Serum Biochemical Changes Research Articles

Clinico-haematological and Serum Biochemical Changes Associated with Foot and Mouth Disease in some Breeds of Cattle in Oyo State, Nigeria

Foot and mouth disease is considered one of the major hindrances to the growth of animal husbandry in Nigeria, with a projected annual loss of about 7 billion naira. We sought to establish the hematological and biochemical features in Nigerian indigenous cattle naturally infected with FMDV by comparing the hematological and biochemical features with breed, sex, and age. Forty cattle showing clinical manifestations and confirmed positive for FMD with the FMD rapid diagnostic kit were sampled for this study. Standard hematological and serum biochemical techniques were adopted for the analysis. Demography findings revealed more clinical FMD cases in the White Fulani breed (50%) compared to the least in Red Bororo (10%), females (60%) compared to males (40%), and adults (60%) compared to young (40%) cattle, respectively. There were generalized neutrophilia, lymphopenia, hypoproteinemia, increased ALT, and decreased AST enzymes when compared with reference ranges. All parameters analyzed regarding sex revealed no significance in their mean ± standard deviation, except neutrophils and absolute neutrophils, with p-values of 0.022 and 0.003, respectively. The results of all parameters regarding ages showed no statistical significance when comparisons of their mean ± SD were analyzed. We therefore conclude that there were more incidences of FMD in white Fulani, female, and adult cattle compared to other breeds, male and young animals, respectively, in Nigeria. The hematological and biochemical features appeared better in the Red Bororo breed, female and adult FMD-infected cattle compared to other breeds, male and young FMD-infected cattle respectively.

Characterization of Serum Biochemical Changes in Response to Alcohol Consumption Using FT‐Raman Spectroscopy

ABSTRACTAlcohol is one of the most widely used stimulants globally, with increasing consumption rates annually. Prolonged alcohol consumption leads to significant physiological and neurological changes, potentially resulting in various diseases, which could be detect in serum. Therefore, FT‐Raman spectroscopy was used to measure chemical changes in the serum of heavy drinkers, and these results were compared with the serum composition of a control group of non‐drinkers. Obtained results showed a significant increase in lipids and a decrease in the amide/lipid ratio after alcohol administration. Additionally, higher amide III/amide II and lower amide II/amide I ratios were observed in the serum of alcohol‐addicted patients. These shifts of 892, 966, 1286, 1459 and 2940 cm−1 peaks indicate alterations in the protein‐lipid balance due to alcohol consumption. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to further analyze the spectral data, with the first three principal components accounting for 95.36% of total data variability. A Bayesian‐optimized k‐nearest neighbor (BO‐KNN) model was applied for classification. The optimal hyperparameters—two neighbors, correlation distance metric, and squared inverse distance weight—were determined after seven iterations, resulting in a remarkably low classification error of 0.0384. The BO‐KNN model achieved training and test accuracies of 95.92% and 90.48%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 1.00 for the training set and 0.90 for the test set, demonstrating the model's high precision and robustness. In conclusion, FT‐Raman spectroscopy effectively revealed significant chemical changes in the serum of alcohol‐addicted individuals, providing valuable insights into the biochemical impact of alcohol consumption.

Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Duhok, Iraq: Clinical, Hematologoical and Serum Biochemistry Changes in Clinically and Subclinically Infected Cats

Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Duhok, Iraq: Clinical, Hematologoical and Serum Biochemistry Changes in Clinically and Subclinically Infected Cats

Comparative evaluation of the serum biochemical and lipid profile changes in spayed male and female rats

Background and aims: This study investigated the effects of gonadal removal in male and female rats on changes in serum biochemical parameters. Methods: Twenty-eight adult male and female rats were divided into four groups of 7 animals for a period of 9 weeks. The first and second groups of intact male and female rats, as well as the third and fourth groups of male and female rats, were gonadectomized, respectively. At the end of the ninth week of the study, the rats were anesthetized with chloroform, and the amount of glucose, some lipid parameters in serum, and the activity of a number of serum enzymes were measured after taking blood from the heart. Results: Alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were higher in intact male rats than in intact female rats, respectively (P=0.03, P=0.015). The amounts of glucose and cholesterol of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in intact female rats were higher than in the ovariectomized rats, respectively (P=0.07, P=0.039, P=0.03). The amount of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in spayed female rats demonstrated a significant increase compared to other groups (P=0.001). However, there was a significant decrease in calcium levels in gonadectomized rat groups in comparison to intact female rats (P=0.02). Finally, a significant increase was found in phosphorous levels in the intact male rats group compared to other groups (P=0.002). Conclusion: Decreased sex hormones in gonadectomized rats compared with intact rats could lead to increased serum levels of LDH, ALP, and LDL cholesterol that may result in the development of metabolic and atherogenesis syndromes and acute liver failure.

Alterations of serum biochemical parameters and tyrosine phosphorylation in kidney and liver of chronic stress-induced rats

Abstract Chronic stress (CS) can contribute to dysfunction in several organs including liver and kidney. This study was performed to investigate the changes in serum biochemistry, histological structure, as well as in localization of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins (TyrPho) and Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp-70) in liver and kidney tissues of CS rats induced by two stressors (restrained and force swimming) for 60 consecutive days. Samples of blood, liver, and kidney were collected from adult male Sprague–Dawley rats in each group. Our results showed that serum biochemical parameters including corticosterone, blood sugar, urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase in CS group were significantly different from that in normal group in both liver and kidney tissues. Although histological structure was not changed. TyrPho expression was significantly increased in liver lysate but significantly decreased in kidney. Hsp-70 expression in liver increased whereas in kidney decreased. In conclusion, CS can induce changes in liver and kidney functions.

Hematological and Serum Biochemical Changes in Cats Naturally Infected with Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Thonburi district, Bangkok, Thailand

Hematological and Serum Biochemical Changes in Cats Naturally Infected with Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Thonburi district, Bangkok, Thailand

Clinico-pathological assessment of virulent Newcastle Disease Virus in ducks.

Newcastle disease (ND) is an infectious, highly contagious and lethal disease of avian species. It is considered that ducks are natural reservoir or carrier for Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and are resistant against different strains of NDV. Current study was designed to evaluate the pathogenesis of Newcastle disease in domestic ducks through histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and serum biochemical changes. For this purpose, eighty ducks were reared for 42 days and divided in two groups A and B. Ducks in group A were challenged with (NDV) at rate of 0.1 ml of ELD50 (virus titer 107.32/100µl) on second week of age, whereas Group B was control negative. Splenomegaly, atrophy of thymus and necrotic lesion in kidney were observed on 9th day of post infection. Hepatic degeneration and mononuclear cell infiltration were noticed in proventriculus and intestine in challenged ducks. Viral antigen detected in lungs, intestine, proventriculus and lymphoid organs of infected ducks through IHC. Albumin and total protein values were significantly low in infected groups A as compared to control group B. ALT, AST, and ALP values were significantly high in infected group A. On 5th and 7th day of post infection oropharyngeal swabs were negative for NDV and cloacal swabs were positive for NDV through Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. It is concluded that ducks are susceptible to NDV and virulent strain of NDV caused disease in ducks.

Exposure of farmed fish to petroleum hydrocarbon pollution and the recovery process: A simulation experiment with tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes

Petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) pollution threatens both wild and farmed marine fish. How this pollution affects the nutrient metabolism in fish and whether this effect can be recovered have not been well-known. The present study aimed to evaluate these effects with a feeding trial on tiger puffer, an important farmed species in Asia. In a 6-week feeding trial conducted in indoor flow-through water, fish were fed a control diet (C) or diets supplemented with diesel oil (0.02 % and 0.2 % of dry matter, named LD and HD, respectively). Following this feeding trial was a 4-week recovery period, during which all fish were fed a same normal commercial feed. At the end of the 6-week feeding trial, dietary PH significantly decreased the fish growth and lipid content. The PH significantly accumulated in fish tissues, in particular the liver, and caused damages in all tissues examined in terms of histology, anti-oxidation status, and serum biochemical changes. Dietary PH also changed the volatile flavor compound profile in the muscle. The hepatic transcriptome assay showed that the HD diet tended to inhibit the DNA replication, cell cycle and lipid synthesis, but to stimulate the transcription of genes related to liver protection/repair and lipid catabolism. The 4-week recovery period to some extent mitigated the damage caused by PH. After the recovery period, the inter-group differences in some parameters disappeared. However, the differences in lipid content, anti-oxidase activity, liver PH concentration, and histological structure still existed. In addition, differences in cellular chemical homeostasis and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction at the transcriptional level can still be observed, indicated by the hepatic transcriptome assay. In conclusion, 6 weeks of dietary PH exposure significantly impaired the growth performance and health status of farmed tiger puffer, and a short-term recovery period (4 weeks) was not sufficient to completely mitigate this impairment.

Ninety-day toxicity and genotoxic effects of synthetically derived fully saturated forms of anacardic acid in mice

Organically synthesized fully saturated form of Anacardic acid (AA) has previously shown to be effective in the treatment of inflammatory autoimmune disease. In this study, organically synthesized fully saturated form of AA was orally administered to male and female Swiss albino mice for 90 consecutive days at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg BW (n = 20 per sex/group). Administration of AA was well tolerated at all dose levels. The treated animals did not show a dose-response toxicity in their hematology, liver, or metabolic profile. Minimally significant changes in serum biochemistry and hematology parameters were noted, but these were not considered to be of biological or toxicological importance and were not outside the known accepted ranges. Sporadic differences in organ weights were observed between groups, but all were minimal (<10%) and unlikely to indicate toxicity. The incidence of histopathological lesions was comparable between treated and control groups across all tested organs. Based upon these findings, the no-observed-adverse-effect level was determined to be ≥ 100 mg/kg BW, which was the highest dose tested. There were no genotoxic (mutagenic and clastogenic) effects seen in In-vivo micronucleus test, In-vitro chromosomal aberration test and Bacterial reverse mutation test. These results support, no genotoxicity and no toxicity associated with oral consumption of AA in mice as a dietary supplement for beverages and food.

Metabonomics Application on Screening Serum Biomarkers of Golden Hamsters with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Induced by High-Fat Diet.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common liver injury which will develop into advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. This study was designed to identify the different serum metabolites of NASH hamsters and predict the diagnosis biomarkers for NASH. Golden hamsters were randomly divided into a control group that received a normal diet and a NASH group that received a high-fat diet (HFD). After 12 weeks of feeding, the body and liver weight of the hamsters were monitored. Serum biochemical parameters and liver histopathological changes were analyzed. Moreover, an untargeted metabolomics analysis based on a GCTOF/ MS system was performed to identify the serum differential metabolites between the NASH and control groups. The liver weight was increased in the NASH group, accompanied by significantly higher levels of serum TC, TG, ALT, AST, LDL-C, and lower HDL-C. HE, Masson, and oil red O staining showed the hepatocyte structure destroyed, lipid droplets accumulated, and fibers proliferated in the NASH group. Furthermore, 63 differential metabolites were identified by metabolomic analysis. Lipids and fatty acids were significantly up-regulated in the NASH group. The top 9 differential metabolites included cholesterol, methyl phosphate, taurine, alpha-tocopherol, aspartic acid, etc. Metabolites were mainly involved in amino acid metabolism (glycine, cysteine, taurine), spermine, fatty acid biosynthesis, urea cycle, bile acid metabolism pathways, etc. Conclusion: Metabonomics analysis identified 63 differential metabolites in the serum of NASH hamsters; among them, lipids and fatty acids had a key role and may be used as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of NASH.

Rayless goldenrod (Isocoma pluriflora) poisoning in chicks (Gallus gallusdomesticus)

Rayless goldenrod (Isocoma spp.) and white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) poison livestock, wildlife and humans. The suggested toxin for both plants is tremetone, a mixture of benzofuran ketones. However, plant tremetone concentrations often do not correlate with poisoning, and they have not been identified in contaminated milk that poisons nursing neonates. This suggests there may be unidentified metabolites or toxins. Previous studies using various cell culture and large animal models have been inconsistent with varying animal response that often require large doses. The objective of this work is to document the toxicity of rayless goldenrod in California white leghorn chicks, a susceptible small animal model, that would require relatively small amounts of plant material or purified toxins. Four groups of 15 chicks were gavaged with finely ground I. pluriflora at rates of 0, 1%, 2% or 3% of their bodyweight per day for 7 days. After 7 exposure days the chicks were euthanized, necropsied and tissues were collected, fixed and examined microscopically. Myocyte damage was evaluated using clinical signs, weight gain, serum biochemical changes, and histologic lesions and scores. The 3% group had focally extensive myocyte degeneration and necrosis most severely affecting leg muscles (semitendinosus, iliotibialis, peroneus longus and gastrocnemius). This was supported by serum biochemical changes and reduced weight gains. These findings indicate young chicks are a sensitive model of toxicity that may be useful to better identify the rayless goldenrod and white snakeroot toxins, including those unidentified toxins of transmammary poisoning.

Protective effects of scutellaria-coptis herb couple against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via activating NRF2 and FXR pathways in vivo and in vitro

Ethnopharmacological relevanceScutellaria-coptis herb couple (SC) is a classic herbal pair used in many Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulations in the treatment of endocrine and metabolic deseases. Diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are both endocrine and metabolic diseases. Previous studies have shown that SC has anti-diabetic effects. However, the effect and mechanism of SC against NASH remains unclear. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to demonstrate the effect and mechanism of SC against NASH through the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) dual signaling pathways in vivo and in vitro. Materials and methodsThe high fat diet-fed rat model, and HepG2 and RAW264.7 cell models were used. Serum biochemical indexes and liver histopathological changes were examined. Metabolomics, transcriptomics, and flow cytometry were performed. RT-qPCR and western blot analysis were performed to provide expression of NRF2 and FXR pathway signal molecules during SC's anti-NASH treatment in vivo and in vitro. ResultsSC had anti-NASH effects in vivo with significantly improvement of serum NASH biochemical index and hepatopathological structure; meanwhile, SC significantly elevated the expression levels of FXR protein in liver and intestinal tissues, and cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) protein in liver. The mRNA expression levels of Takeda G protein receptor 5 (TGR5), CYP7A1, fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 (FGFR4), FXR, small heterodimer partner (SHP), fibroblast growth factor 15/19 (FGF15/19) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were significantly elevated by SC. SC reduced the levels of NorCA, isoLCA and α-MCA in the feces of NAFLD rats. In vitro, SC-containing serum (SC-CS) was found to significantly reduce intracellular lipid deposition, inhibit ROS production, reduce intracellular Malondialdehyde (MDA) and IL-1β levels, and enhance the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Six differential genes closely related to oxidative stress and Nrf2 were identified by transcriptomic analysis. SC-CS up-regulated the expression of NRF2, and reduced the expression of TXNIP and Caspase-1 genes in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, SC-CS reduced the expression of Keap1 and NF-κB, and up-regulated the expression of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and SOD; SC-CS elevated the protein level of NRF2, and reduced the protein level of TXNIP in HepG2 cells. Conclusionsthe mechanisms of SC action against NASH was closely related to the simultaneous activations of both NRF2 and FXR signaling pathways. These findings provide a new insight into the anti-NASH application of SC in clinical settings and demonstrate the potential of SC in the treatment of NASH.

Identification of Quercetin, Kaempferol and Luteolin from Methanolic Extract of &lt;i&gt;Corchorus depressus&lt;/i&gt; and its Pre-Clinical Wound Healing

Corchorus depressus Linn. (Tiliaceae) has been extensively utilized in Odisha, India, and is considered sacred and religious in addition to being used in Pakistan, Baluchistan, and Sind for ethnopharmacological purposes. Ethno-pharmacological claims and lack of sufficient scientific data with respect to the wound-healing activity of the plant encouraged us to the preparation of herbal formulation and its evaluation against wound-healing models with the identification of the phytoconstituents present in the plant extract. The physiochemical properties of the plant like ash value, the preliminary phytochemical screening, the HPLC, HPTLC, FTIR analysis, and the dermal toxicity of the methanolic extract were carried out using standard methods. A stability study was conducted on the prepared ointment formulations. With the help of in vivo excision, incision, dead-space wound, mice-burn model, and along with in vitro stimulation of Interleukin-10 models, the wound healing potential was evaluated. The granulation tissue was collected for nitric oxide estimation and histopathological analysis. The tensile strength of the granuloma tissue and hydroxyproline content were estimated using standard methods. The methanolic extract ointment resulted in a steady contraction of wounds with time and caused significant inhibition in the level of nitric oxide in the scar tissue and aggregation of macrophages in histological examination. The incision model showed a significant (381.33±4.58, p&lt;0.05) increase in the tensile strength of granuloma tissue when compared to the control (156.5±5.75). The dead space wound model demonstrated that the plant extract significantly increased (75.43±2.97, p&lt;0.001) hydroxyproline content against the control. Methanolic extract ointment caused significant wound healing and reduced epithelialization time in the mice burn model from the 12th day till the 24th day as compared to the negative control. Observations of hematological and serum biochemical changes in the dermal toxicity study suggested that the herbal extracts are safe for use topically. In the accelerated stability study, there were no marks of physical instability in the prepared ointment. IR spectral analysis was successfully used to detect flavanones like Luteolin and flavonol such as Quercetin and Kaempferol in methanolic extract. The present findings provide scientific evidence that the plant Corchorus depressus Linn. (Tiliaceae) displayed wound healing activity, corroborating its traditional use by the Tribals of Odisha and the Indian system of medicine.

Paper 09: Serum Biochemical Biomarker Profiles Linked to Poor Knee Joint Health Are Not Associated with OA-Related Symptoms at 12 Months Post-ACLR

Objectives: Biochemical joint tissue changes are associated with the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Serial assessments of serum biomarkers related to cartilage degradation are predictive of symptomatic progression of idiopathic knee OA but have not been explored in patients with symptomatic PTOA following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Both serum and synovial biomarker profiles of inflammation and cartilage degradation post-ACL injury and ACL reconstruction (ACLR) have been associated with deleterious changes of magnetic resonance imaging markers of tibiofemoral cartilage composition (i.e., lower proteoglycan density and poor collagen organization) which precede radiographic PTOA development. However, it is unclear if biochemical changes post-ACL injury and ACLR are also associated with clinically relevant knee OA symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine if changes in biochemical biomarker profiles preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR were associated with clinically relevant knee symptoms related to PTOA at 12-months post-ACLR. Methods: Participants with a primary history of ACL injury who were planning on undergoing ACLR with a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft were included in the prospective, longitudinal cohort study. Serum was collected from participants at three separate study visits: i) preoperatively within 15 days of ACL injury; ii) 6 months post-ACLR; and iii) 12 months post-ACLR. Blood samples from the antecubital fossa were collected in 5 mL serum separation tube vacutainers, centrifuged at 3000 rpms and -4°C, and stored in aliquots at -80°C both preoperatively and 6 months post-ACLR. At 12 months post-ACLR, participants completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome survey. Upon completion of the study, serum samples were batch processed using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to determine biomarker concentrations of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (sMCP-1), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (sCOMP), matrix metalloproteinase 3 (sMMP-3), and type-II collagen degradation to synthesis ratio (sC2C:sCPII) which assess inflammation, cartilage breakdown, cartilage degradation, and cartilage turnover, respectively. KOOS subscale scores were calculated on a scale of 0-100. Participants were classified as Symptomatic or Asymptomatic based on Englund et al. cut off scores for each KOOS subscale which were previously validated in patients with radiographic and symptomatic knee OA after a traumatic knee injury. A K-means cluster analysis was used to determine serum biochemical biomarker profiles based on z-score changes in sMCP-1, sCOMP, sMMP-3, sC2C:sCPII preoperatively to 6 months post-ACLR. One-way ANOVAs were used to determine statistically significant differences between biochemical biomarker changes and characterize the profiles of each group. Independent t-tests were used to assess differences in KOOS subscale scores between each group profile and P-values were Bonferroni corrected for multiple comparisons ( p&lt;0.0125). Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated to determine the magnitude of differences between groups. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated to determine the odds of being classified as Symptomatic and reporting clinically relevant, OA-related symptoms. Results: Thirty-six participants completed all study visits and were dichotomized into groups based on changes in biochemical biomarker profiles over 6 months post-ACLR (Table 1). Group 1 (n=15) was characterized by increases in sMCP-1 and sCOMP preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR (sMCP-1: p&lt;0.001, d=1.75, 95% CI=[0.96-2.52] and sCOMP: p&lt;0.001, d=1.45, 95% CI=[0.70-2.20]) and Group 2 (n=21) was characterized by decreases in sMCP-1 and sCOMP preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR (Figure 1). No statistically significant differences were found for changes in sMMP-3 ( p=0.18, d=0.46, 95% CI=[-0.22-1.13]) or sC2C:sCPII ( p=0.10, d=-0.57, 95% CI=[-1.25-0.11]) preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR between groups. Group 1 characterized by serum biochemical biomarker profiles with increasing sMCP-1 and sCOMP preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR did not demonstrate statistically significant differences in self-reported knee pain ( p=0.72, d=-0.12, 95% CI=[-0.79-0.54]), symptoms ( p=0.96, d=0.02, 95% CI=[-0.64-0.68]), activities of daily living ( p=0.89, d=-0.05, 95% CI=[-0.71-0.62]), sport ( p=0.99, d=0.01, 95% CI=[-0.66-0.67]), or quality of life ( p=0.99, d=0.00, 95% CI=[-0.66-0.67) at 12 months post-ACLR (Figure 2) compared to Group 2 characterized by serum biochemical biomarker profiles with decreasing sMCP-1 and sCOMP preoperatively to 6-months post-ACLR. There were no statistically significant associations between serum biochemical biomarker groups and symptomatic OA status (OR=2.13, 95% CI=0.51-9.01). Conclusions: Pre-operative and post-ACLR changes in biochemical biomarker sampling revealed a group of ACLR patients with increased biomarker concentrations associated with inflammation (sMCP-1) and cartilage breakdown (sCOMP). Serum biomarker changes from the pre-operative to the 6-month post-ACLR time points had no predictive value with respect to patient reporting of clinically relevant knee OA symptoms 12 months post-ACLR. Therefore, serum biochemical changes post-ACLR may play a role in worsening knee joint health as reported in prior studies, but not poor symptom development related to PTOA. Future research is needed to assess the mechanistic role of biochemical changes in symptomatic PTOA development. [Table: see text]

Effects of Azanza garckeana and melatonin on serum biochemical and histopathological changes induced by chronic bisphenol-A administration in New Zealand rabbit bucks

The present investigation sought to elucidate the changes induced by Bisphenol A (BPA) on some organs, liver enzymes, lipid profiles and its amelioration by Azanza garckeana (AG) extract and melatonin. Adult New Zealand White rabbit bucks (N = 42), with average live weight of 1.2 ± 0.03 kg and aged 10–18 months were fed ad libitum on a commercial diet. They were randomly divided into seven groups of six (6) bucks each. Group A was administered distilled water (1.5 mL); group B, BPA (100 mg/kg); group C, AG (500 mg/kg); group D, melatonin (1.0 mg/kg); group E was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG (500 mg/kg) for another six weeks; group F was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100vmg/kg), then melatonin (1.0 mg/kg) for another six weeks; and group G was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG (500 mg/kg) and melatonin(1.0 mg/kg) for another six weeks. BPA increased (p < 0.05) activities of AST (143.9 ± 25.3 U/mL), ALT (29.95 ± 4.9 U/mL), and concentrations of urea (22.72 ± 5.3 mg/dL) and creatinine (199.2 ± 17.6 U/mL) in group B compared to other groups. BPA increased (p < 0.05) concentrations of total cholesterol (27.34 ± 5.2 mmol/L), triglycerides (2.82 ± 0.5 mmol/L) and low-density lipoprotein (6.8 ± 0.4 mmol/L), but decreased in high density lipoprotein concentrations (1.95 ± 0.1 mmol/L) in group B when compared to other groups. In conclusion, AG and melatonin administration reduced the cytotoxic effects of BPA on hepatic tissue, through improving the liver and kidney function biomarkers and were confirmed by hepatic, renal, heart and lungs histopathological examinations.

A comparative multi-level toxicity assessment of carbon-based Gd-free dots and Gd-doped nanohybrids from coffee waste: hematology, biochemistry, histopathology and neurobiology study

Here, a comparative toxicity assessment of precursor carbon dots from coffee waste (cofCDs) obtained using green chemistry principles and Gd-doped nanohybrids (cofNHs) was performed using hematological, biochemical, histopathological assays in vivo (CD1 mice, intraperitoneal administration, 14 days), and neurochemical approach in vitro (rat cortex nerve terminals, synaptosomes). Serum biochemistry data revealed similar changes in cofCDs and cofNHs-treated groups, i.e. no changes in liver enzymes' activities and creatinine, but decreased urea and total protein values. Hematology data demonstrated increased lymphocytes and concomitantly decreased granulocytes in both groups, which could evidence inflammatory processes in the organism and was confirmed by liver histopathology; decreased red blood cell-associated parameters and platelet count, and increased mean platelet volume, which might indicate concerns with platelet maturation and was confirmed by spleen histopathology. So, relative safety of both cofCDs and cofNHs for kidney, liver and spleen was shown, whereas there were concerns about platelet maturation and erythropoiesis. In acute neurotoxicity study, cofCDs and cofNHs (0.01 mg/ml) did not affect the extracellular level of L-[14C]glutamate and [3H]GABA in nerve terminal preparations. Therefore, cofNHs demonstrated minimal changes in serum biochemistry and hematology assays, had no acute neurotoxicity signs, and can be considered as perspective biocompatible non-toxic theragnostic agent.

Alterations of serum electrolytes and biochemical indices of Panagasianodon gigas subjected to different water temperatures and the appropriate temperature range for sustaining life

ABSTRACT The effects of cold and heat shocks on serum electrolyte and biochemical changes in Panagasianodon gigas. Cold shock was conducted as follows: 25–22°C, 25–19°C and 25–13°C; and heat shock: 25–28°C, 25–31°C and 25–37°C. The lowest Na+ was found in the group exposed to 25–13°C and 25–37°C, while the highest Na+ was observed in the 25–31°C group. The K+ significantly increased with decreases in water temperature. The Cl- was significantly decreased and increased when decreasing and increasing water temperature, respectively. The serum CO2 level was affected by cold shock but was not affected by heat shock. The highest and lowest Na+/K+ ratio was found in the group exposed to 25°C–31°C and 25°C–13°C, respectively. Moreover, the Na+/Cl- ratio showed a similar trend to that of the Na+/K+ ratio. Furthermore, the highest (Na+ + K+)/Cl- ratio was found in 25–31°C group. The highest glucose was found in all the cold shock groups. Albumin, globulin, total protein, triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly decreased after exposure to cold and heat shocks. These results demonstrated that 25–28°C is the appropriate temperature range for this species whilst other ranges influenced biochemical and physiological indices.

Serum biochemical changes in cats with naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis

The geographical distribution of feline cytauxzoonosis is expanding in the US. Clinical signs of feline cytauxzoonosis, including lethargy, anorexia, and icterus, are similar to hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormality patterns may assist practitioners in prioritizing feline cytauxzoonosis as a differential diagnosis over hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. Hematology and serum biochemical profiles of cats with naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis, hepatic lipidosis, or cholangiohepatitis. Retrospective search and analysis of the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory or Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center records between January 2007 and June 2018 for cats with cytauxzoonosis, hepatic lipidosis, or cholangiohepatitis. Patients with acute feline cytauxzoonosis presented with frequent nonregenerative anemia (20/28 [71%]), leukopenia (23/28 [82%]), thrombocytopenia (23/23 [100%]), hyperbilirubinemia (27/28 [97%]), hypoalbuminemia (26/28 [93%]), reduced (18/28 [64%]) or low normal (10/28 [36%]) serum ALP activity, and hyponatremia (23/28 [82%]). Reduced ALP activity was unique to cats with feline cytauxzoonosis relative to hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. No correlation between the severity of anemia and the magnitude of hyperbilirubinemia was identified in feline cytauxzoonosis patients. The combination of nonregenerative anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, and reduced serum ALP activity in icteric cats may increase the clinical suspicion, but is not pathognomonic, for acute feline cytauxzoonosis. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities of naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis are like those reported with feline bacterial sepsis. Blood smear evaluation for intraerythrocytic Cytauxzoon felis piroplasms, tissue aspirates for schizont-laden macrophages, and/or molecular testing are required to diagnose feline cytauxzoonosis.

Dietary taurine supplementation counteracts deoxynivalenol-induced liver injury via alleviating oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and inflammation in piglets

Deoxynivalenol (DON), as a widespread Fusarium mycotoxin in cereals, food products, and animal feed, is detrimental to both human and animal health. The liver is not only the primary organ responsible for DON metabolism but also the principal organ affected by DON toxicity. Taurine is well known to display various physiological and pharmacological functions due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the information regarding taurine supplementation counteracting DON-induced liver injury in piglets is still unclear. In our work, twenty-four weaned piglets were subjected to four groups for a 24-day period, including the BD group (a basal diet), the DON group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet), the DON+LT group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet + 0.3% taurine), and the DON+HT group (3 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet + 0.6% taurine). Our findings indicated that taurine supplementation improved growth performance and alleviated DON-induced liver injury, as evidenced by the reduced pathological and serum biochemical changes (ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH), especially in the group with the 0.3% taurine. Taurine could counteract hepatic oxidative stress in piglets exposed to DON, as it reduced ROS, 8-OHdG, and MDA concentrations and improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Concurrently, taurine was observed to upregulate the expression of key factors involved in mitochondrial function and the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, taurine treatment effectively attenuated DON-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, as verified through the decreased proportion of TUNEL-positive cells and regulation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. Finally, the administration of taurine was able to reduce liver inflammation due to DON, by inactivating the NF-κB signaling pathway and declining the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In summary, our results implied that taurine effectively improved DON-induced liver injury. The underlying mechanism should be that taurine restored mitochondrial normal function and antagonized oxidative stress, thereby reducing apoptosis and inflammatory responses in the liver of weaned piglets.

Interaction of Metals, Menopause and COVID-19-A Review of the Literature.

A growing number of reports point to the possible role of environmental factors in determining the age of onset of menopause. Specific metals, such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead can lead to fertility disorders, to endocrine dysregulation, and in addition, their high blood concentrations correlate with the onset of menopause. Changing concentrations of hormones in the blood during this period of a woman's life can also have an impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection, and excessively high or low levels of metals may also be an important predictor for the course of COVID-19. Postmenopausal women are exposed to greater risk of serum biochemical changes, and with the possibility of nutritional disturbances, particularly involving trace minerals, the risk of age-related diseases is very high during this period. These adverse changes in serum trace minerals should be taken into consideration for the early diagnosis and prevention of menopause-related diseases. Dietary supplementation may be necessary, especially where levels are significantly reduced. We performed a manual search of scientific articles cited in major electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar) in November 2022 to identify studies relevant to the relationship between metals, COVID-19 and menopause. The effects of metals on the course of menopause is a broad topic and should certainly still be a subject of research, due to, among other things, continuing environmental pollution and the use of metals in many areas of life.