COMPARISON OF IRON STORES IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND PATIENTS WITH ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE

ABSTRACT Excess body iron has been linked to atherosclerosis owing to its pro-oxidative properties. However, inconsistent results have emerged from the epidemiological studies linking iron status and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Objective of the present study is to compare iron stores of healthy individuals and patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). A total of 137 subjects were included in the study, 90 patients of IHD and 47 healthy subjects with no history of IHD as controls. We compared body iron stores of patients and controls. Serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) and sTfR/ferritin ratio were used as measures of body iron stores. Our results revealed that mean serum ferritin concentration of cases was significantly higher than controls. Moreover, mean sTfR and sTfR/ferritin ratio of controls was significantly higher than the patients. We conclude from our results that IHD patients have higher iron stores than healthy subjects suggesting a possible association between high iron stores and the risk of IHD

Incidence of Heavy Metals in the Application of Fertilizers to Crops (Wheat and Rice), a Fish (Common carp) Pond and a Human Health Risk Assessment

Though manure has been used for centuries to enhance soil fertility and final agricultural yield, the overuse of fertilizers on the land can cause serious pollution issues, such as heavy metals and eutrophication, that can further lead to health problems. The current study aimed to assess the heavy metals in the most consumed crops (wheat and rice) and fish (common carp) and their risk to human health. Results revealed that there was an irregular trend of heavy metals in different sites of the study area; however, the general trend that was observed during the current research work was Pb>Cr>Cd>Mn in soil samples and crops, while in the case of fish muscle, the trend was Cr>Pb>Cd>Mn. Furthermore, after health index analysis, it was revealed that in some of the sites, the hazard index (HI) was above 1. Principal component analysis suggests a strong positive correlation of the heavy metals from the soil and water to the crops and fish muscles, respectively. Cd was highly bioaccumulated in the crops and fish muscles from different sites. There was an unusual increase in the metal concentration in the samples from the Sargodha. This result suggests a rapid increase in the metal concentration within the agricultural land and its products that can put human health at risk of developing multiple diseases related to the heavy metals, as indicated by the HI values. It is highly recommended that fertilizers should be used carefully so that human populations and animals can safely consume heavy-metal-free food

Incidence of Heavy Metals in the Application of Fertilizers to Crops (Wheat and Rice), a Fish (Common carp) Pond and a Human Health Risk Assessment

Though manure has been used for centuries to enhance soil fertility and final agricultural yield, the overuse of fertilizers on the land can cause serious pollution issues, such as heavy metals and eutrophication, that can further lead to health problems. The current study aimed to assess the heavy metals in the most consumed crops (wheat and rice) and fish (common carp) and their risk to human health. Results revealed that there was an irregular trend of heavy metals in different sites of the study area; however, the general trend that was observed during the current research work was Pb>Cr>Cd>Mn in soil samples and crops, while in the case of fish muscle, the trend was Cr>Pb>Cd>Mn. Furthermore, after health index analysis, it was revealed that in some of the sites, the hazard index (HI) was above 1. Principal component analysis suggests a strong positive correlation of the heavy metals from the soil and water to the crops and fish muscles, respectively. Cd was highly bioaccumulated in the crops and fish muscles from different sites. There was an unusual increase in the metal concentration in the samples from the Sargodha. This result suggests a rapid increase in the metal concentration within the agricultural land and its products that can put human health at risk of developing multiple diseases related to the heavy metals, as indicated by the HI values. It is highly recommended that fertilizers should be used carefully so that human populations and animals can safely consume heavy-metal-free food

A novel homozygous frameshift variant in DNAH8 causes multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella in a consanguineous Pakistani family

Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is a severe form of asthenozoospermia categorized by immotile spermatozoa with abnormal flagella in ejaculate. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is used to detect pathogenic variants in patients with MMAF. In this study, a novel homozygous frameshift variant (c.6158_6159insT) in dynein axonemal heavy chain 8 (DNAH8) from two infertile brothers with MMAF in a consanguineous Pakistani family was identified by WES. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed DNAH8 mRNA decay in these patients with the DNAH8 mutation. Hematoxylin–eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed highly divergent morphology and ultrastructure of sperm flagella in these patients. Furthermore, an immunofluorescence assay showed the absence of DNAH8 and a reduction in its associated protein DNAH17 in the patients' spermatozoa. Collectively, our study expands the phenotypic spectrum of patients with DNAH8-related MMAF worldwide

Malay Validation of Copenhagen Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire in Context of Second Generation Statistical Techniques

Psychosocial hazards present in workplaces are being actively investigated by researchers from multiple domains. More research and resources are required to investigate the debilitating consequences of these hazards in the developing and underdeveloped countries where this issue remains one of grave concern. This study aims at investigating the psychometric properties of Malaysian version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire for reliability and validity purpose. The Malaysian version of COPSOQ is a multidimensional questionnaire; it comprises of 7 major formative constructs and 28 variables with an additional inclusion of two variables which are organizational loyalty and physiological health biomarkers (blood pressure and body mass index) that explicate a reflective construct which has 93 items all catering to assess psychosocial determinants present in workplace environments. Each formative second-order construct is further categorized into different reflective first-order constructs. The focus of this study was only on first-order reflective constructs. Probability sampling was used for data collection from 300 respondents working in industries with a response rate of 100%; structural equation modeling technique was applied for data analysis. All psychometric analysis performed on reflective constructs gave reliable results which demonstrate the validity of Bahasa Melayu (BM-COPSOQ) and its comprehensiveness of including relevant dimensions particularly in context to Asian region. The BM-COPSOQ will fill up the knowledge gap and provide a bridge between researchers, work professionals and practitioners, and many other workplaces for the best understanding of psychosocial work environment

Novel and recurrent LDLR gene mutations in Pakistani hypercholesterolemia patients

Item does not contain fulltextThe majority of patients with the autosomal dominant disorder familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) carry novel mutations in the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) that is involved in cholesterol regulation. In different populations the spectrum of mutations identified is quite different and to date there have been only a few reports of the spectrum of mutations in FH patients from Pakistan. In order to identify the causative LDLR variants the gene was sequenced in a Pakistani FH family, while high resolution melting analysis followed by sequencing was performed in a panel of 27 unrelated sporadic hypercholesterolemia patients. In the family a novel missense variant (c.1916T > G, p.(V639G)) in exon 13 of LDLR was identified in the proband. The segregation of the identified nucleotide change in the family and carrier status screening in a group of 100 healthy subjects was done using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. All affected members of the FH family carried the variant and none of the non-affected members nor any of the healthy subjects. In one of the sporadic cases, two sequence changes were detected in exon 9, one of these was a recurrent missense variant (c.1211C > T; p.T404I), while the other was a novel substitution mutation (c.1214 A > C; N405T). In order to define the allelic status of this double heterozygous individual, PCR amplified fragments were cloned and sequenced, which identified that both changes occurred on the same allele. In silico tools (PolyPhen and SIFT) were used to predict the effect of the variants on the protein structure, which predicted both of these variants to have deleterious effect. These findings support the view that there will be a novel spectrum of mutations causing FH in patients with hypercholesterolaemia from Pakistan