Biological Trace Element Research最新文献

Trace element contamination in aquatic ecosystems is an increasing environmental and public health concern. This study examines the concentrations of trace elements of Pb, Cu, Cr, Co, Mn and Se in Chashma Lake water, sediment, and two fish species, Labeo rohita and Wallago attu, across seasons. Sampling was conducted from June 2023 to May 2024, and trace element concentrations were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All trace elements exceeded WHO limits in water. Sediment Pb, Cu, and Cr exceeded NOAA TELs, and Se exceeded the USEPA guideline. Only Mn and Co (L. rohita) met fish safety limits. Seasonal variations showed Pb, Cr, and Co higher in summer. Temperature was positively correlated with Pb and Cr concentrations in water, and with Pb, Cu, and Co concentrations in sediment. L. rohita showed slight decreases with increasing temperature in Cu and Co, while W. attu showed minimal variation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis indicated seasonal shifts in contamination sources, with L. rohita more linked to water in summer and W. attu consistently associated with sediment. Hazard Index (HI) values suggested low risk for L. rohita (HI = 0.82) but potential health concerns for W. attu (HI = 1.20). Although Se exhibited high contamination, as indicated by the geoaccumulation index (Igeo = 3.27) and contamination factor (CF = 14.54), the overall Pollution Load Index (PLI = 0.18) suggested low composite sediment pollution across all analyzed trace elements. These findings demonstrate significant seasonal variation in trace element contamination, with temperature-associated changes influencing their distribution among water, sediment and fish. The elevated hazard index for W. attu indicates potential human health concerns and underscores the need for continuous monitoring and effective pollution management in Chashma Lake.

Thyroid nodules and goiter remain common conditions affecting healthy child development, attributable to diagnostic advances and environmental-genetic interactions. However, pediatric etiology research remains limited. A total of 997 children aged 8 to 10 years were recruited from iodine-adequate areas across 13 districts in Tianjin, China. Venous blood was collected for genotyping three single nucleotide polymorphisms (thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) rs2268458, thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) rs2076735 and phosphodiesterase 8B (PDE8B) rs4704397) using Sequenom MassARRAY. Data on up to 30 potential external factors were also collected. The detection rates of thyroid nodules and goiter were 23.57% and 8.83%, respectively. Gender, higher body surface area (BSA) (Q4: >1.30 m²), and living in a multistory building increased thyroid nodules risk (P < 0.05). Older children had higher goiter risk (P = 0.001), whereas higher BSA (Q3: 1.18-1.30 m²; Q4: >1.30 m²) and mothers with stable jobs reduced goiter risk (P < 0.05). In genotype-stratified analyses, TSHR, TTF1, and PDE8B polymorphisms appeared to moderate associations between multiple external factors (gender, BSA, urinary iodine, stress, anxiety) and thyroid nodules or goiter (P < 0.05), although no significant gene-environment interactions were detected in the overall models. Notably, among children with specific genotypes, certain factors that were not statistically significant in the full multivariable model, including urinary iodine with thyroid nodules and stress and anxiety with goiter, showed substantially strengthened associations. Multiple external factors are associated with thyroid nodules and goiter in children. Polymorphisms in TSHR rs2268458, TTF1 rs2076735, and PDE8B rs4704397 may modulate the effects of various external factors on childhood thyroid nodules and goiter.

Uranium is a naturally occurring trace element with established radiological and chemical toxicity, yet its blood burden in patients with cancer remains poorly characterized. This exploratory cross-sectional study used radon^-222 as a tracer to derive model-based uranium estimates in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer and healthy controls from southern Iraq, a region with documented elevated environmental radioactivity. Blood samples were collected from 78 patients with histologically confirmed GI cancer (39 females and 39 males) and 58 healthy controls (29 females and 29 males) at the National Oncology and Hematology Hospital, Najaf. CR-39 poly(allyl diglycol carbonate) solid-state nuclear track detectors were sealed with blood samples for 90 days. Track densities were quantified using TASLIMAGE automated analysis, and radon concentrations were calculated using an experimentally established calibration factor (0.048 tracks cm^-2 Bq^-1 m³ d). Model-based uranium estimates were derived assuming secular equilibrium between uranium-238 and radon^-222. Daily alpha-particle flux, annual effective dose, and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated according to ICRP Publications 103 and 119. Group differences were evaluated using Levene-corrected independent-samples t-tests, and effect sizes were quantified using Cohen's d. Mean estimated blood uranium concentrations were higher in male patients than male controls (15.48 ± 5.16 vs. 10.17 ± 3.39 parts per billion (ppb)) and in female patients than female controls. Correspondingly, mean blood radon concentrations were higher in patients (males: 3.99 ± 1.50 vs. 2.62 ± 0.80 Bq m^-3; females: 3.21 ± 1.07 vs. 2.31 ± 0.77 Bq m^-3). Excess lifetime cancer risk remained well below the ICRP reference level in all groups (1.10 × 10^-7 for male patients and 8.82 × 10^-8 for female patients). Although between-group differences were not statistically significant (males: p = 0.275; females: p = 0.187), the observed effect sizes were large (Cohen's d = 1.10 for male radon), suggesting that the study may have been underpowered to detect statistically significant differences. These findings indicate consistently higher model-based uranium estimates in patients with GI cancer than in healthy controls. However, because uranium concentrations were estimated indirectly using a model-based approach and the study employed a cross-sectional design, no causal relationship between uranium exposure and GI cancer can be inferred. Further studies with larger cohorts and direct uranium measurements using ICP-MS are warranted.

This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of p-coumaric acid (p-CA) against lead acetate (PbAc)-induced neurotoxicity in rats by focusing on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, and neuronal plasticity. 35 male rats were randomly assigned to five groups: Control, p-CA (100 mg/kg), PbAc (30 mg/kg), PbAc + p-CA (50 mg/kg), and PbAc + p-CA (100 mg/kg). Treatments were administered orally for 14 days. Behavioral performance was assessed using the open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM). Biochemical analyses of brain tissue included the measurement of MDA, GSH, SOD, CAT, and GPx levels. Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression levels of inflammatory, glial, and synaptic markers, including NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, Iba-1, GFAP, PSD-95, and AChE. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, MAP-2, NeuN, and GAP-43. Histological evaluations included hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining for neuronal morphology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) for 8-OHdG, GABA, and GFAP, and immunofluorescence (IF) staining for BDNF expression. PbAc exposure caused marked oxidative damage, neuroinflammatory activation, enhanced apoptotic signaling, and impaired neuronal plasticity, accompanied by reduced antioxidant defenses and altered expression of plasticity-related markers. Co-treatment with p-CA significantly ameliorated these biochemical, molecular, and histopathological alterations in a dose-dependent manner. The 100 mg/kg dose of p-CA showed the strongest neuroprotective effect, restoring many parameters close to control levels. Overall, these findings suggest that p-coumaric acid exerts neuroprotective effects against PbAc-induced brain injury by attenuating oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis while supporting neuronal plasticity. Therefore, p-CA may represent a promising natural compound for further investigation in heavy metal-induced neurotoxicity models. However, further studies are required to clarify the upstream molecular signaling pathways involved and to determine whether these protective effects can be maintained under long-term exposure conditions.

Anemia, characterized by decreased hemoglobin levels and impaired oxygen-carrying capacity, remains a major global public health concern. Conventional therapies, such as blood transfusions and oral iron supplementation, are often associated with adverse effects and limited absorption, highlighting the need for safer and more effective alternatives. Natural products rich in polyphenols and essential minerals have attracted increasing attention due to their multifunctional therapeutic potential. In this context, the present study is the first to investigate the anti-anemic potential of Pinus pinaster Aiton and Pinus halepensis Mill. bark extracts through an integrated phytochemical, nutritional, in vivo, in vitro, and in silico approach. Phytochemical profiling by HPLC-MS/MS revealed several major phenolic compounds, including quercetin, catechin, protocatechuic acid, and taxifolin-3-O-glucoside. The extracts exhibited high total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and strong antioxidant activity, as demonstrated by DPPH, ABTS, PR, and TAC assays. Mineral analysis revealed significant levels of essential elements, including iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc. In phenylhydrazine-induced anemic Wistar rats, 21-day treatment with the extracts significantly restored hematological parameters (RBC, Hb, and HCT), serum iron and ferritin levels, and improved renal and hepatic biomarkers compared with untreated anemic controls. In vitro assays further demonstrated anti-hemolytic activity and enhanced erythrocyte membrane stability. Molecular docking analysis supported these findings by revealing favorable interactions between the major phenolic compounds and key targets involved in erythropoiesis, iron metabolism, and oxidative stress, including the erythropoietin receptor, superoxide dismutase, and ferrochelatase. Collectively, these findings highlight the potent anti-anemic and protective effects of Pinus bark extracts and suggest their potential as promising natural therapeutic agents.

Salmonella remains a major foodborne pathogen associated with poultry production, posing significant public health and economic challenges worldwide. Increasing restrictions on antibiotic use have intensified the search for alternative control strategies in poultry systems. Zinc, an essential trace mineral, has emerged as a promising nutritional intervention due to its multifunctional roles in host defense and microbial regulation. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the effectiveness of zinc in reducing Salmonella in poultry, with emphasis on underlying mechanisms, comparative efficacy of different zinc sources, and practical applications in production systems. Available evidence indicates that zinc enhances innate and adaptive immune responses, preserves intestinal barrier integrity, modulates gut microbiota toward beneficial populations, and exerts direct antibacterial effects. These combined actions position zinc as a key regulator of host-pathogen interactions, linking trace element homeostasis with immune function and microbial dynamics. Consequently, zinc supplementation is associated with reduced cecal colonization, decreased fecal shedding, and limited systemic dissemination. Compared with conventional inorganic zinc sources, many organic zinc complexes have demonstrated improved bioavailability and enhanced functional responses under comparable experimental conditions. However, the magnitude of these benefits varies according to ligand chemistry, dietary composition, bird age, physiological status, and study design. Zinc is most effective when integrated with complementary strategies, including probiotics, organic acids, and vaccination programs. Overall, zinc represents a practical component of sustainable, antibiotic-free approaches to improving poultry health and food safety, although further field validation and optimization are required to ensure consistent performance under commercial conditions.