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Abstract Measuring stable isotopes in different tissues offers the opportunity to provide insight into the foraging ecology of a species. This study aimed to assess how diet varies between yellow females, yellow males, and dull individuals of a Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) population. We measured δ13C and δ15N in blood over a year, and in different feathers, to estimate seasonal consistency of resource use for each category. We conducted this study in a private farm in the Central Brazilian savannas. We sampled 195 individuals in seven field samplings between January 2017 and March 2018. The mean blood δ13C values were similar among yellow females, yellow males and dull individuals, indicating that this population of Saffron Finch predominantly accesses similar resources throughout the year, with a predominant C4 signal. Although Saffron Finch is considered a granivorous species, the mean δ15N values found indicate that both adults and juveniles also incorporate in their tissues some invertebrate. The slight isotope-tissue difference between feathers and blood is similar to the reported in previous studies and may reflect tissue-to-tissue discrimination. The isotopic space of yellow males was greater than that of yellow females and dull individuals, indicating greater dietary diversity due to greater inter-individual variation in diet. In Saffron Finch, which delays plumage maturation, competition-driven partitioning of food resources seems essential in driving carotenoid-based plumage coloration between age classes and sexes.

A wide range of negative effects of heavy metals on the body of mammals predetermined the relevance of the search for ways to reduce the toxic effects of these chemical compounds. Solving this problem is possible by using sorbents. The research aims to determine the effect of sorbents on the content of heavy metals (cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc) in the rat tissues. Toxicological, physicochemical, and biochemical methods were used. Phillipsite sorbent reduced the content of copper and zinc in the blood of rats by 1.6 times, cadmium by 2 times and lead by 2.6 times. The content of copper and zinc in rat livers decreased by 1.4 times, and cadmium and lead – by 2 times. The content of the studied metals in kidney tissues decreased by half. A similar decrease in the level in the tissues was noted when using the chabazite sorbent for all heavy metals studied. Administration of the clinoptilolite sorbent into the body of rats contributed to a 2-fold decrease in the blood content of copper and zinc, cadmium, and lead by 2.6 and 3 times, respectively. A 1.6-fold decrease in copper and zinc levels and a 3-fold decrease in cadmium and lead levels were detected in the liver tissues. When mordenite sorbent was administered to animals, the content of copper and zinc in the blood decreased by 1.5 times, and cadmium and lead by 3 times compared to the control. The content of all studied metals in the liver of rats decreased by 2.4 times. The use of these sorbents in animal husbandry will contribute to the reduction of the content of heavy metals in animal tissues, which will ensure the production of high-quality and safe products, as well as contribute to the preservation of human health

In this work, an analytical method for the determination of eight non-allowed nitrofurans, including nifurpirinol and the metabolites of furazolidone, furaltadone, nitrofurantoin, nitrofurazone, nifursol, nitrovin, and nifuroxazide in animal tissues, including muscle (poultry, bovine, ovine, porcine, rabbit, and fish), kidney (bovine, ovine, porcine), and eggs, has been developed and validated according to Regulation (EU) 2021/808. The method was based on derivatization with 2-nitrobenzaldehyde in acid medium, followed by vortex-assisted liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction for sample purification prior to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Under selected conditions, the method was validated showing satisfactory relative matrix effects (CV ≤ 20 %), linearity (R2 ≥ 0.98), trueness (≤20 %, expressed as bias), accuracy (83–120 %), repeatability (1.7–19.9 %), reproducibility (1.9–25.7 %), specificity (blank signal ≤30 % at the LCL), and ruggedness. The decision limit for confirmation (CCα) for the target analytes ranged from 0.27 to 0.35 μg kg−1, all below the current reference point for action (RPA) of 0.5 μg kg−1 for the studied compounds. This validated method is currently accredited according to UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 by the Spanish National Accreditation Body (ENAC) to be implemented for official control analyses in the Public Health Laboratory of Valencia (Spain).

A wide range of negative effects of heavy metals on the body of mammals predetermined the relevance of the search for ways to reduce the toxic effects of these chemical compounds. Solving this problem is possible by using sorbents. The research aims to determine the effect of sorbents on the content of heavy metals (cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc) in the rat tissues. Toxicological, physicochemical, and biochemical methods were used. Phillipsite sorbent reduced the content of copper and zinc in the blood of rats by 1.6 times, cadmium by 2 times and lead by 2.6 times. The content of copper and zinc in rat livers decreased by 1.4 times, and cadmium and lead – by 2 times. The content of the studied metals in kidney tissues decreased by half. A similar decrease in the level in the tissues was noted when using the chabazite sorbent for all heavy metals studied. Administration of the clinoptilolite sorbent into the body of rats contributed to a 2-fold decrease in the blood content of copper and zinc, cadmium, and lead by 2.6 and 3 times, respectively. A 1.6-fold decrease in copper and zinc levels and a 3-fold decrease in cadmium and lead levels were detected in the liver tissues. When mordenite sorbent was administered to animals, the content of copper and zinc in the blood decreased by 1.5 times, and cadmium and lead by 3 times compared to the control. The content of all studied metals in the liver of rats decreased by 2.4 times. The use of these sorbents in animal husbandry will contribute to the reduction of the content of heavy metals in animal tissues, which will ensure the production of high-quality and safe products, as well as contribute to the preservation of human health [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Animal Metabolite Database (AMDB, https://amdb.online) is a freely accessible database with built-in statistical analysis tools, allowing one to browse and compare quantitative metabolomics data and raw NMR and MS data, as well as sample metadata, with a focus on the metabolite concentrations rather than on the raw data itself. AMDB also functions as a platform for the metabolomics community, providing convenient deposition and exchange of quantitative metabolomic data. To date, the majority of the data in AMDB relate to the metabolite content of the eye lens and blood of vertebrates, primarily wild species from Siberia, Russia and laboratory rodents. However, data on other tissues (muscle, heart, liver, brain, and more) are also present, and the list of species and tissues is constantly growing. Typically, every sample in AMDB contains concentrations of 60–90 of the most abundant metabolites, provided in nanomoles per gram of wet tissue weight (nmol/g). We believe that AMDB will become a widely used tool in the community, as typical metabolite baseline concentrations in tissues of animal models will aid in a wide variety of fundamental and applied scientific fields, including, but not limited to, animal modeling of human diseases, assessment of medical formulations, and evolutionary and environmental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive increase in the production of plastics worldwide and their mismanagement have turned these materials into a threat to the environment and living organisms. Plastics undergo erosion and degradation processes releasing additives, monomers of their formulation, and even generating one of the most worrying emerging pollutants: microplastics. These contaminants have been found in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, so it is clear the need to develop a methodology to determine the accumulation of these pollutants and their associated compounds in living organisms. This work presents a new combination of static headspace with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (SHS-GC-MS) for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with microplastic materials in animal tissue samples. A total of 48 samples were analysed, corresponding to different organs (brain, heart, fat, liver, muscle, lung, kidney) of lamb, pig, rabbit, turkey, chicken, and beef, and 60 VOCs related to the presence of plastics were tentatively identified. Moreover, the identity of 25 VOCs was confirmed and they were also quantified, with contents in the 1.12–920 ng g−1 range. The application of chemometric tools allowed to evaluate the relationship between the type of animal organ and the presence of contaminants associated with microplastics, showing a tendency towards a greater accumulation in kidney and liver. Verification of the origin of the VOCs found was carried out by means of a thermogravimetric analysis - mass spectrometry study. The developed analytical approach generates useful and valuable information to better understand the exposure pathways of microplastics and their associated compounds, as well as the related migration and accumulation processes may happen in animal organs. This methodology has demonstrated high sensitivity, precision, robustness, and automation, as well as minimal sample handling. [Display omitted] • Microplastic-associated pollutants are a threat to the ecosystems. • A precise, sensitive and reproducible HS-CG-MS methodology is proposed. • A deconvolution software identified the compounds using RIs and mass spectra. • Accumulation of the contaminants was higher in liver and kidney. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veterinary drugs are widely used in animal production to prevent infections and treat diseases but, this may cause a risk to consumers. Due to the high number of food samples required to monitor yearly, simple, fast, sensitive and selective analytical methods are needed in control laboratories to ensure consumers safety. Nevertheless, many analytical methodologies available in these laboratories include multiple steps and therefore are time-consuming and hinder the analysis throughput requiring significant amounts of solvents and reagents. This work developed a 96-well plate solid phase extraction (SPE) method for the extraction of seven sedatives and a β-blocker in animal kidney by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC−MS/MS). The developed method was validated based on Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 in kidney, meat and fish. The performance characteristics of the validation (1–5 μg kg−1) showed good linearity (R2 > 0.998) while decision limits (CCα) were between 1 and 1.2 μg kg−1. Trueness and precision were determined at three levels (n = 7) and the results showed values ranging from 85 to 103 % and from 1 to 9 %, respectively. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated for the residue control requirement established by EU. Method was applied to 201 samples of kidney, meat and fish. This study is the first to present an optimized and validated holistic method for sedatives and β-blocker using 96-well plate SPE and UHPLC−MS/MS. The method showed good performance in kidney, meat and fish samples being an universal method for any species along the same type of sample. The fast, easy, efficient, reliable and universal method showed high throughput and so reduced the analysis time by nine-fold and the required solvent amount by four times fulfilling the green chemistry principals. [Display omitted] • Validated SPE method for kidney analysis of sedatives and β-blocker was developed. • Single matrix fortified calibration curve to quantify different animal species. • The developed method has been successfully extended to meat and fish samples. • 96-well plate format permit future automation of sample preparation. • Method is implemented in the National Control Monitoring Plan for food residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Animal Metabolite Database (AMDB, https://amdb.online) is a freely accessible database with built-in statistical analysis tools, allowing one to browse and compare quantitative metabolomics data and raw NMR and MS data, as well as sample metadata, with a focus on the metabolite concentrations rather than on the raw data itself. AMDB also functions as a platform for the metabolomics community, providing convenient deposition and exchange of quantitative metabolomic data. To date, the majority of the data in AMDB relate to the metabolite content of the eye lens and blood of vertebrates, primarily wild species from Siberia, Russia and laboratory rodents. However, data on other tissues (muscle, heart, liver, brain, and more) are also present, and the list of species and tissues is constantly growing. Typically, every sample in AMDB contains concentrations of 60–90 of the most abundant metabolites, provided in nanomoles per gram of wet tissue weight (nmol/g). We believe that AMDB will become a widely used tool in the community, as typical metabolite baseline concentrations in tissues of animal models will aid in a wide variety of fundamental and applied scientific fields, including, but not limited to, animal modeling of human diseases, assessment of medical formulations, and evolutionary and environmental studies.

Antihistaminic drugs are a group of therapeutic agents representing one of the most-widely prescribed medications for treating different diseases. They are often used to relieve symptoms of allergies, such as hay fever, conjunctivitis, and reactions to insect bites or stings. A comprehensive review with more than two hundred references reported on the analysis of selected antihistamines is explored. The selected drugs belong to different generations of antihistaminic drugs. These drugs include rupatadine, montelukast, desloratadine and fexofenadine. The literature review covers most methods described for determining these drugs in bulk powder, pharmaceutical dosage forms, animal tissues and biological fluids. Different analytical techniques include UV and Visible spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry, thin-layer liquid chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography, ultra-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and electrochemical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine thiamine triphosphate (AThTP), a vitamin B1 containing nucleotide with unknown biochemi­cal role, was found previously to be present in various biological objects including bacteria, yeast, some human, rat and mouse tissues, as well as plant roots. In this study we quantify AThTP in mouse, rat, bovine and chicks. We also show that in animal tissues the hydrolysis of AThTP is catalyzed by a membrane-bound enzyme seemingly of microsomal origin as established for rat liver, which exhibits an alkaline pH optimum of 8.0-8.5 and requires no Mg2+ ions for activity. In liver homogenates, AThTP hydrolase obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics with apparent Km values of 84.4 ± 9.4 and 54.6 ± 13.1 µМ as estimated from the Hanes plots for rat and chicken enzymes, respectively. The hydrolysis of AThTP has been found to occur in all samples examined from rat, chicken and bovine tissues, with liver and kidney being­ the most abundant in enzyme activity. In rat liver, the activity of AThTP hydrolase depends on the age of animals.