Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and sahtú regions of the Northwest Territories.

The development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants (n = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on awareness of health messages and risk perceptions related to country foods and contaminants. The vast majority of participants reported eating country foods (99%) and heard that country foods had beneficial nutrients (90%). Seventy per cent of respondents had heard or seen messages about fish with high levels of mercury, and 60% had concerns about the safety or quality of country foods they consumed. Respondents who reported decreasing the number of fish they ate since hearing the messages about fish and mercury had lower (p = 0.04) mercury concentration in hair, compared to those who had not heard the messages. However, no differences in hair mercury were observed for respondents who reported to have changed their fishing location, chosen smaller fish or eaten less predatory fish since hearing the messages. Results indicate the need to examine reasons for self-reported behaviour changes, in addition to awareness. The conclusions of this study can inform the development of messaging and risk management decisions about contaminants within Indigenous populations.

Preventive machine learning models incorporating health checkup data and hair mineral analysis for low bone mass identification.

Machine learning (ML) models have been increasingly employed to predict osteoporosis. However, the incorporation of hair minerals into ML models remains unexplored. This study aimed to develop ML models for predicting low bone mass (LBM) using health checkup data and hair mineral analysis. A total of 1206 postmenopausal women and 820 men aged 50 years or older at a health promotion center were included in this study. LBM was defined as a T-score below - 1 at the lumbar, femur neck, or total hip area. The proportion of individuals with LBM was 59.4% (n = 1205). The features used in the models comprised 50 health checkup items and 22 hair minerals. The ML algorithms employed were Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting (GB), and Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost). The subjects were divided into training and test datasets with an 80:20 ratio. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and an F1 score were evaluated to measure the performances of the models. Through 50 repetitions, the mean (standard deviation) AUROC for LBM was 0.744 (± 0.021) for XGB, the highest among the models, followed by 0.737 (± 0.023) for AdaBoost, and 0.733 (± 0.023) for GB, and 0.732 (± 0.021) for RF. The XGB model had an accuracy of 68.7%, sensitivity of 80.7%, specificity of 51.1%, PPV of 70.9%, NPV of 64.3%, and an F1 score of 0.754. However, these performance metrics did not demonstrate notable differences among the models. The XGB model identified sulfur, sodium, mercury, copper, magnesium, arsenic, and phosphate as crucial hair mineral features. The study findings emphasize the significance of employing ML algorithms for predicting LBM. Integrating health checkup data and hair mineral analysis into these models may provide valuable insights into identifying individuals at risk of LBM.

Adipose-derived stem cell conditioned medium for hair regeneration therapy in alopecia: a review of literature.

To date, therapeutic choices for alopecia have shown limited effectiveness and safety, making the discovery of new therapeutic choices challenging. Adipose-derived stem cells conditioned-medium (ADSC-CM) contain various growth factors released by ADSCs that may support hair regrowth. This literature review aims to discover the effect and clinical impact of ADSC-CM in the treatment of alopecia. A comprehensive literature search was performed through four databases (Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Scopus) in September 2021. A combination of search terms including "adipose-derived stem cells" and "alopecia" was used. Studies published in English that included ADSC-CM interventions on alopecia of all types were selected and summarized. A total of five studies were selected for review, all of which were case series. All studies showed a positive outcome for intervention. Outcomes measured in the studies include hair count or hair density, hair thickness, anagen, and telogen hair count. No adverse effects were reported from all studies. Limitations lie in the differences in intervention method, application, and length of treatment. ADSC-CM hair regeneration therapy is an effective and safe treatment for alopecia that may be combined with other types of therapy to improve outcomes.

Assessing the efficacy and quality of Life improvements of botulinum toxin type a with topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized controlled trial.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common type of hair loss in men and efficacy and safety of current medical treatment remain limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) combined with Minoxidil in patients with AGA. 60 male patients were included in this study and control group received topical 5% Minoxidil and the treatment group received BTA combined with topical 5% Minoxidil. BTA injections (60-70 U) were administered at 30-35 scalp sites. Head photographs were taken at baseline, 2nd, 4th, and 6th months. Clinical descriptions recorded scalp conditions, and patient satisfaction along with Dermatology Life Quality Index scores were documented. The treatment group (TG) showed significant hair growth differences compared to the control group (CG) at the 4th month (P < 0.001) and 6th month (P = 0.0046) post-treatment. TG had improved Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scores in the 4th month (P = 0.0001) and 6th month (P = 0.0259) compared to CG. Patient satisfaction in TG for hair growth and scalp improvement was higher than CG (all P < 0.05). TG exhibited substantial quality of life improvement at the 4-month (P = 0.0009) and 6-month (P = 0.0099). No adverse reactions were observed post-botulinum toxin injection. BTA combined with Minoxidil effectively promotes hair growth, enhances the quality of life, and alleviates scalp symptoms in male AGA patients at 4th and 6th months, with no adverse effects compared to Minoxidil alone.Trial registration number: Ethics Committee of Shanghai Tongji Hospital (ID: K-2018-026).

Exploring noninvasive matrices for assessing long-term exposure to phthalates: a scoping review.

The phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are one class of the most abundant and frequently studied pseudo-persistent organic pollutants. Noninvasive urine is an effective substrate for evaluating PAE exposure, but repeated sampling is needed to overcome this bias. This adds much work to on-site collection and the cost of detection increases exponentially. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a scope review to describe the detection methods and validity of the use of other noninvasive matrices, such as nails and hair, for assessing long-term exposure to PAEs. The PubMed, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), electronic databases were searched from 1 January 2000 to 3 April 2024, and 12 studies were included. Nine and three studies used hair and nails, respectively, as noninvasive matrices for detecting PAE exposure. Five articles compared the results of nail or hair and urine tests for validity of the assessment of PAE exposure. The preprocessing and detection methods for these noninvasive samples are also described. The results of this review suggest that, compared with nails, hair may be more suitable as a noninvasive alternative matrix for assessing long-term exposure to PAEs. However, sample handling procedures such as the extraction and purification of compounds from hair are not uniform in various studies; therefore, further exploration and optimization of this process, and additional research evidence to evaluate its effectiveness, are needed to provide a scientific basis for the promotion and application of hair detection methods for assessing long-term PAE exposure levels.

[Subgaleal hematoma in paediatric patients; a swelling on the head due to traction during hair styling]. / Subgaleaal hematoom bij een ouder kind.

BACKGROUND: In this article we describe an underexposed cause of subgaleal hematoma in the older child. Subgaleal hematomas are well-known in the context of trauma or blood clotting disorders. International literature acknowledges excessive force during hair styling as a possible cause. Here, we present two cases to illustrate the importance of a complete patient work-up. CASE DESCRIPTION: Recently, two patients presented themselves at Juliana Children's Hospital, the Hague, the Netherlands, with a swelling on the head and headache with no obvious cause. Radiological imaging showed subgaleal hematomas. Upon questioning, both patients mentioned using extensive traction while styling their hair. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, when analysing an older child with a swelling on the head with no obvious cause, consider the diagnoses subgaleal hematoma due to hair traction. It might be helpful to observe them styling their hair. A proper clinical review can therefore prevent over-testing and overtreatment.

Contamination of a drug consumption room with drugs and potential risks for social health care workers.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that contamination of surfaces by illicit drugs frequently occurs in forensic laboratories when manipulating seized samples as well as in pharmacies and hospitals when preparing medicinal drugs. In this project, we extended these studies to a Drug Consumption Room to investigate drug levels and possible exposure of the staff members. METHODS: We investigated pre and post cleaning contamination by heroin and cocaine and their degradation products 6-monoacetylmorphine and benzoylecgonine on different surfaces (tables, counters, computers and door handles) and in the ambient air. We also collected urine and hair samples from staff members to check for potential short and long term contaminations. RESULTS: Medium to heavy contamination has been detected on most surfaces and door handles; as expected, air contamination was particularly high in the smoking room. Drug levels were < LOD to very low in the urine and the hair samples of staff members tested. CONCLUSION: The cleaning efficiency of the surfaces, carried out by staff and drug users after drug consumption, was often not satisfactory. The very low drug levels in hair indicate that acute health risks for staff members are low.

Irisin promotes hair growth and hair cycle transition by activating the GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway.

Hair loss affects men and women of all ages. Myokines, which are mainly secreted by skeletal muscles during exercise, have numerous health benefits. VEGF, IGF-1, FGF and irisin are reprehensive myokines. Although VEGF, IGF-1 and FGF are positively associated with hair growth, few studies have researched the effects of irisin on hair growth. Here, we investigated whether irisin promotes hair growth using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo patch assays, as well as mouse models. We show that irisin increases proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mitochondrial membrane potential in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs). Irisin activated the Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway, thereby upregulating Wnt5a, Wnt10b and LEF-1, which play an important role in hair growth. Moreover, irisin enhanced human hair shaft elongation. In vivo, patch assays revealed that irisin promotes the generation of new hair follicles, accelerates entry into the anagen phase, and significantly increases hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. However, XAV939, a Wnt/ß-catenin signalling inhibitor, suppressed the irisin-mediated increase in hair shaft and hair growth. These results indicate that irisin increases hair growth via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and highlight its therapeutic potential in hair loss treatment.

Chitinase 3-Like 1 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 proteins and the hair cycle.

Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) exhibit self-recovery ability, which may be involved in hair growth. Therefore, we tested whether DPCs subjected to temporary growth-inhibiting stress (testosterone, 17ß-estradiol, mitomycin C, or undernutrition) treatments exhibit self-recovery behavior that can activate hair follicle growth, and examined the changes in cell proliferation capacity and gene expression. Related proteins were identified and their relationships with the hair cycle was examined using a mouse model. Recovery-period DPCs (i.e., from day 3 after loading) were subjected to microarray analysis to detect genetic variations common to each stress treatment. Co-culture of recovery-period DPCs and outer root sheath cells (ORSCs) confirmed the promotion of ORSC proliferation, suggesting that the activation of hair follicle growth is promoted via signal transduction. Chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) and C-X-C motif chemokine 5 (CXCL5) exhibited ORSC proliferation-promoting effects. Measurement of protein content in the skin during each phase of the hair cycle in mice revealed that CHI3L1 and CXCL5 secretion increased immediately after anagen transition. In a hair-loss mouse model treated with testosterone or 17ß-estradiol, CHI3L1 and CXCL5 secretion was lower in treated telogen skin than in untreated skin. Our results suggest that CHI3L1 and CXCL5 secreted by recovery-state DPCs promote hair growth.

Effects of Nannochloropsis salina Fermented Oil on Proliferation of Human Dermal Papilla Cells and Hair Growth.

The hair follicle is the basis of hair regeneration, and the dermal papilla is one of the most important structures in hair regeneration. New intervention and reversal strategies for hair loss may arise due to the prevention of oxidative stress. GC/MS analysis was used to determine the compounds contained in NSO. Then, NSO was applied to DPC for cell proliferation and oxidative stress experiments. RNA-seq was performed in cells treated with NSO and minoxidil. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to verify the gene expression. The effects of NSO on hair length, weight, the number and depth of hair follicles, and the dermal thickness were also studied. GC/MS analysis showed that the main components of NSO were eicosapentaenoic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid. NSO promotes DPC proliferation and reduces H2O2-mediated oxidative damage. NSO can also activate hair growth-related pathways and upregulate antioxidant-related genes analyzed by gene profiling. The topical application of NSO significantly promotes hair growth and increases hair length and weight in mice. NSO extract promotes hair growth and effectively inhibits oxidative stress, which is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of hair loss.

A Prospective, Multi-Center Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of a Vegan Nutraceutical to Improve Hair Growth and Quality in Females Following a Plant-Based Diet

Hair thinning affects upwards of 50% of women by age 50, impacting their social-emotional wellbeing. It is a condition now thought to be driven by a multi-factorial etiology, including diet and nutrition. Women following vegan, vegetarian, or other plant-based diets have specific needs for nutrients traditionally sourced from animals, which could affect hair health. To support hair growth and quality in women following a plant-based diet, a novel vegan nutraceutical (Nutrafol Women's Vegan Capsules, Nutraceutical Wellness, Inc., New York, NY) was evaluated for its ability to support hair health. The objectives of this 6-month, multi-site, single-blind prospective clinical study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the nutraceutical to improve hair growth and quality in women consuming a plant-based diet. The primary endpoint in this study was an increase in terminal hair count at day 180 compared with baseline, as assessed through phototrichogram analysis. Ninety-five subjects completed the study. Daily intake of the nutraceutical resulted in a significant increase in the number of terminal hairs at day 90 (P<0.01) and day 180 (P<0.01). There was also an increase in total hair counts (P<0.01), the terminal-to-vellus ratio (P<0.01), and a decrease in shedding (P<0.01). Global Investigator Ratings revealed improved hair growth (P<0.00001) and overall quality (P<0.00001). In-person hair strength and brittleness assessments significantly improved as well (P<0.01 for both). A significant proportion of subjects reported improved hair quality, appearance, texture, and volume. Hair problems affecting the quality of life of the subjects were also reported as improved. This study demonstrated significant improvements in hair growth and quality in a plant-based population with a vegan nutraceutical. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05332743. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(8):661-668.  doi:10.36849/JDD.8421.

Human Exposure to Heavy Metals over the Last 100 Years.

The primary objective of the presented research was to assess the impact of intense global economic development, over the last 100 years, on the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the human body. This evaluation was conducted based on the measurement of heavy metals in human hair samples collected 100 years ago in present-day southern Poland.In this study, concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and selenium (Se) were measured in 61 hair samples,28 of which were obtained from individuals who lived 100 years ago, while the remaining 33 constituted the contemporary control group. The concentrations were determined using a triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (Agilent 8900). Statistical analysis of the obtained results was conducted using the Principal Cmponent Analysis and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. In the case of As, Pb, Cd, and Fe, the concentrations were significantly higher in individuals who lived 100 years ago compared to those living today. Over this period, the median concentrations were shown to have decreased by 95%, 94%, 85%, and 69% for As, Pb, Cd, and Fe, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed for Cu, Zn, and Se. The results obtained for Pb, Cd, As, and Fe unequivocally indicate that the population studied from 100 years ago was more exposed to internal contamination with these metals than people who live nowadays.

Sophoricoside, a genistein glycoside from Fructus Sophorae, promotes hair growth via activation of M4 muscarinic AChR in dermal papilla cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Alopecia, or hair loss, refers to ongoing decline of mature hair on the scalp or any other region of the body. Fructus Sophorae, a fruit from Sophora japonica L., contains various phytochemicals, e.g., sophoricoside, that exhibit a broad range of pharmacological effects. The potential functions of herbal extracts deriving from Fructus Sophorae and/or its major phytochemical, sophoricoside, in treating alopecia are probed here. AIM OF STUDY: The objective was to determine the ability of Fructus Sophorae extract and sophoricoside in promoting hair growth and it signalling mechanism. METHODS: Molecular docking studies were conducted to measure the binding affinities between sophoricoside and M4 mAChR in the allosteric binding site. The mechanism of Fructus Sophorae and sophoricoside in activating the signalling involving Wnt/ß-catenin and muscarinic AChR was evaluated by using immortalized human dermal papilla cell line (DPC), as well as their roles in promoting hair growth. The activity of pTOPflash-luciferase in transfected DPCs was used to examine the transcriptional regulation of Wnt/ß-catenin-mediated genes. RT-PCR was applied to quantify mRNA expressions of the biomarkers in DPCs responsible for hair growth. The phosphorylated protein levels of Wnt/ß-catenin and PI3K/AKT in DPC were revealed by using Western blot analysis. The culture of ex vivo mouse vibrissae hair follicle was used to evaluate the hair growth after the treatments. RESULTS: The ethanol extract of Fructus Sophorae and sophoricoside activated Wnt/ß-catenin signalling. The result of molecular docking showed a high binding affinity between sophoricoside and M4 mAChR. The effect of sophoricoside was blocked by specific inhibitor of M4 mAChR, but not by other inhibitors of mAChRs. Sophoricoside promoted hair growth in cultured ex vivo mouse vibrissae hair follicle by acting through M4 mAChR. CONCLUSION: The ethanol extract of Fructus Sophorae and sophoricoside activated Wnt/ß-catenin signalling via activation of M4 mAChR. The results suggested beneficial functions of Fructus Sophorae and sophoricoside as a potential candidate in treating alopecia.

Concentration levels of phthalate metabolites in wild boar hair samples.

Phthalates used in the industry penetrate the environment and negatively affect humans and animals. Hair samples seem to be the best matrix for studies on long-term exposure to phthalates, but till now they were used only in investigations on humans. Moreover, the knowledge of the wild terrestrial animal exposure to phthalates is extremely limited. This study aimed to establish of concentration levels of selected phthalate metabolites (i.e. monomethyl phthalate-MMP, monoethyl phthalate-MEP, mono-isobutyl phthalate-MiBP, monobutyl phthalate-MBP, monobenzyl phthalate-MBzP, mono-cyclohexyl phthalate-MCHP, mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-MEHP and mono-n-octyl phthalate-MOP) in wild boar hair samples using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. MEHP was noted in 90.7% of samples with mean 66.17 ± 58.69 pg/mg (median 49.35 pg/mg), MMP in 59.3% with mean 145.1 ± 310.6 pg/mg (median 64.45 pg/mg), MiBP in 37.0% with mean 56.96 ± 119.4 pg/mg (median < limit of detection-LOD), MBP in 35.2% with mean 19.97 ± 34.38 pg/mg (median < LOD) and MBzP in 1.9% with concentration below limit of quantification. MEP, MCHP, and MOP have not been found in wild boar hair samples during this study. The results have shown that wild boars are exposed to phthalates and hair samples may be used as a matrix during studies on levels of phthalate metabolites in wild animals.

Hair Growth Promoting Effects of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Inhibitor in Human Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is known to be effective in regenerating tissues, and bimatoprost, an analog of PGF2α, has been approved by the FDA as an eyelash growth promoter and has been proven effective in human hair follicles. Thus, to enhance PGE2 levels while improving hair loss, we found dihydroisoquinolinone piperidinylcarboxy pyrazolopyridine (DPP), an inhibitor of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), using DeepZema®, an AI-based drug development program. Here, we investigated whether DPP improved hair loss in human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) damaged by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes hair loss. We found that DPP enhanced wound healing and the expression level of alkaline phosphatase in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We observed that DPP significantly down-regulated the generation of reactive oxygen species caused by DHT. DPP recovered the mitochondrial membrane potential in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We demonstrated that DPP significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of the AKT/ERK and activated Wnt signaling pathways in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We also revealed that DPP significantly enhanced the size of the three-dimensional spheroid in DHT-damaged HFDPCs and increased hair growth in ex vivo human hair follicle organ culture. These data suggest that DPP exhibits beneficial effects on DHT-damaged HFDPCs and can be utilized as a promising agent for improving hair loss.

Exploring keratin composition variability for sustainable thermal insulator design.

In pursuing sustainable thermal insulation solutions, this study explores the integration of human hair and feather keratin with alginate. The aim is to assess its potential in thermal insulation materials, focusing on the resultant composites' thermal and mechanical characteristics. The investigation uncovers that the type and proportion of keratin significantly influence the composites' porosity and thermal conductivity. Specifically, higher feather keratin content is associated with lesser sulfur and reduced crosslinking due to shorter amino acids, leading to increased porosity and pore sizes. This, in turn, results in a decrease in ß-structured hydrogen bond networks, raising non-ordered protein structures and diminishing thermal conductivity from 0.044 W/(m·K) for pure alginate matrices to between 0.033 and 0.038 W/(m·K) for keratin-alginate composites, contingent upon the specific ratio of feather to hair keratin used. Mechanical evaluations further indicate that composites with a higher ratio of hair keratin exhibit an enhanced compressive modulus, ranging from 60 to 77 kPa, demonstrating the potential for tailored mechanical properties to suit various applications. The research underscores the critical role of sulfur content and the crosslinking index within keratin's structures, significantly impacting the thermal and mechanical properties of the matrices. The findings position keratin-based composites as environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional insulation materials.

Impact of a point-of-care urine tenofovir assay on adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among women in Kenya: a randomised pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Adherence challenges with oral tenofovir-based pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are common. We developed a point-of-care assay to objectively assess tenofovir in urine and conducted a pilot trial examining the impact of counselling informed by use of this urine assay on long-term PrEP adherence. METHODS: This randomised trial enrolled women not in serodiscordant partnerships 3 months after PrEP initiation at the Kenya Medical Research Institute to compare standard-of-care adherence counselling versus counselling informed by the urine assay (urine-test counselling group) every 3 months for 12 months. In the standard of care group, urine samples were stored and tested at study end without participant feedback. Here we report the adherence primary outcome of hair concentrations of tenofovir at 12 months as a long-term metric (undetectable levels defined long-term non-adherence), as well as urine concentrations of tenofovir at each visit as a short-term adherence metric and acceptability of the assay assessed by quantitative surveys. Data were analysed by randomisation group. This completed trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03935464). FINDINGS: From March 17, 2021 to Jan 18, 2022 we enrolled 49 women in the urine-test counselling group and 51 in the standard of care group; retention was 86 (86%) of 100. Nine (21%) of 42 in the urine-test counselling group had hair samples at 12 months with tenofovir concentrations below the limit of quantification compared with 15 (37%) of 41 in the standard of care group. The relative odds of long-term non-adherence in the standard of care group compared with urine-test counselling were 3·53 (95% CI 1·03-12·03; p=0·044). Pre-intervention, urine tenofovir was detectable in 65% in the urine-test counselling group and 71% in the standard of care group (p=0·68). At 12 months, 31 (72%) of 43 in the intervention group had detectable urine tenofovir compared with 19 (45%) of 42 in the standard of care group (p=0·0015). 40 (93%) of 43 participants liked the test very much and only one disliked the test. One participant in the standard of care group was withdrawn at the 6-month visit due to HIV seroconversion. INTERPRETATION: A low-cost urine tenofovir assay to inform PrEP counselling resulted in improvement in both short-term and long-term metrics of adherence. This urine tenofovir assay could help to improve long-term PrEP adherence. FUNDING: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Institutes of Health.

Assessing the efficacy of mesotherapy products: Ultra Exo Booster, and Ultra S Line Plus in hair growth: An ex vivo study.

In this study, scalp tissues from Korean adults between 20 and 80 without skin disease were used. Scalp tissues were processed, and hair follicles were isolated and cultured with different treatments (including Bioscalp, Ultra Exo Booster, and Ultra S Line Plus) from Ultra V company. Over 12 days, observations and measurements of hair follicle characteristics were recorded at intervals (Days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12). The study assessed the impact of these substances on hair follicle growth and morphology. Bioscalp, combined with Ultra Exo Booster and Ultra S Line Plus, showed significant hair elongation in ex vivo. Preservation of hair bulb diameter was observed, indicating potential for sustained hair growth by exosome-based products. The hair growth cycle analysis suggested a lower transition to the catagen stage in test products from Ultra V compared to non-treated groups. The research findings indicated that the tested formulations, especially the combination of Bioscalp, Ultra Exo Booster, and Ultra S Line Plus, demonstrated significant effectiveness in promoting hair growth, maintaining the integrity of the hair bulb, and reducing the transition to the catagen stage. The study suggests promising alternative treatments for hair loss, illustrating results that were as good as those of the conventional testing product groups.

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems.

Understanding the farming system impact on animals is crucial for evaluating welfare. Rabbits exhibit distinct behaviours influenced by their surroundings. The conditions in which they are raised directly influence behaviour and stress responses, emphasizing the importance of providing an optimal environment for their overall well-being and growth. In this study, we assessed the behaviour and welfare of two Italian local rabbit populations, namely the grey rabbit of Carmagnola and the grey rabbit of Monferrato. These rabbits are not yet officially recognized as breeds, but they are commonly used in Italy for meat production and represent a distinctive phenotype and local heritage among farmers and consumers. We analysed the behavioural patterns, physiological responses, and blood parameters of the animals to assess the influence of both age and three distinct housing systems (traditional single cages, group farming, and a mixed system) on rabbits' welfare. In this study, 294 weaned males with 35 days old were divided into three housing systems with seven replicates each until reaching slaughtering age (100 days of age). A traditional single cage system, a group farming with 10 animals each replicate and a Mixed pilot system with 10 rabbits initially grouped, then transferred to single cages. The findings from the behavioural analysis and the evaluation of salivary and hair corticosterone levels demonstrate that both the housing system and the age of the rabbits exerted significant effects on their welfare. Rabbits in group housing displayed a wider range of behavioural patterns, including increased kinetic activities such as running, walking, and exploration. However, this housing system was associated with higher levels of both salivary and hair corticosterone, indicating a high acute and chronic stress condition. The single cage system was associated with higher levels of acute stress and a low frequency of kinetic activities and social interactions, with a predominant behaviour of turning on themselves. The age factor significantly influenced the occurrence of behaviours, with younger rabbits exhibiting higher levels of kinetic activities, while social behaviours such as attacks and dominance were more prevalent as the rabbits reached sexual maturity (around 80-85 days of age). Moreover, the attainment of sexual maturity coincided with an increase in salivary corticosterone levels. We found a significant association between attack behaviours, escape attempts, and elevated corticosterone levels, by demonstrating that these behaviours can be used as indicators of decreased animals' well-being. Our findings underscore the importance of considering both the housing environment and the temporal dimension in the study of behaviour and welfare. This enables a comprehensive assessment of appropriate rearing management techniques. By understanding the social dynamics and stress sources within housing systems, farmers can implement measures to enhance animal welfare and create a conducive environment for the health and behaviour of rabbits.

Monitoring of Organochlorine Pesticides (OCP) in Hair Samples of Wild Herbivorous Mammals Living in Remote and Protected Areas of the Far East and Siberia of Russia.

Monitoring wildlife exposure to biological hazards is a critical component of the wildlife risk assessment. In this study 38 hair samples were collected from 8 different species from ten districts of Russian Far East and Siberia and analysed for the presence of organochlorine pesticides (OCP). 50% of the samples were contaminated with - p, p'-DDT, α-HCH and DDD. DDT was the main contaminant found in 13 sample at concentrations range of 14.3 to 369.5 pg/mg hair, mean 91.9 ± 89.7 pg/mg. α-HCH was detected in three samples with the concentrations range 29.9-180.2 pg/mg. The p, p'-DDD was found only in one hair sample of Siberian roe deer from Altai region at 52.6 pg/mg. The exposure level is depended on animals habitat location. The most contaminated region is Terney district which is in the proximity to the borders with China and North Korea where OCP are still in use.