Trace Calcium Research Articles

Using Food Industry Byproduct to Stabilize an Expansive Clay

The process of purifying agricultural products, at various food processing plants, generates waste materials that consist of precipitated calcium carbonate, organic debris, and trace amounts of soil and agricultural contaminants. A specific food-processing waste, hereafter referred to as a food industry byproduct, FIBP, is typically stockpiled on land adjacent to the corresponding food processing facilities due to its large volume and chemical composition. The FIBP also contains commercially available unspent lime products, which makes its reuse viable in various applications. An example is construction applications where an organic content of up to 5% by weight is allowed, such as treating expansive clays. Traditionally, lime stabilization has been used for improving the properties of expansive clays, where ground improvement methods are necessary for a large area. However, the process of producing lime is resource- and energy-intensive as it includes crushing and heating limestone in kilns to extract lime. Therefore, one specific doubly sustainable application is the treatment of expansive clays using the FIBP instead of lime. The main application tested here is the treatment of expansive clayey soils underneath a stretch of State Highway 95 near Marsing, ID. Other potential applications are in road and embankment construction. To evaluate the potential of expansive clay stabilization utilizing the FIBP, a series of geotechnical and environmental laboratory testing were conducted to measure the engineering properties (e.g., swell potential, permeability, and strength properties) of expansive clay amended with FIBP. Preliminary testing on blends with an expansive clay suggests benefits such as decreased swelling potential, increased density, and leachate immobilization.

CRISP: Correlation-Refined Image Segmentation Process.

Calcium imaging enables real-time recording of cellular activity across various biological contexts. To assess the activity of individual cells, scientists typically manually outline the cells based on visual inspection. This manual cell masking introduces potential user error. To ameliorate this error, we developed the Correlation-Refined Image Segmentation Process (CRISP), a two-part automated algorithm designed to both enhance the accuracy of user-drawn cell masks and to automatically identify cell masks. We developed and tested CRISP on calcium images of densely packed β-cells within the islet of Langerhans. Because these β-cells are densely packed within the islet, traditional clustering-based image segmentation methods struggle to identify individual cell outlines. Using β-cells isolated from two different mouse phenotypes and imaged on two different confocal microscopes, we show that CRISP is generalizable and accurate. To test the benefit of using CRISP in functional biological analyses, we show that CRISP improves accuracy of functional network analysis and utilize CRISP to characterize the distribution of β-cell size.

Bio-stabilization of toxic weeds (Xanthium strumarium and Lantana camara) implementing mono- and polyculture of Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae.

The present study investigates the synergistic impact of earthworms (Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae) and microbes during vermicomposting of invasive weed phytomass (Xanthium strumarium and Lantana camara). This study aims introducing an onsite solution for weed control while producing valuable organic manure. Vermitransformation and detailed characterization of mono- (VC1, VC2, VC4, VC5) and polyculture (VC3, VC6) of X. strumarium and L. camara has been reported for the first time employing E. fetida and E. eugeniae. The study achieved 45.16 ± 2.48-76.73 ± 1.37% vermiconvertion rate. The pH, conductivity, and concentration of heavy metals are effectively stabilized. Furthermore, it observed a significant reduction in total organic carbon (TOC) alongside the augmentation of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and other trace elements (Zn, Ni, Fe). The ash content, humification index, and C/N ratio analysis established the maturity of the vermicompost. The macronutrient enhancement in the vermicompost samples was recorded 1.5- to 2.47-fold for total N, 1.19- to 1.48-fold in available P, 1.1- to 1.2-fold in total K, and 1.1- to 1.18-fold in total Ca. The germination index reveals a significant reduction in phytotoxicity, suggesting the production of mature and suitable vermicompost for agricultural use. Evaluating mono- and polyculture techniques, the research highlights the superiority of E. fetida over E. eugeniae. Further, the earthworm population and biomass have significantly increased by the end of 60-day experimental trial.

Structural and Compositional Changes in Two Marine Shell Traditional Chinese Medicines: A Comparative Analysis Pre- and Post-Calcination.

Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha are two marine shellfish herbs with similar composition and efficacy, which are usually calcined and used clinically. This study investigated variations in the inorganic and organic components of Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha from different production regions, both Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha. The aim was to enhance the understanding of these two types of marine shell traditional Chinese medicine (msTCM) and provide a foundation for their future development and application. Spectroscopic techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, were used to analyze the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystal and trace elements. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to investigate the decomposition process during heating. The proteins were quantified using the BCA protein assay kit. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to classify inorganic elements in the two marine shellfish traditional Chinese medicines. No significant differences were found among the various production regions. The crystal structure of CaCO3 in the raw products was aragonite, but it transformed into calcite after calcination. The contents of Ca, Na, Sr, and other inorganic elements were highest. The protein content was significantly reduced after calcination. Therefore, these factors cannot accurately reflect the internal quality of TCM, rendering qualitative identification challenging. CaCO3 dissolution in the decoction of Arcae concha and Meretricis concha cyclinae concha increased after calcination, aligning with the clinical application of calcined shell TCM. PCA revealed the inorganic elements in them, indicating that the variation in trace element composition among different drugs leads to differences in their therapeutic focus, which should be considered during usage. This study clarifies the composition and structure changes of corrugated and clam shell before and after calcining, and it lays the foundation for the comprehensive utilization of marine traditional Chinese medicine. These technical representations reveal the differences between raw materials and processed products, which will provide support for the quality control of other shellfish TCM.

Macro and microelements in persimmon fruits of Uzbekistan

The study’s findings on the macro and microelement contents of three pomological persimmon fruit varieties—Hiyakume, Zenju-Maru, and Denaus sugar—grown in the Republic of Uzbekistan’s weather-climatic circumstances are presented in this article. The research demonstrated that Uzbekistan’s climate favors persimmon cultivation, which is distinguished by a high concentration of macro and microelements. Studies have established that the accumulation of macro and microelements by fruits is significantly influenced by the pomological variety of persimmon fruits and the weather and climatic conditions of cultivation. As a result, compared to persimmon fruits grown in Surkhandarya region’s Bandykhan Valley, those grown in Fergana Valley have about three times the magnesium concentration. The salt level of the several persimmon fruit kinds under study varied considerably from one another as well. For instance, Fergana Valley persimmon Hiyakume fruits had 6.30 mg/100 g of this element; Bandykhan Valley persimmons of the same type had 28.70 mg/100 g of this element. The fruits of the persimmon variety Zendji-Maru from Fergana Valley were the richest in iron macronutrient content among the studied varieties. For example, the iron content in fruits of Zendji-Maru variety was 10.64 µg/100 g, i.e., almost two times higher than the iron content in fruits of the same variety grown in Bandykhan zone of Surkhandarya region. However, an inverse dependence on manganese content was observed. Persimmon fruits grown in the weather and climatic conditions of Uzbekistan were also rich in iodine content, which is deficient for the region. Overall, it was shown that persimmon fruits may be effectively employed in preventative nutrition and are a good source of potassium, salt, calcium, and several trace elements, including copper, iron, zinc, manganese, and iodine.

NeuroActivityToolkit-Toolbox for Quantitative Analysis of Miniature Fluorescent Microscopy Data.

The visualization of neuronal activity in vivo is an urgent task in modern neuroscience. It allows neurobiologists to obtain a large amount of information about neuronal network architecture and connections between neurons. The miniscope technique might help to determine changes that occurred in the network due to external stimuli and various conditions: processes of learning, stress, epileptic seizures and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, using the miniscope method, functional changes in the early stages of such disorders could be detected. The miniscope has become a modern approach for recording hundreds to thousands of neurons simultaneously in a certain brain area of a freely behaving animal. Nevertheless, the analysis and interpretation of the large recorded data is still a nontrivial task. There are a few well-working algorithms for miniscope data preprocessing and calcium trace extraction. However, software for further high-level quantitative analysis of neuronal calcium signals is not publicly available. NeuroActivityToolkit is a toolbox that provides diverse statistical metrics calculation, reflecting the neuronal network properties such as the number of neuronal activations per minute, amount of simultaneously co-active neurons, etc. In addition, the module for analyzing neuronal pairwise correlations is implemented. Moreover, one can visualize and characterize neuronal network states and detect changes in 2D coordinates using PCA analysis. This toolbox, which is deposited in a public software repository, is accompanied by a detailed tutorial and is highly valuable for the statistical interpretation of miniscope data in a wide range of experimental tasks.

Micronutrient intake to protect against osteoporosis during and after critical illness.

Improved survival from critical illness has enhanced the focus on ways to augment functional outcomes following discharge from the Intensive Care Unit. An area that is gaining increased attention is the effect of critical illness on bone health and fragility fractures following the episode. This review discusses the micronutrients that may play a role in bone metabolism and the potential benefits of their supplementation to prevent osteoporosis. These include calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin K, and certain trace elements. Although there is sound physiological basis for the involvement of these micronutrients in bone health and fracture prevention, there are few clinically relevant publications in this area with calcium and vitamin D being the best studied to date. In the absence of high-quality evidence in critically ill populations, attention to measurement and supplementation of these micronutrients as per current guidelines outlining micronutrient requirements in enteral and parenteral nutrition might mitigate bone loss and its sequelae in the recovery phase from critical illness.

A hardware system for real-time decoding of in vivo calcium imaging data.

Epifluorescence miniature microscopes ('miniscopes') are widely used for in vivo calcium imaging of neural population activity. Imaging data are typically collected during a behavioral task and stored for later offline analysis, but emerging techniques for online imaging can support novel closed-loop experiments in which neural population activity is decoded in real time to trigger neurostimulation or sensory feedback. To achieve short feedback latencies, online imaging systems must be optimally designed to maximize computational speed and efficiency while minimizing errors in population decoding. Here we introduce DeCalciOn, an open-source device for real-time imaging and population decoding of in vivo calcium signals that is hardware compatible with all miniscopes that use the UCLA Data Acquisition (DAQ) interface. DeCalciOn performs online motion stabilization, neural enhancement, calcium trace extraction, and decoding of up to 1024 traces per frame at latencies of <50 ms after fluorescence photons arrive at the miniscope image sensor. We show that DeCalciOn can accurately decode the position of rats (n = 12) running on a linear track from calcium fluorescence in the hippocampal CA1 layer, and can categorically classify behaviors performed by rats (n = 2) during an instrumental task from calcium fluorescence in orbitofrontal cortex. DeCalciOn achieves high decoding accuracy at short latencies using innovations such as field-programmable gate array hardware for real-time image processing and contour-free methods to efficiently extract calcium traces from sensor images. In summary, our system offers an affordable plug-and-play solution for real-time calcium imaging experiments in behaving animals.

Physicochemical and mineral contents of honey from Fitche and Addis Ababa districts in Ethiopia

Honey is a food product made by honeybees from nectar or honeydew. It has great benefits both nutritionally and therapeutically. In our study, physicochemical characteristics: moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity, hydroxyl-methyl furfural, and reducing sugar were evaluated. Additionally, three macro mineral contents, such as potassium, calcium, and sodium, and other trace minerals like iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and nickel were determined. For the analysis, eight composite samples were collected from Fitche and Addis Ababa districts. The physicochemical characteristics and mineral content were found within the recommended standard ranges except hydroxylmethylfurfural exceeded the maximum limits. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) observed among the study districts for the analyzed physicochemical parameters. Apart from potassium (K) and sodium (Na), the average values of minerals were found with non-significant differences between the districts. Because this work is limited to a few districts, the authors suggest that a nationwide study with representative samples would be helpful.

Extraction of Hydroxyapatite from Camel Bone for Bone Tissue Engineering Application.

Waste tissues such as mammalian bone are a valuable source from which to extract hydroxyapatite. Camel bone-based hydroxyapatite (CBHA) was extracted from the femur of camel bones using a defatting and deproteinization procedure. The extracted CBHA was mechanically, chemically, physically, morphologically and structurally characterized. Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra, Micro-Raman, and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed successful extraction of hydroxyapatite. The mechanical properties of the CBHA scaffold were measured using a Universal Instron compression tester. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of a characteristic interconnected porous architecture with pore diameter ranging from 50-600 µm and micro-computer tomography (Micro-CT) analysis identified a mean porosity of 73.93. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the CBHA was stable up to 1000 °C and lost only 1.435% of its weight. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Energy-dispersive-X-ray (EDX) analysis demonstrated the presence of significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus and trace ions of sodium, magnesium, zinc, lead and strontium. Following 21 days of incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF), the pH fluctuated between 10-10.45 and a gradual increase in weight loss was observed. In conclusion, the extracted CBHA is a promising material for future use in bone tissue regeneration applications.

Effects of cooling conditions and chitosan coating on the properties of porous calcium phosphate granules produced from hard clam shells

• Clam shell was used to synthesize CaP granules by gas foaming technique. • Samples under furnace cooling condition were biphasic CaP granules (HA/β-TCP). • Samples under air cooling condition were triphasic CaP granules (HA/β-TCP/α-TCP). • Samples air-cooled and chitosan-coated had maximum compressive strength. The main inorganic components of clam shells are calcium carbonate and trace elements of magnesium, strontium, and zinc. Clam shells can be used as a calcium source to synthesize calcium phosphates, and these trace elements promote the growth of bone tissue and improve the performance of bioceramics. In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were synthesized from clam shells, and porous calcium phosphate granules were prepared through the gas foaming technique. In addition, the effects of a chitosan coating and cooling conditions on the strength of the porous granules were investigated. The results indicated that the samples produced under the furnace cooling condition were biphasic hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate granules (HA/β-TCP), whereas the samples produced under the air-cooling condition were triphasic hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate/α-tricalcium phosphate granules (HA/β-TCP/α-TCP). The compressive strength of the porous granules prepared through air cooling was 79% higher than that of the granules produced through furnace cooling. The compressive strength of the air-cooled sample after the subsequent application of the chitosan coating further increased by 21%. A degradability test revealed that the weight loss rate of the air-cooled samples was greater than that of the furnace-cooled samples, which was due to the presence of high-solubility α-TCP in the air-cooled samples.

Exploring diet shifts and ecology in modern sharks using calcium isotopes and trace metal records of their teeth.

Sharks occupy all living environments of the marine realm as well as some freshwater systems. They display varied and flexible feeding behaviours, but understanding their diet remains challenging due to their elusive ecology and the invasiveness of stomach content analyses in regard of their threatened status. As a potential alternative, we discuss the variability in δ44/42Ca values recorded in the tooth enamel of size-graded individuals belonging to three species of large sharks with distinct diets (Isurus oxyrinchus, Hexanchus griseus and Carcharodon carcharias). The preliminary results highlight shifts in diet linked to ontogeny (I. oxyrinchus and H. griseus) and spatial distribution (C. carcharias) characterizing feeding behaviour in these species at individual and population level. These outcomes agree with the results of traditional stomach analyses supporting that nontraditional stable isotopes thus represent new perspectives for the study of modern and extinct shark ecology. In addition, for the first time, the Sr/Ca elemental ratios measured in H. griseus reflect sexual differences that could be interpreted in terms of spatial segregation or physiological heterogeneities.

The Application of Pearls in Traditional Medicine of China and Their Chemical Constituents, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Research.

Although pearls are well known by most people, their medicinal value has not been popularized. This article collates the medicinal history of pearls over 2,000 years in China, including the application of pearls in the traditional medicine of China and their various preparations, as well as the progress of their chemical constituents, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical research. Pearls from three different sources are used as medical materiel by 9 nationalities and 251 prescription preparations in China. In addition, pearls contain various inorganic constituents, such as calcium carbonate, trace elements, and water, and organic constituents, such as amino acids. In terms of pharmacology, pearls have many effects such as calming, improving cognitive ability, being anti-epileptic, promoting bone growth and regeneration, promoting the proliferation and migration of human microvascular endothelial cells, protecting the heart, anti-hemolysis, and anti-oxidation. In terms of toxicology, pearls are safe to take for a long time without exerting obvious adverse reactions. In terms of clinical application, pearls have been used to treat many diseases and conditions, such as convulsions, epilepsy, palpitations, eye diseases, ulcer diseases, skin diseases, or skin lesions. This article provides a reference for the application and research of pearls in the future.

Linkages of Various Calcium Sources on Immune Performance, Diarrhea Rate, Intestinal Barrier, and Post-gut Microbial Structure and Function in Piglets.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different sources of calcium on immune performance, diarrhea rate, intestinal barrier, and post-intestinal flora structure and function in weaned piglets. A total of 1,000 weaned piglets were randomly assigned to five groups 10 replicate pens per treatment, 20 piglets per pen and fed calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, multiple calcium, and organic trace minerals of different concentrations of acidifier diets. The results of the study showed that the replacement of calcium carbonate with calcium citrate and multiple calcium had almost no significant effect on immune indexes (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) of piglets compared with the control group (p > 0.05). The five groups did not show a change in the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index (p > 0.05). The diet containing multiple calcium dramatically decreased the TP compared to the C and L diet (p < 0.05). No significant difference in HDL was noted in the five groups (p > 0.05). However, the concentration of LDL in blood in the multiple calcium group was significantly higher than that in groups L and D (p < 0.05). Moreover, the concentration of Glu in blood in the multiple calcium group was significantly higher than that in group C (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, calcium citrate plus organic trace minerals diet markedly increased UCG-005 abundance in the colon (p < 0.05). In addition, the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group had an upward trend in the colon of the M group compared to the D group (p = 0.070). Meanwhile, calcium citrate plus organic trace minerals diet markedly increased Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 abundance in the colon (p < 0.05). Metagenomic predictions by PICRUSt suggested that the colonic and fecal microbiota was mainly involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins.

Conceptual Review of Pravala (Coral) – A Marine Source of Natural Calcium

Background: Pravala (Coral) is one among the nine ratnas (precious stones), as categorized by all the texts of Rasashastra. Pravala is widely used in ayurvedic practice being a rich source of natural calcium and various trace elements. Objective: To critically review and highlight potential natural sources of calcium:pravala from classical and contemporary literature with recent research works. Data source: Ancient Indian literature, Classical texts of Rasa shastra from Rasa Hridaya Tantra (9th Cent. A.D) to Rasa Tarangini (20th Cent. A.D). Materials and Methods: Present work has reviewed and compiled a detailed description of Pravalaparyaya (synonyms), utpatti (Occurrence), bheda (types), grahya/agrahya laxanas (Considerable/Nonconsiderable properties for medicinal preparations), guna karma (Pharmacological and therapeutic properties), shodhana (Purification), Marana (Incineration), pishtikalpana (fine powder), matra (Dose) amayika prayoga (Therapeutic utility) and Yogas (Compound formulations) with its contemporary science relevance. Result: Data from the critical review of classical and contemporary research works. Conclusion: Pravala being natural source of calcium, is administered in the form of Bhasma (Calyx) and Pishti (Paste)for curing ailments such as Amlapitta (Hyperacidity), Netra Roga (Eye diseases), and Hridaya Roga (Cardiac diseases). Pravala is having pitta shamaka (Soothing effect) and Asthiposhaka (Bone mineralization) properties ideally indicated to treat mainly disorders of pitta aggravation and asthikshaya (Calcium deficiency).

Characterization of biodiesels and tire derived particulate matters in morphology and nanostructure

Particulate Matters (PM) are known to be dangerous to human health and the environment. Regulations have been set to limit PM levels from vehicles, including compression ignition engine vehicles. The effect of increasing biodiesel content in the fuels has been investigated with respect to the PM using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). PM from tire emissions were compared against diesel PM using SEM, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), TEM, particle size analysis, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The SEM and TEM show that increasing the biodiesel content decreased the size of the PM agglomerate particles, primary particles, and fringes. The EDS, RS, and XRD show that Tire PM are mostly carbon with silicon, calcium, zinc, and other various trace elements. They also allow comparisons with diesel PM for the carbon nanostructure. The particle size analysis shows that Tire PM are generally larger than engine derived PM. The TEM showed that the nanostructure of the carbonaceous Tire PM was the same fringe structure as the engine derived PM. The Tire PM was successfully characterized using similar methods as engine derived soot. There is strong relationship between the increasing of biodiesel content and reduction of agglomerate size, primary particle size and average fringe length.

Marmara Denizi’nde iki demersal balık türünün bakalyaro Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) ve tekir (Mullus surmuletus, Linnaeus, 1758)’in otolit kimyası ve otolit morfolojisi üzerine ön çalışma

Otoliths are calcium carbonate (CaCO3) accumulations. Under the influence of different ecosystems morphological and chemical composition change. In this study, economically important two demersal fish species; European hake Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) and Stripet red mullet (Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus, 1758) was examined. Otoliths (Sagitta) belonging to these two species have been studied both chemically and morphologicall. Morphometric measurements of otoliths (length, mm; width, mm; area, mm2; perimeter, mm) in the sagittal of each species was made by the Leica M125 tri-ocular microscope. In the chemical analysis of otoliths, strontium (Sr), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) trace element amounts, the ratios of Sr and Mg trace elements to Ca element (Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca) were determined. For the micro-chemical analysis of otoliths ICP-MS was used. The highest magnesium (24.92±9.57 mmol/mol) and strontium (26.17±1.81 mmol/mol) element values were found in the otolith of red mullet. The difference between strontium (Sr) and magnesium (Mg) amounts for two fish species was found to be significant (P&lt;0.05). In addition to it was found that the difference between them in the amount of calcium is significant (P&lt;0.001). The shape indexes of otoliths are significantly different between the two fish species. Especially in terms of roundness (RD) and aspect ratio (AR) (P&lt;0.001). The results of this study provide information about the habitats of two economic importance demersal fish species. Since such studies can give information about the habitat areas of fish species, they are important for tracking stocks, migration routes and sustainable fisheries.

To deconvolve, or not to deconvolve: Inferences of neuronal activities using calcium imaging data

BackgroundWith the increasing popularity of calcium imaging in neuroscience research, choosing the right methods to analyze calcium imaging data is critical to address various scientific questions. Unlike spike trains measured using electrodes, fluorescence intensity traces provide an indirect and noisy measurement of the underlying neuronal activities. The observed calcium traces are either analyzed directly or deconvolved to spike trains to infer neuronal activities. When both approaches are applicable, it is unclear whether deconvolving calcium traces is a necessary step. MethodsIn this article, we compare the performance of using calcium traces or their deconvolved spike trains for three common analyses: clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and population decoding. ResultsWe found that (1) the two approaches lead to diverging results; (2) estimated spike trains, when smoothed or binned appropriately, usually lead to satisfactory performances, such as more accurate estimation of cluster membership; (3) although estimate spike train produce results more similar to true spike data than trace data, we found that the PCA results from trace data might better reflect the underlying neuronal ensembles (clusters); and (4) for both approaches, decobability can be improved by using denoising or smoothing methods. Comparison with existing methodsOur simulations and applications to real data suggest that estimated spike data outperform trace data in cluster analysis and give comparable results for population decoding. In addition, the decobability of estimated spike data can be slightly better than that of calcium trace data with appropriate filtering / smoothing methods. ConclusionWe conclude that spike detection might be a useful pre-processing step for certain problems such as clustering; however, the continuous nature of calcium imaging data provides a natural smoothness that might be helpful for problems such as dimensional reduction.

Compare the nutritional status of essential minerals in milk of different cattle and humans: Estimated daily intake for children

In present study, the comparisons of electrolytes, calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) phosphorus (P), and essential trace elements, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) were carried out in milk samples of different cattle (cow, buffalo, goat, sheep, and camel) and human as total and soluble form (whey of milk). The sampling of milk was carried out from different farms, flocks and human from rural areas of Hyderabad city. The electrolytes and essential trace elements in milk, as total and soluble (whey) forms were determined by different techniques, after acid digestion method. The concentrations of Na, K Ca, P and Mg were significantly higher in camel milk, whereas, the contents of K were elevated in goat and sheep milk. As compared to the different cattle, human milk had the lowest concentrations of all selected essential trace elements except Se. The percentages of all elements in whey milk were found in the range of 20 to ≥ 95 % of their total contents in whole milk samples of different cattle and human. The estimated daily intake of all elements was calculated for infants <0.6 month to 10 years old children via consuming milk of cattle and humans. It is notable that milk of each species has a specific individual pattern of electrolytes and essential trace elements, which might be an indicator of relative nutritional importance for human of all age groups.

Abstract LB220: Cellular Differentiation and Growth Control in the Human Colonic epithelium: Comparing Clinical Trial Outcomes to Responses in Human Colonoid Culture

Abstract Introduction: As part of our effort to understand the role of trace elements in colon polyp chemoprevention, we have conducted both colonoid culture (ex vivo) and human subject (in vivo) studies using Aquamin®— a calcium-, magnesium-, trace elements-rich, multi-mineral product derived from red marine algae as an intervention. Calcium alone was used as a comparator. Methods: Thirty subjects at-risk for colorectal cancer were enrolled and randomized to receive Aquamin® or calcium alone (each providing 800-mg calcium per day) or placebo. Colon biopsies were obtained before and after 90 days of intervention. We employed histologically normal colonic tissue from the same subjects (at baseline), to propagate in colonoid culture. Once established and expanded, we used the same interventions for a period of two weeks and compared the response (at 1.5mM) to the outcome of the studies conducted in human colonic biopsies after 90 days of intervention. Specifically, colonoid tissue and biopsies were subjected to analysis for markers of growth and differentiation by quantitative immunohistochemistry and tandem mass tag mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Results: The normal tissue colonoids demonstrated a high degree of differentiation as indicated by gross and microscopic appearance, and cytokeratin 20 (CK20) expression without either intervention. Only modest increases were seen in the CK20 expression with either calcium alone or Aquamin®. Similarly, CK20 expression was higher in baseline biopsies and there was no increase in the expression with calcium but a 5% increase seen with Aquamin® after 90 days of intervention. On proteomic screen, CK20 expression was increased by 40% in colonoid tissue in response to both interventions at 1.5mM, while CK20 expression increased by 10% and 21% with Calcium and Aquamin® in colon biopsies. When the colonoids were assessed for Ki67 (growth marker) expression, it was decreased by 17.2% and 18.4% with calcium alone and Aquamin® respectively as compared to the control. Analyzing colon biopsies after 90 days of intervention revealed that Aquamin® reduced the level of Ki67 expression by 20%, while no change was seen with calcium alone. Differential proteomic expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was decreased by 32% and 39% by calcium and Aquamin® at 1.5mM in colonoid tissue, whereas Ki67 protein was decreased by 4% and 22% with calcium and Aquamin®, respectively in colon biopsies. Conclusion: Colon tissue maintained in colonoid culture, thus, provides a good surrogate for human tissue collected in a clinical trial. It can be used to assess personalized responses or can provide a quick snapshot of the response in a relatively short time. Differential proteomic expression appears to be more sensitive than quantitative immunohistochemistry. A combination of calcium and additional trace elements proved to be more effective than calcium alone in altering differentiation and growth markers in either setting. Citation Format: Muhammad N. Aslam, Shannon McClintock, Mohamed Ali H Jawad-Makki, Karsten Knuver, Daniyal M. Nadeem, Haris Ahmad, Durga Attili, Danielle (Kim) Turgeon, James Varani. Cellular Differentiation and Growth Control in the Human Colonic epithelium: Comparing Clinical Trial Outcomes to Responses in Human Colonoid Culture [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr LB220.