Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Systemic Copper Disorders Influence The Olfactory Function In Adult Rats: Roles Of Altered Adult Neurogenesis And Neurochemical Imbalance, Sherleen Xue-Fu Adamson, Wei Zheng, Zeynep Sena Agim, Sarah Du, Sheila Fleming, Jason Cannon

School of Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Disrupted systemic copper (Cu) homeostasis underlies neurodegenerative diseases with early symptoms including olfactory dysfunction. This study investigated the impact of Cu dyshomeostasis on olfactory function, adult neurogenesis, and neurochemical balance. Models of Cu deficiency (CuD) and Cu overload (CuO) were established by feeding adult rats with Cu-restricted diets plus ip. injection of a Cu chelator (ammonium tetrathiomolybdate) and excess Cu, respectively. CuD reduced Cu levels in the olfactory bulb (OB), subventricular zone (SVZ), rostral migratory stream (RMS), and striatum, while CuO increased Cu levels in these areas. The buried pellet test revealed both CuD and CuO prolonged the latency to …

Mechanisms Of Neurotoxicity Associated With Exposure To The Herbicide Atrazine, Sydney C. Stradtman, Jennifer L. Freeman

School of Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Atrazine is an herbicide commonly used on crops to prevent broadleaf weeds. Atrazine is an endocrine-disrupting chemical mainly targeting the neuroendocrine system and associated axes, especially as a reproductive toxicant through attenuation of the luteinizing hormone (LH). Current regulatory levels for chronic exposure are based on no observed adverse effect levels (NOAELs) of these LH alterations in rodent studies. Atrazine has also been studied for its effects on the central nervous system and neurotransmission. The European Union (EU) recognized the health risks of atrazine exposure as a public health concern with no way to contain contamination of drinking water. As …

Reference Ranges And Association Of Age And Lifestyle Characteristics With Testosterone, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, And Luteinizing Hormone Among 1166 Western Chinese Men, Xubo Shen, Ruifeng Wang, Na Yu, Yongjun Shi, Honggang Li, Chengliang Xiong, Yan Li, Ellen M. Wells, Yuanzhong Zhou

School of Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Decreased total testosterone (TT) is the recommended metric to identify age-related hypogonadism. However, average TT and the extent to which it varies by age, can vary substantially among different populations. Population-specific reference ranges are needed to understand normal versus abnormal TT levels. Therefore, the goal for this study was to describe androgen concentrations and their correlates among Western Chinese men. We completed a population-based, cross-sectional study including 227 young adults (YA) (20–39 years) and 939 older adults (OA) (40–89 years). We measured TT, sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone secreting index (TSI), and calculated free testosterone (cFT). Reference …

Association Between Personal Exposure To Ambient Metals And Respiratory Disease In Italian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study, Maria José Rosa, Chiara Benedetti, Marco Peli, Filippo Donna, Marco Nazzaro, Chiara Fedrighi, Silvia Zoni, Alessandro Marcon, Neil Zimmerman, Rosalind Wright, Roberto Lucchini

School of Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Release of ambient metals during ferroalloy production may be an important source of environmental exposure for nearby communities and exposure to these metals has been linked to adverse respiratory outcomes. We sought to characterize the association between personal air levels of metals and respiratory health in Italian adolescents living in communities with historic and current ferroalloy activity.

Methods

As part of a study in the industrial province of Brescia, Italy, 410 adolescents aged 11–14 years were recruited. Participants were enrolled from three different communities with varying manganese (Mn) levels: Bagnolo Mella which has current ferroalloy activity, Valcamonica, which has …

Zebrafish As A Model For Developmental Neurotoxicity Assessment: The Application Of The Zebrafish In Defining The Effects Of Arsenic, Methylmercury, Or Lead On Early Neurodevelopment, Jinyoung Lee, Jennifer L. Freeman

School of Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Developmental exposure to neurotoxic chemicals presents significant health concerns because of the vulnerability of the developing central nervous system (CNS) and the immature brain barrier. To date, a short list of chemicals including some metals have been identified as known developmental neurotoxicants; however, there are still numerous chemicals that remain to be evaluated for their potential developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). To facilitate evaluation of chemicals for DNT, the zebrafish vertebrate model system has emerged as a promising tool. The zebrafish possesses a number of strengths as a test species in DNT studies including an abundance of embryos developing ex utero presenting …