Assessing the health hazard originated via pesticide chemicals in human through rabbit model in agricultural production system in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The use of chemical pesticides in developing countries like Bangladesh and their impacts on human health and food security is a global concern. Bangladesh is an agricultural dependent country for the growing population demand for food security and food safety. We conduct this study to assess public health threats of commonly utilised pesticides including malathion and nitrobenzene in female rabbit model. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand White healthy rabbit was divided randomly into three groups; and subjected to distilled water as control, malathion@ 5 mg/kg body weight and nitrobenzene@ 5 mg/kg body i.p daily for the next 15 days. Hematology, serum biochemistry and hormonal assay were performed. RESULTS: Red blood cell (RBC) concentrations (TEC, Hb, PCV%) were reduced in rabbits exposed to malathion and nitrobenzene. The neutrophil and eosinophil percentage were increased in the malathion and nitrobenzene exposed juvenile rabbit group. We found that serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine were increased in the nitrobenzene exposed group in infants, whereas malathion exposure increased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). In contrast, the juvenile group exposed to malathion increased the ALT level. There was no change in AST or creatinine levels in juvenile rabbits exposed to malathion or nitrobenzene. Serum estradiol levels were significantly lower in rabbits exposed to malathion and nitrobenzene. Serum testosterone concentration was increased in juvenile rabbits exposed to malathion and nitrobenzene, but progesterone was decreased in malathion exposed juvenile rabbits. CONCLUSION: However, this study highlights the importance of rigorous monitoring and testing of agricultural products. In addition, strengthen research and extension in the fields of agro economy, organic farming, local universities and farmer associations.

Animal-Based Welfare Assessment of Cattle and Water Buffalo in Bangladeshi Slaughterhouses.

This study quantified the welfare of 423 cattle and water buffalo in four Bangladeshi slaughterhouses to identify facility and species-specific factors that influence welfare. The majority of animals arrived at the slaughterhouse with injuries, signs of dehydration and oculo-nasal discharge. During slaughter, buffalo experienced more stabbing at the throat (21%), compared to local cattle (10%, P = 0.011), and significantly more cuts to the neck during slaughter (5.1 ± 1) than Hariana (3.9 ± 1) or local cattle (3.6 ± 1.1; P < 0.001). These results indicated that welfare compromise is common to all species, but that the risk to buffalo was greater. Partial severing of carotid arteries was common and affected time to unconsciousness. There was a statistical interaction between facility and species on the time taken for animals to reach unconsciousness, suggesting that welfare within a location could be improved; however, animal welfare was compromised at all facilities. Immediate welfare improvements could be made by training for effective halal slaughter, and future welfare improvements could be gained by improved facility infrastructure for restraint and halal approved pre-slaughter stunning.

C22-bronchial and T7-alveolar epithelial cell lines of the immortomouse are excellent murine cell culture model systems to study pulmonary peroxisome biology and metabolism.

In pulmonary research, temperature-sensitive immortalized cell lines derived from the lung of the "immortomouse" (H-2k(b)-tsA58 transgenic mouse), such as C22 club cells and T7 alveolar epithelial cells type II (AECII), are frequently used cell culture models to study CC10 metabolism and surfactant synthesis. Even though peroxisomes are highly abundant in club cells and AECII and might fulfill important metabolic functions therein, these organelles have never been investigated in C22 and T7 cells. Therefore, we have characterized the peroxisomal compartment and its associated gene transcription in these cell lines. Our results show that peroxisomes are highly abundant in C22 and T7 cells, harboring a common set of enzymes, however, exhibiting specific differences in protein composition and gene expression patterns, similar to the ones observed in club cells and AECII in situ in the lung. C22 cells contain a lower number of larger peroxisomes, whereas T7 cells possess more numerous tubular peroxisomes, reflected also by higher levels of PEX11 proteins. Moreover, C22 cells harbor relatively higher amounts of catalase and antioxidative enzymes in distinct subcellular compartments, whereas T7 cells exhibit higher levels of ABCD3 and plasmalogen synthesizing enzymes as well as nuclear receptors of the PPAR family. This study suggest that the C22 and T7 cell lines of the immortomouse lung are useful models to study the regulation and metabolic function of the peroxisomal compartment and its alterations by paracrine factors in club cells and AECII.

Local administration of L-DOPA in the chicken ventromedial hypothalamus increases dopamine release in a dose-dependent manner.

L-DOPA induced extracellular dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) of chickens were measured by in vivo microdialysis. Several doses of 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (l-DOPA) were administered locally through the microdialysis probe into the VMH of chickens for 10 min. Local perfusion of l-DOPA increased the extracellular levels of DA. The increased DA was dose-related and was significantly higher compared to the baseline and control group. The maximal level of DA was 212% and 254%, respectively, of the baseline following administration of 1 and 2 µg/ml l-DOPA. There were no changes in NE and 5-HT levels from baseline after l-DOPA perfusion. l-DOPA (1 µg/ml) was mixed with Ca(2+)-free Ringer, tetrodotoxin (TTX) (2 µM) and high K(+) and was perfused for 30 min into the chicken VMH. TTX and Ca(2+)-free Ringer's solution inhibited the effectiveness of l-DOPA in increasing DA release. The NE and 5-HT levels were significantly lower than the baseline. After administration of K(+) a significant increase of DA, NE and 5-HT was observed. The microdialysis results are consistent with our objective that l-DOPA induced extracellular DA increases in the VMH in a dose-dependent manner and the released DA, NE and 5-HT within the dialysate were related to neuronal activity.

L-DOPA induced extracellular dopamine increases in the ventromedial hypothalamus affects food intake by chickens on a lysine-free diet.

Previous work from our laboratory suggests that ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) dopamine levels were associated with decreased in food intake by chicken on a lysine-free diet. Dopamine in the VMH started to decrease from its baseline after presenting a lysine-free diet and subsequently food intake decreased. In the present study, the dopamine levels were manipulated by perfusing L-3-4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) into the VMH of chicken using the in vivo microdialysis technique and food intake was concomitantly measured when chickens received an experimental lysine-free diet. A microdialysis probe was implanted into the VMH. L-DOPA was then administered locally at 2 µg/ml through the dialysis probe into the VMH of free moving chicken for 15 min and the extracellular levels of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) were measured. Hourly food intake was also measured simultaneously both for control and experimental groups. Microdialysates collected from the VMH were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Local administration of L-DOPA in chicken VMH increased extracellular levels of DA, which was observed at 1-2.5h. There were no differences of NE and 5-HT levels from baseline in either group. Food intake was higher in L-DOPA treated chickens than controls at 2h. Chickens received the lysine-free diet ate as much of their diet as the controls in the subsequent 2h when the DA level was kept higher than the baseline. The findings suggest that L-DOPA induced extracellular DA increased in the VMH which was temporarily followed by the restoration of food intake in the lysine-free group.