Study of sodium arsenite induced biochemical changes on certain biomolecules of the freshwater catfish Clarias batrachus

Toxic impact of sublethal concentration (1 mg/L; 5% of 96h LC50 value) of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) on certain biomolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and glycogen) of five tissue components (muscles, liver, brain, skin, and gills) of the freshwater catfish Clarias batrachus was analysed. The important toxic manifestations include marked decrease in the concentration of proteins (21.72-45.42% in muscles; 3.42-53.94% in liver; 15.39-45.42% in brain; 15.40-4.00% in skin and 11.35-64.13% in gills), DNA (0.55-22.95% in muscles; 8.33-14.06% in liver; 5.30-18.40% in brain; 13.57-52.80% in skin; and 12.38-31.01% in gills), RNA (42.68-76.16% in muscles; 10.68-39.75% in liver; 5.66-29.05% in brain; 7.72-27.93% in skin and 21.47-44.38% in gills) and glycogen (24.00-51.72% in muscles; 49.11-72.45% in liver; 11.49-26.03% in brain; 26.13-38.05% in skin and 17.80-37.97% in gills). Excepting liver where the lipid content increases (15.82-24.13%), the fat content also showed depletion in their concentration (10.40-29.83% in muscles; 8.30-34.45% in brain; 8.94-31.47% in skin and 12.75-28.86% in gills), in the rest of the organ systems.

Foi analisado o impacto tóxico da concentração subletal (1 mg/L; 5% do valor de LC50 de 96h) do arsenito de sódio (NaAsO2) sobre certas biomoléculas (proteinas, ácidos nucleicos, lipídios e glicogênio) de cinco tecidos (músculos, fígado, cérebro, pele e brânquias) do bagre Clarias batrachus. As manifestações tóxicas importantes incluiram o decréscimo acentuado na concentração de proteinas (21,72-45,42% nos músculos; 3,42-53,94% no fígado; 15,39-45,42% no cérebro; 15,40-4,00% na pele e 11,35-64,13% nas brânquias), DNA (0,55-22,95% nos músculos; 8,33-14,06% no fígado; 5,30-18,40% no cérebro; 13,57-52,80% na pele e 12,38-31,01% nas brânquias), RNA (42,68-76,16% nos músculos; 10,68-39,75% no fígado; 5,66-29,05% no cérebro; 7,72-27,93% na pele e 21,47-44,38% nas brânquias) e glicogênio (24,00-51,72% nos músculos; 49,11-72,45% no fígado; 11,49-26,03% no cérebro; 26,13-38,05% na pele e 17,80-37,97% nas brânquias). Excetuando o fígado onde o conteúdo de lipídeos aumentou (15,82-24,13%), houve uma depleção na concentração de lipídeos no restante dos sistemas orgânicos (10,40-29,83% nos músculos; 8,30-34,45% no cérebro; 8,94-31,47% na pele e 12,75-28,86% nas brânquias).

Study of sodium arsenite induced biochemical changes on certain biomolecules of the freshwater catfish Clarias batrachus

Toxic impact of sublethal concentration (1 mg/L; 5% of 96h LC50 value) of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) on certain biomolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and glycogen) of five tissue components (muscles, liver, brain, skin, and gills) of the freshwater catfish Clarias batrachus was analysed. The important toxic manifestations include marked decrease in the concentration of proteins (21.72-45.42% in muscles; 3.42-53.94% in liver; 15.39-45.42% in brain; 15.40-4.00% in skin and 11.35-64.13% in gills), DNA (0.55-22.95% in muscles; 8.33-14.06% in liver; 5.30-18.40% in brain; 13.57-52.80% in skin; and 12.38-31.01% in gills), RNA (42.68-76.16% in muscles; 10.68-39.75% in liver; 5.66-29.05% in brain; 7.72-27.93% in skin and 21.47-44.38% in gills) and glycogen (24.00-51.72% in muscles; 49.11-72.45% in liver; 11.49-26.03% in brain; 26.13-38.05% in skin and 17.80-37.97% in gills). Excepting liver where the lipid content increases (15.82-24.13%), the fat content also showed depletion in their concentration (10.40-29.83% in muscles; 8.30-34.45% in brain; 8.94-31.47% in skin and 12.75-28.86% in gills), in the rest of the organ systems.

Foi analisado o impacto tóxico da concentração subletal (1 mg/L; 5% do valor de LC50 de 96h) do arsenito de sódio (NaAsO2) sobre certas biomoléculas (proteinas, ácidos nucleicos, lipídios e glicogênio) de cinco tecidos (músculos, fígado, cérebro, pele e brânquias) do bagre Clarias batrachus. As manifestações tóxicas importantes incluiram o decréscimo acentuado na concentração de proteinas (21,72-45,42% nos músculos; 3,42-53,94% no fígado; 15,39-45,42% no cérebro; 15,40-4,00% na pele e 11,35-64,13% nas brânquias), DNA (0,55-22,95% nos músculos; 8,33-14,06% no fígado; 5,30-18,40% no cérebro; 13,57-52,80% na pele e 12,38-31,01% nas brânquias), RNA (42,68-76,16% nos músculos; 10,68-39,75% no fígado; 5,66-29,05% no cérebro; 7,72-27,93% na pele e 21,47-44,38% nas brânquias) e glicogênio (24,00-51,72% nos músculos; 49,11-72,45% no fígado; 11,49-26,03% no cérebro; 26,13-38,05% na pele e 17,80-37,97% nas brânquias). Excetuando o fígado onde o conteúdo de lipídeos aumentou (15,82-24,13%), houve uma depleção na concentração de lipídeos no restante dos sistemas orgânicos (10,40-29,83% nos músculos; 8,30-34,45% no cérebro; 8,94-31,47% na pele e 12,75-28,86% nas brânquias).

Prevalence of major neurological disorders among geriatric population in the metropolitan city of Kolkata.

Well-conducted neuroepidemiological studies for the geriatric population are rare in India. In view of the growing aging population, we planned to determine the prevalence of common neurological disorders among the elderly population in the city of Kolkata. This was a cross-sectional study of a stratified random sample of the city population and carried in two stages through house to house survey. Initially, trained non-medical workers screened the cases with a validated family questionnaire and then a neurologist examined all the screened positive cases. A validated neuropsychological screening test was also applied among the elderly population with cognitive complaints. Results showed prevalence rates (per 1000 elderly population--> or = 60 years) of following disorders in decreasing order: stroke--33.93, essential tremor--13.76, dementia--7.89, Parkinsonism--3.30 and epilepsy--2.57. Sex-specific prevalence showed that stroke was commoner among men and that of other disorders among women. Age-specific prevalence recorded progressive increase in the rates of all disorders among both genders, though not uniformly among women. Overall the crude prevalence of neurological disorders was 60.9 per 1000. The present study shows higher rate of stroke as compared to other neurological disorders among elderly population in India, which needs urgent attention.

A random sample survey for prevalence of major neurological disorders in Kolkata.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Large scale epidemiological studies on neurological disorders are very few in India. We therefore planned to conduct a cross-sectional population-based epidemiological study on a stratified randomly selected sample from the city of Kolkata to study the prevalence of major neurological disorders such as epilepsy, stroke, dementia and Parkinsonism. METHODS: The method of case ascertainment was two- stage house-to-house survey; the first stage was undertaken by a field team consisting of four field workers and a neuropsychologist. Screening questionnaire based on National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) protocol was used. In the second stage a neurologist examined all the screened positive cases. RESULTS: A total of 52,377 subjects participated in the study. The crude prevalence rates (per 100,000 population) of major neurological disorders with 95 per cent confidence intervals (95% CI) and age adjusted rates (AAR) based on US 2000 population were 557.5 (95% CI 496.17-624.40 and AAR - 516.77) in epilepsy, 486.85 (95% CI 377.0 to 551.11 and AAR-765.68) in stroke, 87.82 (95% CI 64.02-117.50 and AAR-168.4) in dementia and 45.82 (95% CI 29.64-67.63 and AAR-71.64) in Parkinsonism. The weighted prevalence rates (per 100,000) of the whole population based on re-screening of 10 per cent of negative samples were 763.89 (95% CI 690.55- 842.57) in epilepsy, 624.32 (95% CI 555.64-699.24) in stroke and 139.37 (95% CI 108.71-176.06) in dementia. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: A high rate of stroke and overall lower prevalence of Parkinsonism and dementia was recorded as compared to western studies. High prevalence rate of stroke emphasizes the need to study incidence, morbidity and mortality profile of stroke including its socio-economic impact and also case-control analysis to determine the underlying risk factors.

Aicardi syndrome: a report of five Indian cases.

Five Indian cases of Aicardi syndrome, aged 1-13 years and all with the classic triad of infantile spasm, corpus callosal agenesis and chorioretinal lacunae, were presented. The purpose of this report was to demonstrate the clinical, electroencephalographic (EEG) and radiological spectrum and the treatment outcome of this disorder among the Indians. None of the patient had any family history of similar illness. All had profound psychomotor impairment with no meaningful speech development. There were microphthalmia in 2, optic disc coloboma in 1, interhemispheric cyst in 1, periventricular heterotopia in 2 and thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis in 2 cases. They all had early onset epilepsy and there were multiple types of seizures. Two cases (40%) had the characteristic dissociated burst-suppression pattern in EEG. Two cases whose antiepileptic medications included vigabatrin had complete control of seizure.

Ammonium sulphate induced stress related alterations in the respiratory epithelium of the airbreathing organ of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch).

In this paper, histopathological changes in the inner lining of the accessory respiratory organ of Heteropneustes fossilis following exposure to sublethal concentration (0·2 g I -1) of ammonium sulphate (3 mg I-1 total ammonia-N) has been described. The goblet cells show periodic increased followed by decreased secretory activities. Necrosis and shedding of the epithelial cells over the secondary lamellae cause periodic haemorrhages which lead to degeneration and decreased number of secondary lamellae. Subsequently regeneration takes place each time as evidenced by the appearance of inflammatory tissue. Fusion of more than one secondary lamellae is also common. Regeneration also leads to uncontrolled hyperplasia of haphazardly arranged epithelial cells. This hyperplasia causes increased distance of respiratory blood-air barrier in the secondary lamellae, leading to impaired normal aerial respiration.