Hepatopathy following consumption of a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement in a dog

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplement use in both human and animals to augment overall health continues to increase and represents a potential health risk due to the lack of safety regulations imposed on the manufacturers. Because there are no requirements for demonstrating safety and efficacy prior to marketing, dietary supplements may contain potentially toxic contaminants such as hepatotoxic microcystins produced by several species of blue-green algae. CASE PRESENTATION: An 11-year-old female spayed 8.95 kg Pug dog was initially presented for poor appetite, lethargy polyuria, polydipsia, and an inability to get comfortable. Markedly increased liver enzyme activities were detected with no corresponding abnormalities evident on abdominal ultrasound. A few days later the liver enzyme activities were persistently increased and the dog was coagulopathic indicating substantial liver dysfunction. The dog was hospitalized for further care consisting of oral S-adenosylmethionine, silybin, vitamin K, and ursodeoxycholic acid, as well as intravenous ampicillin sodium/sulbactam sodium, dolasetron, N-acetylcysteine, metoclopramide, and intravenous fluids. Improvement of the hepatopathy and the dog’s clinical status was noted over the next three days. Assessment of the dog’s diet revealed the use of a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement for three-and-a-half weeks prior to hospitalization. The supplement was submitted for toxicology testing and revealed the presence of hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs), MC-LR and MC-LA. Use of the supplement was discontinued and follow-up evaluation over the next few weeks revealed a complete resolution of the hepatopathy. CONCLUSIONS: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of microcystin intoxication in a dog after using a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement. Veterinarians should recognize the potential harm that these supplements may cause and know that with intervention, recovery is possible. In addition, more prudent oversight of dietary supplement use is recommended for our companion animals to prevent adverse events/intoxications

Thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nano-composites

The influence of nanoclay on thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced cement composite is presented in this paper. Results indicate that these properties are improved as a result of nanoclay addition. An optimum replacement of ordinary Portland cement with 1 wt% nanoclay is observed through improved thermal stability, reduced porosity and water absorption as well as increased density, flexural strength, fracture toughness and impact strength of hemp fabric-reinforced nanocomposite. The microstructural analyses indicate that the nanoclay behaves not only as a filler to improve the microstructure but also as an activator to promote the pozzolanic reaction and thus improve the adhesion between hemp fabric and nanomatrix

Present state and future perspectives of using pluripotent stem cells in toxicology research

The use of novel drugs and chemicals requires reliable data on their potential toxic effects on humans. Current test systems are mainly based on animals or in vitro–cultured animal-derived cells and do not or not sufficiently mirror the situation in humans. Therefore, in vitro models based on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have become an attractive alternative. The article summarizes the characteristics of pluripotent stem cells, including embryonic carcinoma and embryonic germ cells, and discusses the potential of pluripotent stem cells for safety pharmacology and toxicology. Special attention is directed to the potential application of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for the assessment of developmental toxicology as well as cardio- and hepatotoxicology. With respect to embryotoxicology, recent achievements of the embryonic stem cell test (EST) are described and current limitations as well as prospects of embryotoxicity studies using pluripotent stem cells are discussed. Furthermore, recent efforts to establish hPSC-based cell models for testing cardio- and hepatotoxicity are presented. In this context, methods for differentiation and selection of cardiac and hepatic cells from hPSCs are summarized, requirements and implications with respect to the use of these cells in safety pharmacology and toxicology are presented, and future challenges and perspectives of using hPSCs are discussed

Vers un modèle hydrologique simplifié pour les études géomécaniques spatialisées

L’estimation du comportement géomécanique des sols ou du proche sous-sol rentre dans bon nombre d’applications dédiées aux risques naturels, à l’aménagement du territoire ou à la mobilité des véhicules terrestres en tout-terrain. Ces applications nécessitent souvent une forte réactivité dans la production des diagnostics, l’utilisation de données facilement accessibles et une résolution qui peut atteindre le décamètre. Ce travail présente un modèle hydrologique simplifié permettant d’estimer rapidement un indice d’humidité des sols à partir d’un jeu de données générique. Le modèle est basé sur le calcul d’indices qualitatifs – rendant compte respectivement des effets de ruissellement et d’infiltration – qui sont ensuite pondérés par des données climatologiques issus de bases de données globales. Le lien vers le comportement géomécanique des sols est réalisé grâce à des abaques d’évolution de la portance des sols en fonction du taux d’humidité ou grâce à des observations in situ reliant l’humidité à une susceptibilité. Les deux applications présentées montrent l’efficacité, mais aussi les limites, du modèle développé pour la production de carte de mobilité de véhicules ou de cartes de susceptibilité aux mouvements de terrain

Hepatic and intestine alterations in mice after prolonged exposure to low oral doses of Microcystin-LR

Oral intake of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the principal route of exposure to this toxin, with prolonged exposure leading to liver damage of unspecific symptomatology. The aim of the present paper was therefore to investigate the liver and intestine damage generated by prolonged oral exposure to low MC-LR doses (50 and 100 μg MC-LR/kg body weight, administrated every 48 h during a month) in a murine model. We found alterations in TBARS, SOD activity and glutathione content in liver and intestine of mice exposed to both doses of MC-LR. Furthermore, the presence of MC-LR was detected in both organs. We also found hepatic steatosis (3.6 ± 0.6% and 15.3 ± 1.6%) and a decrease in intraepithelial lymphocytes (28.7 ± 5.0% and 44.2 ± 8.7%) in intestine of 50- and 100-μg MC-LR/kg treated animals, respectively. This result could have important implications for mucosal immunity, since intraepithelial lymphocytes are the principal effectors of this system. Our results indicate that prolonged oral exposure at 50 μg MC-LR/kg every 48 h generates significant damage not only in liver but also in intestine. This finding calls for a re-appraisal of the currently accepted NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level), 40 μg MC-LR/kg body weight, used to derive the guideline value for MC-LR in drinking water.Fil: Sedan, Daniela Yazmine. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, Martín R.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias médicas. Cátedra de Patología Ii; ArgentinaFil: Copparoni, Guido. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Aranda Mosquera, Jorge Oswaldo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Giannuzzi, Leda. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Marra, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Andrinolo, Dario. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin