Structural and functional alterations in salivary gland chromosomes and enzyme activity of Chironomus riparius Mg. (Diptera, Chironomidae) from anthropogenically polluted sites in Bulgaria and Turkey

The effect of environment contaminants on genome instability and changes in enzyme activity (acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase activities (GST), etoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and metallothionein (MT)) of Chironomus riparius Mg. from Bulgarian and Turkish stations over two years (2009, 2010) as well as laboratory reared larvae were studied. Physicochemical analysis of the sediments from the field stations indicated the presence of heavy metal pollutants (Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Cd) whose concentrations were higher than the reference data. Genome instability was determined by somatic structural and functional alterations of the polytene chromosomes. In the field sites of both countries somatic aberrations occurred at a significantly higher frequency (p < 0.001) compared with control and laboratory material. C. riparius in sediments with higher concentrations of trace metals (Derincay River, Turkey and Chaya River, Bulgaria), was found to possess a high spectrum of somatic chromosome rearrangements with a somatic index of 2.53 and 3.25 respectively. Changes in functional activity included decreased activity of the Balbiani rings (BRs) and nucleolar organizer (NOR). The observed chromosome alterations agree with the high degree of trace metal pollution and high activity of the studied enzymes. However, no correlation between single somatic chromosome rearrangements and concentrations of specific metal ions was defined. The data are discussed in the light of the wide variety of interactions of metals in nature. The results show that the genome response and biochemical markers are sensitive markers of toxicity and provide early warning indicators of contaminants in the environment. © 2012 Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica

Medical Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes: A Consensus Algorithm for the Initiation and Adjustment of Therapy: A consensus statement of the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes

The consensus algorithm for the medical management of type 2 diabetes was published in August 2006 with the expectation that it would be updated, based on the availability of new interventions and new evidence to establish their clinical role. The authors continue to endorse the principles used to develop the algorithm and its major features. We are sensitive to the risks of changing the algorithm cavalierly or too frequently, without compelling new information. An update to the consensus algorithm published in January 2008 specifically addressed safety issues surrounding the thiazolidinediones. In this revision, we focus on the new classes of medications that now have more clinical data and experience