Analysis of Ionomic Profiles of Canine Hairs Exposed to Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Stress

Use of Hair as Matrix for Trace Elements Biomonitoring in Cattle and Roe Deer Sharing Pastures in Northern Italy

Intensive cattle breeding's environmental challenges are prompting shifts to extensive, pasture-based systems, influencing nutrient and pollutant uptake. PTEs are essential and non-essential elements, regularly found in the environment and organisms, and in which unbalances lead to health issues. Hair analysis, a non-invasive method, provides retrospective PTE exposure evaluation. This study aims to understand exposure and species-specific accumulation patterns of PTEs in cattle and roe deer sharing pastures in Northern Italy using the hair analysis. Aluminum, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Mg, Fe, and Zn were quantified through the use of ICP-OES. Findings show As levels significantly higher in roe deer due to their selective feeding, while Cd and Pb levels align with other studies. Essential elements like Cu, Fe, and Zn are lower in cattle, possibly due to diet differences. Higher Cr and Ni levels in cattle suggest contamination or physiological differences in accumulation patterns. In conclusion, hair analysis is valuable for monitoring environmental PTE exposure, highlighting significant interspecies differences and the potential of both animals as bioindicators in shared grazing areas.

Effects of Plant Polysaccharides Combined with Boric Acid on Digestive Function, Immune Function, Harmful Gas and Heavy Metal Contents in Faeces of Fatteners

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of plant polysaccharides combined with boric acid on digestive function, immune function and harmful gas and heavy metal contents in the faeces of fatteners. For this study, 90 healthy crossbred fatteners were selected and randomly divided into five groups: the control group was fed with a basal diet (Con); experimental group I was fed with basal diet + 40 mg/kg boric acid (BA); experimental group II was fed with basal diet + 40 mg/kg boric acid + 400 mg/kg Astragalus polysaccharides (BA+APS); experimental group III was fed with basal diet + 40 mg/kg boric acid + 200 mg/kg Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (BA+GLP); and experimental group IV was fed with basal diet + 40 mg/kg boric acid + 500 mg/kg Echinacea polysaccharides (BA+EPS). Compared with Con, the average daily gain (ADG), the trypsin activities in the duodenum and jejunum, the IL-2 levels in the spleen, the T-AOC activities and GSH-Px contents in the lymph node of fattening were increased in the BA group (p < 0.05), but malondialdehyde content in the lymph and spleen, and the contents of NH3, H2S, Hg, Cu, Fe and Zn in the feces and urine were decreased (p < 0.05). Compared with the BA, the ADG, gain-to-feed ratio (G/F), the trypsin and maltase activities in the duodenum and jejunum were increased in the BA+APS (p < 0.05), and the T-SOD activities in the spleen and T-AOC activities in the lymph node were also increased (p < 0.05), but the H2S level was decreased in the feces and urine (p < 0.05). Compared with the BA, the ADG, G/F and the trypsin and maltase activities in the duodenum were increased in the BA+GLP and BA+EPS (p < 0.05), the activities of maltase and lipase in the duodenum of fatteners in the BA+GLP and the activities of trypsin, maltase and lipase in the BA+EPS were increased (p < 0.05). Gathering everything together, our findings reveal that the combined addition of boric acid and plant polysaccharides in the diet of fatteners synergistically improved their growth performance and immune status. That may be achieved by regulating the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes, improving the antioxidant function and then promoting the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Furthermore, the above results reduce the emission of harmful gases and heavy metals in feces and urine.

Analysis of Ionomic Profiles of Spinal Cords in a Rat Model with Bone Cancer Pain

Background

Ionomics is used to study levels of ionome in different states of organisms and their correlations. Bone cancer pain (BCP) severely reduces quality of life of patients or their lifespan. However, the relationship between BCP and ionome remains unclear.

Methods

The BCP rat model was constructed through inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the left tibia. Von Frey test, whole-cell patch-clamp recording and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technologies were conducted for measuring tactile hypersensitivity, the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) of neurons of spinal slices, and ionome of spinal cord samples, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to explore ionomic patterns of the spinal cord.

Results

The BCP rat model was successfully constructed through implantation of Walker 256 cells into the left tibia. The frequency and amplitude of mEPSCs of neurons in the spinal cord slices from the BCP model rats were notably greater than those in the sham control. In terms of ionomics, the spinal cord levels of two macroelements (Ca and S), four microelements (Fe, Mn, Li and Sr) and the toxic element Ti in the BCP group of rats were significantly increased by inoculation of Walker 256 cancer cells, compared to the sham control. In addition, the correlation patterns between the elements were greatly changed between the sham control and BCP groups. PCA showed that inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the tibia altered the overall ionomic profiles of the spinal cord. There was a significant separation trend between the two groups.

Conclusion

Taken together, inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the left tibia contributes to BCP, which could be closely correlated by some elements. The findings provided novel information on the relationship between the ionome and BCP.

Mineral patterns in hair: A decisive factor between reproducible and repeat breeder dairy cows

Reproduction, especially impregnation, is a critical aspect of dairy cow management that directly influences herd milk productivity. We conducted a noninvasive hair mineral assay to compare the mineral profiles of two dairy cow groups: reproducible and repeat breeder, by investigating the levels of 11 essential minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr, Se, and P) and 6 toxic elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, Al, As, and Ni) in both groups. We also conducted principal component and correlation matrix analyses to compare hair mineral patterns between the groups. Compared to their reproducible counterparts, repeat breeder cows had lower levels of Na, K, and Se. However, Fe, Cd, Al, and As levels were higher in repeat breeders than in their reproducible counterparts. The correlation matrix showed notable correlation patterns for each group. Ca, K, and Na levels were positively correlated in reproducible cows, whereas repeat breeder cows showed positive correlations only between Ca and K levels. Se showed positive correlations with Zn only in the reproducible cow group. Negative correlations were not found in the reproducible group, whereas the repeat breeder group exhibited 7 negative correlations. Despite the limitations of hair mineral analysis, this study provided useful insights into the reproductive potential of dairy cows. These findings aid in easing the prediction of repeat breeder occurrences in herds and are expected to facilitate timely mineral supplementation and other interventions to improve overall herd reproduction in dairy farms.

Diet and dog characteristics affect major and trace elements in hair and blood of healthy dogs

Obtaining correct amounts of essential elements, and avoiding toxic metals are key factors in dog health. Through analyzing major and trace elements in hair and blood of 50 healthy companion dogs using ICP-MS, we study their associations with dog characteristics and diet, hypothesizing that eating the same diet long-term results in strong correlations between hair and blood element concentrations, and that dog characteristics and diet affect element status. The correlation between hair and blood was significant for Hg (R = 0.601, p = 0.000) and Pb (R = 0.384, p = 0.010). The following associations were significant (p < 0.05): Dark hair had higher Ca and Mg compared to light hair. Females had higher hair Zn, blood Mn, and blood As compared to males. Blood Mn and Se increased, while blood Pb decreased with age. Raw diet fed dogs had higher hair Zn and Se compared to dry or mixed diet fed dogs, and lower blood Mn compared to dry diet fed dogs. Dry and mixed diet fed dogs had higher blood Cd compared to raw diet fed dogs. Mixed diet fed dogs had higher hair Ca and Mg compared to raw or dry diet fed dogs, and higher hair Pb compared to dry diet fed dogs. Wild game consumption was associated with higher blood Pb, and rice consumption with higher blood As. In conclusion, hair provides an alternative for assessing Hg and Pb exposure, and major and trace elements status is affected by hair color, sex, age, and diet.

The Reference Values of Hair Content of Trace Elements in Dairy Cows of Holstein Breed

The objective of this study was to assess trace element content in hair of Holstein dairy cows bred in the Leningrad Region of Russia and to calculate the site-specific reference intervals. Hair content of arsenic, boron, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, iodine, lithium, manganese, lead, selenium, silicon, tin, strontium, vanadium, and zinc in 148 cows during first (n = 50), second (n = 48), and third (n = 50) lactation periods of life was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Dietary intake of trace elements corresponded to the adequate values according to national and international recommendations. Comparative analysis did not reveal any significant differences in hair content of main essential elements on the animals depending on the number of lactation. At the same time, the first-lactation cows had significantly (P < 0.05) lower concentration of lead in hair as compared to the third-lactation cows and a higher level of mercury as compared to the second-lactation cows. The reference intervals and 90% confidence intervals for the lower and upper limits were calculated in agreement with the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Quality Assurance and Laboratory Standard Guidelines.