Selenium yeast improve growth, serum biochemical indices, metabolic ability, antioxidant capacity and immunity in black carp Mylopharyngodnpiceus

This experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of dietary selenium yeast (SeY) on the growth performance, fish body composition, metabolic ability, antioxidant capability, immunity and inflammatory responses in juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodn piceus). The base diet was supplemented with 0.00, 0.30 and 0.60 g/kg SeY (0.04, 0.59 and 1.15 mg/kg of selenium) to form three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets for juvenile black carp with a 60-day. Adequate dietary SeY (0.30 and 0.60 g/kg) could significantly increase the weight gain (WG), special growth rate (SGR) compared to the SeY deficient groups (0.00 g/kg) (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, 0.30 and 0.60 g/kg SeY elevated the mRNA levels of selenoprotein T2 (SEPT2), selenoprotein H (SEPH), selenoprotein S (SEPS) and selenoprotein M (SEPM) in the liver and intestine compared with the SeY deficient groups (P < 0.05). Adequate dietary SeY could promote glucose catabolism and utilization through activating glucose transport (GLUT2), glycolysis (GCK, HK, PFK, PK, PDH), tricarboxylic acid cycle (ICDH and MDH), glycogen synthesis (LG, GCS and GBE) and IRS/PI3K/AKT signal pathway molecules (IRS2b, PI3Kc and AKT1) compared with the SeY deficient groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, adequate dietary SeY could improve lipid transport and triglycerides (TG) synthesis through increasing transcription amounts of CD36, GK, DGAT, ACC and FAS in the fish liver compared with the SeY deficient groups (P < 0.05). In addition, adequate SeY could markedly elevate activities of antioxidant enzymes (T-SOD, CAT, GR, GPX) and contents of T-AOC and GSH, while increased transcription amounts of Nrf2, Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT, and GPX in fish liver and intestine (P < 0.05). However, adequate SeY notably decreased contents of MDA, and the mRNA transcription levels of Keap1 in the intestine compared with the SeY deficient groups (P < 0.05). Adequate SeY markedly increased amounts or levels of the immune factors (ALP, ACP, LZM, C3, C4 and IgM) and the transcription levels of innate immune-related functional genes in the liver and intestine (LZM, C3 and C9) compared to the SeY deficient groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, adequate SeY could notably reduce levels of IL-8, IL-1β, and IFN-γ and elevate TGF-1β levels in fish intestine (P < 0.05). The transcription levels of MAPK13, MAPK14 and NF-κB p65 were notably reduced in fish intestine treated with 0.30 and 0.60 g/kg SeY (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggested that 0.30 and 0.60 g/kg SeY could not only improve growth performance, increase Se, glucose and lipid metabolic abilities, enhance antioxidant capabilities and immune responses, but also alleviate inflammation, thereby supplying useful reference for producing artificial feeds in black carp.

Arsenic exposure was associated with lung fibrotic changes in individuals living near a petrochemical complex

Individuals residing near petrochemical complexes have been found to have increasing the risk of respiratory distress and diseases. On visit 1 in 2016, all participants underwent urinary arsenic measurement and low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). The same participants had LDCT performed at visit 2 in 2018. Our study revealed that individuals with lung fibrotic changes had significantly higher levels of urinary arsenic compared to the non-lung fibrotic changes group. Moreover, we found that participants with urinary arsenic levels in the highest sextile (> 209.7 μg/g creatinine) had a significantly increased risk of lung fibrotic changes in both visit 1 (OR = 1.87; 95% CI= 1.16-3.02; P = 0.010) and visit 2 (OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.06-2.84; P = 0.028) compared to those in the lowest sextile (≤ 41.4 μg/g creatinine). We also observed a significantly increasing trend across urinary arsenic sextile in both visits (Ptrend = 0.015 in visit 1 and Ptrend = 0.026 in visit 2). Furthermore, participants with urinary arsenic levels in the highest sextile had a significantly increased risk of lung fibrotic positive to positive (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.24, 3.82; P = 0.007) compared to the lowest sextile (reference category: lung fibrotic negative to negative). Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that arsenic exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of lung fibrotic changes. It is advisable to reduce the levels of arsenic exposure for those residing near such petrochemical complexes.

Exploring the combined interplays: Effects of cypermethrin and microplastic exposure on the survival and antioxidant physiology of Astacus leptodactylus

Plastic waste and micro/nanoplastic particles pose a significant global environmental challenge, along with concerns surrounding certain pesticides' impact on aquatic organisms. This study investigated the effects of microplastic particles (MPPs) and cypermethrin (CYP) on crayfish, focusing on biochemical indices, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, hematological changes, and histopathological damage. After determining the LC50-96 h value (4.162 μg/L), crayfish were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of CYP (1.00 ppb (20%) and 2.00 ppb (50%)) and fed a diet containing 100 mg/kg MPPs for 60 days. Hemolymph transfusion and histopathological examinations of the hepatopancreas were conducted. The results showed significant alterations in crayfish. Total protein levels decreased, indicating protein breakdown to counteract contaminants, while total cholesterol and triglyceride levels declined, suggesting impaired metabolism. Glucose levels increased in response to chemical stress. The decline in total antioxidant capacity highlighted the impact of prolonged xenobiotic exposure and oxidative stress, while increased CAT, SOD, and MDA activities helped mitigate oxidative stress and maintain cellular homeostasis. The elevated total hemocyte count, particularly in semi-granular cells, suggests their active involvement in the detoxification process. Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of these effects.

Genetic polymorphisms in the C19orf66 gene influenced HIV-1 infection in a Yunnan population

Background

Due to the deficiencies of vaccines and effective medicine, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection mechanism should be studied. The C19orf66 gene, one of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), expresses broad-spectra anti-viral activity, including inhibiting HIV replication.

Methods

In this study, we collect 421 HIV-1 infected patients and 448 controls to genotype three SNPs in the C19orf66 gene. Then, the association between SNPs and biochemical indices/ HIV-1 subtypes are analyzed.

Results

Genotypes CC and CT of rs12611087 show statistically lower and higher frequencies in HIV-1 infected patients than in controls, respectively. Alleles C and T of rs12611087 play protective and risk roles in Yunnan HIV population, respectively. Biochemical indices analysis shows that HIV-1 infected persons carried genotype TT of rs77076061 express significantly lower CD3+/CD45+ ratio level and higher IBIL level. The epidemic subtypes of HIV-1 patients in this study are CRF 07_BC and CRF 08_BC. Moreover, subtype CRF 08_BC tends to infect persons with genotype CC of rs12611087.

Conclusion

The genetic polymorphisms of the C19orf66 gene are firstly studied and reported to associate with HIV-1 infection and biochemical indices of patients in Yunnan. Furthermore, subtype CRF 08_BC infection could be influenced by genotypes of SNP in the C19orf66 gene.

Effect of mastication evaluation and intervention on body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

A limited number of studies have evaluated the masticatory indices of individuals with obesity who only chew their food a few times and for shorter duration or who were provided with an instructional intervention. This study aimed to examine the effects of a 6-month instructional mastication intervention on the body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity.

METHODS

Female patients with obesity were randomly classified into a conventional treatment group (CTG; 12 individuals), which only received normal nutritional and exercise guidance, and a mastication intervention group (MIG; 16 individuals), which received an additional mastication guidance. The MIG received guidance on foods requiring increased number of chews and chewing duration, eating techniques, and the proper method of cutting foods.

RESULTS

Changes in the masticatory, body composition, and biochemical indices were compared before and after the 6-month intervention. The values of body composition indices decreased significantly in both groups; however, the rate of change in body mass index significantly decreased in the MIG. In addition, the values of biochemical indices were significantly decreased in the MIG compared with that in the CTG, which is attributed to the addition of mastication instruction to female patients with obesity.

CONCLUSION

Increasing the number of chews and duration of chewing times for carbohydrates, which are staple foods, possibly contributed to weight loss and improvement of glucose metabolism.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

UMIN, UMIN000025875. Registered on 27 Jan 2017.

Relationship between acrylamide and glycidamide hemoglobin adduct levels and osteoarthritis: a NHANES analysis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent degenerative joint disease, and acrylamide is a chemical produced when foods are processed at high temperatures. Recent epidemiological research linked acrylamide exposure from the diet and environment to a number of medical disorders. However, whether acrylamide exposure is associated with OA is still uncertain. This study was aimed at assessing the relationship between OA and hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide and its metabolite glycidamide (HbAA and HbGA). Data were taken from four cycles of the US NHANES database (2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2013-2014, 2015-2016). Individuals aged between 40 and 84 years who had complete information on arthritic status as well as HbAA and HbGA levels were eligible for inclusion. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis s was performed to determine associations between study variables and OA. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to examine non-linear associations between the acrylamide hemoglobin biomarkers and prevalent OA. A total of 5314 individuals were included and 954 (18%) had OA. After adjusting for relevant confounders, the highest quartiles (vs. lowest) of HbAA (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63-1.21), HbGA (aOR = 0.82, 95% CI, 0.60-1.12), HbAA + HbGA (aOR = 0.86, 95% CI, 0.63-1.19), and HbGA/HbAA (aOR = 0.88, 95% CI, 0.63--1.25) were not significantly associated with greater odds for OA. RCS analysis revealed that HbAA, HbGA, and HbAA + HbGA levels were non-linearly and inversely associated with OA (p for non-linearity < 0.001). However, the HbGA/HbAA ratio displayed a U-shaped relationship with prevalent OA. In conclusion, acrylamide hemoglobin biomarkers are non-linearly associated with prevalent OA in a general US population. These findings implicate ongoing public health concerns for widespread exposure to acrylamide. Further studies are still warranted to address the causality and biologic mechanisms underlying the association.

Drinking water quality and inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective cohort study

Environmental factors, such as drinking water and diets, play an important role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to investigate the associations of metal elements and disinfectants in drinking water with the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to assess whether diet influences these associations. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 22,824 participants free from IBD from the Yinzhou cohort study in the 2016-2022 period with an average follow-up of 5.24 years. The metal and disinfectant concentrations were measured in local pipeline terminal tap water samples. Cox regression models adjusted for multi-level covariates were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). During an average follow-up period of 5.24 years, 46 cases of IBD were identified. For every 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in the concentration of manganese, mercury, selenium, sulfur tetraoxide (SO₄)_, chlorine, and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃_N) were associated with a higher risk of IBD with the HRs of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.14 to 1.84), 1.51 (95% CI: 1.24-1.82), 1.29 (95% CI: 1.03-1.61), 1.52 (95% CI: 1.26-1.83), 1.26 (95% CI: 1.18-1.34), and 1.66 (95% CI: 1.32-2.09), whereas zinc and fluorine were inversely associated with IBD with the HRs of 0.42 (95% CI: 0.24 to 0.73) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.54-0.84), respectively. Stronger associations were observed in females, higher income groups, low education groups, former drinkers, and participants who never drink tea. Diets have a moderating effect on the associations of metal and nonmetal elements with the risk of IBD. We found significant associations between exposure to metals and disinfectants and IBD. Diets regulated the associations to some extent.

Polygenic risk score and biochemical/environmental variables predict a low-risk profile of age-related macular degeneration in Sardinia

PURPOSE

To ascertain the prevalence and clinical and genetic features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in subjects living in the Lanusei valley, Central Sardinia, Italy, involved in a study on ageing (SardiNIA project).

METHODS

A total of 814 volunteers aged ≥ 50 years, randomly selected from the SardiNIA project dataset, were included. A color fundus (CF) photograph of the 30° central retina of each eye was obtained and graded according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study system. Life-style choices were investigated using standardized questionnaires. The concentrations of several inflammatory biomarkers (i.e., complement component, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein) were measured. Polygenic risk score (PRS) was calculated and compared with results obtained from a European cohort.

RESULTS

A total of 756 subjects had gradable CF photographs for AMD detection. In 91.3%, no signs of AMD were observed. The prevalence rates of early and late AMDs were 6.9% and 0.6%, respectively. A total of 85% of subjects were physically active; only 13.5% were current smokers. Low concentrations of complement component, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein were found. We calculated the polygenic risk scores (PRS) using 40 AMD markers distributed on several candidate genes in Europeans and Sardinians. The mean PRS value was significantly lower in Sardinians than in the Europeans (0.21 vs. 0.248, respectively, p = 1.18 × 10-77).

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, most subjects showed no sign of any AMD type and late AMD was a condition rarely observed. Results of genetic, biochemical, and life-style investigation support the hypothesis that Sardinia population may present of a peculiar background with a protective effect against AMD development.

Clinical and biochemical indices of people with high-altitude experience linked to acute mountain sickness

BACKGROUND

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a major health issue for people travelling to high altitudes. This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate the changes in clinical characteristics and biochemical indices of high-altitude travelers and determine whether these changes were associated with AMS.

METHODS

A total of 14 clinical indices and 52 biochemical indices were determined in 22 subjects before and during acute high-altitude exposure. Six hours after passive ascent to 3648 m (Lhasa, China), the Lake Louise Scoring (LLS) system 2018 was used to assess AMS, which was defined as headache with a total LLS ≥3.

RESULTS

Before travelling to high altitudes, uric acid (UA), platelet distribution width (PDW), mitral peak E velocity (MVE), and ejection fraction (EF) were significantly higher in AMS-resistant individuals than in AMS-susceptible ones (all p < 0.05). A good predictive value of UA (0.817, 95% CI: 0.607-1.000) and PDW (0.844, 95% CI: 0.646-1.000) for AMS-susceptible subjects was found. With high-altitude experience, 14 subjects were diagnosed as having AMS. Compared with non-AMS, the changes in UA and number of neutrophils in AMS presented a significant difference (all p < 0.05). The high-altitude-induced changes in UA, area under the curve, specificity, and sensitivity for identifying AMS were 0.883 (95% CI: 0.738-1.000), 83.30%, and 90.00%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Human presents a compensatory physiological and biochemical response to high-altitude travel at early phase. The UA concentration before travel and its trend with high-altitude experience exhibited good performance for identifying AMS.

Koumine induces apoptosis in Cyprinus carpio liver cells by regulating JAK-STAT and p53 signaling pathways

Koumine is an alkaloid with significant anti-anxiety, anticancer cell proliferation, and analgesic activities, and our previous studies have shown that koumine can be used as an immunostimulant in aquaculture, but the molecular mechanism of its effect remains unclear. We fed a basal diet with 0, 0.2, 2, and 20 mg/kg koumine to C. carpio for 10 weeks, and comprehensive studies of the histological and biochemical parameters and transcriptomes of the four groups were performed. Histological results indicated that the number of apoptotic cells in the liver increased with increasing koumine concentration. Compared with those of the control group, the malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels of the treatment group increased to varying degrees. In total, 100.11 GB of clean data, 4774 DEGs, and 138 differentially expressed genes were obtained from the transcriptome data. Differentially expressed genes were classified into 187 signalling pathways, and the circadian rhythm signalling pathway, the JAK-STAT signalling pathway, the p53 signalling pathway and the PPAR signalling pathway were the top enriched pathways. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that the key genes ifnar1, socs3l, epoa, ghra, cMyc, mcl-1, shisa4, and gtse1 involved in balancing cell proliferation and apoptosis were enriched in these pathways. We discovered that the JAK-STAT and p53 pathways are important targets of koumine. Such information contributes to a better understanding of the potential mechanism by which koumine regulates hepatic immunity as well as to lays the theoretical foundation for its application.

Biochemical indices, gene expression, and SNPs associated with salinity adaptation in juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) as determined by comparative transcriptome analysis

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) migrate from freshwater to saltwater, and incur developmental, physiological and molecular adaptations as the salinity changes. The molecular regulation for salinity adaptation in chum salmon is currently not well defined. In this study, 1-g salmon were cultured under 0 (control group, D0), 8‰ (D8), 16‰ (D16), and 24‰ (D24) salinity conditions for 42 days. Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase activities in the gill first increased and then decreased in response to higher salinity environments where D8 exhibited the highest Na⁺/K⁺ATPase and Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase activity and D24 exhibited the lowest. Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity was elevated in all salinity treatment groups relative to controls, while no significant difference in acid phosphatase (ACP) activity was observed across treatment groups. De novo transcriptome sequencing in the D0 and D24 groups using RNA-Seq analysis identified 187,836 unigenes, of which 2,143 were differentially expressed in response to environmental salinity (71 up-regulated and 2,072 down-regulated). A total of 56,020 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also identified. The growth, development, osmoregulation and maturation factors of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (nmdas) expressed in memory formation, as well as insulin-like growth factor 1 (igf-1) and igf-binding proteins (igfbps) were further investigated using targeted qRT-PCR. The lowest expression of all these genes occurred in the low salinity environments (D8 or D16), while their highest expression occurred in the high salinity environments (D24). These results provide preliminary insight into salinity adaptation in chum salmon and a foundation for the development of marker-assisted breeding for this species.

Consecutive reference intervals for biochemical indices related to serum lipid levels and renal function during normal pregnancy

Background

Physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can influence serum lipid levels and laboratory tests for renal function. Therefore, we established consecutive and reliable RIs for serum lipid and renal function indices for pregnant women in China throughout the entirety of pregnancy.

Methods

We included 120 healthy pregnant women who underwent a naturally conceived and uncomplicated pregnancy and delivered a healthy singleton neonate. Serum samples were collected at ten time points (pre-pregnancy, gestational age ≤ 8 weeks (W), 8 W⁺¹ to 12 W, 12 W⁺¹ to 16 W, 16 W⁺¹ to 20 W, 20 W⁺¹ to 24 W, 24 W⁺¹ to 28 W, 28 W⁺¹ to 32 W, 32 W⁺¹ to 36 W, and 36 W⁺¹ to 40 W) and analyzed for ten common serum lipid and renal function analytes. RIs were calculated according to the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine recommendations and compared with the established RIs for healthy adult women.

Results

During pregnancy, we observed significant increases in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1), apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B), cystatin C (Cys-C), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We also observed clear reductions in urea, creatinine (Crea), and uric acid (UA). Compared with the previously established RIs, the most significant misclassifications were recorded for TG, Apo-A1, Crea, and eGFR.

Conclusions

We successfully described key changes in serum lipid levels and renal function indices throughout pregnancy. It is important to establish RIs for blood indices in women undergoing normal pregnancies during different period of pregnancy to avoid the misdiagnosis of disease states.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04960-0.

Multiple biochemical indices and metabolomics of Clonorchis sinensis provide a novel interpretation of biomarkers

Background

Clonorchiasis, an infectious disease caused by the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis, may lead to the development of liver and gallbladder diseases, and even cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, the pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, and diagnostic markers for clonorchiasis remain unclear.

Methods

Eighteen rabbits were randomly divided into control group (n = 9) and C. sinensis-infected group (n = 9), and their plasma samples were collected at 7, 14, 28, and 63 days post-infection (dpi). Biochemical indices and metabolites in different infection periods were detected. A non-targeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) approach was employed to investigate the metabolic profiles of plasma in rabbits, and related metabolic pathways of differential metabolites and correlation between candidate biochemical indices and differential metabolites were analyzed. Finally, the candidate biomarkers were verified with human samples using a targeted metabolomics method.

Results

The result of biochemical indices indicated C. sinensis infection would affect the liver function biochemical indices, especially alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), total bile acid, high-density lipoprotein, and cholinesterase. The metabonomic results showed that 58, 212, 23, and 21 differential metabolites were identified in different phases of the infection. Multivariate statistical analysis of differential metabolites revealed distinct metabolic signatures during different phases of infection, with most of these signatures being observed at 14 dpi, which mainly influences the amino acid metabolisms. For metabolites and biochemical indices, AST, GGT, hypoxanthine, l-pipecolic acid, and d-glucuronate represented potential noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of C. sinensis (P < 0.05 and AUC > 0.8). Furthermore, GGT and d-glucuronate levels were positively correlated with the infection (r(28) = 0.98, P < 0.0001) and showed excellent diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.972; 95% confidence interval, 0.921 to 1.000).

Conclusions

The present results provide new insights into plasma metabolic changes in rabbits during C. sinensis infection, and the potential biomarker may be used for developing an effective method to diagnose clonorchiasis in the future.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05290-y.

Toxicopathological, proinflammatory and stress response evaluation of Terminalia catappa extract in male Wistar rats

The present study was carried out to assess the oral safety, proinflammatory and stress response effect of Terminalia catappa aqueous leaf extract (TCA) in male Wistar rats. The acute and sub-acute oral toxicity of TCA was assessed using guidelines 423 and 407 of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), respectively. Signs of clinical toxicity, morbidity and mortality were observed. The biochemical, haematological, proinflammatory, stress response and histopathological indices were assessed. In the acute toxicity study, no sign of clinical toxicity, morbidity, and mortality was observed for TCA treatment, up to 5000 mg/kg bwt. However, in the sub-acute toxicity study, repeated daily TCA treatment significantly (p<0.05) altered the body weight gain, plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and albumin concentration. There were no obvious morphological and macroscopic alterations in the organs investigated. TCA appear not to elicit any proinflammatory, stress, systemic and organ toxic effect when utilised at the reported dose and time frame.

Effects of dietary yeast cell wall on biochemical indices, serum and skin mucus immune responses, oxidative status and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus)

The present study aims to shed light on the effects of yeast cell wall (ImmunoWall®) supplementation on biochemical indices, oxidative status, serum and mucus immune responses as well as disease resistance of juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). For this purpose, one hundred fifty three juvenile Persian sturgeons (47.78 ‏± 0.39 g) were distributed into nine tanks (500 L) and fed with basal diets containing two levels of yeast cell wall (YCW) 0.5% (T1) and 1% (T2) and a diet without YCW as control (0%). As shown by the results obtained at the end of 56-day feeding trial, YCW had no significant effect on glucose, cortisol, SGOT, lysozyme and IgM in serum (P > 0.05) albeit an enhancement of cholesterol, LDH, ALP and SOD and ACH50 was observed in fish fed YCW supplemented diets. However, plasma triglyceride levels were lower in fish fed YCW compared with the control group. Also, total protein content, lysozyme and protease activities in skin mucus were unaffected by the supplemented diets (P > 0.05) and only total immunoglobulin and ALP enzyme activity were significantly increased in T₁ and T₂ groups (P > 0.05). The cumulative mortality of the fish fed supplemented diets at the end of disease challenge was 100% where cumulative mortality of those fed the control diet was 75% (P < 0.05). The present study shows that increasing immune parameters in serum and mucus of juvenile Persian sturgeon by YCW dietary supplementation did not improve resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila. According to the obtained results, the YCW supplementation at 0.5 and 1% in the juvenile Persian sturgeon diet is not recommended.

M3, a 1,4-Dihydropyridine Derivative and Mixed L-/T-Type Calcium Channel Blocker, Attenuates Isoproterenol-Induced Toxicity in Male Wistar Rats

Recent evidence indicates that Ca²⁺ dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of isoproterenol (ISP)-induced biochemical toxicity and associated oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive benefit of M3, a 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, against ISP-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats. Adult rats were divided into eight groups of six rats/group. Groups 1-5 received normal saline (control, 10 mL/kg/day, p.o.), ISP (85 mg/kg/day, s.c.), M3 lower dose (M3LD, 5 mg/kg, p.o.), M3 upper dose (M3UD, 20 mg/kg/day, p.o.), and Nifedipine (NFD, 20 mg/kg/day, p.o.), respectively. Others (groups 6-8) were pretreated with either M3LD, M3UD or NFD one hour before ISP administration. All rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last administration and changes in biochemical, hematological, and antioxidant parameters were assessed. Histologic examination of the heart, liver and kidney was also conducted. ISP elevated (p < 0.05) Ca²⁺, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels when compared with control. Similarly, ISP increased levels of markers of renal function (p < 0.01), C-reactive protein (148.1%) and myocardial malondialdehyde (MDA, 88.7%) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (109.2%). Platelet level was reduced (p < 0.05) in the ISP-intoxicated control rats. M3 exhibited antioxidant property, reduced levels of triglycerides, MDA and improved biochemical and hematological alterations associated with ISP toxicity. M3, however, was not effective in restoring histological changes that characterized ISP toxicity at the doses used. M3 offers chemopreventive benefits against ISP toxicity possibly through L-/T-type calcium channels blockade and modulatory actions on biochemical and antioxidant homeostasis.

Retrospective case-control data of serum nitrotyrosine level and clinical biomedical indices in primary glaucoma patients

From April to December 2017, the case-control data were collected in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University. One hundred primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG), one hundred primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and two hundred control participants were consecutively recruited. The serum nitrotyrosine (NT) levels was not significant different in PACG or POAG patients stratified by gender (1,868.17±427.13 nmol/L vs. 1,768.77±410.17 nmol/L, p>0.05; 1,734.04±460.74 vs. 1,696.46±405.73 nmol/L, p>0.05). Serum NT level was not significantly associated with glaucoma severity in either PACG group or POAG group based on mean deviation (MD) (mild, n=30; moderate, n=24; sever, n=19; blinding, n=27, p>0.05, in Table 3 for PACG; mild, n=9; moderate, n=20; sever, n=21; blinding, n=40; p>0.05, in Table 4 for POAG). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk of developing PACG were significantly associated with serum total triglyceride (TG) and uric acid (UA) levels (OR=1.638, 95%CI: 1.059-2.531, p=0.026 for TG, OR=0.003, 95%CI: 0-0.461, p=0.024 for UA). Serum TG, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and total bilirubin (TB) levels were significantly associated with POAG (OR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.363-2.934, p<0.001 for TG; OR=0.972, 95%CI: 0.949-0.996, p=0.022 for GGT; OR=1.115, 95%CI: 1.042-1.194, p=0.002 for TB). Descriptions of the data are also available in our recent paper published in Nitric Oxide, “Peroxynitrite is a novel risk factor and treatment target of glaucoma” [1].

A phenomics-based approach for the detection and interpretation of shared genetic influences on 29 biochemical indices in southern Chinese men

BACKGROUND

Phenomics provides new technologies and platforms as a systematic phenome-genome approach. However, few studies have reported on the systematic mining of shared genetics among clinical biochemical indices based on phenomics methods, especially in China. This study aimed to apply phenomics to systematically explore shared genetics among 29 biochemical indices based on the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey cohort.

RESULT

A total of 1999 subjects with 29 biochemical indices and 709,211 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were subjected to phenomics analysis. Three bioinformatics methods, namely, Pearson's test, Jaccard's index, and linkage disequilibrium score regression, were used. The results showed that 29 biochemical indices were from a network. IgA, IgG, IgE, IgM, HCY, AFP and B12 were in the central community of 29 biochemical indices. Key genes and loci associated with metabolism traits were further identified, and shared genetics analysis showed that 29 SNPs (P < 10^- 4) were associated with three or more traits. After integrating the SNPs related to two or more traits with the GWAS catalogue, 31 SNPs were found to be associated with several diseases (P < 10^- 8). Using ALDH2 as an example to preliminarily explore its biological function, we also confirmed that the rs671 (ALDH2) polymorphism affected multiple traits of osteogenesis and adipogenesis differentiation in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes.

CONCLUSION

All these findings indicated a network of shared genetics and 29 biochemical indices, which will help fully understand the genetics participating in biochemical metabolism.

Hematological, biochemical and antioxidant indices variations in regular blood donors among Mediterranean regions

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

One of the most important problems in Mediterranean regions is finding blood donors to overcome the high need of its population. Understanding the health benefits of blood donation frequency will activate more volunteers to donate. The aim of this study variations of hematological and biochemical indices in regular male and female donors from Greece and Italy METHODS: A cross-sectional study consisted of 350 voluntary blood donors (VDs)was conducted in two mediterranean Blood Banks, Greece and Italy. The first one from the General Hospital of Naousa, Greece on samples of 90 regular and 60 first-time blood donors. The second one from AOU Sassari, Sardinia, Italy on convenient samples of 100 first-time samples and 100 regular blood donors. Donors' particulars were obtained from blood bank records. The hematological and biochemical parameters were determined for all donors and Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) only for greek VDs.

RESULTS

High frequency blood donation of Greek VDs could be associated with evidence of reduction of body iron stores, reduced oxidative stress and improvement of liver function biomarkers in regular groups. Interestingly, Sardinian regular male VDs presented increased iron stores in compare with the first time VDs. In both Mediterranean populations (Greeks and Italians) the lipid profile of the female regular blood donors has been improved in compare with the first timers.

CONCLUSION

Regular blood donation increases antioxidant capacity and affects positively the hematological parameters and biochemical biomarkers in donors. Gender plays an important role in relation to all hematological and biochemical parameters. Further studies in larger population should evaluate the beneficial-effect of blood donation and promote people to donate more frequent.

Acridocarpus Smeathmannii (DC.) Guill. & Perr. Root enhanced reproductive behavior and sexual function in male wistar rats: Biochemical and pharmacological mechanisms

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Novel therapeutic opportunities from medicinal agents continue to arouse scientific interest in recent times. Still, there is a dearth of information as regards experimental evidence generated from medicinal plants that would yield pharmacological agents for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Acridocarpus Smeathmannii (DC.) Guill. & Perr. Root (ASR) has a long history as an aphrodisiac in African traditional medicine. Thus, this study investigated the reproductive potentials and associated biochemical mechanisms of its hydroethanolic extract (HEASR) in male Wistar rats. Also, the bioactive compounds were identified.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-four male albino rats (180 ± 20 g) were divided into nine groups of six rats/group. Control, group 1 received normal saline (10 mL/kg). Groups 2-6 rats were administered sildenafil (1.43 mg/kg/day), mesterolone (0.36 mg/kg/day), doxazocin (0.03 mg/kg/day), HEASR1 (50 mg/kg/day) and HEASR2 (200 mg/kg/day) respectively. Others received co-administration of HEASR2 with standard drugs. Treatment lasted for 28 days via oral gavage.

RESULTS

An acute oral toxicity of HEASR up to 2 g/kg produced no mortality in mice p.o. while the median lethal dose was estimated to be 810 mg/kg i.p. HEASR2 administration or in combination with sildenafil, mesterolone and doxazocin increased mounting frequencies on day 28 by 77.44%, 122.65%, 148.5% and 93.88% and sperm counts by 38.29%, 55.21%, 42.48%, and 48.98% respectively in treated rats. HEASR2 + sildenafil elevated testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone levels by 36.33% and 24.55% while HEASR2 + doxazocin elevated luteinizing hormone levels by 97.44% in rats. HEASR modulated prostate-specific antigen and malondialdehyde levels respectively. Reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were raised in five selected organs. Serum nitric oxide but not cyclooxygenase-2 or tumor necrosis factor-α levels was moderately improved in rats.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the results obtained demonstrated the potential of HEASR as a male reproductive enhancer, thus justify its folklore applications. Further, octadecanoic acid ethyl ester was the most abundant bioactive component present.

Sodium chloride treatment effects on rainbow trout suffering from proliferative kidney disease caused by Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a long-term sodium chloride bath on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss naturally infected by Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. A total of 106 infected fish were divided into 2 groups. One group was left untreated and the other was treated with sodium chloride in increasing doses up a concentration of 0.8%. After 14 d, treatment was stopped and for a further 7 d the fish response to the sodium chloride bath was observed. Cumulative mortality was significantly lower in the treated group (19.2%) compared to the untreated group (31.5%) after 21 d. This corresponded to the lower but non-significant parasite intensity in kidney and spleen in the treated group after 14 d of treatment. However, lower prevalence of parasites in both tissues was recorded in the untreated group after 21 d of treatment, but a significant difference was observed only in spleen tissue. Furthermore, significant increases in leukocytes, hemoglobin, haematocrit, ferric reducing ability of plasma, and ceruloplasmin, and significant decreases in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were noticed in the treated group compared to the untreated group. In contrast, significant decreases in lysozyme concentration in the mucus and phagocyte oxidative burst in the blood were observed in the treated group. Histopathological examination revealed proliferative and reparative changes in parenchymatous tissues in the treated group. The 14- and 21-d salt bath used in rainbow trout with proliferative kidney disease was associated with a reduction in mortality and enhanced the reparative phase in the treated group.

Effect of nisin as a biopreservative agent on quality and shelf life of vacuum packaged rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) stored at 4 °C

Effect of nisin on biochemical and microbial quality and shelf life of vacuum packaged rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during 16 days storage at 4 °C was investigated. According to the obtained results, nisin treated fish showed lower (p < 0.05) and acceptable biochemical (Peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid-index, pH, and total volatile base nitrogen) and bacteriological (total viable counts, psychrotrophic viable counts, and lactic acid bacteria) attributes up to 16 days storage at 4 °C compared with those treated without nisin. Furthermore, FAs composition analysis indicated that presence of the nisin preserved nutritional quality of fish lipid, so that nisin treated samples contained higher percentage (p > 0.05) of essential FAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. This study concluded that treatment of the vacuum packaged rainbow trout with nisin resulted in improvement of quality and extension of shelf life of the fish from 12 to 16 days at 4 °C.