The effect of a high-calorie diet on the total content of chemical elements and metal-ligand forms of zinc in the blood serum and liver of Wistar rats

Background. Worldwide, there is a rapid increase in the number of people suffering from various forms of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders. Modern studies show that the transport, distribution, excretion and accumulation of chemical elements in these types of metabolic disorders change in different ways and affect the further functional state of the body differently.The aim. To evaluate the level of macro- and microelements in the blood serum and liver, as well as the content of metal-ligand forms of zinc in the blood serum of a Wistar rat in a high-calorie diet.Materials and methods. Thirty male rats were selected for the experiment, from which two groups were formed: control (n = 15) and experimental (n = 15). The animals of the control group received the basic diet (270 kcal/100 g), and the animals of  the experimental group received a high-calorie diet. During the  experiment, the caloric content of the diet of the experimental group gradually increased from the caloric content of the total diet. During the study, body weight, biochemical parameters of blood and urine were evaluated. The analysis of macro- and microelements in the samples was carried out using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Determination of the content of individual zinc compounds in blood serum was carried out using a combination of a chromatograph and a mass spectrometer.Results. It was found that a high-calorie diet led to a decrease in the level of iron, chromium, iodine, zinc, potassium, calcium, and an increase in vanadium in blood serum. In the liver, there was a decrease in the level of lithium and an increase in  the  level of calcium, vanadium, chromium, iron, zinc, cobalt. When assessing the chemical forms of zinc in the blood serum, a percentage increase in the albumin fraction was recorded against the background of a decrease in amino acid complexes and low-molecular-weight forms of zinc.Conclusion. The data obtained suggest that a high-calorie diet leads to an imbalance of chemical elements, which can serve as one of the triggers for dysregulation of a number of physiological functions of the body

Strategies for Reducing Ruminant Methane Emissions

The paper studies the effect of additional administration of ultrafine particles on the cattle rumen microbiome composition. The in vitro method was used using the ANKOM Daisy II incubator according to a specialized method. Microflora analysis was performed using MiSeq (Illumina, USA) by a new generation sequencing method with a MiSeq reagent kit. After a detailed analysis of the structure and composition of the microbial community in the contents of the rumen sampled for different diets, it was found that no significant differences were observed in the bacterial communities, with the exception of a slight shift in the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio. However, we observed numerical differences in the abundance of some representatives, namely, with additional inclusion of Fe and Cr2O3, decrease in the abundance of the methane-forming species Methanobrevibacter, Methanobacterium, Methanosphaera, and Methnaomicrobium was noted regarding the control

Photographic Facial Soft Tissue Analysis by Means of Linear and Angular Measurements in an Adolescent Persian Population

Objective : To obtain objective average measurements of the profile and frontal facial soft tissue to be used as a guide for aesthetic treatment goals. Methods and Materials : This observational study included 110 females and 130 males high school students aged 16-18 years. None of the subjects had any facial deformities. All of them and their parents gave consent to take part in this study. In each case, two standard photographs of profile and frontal views were taken 27 landmarks were digitized on photographs. The mean, standard deviation, and range for a total of 43 facial indices were calculated digitally by computer software. The Student’s t-test was used to compare males and females. Results : The ratio between the lower and middle facial thirds was one to one, but the height of the upper facial third was proportionally smaller than the other two-thirds in both sexes. Boys had greater nasal length, depth, and prominence than girls with statistically significant differences. Both upper and lower lips were more prominent in girls than in boys. All measurements of the chin showed sexual dimorphism characterized by greater chin height and prominence and deeper mentolabial sulcus. Boys had greater facial dimensions than girls. Mouth width, nasal base width, and intercanthal distance were significantly greater in boys. Conclusion : The labial, nasal, and chin areas showed sexual dimorphism in most of the parameters used in this study. Boys had larger faces, greater facial heights, longer nasal, labial, and chin lengths, and greater nasal, labial, and chin prominence