Bovine haptoglobin as an adipokine: serum concentrations and tissue expression in dairy cows receiving a conjugated linoleic acids supplement throughout lactation.

The present study aimed to characterize serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations throughout an entire lactation period in both primi- and multiparous cows and to compare them to the Hp mRNA expression in liver and - in view of Hp being potentially an adipokine - also in different subcutaneous (s.c.) and visceral fat depots. In addition, potential anti-inflammatory effects of long-term supplementation with conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) were evaluated by assessing Hp. Trial 1 comprised 33 cows and 16 Holstein heifers from day 21 ante partum until day 252 postpartum. The animals received 100 or 50 g/day CLA or a control fat supplement. Blood samples and biopsy (tail head fat and liver) samples were collected. Trial 2 included 25 Holstein heifers, 5 animals were slaughtered on the day of parturition, the remaining animals were allocated to either CLA (100 g/day, n=10) or control fat supplement (n=10) and slaughtered on days 42 and 105 postpartum, respectively. At slaughter, fat samples were collected from 3 different visceral depots, 3 s.c. depots and from liver tissue. Results indicated no effects of CLA on serum Hp and liver Hp mRNA for both trials and on Hp mRNA in biopsies from s.c. tail head fat. In omental and s.c. withers fat from trial 2, CLA reduced Hp mRNA on both day 42 and day 105. Hp mRNA was detectable in fat tissues from both trials with abundance values being significantly lower than in liver. The Hp mRNA abundance in the s.c. fat depots was generally higher than in the visceral depots. Haptoglobin mRNA abundance in the different tissues from trial 2 was correlated whereby all s.c. depots were interrelated. The evidence of Hp mRNA expression in adipose tissues and the presence of Hp-immune staining in histological fat sections confirm that Hp can be classified as a bovine adipokine. The lack of an evident relationship between circulating Hp concentrations and normal body fat portions in dairy cattle demonstrates that varying degrees of adiposity are not confounding factors when using Hp as inflammatory marker. The physiological changes in serum Hp concentration seem to be limited to parity and parturition. In view of the lack of effects of CLA on serum Hp concentrations, the observed reaction in two out of six different fat depots seems of marginal importance for the organisms as an entity.

Rodents and their ectoparasites in Wadi Hanifah, Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

A survey was conducted on commercial and wild rodents from different locations in Wadi Hanifah in Riyadh. Six species of rodents were collected with wire net traps baited with fresh cucumber or fatty cheese. The trapped rodents in descending order of numbers were Rattus rattus rattus, Acomys dimidiatus, Meriones libycus, R. r. frugivorus, R. r. alexandrinus and Mus musculus. The ectoparasites were a flea, Xenopsyllus sp. on R. r. frugivorus and a tick, Rhipicephalus turanicus on each of A. dimidiatus and R. r. alexandrinus. In general, rodents and ectoparasites were low in Wadi Hanifah, probably due to the severe hot and very dry weather mainly in the summer season.

Biocompatibility of dentin bonding agents.

Dentin bonding agents were introduced to enhance the bonding of composite resins to dentin. Many commercial brands of bonding agents are now available for clinical use, and they are getting more and more popular. The third generation of dentin bonding agents seems to be more effective than earlier generations, although more complex to use. Dentin bonding agents have different chemical compositions, different mechanism of action, and different clinical application procedures and, conceivably, different biological effects on the pulpal tissues are expected. The reported biological effects of dentin bonding agents ranged from none to severe, depending on several factors. Opinions varied whether the inflammatory reactions associated with some bonding agents were due to the material per se, to bacterial ingrowth at the tooth restoration interface, or due to a combination of both factors.