Heavy metals (Cr and Zn) induced alterations in cast production, burrowing behaviour, surface migration and macropore formation in three ecologically different earthworm species: A comparative study

Heavy metals can influence earthworm behavior and physiology which could drastically impact the soil functioning. To test this hypothesis, under laboratory conditions, the cast production and burrow systems( burrow length and patterns), macropores formed and surface migration of three ecologically different earthworm species (the epigeic Eudrilus eugeniea, aneic Lampito maurutii and the endogeic Pontoscolex corethrururs) in natural spiked soil with different concentrations of heavy metals (chromium Cr(VI) and zinc (Zn)) were performed. The amount of cast produced in all the three species varied with increasing concentrations of heavy metals which is inversely proportional to incidence of surface migration observed. Macropores formed increased significantly (P <0.05) in Zn-spiked soils and reduced significantly (P <0.05) upon chromium exposure. The burrow patterns of three earthworm species varied: E.eugeniea being an epigeic exhibited only horizontal movements which showed statistically significant (P<0.05) change in its burrow length at the lower concentration of 10 ppm Cr (VI) and 300ppm of Zn, whereas L. maurutii made more continuous, less branched and more vertical burrows and exhibited statistically significant (P <0.05) change at 10ppm of Cr. However upon Zn exposure significant (P <0.05) change was evident in 100ppm of Zn onwards. Similar pattern was also evident in P. corethrurus. Some conspicuous changes in L. maurutii and P. corethrurus burrow systems upon exposure to chromium were they made a smaller and narrower burrow system, at concentration above 20ppm of Cr and 400ppm of Zn. As a consequence, the continuity of the burrow systems made by both species was altered following heavy metal exposure which could be considered as a potential tool for evaluation of heavy metal toxicity

Cold stress offered modulation on chlorpyrifos toxicity in aging rat central nervous system

The adverse effects produced by chlorpyrifos (CPF) or cold stress alone in humans and animals are well documented, but there is no information available relating to the consequences of their co- exposure in an age-related manner. In this study, effects of sublethal doses of CPF were carried out in vivo, for 48 h to assess the biochemical perturbations in relation to interactions with cold stress (15°C and 20°C) in different age group rat CNS. A positive interaction of CPF with age of animal and cold exposure was observed resulting in marked decrease in the activity levels of AChE (P&lt;0.05), ChAT (P&lt;0.05), Na+,K+-ATPase (P&lt;0.05), Ca2+-ATPase (P&lt;0.05), and Mg2+-ATPase (P&lt;0.05). The ANOVA and posthoc analysis showed that regulatory enzymes decreased significantly (P&lt;0.05) on CPF exposure. Overall, the effect of co-exposure was appreciably different from either of the exposures. Synergistic interaction of CPF and cold stress at 15°C showed higher inhibition in comparison with CPF and cold stress alone and together at 20°C. Further, this study reveals that young animals are significantly vulnerable and sensitive than adults

Neuroprotective actions of clinoptilolite and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid against lead-induced toxicity in mice Mus musculus

Objectives: Oxidative stress is considered as a possible molecular mechanism involved in lead (Pb 2+ ) neurotoxicity. Very few studies have been investigated on the occurrence of oxidative stress in developing animals due to Pb 2+ exposure. Considering the vulnerability of the developing brain to Pb 2+ , this study was carried out to investigate the effects of Pb 2+ exposure in brain regions especially on antioxidant enzyme activities along with ameliorative effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and clinoptilolite. Methods: Three-week old developing Swiss mice Mus musculus were intraperitoneally administered with Pb 2+ acetate in water (w/v) (100 mg/kg body weight/day) for 21 days and control group was given distilled water. Further Pb 2+ -toxicated mice were made into two subgroups and separately supplemented with EDTA and clinoptilolite (100 mg/kg body weight) for 2 weeks. Results: In Pb 2+ -exposed mice, in addition to increased lipid peroxidation, the activity levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) found to decrease in all regions of brain indicating, existence of severe oxidative stress due to decreased antioxidant function. Treatment of Pb 2+ -exposed mice with EDTA and clinoptilolite lowered the lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels revealing their antioxidant potential to prevent oxidative stress. Similarly their administration led to recover the level of catalase, SOD, and GPx enzymes affected during Pb 2+ toxicity in different regions of brain. Conclusions: The protection of brain tissue against Pb 2+ -induced toxicity by clinoptilolite and EDTA in the present experiment might be due to their ability to react faster with peroxyl radicals there by reducing the severity of biochemical variable indicative of oxidative damage. Thus, the results of present study indicate the neuroprotective potential of clinoptilolite and EDTA against Pb 2+ toxicity

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Not AvailableIsolation and characterization of Halothiobacillus sp. from the shrimp aquaculture farm soil and their sulphur oxidation ability and utilization of H2S in in-vitro model. Starkeys mineral salt medium was used to screen autotrophic sulphur oxidizing bacteria. For the qualitative screening, bacterial isolates were inoculated in mineral salt medium containing bromo phenol blue indicator to monitor change in pH. The isolates were studied further for their sulphate ion production, sulphur oxidase enzyme production and utilization of Na2S. Identification was carried out by conventional biochemical and molecular methods. Fifty isolates showed distinct sulphur oxidizing ability on the mineral salt medium. The pH reduction test revealed that out of fifty isolates six could efficiently reduce the pH of the medium to 3.0 from an initial pH of 7 within 96 hr of incubation at 30 degree celsius. Maximum sulphate ion (12.65 milligram per millilitre) and sulphur oxidase enzyme (16.64 mM sulphate per hour per millilitre ) was produced by a bacterial isolate, Halothiobacillus sp. strain rk3. All the six isolates efficiently utilized Na2S in in-vitro conditions. Conventional and molecular identification (16S rRNAsequence analysis) revealed that the sulphur oxidizing bacterial isolates belonged to Halothiobacillus spp. Furthermore, sequencing similarity calculation showed an average nucleotide identity (ANI) values higher than 99 per cent which suggests that the isolates were not genetically different.Not Availabl

Impact of COVID-19 on Cardiovascular Testing in the United States Versus the Rest of the World

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-U.S. institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p &lt; 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection