Selection of adjuvant to be combined with the antigen is an extremely important point for formulating effective vaccines. The aim of this study was to evaluate reactogenicity, levels of IgM, IgG and subclasses (IgG1, IgG2b and IgG3), and protection elicited by vaccine formulations with association of chitosan coated alginate or Montanide ISA 61 with γ-irradiated Brucella ovis. The alginate/chitosan biopolymers as well as the Montanide ISA 61 emulsion elicited intense and long-lasting local response, especially when associated with the antigen. However, Montanide ISA 61 induced less intense reactogenicity when compared to alginate/chitosan. Furthermore, γ-irradiated B. ovis with Montanide ISA 61 induced higher levels of IgG2b an important marker of cellular immune response. In conclusion, Montanide ISA 61 resulted in milder reactogenicity when compared to the alginate/chitosan, while it induced a high IgG2b/IgG1 ratio compatible with a Th1 profile response.

BACKGROUND: In the general population randomized controlled trial PreventADALL, frequent emollient bath additives from 2 weeks of age did not prevent atopic dermatitis, while the effect on skin barrier function throughout infancy is not established.
OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this exploratory substudy was to assess the effect of mineral-based oil baths on transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and dry skin through infancy, and secondarily to explore if filaggrin (FLG) mutations modified the effect.
METHODS: Overall, 2153 infants were included and randomized to either the \'Skin intervention\' (SI) group (n = 995) (oil bath 4 times weekly from 2 weeks through 8 months) or \'No skin intervention\' (NSI) group (n = 1158), with TEWL measurements at 3, 6 and/or 12 months of age. Information on FLG mutation status was available for 1683 of these infants. Effects of the skin intervention on TEWL and dry skin through infancy were assessed by mixed-effects regression modelling. Background characteristics and protocol adherence were collected from electronic questionnaires, birth records and weekly diaries.
RESULTS: The TEWL (95% confidence interval) was on average 0.42 g m-2 h-1 (0.13-0.70, P = 0.004) higher in the SI group compared with the NSI group through the first year of life, with significantly higher levels at 3 months [8.6 (8.3-9.0) vs. 7.6 (7.3-7.9)], but similar at 6 and 12 months. Dry skin was observed significantly more often in the NSI group compared with the SI group at 3 months (59% vs. 51%) and at 6 months of age (63% vs. 53%), while at 12 months of age, the difference was no longer significant. At 3 months, the TEWL of FLG mutation carriers was similar to the TEWL in the SI group. No interaction between SI and FLG mutation was found in the first year of life.
CONCLUSIONS: Infants given frequent oil baths from 2 weeks of age had reduced skin barrier function through infancy compared with controls, largely attributed to higher TEWL at 3 months of age, while the skin at 3 and 6 months appeared less dry in infants subjected to the skin intervention.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) affects approximately 20% of children in industrialized countries. AD causes dry, itchy skin and can increase the chance of infections. This study was a substudy of the large Scandinavian PreventADALL trial, including 2394 infants, recruited from the general population between 2014 and 2016. Children in this trial were allocated randomly to receive either a skin intervention, food intervention, combined intervention, or no intervention. Children were examined at 3, 6 and 12 months of age. The examinations involved an investigation of the skin, to evaluate dry skin and skin barrier function by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in the outer layers of the skin (higher TEWL suggests decreased skin barrier function). The skin intervention consisted of oil baths at least 4 times per week from 2 weeks of age through 8 months of age, and have previously not been shown to prevent AD by 1 and 3 years of age. We aimed to investigate whether frequent oil baths had any effect on TEWL and dry skin. We found that the skin intervention increased TEWL in the first year of life, especially at 3 months of age. Dry skin was less common in the skin intervention groups compared with the groups with no skin intervention. Infants with mutations in the gene coding for a skin barrier protein, called filaggrin, were associated with increased TEWL; however, in the skin intervention group, TEWL was similar among the infants with or without filaggrin mutations. Our findings suggest that oil baths several times per week from early infancy transiently decreases skin barrier function.

Most in vitro models of oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) used thus far to gain insights into embryo-maternal communication induce cell dedifferentiation or are technically challenging. Moreover, although the presence of developing embryos has been shown to alter gene expression in OEC, the effect of embryos on OEC physiology remains largely unknown. Here, we propose a model based on bovine oviduct epithelial spheroids (OES) with specific shape and diameter (100-200 μm) criteria. The aims of this study were to i) determine the appropriate culture conditions of bovine OES cultured in suspension by evaluating their morphology, total cell number, viability, and activity of ciliated cells; ii) monitor gene expression in OES at the time of their formation (day 0) and over the 10 days of culture; and iii) test whether the vicinity of developing embryos affects OES quality criteria. On day 10, the proportions of vesicle-shaped OES (V-OES) were higher in M199/500 (500 μl of HEPES-buffered TCM-199) and synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF)/25 (25-μL droplet of SOF medium under mineral oil) than in M199/25 (25-μL droplet of M199 under mineral oil). The proportion of viable cells in V-OES was not affected by culture conditions and remained high (>80%) through day 10. The total number of cells per V-OES decreased over time except in SOF/25, while the proportions of ciliated cells increased over time in M199/500 but decreased in M199/25 and SOF/25. The movement amplitude of OES in suspension decreased over time under all culture conditions. Moreover, the gene expression of ANXA1, ESR1, HSPA8, and HSPA1A in OES remained stable during culture, while that of PGR and OVGP1 decreased from day 0 to day 10. Last, the co-culture of developing embryos with OES in SOF/25 increased the rates of blastocysts on days 7 and 8 compared to embryos cultured alone, and increased the proportion of V-OES compared to OES cultured alone. In conclusion, M199/500 and SOF/25 provided the optimal conditions for the long-time culture of OES. The supporting effect of OES on embryo development and of developing embryos on OES morphology was evidenced for the first time. Altogether, these results point OES as an easy-to-use, standardizable, and physiological model to study embryo-maternal interactions in cattle.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women throughout the world. This study is a parallel, randomized, double-blind, controlled, 12-week supplementation trial, investigating the anti-inflammatory effects of dietary intake of fish oil and evening primrose oil (EPO), in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The primary outcomes were changes in the nutritional status and inflammatory cytokines of patients during the study. The secondary outcomes were changes in hematological and biochemical parameters and fatty acid profile. Of the 32 eligible patients, half of them is randomly assigned to a treatment arm with fish oil and EPO (n = 16), or a control arm (n = 16) with mineral oil as a placebo. The intervention group was taking 2 gel capsules of fish oil and 3 gel capsules of EPO (400 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, 600 mg docosahexaenoic acid, and 351 mg gamma-linolenic acid) fish oil and evening primrose oil for 12 weeks, during their chemotherapy. The control/placebo group was taking 5 gel capsules of 1g of mineral oil. One of the patients dropped out due to discontinuation of the treatment (in the placebo group) and two did not show up at the post-treatment measurements (in the intervention group), thus, 29 women completed the study. The results showed an increase in plasma levels of docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), total n-3PUFA, vaccenic acid (18:1n-7), and a decrease in n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in the intervention group. An increase in the plasma level of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3n-6) was observed in the placebo group. There was no difference in plasma levels of interleukin (IL) IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, while the level of IL-6 decreased in both groups and was significantly lower in the intervention group at the end of the study. In conclusion, this supplementation improved the PUFA status and decreased the level of IL-6 in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Consequently, this treatment may help reduce cancer complications resulting from impaired lipid metabolism and inflammation. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03516253. Date of registration 04/05/2018.

The incidence of DNA damage from exposure to specific types of metalworking fluids has been reported. In this research, size-selective permissible limits to prevent genotoxic damage in A549 cell lines exposed to two types of mineral oil were estimated for the first time using a benchmark dose approach and extrapolated to workers. The comet assay was performed based on Olive and Banath protocol to determine DNA damage. Then, the Benchmark Dose, the 95% lower bound confidence limit BMD, and the 95% upper-bound confidence limit BMD were determined using continuous response data. Finally, the four Benchmark Dose levels reported in the A549 cell line were extrapolated to the human population in occupational settings in two phases. This study showed when determining the permissible limits, the type used or unused, the type of injury, the organ affected in the body and the size of the particles should also be considered.

Insulating oil plays a crucial role in internal insulation of oil-impregnated transformers. It has been demonstrated in a variety of experimental studies that mineral oil (MO) and vegetable oil (VO) can be blended in different ratios to improve insulation properties; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. In this study, a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach was used to investigate diffusion of water molecules in VO/MO blends and dielectric constants of a mixture. The results show that the diffusion coefficient of water molecules is negatively correlated with the proportion of VO; thus, addition of VO helps to improve the insulation properties of a mixture. Due to introduction of strong polar functional groups, a decrease in the diffusion behavior of water molecules can be attributed to an increase in the interaction energy and formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules and the mixed oil system. There is a direct correlation between the dielectric constant of a mixture and VO content; however, it is very sensitive to water content. The presence of strong polar water molecules or functional groups in a mixture leads to an increase in the dielectric constant, which results in a reduction in insulating properties. Accordingly, presence of polar groups plays an important role in determining the insulating properties of a mixture. To increase the insulation performance of a mixture, it is important to consider the diffusion-inhibiting and dielectric effects of the stronger polar groups in vegetable oil compared to those in mineral oil.

Aluminum phosphide (AlP) poisoning is a serious medical emergency with a high mortality rate. The absence of an exact antidote for AlP poisoning necessitates the quest for alternative treatment options. The study sought to assess the efficacy of adding L-carnitine or medicated paraffin oil to the conventional approach of treatment employed in cases of acute AlP poisoning. We conducted a 1 year, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, single-blind clinical study. 96 individuals with acute AlP poisoning were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The standard AlP therapy was administered to all groups according to the Poison Control Center guidelines at the Ain-Shams University hospitals. All patients underwent a medical history review, clinical examination, and laboratory tests. The outcomes were assessed. The participants in the study groups had mean ages ranging from 25.6 to 26.3 years. The cases analyzed were evenly distributed between genders, with the majority originating from rural areas. The average delay time varied from 2.9 to 4.2 h. All patients in the study reported ingesting AlP during suicide attempts. 12 hours after admission, many clinical and biochemical data improved in both intervention groups including cytochrome c oxidase, caspase-3, caspase-9, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. The intervention groups required significantly less mechanical ventilation and had a lower mortality rate than the control group. Decontamination with paraffin oil could be advantageous for reducing the severity of AlP poisoning, improving prognosis, and lowering the mortality rate.

During the 2020-21 olive oil campaign, the contribution of harvesting operations to mineral oil saturated (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) contamination was studied. Oils extracted from hand-picked olives (15 different olive groves) generally had background MOSH (<2.7 mg/kg), and no quantifiable MOAH. In 40% of the cases, an important contamination increase was observed after harvesting operations. Except for one sample (325.8 and 111.0 mg/kg of MOSH and MOAH, respectively), other samples reached 4.3-33.7 mg/kg of MOSH and 1.1-11.3 mg/kg of MOAH. Accidental leaks of lubricants and/or contact with lubricated mechanical parts, were identified as important sources of contamination. Chromatographic traces obtained by on-line high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID) allowed for source identification. A comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic platform (GC × GC) with parallel FID/MS detection was implemented for confirmation and to attempt the characterization of the contaminations. Good harvesting practices are suggested to minimize contamination risks.

This work aimed to study the end of service life of soles of protective footwear resistant to selected mechanical factors and mineral oil. Three sole variants were examined; made from poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and polyurethane (PU), currently widely used in all-rubber protective footwear. The preliminary study focused on the abrasion resistance and bending strength of the three sole materials after different times of exposure to mineral oil. Changes in density and hardness of the examined materials were evaluated following exposure to cyclical factors. Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant differences between the three types of polymers in terms of abrasion resistance, density and hardness following exposure to mineral oil for three different periods. Surface morphology of the sole materials was examined by means of scanning electron microscopy. The presented studies elucidate the effects of mineral oil on the basic mechanical parameters of all-rubber footwear soles.

An excess of body fat is one of the biggest public health concerns in the world, due to its relationship with the emergence of other health problems. Evidence suggests that supplementation with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) promotes increased lipolysis and the reduction of body mass. Likewise, this clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with krill oil on waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter in overweight women. This pilot, balanced, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study was carried out with 26 women between 20 and 59 years old, with a body mass index >25 kg/m2. The participants were divided into the control (CG) (n = 15, 3 g/daily of mineral oil) and krill oil (GK) (n = 16, 3 g/daily of krill oil) groups, and received the supplementation for eight weeks. Food intake variables were obtained using a 24 h food recall. Anthropometric measurements (body mass, body mass index, waist circumference, and sagittal abdominal diameter) and handgrip strength were obtained. After the intervention, no changes were found for the anthropometric and handgrip strength variables (p > 0.05). Regarding food intake, differences were found for carbohydrate (p = 0.040) and polyunsaturated (p = 0.006) fatty acids, with a reduction in the control group and an increase in krill oil. In conclusion, supplementation with krill oil did not reduce the waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter. Therefore, more long-term studies with a larger sample size are necessary to evaluate the possible benefits of krill oil supplementation in overweight women.