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Feline chronic enteropathies (FCE), include food-responsive-enteropathy (FRE), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL), and are common causes of chronic gastrointestinal signs in cats. Distinguishing between different subgroups of FCE can be challenging due to the frequent overlap of anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory data. While dysregulation in lipid metabolism has been reported in humans and dogs with chronic IBD, similar changes in cats are not yet completely understood. Assessing the fatty acid (FA) profile of red blood cell (RBC) membranes offers a valuable method for evaluating the quantity and quality of structural and functional molecular components in the membranes. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the FA composition of RBC membranes in FCE in comparison to healthy cats (HC). Gas-chromatography was used to quantitatively analyze a cluster of 11 FA, and based on these results, parameters of lipid homeostasis and enzyme activity indexes were calculated. A total of 41 FCE cats (17 FRE, 15 IBD, 9 LGITL) and 43 HC were enrolled. In FCE cats, the values of docosapentaenoic acid (p = 0.0002) and docosahexaenoic acid (p = 0.0246), were significantly higher, resulting in an overall increase in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p = 0.006), and that of linoleic acid (p = 0.0026) was significantly lower. Additionally, FCE cats exhibited an increased PUFA balance (p = 0.0019) and Δ6-desaturase index (p = 0.0151), along with a decreased ω-6/ω-3 ratio (p = 0.0019). No differences were observed among cats affected by FRE, IBD and LGITL. Like humans and dogs, the results of this study indicate that FCE cats also display changes in their FA lipid profile at the level of the RBC membrane. The non-invasive analysis of RBC membrane shows promise as a potential tool for gaining a better understanding of lipid imbalances in this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is a worldwide commonly found malignancy in women and effective treatment is regarded as a huge clinical challenge even in the presence of several treatment options. Extensive literature is available demonstrating polyphenols as phytopharmaceutical anticancer agents. Among the polyphenols, quercetin and curcumin have been reported to have a strong potential against breast cancer. However, so far, no comprehensive study has been performed to demonstrate the anticarcinogenic effects of curcumin, quercetin, and their combinations with somatostatin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes. We used MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells incubated with curcumin and quercetin for 24 h, in the absence and presence of somatostatin, at their [EC.sub.50] concentrations to evaluate membrane fatty acid based functional lipidomics together with the followup of EGFR and MAPK signaling pathways. The two cell lines gave different membrane free fatty acid reorganization. In MCF-7 cells, the following changes were observed: an increase of [omega]6 linoleic acid in the cells incubated with somatostatin + quercetin and quercetin and a decrease of [omega]3 acids in the cells incubated with somatostatin + curcumin compared to somatostatin and significant increases of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), mono-trans arachidonic acid levels and docosapentaenoic acid for the cells incubated with somatostatin + quercetin compared to the control cells. In MDA-MB231 cells, incubations with curcumin, quercetin, and somatostatin + quercetin induced the most significant membrane remodeling with the increase of stearic acid, diminution of [omega]6 linoleic, arachidonic acids, and [omega]3 (docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids). Distinct signaling pathway changes were found for these cell lines. In MCF-7 cells, separate or combined incubations with somatostatin and quercetin, significantly decreased EGFR and incubation with curcumin decreased MAPK signaling. In MDA-MB231 cells, incubation with curcumin decreased AKT1 and p-AKT1 (Thr308) levels. Incubation with curcumin and quercetin decreased the EGFR levels. Our results showed that cytostatic and antioxidant treatments can be combined to induce membrane fatty acid changes, including lipid isomerization as specific free radical driven process, and to influence signaling pathways. This study aimed to contribute to the literature on these antioxidants in the treatment of breast cancer to clarify the effects and mechanisms in combination with somatostatin. Key words: somatostatin, curcumin, quercetin, breast cancer, cell signaling, membrane fatty acid profile. Le cancer du sein est une maladie frequente chez les femmes a l'echelle mondiale et son traitement efficace est considere comme etant un immense probleme clinique, meme en presence de plusieurs options therapeutiques. Il existe une grande quantite de donnees publiees decrivant les polyphenols comme etant des agents phytopharmaceutiques anticancereux. Parmi les polyphenols, on a rapporte que la quercetine et la curcumine sont potentiellement fort utiles contre le cancer du sein. Cependant, jusqu'a maintenant, aucune etude exhaustive n'a tente de montrer les effets anticancerigenes de la curcumine, de la quercetine et de leur association avec la somatostatine sur le profil des acides gras membranaires des cellules de cancer du sein. A l'aide de cellules de cancer du sein MCF-7 et MDA-MB231 incubees avec de la curcumine et de la quercetine pendant 24 h, en absence ou en presence de somatostatine et a leur concentration efficace mediane, nous avons evalue la lipidomique fonctionnelle basee sur les acides gras membranaires ainsi que suivi les voies de signalisation des recepteurs du facteur de croissance epidermique (EGF pour << epidermal growth factor >>) et de la MAP kinase. Les deux lignees cellulaires ont donne differentes reorganisations des acides gras libres. Dans les cellules MCF-7, nous avons observe les modifications suivantes : hausse de l'acide linoleique [omega]6 avec l'association somatostatine + quercetine et la quercetine, et abaissement des acides gras [omega]3 plus marque dans les cellules incubees avec l'association somatostatine + quercetine qu'avec la somatostatine, ainsi qu'une augmentation notable plus importante des taux d'acides gras mono-insatures, d'acide arachidonique mono-trans et d'acide docosapentaenoique pour les cellules incubees avec l'association somatostatine + quercetine que chez les cellules temoins. Pour les cellules MDA-MB231, l'incubation avec de la curcumine, de la quercetine et l'association somatostatine + quercetine a entraine le plus important remodelage membranaire avec une hausse de l'acide stearique, un abaissement des acides gras linoleique [omega]6, arachidonique et [omega]3 (acides docosapentaenoique et docosahexaenoique). Nous avons observe des modifications distinctes des voies de signalisation pour ces lignees cellulaires. Pour les cellules MCF-7, l'incubation avec de la somatostatine ou de la quercetine separement ou en association entrainait une inhibition marquee de la voie de signalisation des recepteurs de l'EGF, et l'incubation avec de la curcumine entrainait une inhibition de la voie de signalisation de la MAP kinase. L'incubation des cellules MDA-MB231 avec de la curcumine a entraine une diminution des taux d'AKTl et de p-AKT1 (Thr308). L'incubation avec de la curcumine et de la quercetine entrainait une diminution des taux des recepteurs de l'EGF. Nos resultats ont montre que des traitements cytostatiques et antioxydants peuvent etre associes pour produire des changements dans les acides gras membranaires, y compris une isomerisation lipidique en tant que processus specifique entraine par les radicaux libres, ainsi que pour influencer les voies de signalisation. Cette etude visait a ajouter aux connaissances publiees quant a l'utilisation de ces antioxydants dans le traitement du cancer du sein, en vue d'en clarifier les effets et les modes d'action en association avec la somatostatine. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: somatostatine, curcumine, quercetine, cancer du sein, signalisation cellulaire, profil des acides gras membranaires., Introduction Cancer is a deadly global disease and a critical barrier in the cumulative life span of the affected population (Bray et al. 2018). On the basis of the recorded [...]

Next Generation Science Standards encourage science instruction that offers not only opportunities for inquiry but also the diverse social and cognitive processes involved in scientific thinking and communication. This article gives an introduction to Lave and Wenger's (1991) communities of practice framework as a potential way of viewing students' role in science learning communities. It then discusses potential benefits of communities of practice for middle level learners in terms of motivation, identity, and academic outcomes and explains how technology and appropriate support can be used to build communities of practice at the middle school level.

Aims: Improving the composition of circulating fatty acids (FA) leads to a reduction in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in high‐risk individuals. The membrane fluidity of red blood cells (RBC), which reflects circulating FA status, may be a valid biomarker of cardiovascular (CV) risk in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: Red blood cell membrane fluidity, quantified as general polarization (GP), was assessed in 234 subjects with T2D, 86 with prior major CVD. Based on GP distribution, a cut‐off of.445 was used to divide the study cohort into two groups: the first with higher GP, called GEL, and the second, defined as lower GP (LGP). Lipidomic analysis was performed to evaluate FA composition of RBC membranes. Results: Although with comparable CV risk factors, the LGP group had a greater percentage of patients with major CVD than the GEL group (40% vs 24%, respectively, p <.05). Moreover, in a logistic regression analysis, a lower GP value was independently associated with the presence of macrovascular complications. Lipidomic analysis showed a clear shift of LGP membranes towards a pro‐inflammatory condition due to higher content of arachidonic acid and increased omega 6/omega 3 index. Conclusions: Increased membrane fluidity is associated with a higher CV risk in subjects with T2D. If confirmed in prospective studies, membrane fluidity could be a new biomarker for residual CV risk assessment in T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut allergy is a lifelong, increasingly prevalent, and potentially life-threatening disease burdening families and communities. Dietary, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), intakes can exert positive effects on immune and inflammatory responses, and the red blood cell (RBC) membrane lipidome contains stabilized metabolic and nutritional information connected with such responses. The fatty-acid-based membrane lipidome profile has been exploratorily evaluated in a small cohort of patients (eight males and one female, age range 4.1–21.7 years old, body mass index BMI < 25) with angioedema and/or anaphylaxis after peanut ingestion. This analysis was performed according to an ISO 17025 certified robotic protocol, isolating mature RBCs, extracting membrane lipids, and transforming them to fatty acid methyl esters for gas chromatography recognition and quantification. Comparison with a group of age- and BMI-matched healthy individuals and with benchmark interval values of a healthy population evidenced significant differences, such as higher levels of ω-6 (arachidonic acid), lower values of ω-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), together with an increased ω-6/ω-3 ratio in allergic patients. A significant inverse correlation was also found between specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and ω-6 di-homo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) and total PUFAs. Results of this preliminary study encourage screenings in larger cohorts, also in view of precision nutrition and nutraceuticals strategies, and stimulate interest to expand basic and applied research for unveiling molecular mechanisms that are still missing and individuating treatments in chronic allergic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine if oral methylergometrine administration during the first 10 d following spontaneous vaginal delivery has any beneficial effect on the increase of hemoglobin levels.Methods: This was a parallel group double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted at single center university hospital in Italy. Participants were puerperal women, who delivered singleton gestation with spontaneous vaginal delivery at term. Participants were randomized into a 1:1 ratio to receive either 0.125 mg methylergometrine per os twice a day or placebo for 10 d. Hemoglobin levels were recorded on the day of delivery and after 10 d. The primary outcome was the variation in hemoglobin levels between the first and the 10th day of treatment.Results: From December 2012 to October 2015, 220 agreed to take part in the study, underwent randomization, and were enrolled and followed-up. Of the randomized women, 110 (50%) were randomized to the methylergometrine group and 110 (50%) to the placebo group. No women were excluded after randomization or lost to follow-up (100%). We found no significant difference in the median variation of hemoglobin levels between the intervention and the placebo groupConclusions: The use of 10 d oral methylergometrine in puerperal women was not associated with any benefit in the variation of hemoglobin levels from delivery to 10 d after delivery.Key MessageMethylergometrine in puerperal women was not associated with any benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]