ABSTRACT
Introduction Exposure to dust due to stone quarrying can cause severe respiratory ailments. Besides lung problems, research shows that exposure to quarry dust may also increase the risk of health problems affecting the heart, liver, kidney, central nervous system, and other organs. Despite the fact that a lot of studies have been reported on the respiratory system, our aim was to explore the evidence on the association between occupational exposure to quarry dust and its effect on renal health. Methodology This study was conducted on 75 quarry workers and 45 healthy matched controls were recruited from Allukuzhi village. Blood samples were collected and their kidney parameters were assessed in Hitech Diagnostics, Kanchipuram. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and strength of association was determined by Pearson correlation at significance p=0.05*. Results The obtained results showed a significant increase in the level of creatinine (1.02±0.31), urea (24.62±8.52), and uric acid (5.13±1.31) in quarry workers upon the duration of exposure to quarry dust compared with control subjects (p < 0.05*). Conclusion The results of this study suggest a significant correlation between exposure to quarry dust and its reduced renal function. This could suggest that the quarry work site should have proper hazard control measures and safety precautionary equipment for the workers. Also, to be educated about the importance of the safety measures which have to be practiced in order to protect them from occupational hazards.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Stress is a psychophysiological phenomenon. Due to recent lifestyle modifications prevalence of stress is increasing among adults and adolescents. Adolescence is a period of storm and stress and any excess stress would have negative impact on their sleep and would ultimately affect their academic performance and health. Hence the current study proposes to evaluate the effect of stress on sleep hygiene among school going adolescents in Chennai. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study and participants were healthy male (84) and female (48) school going adolescents between the age group of 15-19 years (n = 132). Stress was assessed using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and sleep hygiene was assessed using Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD). RESULTS: In all, 84.8% of the adolescents reported that they are academically overloaded. Both the genders were found to be moderately stressed (Males: 63.6%; females: 66.7%). Prevalence of sleep disturbances was found to be 23.5% and increase in stress was found to be associated with decrease in sleep quality. DISCUSSION: The study shows that prevalence of stress is high among adolescents and it is negatively influencing their sleep hygiene. Hence, early identification and management of stress is required for school going late adolescents for better academic performance and wellbeing.
ABSTRACT
Stress is a condition or stimulus that threatens an organism's survival. Noise is an environmental stressor. It is well known that long term as well as acute exposure to noise led to oxidative stress. In the present study, it was investigated that the persistence of noise stress (100 dBA/4 h/d for 30 days) could cause memory impairment in rats and whether ethylacetate extract of AC EAAC (50 mg kg(-1) b.wt.) and alpha-Asarone (9 mg kg(-1) b.wt.). treatment can prevent or not. In order to understand the possible mechanism behind it, antioxidant status and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in hippocampus was evaluated after rats were tested in Radial Eight-arm Maze (RAM). Heat shock protein 70 (hsp 70) expression in hippocampus was also evaluated to understand the intensity of stress level. Results showed that after noise stress exposure, time taken to visit all the baited arms, working and reference memory errors were increased in RAM. The superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, AChE activity, hsp 70 were significantly increased with concomitant decrease in catalase, glutathione peroxidase activity and G6PD activity of non-enzymatic levels was observed in the 30 days noise stress exposed group. When rats were co-administrated with EAAC and alpha-Asarone prevents the noise stress induced alterations significantly. In Conclusion, noise stress induced oxidative stress, increased AChE activity, and over expression of hsp 70 in hippocampus region might have led to the impairment of spatial memory. EAAC and alpha-Asarone prevents this noise stress induced memory impairment.
