Pig Hair Research Articles

Sources of Cysteine-Based Pharmaceutical Drugs and Their Halal Aspects in Pharmaceutical Product Development

Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, so supplements and medicines consumed must be halal (permissible in Islamic law). Cysteine is an essential amino acid that is crucial to human biological functions. Cysteine can be used as a mucolytic agent to help thin mucus in respiratory diseases such as bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also serves as an antidote to acetaminophen for detoxification purposes or as an antidote to counteract paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose, a commonly used drug to relieve pain and reduce fever. Additionally, it functions as a supplement. This research aims to comprehensively review the sources of cysteine, its production, and its use in pharmaceuticals, as well as the opinions of scholars regarding the halal aspects that need to be considered in developing pharmaceutical products containing cysteine. The methods employed include searching through references from research articles obtained from Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, NCBI, Elsevier, and the Qur'an, Hadiths, and other Islamic literature sources. The compound structures are depicted using the ChemSketch tool from ACD/Labs. Mucolytic and acetaminophen drugs, such as acetylcysteine, can be derived from both animal and plant sources through chemical and non-chemical separation processes. Cysteine is generally a precursor for the synthesis of acetylcysteine. Cysteine sourced from specific organs, such as pig hair, has differing opinions among various scholars regarding its permissibility. However, the prevailing view and fatwa tend to lean towards its prohibition, depending on the source, process, and urgency of its use.

Supplemental vibrissal extensions as an alternative to improve the tactile sensitivity of blind dogs - a preliminary approach investigation.

This preliminary study suggests a way to artificially extend vibrissae of blind dogs to assist ambulation and avoiding facial contact with obstacles. Fourteen irreversibly blind dogs had 5-6 mystacial vibrissae on each side of the face supplementally extended by attaching carefully chosen adult pig hairs to them and were subjected to a maze test before and after the procedure. In three of these dogs the test was repeated one more time after all the extensions had fallen off. Collision counts and course times with and without extensions were analyzed and compared. A p-value > 0.05 was considered significant. Median number of collisions was significantly higher post-extensions (5 IQR 2.25) and after extensions had fallen off (4 IQR 7.50) compared to pre-extensions (1 IQR 1), p = 0.021. Median times were significantly higher pre-extension (25.6 IQR 8.98) and after the extensions had fallen off, compared to the post-extension performance (22.8 IQR 8.55), p = 0.04. Vibrissae play an important role in the tactile perception of blind dogs, and our preliminary results suggest that extending this sensory organ possibly improves obstacle location and their quality of life.

Liquid fertilizers produced by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of livestock and poultry wastes and their effects on hot pepper cultivation.

Liquid fertilizers (LFs) produced by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of livestock and poultry wastes were applied to potted hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to evaluate their potential to be used as amino acid LFs. A preliminary experiment was conducted to determine the optimum acid-hydrolysis conditions for producing LFs from a mixture of pig hair and faeces (P) and another mixture of chicken feathers and faeces (C). Two LFs were produced under the optimum acid-hydrolysis conditions (acidification by sulphuric acid (7.5 mol L-1) in a microwave (200 W) for 90 minutes), and a commercial amino acid LF (Guo Guang (GG)) was used for comparison. P, C and GG fertilizers were tested in potted hot pepper cultivation at two doses, whereas no fertilizer application served as the control (CK). P and C fertilizers significantly increased the fruit yield compared with GG fertilizer, particularly at the higher dose. Moreover, the treatments improved the fruit vitamin C and soluble sugar contents in the order of C > P > GG compared with CK. These results could be attributed to more types of amino acids in C fertilizer than in P and GG fertilizers. The results also indicated that the prepared fertilizers could significantly increase the shoot and root dry weight, soil available nitrogen and phosphorus contents and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) uptake by plants compared with CK. In conclusion, microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis could effectively convert unusable wastes into valuable fertilizers comparable or even superior to commercial fertilizers.

Use of animal fiber-reinforcement in construction materials: A review

Although natural fibers (NFs), among which animal fibers (AFs) are found, have been used for millennia as reinforcement scheme of some construction materials (CMs), it is not until recent decades when scientific studies have been carried out to quantitively evaluate the impact of adding NFs into CMs, but with a special focus on vegetal fibers (VFs) over AFs. Nevertheless, there have been several studies addressing the use of AFs in different CMs and, therefore, the need of a systematic review study is evident. To contribute to this research gap, this paper presents a comprehensive review study addressing available scientific information of different types of AFs (e.g., sheep wool fibers (SWFs), chicken feathers fibers (CFFs), human hair fibers (HHFs), pig hair fibers (PHFs), silk fibers (SFs), and dog hair fibers (DHFs)) and also their use in four specific different CMs matrices (i.e., cementitious, gypsum, soil and polymer matrices). This comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science and Science Direct, two of the largest and more prestigious scientific databases, using specific keywords and Boolean operators and the selection of the papers was based on the provision of enough quantitative information of the mixtures (e.g., specific characteristic and dosages of AFs and matrix used) as well as experimental findings. As a result of this study, organized, summarized and sufficient information is provided to support the positive use of AF as reinforcement scheme to improve some physical/thermal/mechanical/damage/durability properties of CMs by taking advantage of the abundance of these resources worldwide. Moreover, the use of AFs might also provide environmental benefits and cost reductions, which are global objectives within the construction sector. Finally, this review study found that there are still several research gaps in the use of particular AFs (e.g., DHFs) as well as combinations between the AFs and the CMs addressed in this study (e.g., effects of PHFs in polymer matrices) and these gaps are recommended as future studies.

132 Genetics of Stress Hormone Concentrations in Hair of Healthy Nursery Pigs and Their Relationship with Back Test Responses

Abstract Cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are circulating adrenal hormones whose concentration in the blood varies in the face of infectious and non-infectious stressors. Their incorporation into hair makes their concentration in hair a robust retrospective assessment of HPA-axis activity as a measure of the stress response of an animal over the period of hair growth. Our objective was to estimate the genetic parameters of hormone concentrations in the hair of healthy pigs and their genetic correlation with responses to the standard back-test. Hair shaved from the rump area of 871 Large White X Landrace barrows (~40 d of age) from 6 breeding companies, maintained in a high-health nursery, was analyzed for cortisol and DHEA concentrations. Behavioral responses to a 60 s standard back-test were obtained at ~26 d of age, including the number of vocalizations (VN) and struggles (SN) and the intensity of the vocalizations (VI) and struggles (SI). All pigs were genotyped with a 50K SNP panel and imputed up to 650K. Estimates of heritability of log-transformed levels of cortisol and DHEA using univariate animal models were 0.26 ± 0.08 and 0.00, respectively, while litter effects explained 0.19 ± 0.05 and 0.09 ± 0.04 of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Back-test responses were more heritable, ranging from 0.34 ± 0.08 (VI) to 0.58 ± 0.08 (VN), with small litter effects (0.00 to 0.06). Estimates of genetic correlations using bivariate animal models were high among the back-test responses, ranging from 0.58 ± 0.16 for SN-VN to 0.96 ± 0.04 for VN-VI and 0.99 ± 0.10 for SN-SI. Estimates of genetic correlations of cortisol with back-test responses ranged from low (0.08 ± 0.23 with SI) to moderate (0.66 ± 0.27 with SN). We conclude that the concentration of cortisol in the hair of healthy nursery pigs is a heritable molecular phenotype and is genetically correlated with responses to the back-test. In subsequent research, their potential as indicator traits to select for disease resilience will be investigated. This study was funded by Genome Canada, PigGen Canada, and USDA-NIFA grant # 2021-67015-34562.

Hydrogen generation by gasification of pig hair biowaste over NiO/Al2O3 nanocatalyst

Over one thousand tons of pig hair biowaste (PHB) are produced yearly in Taiwan. The improper disposal of PHB can have a negative impact on the environment, consequently contributing to the spread of diseases. Hydrogen gas can be effectively produced by the catalytic gasification of PHB using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed gasifier, employing 15 wt% NiO/Al2O3 catalysts at 753–913 K. The derived kinetic parameters were obtained and refined using simulation calculations. The central Ni atoms have Ni–O (2.01) and Ni–Ni (2.34) bond distances in the fresh NiO/Al2O3 catalyst. The PHB was converted into hydrogen-rich syngas (CO + H2, >89.8% dry basis). When PHB (250 kg/h) was catalytically gasified at 753–913 K, syngas was produced at approximately 5.45 × 105 kcal/h of heat recovery with 76.5%–83.5% cold gas efficiency. The simulation of the pilot-scale PHB catalytic gasification demonstrated that the system can provide hydrogen (purity >99.99%) and generate electricity for an internal combustion engine of 100 kW and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell of 175 kW. A projected payback for a PHB catalytic gasification plant with a capacity of 10- or 20-ton per day was around 3.2 or 2.5 years, respectively.

14. Variability in pig hair cortisol concentrations at the end of fattening: Situation in 20 farrow-to finish farms

14. Variability in pig hair cortisol concentrations at the end of fattening: Situation in 20 farrow-to finish farms

Changes in cortisol and cortisone in hair of pigs reared under heat stress conditions.

Heat stress accounts for millions of dollars in losses for swine producers worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine and evaluate cortisol and cortisone in hair as indicators of thermal stress in growing pigs reared under high environmental temperatures. The study was carried out in two independent batches of commercial crosses of Lean Duroc and Pietrain in trials 1 and 2, respectively, during the growing period (from 40 to 100 kg; 81 days in trial 1 and 77 days in trial 2) in the same commercial farm in Spain during the summers of 2020 and 2021. In both cases, four rooms were used. In Trial 1, Room 1 had cooling and 11 pigs per pen; Room 2 had no cooling and 13 pigs per pen; Room 3 had no cooling and 11 pigs per pen, and Room 4 had cooling and 13 pigs per pen. In Trial 2, Rooms 2 and 3 had cooling and rooms 1 and 4 had no cooling, and all of them had 13 pigs per pen. Mean THI value was higher (p < 0.0001) in rooms without cooling systems (75.0 trial 1; 74.9 trial 2) than with them (71.3 trial 1; 71.7 trial 2). A total of four pens per room (16 in total) was selected for analysis of hair corticoids and all pigs inside were sampled at the end of the study. Fifty percent of the pigs were males (castrated and intact in trial 1 and 2, respectively) and 50% females. In total, 44, 52, 44, and 52 pigs, respectively, were sampled in four rooms from the first trial and 52 for each of four rooms in Trial 2. Cortisol concentrations in hair did not show any significant change in relation to cooling-non-cooling in any trial. However, hair cortisone concentration was 172.3 pg./mg and 105.8 pg./mg less (p < 0.001) in pigs housed with cooling systems compared to those without them in Trial 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, the cortisone/cortisol ratio, which is an estimator of the activity of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) type 2, was also greater in rooms without cooling than in rooms with cooling in both trials (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0105 for Trials 1 and 2, respectively). In relation to the sex effect, the results showed greater levels in females than in castrated males both in cortisone and the cortisol/cortisone ratio while cortisol hair levels were greater in intact males than in females. Therefore, the use of cortisone and the estimation of 11β-HSD type 2 activity in hair is recommended to evaluate the chronic stress produced by high environmental conditions in pigs instead of using hair cortisol concentrations alone.

Target and non-target analytical method for potential hazardous substances in livestock and pet hair using liquid- and gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Extraction using acetonitrile and water and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC and GC-QTOF/MS) techniques were used to screen for potential hazardous substances in livestock and pet hair. In addition, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS techniques were used for verification of the analytical method and quantitative analysis of pesticides, veterinary drugs, mycotoxins and antioxidants in hair. Optimized sample preparation involves extracting 0.05 g of sample with 0.6 mL of ACN and 0.4 mL of distilled water. In addition, the two layers were separated by adding 0.1 g of NaCl. Then, both the ACN and water layers were analyzed by LC-TOF/MS, and the ACN layer was analyzed by GC-TOF/MS. Most of the matrix effects of livestock and pet hair were less than 50%, but some matrices and components showed high results, so matrix matching correction was applied for more precise quantification. Method validation was performed for 394 constituents (293 pesticides, 93 veterinary drugs, 6 mycotoxins and 2 preservatives) in dog, cat, cow and pig hair and chicken and duck feathers. All components showed good linearity (r2 ≥0.98) in the developed assay. The quantification limit of all compounds was set at 0.02 mg/kg, which is the lowest level that satisfies the recovery rate standard. The recovery experiment was repeated 8 times at 3 concentrations. Most of the components were extracted with the ACN layer, and the recovery rate was 63.35-119.98%. In order to confirm the efficiency of extracting harmful substances from actual samples, 30 hairs of livestock and pets were screened.

Altered hair root gene expression profiles highlight calcium signaling and lipid metabolism pathways to be associated with curly hair initiation and maintenance in Mangalitza pigs.

Hair types have been under strong targeted selection in domestic animals for their impact on skin protection, thermoregulation and exterior morphology, and subsequent economic importance. In pigs, a very special hair phenotype was observed in Mangalitza, who expresses a thick coat of curly bristles and downy hair. Two breed-specific missense variants in TRPM2 and CYP4F3 were suggested to be associated with the Mangalitza pig's hair shape due to their role in hair follicle morphogenesis reported for human and mice. However, the mechanism behind this expression of a curly hair type is still unclear and needs to be explored. In our study, hair shafts were measured and investigated for the curvature of the hair in Mangalitza and crossbreeds in comparison to straight-coated pigs. For molecular studies, hair roots underwent RNA sequencing for a differential gene expression analysis using DESeq2. The output matrix of normalized counts was then used to construct weighted gene co-expression networks. The resulting hair root gene expression profiles highlighted 454 genes to be significantly differentially expressed for initiation of curly hair phenotype in newborn Mangalitza piglets versus post-initiation in later development. Furthermore, 2,554 genes showed a significant differential gene expression in curly hair in comparison to straight hair. Neither TRPM2 nor CYP4F3 were identified as differentially expressed. Incidence of the genes in weighted co-expression networks associated with TRPM2 and CYP4F3, and prominent interactions of subsequent proteins with lipids and calcium-related pathways suggested calcium signaling and/or lipid metabolism as essential players in the induction of the curly hair as well as an ionic calcium-dependency to be a prominent factor for the maintenance of this phenotype. Subsequently, our study highlights the complex interrelations and dependencies of mutant genes TRPM2 and CYP4F3 and associated gene expression patterns, allowing the initiation of curly hair type during the development of a piglet as well as the maintenance in adult individuals.

The fracture mechanical behavior of the interface between animal fibers, mortar, and earth matrices. A theoretical and experimental approach

Theoretical-experimental research is presented to address the mechanics and failure mode of the interface between two matrices with brittle behavior, earth and mortar, and pig hair, an organic fiber that is a massive waste from the food industry worldwide. A comprehensive statistical analysis of the pull-out force is presented, accounting for the effect of fiber embedded length, diameter variability, and age of the matrices. Experimental results are contrasted with fracture-mechanics theories to describe its behavior in this matter. Results show that neither fiber length, variability of diameter, nor the age of the matrix influences the pull-out force of both matrices evaluated in this work. Our results show the brittle nature of these interfaces, which was also observed using a high-speed camera. The tensile load of the fibers was compared to the pull-out force, showing that these fibers always work within their elastic regime. This work contributes directly to the sustainable goals 9, 11, and 15 enacted by the United Nations in 2015, by contributing to the understanding of the fracture mechanics of a waste product used as reinforcement of construction matrices.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Genes Contributed to Min Pig Villi Hair Follicle in Different Seasons.

The Min pig, a local pig breed in China, has a special trait which has intermittent villus and coat hair regeneration. However, the regulation and mechanism of villus in Min pigs have not yet been described. We observed and described the phenotype of Min pig dermal villi in detail and sequenced the mRNA transcriptome of Min pig hair follicles. A total of 1520 differentially expressed genes (DEG) were obtained.K-means hierarchical clustering showed that there was a significant expression pattern difference in winter compared with summer. Gene enrichment and network analysis results showed that the hair growth in Min pigs was closely related to the composition of desmosomes and regulated by an interaction network composed of eight core genes, namely DSP, DSC3, DSG4, PKP1, TGM1, KRT4, KRT15, and KRT84. Methylation analysis of promoters of target genes showed that the PKP1 gene was demethylated. Our study will help to supplement current knowledge of the growth mechanism of different types of hair.

Resource utilization of pig hair to prepare low-cost adsorbents with high density of sulfhydryl for enhanced and trace level removal of aqueous Hg(II)

Pig hair (PH), a keratinous waste, was modified by ammonium thioglycolate in a ball milling to promote its performance of Hg(II) sequestration. The ball milling broke the hydrophobic cuticle sheath and enhanced the reduction of disulfide bond, which increased the sulfydryl content of the modified PH (BTPH) from 0.07 to 11.05 μmol/g. BTPH exhibited a significantly higher capture capacity of Hg(II) (415.4 mg/g) than PH (3.1 mg/g), as well as the commercial activated carbon (219.7 mg/g), and persisted its performance over a wide range of solution pH. Meanwhile, BTPH with a distribution coefficient of 5.703 × 105 mL/g could selectively capture Hg(II) from the water with the coexisting metal ions such as Mg(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II). Moreover, the low-cost BTPH could reduce the Hg(II) from 1.0 mg/L to well below the limit of drinkable water (2 μg/L) in real-world samples. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and state-of-the-art characterizations illustrated that the binding of Hg(II) to sulfydryl groups was the main adsorption mechanism. Notably, BTPH decreased the mercury content of water spinaches from 24.1 to 0.50 mg/kg and thereby significantly reduced the phytotoxicity of Hg(II). This work therefore provides a sustainable way to utilize keratinous wastes for the remediation of aqueous Hg(II).

Prediction of Bioactive Peptides from Chicken Feather and Pig Hair Keratins using In Silico Analysis Based on Fragmentomic Approach.

Keratin is among the most abundant structural proteins of animal origin, however it remains broadly underutilized. Bioinformatic investigation was performed to evaluate selected keratins originating from mass-produced waste products, i.e., chicken feathers and pig hair, as potential sources of bioactive peptides. Pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, and subtilisin were used for in silico keratinolysis with the use of "Enzyme(s) action" and fragmentomic analysis of theoretical products was performed using "Profiles of potential biological activity" in BIOPEP-UWM database of bioactive peptides. Bioactivity probability calculation and toxicity prediction of the peptides obtained were estimated using PeptideRanker and ToxinPred tools, respectively. Our results showed that the keratins are a potential source of a variety of biopeptides, including dipeptidyl peptidase IV, angiotensin converting enzyme, prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory and antioxidative. Papain and subtilisin were found to be the most appropriate enzymes for keratin hydrolysis. This study presents possible structures of keratin-derived bioactive peptides that have not been previously described. Our data suggest additional in vitro and in vivo studies to verify theoretical predictions and further investigate the possibility of using keratin-rich waste as a source of peptide nutraceuticals.

Catalytic Gasification of Pig Hair Biowastes with Hydrogen Production Over Nio/Al2o3 Catalyst for Fuel Cell Application

Catalytic Gasification of Pig Hair Biowastes with Hydrogen Production Over Nio/Al2o3 Catalyst for Fuel Cell Application

Effects of Wash Protocol and Contamination Level on Concentrations of Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in Swine Hair.

Simple SummaryQuantifying the hormones cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in swine hair is of increasing interest to evaluate long-term stress and resilience. Because swine hair is often contaminated with varying amounts of excrement, it needs to be decontaminated with a solvent prior to hair hormone extraction to rid the hair of potential external contaminants. However, it is unknown how contamination influences hair hormone concentrations, and if current wash protocols are effective in removing contamination. The goals of this study were thus, to determine if wash solvents (methanol versus isopropanol), contamination level (none, mild, or severe), and the number of washes (one, three, or five) influenced hair cortisol and DHEA concentrations. This study showed that hair cortisol, but not DHEA concentrations were reduced when external contamination was present, and that methanol was more effective at removing external contamination compared to isopropanol. There were also decreasing concentrations of cortisol and DHEA within the hair and wash solvent with an increasing number of washes. Thus, it is recommended not to use contaminated hair for hormone analysis, and to wash swine hair with a minimum of three 3 min methanol washes prior to analysis.The effect of washing procedure and contamination level on the concentrations of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in swine hair was explored over two studies. Hair shaved from finisher pigs (n = 8) and sows (n = 8, cortisol study 1 only) was split into two treatments (two hair samples/pig) to receive either three isopropanol or methanol washes, and two paired subsamples of hair were contaminated with feces and urine, mildly or severely. Samples were further subdivided and received one, three, or five methanol washes. Hormone concentrations were quantified from the hair and wash solvent, and the ratio of hormones in the solvent to that in the hair calculated. When grouping sow and grower hair together for analysis, hair cortisol concentrations were 13% greater after three isopropanol washes compared to methanol (22.84 ± 3.12 vs. 19.77 ± 2.64 pg/mg, respectively). When analyzing sow and grower hair separately, sow hair cortisol concentrations were 20% higher following three isopropanol washes compared to methanol washes (22.06 ± 5.21 vs. 27.72 ± 5.65 pg/mg), with no differences in grower pig hair concentrations. The solvent cortisol concentrations did not differ with wash solvent. No differences were seen for DHEA. Contamination level did not influence hormone concentrations. Hair cortisol concentrations were 24% higher after one wash compared to five washes (11.98 ± 1.47 vs. 9.05 ± 0.92 pg/mg), whereas the solvent cortisol concentrations were 80% and 84% higher after one wash compared to three and five washes, respectively (21.09 ± 4.04 vs. 4.21 ± 1.62 vs. 3.36 ± 1.32 pg/mg). The solvent–hair cortisol ratio was 65% and 73% higher following one wash compared to three and five washes (1.36 ± 0.80 vs. 0.47 ± 0.12 vs. 0.37 ± 0.14). Hair DHEA concentrations were 39% higher after one wash compared to five washes (42.39 ± 6.87 vs. 26.02 ± 5.69 pg/mg). The solvent DHEA concentrations, and the solvent–hair ratio for DHEA were 94% and 98% and 92% and 98% higher going from one wash to three and five washes, respectively (solvent: 5.07 ± 0.26 vs. 0.28 ± 0.12 vs. 0.12 ± 0.09 pg/mg and solvent–hair ratio: 0.13 ± 0.006 vs. 0.010 ± 0.004 vs. 0.003 ± 0.002). Following three methanol washes, the non-contaminated hair had 46% and 48% higher hair (17.47 ± 1.12 vs. 9.35 ± 0.80 vs. 9.05 ± 1.06 pg/mg) and a 76% and 72% higher solvent (16.31 ± 8.07 vs. 3.92 ± 0.50 vs. 4.50 ± 2.31 pg/mg) cortisol concentration compared to mild and severely contaminated hair, respectively. Wash solvent influences cortisol concentrations in swine hair, but not DHEA. Contaminated swine hair should be avoided in analyses when possible.

Pyrolysis of pig-hair in a fixed bed reactor: Physico-chemical parameters of bio-oil

Pyrolysis is becoming a prominent method for producing bio-oil from biomass. It has the potential to contribute to the development of a viable renewable fuel market while also ensuring environmental sustainability. In this study, bio-oil was produced from abundantly available pig hair in a fixed bed reactor. The influence of pyrolysis factors such as temperature and heating rate on the production of bio-oil, bio-char, and syngas was examined. The prepared materials were pyrolyzed at 50 °C intervals in the temperature range of 300 to 550 °C. The results showed that the pyrolysis temperature has a moderate impact on product yields and bio-oil properties. The maximum bio-oil yield of 51.8 wt% was obtained at a pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C while the other product yields were 39.5 wt.% of bio-char and 43.0 wt.% of non-condensable gasses. The viscosity, density, elemental analysis, API density, pH, moisture and ash contents, and other physicochemical parameters of bio-oil were measured, and the gross calorific value (HHV) and net calorific value (LHV) were determined to be 20.66 MJ/kg and 19.31 MJ/kg, respectively. The bio-oil had a low water content and pH value, as a result, the content of oxygenated compounds has decreased, favouring the presence of non-oxygenated chemical compounds as revealed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The bio-oil contained compounds such as 2,6-octadienal,3,7-dimethyl (38.86%), citral (24.9%),.beta.-myrcene (5.47%), linoelaidic acid (5.41%), trans-13-octadecanoic acid (4.32%), hydrocarbon, ester, alcohol, ketones, alkanes, fatty acid, toluene, aromatic etc. were identified in the bio-oil which can be used in the manufacturing of chemicals, pharmaceutical and dyes industries, paint and perfume industries, and flammable gasses. As technology progresses, bio-oil will become a more feasible alternative to diesel. This study demonstrated that pig hair is a viable feedstock for a wide range of prospective fossil fuel substitutes and has a wide range of uses in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and dye sectors, as well as the biodiesel industry.

Multi-parametric optimization of the catalytic pyrolysis of pig hair into bio-oil

AbstractThe low yield and poor fuel properties of bio-oil have made the pyrolysis production process uneconomic and also limited bio-oil usage. Proper manipulation of key pyrolysis variables is paramount in order to produce high-quality bio-oil that requires less upgrading. In this research, the pyrolysis of pig hair was carried out in a fixed-bed reactor using a calcium oxide catalyst derived from calcination of turtle shells. In the pyrolysis process, the influence of three variables—temperature, heating rate and catalyst weight—on two responses—bio-oil yield and its higher heating value (HHV)—were investigated using Response Surface Methodology. A second-order regression-model equation was obtained for each response. The optimum yield of the bio-oil and its HHV were obtained as 51.03% and 21.87 mJ/kg, respectively, at 545oC, 45.17oC/min and 2.504 g of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate and catalyst weight, respectively. The high R2 values of 0.9859 and 0.9527, respectively, obtained for the bio-oil yield and its HHV models using analysis of variance revealed that the models can adequately predict the bio-oil yield and its HHV from the pyrolysis process.

A Mix of Old British and Modern European Breeds: Genomic Prediction of Breed Composition of Smallholder Pigs in Uganda.

Pig herds in Africa comprise genotypes ranging from local ecotypes to commercial breeds. Many animals are composites of these two types and the best levels of crossbreeding for particular production systems are largely unknown. These pigs are managed without structured breeding programs and inbreeding is potentially limiting. The objective of this study was to quantify ancestry contributions and inbreeding levels in a population of smallholder pigs in Uganda. The study was set in the districts of Hoima and Kamuli in Uganda and involved 422 pigs. Pig hair samples were taken from adult and growing pigs in the framework of a longitudinal study investigating productivity and profitability of smallholder pig production. The samples were genotyped using the porcine GeneSeek Genomic Profiler (GGP) 50K SNP Chip. The SNP data was analyzed to infer breed ancestry and autozygosity of the Uganda pigs. The results showed that exotic breeds (modern European and old British) contributed an average of 22.8% with a range of 2–50% while “local” blood contributed 69.2% (36.9–95.2%) to the ancestry of the pigs. Runs of homozygosity (ROH) greater than 2 megabase (Mb) quantified the average genomic inbreeding coefficient of the pigs as 0.043. The scarcity of long ROH indicated low recent inbreeding. We conclude that the genomic background of the pig population in the study is a mix of old British and modern pig ancestries. Best levels of admixture for smallholder pigs are yet to be determined, by linking genotypes and phenotypic records.

A Procedure for Oxytocin Measurement in Hair of Pig: Analytical Validation and a Pilot Application.

There is growing interest in oxytocin as a biomarker of stress and welfare. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a procedure based on a highly sensitive immunoassay to measure oxytocin in the hair of pigs. In addition, a pilot study to apply this procedure to evaluate possible changes in concentrations of oxytocin in hair during the reproductive cycle of pigs at different periods of the year was conducted. This procedure used methanol for sample extraction, since it offered better recoveries than acetonitrile, and the immunoassay developed was precise and accurate for the quantification of the oxytocin in the hair. When this procedure was applied to hair collected at different times of the reproductive cycle and season, higher values were found at days 23 and 59 after farrowing in the winter-spring period. In addition, higher oxytocin values in the spring-summer period were found in hair collected 5 days before farrowing compared to winter-spring. Oxytocin in hair showed moderate and low correlations with cortisone and cortisol in hair, respectively. This study represents the first report in which oxytocin was measured in hair and could open new lines for future research about the measurement of oxytocin in pigs and other biological species as a biomarker of stress.