21 research outputs found
Effect of Methamidophos on cerebellar neuronal cells
Summary: Methamidophos is a toxic organophosphorus compound that inhibits acetlycholinesterase activity, and induces neurotoxicity. It is a synthetic chemical commonly used as pesticides to limit pest damages to cultivated plants. Currently, there is serious public health concern over its safety and use due to its global nature, persistence and bioaccumulations. We have previously reported that methamidophos suppressed thyroid hormone receptor (TR)-mediated transcription, but did not dissociate the interaction between TR and its response element (thyroid hormone response element; TRE), neither did it interact with nuclear cofactors. In the present study, we investigated the effects of methamidophos on cerebellar neuronal cells. Using primary cerebellar culture from new born rats, We observed that Purkinje cell dendrite arborization were greatly impaired in the absence of thyroid hormone (TH), However, low dose methamidophos 10-6 M did not significantly impair dendrite arborization of cerebellar Purkinje cells in the presence of thyroid hormone (TH). However, using granule cell reaggregate culture, we observed that low dose methamidophos 10-6 M remarkably suppressed granule cell neurite extension in the presence of TH. Taken together, our study shows that low dose methamidophos may negatively impact TH-mediated cerebellar neuronal cell development and function, and consequently could interfere with TH-regulated neuronal events.Keywords: Methamidophos, Thyroid hormone, Purkinje cells, Granule cell, Neuronal developmen
Hypertension, and blood pressure response to graded exercise in young obese and non- athletic Nigerian university students.
Hypertension, and the effect of graded exercise on Blood pressure (BP), in 60 obese nonathletic young medical students (40 females and 20 males) with Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 were studied. The subjects were in the age range of 18-22 years with mean age of 20.301.32 years. Twenty percent of the males and 7 percent of the females were found to be hypertensives (P<0.05) and the severity of the hypertension significantly (P< 0.05) increased linearly with increase in BMI (r =0.6). Our study reveals a positive direct correlation between obesity and socioeconomic status and BP. Marked increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), time of return (RT) were observed in the obese individuals compared to control at all levels of graded exercise with the highest rises seen during severe exercise. Among the obese subjects,the increases in BP were more in the males than females, but time of return was higher in females than males. This study further confirms that obese young individuals are prone to early onset of hypertension and thus other cardiovascular diseases and less tolerant to physical exercises. Our results add to the evidence that hypertension is common among obese young adults
Impact of Noise on Hearing Amongst Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Benin- City, Nigeria.
The ambient noise level and noise-induced hearing impairment (NIHI) in
200 motorbike riders from six motorbike parks were evaluated. All were
males aged between 20- 62 years. Subjects were sampled using a cluster
sampling technique. Parameters measured were environmental noise using
the noise meter (peters) and hearing function using an audiometer
(amplaid). A control group of 150 males was selected from amongst the
staff of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and students of
University of Benin after informed consent was obtained. The mean
ambient noise for motor bike riders was 90 \ub110 dB a level
significantly (x=0.000), higher than the International Standard
Organization (ISO) standard of 60dB. That for control group was 50
\ub1 10dB. While there was no NIHI in control group, a significant
hearing impairment for both air conduction (AC) and Bone conduction
(BC) was observed in the study group. Unlike previous observations AC
and BC impairment were predominantly in the left ear. Development of
both AC and BC impairments increased with period of exposure.
Environment noise impacts adversely on hearing and is a risk factor in
commercial motorbike riders. Development of NIHI is significantly
higher in the left ear than right unlike in other occupations
Temporal effects of thyroid hormone (TH) and decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE209) on Purkinje cell dendrite arborization
Thyroid hormones (TH) 3,3’,4-tri-iodothyronine (T3) and
3,3’,4,4’-tetra-iodothyronine (T4) plays crucial role in
cerebellar development. Deficiency of TH consistently results in
aberrant growth and development of the cerebellum including reduced
growth and branching of the Purkinje cells. In rodents, the critical
period of thyroid hormone action on cerebellum development is within
the first two to three weeks, after which thyroid hormone replacement
cannot fully reverse abnormal cerebellar development induced by thyroid
hormone insult. Decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE209) is an industrial
reagent used as an additive flame retardant to reduce flammability of
various commercial and household produce. BDE209 has bio-accumulative
potential and is neurotoxic. Previously, we have shown that T4 (10-8 M)
induced extensive dendrite arborization of Purkinje cells and low dose
BDE209 (10-10 M) remarkably suppressed TH-induced Purkinje cell
dendrite arborization. In the present study, we show that the critical
period for TH-induced Purkinje cell growth and dendrite arborization in
culture is much earlier than reported in animal models. Also, we show
for the first time that low dose BDE209 suppressed TH-induced dendrite
arborization in a time-dependent manner. Taken together, our study
indicates that hypothyroidism and exposure to BDE209 during critical
stage of cerebellar development can lead to impaired Purkinje cell
growth and dendrite arborization and may consequently disrupt normal
cerebellar functions
Thyroid hormone receptor-mediated transcription is suppressed by low dose Phthalate
Summary: Phthalates are synthetic chemicals used mainly as solvents,
additives and plasticizers in polyvinylchloride (PVC) products to
increase their flexibility. Phthalate plasticizers are not chemically
bound to PVC, so they easily leach into the environment. There is
currently heightened concern about potential health risk, especially
endocrine disrupting effects associated with the use of these
chemicals. We therefore investigated the effects of phthalate on
thyroid hormone receptor (TR)-mediated transcription using transient
transfection studies and found that low dose phthalate (10-7) M
suppressed thyroid hormone (TH)-induced TR-mediated transcription by
30%. We further examined the effect of phthalate on TR-thyroid hormone
response element (TRE) binding, and found no dissociation of TR from
TRE. Phthalate did not also dissociate coactivator (steroid receptor
coactivator-1) from TR neither did it recruit corepressor (nuclear
corepressor; NCoR) to TR in the presence of TH. Our results indicate
that low phthalate can disrupt TR-mediated gene expression and
interfere with TH balance in TH-sensitive organs including the
developing brain
HYPERTENSION, AND BLOOD PRESSURE RESPONSE TO GRADED EXERCISE IN YOUNG OBESE AND NON- ATHLETIC NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
Hypertension, and the effect of graded exercise on Blood pressure (BP),
in 60 obese non-athletic young medical students (40 females and 20
males) with Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 were studied. The
subjects were in the age range of 18-22 years with mean age of
20.30±1.32 years. Twenty percent of the males and 7 percent of the
females were found to be hypertensives (P<0.05) and the severity of
the hypertension significantly (P< 0.05) increased linearly with
increase in BMI (r =0.6). Our study reveals a positive direct
correlation between obesity and socioeconomic status and BP. Marked
increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure
(DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), time of return (RT) were observed
in the obese individuals compared to control at all levels of graded
exercise with the highest rises seen during severe exercise. Among the
obese subjects, the increases in BP were more in the males than
females, but time of return was higher in females than males. This
study further confirms that obese young individuals are prone to early
onset of hypertension and thus other cardiovascular diseases and less
tolerant to physical exercises. Our results add to the evidence that
hypertension is common among obese young adults
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate and Respiratory Symptoms Following Chronic Domestic Wood Smoke Exposure in Women in Edo, Nigeria
Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of 350 rural women aged (20-70 years)
in Edo State, Nigeria who actively used wood as a source of fuel for
cooking was measured. The height, chest circumference, weight and blood
pressure of the women were also measured. Respiratory symptoms of cough
with sputum production, dyspnea, wheezing, chest tightness and chest
pain were markedly elevated in the subjects compared to control. The
mean PEFR value for the wood exposed women (289±19.6L/mm) was
significantly lower than control (364±17.2L/mm), P <0.05.The
predicted PEFR values for both Africans and Caucasians were
significantly higher than the measured values. The PEFR decreased with
increase in years of exposure to wood smoke and the fall was neither
accounted for by age nor height. The increase in respiratory symptoms
and the low PEFR values observed for women exposed to wood smoke, the
severity of which is related to exposure time indicate that prolonged
exposure to wood smoke is capable of impairing lung functions
Epidemiologic Studies of the Prevalence of Arterial Hypertension among Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Benin City, Nigeria.
An epidemiologic study was carried out in the dry season on 250 male commercial motor bike riders from five different parks. 69% of the bike riders were in the (year) 31– 40 and 41–50 age range while 31% were in 21–30, 51– 60 and 61 – 70 age range. Half of the population studied were normotensive. Arterial hypertension was found in 63 (25%) of the examined workers (
Impact of Noise on Hearing Amongst Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Benin- City, Nigeria.
The ambient noise level and noise-induced hearing impairment (NIHI) in
200 motorbike riders from six motorbike parks were evaluated. All were
males aged between 20- 62 years. Subjects were sampled using a cluster
sampling technique. Parameters measured were environmental noise using
the noise meter (peters) and hearing function using an audiometer
(amplaid). A control group of 150 males was selected from amongst the
staff of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and students of
University of Benin after informed consent was obtained. The mean
ambient noise for motor bike riders was 90 ±10 dB a level
significantly (x=0.000), higher than the International Standard
Organization (ISO) standard of 60dB. That for control group was 50
± 10dB. While there was no NIHI in control group, a significant
hearing impairment for both air conduction (AC) and Bone conduction
(BC) was observed in the study group. Unlike previous observations AC
and BC impairment were predominantly in the left ear. Development of
both AC and BC impairments increased with period of exposure.
Environment noise impacts adversely on hearing and is a risk factor in
commercial motorbike riders. Development of NIHI is significantly
higher in the left ear than right unlike in other occupations