Metallothionein-1 ( MT-1), cytochrome P450-2A ( CYP2a) and other genes are involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics such as heavy metals and toxins. Changes in their expression precede overt toxic effects and can serve as a marker for exposure to pollutants. We used a mouse experimental system and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine changes in gene expression and the direction of change, in response to exposure to lead acetate (LA) and waste water (WW) from an industrial area in Ibadan. MT-1 and CYP2a5 genes were quickly and highly induced at different exposure periods and concentrations. MT-1 was mostly downregulated by the LA exposure, but upregulated by several folds on exposure to WW. CYP2a5 expression was mostly downregulated with LA exposure. The optimum expression of MT-1 and CYP2a5 genes induced by both LA and WW was at 48 h. We conclude that rapid assays to determine the direction of change in the expression of MT-1 and CYP2a5 could be a fast and reliable method in developing countries for screening humans exposed to pollutants from industrial waste.

In the 21st century, alcoholism and the consequences of ethyl alcohol abuse are major public health concerns in the United States, affecting approximately 14 million people. Pertinent to the global impact of alcoholism is the World Health Organisation estimate that 140 million people worldwide suffer from alcohol dependence. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the third leading causes of preventable death in the United States. Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the United State an estimated US$220 billion in 2005, eclipsing the expense associated with cancer (US$196 billion) or obesity (US$133 billion). Orally ingested ethyl alcohol is absorbed rapidly without chemical change from the stomach and intestine, reaching maximum blood concentration in about an hour. Alcohol crosses capillary membranes by simple diffusion, affecting almost every organ system in the body by impacting a wide range of cellular functions. Alcohol causes metabolic derangements either directly, via its chemical by-product or secondarily through alcohol-induced disorders. Many of these alcohol-related metabolic disturbances are increased in severity by the malnutrition that is common in those with chronic alcoholism. This review focuses on the acute and chronic injurious consequences of alcohol ingestion on the kidney, as well as the fluid, electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities associated with acute and chronic ingestion of alcohol.

Twenty pregnant ewes were used in this study. Ten pregnant ewes with a mean live weight of 19.37 Kg ±0.87 served as the control animals, the others with an average live weight of 19.50 Kg ± 0.37 were starved for 7 days to study the reproductive performances, feed intake and appetite, body weight and rate of recovery in the animals. Test animals were starved during the first week of the last trimester of pregnancy (16th week). Starvation did not cause any significant changes in gestation length, which was within the normal range of 146 to 149 days. A live weight loss of 3.20% was observed during the starvation period. As the starvation progressed, the animals became weak and dull in appearance. Their hairs became loose and tended to fall out. Moreover, as from the 5th day of starvation, they were in a semi-comatose condition and were observed to sway when made to walk. Starvation also resulted in lower (P<0.05) birth weight of lambs:2.05 ± 0.05 kg for lambs from starved ewes compared to 2.25 + 0.10 Kg for lambs from the control pregnant ewes. However, subsequent growth of all lambs produced during the study was not appreciably affected. On resumption of ad libitum feeding appetites as Dry matter intake was low and erratic for 4-6 days. There after feed intake returned to normal with a marked increase in live weight gain.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2016. 45 (2): 35-40