Cadmium in Seminal Plasma of Fertile and Infertile Male Dromedary Camels

Assessment of Trace Metals in Camelus dromedarius Meat from Mauritania

In Mauritania, the dromedary breeding is the most widespread pastoral activity, and it is considered as the first source of animal protein; however, the research on meat is relatively rare compared with fish, especially in relation with the presence of trace metals. In this work, livers, kidneys, and muscles of 25 Camelus dromedarius were collected from butcheries in Nouakchott (Mauritania) between February and April 2020 to study the concentration of trace metals (three essential metals: cooper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn), and four toxic metals: mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)). Statistical treatment did not show significant differences associated with age (P = 0.7004), sex (P = 0.9353), or type of diet (0.9951) in the found concentration of the target substances, but the differences were significant between metals and between organs (P < 0.0001). The mean concentrations of the essential metals were 0.80 mg/100 g for Cu, 6.02 mg/100 g for Fe, and 3.28 mg/100 g for Zn, and the ratios between these concentrations were significant (P < 0.0001 in all cases), with [Fe] > [Zn] > [Cu]. Cu was most concentrated in the liver, Fe in the kidney, and Zn in muscle. The mean concentrations of toxic metals were 0.055 mg/kg for As, 0.064 mg/kg for Cd, 0.040 mg/kg for Pb, and 0.027 mg/kg for Hg. They also exhibited significant difference between organs. Hg and Pb showed their largest concentrations in the liver, whereas As and Cd reached their maximum values in the kidney. Therefore, the found concentrations in all cases were lower than the admissible level of trace metals.

Aetiological analysis and diagnosis of reproductive disorders in male dromedary camels

The purpose of this paper was to analyse the aetiology and methods of diagnosing reproductive disorders in male dromedary camels. Male camel infertility manifests as one of three conditions: post-coital infertility (IG), inability to copulate (IC) and lack of sexual desire (LSD). IG is mainly a testicular disorder that is linked to a deteriorated seminogram, arrested spermatogenesis, Sertoli cell-only syndrome and testicular degeneration. For IG diagnosis, semen analysis, testicular biopsy and fine-needle aspiration are gold standards. Testicular ultrasonography was generally inefficient. High serum FSH was found in IG camels with oligo- and azoospermia, implying primary spermatogenesis defects. The testis-expressed protein (TEX101) and the epididymis-expressed protein (ECM1) are reliable biomarkers for distinguishing between obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia. IC manifests in two forms: phimosis (PHI) and erectile dysfunction (ED). PHI is frequently linked to preputial and penile pathologies, as well as leucocytosis, neutrophilia and elevated nitric oxide metabolites. The majority of camels with ED have normal genital organs, and the condition is associated with an increase in cardiac troponin I. LSD is a rare disorder brought on by hormonal imbalances, high temperatures, stress and debilitating diseases. In conclusion, IG diagnosis necessitates semen analysis, testicular biopsy or fine-needle aspiration, and FSH testing, whereas IC diagnosis requires preputial and penile examinations. Diagnostic aids include serum and seminal biomarkers.

Lemna minor, a hyperaccumulator shows elevated levels of Cd accumulation and genomic template stability in binary application of Cd and Ni: a physiological and genetic approach

In this study, to determine whether having potential to be used as hyperaccumulator for Cd and Ni, numerous experiments were designed for conducting assessments for physiological and genotoxic changes along with defining possible alterations on mineral nutrient status of Lemna minor L. by applying Cd-Ni binary treatments (0, 100, 200 and 400 µM). Our study revealed that there were increases in the concentrations of B, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, and Mn whereas decreases were noticed in the concentrations of Na and Zn and the levels of Ca were inversely proportional to Cd-Ni applications showing tendency to increase at the low concentration and to decrease at the high concentration. Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) analyses revealed that rather than band losses and new band formations, mostly intensity changes in the band profiles, and low polymorphism and high genomic template stability (GTS) were observed. Although, to date, L. minor was defined as an efficient hyperaccumulator/potential accumulator or competent phytoremedial agent by researchers. Our research revealed that L. minor showing high accumulation capability for Cd and having low polymorphism rate and high genomic template stability is a versatile hyperaccumulator, especially for Cd; therefore, highly recommended by us for decontamination of water polluted with Cd. NOVELTY STATEMENTMany studies have been focused on the effects of individual metal ions. However, heavy metal contaminants usually exist as their mixtures in natural aquatic environments. Especially, Cd and Ni coexist in industrial wastes.In this study, the accumulation properties of Lemna minor for both Cd and Ni were investigated and the effects of Cd and Ni on the bioaccumulation of B, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Mn, Na, Pb and Zn in L. minor were also determined. This study furthermore aimed to assess the genotoxic effects of Cd and Ni found in being extended concentrations on DNA using the Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) method.