Analysis of the economic performance of salmon farming in submerged and surface cages in the Black Sea.

The production period for salmon farming in the Black Sea comprises the winter period and is limited to seven months, due to high water temperatures during the summer time. As an alternative strategy, temporary cage submersion during the summer season might be a solution for salmon grow-out throughout the year. Therefore, this study was conducted for comparative evaluation of economic performance of submerged and surface cages, by analyzing structural costs and returns for Turkish salmon farming in the Black Sea. As a result of the temporary cage submersion strategy, economic profits increased by nearly 70%, granting higher values of financial indicators with increased net profit (685,652.5 $ year-1) and margin of safety (89.6%), compared to the traditional surface cage (397,058.5 $ year-1 net profit and 88.4% margin of safety). The "What-if" analysis showed that profits from both cage systems were sensitive to variations in sale price, and the simulation by 10% reduced export market value may decrease revenues, with less financial profit loss for the submerged cage over the surface once. Hence, temporary cage submersion seems to be an alternative farm management strategy with extended production cycle and higher profits for the sustainable development of Turkish salmon farming in the Black Sea.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in subjects with different stages of periodontitis according to the new classification.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates inflammatory responses in various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) for GM-CSF, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) levels in patients with stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV periodontitis (SI-P, SII-P, SIII-P, and SIV-P). METHODOLOGY: A total of 126 individuals were recruited for this study, including 21 periodontal healthy (PH), 21 gingivitis (G), 21 SI-P, 21 SII-P, 21 SIII-P, and 21 SIV-P patients. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), presence of bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), and attachment loss (AL) were used during the clinical periodontal assessment. GCF samples were obtained and analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: GCF GM-CSF, MIP-1α, and IL-1ß were significantly higher in SII-P and SIII-P groups than in PH, G, and SI-P groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among the PH, G, and SI-P groups in IL-1ß, GM-CSF, and MIP-1α levels (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that GM-CSF expression was increased in SII-P, SIII-P, and SIV-P. Furthermore, GM-CSF levels may have some potential to discriminate between early and advanced stages of periodontitis.

Effects of low dose doxycycline and caffeic acid phenethyl ester on sclerostin and bone morphogenic protein-2 expressions in experimental periodontitis.

We investigated the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and low-dose doxycycline (LDD) on sclerostin and bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2 expression in experimental periodontitis. We used male rats in groups as follows: control group (C), periodontitis + CAPE group (PC), periodontitis + LDD group (PD), periodontitis + LDD + CAPE group (PCD) and periodontitis group (P). We administered 10 µmol/kg/day CAPE by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and 10 mg/kg/day LDD by oral gavage. Histopathological changes among groups were evaluated and compared. Sclerostin and BMP-2 expression was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. LDD and/or CAPE treatment ameliorated pathology. The highest sclerostin and lowest BMP-2 expressions were found in P group. Group PC exhibited the highest BMP-2 expression scores and the most significant improvement among the treatment groups. The lowest sclerostin expression was observed in the PD group. We found that preventing sclerostin activity may be a useful treatment alternative for bone resorption, especially in cases of periodontitis and peri-implantitis. We found that CAPE and/or LDD may act as anti-sclerostin agents.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in subjects with different stages of periodontitis according to the new classification

Abstract Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates inflammatory responses in various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) for GM-CSF, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) levels in patients with stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV periodontitis (SI-P, SII-P, SIII-P, and SIV-P). Methodology: A total of 126 individuals were recruited for this study, including 21 periodontal healthy (PH), 21 gingivitis (G), 21 SI-P, 21 SII-P, 21 SIII-P, and 21 SIV-P patients. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), presence of bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), and attachment loss (AL) were used during the clinical periodontal assessment. GCF samples were obtained and analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: GCF GM-CSF, MIP-1α, and IL-1β were significantly higher in SII-P and SIII-P groups than in PH, G, and SI-P groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among the PH, G, and SI-P groups in IL-1β, GM-CSF, and MIP-1α levels (p>0.05). Conclusions: These results show that GM-CSF expression was increased in SII-P, SIII-P, and SIV-P. Furthermore, GM-CSF levels may have some potential to discriminate between early and advanced stages of periodontitis.

Protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on the heart in experimental periodontitis against oxidative stress in rats.

BACKGROUND: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) may be considered as alternative treatment for periodontitis and benefit the heart by way of its ameliorative effects. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of CAPE on cytokine levels and the oxidative status in the serum and heart tissue in a rat model of periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experimental animals were randomly assigned to 3 groups: control group (C; n = 8); periodontitis group (P; n = 10); and periodontitis + CAPE group (PC; n = 10). Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, at a dose of 10 µmol/kg/day, was administered by intraperitoneal injection over a 14-day period. Interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL­10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were assessed in the serum. Glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed in both the serum and the heart tissue homogenate. RESULTS: Increased IL­1ß, IL­10 and TNF-α serum levels were observed in the P group (p < 0.05). Caffeic acid phenethyl ester significantly decreased alveolar bone loss (ABL) and cytokine levels in the PC group (p < 0.05). Malondialdehyde, one of the strongest oxidants, was significantly decreased in the PC group as compared to the P group (p < 0.05). In both the serum and the heart tissue homogenate there were no differences in MDA levels between the PC and C groups. Furthermore, CAPE significantly increased GSH and GSH-Px levels in the serum and heart tissue (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester has beneficial effects on the tissues affected by periodontitis.

Is caffeic acid phenethyl ester more protective than doxycycline in experimental periodontitis?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Host modulation therapies (anti-inflammatory drugs, bone-stimulating agents, anti-proteinase etc.) target the inhibition or stabilization of tissue breakdown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and/or low dose doxycycline (LDD) administrations on alveolar bone loss (ABL), serum cytokines and gingival apoptosis, as well as the levels of oxidants and anti-oxidants in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The animals were randomly divided into five groups: Group C (periodontally healthy), Group PC (Periodontitis+CAPE), Group PD (Periodontitis+LDD), Group PCD (Periodontitis+CAPE+LDD), Group P (Periodontitis). Experimental periodontitis was induced for 14days. Levels of ABL, and the serum cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1 ß, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-10 were assessed as were the levels of the oxidants and anti-oxidants, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and levels of gingival apoptosis. RESULTS: The lowest ABL levels was evident in the PC group, among the experimental groups. There was also less inflammatory infiltration in the PC group than the PD group. IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-10 were lower in the PC group and higher in the P group in comparison to the levels in the other experiment groups. TNF-α levels in the PD group were higher than levels in the PC and PCD groups. The PC and PCD groups did not differ from the C group in regard to MDA levels. The highest GSH-Px level was found in the PC group. Gingival apoptosis in the PC group was not only lower than the PD and PCD groups, but also lower than in the C group. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that CAPE has more anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects than LDD, with no additive benefits of a CAPE+LDD combination being evident in rats with periodontitis.