RESUMO
To maintain a beneficial concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the efficient conversion of its precursor, α-linolenic acid (α-LA), is important. Here, we studied the conversion of α-LA to EPA using ICR and C57BL/6 mice. A single dose of perilla oil rich-in α-LA or free α-LA had not been converted to EPA 18 h following administration. The α-LA was absorbed into the circulation, and its concentration peaked 6 h after administration, after which it rapidly decreased. In contrast, EPA administration was followed by an increase in circulating EPA concentration, but this did not decrease between 6 and 18 h, indicating that the clearance of EPA is slower than that of α-LA. After ≥1 week perilla oil intake, the circulating EPA concentration was >20 times higher than that of the control group which consumed olive oil, indicating that daily consumption, but not a single dose, of α-LA-rich oil might help preserve the physiologic EPA concentration. The consumption of high concentrations of perilla oil for 4 weeks also increased the hepatic expression of Elovl5, which is involved in fatty acid elongation; however, further studies are needed to characterize the relationship between the expression of this gene and the conversion of α-LA to EPA.
Assuntos
Ácido Eicosapentaenoico , Fígado , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Endogâmicos ICR , Óleos de Plantas , Ácido alfa-Linolênico , Animais , Ácido alfa-Linolênico/administração & dosagem , Ácido Eicosapentaenoico/sangue , Ácido Eicosapentaenoico/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Óleos de Plantas/administração & dosagem , Camundongos , Fígado/metabolismo , Elongases de Ácidos Graxos/metabolismo , Azeite de Oliva/administração & dosagem , Acetiltransferases/metabolismo , Acetiltransferases/genéticaRESUMO
We conducted a survey from 1999 to 2004 of female students attending a college of nursing, regarding their awareness of the municipal waste reduction policy as well as the problems caused by dioxins. The questionnaire survey showed that over the six years a majority of students supported a stricter waste-sorting policy. The students were willing to sort waste in more minute details. Only a handful of students was aware of the municipal government's waste-reduction campaign. Furthermore, the students' awareness regarding problems caused by dioxins was high, but decreased from 94.7% in 1999 to 76.5% in 2004, with more than 90.0% of the students recognizing that it is necessary to reduce the total amount of waste in order to decrease dioxin emission from incineration plants.
