Chromosome Abnormalities and Absolute Telomere Lengths of Leukocytes from Silk Weavers with Emphasis on Potential Genotoxicity and Mutagenicity of Silk Dyes

Objectives: This study is aimed to assess the possible genotoxicity and mutagenicity of silk dyes on silk weavers. Methods: Peripheral blood leukocytes were obtained from 24 silk weavers and 24 age- and sex-matched controls in northeastern Thailand. After mitogen stimulation in culture, chromosome abnormalities were examined using Giemsa banding and the absolute telomere length (aTL) was measured with SYBR green qRT-PCR. To confirm genotoxic and mutagenic effects of silk dyes, leukocytes from one each of healthy male and female volunteers were cultured with various concentrations of 3 dark red silk dyes under the presence of mitogen. Chromosome abnormalities and the telomere length were determined as above. Results: The proportion of normal metaphase in the silk weaving workers was significantly lower than that in controls. The frequency of chromosome aberrations was higher in the silk weavers than in control group. Polyploidy was detected only in the silk weavers. The aTL was significantly shorter in the silk weavers than in control group (p < 0.05). When leukocytes from normal volunteers were stimulated with mitogen under the presence of various concentrations of 3 silk dyes, suppressed the mitotic index (MI) and normal metaphase, whereas the proportion of prophase and the incomplete chromosome forming increased significantly. All dyes induced polyploidy. Dye #CA5 induced structural changes in male leukocytes, whereas #30 induced the changes in female leukocytes. The #CA5 increased aTL of normal leukocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: All dyes, especially #CA5, have high genotoxicity and mutagenicity to induce chromosome aberrations and telomeric instability. Taken all those results together, regular health checking of silk weavers who have been exposed to those dyes is critically necessary to prevent various chemical-induced carcinogenesis.

A single-round multiplex PCR assay for the identification of Anopheles minimus related species infected with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.

This study aimed to develop a single-round multiplex PCR method for the identification of Anopheles minimus complex (An. minimus and Anopheles harrisoni) and Anopheles aconitus subgroup (An. aconitus and Anopheles varuna), and for the simultaneous detection of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in these vectors. Five primers were created for a single-round multiplex PCR assay to identify four anopheline mosquitoes combined with three Plasmodium primers for the detection of P. falciparum and P. vivax in vectors. The four species of anopheline vectors and two Plasmodium species, P. falciparum and P. vivax, could be identified by the combination of eight primers in the single-round multiplex PCR assay. The amplified species-specific products were 380bp for An. minimus, 180bp for An. harrisoni, 150bp for An. aconitus, 310bp for An. varuna, 276bp for P. falciparum, and 300bp for P. vivax. The sensitivities were 0.5pg/µl (25sporozoites/µl) for P. falciparum DNA and between 0.5 and 5pg/µl (25-250sporozoites/µl) for P. vivax DNA. Furthermore, this developed method could be used to identify field caught An. minimus complex, An. aconitus subgroup from Thailand and Lao PDR. Also, it was successfully used to identify the species An. minimus, An. harrisoni, An. aconitus and An. varuna and to detect and identify P. falciparum and P. vivax in caught anopheline mosquitoes. The sensitivity of this method was high for simultaneous detection of P. falciparum and P. vivax in anopheline mosquitoes.

Residues of organophosphate pesticides used in vegetable cultivation in ambient air, surface water and soil in Bueng Niam Subdistrict, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Agricultural pesticide utilization is one of the important problems in rural and urban crop-cultivated areas, with the majority of pollutants dispersing via ambient air, water and other natural pathways. This study was therefore conducted in a specially selected village which is known to be a leading vegetable growing area in Khon Kaen Province. The aim of the study was to assess pesticide residues, and measure the seasonal fluctuations in organophosphate concentrations during 2010 in the environment of a risk area. Samples from selected sites were collected in two phases: Phase I was in summer (during March to May) and Phase II was in winter (during October to December). A total of 150 samples were analyzed using gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The results showed that dicrotophos, chlorpyrifos, profenofos and ethion were found at the highest concentrations in soil and at the lowest concentrations in ambient air (p<0.001). The highest mean concentration of a pesticide in ambient air samples was 0.2580 +/- 0.2686 mg/m(3) for chlorpyrifos in summer and 0.1003 +/- 0.0449 mg/m(3) for chlorpyrifos in winter. In surface water samples, the highest mean concentration of a pesticide was 1.3757 +/- 0.5014 mg/l for dicrotophos in summer and 0.3629 +/- 0.4338 mg/l for ethion in winter. The highest mean concentration of a pesticide in soil samples was 42.2893 +/- 39.0711 mg/kg ethion in summer and 90.0000 +/- 24.1644 mg/kg of ethion in winter.

Hazardous gases and oxygen depletion in a wet paddy pile: an experimental study in a simulating underground rice mill pit, Thailand.

During the rice harvesting season in Thailand, large amounts of fresh paddy are sent to rice mills immediately after harvesting due to a lack of proper farm storage space. At certain levels of moisture content, rice grains may generate hazardous gases, which can replace oxygen (O(2)) in the confined spaces of underground rice mill pits. This phenomenon has been observed in a fatal accident in Thailand. Our study aimed to investigate the type of gases and their air concentrations emitted from the paddy piles at different levels of moisture content and duration of piling time. Four levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were investigated, including dry paddy group (< 14% wet basis (wb)), wet paddy groups (22-24, 25-27 and 28-30%wb). Our measurements were conducted in 16 experimental concrete pits 80 × 80 cm wide by 60 cm high. Gases emitted were measured with an infrared spectrophotometer and a multi-gas detector every 12 h for 5 days throughout the experiment. The results revealed high levels of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (range 5,864-8,419 ppm) in all wet paddy groups, which gradually increased over time. The concentration of carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH(4)), nitromethane (CH(3)NO(2)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) in all wet paddy groups increased with piling time and with moisture content, with ranges of 11-289; 2-8; 36-374; and 4-26 ppm, respectively. The highest levels of moisture content in the paddy piles were in the range 28-30%wb. Nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) concentrations were low in all paddy groups. The percentage of O(2) in the wet paddy groups decreased with piling time and moisture content (from 18.7% to 4.1%). This study suggested that hazardous gases could be emitted in moist paddy piles, and their concentrations could increase with increasing moisture content and piling time period.

Factors related to quality of life of stroke survivors.

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors may be dependent and need additional attention. We aimed to determine factors that related to quality of life of stroke survivors. METHODS: A hospital-based analytical study was performed between January 1 and March 31, 2008 at Srinagarind Hospital in the Khon Kaen province of Thailand. Factors related to quality of life using the Thai 36-item Short Form (SF-36) rating scale were studied. RESULTS: There were 237 stroke survivors in the study. The age range of participants was between 20 and 91 years of age (mean = 63.7 ± 12.8, median = 65.0). For physical health summary scale, factor related with better scale were male gender (P < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.3-21.9), aged under 50 (P < .001; 95% CI 6.3-21.9), educational level higher than bachelor degree (P < .001; 95% CI 8.1-22.3), and unemployed status (P < .001; 95% CI 6.4-19.8). For mental health summary scale, the education level (P < .001; 95% CI 7.3-20.1), employment status (P = .007; 95% CI 2.3-14.5), household income (P < .001), and disease severity (P < .001; 95% CI 15.5-27.7) had statistically significant difference. Overall, the age, level of education, employment status, monthly household income and the modified Rankin scale score related to the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The factors related to quality of life were age, educational level, occupation, monthly household income, and modified Rankin scale score.

Genetic analysis of the merozoite surface protein-1 block 2 allelic types in Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates from Lao PDR.

BACKGROUND: MSP-1 is one of the potential malarial vaccine candidate antigens. However, extensive genetic polymorphism of this antigen in the field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum represents a major hindrance for the development of an effective vaccine. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the prevalence and genetic polymorphisms of K1, MAD20 and RO33 allelic types of msp-1 block 2 among P. falciparum clinical isolates from Lao PDR. METHODS: Plasmodium falciparum isolates were collected from 230 P. falciparum-infected blood samples from three regions of Lao PDR. K1, MAD20 and RO33 were detected by nested PCR; SSCP was used for polymorphism screening. The nested PCR products of each K1, MAD20 and RO33 allelic types that had different banding patterns by SSCP, were sequenced. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of K1, MAD20 and RO33 allelic types in P. falciparum isolates from Lao PDR were 66.95%, 46.52% and 31.30%, respectively, of samples under study. Single infections with K1, MAD20 and RO33 allelic types were 27.83%, 11.74% and 5.22%, respectively; the remainders were multiple clonal infections. Neither parasite density nor age was related to MOI. Sequence analysis revealed that there were 11 different types of K1, eight different types of MAD20, and 7 different types of RO33. Most of them were regional specific, except type 1 of each allelic type was common found in 3 regions under study. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic polymorphism with diverse allele types was identified in msp-1 block 2 among P. falciparum clinical isolates in Lao PDR. A rather high level of multiple clonal infections was also observed but the multiplicity of infection was rather low as not exceed 2.0. This basic data are useful for treatment and malaria control program in Lao PDR.

Community perceptions of health determinants in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.

Local health determinants, perceived by a local community in Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province, were explored using a qualitative approach during November 2006. Health determinants could be classified into three categories: environmental, individual and family, and institutional factors. Community perspectives on health determinants included flooding, habits of lottery buying, fluctuation of vegetable market prices, and job opportunities. Community participants gave high value to the social determinants of health as opposed to environmental/biomedical factors, considering that such conditions could positively build social cohesion and even lead to better well-being. They prioritized flooding as a major environmental health determinant that affected villagers' physical and mental health, as well as family income. For social health determinants, they also indicated that many villagers were addicted to lottery buying that led to mental and financial problems within families.