Use Of Hair Research Articles

Use of hair products in relation to ovarian cancer risk.

We evaluated whether hair products, which may contain carcinogens and endocrine disruptors that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, are related to ovarian cancer incidence in a prospective cohort. After excluding women with a history of ovarian cancer or bilateral oophorectomy, 40 559 Sister Study participants ages 35-74 at enrollment (2003-2009) were included. Participants completed questionnaires on hair product use, including hair dyes, straighteners/relaxers and permanents/body waves, in the past 12 months. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between hair products and incident ovarian cancer. We assessed associations stratified by tumor type (serous, non-serous). Over a mean follow-up of 10 years, 241 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Ever use of any of the examined hair products during the past year was not associated with ovarian cancer risk. However, frequent use (>4 times/year) of straighteners/relaxers or pressing products in the past year was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer (HR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.12-4.27). Ever use of permanent hair dye was positively associated with non-serous (HR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.12-3.37), but inversely associated with serous (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43-0.99) tumors (p-for-heterogeneity = 0.002). Our novel findings suggest that frequent use of hair straighteners/relaxers or pressing products, which are primarily used by African American/Black women, and possibly permanent hair dye, may be associated with the occurrence of ovarian cancers.

Measuring adrenal and reproductive hormones in hair from Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) use sea ice to access marine mammal prey. In Alaska’s Southern Beaufort Sea, the declining availability of sea ice habitat in summer and fall has reduced opportunities for polar bears to routinely hunt on the ice for seals, their primary prey. This reduced access to prey may result in physiological stress with subsequent potential consequences to reproductive function (physiological changes that accompany reproduction), which can be measured via reproductive hormones. Hormone concentrations in hair can be used as a minimally invasive alternative to serum concentrations, which must come from animal captures. Hair samples also provide a long-term average measurement of hormone concentrations that is not influenced by short-term fluctuations like that of serum. The aim of this study was (1) to determine if a radioimmunoassay could be used to measure adrenal and reproductive hormones in polar bear hair, and (2) to determine what the relationship is between these hormones and other reproductive, condition, and demographic parameters of polar bears. We successfully validated this method for cortisol, progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone through the analysis of hair and serum of 141 free-ranging polar bears. We found that while hair cannot be used to estimate serum hormone concentrations during the breeding season, hormone concentrations in hair can be used to measure reproductive function in polar bears. Further, our findings support trends in previous studies measuring hormone concentrations in serum. We found that adrenal and some reproductive hormones were positively correlated in hair samples of females. Associations between hormone concentrations in hair and serum did not vary relative to reproductive status of adult females. Serum testosterone increased throughout the breeding season for adult males and was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI). Our research supports the use of hair as a measure of reproductive function in polar bears and allows us to monitor the future effects of climate change on polar bear physiology.

Irregular cosmetic withdrawal from Brazilian market: descriptive analysis from 2009 to 2020

Cosmetic products are essential items in everyday life and directly related to a good quality of life. This branch has been steadily growing in Brazilian market even in the midst of the economic crisis. Thence, it is the role of the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) to establish standards, guidelines and surveillance actions in relation to these products. In this work, we therefore aimed to perform the descriptive analysis of cosmetics which were considered by Anvisa as irregular products between 2009 and 2020. Results were evaluated according to the following attributes: companies; motives; products; and inspection actions. The analysis encompassed a total of 872 notifications, which showcased that the majority of companies with irregular products are located in the Southeast region (64%), mainly in São Paulo. There was an expressive degree of recurrence of the notified companies, which together were responsible for 40% of the total withdrawals. The most frequent motivations for the application of sanctions were: the absence of product registration/notification (35.3%); quality deviations (25.9%); and the lack of a business license (20.0 %). The most commonly withdrawn products were those for hair use, which may indicate strong relation with the use in beauty salons. In addition, there was a large increase in the irregularity of antiseptic gels in 2020. The number of revocations was low, what suggests lack of adequate quality management in the notified companies. In conclusion, Anvisa has fulfilled its institutional objective of standardization, thereby establishing and enforcing adequate product safety countrywide.

Hair Product Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk

Abstract Purpose. We evaluated whether hair products, including many known to contain carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals, are related to incident ovarian cancer in a large prospective cohort. Methods. After excluding women with a history of ovarian cancer or bilateral oophorectomy, 40,559 Sister Study participants were included. Participants were aged 35–74 and had a sister with breast cancer but no history of breast cancer themselves at enrollment in 2003–2009. Participants completed questionnaires on frequency of hair product use (including hair dyes, straighteners/relaxers and hair permanents/body waves) in the 12 months prior to enrollment. Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for the association between hair product type and frequency of use in relation to incident ovarian cancer. We also assessed models stratified by tumor type (serous, non-serous). Results. After a mean of 10 years of follow-up, 241 women had self-reported an incident ovarian cancer diagnosis. Ever use of hair products in the past year (including permanent, semi-permanent and temporary hair dyes, straighteners/relaxers, and hair permanents/body waves) was not associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer. However, frequent use (>4 times) of straighteners/relaxers in the past year was positively associated with ovarian cancer (HR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.27–4.73). This association was stronger for non-serous (HR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.07–16.9) compared to serous (HR = 1.38, 95% CI:0.47–4.04) ovarian cancers. Ever use of permanent hair dye was positively associated with non-serous (HR = 1.91, 95% CI, 1.10–3.33), but inversely associated with serous (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43–0.98) ovarian cancer (p-for-heterogeneity = 0.002). Conclusion. These results suggest that frequent use of hair straighteners/relaxers and possibly permanent hair dye may be positively associated with the occurrence of non-serous ovarian cancers.

High Acceptability of Donating Hair and Other Biological Samples for Research Among People Living with HIV in an Outpatient Clinic in Lagos, Nigeria.

Willingness to donate hair samples is a rate-limiting step for assaying antiretroviral (ARV) concentrations in hair, an emerging technique for HIV prevention and treatment monitoring. We surveyed ethnically diverse Nigerians to determine their willingness to donate hair for biomedical research. A cross-sectional survey of people living with HIV on ARV therapy (ART) was conducted at the HIV clinic of Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, using systematic sampling. The researcher-administered questionnaire was designed to capture sociodemographic data, length of time on ART, and willingness to donate hair. Univariate analysis was performed on sociodemographic characteristics, and independent-samples t-test and chi-square tests were used for bivariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with willingness to donate hair samples, with a significance level of 0.05. Of the 398 participants enrolled in the study, 258 (64.8%) were female, the average age was 40 years (±9.8), and the average time spent on ART was 7.3 years (±4.2). More than half (64.8%) of the respondents were willing to donate hair samples for biomedical research and they were 1.5 times more likely to donate hair than blood. For one-third of the participants, the anticipated benefit from the eventual research findings was the primary motivation to donate hair samples. Fear of use of hair for rituals was the most common stated reason for unwillingness to donate hair samples (21.2%). In an ethnically diverse, urban-based Nigerian study population, nearly two-thirds of the participants were willing to donate hair samples for biomedical research. These findings support the feasibility of hair sampling for future HIV clinical research conducted within Nigeria.

Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown: Black Men's Perspective on Harmful Effects of Black Women's Hair Product Use and Breast Cancer Risk.

Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women’s hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews—among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer—were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinions of beauty norms, and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed guided by grounded theory methods. From the 66 participants interviewed, there was general support for natural hairstyles, which were associated with confidence and self-esteem in women. Men agreed that beauty standards and societal pressures play notable roles in the women’s personal behaviors though they mostly lacked knowledge of women’s breast cancer risk related to EDCs found in personal care products. Participants suggested a multipronged strategy centered on community education involving social and traditional media campaigns, and the engagement of policy makers in intervention efforts.

Interrelationships Between Age and Trace Element Concentration in Horse Mane Hair and Whole Blood

The use of hair as a sample matrix to determine the mineral status of an animal has received a lot of interest. The objective of this study was to determine if the trace element content in horse mane hair changed with age when evaluated in a group of horses representing a large age range. As a second objective, whole blood trace element content was evaluated, and its relationship to mane hair trace element content, as well as age, were tested. Therefore, mane hair and whole blood samples were obtained from 59 horses, ranging from 2 months to 26 years in age, housed on the same farm. Mane hair samples were washed, and hair and blood digested and analyzed for 11 trace elements. Weak correlations (P < .05) between age and mane hair trace element content was detected for arsenic (r = 0.29), copper (r = −0.39) and selenium (r = −0.27). While the mane hair color did not affect trace element concentration, greater variability was detected in the black mane hair samples. This resulted in outliers that were removed from the final statistical analysis. However, data is presented to the reader both ways. Correlations were also detected (P < .05) between age and whole blood iron (r = 0.62), selenium (r = 0.76) and zinc (r = 0.47). This is similar to what has been reported in horses using serum or plasma. The trace element concentrations of mane hair and whole blood were not correlated (P > .05) in this study. However, the concentrations of trace elements in mane hair were higher than that of blood. Trace elements, specifically chromium and lead, that were below detection levels in the blood, were detectable in mane hair. This suggests that mane hair may be a potential means to investigate suspected exposure to excessive levels of trace minerals or heavy metals that are difficult to detect in blood.

An Optimized Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Assay for the Determination of Ethyl Palmitate in Hair

The use of hair as a matrix for the evaluation of chronic ethanol drinking behavior presents the advantage of a longer window of detection and higher specificity when compared to classical biochemical markers. The most recent recommendations the Society of Hair Testing (SOHT) indicate that ethyl palmitate (EtP) hair levels can be used to estimate the ethanol drinking behavior, alternatively to the combined measurement of four main fatty acid ethyl esters. In this study, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) conditions for the extraction of EtP from hair were optimized using response surface analysis, after a Box-Behnken experiment. Analyses were performed by GC-MS. The optimized HS-SPME conditions, using a PDMS-DVB (65μm) fiber, were pre-adsorption time of 6min, extraction time of 60min and incubation temperature of 94°C. The linear range was 0.05 to 3ngmg-1, with accuracy within 95.15-109.91%. Between-assay and within-assay precision were 8.58-12.53 and 6.12-6.82%, respectively. The extraction yield was 61.3-71.9%. The assay was applied to hair specimens obtained from 46 volunteers, all presenting EtP levels within the linear range of the assay. Using a statistically designed experiment, a sensitive SPME-GC-MS assay for the measurement of EtP in hair was developed and validated, requiring only 20mg of hair.

The use of hair as a proxy for total and methylmercury burdens in polar bear muscle tissue

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an ecologically important species in the Arctic, whose health, and that of the people whose livelihoods depend on them, are increasingly affected by climate change and the bioaccumulation of contaminants such as mercury (Hg). Although methylmercury (MeHg) is the toxic form of Hg that biomagnifies up food webs, risk assessment studies typically only report on total Hg (THg) concentrations because it is cheaper to quantify. Furthermore, hair is commonly analysed for THg in polar bear as well as human risk assessment studies because it is relatively non-invasive to collect, yet we know little of how THg and MeHg concentrations differ between hair and muscle tissues. In this study, we quantified THg and MeHg concentrations in hair and muscle from 44 polar bears (24 sub-adults: 9 females, 15 males; 18 adults: 5 females, 13 males, and 2 males of unknown age group), harvested in 2015 and 2016 from four subpopulations in Nunavut, Canada (Davis Strait, n = 3; Gulf of Boothia, n = 8; Baffin Bay, n = 15; Foxe Basin, n = 18). We found only moderately positive correlations (0.4 ≤ r ≤ 0.5) between THg concentrations in hair and THg and MeHg concentrations in muscle. Further, 75% and 88% of THg was MeHg in hair and muscle, respectively. High concentrations of THg in hair - 71% of the samples were above the suggested neurochemical no observed effect level for polar bears - suggest some of the bears may be adversely affected by Hg-related health effects. Despite this, all MeHg concentrations in muscle (0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg (wet weight, ww)) were below the consumption maximum Hg concentration of 0.5 mg/kg (ww) set by Canadian health authorities.

Hair as a matrix to evaluate cumulative and aggregate exposure to pesticides in winegrowers

IntroductionVineyard is a crop where a large number of pesticides are applied; exposure to pesticides may occur in farmers and the general population living close to the treated area. This work aimed to investigate hair as a matrix for the assessment of cumulative and aggregate exposure to pesticides in potentially exposed individuals. MethodsTwenty agricultural workers (AW), 4 agricultural worker relatives (AR), and 5 research staff members (RS) were involved in the study. Hair samples were collected before and after the application season (PRE- and POST-EXP samples) to obtain 18 paired samples. Records with the name and the quantity of applied pesticides were obtained; twenty-seven pesticides were measured in hair by solvent extraction and LC-MS/MS. ResultsDuring the study season, AW applied 14 different pesticides with median amount ranging from 12 to 7200 g. The most popular pesticides were dimethomorph, penconazole, cyazofamid, fenamidone and quinoxyfen, applied from 94 to 69% of AW. In AW, in PRE-EXP samples the majority of used pesticides was detectable (with detection rates from 6 to 88%), with median concentrations of few pg/mg hair; in the POST-EXP samples the frequency of detected values increased (from 25 to 100%), with median concentrations up to two orders of magnitude higher. In AR, most pesticides were quantifiable only in POST-EXP samples and with lower concentration in comparison with AW; in RS, in both PRE- and POST-EXP samples only a few pesticides were quantifiable with very low levels. In AW, a linear correlation (r = 0.682 on log-transformed data, p < 0.01) was found between the total amounts of applied pesticides during the season and their concentration in hair. ConclusionThe study shows that the majority of assessed pesticides was incorporated into hair of AW and AR. The increased frequency of detection and level at the end of the season and the correlation between pesticide in hair and the amount of applied pesticides, reinforce the use of hair for quantitative biomonitoring of cumulative exposure to pesticides.

(Un)targeted hair metabolomics: first considerations and systematic evaluation on the impact of sample preparation.

The interest in metabolomic studies has rapidly increased over the past few years. Changes of endogenous compounds are typically detected in plasma or urine. However, the use of hair allows for long-term monitoring of metabolomic changes and has recently started being applied to metabolomic studies. Within the proposed study, we aimed for a systematical investigation of different pre-analytical parameters on detected metabolites from different chemical classes in hair. For this purpose, three different parameters were varied: (1) multi-step decontamination (dichloromethane (DCM), acetone, H2O, acetone; H2O, acetone, DCM, acetone; and H2O, methanol/acetone), (2) homogenization (pulverization vs. cutting into snippets), and (3) extraction (acetonitrile (ACN)/buffer pH4 vs. ACN/H2O vs. ACN/buffer pH8.5). To include as many metabolites as possible, samples were analyzed by high-resolution time of flight mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography (HPLC-HRMS) and additionally by gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) followed by untargeted-like data processing, respectively. The application of different decontamination procedures yielded similar results, although pointing to a trend towards increased washing-out effects if protic solvents were used as a first washing step. Pulverization of hair samples was favorable in terms of detected and tentatively identified metabolites. Evaluation of extraction solvents showed differences in extraction yield for the majority of investigated metabolites, yet, a prediction of metabolite extraction according to their pKa values was not possible. Overall, successive decontamination with DCM, acetone, H2O, and acetone; homogenization by pulverization; and extraction with ACN/H2O produced reliable results. Graphical abstract.

Assessment of the exposure of children and adults to pollutants by hair analysis in the area of Grande-Synthe, France

Biomonitoring consists in the analysis of biomarkers of exposure in biological matrixes. In this field, the better performance of hair over urine and blood has already been demonstrated [1] . Hair allows to detect more chemicals, as well as parent and metabolite compounds, analysing only one single sample. Because the effects associated with exposure to several chemicals simultaneously can differ from the effects of a single toxic, efforts to get information on multiple exposure became a priority in the field of biomonitoring. To describe the cumulative exposure of children and adults living in Grande-Synthe (France). This study was carried out in the urban area of Grande-Synthe (France). One single hair sample was collected from each volunteer, 40 children (age from 2 up to 16 y/o) and 117 adults, and analysed with three different methods: method one [2] allowed for the detection of 152 organic pollutants (pesticides from different families, PCBs, bisphenols, etc.). The 2nd method [3] allowed for the detection of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), 45 PAH-metabolites (OH-PAH), nicotine and cotinine. The 3rd method analysed 36 different metals. The number of biomarkers detected with the 1st method in each sample ranged from 33 up to 70 in children and from 34 up to 74 in adults. Fifteen compounds were detected in all the samples of children (3 organochlorines, 2 organophosphates, 8 other pesticides, and 2 bisphenols). The highest value was detected for bisphenol S (> 6000 pg/mg). Fourteen compounds were detected in all of the samples from adults (2 organochlorines, 4 organophosphates, 7 other pesticides and bisphenol A) and the highest values were found for bisphenol A (> 10,000 pg/mg). Second method allowed for the detection of 7 up to 26 compounds per child and from 7 up to 21 biomarkers for adults, and the highest concentration was detected for nicotine (2 ng/mg in children and 72 ng/mg for adults). Only 1-OH- and 2-OH-naphthalene were detected in all the samples. Nineteen metals included in the 3rd method were detected for all the samples analysed. The highest concentrations were found for aluminium for both children (> 1400 μg/g) and adults (> 600 μg/g). Furthermore, for certain compounds there were found great differences in the exposure range. This brings in the firm idea that the specific environmental conditions of the area plays a limited role in the exposure. Hence, food consumption as well as personal life-style could be the major route of exposure. This study clearly highlighted the cumulative exposure of the population of Grande-Synthe, it provided the first concentration values in hair for these compounds and it brought new data on the exposome of this population and on human in general. Also, this data strongly supports the use of hair for the biomonitoring of human exposure to pollutants.

863 Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia gene expression analysis revealed cholesterol, fatty acid, and mast cell pathways

Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a primary lymphocytic scarring alopecia that presents as inflammation, pain and scarring hair loss at the scalp vertex primarily in women of African descent. It is estimated that between 6-8% of individuals of African descent have CCCA with the incidence rising in populations over 50 years of age, although CCCA is thought to be grossly underreported. Its onset has been associated with the use of hair straightening practices, suggesting mechanical factors in the hair shaft may predispose in part to CCCA. Current standard treatments are largely guided by expert opinion and include topical and injection corticosteroid therapies as well as oral tetracycline. To initiate a molecular analysis of CCCA, RNAseq analysis was performed on scalp biopsies of 5 CCCA patients compared to healthy control subjects. We identified three major pathways associated with CCCA: 1) downregulation of steroid/cholesterol/fatty acid pathways (ACAA1 and FASN); 2) upregulation of fibrosis and hypertrophic scarring pathways (COL1A1, BMP10, and CLDN5); and 3) upregulation of a mast cell signature (TPSAB1, MS4A2, and CMA1). Consistent with the molecular analysis, the histology of CCCA lesions displayed infiltration of mast cells, especially around the fibrotic tissue surrounding the remaining hair follicles. Current treatments involving immunomodulatory modalities are not clinically efficacious, consistent with the lack of immune and inflammatory pathway dysregulation in our analyses. Since the same three core pathways are shared among all cicatricial alopecias, rational development of therapies focusing on restoring cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, and downregulation of fibrosis and mast cells may hold promise for improved clinical outcomes. Leveraging this core set of pathways to inform new therapies, these findings provide a paradigm in which to develop new treatments for CCCA as well as other primary cicatricial alopecias.

Biomonitoring chronic lead exposure among battery manufacturing workers in Tunisia.

The aim of the study was the biomonitoring of the chronic exposure to Pb by measuring its levels in blood, urine, and hair of battery workers. Blood lead (BPb), urinary lead (UPb), hair lead (HPb), and urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid (UALA) levels were determined for 52 workers in a battery plant and compared to those of 20 non-occupational exposed subjects (controls). BPb and UPb levels were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). HPb levels were measured by triple quadrupole ICP-MS and UALA levels were determined using cation exchanger column. The measured levels were significantly higher compared to the controls exceeding the OSHA cutoff values (p < 0.01). The GM mean levels of BPb, UPb, UALA, and HPb of workers were 715μgL-1, 331μgL-1, 16.3mgg-1, and 234μgg-1, respectively. The GM mean levels of BPb, UPb, UALA, and HPb of controls were 93.6μgL-1, 36.3μgL-1, 1.9mgg-1, and 1.8μgg-1, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between BPb and UALA (r = 0.630, p = 0.000), UPb and UALA (r = 0.566, p = 0.000), and between BPb and HPb (r = 0.466, p = 0.004). The significant correlation between BPb and HPb suggests the usefulness of hair for assessing occupational exposure particularly when the study area presents medium to high levels of Pb pollution. The association between Pb biomarkers and potential confounding factors revealed significant influence of the occupational factor over smoking and alcohol consumption. The results of this study urge for the reinforcement of the implemented engineering controls and safety measures in order to reduce exposure and to address the health issues related to Pb poisoning.

Monitoring of environmental persistent organic pollutants in hair samples collected from wild terrestrial mammals of Primorsky Krai, Russia.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) constitute a wide range of chemicals. Their release into the environment has raised great concern due to their potentially harmful impact in humans and wildlife species. The aim of this current study was to detect selected POPs in hair samples of wild terrestrial mammals from Primorsky Krai, Russia, so as to assess potential environmental exposure. The tested wild species were leopard cat, musk deer, wolf, amur hedgehog, and raccoon dog. The targeted organochlorines were hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and DDTs (opDDE, ppDDE, and opDDD), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (acenaphylene (ACEN), fluorene (FLU), anthracene (ANTH) phenathrene (PHEN), and pyrene (PYR)). The detection of POPs was conducted in hair samples by a one-step hair extraction method, by using a headspace solid-phase microextraction technique (HS-SPME) and analyzed then by GC-MS. The majority of the wild animal hair samples were found positive in all tested pollutants. More specifically, the percentage of positive hair samples for HCB was 93.3% and for DDTs, PCBs, and PAHs, 20.0 to 100.0%, 6.7 to 100.0%, and 75.0 to 100.0%, respectively. DDT, PCB, and PAH detection ranged from 1.26 to 52.06pgmg-1, 0.73 to 31.34pgmg-1, and 2.59 to 35.00pgmg-1, respectively. The highest mean concentration levels of all tested pollutants were found for musk deer (PCBs 12.41pgmg-1, DDTs 21.87pgmg-1, PAHs 22.12pgmg-1) compared to the other wild species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that provides results regarding contamination in different terrestrial mammals by POP exposure. The use of hair as a matrix is proven to be an effective tool for nondestructive biological monitoring of POP contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.

The use of hair as a long‐term indicator of low‐dose β2 agonist treatments in cattle: Implications for growth‐promoting purposes monitoring

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using hair as a long-term indicator of cocktail (low-dose β2 agonists) treatments in cattle. Six male Simmental cattle were treated with a mixture of low-dose clenbuterol, ractopamine, and salbutamol at dosages of 5.3, 223.3, and 50.0μg/kg, respectively. The trial lasted for 112days and included 28days of treatment and 84days of withdrawal. Plasma and urine samples taken during the treatment period contained the highest residues, with maximum concentrations of clenbuterol, ractopamine, and salbutamol in plasma of 1.49ng/mL (Day 21), 43.78 (Day 14) ng/mL, and 8.07ng/mL (Day 7), respectively, and in urine of 62.40ng/mL (Day 28), 3995.77ng/mL (Day 28), and 503.72ng/mL (Day 1), respectively. On day 42 of withdrawal, the residues of all three β2 agonists in plasma were below the limit of quantification (LOQ; 0.3ng/mL for clenbuterol, and 0.5ng/mL for ractopamine and salbutamol), and in urine samples were below or near the LOQ (the highest being ractopamine at 1.10ng/mL). The highest concentrations of clenbuterol, ractopamine, and salbutamol in hair were 88.36, 1351.92, and 100.58ng/g, respectively, on day 14 of withdrawal; and the residues were long-lasting, with 7.64, 28.55, and 8.77ng/g, respectively, on day 84 of withdrawal. The results of this study demonstrate that hair could be utilized as a long-term indicator of the use of a combination of low-dose β2 agonists in cattle, which could have implications for growth-promoting purposes monitoring.

Application of qPCR method to hair and cerumen samples for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis in Araçatuba, Brazil.

Visceral leishmaniosis (VL) remains a serious public health problem in Brazil. Dogs are the main hosts of the parasite, developing canine leishmaniosis (CanL), hence the importance of an accurate diagnosis of the animals. Recently, the application of qPCR method to non-invasive samples obtained from dogs with CanL has shown high sensitivity. Thus, we analyzed by qPCR blood, hair (from healthy zones and cutaneous lesions) and cerumen of 16 dogs with confirmed leishmaniosis from Araçatuba, a Brazilian endemic area. Cerumen-qPCR showed the highest sensitivity (87.5%), followed by hair (lesions: 78.57%, healthy skin: 62.5%), and blood (68.75%). We also analyzed blood, hair and cerumen of 5 healthy dogs from a non-endemic area, obtaining 100% of specificity in all samples. The use of cerumen and hair for qPCR analysis provides high reliability, taking into account the sensitivity and total specificity of the method. The non-invasive sampling procedure without the need of specific conditions of storage and transport support the usefulness of hair and cerumen for the diagnosis of CanL.

Metabolomics of Pregnancy Complications: Emerging Application of Maternal Hair.

In recent years, the study of metabolomics has begun to receive increasing international attention, especially as it pertains to medical research. This is due in part to the potential for discovery of new biomarkers in the metabolome and to a new understanding of the “exposome”, which refers to the endogenous and exogenous compounds that reflect external exposures. Consequently, metabolomics research into pregnancy-related issues has increased. Biomarkers discovered through metabolomics may shed some light on the etiology of certain pregnancy-related complications and their adverse effects on future maternal health and infant development and improve current clinical management. The discoveries and methods used in these studies will be compiled and summarized within the following paper. A further focus of this paper is the use of hair as a biological sample, which is gaining increasing attention across diverse fields due to its noninvasive sampling method and the metabolome stability. Its significance in exposome studies will be considered in this review, as well as the potential to associate exposures with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Currently, hair has been used in only two metabolomics studies relating to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Identifying guard hairs of Rocky Mountain carnivores

ABSTRACTIncreasing use of hair to survey carnivore distribution and identify carnivore scavengers or predators at prey kill sites requires methods for cost‐efficient identification of predator hair. Although DNA analysis can be used to identify species‐specific hairs, reliability depends on quality of hair, collection method, and environmental conditions, with cost that can exceed CAD$35/hair. In contrast, features of guard hairs including hair length, banding, and macro‐ and microscopic characteristics of the hair cuticle and medulla offer an alternative approach when hair quality is poor or funding is limited. Past keys focused on hair identification of prey species (e.g., ungulates, rodents) in predator scat analysis or were general because they contained all mammals in a region, thus complicating the focus on dichotomous keys for large carnivores. We used Random Forest (RF) to identify features that best classified known‐origin guard hairs (n = 175) and used these characteristics to develop a dichotomous key for hair identification of the 7 major, large carnivore species common to the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. We found relative medulla width and pattern, cuticle‐scale characteristics, and hair length provided the greatest probability of correctly distinguishing among hairs of different carnivore species. Correct classification of within sample hairs with RF based on Area Under the Curve (AUC) averaged 0.95 ± 0.10, with coyote (Canis latrans) hairs having the lowest classification accuracy. Blind trials classifying 21 hairs using the dichotomous key yielded correct classifications of 88% ± 7% to the family level and 60% ± 10% to the species level. Hair preparation and identification by a trained technician was estimated at 30 ± 15 min/hair and CAD$8/hair. Our carnivore hair key provides an alternative approach to DNA hair analysis when either funds are limited, or hair samples are not of sufficient quality to be successfully sequenced. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Microsegmental Analysis of a Single Hair Strand: Pushing the Envelope on Hair Drug Testing.

In this issue of JALM , Kuwayama et al. (1) present a method for estimation of drug-intake day through the microsegmental analysis of a single strand of hair. Over-the-counter drugs were used as indicator compounds and administered to the volunteers at specific intervals. Hair was analyzed for the indicator compounds in 0.4-mm segments, which corresponds with approximate daily hair growth. From the presence of drugs in different segments and known intervals of administration of the indicator compounds, the rate of hair growth and, thus, day of drug intake, was estimated. Although the segmental analysis of a single strand of hair has previously been done, this is a novel idea to calculate the drug-intake day within an error of ±2 days. This method provides a significant improvement over the current methods, which can estimate drug intake within an error of a few weeks to months (2–4). The method can be helpful in estimating the day of a crime such as robbery, battery, and sexual assault under the influence of a drug. Use of hair as an alternate or complementary sample in forensic toxicology is well established (2–4 …