ABSTRACT
The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cadmium (Cd) on biochemical, physiological and cytological parameters of Capsicum annuum L. treated with five different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm) of the metal. Shoot-root length, pigment and protein content showed a continuous decrease with increasing Cd concentrations and the maximal decline was observed at the higher concentration. Proline content was found to be increased upto 60 ppm while at higher concentrations it gradually decreased. MDA content and chromosomal aberrations increased as the concentration increased. Additionally Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used for the detection of genotoxicity induced by Cd. A total of 184 bands (62 polymorphic and 122 monomorphic) were generated in 5 different concentrations with 10 primers where primer OPA-02 generated the highest percentage of polymorphism (52.63%). Dendrogram showed that control, R1 and R2 showed similar cluster and R4 and R5 grouped with R3 into one cluster, which showed that plants from higher doses showed much difference than the plants selected at mild doses which resemble control at the DNA level. This investigation showed that RAPD marker is a useful tool for evaluation of genetic diversity and relationship among different metal concentrations.
ABSTRACT
Coexposure to heavy metals occurs in many occupational settings, such as automobile refining shops, pigment, and batteries production. Heavy metals around automobile refining shops were tested for their ability to induce synergistic cytogenetic effects in Trifolium repens L. by using the chromosomal aberrasions (CAs), micronucleus (MN) and comet assay. A significant increase in micronucleus (MN), chromosomal abrations (CAs), percentage of nuclei with comet tails (NCTs), the relative comet tail length (CTL), comet tail DNA (CT, DNA), and tail moment (TM) were observed with increased concentration of three heavy metals, like Cd, Pb, Hg. The present result indicate that exposure of T. repens to soils contaminated by heavy metals around automobile refining shops shows clastogenicity, cytotoxicity, and DNA damage at higher concentrations.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine whether exposure to silicone shunts used in refractory glaucomas increases serum IgG binding to silicone and whether this response is associated with shunt-related complications or poor postoperative intraocular pressure control. METHODS: Sera from 12 patients (13 eyes) who had undergone placement of silicone seton implants were examined for IgG binding to silicone. Patients were monitored postoperatively for the occurrence of complications and intraocular pressure elevation (mean duration of exposure to silicone and follow-up, 25.1 months; range, 2.5-86 months). RESULTS: The levels of serum IgG binding in 4 of the 12 patients were two standard deviations above the mean for control sera. No patients had titers greater than 46 arbitrary units (AU). Four patients developed shunt-related complications; the serum IgG binding to silicone for their sera ranged from 24 to 46 AU. Serum IgG binding values were not significantly correlated with poor postoperative intraocular pressure control, or with a history of autoimmune disease or malignancy, type of glaucoma, previous intraocular surgery, or chronic uveitis. CONCLUSIONS: Although elevation of serum IgG binding to silicone may be noted in some patients receiving silicone seton shunts, individual levels do not seem to predict the development of shunt-related complications. Since the number of patients tested, the frequency of elevated IgG binding values, and the complication rate were relatively low in this study, it is difficult to exclude some clinicopathologic correlations. However, the results are in accord with previous studies of silicone ocular devices suggesting that clinically significant reactions to silicone ophthalmic implants must be rare events, and hence do not necessitate altering the use of these important devices.
