrations of levodopa, dopamine (DA), carbidopa, 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) from one HPLC injection. The recoveries ranged from 77 to 107% with an intra-day precision around 5% (CV) and inter-day CV's about 10-20%. This validated method will simplify pharmacokinetic studies of levodopa and its metabolites for mechanistic studies or therapeutic clinical monitoring which play a crucial role in development of strategies to prolong motor benefits from individual doses and reduce involuntary movements called dykinesias.     

AMP-activated protein kinase is a key regulator of obesity-associated factors

An imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure leads to obesity. Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of several metabolic diseases including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. So, controlling obesity could be effective in the improvement of obesity-related diseases. Various factors are involved in obesity, such as AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK), silent information regulators, inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress parameters, gastrointestinal hormones, adipokines, angiopoietin-like proteins, and microRNAs. These factors play an important role in obesity by controlling fat metabolism, energy homeostasis, food intake, and insulin sensitivity. AMPK is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine protein kinase known as a fuel-sensing enzyme. The central role of AMPK in obesity makes it an attractive molecule to target obesity and related metabolic diseases. In this review, the critical role of AMPK in obesity and the interplay between AMPK and obesity-associated factors were elaborated.     

Designed miR-19a/b sponge induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells through the PI3K-PTEN-Akt pathway regulation

Molecular Biology Reports - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are one of the main factors in cancer development and can alter the activity of proto-oncogenic or tumor suppressor genes. The miR-17-92 cluster,...