BACKGROUND: Fatty liver in dairy cows is a common metabolic disease defined by triglyceride (TG) buildup in the hepatocyte. Clinical diagnosis of fatty liver is usually done by liver biopsy, causing considerable economic losses in the dairy industry owing to the lack of more effective diagnostic methods. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential utility of blood biomarkers for the diagnosis and early warning of fatty liver in dairy cows.
RESULTS: A total of twenty-four lactating cows within 28 days after parturition were randomly selected as experimental animals and divided into healthy cows (liver biopsy tested, n = 12) and cows with fatty liver (liver biopsy tested, n = 12). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the macroelements and microelements in the serum of two groups of cows. Compared to healthy cows (C), concentrations of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) were lower and copper (Cu) was higher in fatty liver cows (F). Meanwhile, the observed differences in macroelements and microelements were related to delivery time, with the greatest major disparity between C and F occurring 7 days after delivery. Multivariable analysis was used to test the correlation between nine serum macroelements, microelements and fatty liver. Based on variable importance projection and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, minerals Ca, Se, K, B and Mo were screened as the best diagnostic indicators of fatty liver in postpartum cows.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that serum levels of Ca, K, Mg, Se, B, Mo, Mn, and Sr were lower in F than in C. The most suitable period for an early-warning identification of fatty liver in cows was 7 days after delivery, and Ca, Se, K, B and Mo were the best diagnostic indicators of fatty liver in postpartum cows.

An organism\'s ability to function properly depends not solely on its diet but also on the intake of nutrients and non-nutritive bioactive compounds that exert immunomodulatory effects. This principle applies both to healthy individuals and, in particular, to those with concomitant chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. However, the current food industry and the widespread use of highly processed foods often lead to nutritional deficiencies. Numerous studies have confirmed the occurrence of immune system dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. This article elucidates the impact of specific nutrients on the immune system function, which maintains homeostasis of the organism, with a particular emphasis on type 2 diabetes. The role of macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and selected substances, such as omega-3 fatty acids, coenzyme Q10, and alpha-lipoic acid, was taken into consideration, which outlined the minimum range of tests that ought to be performed on patients in order to either directly or indirectly determine the severity of malnutrition in this group of patients.

Studies on the mineral and vitamin C contents of different species and ripening stages of Solanum fruits are very limited. The aim of the research was to evaluate the content of the mineral elements and vitamin C of four different Solanum species (S. melanocerasum-SM, S. nigrum-SN, S. villosum-SV and S. retroflexum-SR), and three ripening stages. The mineral composition of Solanum fruits was detected using a CEM MARS 6® (Matthews, NC, USA) digestion system outfitted with a 100 mL Teflon vessel, by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). In total, eleven mineral elements were detected (K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Na, Cu, B, Mn, Al, and Zn). Vitamin C content was assessed by a spectrophotometric method. Depending on the ripening stage/species, content of microelements ranged from 756.48 mg kg-1 DW in SV fruits at ripening stage III, to 211.12 mg kg-1 DW in SM fruits at ripening stage III. The dominant microelement was Fe. The total content of macroelements in Solanum fruits ranged from 26,104.95 mg kg-1 DW in SV fruits at ripening stage II to 67,035.23 mg kg-1 DW in SR fruits at ripening stage I. The dominant macroelement was K. The data from two experimental years showed that the significantly highest content of vitamin C was in SM fruits and ranged from 48.15 mg 100 g-1 at ripening stage I to 45.10 mg 100 g-1 at ripening stage III.

Alnus glutinosa is an actinorhizal plant that fixes N via actinomycetes. Compared to other trees, A. glutinosa is more resistant to environmental stress and able to uptake soil nutrients more easily. Alnus glutinosa grows well not only in natural stands but also in degraded environment or soil in need of restoration. Changes in the contents of selected macro-, micro-, and non-nutrient elements in the leaves of A. glutinosa during the vegetation season were monitored in the Ore Mountains (Czech Republic), an area affected by extreme air pollution in the past. Decreased foliar content of N, P, K, and Cu, and increased content of Ca, Mn, Zn, and Al were observed; the content of other elements (S, Mg, Pb, and Cd) varied during the growing season or remained constant. From the viewpoint of nutrition, the content of N, S, Ca, and Mg macroelements was adequate; concentrations of P and K were low. Excessive amounts of Mn and Zn were measured, and the level of Cu was good. Non-nutrient elements Pb and Cd were present at the background level, and the level of Al was high. N/P, N/Ca, N/Mg, and Ca/Mg ratios were balanced, S/N value showed the lack of S, and N/K ratio indicated low content of K, which caused also suboptimal K/Ca and K/Mg values. The P/Al ratio varied from balanced to lower values. The content of individual elements and monitored changes were influenced by the amount of elements in the soil, moisture conditions, foliage phenology, and altitude.

BACKGROUND: The present study investigates the effect of conventional and organic farming systems on the nutritional profile of crops. Different crops, namely -millet, sorghum, sesame, mustard, fenugreek, berseem, pea, potato, and onion were cultivated through conventional agriculture in which chemical fertilizers like urea, DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) and pesticides were used and organic farming in which organic fertilizers like seaweed and vermicompost were used.
OBJECTIVE: The experimental study was done on a field in north India from 2019 to 2021 in six different seasons, and the nutrient profile of the crops with respect to macroelements (S, K, Na, P, Ca, Mg) and microelements (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al) was compared.
METHODS: Macro and microelements were analyzed by Element analyzer and ICP-OES in both types of farming systems. The content of macro, as well as microelements, was found to be significantly higher in all the organically produced crops as compared to the conventionally grown crops.
RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the macroelement content of organic onion (P900 mg/kg, K-2000mg/kg) and organic pea (K 2250 mg/kg) as compared to the content of conventionally grown onion (P-756 mg/kg, K- 1550 mg/kg) and pea (K-2000 mg/kg). Similarly, microelement content in the organic sesame (Fe - 3.12 mg/kg), organic millet (Fe- 2.19 mg/kg), and organic potato (Zn-200 mg/kg) was higher as compared to conventionally grown sesame (Fe 2.05 mg/kg), millet (Fe- 1.56 mg/kg) and potato (Zn 167 mg/kg).
CONCLUSIONS: This investigation concludes that crops with optimum nutritional content can be produced through organic farming with minimum input and maximum production.

Sensitivity of bird species to environmental metal pollution varies but there is currently no general framework to predict species-specific sensitivity. Such information would be valuable from a conservation point-of-view. Calcium (Ca) has antagonistic effects on metal toxicity and studies with some common model species show that low dietary and circulating calcium (Ca) levels indicate higher sensitivity to harmful effects of toxic metals. Here we measured fecal Ca and five other macroelement (potassium K, magnesium Mg, sodium Na, phosphorus P, sulphur S) concentrations as proxies for dietary levels in 66 bird species to better understand their interspecific variation and potential use as an indicator of metal sensitivity in a wider range of species (the main analyses include 39 species). We found marked interspecific differences in fecal Ca concentration, which correlated positively with Mg and negatively with Na, P and S levels. Lowest Ca concentrations were found in insectivorous species and especially aerial foragers, such as swifts (Apodidae) and swallows (Hirundinidae). Instead, ground foraging species like starlings (Sturnidae), sparrows (Passeridae), cranes (Gruidae) and larks (Alaudidae) showed relatively high fecal Ca levels. Independent of phylogeny, insectivorous diet and aerial foraging seem to indicate low Ca levels and potential sensitivity to toxic metals. Our results, together with information published on fecal Ca levels and toxic metal impacts, suggest that fecal Ca levels are a promising new tool to evaluate potential metal-sensitivity of birds, and we encourage gathering such information in other bird species. Information on the effects of metals on breeding parameters in a wider range of bird species would also help in ranking species by their sensitivity to metal pollution.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to investigate associations between micronutrient levels and diabetes and to explore the association in individuals with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes.
METHODS: A case-control study, matched on age and gender, was performed on participants with (cases) and without diabetes (controls), who were Qatari or long-term residents (≥15 years of residence). Participants with diabetes were divided into those with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes using an HbA1c cutoff of 7%. Levels of micronutrients were measured from serum and categorized into normal and abnormal levels.
RESULTS: A total of 1118 participants (374 cases and 744 controls) were included with a mean age of 41.7 years (SD 9.9), of whom 53.9% were female. Of those with diabetes, 229 had controlled diabetes and 145 had uncontrolled diabetes. Compared to those without diabetes, participants with diabetes had significantly lower mean magnesium (0.80 mmol/L (SD 0.07) vs. 0.84 mmol/L (SD 0.06), respectively, p < 0.001). Lower magnesium and iron were observed in participants with uncontrolled compared to participants with controlled diabetes. After multivariable logistic regression, diabetes was associated with hypomagnesemia (OR 3.2, 95% CI 3.4-213.9) and low iron (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.03-2.15). Uncontrolled diabetes showed stronger odds of association with hypomagnesemia (OR 5.57, 95% CI 3.65-8.52).
CONCLUSIONS: In an affluent setting in the MENA region, diabetes was associated with low magnesium and low iron, and this association was stronger in individuals with uncontrolled diabetes.

The study aimed to analyse the macro- and micro-nutrient content in fruits of Rubus species (R. idaeus, R. occidentalis, R. chamaemorus, and R. chingii) and their varieties or hybrids from different regions. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry with deuterium background correction was used to measure concentrations of nine essential elements (K, Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, Fe, Cr, Zn, and Cu) and two heavy metals (Pb, Cd). Chemometric analysis compared the elemental profiles. Results confirmed raspberries as a rich source of macroelements (K, Mg) and microelements (Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr). The \'Bristol\' cultivar consistently had the highest Fe content regardless of origin. Cr presence was observed in black raspberries for the first time. Previously observed relationships like K-Na antagonism and Cr/Zn, Fe/Zn synergism were found in raspberry fruits. Factor and cluster analyses demonstrated species and geographical diversity among Polish raspberry samples and clear separation of R. chingii from China. Raspberry fruits, due to the rich complex of polyphenols, are classified as superfoods, and the content of bioelements determined in them guarantees coverage of the daily requirement for macro- and microelements (RDA depending on the element: 5.6-204% for R. idaeus, 8.8-469, 4% for R. occidentalis, and 1.4-67.2% for R. chamaemorus), finally confirming this opinion.

Free-living amoebas can impact the excretion of macroelements and microelements in urine. The aim of the present study was to examine the concentrations of macroelements, including calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg), as well as microelements such as manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and chromium (Cr), in the urine during acanthamoebiasis while considering the host\'s immunological status. This is the first study to show an increase in urinary excretion of Ca, Mn, Cu, Fe, Na, and Cr, along with a decreased excretion of K, in immunocompetent mice 16 days post Acanthamoeba sp. infection. In the final phase of infection (24 dpi), there was a further decrease in urinary K excretion and a lower level of P in Acanthamoeba sp. infected immunocompetent hosts. During acanthamoebiasis in immunosuppressed hosts, increased excretion of Zn, Fe, and Cr was observed at the beginning of the infection, and increased Na excretion only at 16 days post Acanthamoeba sp. infection. Additionally, host immunosuppression affected the concentration of Fe, Cr, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Ca in urine.

To determine the potential bioavailability of macroelements (Ca, Mg, P, K), probiotic ice cream samples (Lactaseibacillus paracasei L-26, Lactobacillus casei 431, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, Lactaseibacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12) from sheep\'s milk with inulin, apple fiber and inulin, or apple fiber and control samples were submitted to in vitro digestion in the mouth, stomach and small intestine. The bioavailability of calcium in the ice cream samples ranged from 40.63% to 54.40%, whereas that of magnesium was 55.64% to 44.42%. The highest bioavailability of calcium and magnesium was shown for the control samples. However, adding 4% inulin reduced the bioavailability of calcium by about 3-5% and magnesium only by about 5-6%. Adding 4% apple fiber reduced the bioavailability of calcium by as much as 6-12% and magnesium by 7-8%. The highest bioavailability of calcium was determined in ice cream with L. paracasei, and the highest bioavailability of magnesium was determined in ice cream with L. casei. The bioavailability of phosphorus in ice cream ranged from 47.82% to 50.94%. The highest bioavailability of phosphorus (>50%) was in sheep ice cream fermented by B. animalis. In the control ice cream, the bioavailability of potassium was about 60%. In ice cream with inulin, the bioavailability of potassium was lower by 3-4%, and in ice cream with apple fiber, the bioavailability of potassium was lower by up to 6-9%. The bioavailability of potassium was significantly influenced only by the addition of dietary fiber. The results of the study confirmed the beneficial effect of bacteria on the bioavailability of Ca, Mg and P.