The effect of pomegranate seed oil and grapeseed oil on cis-9, trans-11 CLA (rumenic acid), n-3 and n-6 fatty acids deposition in selected tissues of chickens.

The aim of this study was to determine whether diet modification with different doses of grapeseed oil or pomegranate seed oil will improve the nutritive value of poultry meat in terms of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, as well as rumenic acid (cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid) content in tissues diversified in lipid composition and roles in lipid metabolism. To evaluate the influence of applied diet modification comprehensively, two chemometric methods were used. Results of cluster analysis demonstrated that pomegranate seed oil modifies fatty acids profile in the most potent way, mainly by an increase in rumenic acid content. Principal component analysis showed that regardless of type of tissue first principal component is strongly associated with type of deposited fatty acid, while second principal component enables identification of place of deposition-type of tissue. Pomegranate seed oil seems to be a valuable feed additive in chickens' feeding.

Fatty acid profile of new promising unconventional plant oils for cosmetic use.

OBJECTIVE: Oils have been used on the cosmetic application since antiquity. With the growing interest in cosmetic formulation of strictly natural origin there has been also an increased interest in the use of alternative oils obtained from nuts, herbs, fruit and vegetable seeds. Due to lack of good scientific reports on the cosmetic plant oils available in Poland, the aim of our research was to characterize fatty acids (FA) profile and oxidative quality of selected unconventional plant oils, which are used as cosmetics or potential cosmetic ingredients. METHODS: Oils were purchased from cosmetic health shops in Warsaw (Poland); FA profile was analysed by gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection. Peroxide index (PI), content of hydroperoxides (PV) and free fatty acids (AV) were also determined. RESULTS: Oxidative quality and FA composition of examined oils varied widely among analyzed oils. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters. Clusters S1 and S3 include only one oil (Perilla and sea buckthorn, respectively). Perilla oil is characterized by relatively small content of both saturated FA (8.5%) and monounsaturated FA (14.2%) and much higher amount of polyunsaturated FA (73.5%) whereas in sea buckthorn these proportions are opposite (saturated FA and monounsaturated FA - 33.5% and 51.0% respectively, and the lowest amount of polyunsaturated FA - 5.2%). In cluster S2 two sub-clusters were distinguished and the content of linoleic (p = 0.0015), α-linolenic (p = 0.0092) and oleic (p = 0.0015) acid caused this distinction. PI ranged from 8.9 in sea buckthorn oil to 135 in Perilla oil. Perilla oil and raspberry seed oil were also characterized by the highest PV (225 ± 14.9 mEq O/kg oil and 232 ± 13.8 mEq O/kg oil, respectively), whereas the lowest PV was determined for walnut oil (0.82 ± 0.18 mEq O/kg oil) and carrot seed oil (0.87 ± 0.21 mEq O/kg oil) oils. CONCLUSION: FA composition of cosmetic oils in combination with data concerning their oxidative quality, is very important for determining their safe and effective use. It is very important to standardize and test the FA content in commercially available oils of cosmetic use.

[Susceptibility to antibiotics of Staphylococcus aureus strains]. / Wrazliwosc na antybiotyki szczepów Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a very important pathogen in humans about 20% of all bacterial infections are caused by S. aureus. Because the staphylococcal sensitivity patterns have changed, the aim of this study was to investigate the current susceptibility of the S. aureus strains to 9 antibiotics: penicillin (P), amoxacillin/clavulanic acid (AMC), erythromycin (E), cortimoxazole (SXT), tetracycline (T), chloramphenicol (C), mupirocin (MUP), gentamicin (Ge) and vancomycin (Va). Susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion technique, by the procedure outlined by the National Committe for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Susceptibility to methicillin was determined using 5 micrograms methicillin disks. beta-lactamase production in the penicillin-resistant strains was detected with nitrocefin impregnated disk (Cefinase, BBL Microbiology system). The microbiological characteristics of the samples: 338 of the isolates were derived, from noses and the throats 382--from surgical wound secretions. The analysis of the results showed that most S. aureus strains (82.8%) are penicillin resistant and beta-lactamase producing 13.5% of all strains were methicillin-resistant. 16.5%--were erythromycin resistant; 3.2%--were cotrimoxazole resistant; 51.4%--were mupirocin resistant; 20.6%--were gentamicin resistant. All of the strains were vancomycin sensitive.

[Beta-lactam-resistance patterns of some gram-negative rods]. / Wzory opornosci na antybiotyki beta-laktamowe niektórych paleczek gram-ujemnych.

Antibiotic susceptibility to ampicillin of 290 E. coli, 56 Klebsiella sp. And 167 P.mirabilis strains was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. Data were interpreted according to the NCCLS criteria. 37.9% of E. coli, 85.7% of Klebsiella sp. And 65.9% of P. mirabilis strains were resistant to ampicillin. In all resistant to ampicillin strains were performed resistance patterns to following antibiotics: piperacillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, cefotaxime and imipenem. The strains resistant to ampicillin were divided into four groups depending on resistance patterns.

[Resistance of Haemophilus sp. to antibiotics]. / Opornosc Haemophilus sp. na antybiotyki.

The present study was undertaken to determine the in vitro drug resistance of Haemophilus influenzae (68 isolates) and H. parainfluenzae (17 isolates). The tests susceptibility to Ampicillin, Amoxicilin/Clavulanic Acid, Cefaclor, Cefuroxime, Cotrimoxazole, Aztreonam, Ceftriaxone, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Rifampicin and Chloramphenicol were performed with a standard disk-diffusion method. The NCCLS methodology and susceptibility interpretative criteria were applied as described by the disk manufacturer. Beta-lactamase production was detected with nitrocefin impregnated disk (Cefinase, BBL Microbiology System). Resistance in nosocomially acquired Haemophilus isolates to several antibiotics was observed. Of the Haemophilus isolates 28.2% were Ampicillin in resistant, all were susceptible to the combination of Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid. The Ampicillin-resistant strains were beta-lactamase producers. We observed the high resistance (70.1%) to Tetracycline and (28.2%) to SXT (Cotrimoxazole). All isolates of Haemophilus were susceptible to Ciprofloxacin. The low resistance percentages to Rifampin (1.2%), Aztreonam (3.5%) and Chloramphenicol (3.5%) was observed.

[Resistance to antibiotics of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains]. / Opornosc na antybiotyki szczepów Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae strains are exhibiting increasing rates of antibiotics resistance. A rapid increase of resistance was seen not only to penicillin but also other antimicrobial agents and therefore this paper describes the study of resistance and multiresistance of pneumococci to 7 antibiotics: penicillin (P), erythromycin (E), clindamycin (CC), tetracycline (T), co-trimoxazole (SXT), cefotaxime (CTX) and vancomycin (Va), using the disk-diffusion technique according to NCCLS procedure. We tested a total of 218 S. pneumoniae strains isolated from various materials: from sputum (54), noses (117), throats (28) and different swabs specimens (19). The overall percentage of resistant isolates to penicillin was 3.7%, to erythromycin--4.1%, to clindamycin--10.6%, to tetracycline--17.4%, to co-trimoxazole--15.6%, to cefotaxime--2.3%. In the sputum was most the monoresistant strains (66.7%). The multiresistance was highest in the penicillin resistant pneumococci. With the exception of vancomycin, the number of resistant strains to non-beta-lactam antibiotics (erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, co-trimoxazole) was higher in penicillin-resistant strains compared with penicillin susceptible isolates. All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin.

Kynurenic acid synthesis in bovine retinal slices--effect of glutamate agonists.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of glutamate agonists upon kynurenic acid (KYNA) production in bovine retinal slices. Quantitative analysis of newly synthesized KYNA was carried out using an HPLC system and detected fluorimetrically. Glutamate at the concentration of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mM reduced KYNA synthesis in the retinal slices to 70% (p < 0.05), 35% (p < 0.01) and 23% (p < 0.001), respectively. The concentration of glutamate reducing production of KYNA by 50% (IC(50)) was 0.035 mM (0.02-0.06). Aspartate at the concentration of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mM lowered KYNA synthesis in the retinal slices to 80% (p < 0.01), 57% (p < 0.001) and 43% (p < 0.001), respectively. In contrast, kainic acid (up to 5 mM), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) (up to 1 mM) and 1-aminocyclopentane-trans-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (t-ACPD) (up to 3 mM) turned out to be ineffective in diminishing KYNA synthesis. These data demonstrate that glutamate, aspartate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) inhibit KYNA synthesis in bovine retinal slices with different potency.

Neuroprotective role of testosterone in the nervous system.

Testosterone -- the gonadal sex steroid hormone plays an important role in the central nervous system (CNS) development. One of the less known testosterone actions is neuroprotection. There are some evidences supporting the hypothesis that testosterone may act protectively in neurodegenerative disorders, e.g. Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or depression. Androgens alter also the morphology, survival and axonal regeneration of motor neurons. These hormones accelerate the regeneration of hamster facial nerve and anterior tibialis sciatic nerve in rabbits following crush axotomy. Androgens exert trophic action in laryngeal motor nucleus of Xenopus laevis. Testosterone is linked to an increase in neuron somal size, neuritic growth, plasticity and synaptogenesis in both motoneurons of the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus and several populations of pelvic autonomic neurons. The hormone reduced the extent of spinal cord damage in vitro. There are also evidences against the neuroprotective action of testosterone. Testosterone does not protect against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity of the dopaminergic system in mice and does not provide significant neuroprotection against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Androgens do not prevent striatal dopamine depletion induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in mice. Although the role of testosterone in the CNS is still poorly understood, accumulating evidence suggests that testosterone may create a future treatment for MCI and related cognitive diseases, including dementia and may influence motor neuron regeneration in adulthood. Androgen replacement therapy in selected male populations may hold therapeutic promise for the prevention and/or treatment of age-related disorders associated with neuronal injury.