Dietary α-linolenic acid from flaxseed oil improved folliculogenesis and IVF performance in dairy cows, similar to eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids from fish oil.

The objectives of this study were to determine the differential incorporation of various omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) supplemented to dairy cows into ovarian compartments and assess the effects on IVF. Forty-two 256-day pregnant cows were supplemented with encapsulated fats, in treatments designated as i) SFA - saturated fat at 240 and 560 g/day per cow, prepartum and post partum (PP) respectively; ii) FLX - flaxseed oil at 300 and 700 g/day per cow prepartum and PP respectively; and iii) FO - fish oil at 300 and 700 g/day per cow prepartum and PP respectively. Commencing at 60 days in lactation, ovum pickup (OPU) was performed twice weekly (20 sessions; five cows per group) and in vitro maturation and IVF were conducted. The proportion of α-linolenic acid (ALA) was greater in follicular fluid (FF), granulosa cells, and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) of FLX cows than in other groups (P<0.001). The proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was 6.7 times as great in FF of FO as in other groups (P<0.001); docosapentaenoic acid n-3 and DHA were detected in COCs of FO but not in others. The follicle number during OPU was higher in FLX and FO than in SFA (P<0.05), and the oocyte cleavage rate was higher in FLX and FO than in SFA (P<0.01). Also, the percentage of oocytes that developed to blastocysts tended to be higher in both n-3 groups than in SFA (P<0.1). In conclusion, both dietary n-3 FAs similarly improved folliculogenesis and IVF performance; therefore, ALA-rich botanical n-3 seems to be a satisfactory approach to improve oocyte quality.

Effects of surfactants originating from reuse of greywater on capillary rise in the soil.

Greywater is all domestic wastewater excluding toilet effluents. Detergents contain surfactants, which account for the highest concentration of organic chemicals in average domestic wastewater. Accumulation of surfactants in greywater-irrigated soils was determined in three household gardens. The effect of surfactants on capillary rise in loess and sand was then tested in the range of concentrations found in the garden soils. The capillary rise of freshwater in sieved oven-dried soil mixed with different concentrations of laundry detergent solution (10% w/w moisture content) was determined. In a second setup, the soil was mixed with freshwater and the rising solution contained different concentrations of detergent solution. The introduction of laundry solution to the soils caused a significant decrease in the capillary rise over the range of concentrations that is found in greywater-irrigated soils. The effect was more noticeable in the sand than in the loess. Interestingly, in the second setup, the capillary rise of the laundry solutions in the sand was almost similar to that of freshwater, whereas in the loess the capillary rise was significantly reduced. It is suggested that accumulation of surfactants in the soil might form water repellent soils that have a significant effect on agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) for mustard gas burns.

Mustard gas (MS) has been used in chemical warfare since World War I. The blistering skin lesions are slow to heal. Secondary inflammation might occur, as well as damage to organs distant from the original wound. Presently there is no specific antidote for burns and poisoning by MS. This study examined treatment modalities with free oxygen radical scavengers, copper-zinc, and manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD), for MS skin burns in an experimental guinea pig model. Each of the SOD compounds reduced dramatically burn lesion area when administered intraperitoneally/intralesionally (i.p./i.l.) before wound infliction. The protective action of the SODs was also evident in the significantly higher histopathological score of biopsies obtained on day 7 from local tissue, caused with the lower dose of MS. When the SOD compounds were administered i.p. 1 hour after burn infliction, and repeated daily for 7 days, no protective effect could be detected under the present experimental conditions.

A model for quantitative measurement of sulfur mustard skin lesions in the rabbit ear.

The search for treatment and protection against the vesicant and inflammatory skin lesions induced by sulfur mustard suffers from the lack of a good in vivo reproducible model. We applied sulfur mustard (25-500 microg/cm2) to the outer surface of the ears of 10 rabbits and measured the edema formation 12, 24 and 48 h post-application with a caliper especially designed for soft matter. There was a dose-dependent linear increase in edema magnitude in the range from 25 to 150 microg/cm2. Maximal edema was observed after 12 h. There was a 12% reduction in edema size 24 h after application and a further decrease after 48 h. Skin thickness, inflammatory cell infiltrate, necrosis and vesiculation were evaluated in biopsies taken after 24 h. We found the same dose-related increase both in skin thickness and in degree of blister formation. This simple dose-response in vivo model can be used for evaluation of the dermal inflammation induced by topical application of sulfur mustard. This model has the additional advantage of a built-in control, namely the untreated contralateral ear. Consequently, this model can serve as a useful tool for future screening of potential compounds for prevention and treatment of sulfur mustard-induced skin lesions.

Sebum and water content in the skin of aged immobilized patients.

In the present study we investigated the sebum content and hydration of the skin in aged immobilized patients. Healthy aged as well as young and aged immobilized patients were evaluated by photometry, using a sebum tester and capacitance meter to detect sebum and hydration, respectively, in various skin areas. Sebum content was significantly higher in the young groups as compared to the aged ones, including those of the immobilized patients. Similar values of water content were observed in the healthy young and aged volunteers. However, surprisingly, a significantly marked decrease was detected in each tested area of the immobilized patients. We may assume that a cascade of events caused by the immobilization status of the patients leads to a significant decrease in water content within the dermis.

Measurement of croton oil induced rabbit ear swelling and evaluation of anti-inflammatory agents with a standard low pressure caliper.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Carbobenzoxy-phenylalanyl-methionine (CBZ-Phe-Met), a known inhibitor of the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) in vitro, has not been evaluated as a topical anti-inflammatory agent in vivo. In order to measure the effect of CBZ-phe-met, one needs a repeat-able, quantitative, easily obtainable standard measurement of the edema formation. In this study, a caliper designed for measuring soft materials was used to evaluate the edema, induced by croton oil on rabbit ears, as well as the effects of CBZ-phe-met. METHODS: The model used in this study was croton-induced inflammation on rabbit ears. A caliper for measuring soft materials (European standard DIN 863 part 3, manufactured by TESA Ltd., Renens, Switzerland) was used to evaluate the edema, which is part of the inflammatory effect. The action of CBZ-phe-met and two other anti-inflammatory agents; hydrocortisone and Na-ibuprofen, were compared. RESULTS: CBZ-phe-met 1-5% was found to reduce the edema on rabbit ears induced by croton oil by 15 to 93%. 5% CBZ-phe-met was found to be as effective as 5% Na-ibuprofen and 0.1% hydrocortisone. CONCLUSION: The caliper for soft materials was found to be suitable for measuring the edema induced by croton-oil, as well as the reducing edema due to anti-inflammatory treatment. It was also found that CBZ-phe-met is a potent topical anti-inflammatory agent in the croton-oil-induced inflammatory model. This may indicate a new approach in the treatment of inflammation.

Influence of ageing on the in vivo mechanics of the skin.

The response of the skin to common in vivo tests (in-plane uniaxial stretch, torsion, indentation and levarometry) is analyzed in terms of their suitability for ageing studies. The analysis suggests that low-load indentation and small deformation levarometry are well suited for ageing studies since the skin response under these tests can be directly related to its structure and constituent properties (known to be affected by ageing). The measured forehead skin response under these tests in 'young' (20-26 years) and 'old' (64-80 years) subjects is presented and compared with predictions of corresponding models. The results show that levarometry is more sensitive to ageing than indentometry.