Analysis of 19 Minerals and Cortisol in Red Deer Hair in Two Different Areas of the Stelvio National Park: A Preliminary Study.

The aim of the study was to perform an investigation on the concentration of 19 minerals and cortisol in red deer (Cervus elaphus) hair, a matrix that is easy to collect with non-invasive and painless sampling, able to represent an integrative values of long-term substance concentrations, and able to give useful information, also when performed on dead animals, given its extreme stability over time. In the study thirty-five animals were included, coming from two different sides of a valley in the Stelvio National Park, where official water analysis had pointed out elevated concentrations of As in one of the two orographic sides. Hair cortisol concentrations were measured using a RIA(Radio Immuno Assay), while minerals were detected using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry). Results showed a negative relationship between cortisol and some mineral concentrations (Li, Co, As, Cd, Cr and Tl) and significant differences in some mineral concentrations between park areas (Al, Co, Cu, Cd and Ni). As, Cr and cortisol differences approached statistical significance. This preliminary study represents a step forward in the study of wildlife allostatic load and a valid method for applications in wildlife management programs, in environmental studies and in public health programs.

Low-Dose Paclitaxel Reduces S100A4 Nuclear Import to Inhibit Invasion and Hematogenous Metastasis of Cholangiocarcinoma.

Nuclear expression of the calcium-binding protein S100A4 is a biomarker of increased invasiveness in cholangiocarcinoma, a primary liver cancer with scarce treatment opportunities and dismal prognosis. In this study, we provide evidence that targeting S100A4 nuclear import by low-dose paclitaxel, a microtubule-stabilizing agent, inhibits cholangiocarcinoma invasiveness and metastatic spread. Administration of low-dose paclitaxel to established (EGI-1) and primary (CCA-TV3) cholangiocarcinoma cell lines expressing nuclear S100A4 triggered a marked reduction in nuclear expression of S100A4 without modifying its cytoplasmic levels, an effect associated with a significant decrease in cell migration and invasiveness. While low-dose paclitaxel did not affect cellular proliferation, apoptosis, or cytoskeletal integrity, it significantly reduced SUMOylation of S100A4, a critical posttranslational modification that directs its trafficking to the nucleus. This effect of low-dose paclitaxel was reproduced by ginkolic acid, a specific SUMOylation inhibitor. Downregulation of nuclear S100A4 by low-dose paclitaxel was associated with a strong reduction in RhoA and Cdc42 GTPase activity, MT1-MMP expression, and MMP-9 secretion. In an SCID mouse xenograft model, low-dose metronomic paclitaxel treatment decreased lung dissemination of EGI-1 cells without significantly affecting their local tumor growth. In the tumor mass, nuclear S100A4 expression by cholangiocarcinoma cells was significantly reduced, whereas rates of proliferation and apoptosis were unchanged. Overall, our findings highlight nuclear S100A4 as a candidate therapeutic target in cholangiocarcinoma and establish a mechanistic rationale for the use of low-dose paclitaxel in blocking metastatic progression of cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Res; 76(16); 4775-84. ©2016 AACR.

Abomasal nematode community in an alpine chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) population before and after a die-off.

Abomasa of 185 chamois shot during 5 consecutive hunting seasons were collected as part of a health monitoring program in an alpine area of Italy and examined for nematodes. The data were obtained during both the preceding period and that following a severe die-off caused by a pneumonia outbreak. Prevalence, mean abundance, mean intensity, and Thul Importance index were consistently high, in particular for Haemonchus contortus, having a low host specificity and high pathogenic potential. Species typical of cervids were also consistently detected. The abomasal nematode community showed an isolationist structure, suggesting its composition was primarily determined by external factors such as interspecific interaction among host species and environmental conditions. The effect of different factors (host sex, sampling site, and time) on nematode counts and aggregation were analyzed and discussed considering the peculiarities of the study site and the chamois population crash. In the light of parallel results for health monitoring, abomasal parasitism could represent a predisposing factor for the observed die-off.