The Impact of Breed, Testing Time and Metabolic Profile on the Variation of Copper Concentration in Sheep Blood Serum

Author(s):  
J. Autukaitė ◽  
V. Juozaitienė ◽  
R. Antanaitis ◽  
I. Poškienė ◽  
W. Baumgartner ◽  
...  

Background: Copper supplementation in ruminants deserves special attention because of the narrow margin between deficiency and toxicity. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between the Cu concentration and other blood parameter values having taken into consideration their physiological limits based on the variation of copper concentration in the three different sheep breeds. Methods: Sixty sheep (35±5 kg) kept on the same farm were studied: the Suffolk (n = 20), the Merino (n = 20) and the Lithuanian blackhead (n = 20). The sheep were selected according to the following parameters: 3.5±0.3 years old, not pregnant during the entire investigation period, clinically healthy. All sheep were kept under the same conditions and throughout the year, were fed at the same time the same ration balanced according to their physiological needs. Individual blood samples were collected on the same day, on monthly basis for the period of one year (April 2018 to May 2019). Blood biochemical parameters as well blood haematology and cortisol concentration were analysed.Result: The highest average value of copper concentration was found in the Merino breed. The study has shown that the lowest number of blood samples with the levels of copper meeting the physiological limit values was found in the native Lithuanian blackhead sheep at the end of the grazing period and in the Merino and the Suffolk breeds - during the coldest winter months. The increase in copper concentration could be related to the stress caused due to the changes in dietary conditions, the variations of ambient temperature and different breed response to these factors.

Author(s):  
Yu. A. Ezrokhi ◽  
E. A. Khoreva

The paper considers techniques to develop a mathematical model using a method of «parallel compressors». The model is intended to estimate the impact of the air inlet distortion on the primary parameters of the aero-engine.  The paper presents rated estimation results in the context of twin spool turbofan design for two typical cruiser modes of flight of the supersonic passenger jet. In estimation the base values σbase and the average values of the inlet ram recovery σave remained invariable. Thus, parametrical calculations were performed for each chosen relative value of the area of low-pressure region.The paper shows that an impact degree of the inlet distortion on the engine thrust for two modes under consideration is essentially different. In other words, if in the subsonic mode the impact assessment can be confined only to taking into account the influence of decreasing average values of the inlet total pressure, the use of such an assumption in the supersonic cruiser mode may result in considerable errors.With invariable values of the pressure recovery factor at the engine intake, which correspond to the speed of flight for a typical air inlet of external compression σbase, and average value σave, a parameter Δσuneven  has the main effect on the engine thrust, and degree of this effect essentially depends on a difference between σave and σbase values.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-283
Author(s):  
Mihail Silviu Tudosie ◽  
Elena Truta ◽  
Ana Maria Davitoiu ◽  
Luminita Stanciulescu ◽  
George Jinescu ◽  
...  

During one year (september 2013 � september 2014), 50 children from the residential institution for children SOS Satele Copiilor Bucharest, where included in our research. The children were distributed in two groups: Group A which consisted of 25 children (12 girls, 13 boys) who were not diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Group B which consisted of 25 children (14 boys, 11 girls) who were diagnosed with ADHD. Initially, the two groups were subjected at a psycho-diagnostic battery of tests, one of them being the Evaluating the Health State of children with ADHD questionnaire elaborated by us, particularly for this research, with the purpose of highlighting the direct link between the children health state and their ADHD symptoms. This study sought to determine the concentration of copper in urine samples from a group of children with ADHD and a group of normal children, to highlight the role of copper in the development of ADHD symptoms. Levels of copper concentration in urine samples from the two groups were processed by Student�s t-Test. Statistical analysis showed that the arithmetic averages of copper concentration in urine samples, of the two groups do not differ significantly, so copper may be causing ADHD symptoms occur. The copper content in urine samples has been determined using atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace.


10.37512/700 ◽  
2020 ◽  

Poor quality complementary foods contribute to undernutrition in children aged 6-23 months. Therefore, there is need to explore foods that will provide adequate nutrients for this age group. This study aimed at determining the impact of a sorghum-amaranth composite flour porridge on nutrient intake of children aged 6-23 months. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Kiandutu slum, Thika, Kenya. Children in the control group (CG), received a maize-sorghum flour while those in the treatment group (TG) received an amaranth-sorghum flour. The sample size per study group was 73 mother-child pairs. The children in the TG received Kcal 1000 worth of porridge/day while those in the CG received Kcal 266.8/day. Mothers of children in both groups were given nutrition education at baseline, and monthly, for six months. Food intake data was taken at baseline, then monthly for six months. Descriptive statistics were used to describe nutrient intake. Chi square and Mann Whitney U test were was used to compare the baseline characteristics of the two groups and their nutrient intake, respectively. At baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. On a monthly basis, nutrient intake in the TG was significantly higher for a majority of the nutrients than in the CG. The product can contribute to preventing under-nutrition in children aged 6-23 months.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2710 ◽  
Author(s):  
April Callister ◽  
Joanna Gautney ◽  
Christina Aguilar ◽  
Julian Chan ◽  
David Aguilar

Multiple studies have demonstrated strong links between diet and anemia, but few have explored the impact of food groups on hemoglobin (Hb). We analyzed the correlation between Ghanaian diet and Hb levels to explore reduction of anemia prevalence through dietary interventions. Demographics, food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), and blood samples were obtained from 140 volunteers (ages 18–65) in five locations across Ghana. Hb was measured; estimated iron consumption was calculated. FFQ items were grouped by food type, and a regression analysis was performed to determine the most important dietary predictors of Hb. Moreover, 47% of total participants were anemic; 64% of females and 28% of males. Hb levels were highest in Mole (13.9 g/dL, SD = ±1.9), independent of sex distribution. The regression model revealed a 62.7% adjusted correlation between food groups and Hb levels. Animal foods (β = 0.016, t = 5.08, p < 0.01) and plant protein (β = 0.013, t = 2.86, p < 0.01) were the most influential groups to Hb levels. It is of vital importance to emphasize the benefits of consuming animal foods and plant proteins within the Ghanaian population. The ease of access to plant proteins makes it likely that this food group will be most influential and have the greatest impact in reduction of anemia in the Ghanaian population.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 3167
Author(s):  
Flavia Buonaurio ◽  
Maria Luisa Astolfi ◽  
Daniela Pigini ◽  
Giovanna Tranfo ◽  
Silvia Canepari ◽  
...  

Urinary concentrations of 16 different exposure biomarkers to metals were determined at the beginning and at the end of a working shift on a group of workers in the metal carpentry industry. Five different oxidative stress biomarkers were also measured, such as the oxidation products of RNA and DNA metabolized and excreted in the urine. The results of workers exposed to metals were compared to those of a control group. The metal concentrations found in these workers were well below the occupational exposure limit values and exceeded the mean concentrations of the same metals in the urine of the control group by a factor of four at maximum. Barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr) were correlated with the RNA oxidative stress biomarker, 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), which was found able to discriminate exposed workers from controls with a high level of specificity and sensitivity. The power of this early diagnostic technique was assessed by means of the ROC curve. Ba, rubidium (Rb), Sr, tellurium (Te), and vanadium (V) were correlated with the level of the protein oxidation biomarker 3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NO2Tyr), and Ba, beryllium (Be), copper (Cu), and Rb with 5-methylcytidine (5-MeCyt), an epigenetic marker of RNA damage. These effect biomarkers can help in identifying those workers that can be defined as “occupationally exposed” even at low exposure levels, and they can provide information about the impact that such doses have on their health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhonghui Thong ◽  
Jolena Ying Ying Tan ◽  
Eileen Shuzhen Loo ◽  
Yu Wei Phua ◽  
Xavier Liang Shun Chan ◽  
...  

AbstractRegression models are often used to predict age of an individual based on methylation patterns. Artificial neural network (ANN) however was recently shown to be more accurate for age prediction. Additionally, the impact of ethnicity and sex on our previous regression model have not been studied. Furthermore, there is currently no age prediction study investigating the lower limit of input DNA at the bisulfite treatment stage prior to pyrosequencing. Herein, we evaluated both regression and ANN models, and the impact of ethnicity and sex on age prediction for 333 local blood samples using three loci on the pyrosequencing platform. Subsequently, we trained a one locus-based ANN model to reduce the amount of DNA used. We demonstrated that the ANN model has a higher accuracy of age prediction than the regression model. Additionally, we showed that ethnicity did not affect age prediction among local Chinese, Malays and Indians. Although the predicted age of males were marginally overestimated, sex did not impact the accuracy of age prediction. Lastly, we present a one locus, dual CpG model using 25 ng of input DNA that is sufficient for forensic age prediction. In conclusion, the two ANN models validated would be useful for age prediction to provide forensic intelligence leads.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takele Feyera ◽  
Sigrid J W Skovmose ◽  
Signe E Nielsen ◽  
Darya Vodolazska ◽  
Thomas S Bruun ◽  
...  

Abstract This study aimed to determine the optimal supply of lactation feed during the transition period to minimize farrowing duration (FD) and maximize colostrum yield (CY) and quality with the overall aim of reducing piglet mortality. A total of 48 sows were stratified for body weight and assigned to six levels of feed supply (1.8, 2.4, 3.1, 3.7, 4.3, and 5.0 kg/d) from day 108 of gestation until 24 h after the onset of farrowing. The number of total born, live-born, and stillborn piglets; birth time and birth weight of each piglet; and frequency of farrowing assistance (FA) was recorded, and blood samples were obtained from newborn piglets at birth. Live-born piglets were further weighed at 12 and 24 h after birth to record weight gain, which in turn was used to estimate intake and yield of colostrum. Colostrum samples were collected at 0, 12, 24, and 36 h after the onset of farrowing. FD was shortest (4.2 h) at intermediate (3.7 kg/d), longest (7.1 to 7.6 h) at low (1.8 and 2.4 kg/d), and intermediate (5.6 to 5.7 h) at high (4.3 and 5.0 kg/d) feed intake (P = 0.004; mean comparison). FA was lowest (0.7% to 0.8%) at intermediate feed intake (3.7 and 4.3 kg/d) and substantially elevated (4.3% to 4.7%) at both lower and higher feed intake (P = 0.01; mean comparison). The cubic contrast revealed 4.1 kg/d as the optimal feed intake to achieve the shortest FD and to minimize FA. Newborn piglets from second-parity sows were less vital than piglets from gilts as evaluated by blood biochemical variables immediately after birth. CY was greatest at 3.1 kg/d (P = 0.04), whereas the cubic contrast revealed 3.0 kg/d as the optimal feed intake to maximize CY. Concentrations of colostral components were affected by the diet, parity, and their interaction except for lactose concentrations. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the importance of proper feed level during the transition period on sow productivity. Moreover, this study estimated 4.1 and 3.0 kg/d as the optimal feed intake during the transition period to improve farrowing characteristic and CY, respectively, and these two feed intake levels supplied daily 38.8 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) and 23.9 g standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (3.0 kg/d) or 53.0 MJ ME and 32.7 g SID lysine (4.1 kg/d). The discrepancy of optimal feed intake for optimal farrowing and colostrum performance suggests that it may be advantageous to lower dietary lysine concentration in the diet fed prepartum.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 107.1-108
Author(s):  
K. Zobbe ◽  
S. M. Nielsen ◽  
R. Christensen ◽  
A. Overgaard ◽  
H. Gudbergsen ◽  
...  

Background:There is a strong association between gout and obesity. Lowering urate is the cornerstone of gout management [1] and urate levels correlate strongly with central obesity. Previous studies suggest that weight loss has a positive effect on serum urate, however, the studies are sparse and small [2].Objectives:To assess the impact of an initial low-calorie diet-induced weight loss and subsequent randomisation to the body weight-lowering drug liraglutide (a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist) or placebo on serum urate levels.Methods:In the LOSE-IT trial (NCT02905864), a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group, single-centre trial [3], 156 obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis, but without gout, were offered an initial 8-week intensive diet intervention (week -8 to 0) on Cambridge Weight Plan (800-1000 kcal/day) followed by a weight loss maintenance period in which participants were randomised to either liraglutide 3 mg/day or placebo for 52 weeks. We conducted a secondary analysis of blood samples collected at week -8, 0 and 52. The primary outcome measure was change in serum urate. We used paired t-test for the change from week -8 to 0, and for change from week 0 to 52 we used an ANCOVA model adjusted for stratification factors (sex, age category and obesity class), and the level of the outcome at baseline. Data were analysed as observed (i.e. no imputation of missing data).Results:156 individuals were randomised and 155 had blood samples taken at baseline. In the initial intensive diet intervention period (week -8 to 0) they lost a mean of 12.5 kg (95% CI -13.1 to -11.9, n 156). In the following 52 weeks, the liraglutide group lost an additional 4.1 kg (SE 1.2, n 71) whereas the control group was almost unchanged with a weight loss of 0.2 kg (SE 1.2, n 66). Looking at the main outcome of serum urate levels change, the initial intensive diet resulted in a mean decrease of 0.21 mg/dL (95% CI 0.35 to 0.07, n 155) for the entire cohort. In the following year (week 0 to 52) the liraglutide group exhibited a further mean decrease in serum urate of 0.48 mg/dL (SE 0.11, n 69), whereas the placebo group exhibited a slight decrease in mean serum urate of 0.07 mg/dL (SE 0.12, n 65) resulting in a significant between-group difference of -0.40 mg/dL (95% CI -0.69 to -0.12, n 134) – see Figure 1. Four participants in each group experienced serious adverse events; no deaths were observed.Conclusion:This secondary analysis of the LOSE-IT trial suggests that liraglutide provides a potential novel serum urate lowering drug mechanism in obese patient populations, with potential implication for gout treatment.References:[1]Richette P et al. 2016.Ann Rheum Dis2017;76:29–42.[2]Nielsen SM et al.Ann Rheum Dis2017 76(11):1870-1882.[3]Gudbergsen H et al.BMJ2019. 71–2.Disclosure of Interests:Kristian Zobbe: None declared, Sabrina Mai Nielsen: None declared, Robin Christensen: None declared, Anders Overgaard: None declared, henrik gudbergsen Speakers bureau: Pfizer 2016, Marius Henriksen: None declared, Henning Bliddal Grant/research support from: received research grant fra NOVO Nordic, Consultant of: consultant fee fra NOVO Nordic, Lene Dreyer: None declared, Lisa Stamp: None declared, Filip Krag Knop Shareholder of: Minority shareholder in Antag Therapeutics Aps, Grant/research support from: AstraZeneca, Gubra, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Zealand Pharma, Consultant of: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Carmot Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, MSD/Merck, Mundipharma, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Zealand Pharma., Speakers bureau: AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, MedImmune, MSD/Merck, Mundipharma, Norgine, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Zealand Pharma., Lars Erik Kristensen Consultant of: UCB Pharma (Advisory Board), Sannofi (Advisory Board), Abbvie (Advisory Board), Biogen (Advisory Board), Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Forward Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 487
Author(s):  
Hongyan Xu ◽  
Zhangying Wu ◽  
Jinan Deng ◽  
Jun Qiu ◽  
Ning Hu ◽  
...  

The development of a simple, portable, and cost-effective plasma separation platform for blood biochemical analysis is of great interest in clinical diagnostics. We represent a plasma separation microfluidic device using microspheres with different sizes as the separation barrier. This plasma separation device, with 18 capillary microchannels, can extract about 3 μL of plasma from a 50 μL blood sample in about 55 min. The effects of evaporation and the microsphere barrier on the plasma biochemical analysis results were studied. Correction factors were applied to compensate for these two effects. The feasibility of the device in plasma biochemical analysis was validated with clinical blood samples.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2118
Author(s):  
Jan Feher ◽  
Jozef Cambal ◽  
Blazej Pandula ◽  
Julian Kondela ◽  
Marian Sofranko ◽  
...  

Vibrations caused by blasting works have an impact not only on buildings but also the internal environment of the buildings. If these buildings are situated in the surroundings of quarries, the citizens can perceive these vibrations negatively. By applying an appropriate millisecond timing interval, it is possible to lower the intensity of vibrations to the levels that the citizens will not perceive as negative effects inside the buildings. The limit values for this vibration intensity have not been defined to date. For the protection of the building from the vibrations, normative values of the particle velocity and frequency were determined. Hygienic standards for the inhabitants of the housing were applied, which assessed the impact of the vibration on humans through the measurement of the vibration acceleration in the housing. In this article, the results of the research carried out in Trebejov Quarry are presented. The experimental blasts carried out in Trebejov Quarry proved that the reduction in the vibration intensity under the value 2 mm.s−1 led to the satisfaction of the inhabitants.


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