The association between trans fatty acids,infertility and fetal life: a review

Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are thought to affect reproductive health by causing adverse effects on sperm morphology and ovum quality as a result of changing membrane lipid composition which, in turn, leads to impairment in metabolic pathways. This literature review examines the evidence for the effects of dietary TFAs on male and female infertility. Studies conducted between 2007 and 2017 on the effect of dietary TFAs on human reproductive health and fetal life have been included. They indicate that TFA intakes are inversely proportional to sperm concentration and total sperm count and exhibit a positive correlation with asthenospermia, as well as an adverse association on sperm concentration and semen quality. In the female TFAs intakes are associated with an increase in the risk of ovulatory infertility, adversely affect the length of gestation leading to fetal developmental defects and fetal loss. The findings suggest that high TFA intake (more than 1% of energy consumption) constitute a risk factor for infertility in both sexes.     

Solid Phase Extraction for the Determination of Methylene Blue Using Lignocellulosic Biosorbent in Aqueous Solutions

The recent introduction of a large number of synthetic dyes, which are toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic, has made the situation worse by disrupting normal aquatic life. For this reason, the detection and removal of dyestuffs in wastewater become important. In this study, for the extraction of methylene blue, used as solid phase extraction adsorbent, lignocellulosic biosorbent of tea waste activated with ZnCl₂ was prepared. The factors affecting its extraction were studied in detail. To determine the sensitivity and certainty of the solid phase extraction process; optimized to have an adsorbent amount (75 mg), wash solvent (3 mL water), loading volume (20 mL), elution solvent methanol/acetic acid (80:20, v/v), and eluent volume (8 mL). As a result of the optimization processes, rates ranging from 94.4% to 98.9% recovery were obtained in methylene blue extraction in aqueous solutions. According to the results obtained, this method can be extensively applied in the efficient removal of colored contaminants.

     

Mechanoreceptors of the ligaments and tendons around the knee

Proprioceptive inputs from the joints and limbs arise from mechanoreceptors in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. The knee joint has a wide range of movements, and proper neuroanatomical organization is critical for knee stability. Four ligaments (the anterior (ACL) and posterior (PCL) cruciate ligaments and the medial (MCL) and lateral (LCL) collateral ligaments) and four tendons (the semitendinosus (STT), gracilis (GT), popliteal (PoT), and patellar (PaT) tendons) from eight fresh frozen cadavers were harvested. Each harvested tissue was divided into its bone insertion side and its tendinous part for immunohistochemical examination using S100 staining. Freeman–Wyke's classification was used to identify the mechanoreceptors. The mechanoreceptors were usually located close to the bone insertion. Free nerve endings followed by Ruffini endings were the most common mechanoreceptors overall. No Pacini corpuscles were observed; free nerve endings and Golgi‐like endings were most frequent in the PCL (PCL‐PaT: P = 0.0.1, PCL‐STT: P = 0.00), and Ruffini endings in the popliteal tendon (PoT‐PaT: P = 0.00, Pot‐STT: P = 0.00, PoT‐LCL: P = 0.00, PoT‐GT: P = 0.00, PoT‐ACL: P = 0.09). The cruciate ligaments had more mechanoreceptors than the medial structures (MS) or the patellar tendon (CR‐Pat: P = 0.000, CR‐MS: P = 0.01). The differences in mechanoreceptor distributions between the ligaments and tendons could reflect the different roles of these structures in the dynamic coordination of knee motion. Clin. Anat. 29:789–795, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.