Self-reported attention and responses to cigarette package labels at the end of a two-week randomized trial of cigarette package labeling configurations.

INTRODUCTION: Cigarette package inserts that describe quitting benefits and tips may promote cessation; however, research is needed to understand better their effects, including potentially enhancing the effects of pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs). METHODS: A randomized trial with a 2×2 factorial design was conducted with adult smokers (n=356) assigned to either small text-only health warning labels (HWLs; control); inserts with cessation messages, and the small text-only HWLs (inserts-only); large PHWLs (PHWLs-only); both inserts and PHWLs (inserts + PHWLs). Participants received a 14-day supply of their preferred cigarettes with packs labeled to reflect their group. Upon finishing the trial, participants reported their past 14-day frequency of noticing, reading, thinking about smoking harms and cessation benefits, talking about labels, and forgoing cigarettes because of the labels. Ordered logistic models regressed these outcomes on labeling groups, and mediation analyses assessed whether attention (i.e. noticing, reading) to labels mediated effects of labeling exposure on other outcomes (i.e. thinking about harms/benefits, talking, forgoing). RESULTS: The inserts + PHWLs group reported higher frequencies than the control group for all outcomes. Compared to the control group, both the inserts-only and PHWLs-only groups reported higher frequency of noticing (AOR=3.53 and 2.46, respectively) and reading labels (AOR=2.89 and 1.71), thinking about smoking risks because of the labels (AOR=1.93 and 1.82), and talking about labels (AOR=2.30 and 2.70). Participants in the inserts-only group also reported more frequent thinking about quitting benefits (AOR=1.98). Attention mediated all labeling effects except for the contrast between PHWLs only and control. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to text-only HWLS, cigarette labeling that involves inserts, PHWLs, or both appears more effective at drawing attention to warnings, which mediated the effects on cessation-related psychosocial and behavioral outcomes.

Differential responses to cigarette package labeling alternatives among adults who smoke: Results from a randomized trial.

INTRODUCTION: Little experimental research has evaluated whether the effects of cigarette package inserts with efficacy messages and/or pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs) differ across key subgroups of adults who smoke. METHODS: Adults who reported currently smoking (n=367) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: small text-only health warning labels (HWLs) on pack sides (control); inserts with efficacy messages and small HWLs (inserts-only); PHWLs showing harms of smoking (PHWLs-only); both (inserts+PHWLs). Participants received a 14-day supply of cigarettes labeled to reflect their group. Every evening over two weeks, participants reported forgoing and stubbing out cigarettes before they finished smoking over the prior 24 hours, combined into a binary indicator of either behavior (e.g., forgoing/stubbing). Separate mixed-effects logistic models were estimated to evaluate moderation of labeling group contrasts (i.e., PHWLs vs not; inserts vs. not; inserts-only vs. inserts+PHWLs; PHWLs-only vs. inserts+PHWLs) by baseline covariates (self-efficacy to quit, intention to quit, education, health literacy, time discounting), predicting day-level forgoing/stubbing. RESULTS: Education moderated PHWL effects, with PHWLs predicting more forgoing/stubbing only among those with low education (OR=4.68, p<0.001). Time discounting moderated insert effects, with inserts promoting fogoing/stubbing only among those with low time discounting (i.e., lower impulsivity; OR=4.35, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Inserts with efficacy messages appear effective mostly among people with low time discounting, whereas PHWLs appear most effective amongst those with low education, suggesting their potential to address education-related disparities. Labeling strategies appeared equally effective across subgroups defined by self-efficacy to quit, quit intention, and health literacy. Combining inserts with PHWLs did not appear to mitigate moderation effects. IMPLICATIONS: This randomized trial with adults who smoke suggests that cigarette packs with inserts describing cessation benefits and tips can promote cessation-related behaviors (i.e., forgoing or stubbing out cigarettes) among those with low time discounting (i.e., low impulsivity). Alternative interventions may be needed for people with high time discounting, as found in cessation trials. Pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs) appear most effective among those with low education, potentially addressing education-related disparities. No differential effects were found for those with different levels of self-efficacy to quit, quit intentions, or health literacy. Combining inserts and PHWLs may not be more effective than either alone.

The positive association between hyperuricemia and polycystic ovary syndrome and analysis of related factors.

Purpose: To examine the potential association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hyperuricemia and to elucidate the underlying contributory factors. Methods: Retrospective study on 603 women with PCOS and 604 women without PCOS. Anthropometric features, reproductive hormone profiles, and metabolic parameters were measured and compared between two groups of patients. Examinations of correlations between SUA levels and other parameters were conducted to discern potential correlations. Results: Both serum uric acid levels and the incidence of hyperuricemia exhibited statistically significant elevations in women with PCOS when compared to their counterparts without PCOS. Nonetheless, this statistical difference was not found between the obese subgroup after stratifying study subjects by body mass index (BMI). Pearson's correlation analysis underscored the prominence of BMI as a robust factor influencing SUA levels in women, regardless of their PCOS status. Furthermore, multivariable linear regression model demonstrated significant positive associations between SUA levels and several variables, namely dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), free androgen index (FAI), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), area under the curve for insulin (AUC-I), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Additionally, it is noteworthy that the prevalence of hyperuricemia exhibited a positive association with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, while conversely, it displayed a negative association with estradiol (E2) levels. Conclusions: PCOS is associated with a significant elevation of SUA level and hyperuricemia prevalence. HA, IR, and dyslipidemia may be the mediators in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia in women with PCOS.

Characterization of the metabolites of Eucommiae Cortex in rats provides a further insight into its estrogen-like effective substances.

Eucommiae Cortex is one of important traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) used in Asia for preventing and treating osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency. However, the low exposure of prototype components in Eucommiae Cortex in vivo is difficult to interpret its efficacy. Under the guidance of UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, 42 metabolites including 32 lignans and 10 phenolics, 21 of which were new compounds, were isolated from rat urine and feces after oral administration of aqueous extract of E. ulmoides Oliv. by various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were determined based on extensive physicochemical analyses and spectral data. Their absolute configurations were determined by experimental and calculated ECD spectra, along with the calculated NMR with DP4 evaluation. Additionally, all isolated metabolites were evaluated for their estrogen-like activities, and there are 15 metabolites having estrogen-like effects after assessing influences in MCF-7 cells. Further, Dual Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay was used to determine their activation with estrogen receptor, M10 and M11 mixtures, M14, M19, M33, M27, M31, M38-M41 could activate ERα, and M19 and M41 could activate ERß. These results not only clarify the pharmacological substances of Eucommiae Cortex, but also provide a basis for guiding its clinical application.

Socioeconomic Characteristics, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Health Conditions Among Males of Reproductive Age With and Without Disabilities, NHANES 2013-2018.

Health status during the reproductive years influences fecundity, fertility, and the future health of males and their offspring. There remains a dearth of literature examining men's preconception health, especially among high-risk populations, such as those with disabilities. The objective of this study was to examine indicators of preconception health, including chronic medical conditions, lifestyle behaviors, and health care utilization, among males of reproductive age with and without disabilities in the United States. Data were from 3,702 males of reproductive age (18-44 years) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2013-2018. Approximately 14% of males reported having at least one disability related to vision, hearing, cognition, mobility, self-care, or independent living. Among all men, suboptimal preconception health indicators were prevalent including poor or fair self-rated health; low education and household income status; lack of health insurance and no recent utilization of health care and dental care; cigarette smoking; frequent alcohol consumption and binge drinking; marijuana and illegal drug use; obesity; low fruit and vegetable intake and no multi-vitamin use; low physical activity; short sleep durations; depressive symptoms; and hypertension and asthma. Compared to males with no disabilities, males with any disabilities were more likely to have suboptimal preconception health indicators. Strategies to promote and improve sexual health, preconception care, and family planning services among all men are needed. For males with disabilities, specifically, further investigation of their specific health needs related to sex, reproduction, family planning, and fatherhood, as well as interactions with health care providers, is required.

Bartholin's gland cyst caused by Sneathia amnii: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Sneathia amnii is a conditional pathogen of the female genital tract that is involved in bacterial vaginosis and poor reproductive and perinatal outcomes. Few studies have reported subcutaneous cysts following invasive infection caused by S amnii. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report the case of a 27-year-old woman who presented with Bartholin's gland cyst due to S amnii infection, and was successfully treated with surgical neostomy and antibiotic agents. The isolate was gram-negative, bacillary, anaerobic, and was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 16 S rRNA. CONCLUSIONS: S amni is an important but underappreciated pathogen that needs further investigation. This report describes the microbial and pathogenic characteristics of S amnii and is expected to provide a valuable reference in obstetric and gynecologic clinical practice.

Studies on the lipid oxidation and oleosomes behavior in raw pecan kernels during storage.

The oxidative stability of pecan kernels and its relationship with the in-vitro behavior of oleosomes during storage were analyzed. The oxidation index of oil extracted from pecans stored for 20 days increased significantly. At the same time oleosomes in pecans were damaged, indicating a relationship between oleosomes and the oxidative stability of pecans. The rupture of oleosomes increases contact between oil and oxygen leading to an acceleration of oil oxidation. Further analysis of oleosomes showed that their oil content decreased during storage while their particle size increased significantly. It is possible that hydrolysis of endogenous proteins, especially oleosins, was responsible for the rupture of oleosomes, as seen by Tricine-SDS-PAGE. As a result, the content of free fatty acids and oxidized triacylglycerols in oleosomes increased, whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acids content decreased significantly. An in-vitro model confirmed that rupture of oleosomes led to oil leakage and thus accelerated endogenous oil oxidation.

Consumption of fish oil high-fat diet induces murine hair loss via epidermal fatty acid binding protein in skin macrophages.

Fats are essential in healthy diets, but how dietary fats affect immune cell function and overall health is not well understood. Mimicking human high-fat diets (HFDs), which are rich in different fatty acid (FA) components, we fed mice various HFDs from different fat sources, including fish oil and cocoa butter. Mice consuming the fish oil HFD exhibit a hair-loss phenotype. Further studies show that omega-3 (n-3) FAs in fish oil promote atypical infiltration of CD207- (langerin-) myeloid macrophages in skin dermis, which induce hair loss through elevated TNF-α signaling. Mechanistically, epidermal fatty acid binding protein (E-FABP) is demonstrated to play an essential role in inducing TNF-α-mediated hair loss by activating the n-3 FA/ROS/IL-36 signaling pathway in dermal resident macrophages. Absence of E-FABP abrogates fish oil HFD-induced murine hair loss. Altogether, these findings support a role for E-FABP as a lipid sensor mediating n-3 FA-regulated macrophage function and skin health.

Correlation filters tissue tracking with application to robotic minimally invasive surgery.

PURPOSE: Vision-based tissue tracking is a significant component for building efficient autonomous surgical robot system. While the methodology involves various challenges caused by occlusion, deformation and appearance changes. METHODS: We propose a novel correlation filter tissue tracking framework for minimally invasive surgery. Our model contains the innovative design of synthetic features, a bi-branch is exploited to enhance the response map. An incrementally learnt detector with the novel updating and trigger schemes is embedded to model the re-detection module for capturing the lost target. RESULTS: Promising validation has been conducted on the publicly available tracking benchmark datasets, a surgical tissue tracking dataset based on publicly available Cholec80 dataset has also been developed to focus on the application in intra-operative scenes. CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed framework meets the outstanding performance and surpasses the existing methods. The work demonstrates the feasibility to perform tissue tracking by taking advantage of the correlation filter.

Lightweight Deep Neural Network for Articulated Joint Detection of Surgical Instrument in Minimally Invasive Surgical Robot.

Vision-based detection and tracking of surgical instrument are attractive because it relies purely on surgical instrument already in the operating scenario. The vision knowledge of the surgical instruments is a crucial piece of topic for surgical task understanding, autonomous robot control and human-robot collaborative surgeries to enhance surgical outcomes. In this work, a novel method has been demonstrated by developing a multitask lightweight deep neural network framework to explore surgical instrument articulated joint detection. The model has an end-to-end architecture with two branches, which share the same high-level visual features provided by a lightweight backbone while holding respective layers targeting for specific tasks. We have designed a novel subnetwork with joint detection branch and an instrument classification branch to sufficiently take advantage of the relatedness of surgical instrument presence detection and surgical instrument articulated joint detection tasks. The lightweight joint detection branch has been employed to efficiently locate the articulated joint position with simultaneously holding low computational cost. Moreover, the surgical instrument classification branch is introduced to boost the performance of joint detection. The two branches are merged to output the articulated joint location with respective instrument type. Extensive validation has been conducted to evaluate the proposed method. The results demonstrate promising performance of our proposed method. The work represents the feasibility to perform real-time surgical instrument articulated joint detection by taking advantage of the components of surgical robot system, contributing to the reference for further surgical intelligence.

Preparation and In Vitro and In Vivo Antitumor Effects of VEGF Targeting Micelles.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) has antitumor effects mediated by cell viability inhibition and by inducing cellular apoptosis. However, it has limited use in clinical applications due to various factors such as hydrophobicity, dose-dependent toxicity effects on normal tissues, short cycle retention time, and low targeting ability. This study aims at enhancing hydrophilicity of DOX to restrict its toxic effects to within or around the tumor sites and also to improve its targeting ability to enhance antitumor efficiency. METHODS: Micelles composed of biodegradable poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic acid) copolymers (PEG-PLA) were employed to deliver DOX via a self-assembly method and were coupled to VEGF antibodies. The morphology, size, and physical stability of PEG-PLA-DOX targeting VEGF micelles (VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles) were assessed. Then, the release ability of DOX from these micelles was monitored, and their drug loading capacity was calculated. MTT assay revealed the in vitro antitumor effect of VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles. Moreover, ROS release was measured to evaluate apoptotic effects of these nanoparticle micelles. In vivo therapeutic efficiencies of VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles on a lung cancer nude mouse model was evaluated. RESULTS: DOX-loaded micelles were obtained with a drug loading capacity of 12.2% and were monodisperse with 220 nm average diameter and a controlled in vitro DOX release for extended periods. In addition, VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles displayed a larger cell viability inhibitory effect as measured via MTT assays and greater cell apoptosis induction through in vitro ROS levels compared with PEG-PLA-DOX micelles or free DOX. Furthermore, VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles could improve in vivo antitumor effects of DOX by reducing tumor volume and weight. CONCLUSIONS: VEGF-PEG-PLA-DOX micelles displayed a larger anti-tumor effect both in in vitro A549 cells and in an in vivo lung cancer nude mouse model compared with PEG-PLA-DOX micelles or free DOX, and hence they have potential clinical applications in human lung cancer therapy.

Vision-based hand-eye calibration for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery.

PURPOSE: The knowledge of laparoscope vision can greatly improve the surgical operation room (OR) efficiency. For the vision-based computer-assisted surgery, the hand-eye calibration establishes the coordinate relationship between laparoscope and robot slave arm. While significant advances have been made for hand-eye calibration in recent years, efficient algorithm for minimally invasive surgical robot is still a major challenge. Removing the external calibration object in abdominal environment to estimate the hand-eye transformation is still a critical problem. METHODS: We propose a novel hand-eye calibration algorithm to tackle the problem which relies purely on surgical instrument already in the operating scenario for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS). Our model is formed by the geometry information of the surgical instrument and the remote center-of-motion (RCM) constraint. We also enhance the algorithm with stereo laparoscope model. RESULTS: Promising validation of synthetic simulation and experimental surgical robot system have been conducted to evaluate the proposed method. We report results that the proposed method can exhibit the hand-eye calibration without calibration object. CONCLUSION: Vision-based hand-eye calibration is developed. We demonstrate the feasibility to perform hand-eye calibration by taking advantage of the components of surgical robot system, leading to the efficiency of surgical OR.

Visual-based autonomous field of view control of laparoscope with safety-RCM constraints for semi-autonomous surgery.

PURPOSE: The surgeon is not timely in direct control of his field of view. Autonomous laparoscope control can provide appropriate surgical field of view and facilitate the intelligent level of surgical robot system. METHODS: This study explores an autonomous laparoscope control framework for semiautonomous surgery. We propose a novel concept that integrates two forms of Remote Center of Motion (RCM) constraint. We also propose a novel safety-RCM model to cope with the collision condition. We modify the image Jacobian matrix to realize RCM constraint. The two models constitute a dual-RCM constraint for robot laparoscope arm. We perform validation of the algorithm with two experiments. RESULTS: The experimental results show that the RCM position error can be reduced with the dual-RCM constraint. Owing to safety-RCM model, autonomous surgical field of view control could still be realized in case of collision. CONCLUSION: The autonomous laparoscope control could be realized with safety-RCM and dual-RCM algorithms.

Development of a novel intelligent laparoscope system for semi-automatic minimally invasive surgery.

BACKGROUND: Intelligent surgical robot has great significance to alleviate the fatigue of surgeons. In the minimally invasive surgery robot system, adding intelligent control method to the laparoscope control has great realizability and significance. METHODS: Depth independent image Jacobian matrix was modified to make it suitable for laparoscope trocar constraint. We propose a method for intelligent and autonomous adjustment of surgeon's surgical field of view, enabling it to track and predict the motion trajectory of surgical instruments. RESULTS: The result of experiment shows that the proposed method could realize tracking the surgical instruments and adjusting the surgical field of view autonomously. In case of occlusion, motion trajectory of surgical instruments can be predicted. CONCLUSION: The intelligent laparoscope system could improve the intelligent level of surgical robot system. Given providing "a third hand" for the surgeon, the proposed system is a highly improvement for semi-autonomous surgical robot system.

Adaptive Fusion-Based Autonomous Laparoscope Control for Semi-Autonomous Surgery.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an autonomous tracking algorithm based on adaptive fusion kinematics method, the autonomous laparoscope control algorithm and adaptive fusion kinematics method are proposed for semi-autonomous surgery, focus on solving the problems of autonomous laparoscope field of view control for surgical robot system. A novel autonomous tracking algorithm is proposed. To realize more robust tracking, an adaptive fusion kinematics method based on fuzzy logic is proposed, the method adaptive associates the kinematics information of surgical robot system and the laparoscope information. The proposed methods are implemented on the laparoscopic minimally invasive surgical robot system which is developed by our laboratory. Two experiments are carried out, the results indicate that the accurate autonomous field of view control is achieved with the addition of laparoscope information, laparoscopic motion frequency is reduced, the methods can avoid the laparoscope continuous motion and ensure the stability of field of view. The proposed methods improve the intelligence level of surgical robot system.

Circulating Adipose Fatty Acid Binding Protein Is a New Link Underlying Obesity-Associated Breast/Mammary Tumor Development.

It is clear that obesity increases the risk of many types of cancer, including breast cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which obesity is linked to cancer risk remain to be defined. Herein, we report that circulating adipose fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) promotes obesity-associated breast cancer development. Using clinical samples, we demonstrated that circulating A-FABP levels were significantly increased in obese patients with breast cancer in comparison with those without breast cancer. Circulating A-FABP released by adipose tissue directly targeted mammary tumor cells, enhancing tumor stemness and aggressiveness through activation of the IL-6/STAT3/ALDH1 pathway. Importantly, genetic deletion of A-FABP successfully reduced tumor ALHD1 activation and obesity-associated mammary tumor growth and development in different mouse models. Collectively, these data suggest circulating A-FABP as a new link between obesity and breast cancer risk, thereby revealing A-FABP as a potential new therapeutic target for treatment of obesity-associated cancers.

Stearic Acid Induces CD11c Expression in Proinflammatory Macrophages via Epidermal Fatty Acid Binding Protein.

Obesity is associated with elevated levels of free fatty acids (FAs) and proinflammatory CD11c+ macrophages. However, whether and how free FAs contribute to CD11c+ macrophage differentiation and proinflammatory functions remain unclear. Here we report that dietary saturated FAs, but not unsaturated FAs, promoted the differentiation and function of CD11c+ macrophages. Specifically, we demonstrated that stearic acid (SA) significantly induced CD11c expression in monocytes through activation of the nuclear retinoid acid receptor. More importantly, cytosolic expression of epidermal FA binding protein (E-FABP) in monocytes/macrophages was shown to be critical to the mediation of the SA-induced effect. Depletion of E-FABP not only inhibited SA-induced CD11c upregulation in macrophages in vitro but also abrogated high-saturated-fat diet-induced skin lesions in obese mouse models in vivo. Altogether, our data demonstrate a novel mechanism by which saturated FAs promote obesity-associated inflammation through inducing E-FABP/retinoid acid receptor-mediated differentiation of CD11c+ macrophages.

Epidermal FABP Prevents Chemical-Induced Skin Tumorigenesis by Regulation of TPA-Induced IFN/p53/SOX2 Pathway in Keratinocytes.

Skin lipids (e.g., fatty acids) are essential for normal skin functions. Epidermal FABP (E-FABP) is the predominant FABP expressed in skin epidermis. However, the role of E-FABP in skin homeostasis and pathology remains largely unknown. Herein, we utilized the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate-induced skin tumorigenesis model to assess the role of E-FABP in chemical-induced skin tumorigenesis. Compared to their wild-type littermates, mice deficient in E-FABP, but not adipose FABP, developed more skin tumors with higher incidence. 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate functioning as a tumor promoter induced E-FABP expression and initiated extensive flaring inflammation in skin. Interestingly, 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate -induced production of IFN-ß and IFN-λ in the skin tissue was dependent on E-FABP expression. Further protein and gene expression arrays demonstrated that E-FABP was critical in enhancing IFN-induced p53 responses and in suppressing SOX2 expression in keratinocytes. Thus, E-FABP expression in skin suppresses chemical-induced skin tumorigenesis through regulation of IFN/p53/SOX2 pathway. Collectively, our data suggest an unknown function of E-FABP in prevention of skin tumor development, and offer E-FABP as a therapeutic target for improving skin innate immunity in chemical-induced skin tumor prevention.

Expression of Adipocyte/Macrophage Fatty Acid-Binding Protein in Tumor-Associated Macrophages Promotes Breast Cancer Progression.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play a critical role in cancer development and progression. However, the heterogeneity of TAM presents a major challenge to identify clinically relevant markers for protumor TAM. Here, we report that expression of adipocyte/macrophage fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) in TAM promotes breast cancer progression. Although upregulation of A-FABP was inversely associated with breast cancer survival, deficiency of A-FABP significantly reduced mammary tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, the protumor effect of A-FABP was mediated by TAM, in particular, in a subset of TAM with a CD11b+F4/80+MHCII-Ly6C- phenotype. A-FABP expression in TAM facilitated protumor IL6/STAT3 signaling through regulation of the NFκB/miR-29b pathway. Collectively, our results suggest A-FABP as a new functional marker for protumor TAM.Significance: These findings identify A-FABP as a functional marker for protumor macrophages, thus offering a new target for tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Res; 78(9); 2343-55. ©2018 AACR.

Saturated Fatty Acids Induce Ceramide-associated Macrophage Cell Death.

Macrophages highly express epidermal fatty acid-binding protein and adipose fatty acid-binding protein. They actively uptake saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, which might play a critical role in regulating their immune functions. Numerous studies have shown that various fatty acids, saturated or unsaturated, may possess different impacts on cell growth and function. However, the approaches used for fatty acid preparation vary, which may lead to non-physiological results. Serum albumin, a natural carrier for fatty acids in mammalian peripheral blood, is recommended for forming a conjugate complex with the sodium salt of fatty acids to study fatty acid function in mammalian cells, thus minimizing the toxicity of fatty acid soap. Thus, a simple, relatively quick heating and sonicating method is developed and presented here for BSA-fatty acid conjugate formation. We describe a protocol using saturated fatty acids, especially stearic acids to induce severe cell death in mouse bone-marrow derived macrophages. We further demonstrate that saturated fatty acid-induced cell death is positively associated with accumulated cellular ceramide levels. This method can be extended for studies of the impact of fatty acid on other mammalian cells.