Cadmium Exposures in Fathead Minnows: Are There Sex-Specific Differences in Mortality,Reproductive Success,and Cd Accumulation?

The primary goal of this experiment was to determine whether cadmium (Cd) exposure has sex-specific effects on the reproductive success of fathead minnows as measured by time to first spawn, spawning frequency, clutch size, fecundity, fertilization success, hatching success, and offspring mortality to 2 d post hatch. Prior to breeding, minnows were either exposed to 50 μg/L Cd or sham exposed for 21 d. After exposures, minnows were paired (male × female) into one of four breeding groups—control × control (C × C), control × exposed (C × E), exposed × control (E × C) or exposed × exposed (E × E). Pairs of minnows were subjected to a 21-d breeding study during which the reproductive parameters mentioned above were measured. During the breeding study, minnows in the E × E pairs had significantly higher mortality than minnows in the C × C pairs; however, the mortality of minnows in the C × E and E × C did not differ from that of C × C pairs. Presumably, behavioral alterations in both males and females exposed to Cd accounted for the increased mortality in the E × E group. The results of the breeding study did not reveal any significant differences among any of the reproductive parameters measured with the exception of offspring mortality. Offspring from C × E pairs did not differ from offspring from C × C pairs with regard to mortality; however, offspring from pairs containing exposed males (E × C and E × E) had significantly higher mortality than offspring from C × C pairs suggesting that paternal exposure to Cd leads to an increase in offspring mortality.     

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Low Literacy as Potential Barriers to Employment in a Sample of Families Receiving Welfare: Are There Two-Generational Implications?

SUMMARY

This study examines the role of maternal depressive symptoms and low maternal literacy in predicting outcomes in two generations in families receiving welfare: mothers' employment and children's development. The sample consists of 351 African-American families, each with a preschool-age child, in which the mother had applied for or was receiving welfare. Close to the start of the study, 52.6 percent of the mothers in the sample had scores indicating lower literacy, 39.5 percent reported moderate to high levels of depressive symptoms, and 24.6 percent had a co-occurrence of these. Using continuous scores, in multivariate analyses of variance, neither level of literacy, extent of depressive symptoms, nor the interaction of these, were found to predict two measures of subsequent employment (any employment across the two year follow-up period, and current employment at the time of the follow-up). However, when cut points were used (low literacy; moderate to high depressive symptoms), mothers with low literacy were found less often to be employed approximately two years later. Multivariate analyses of variance examining the set of child outcomes (cognitive school readiness and behavior problems) in light of mothers' depressive symptoms and literacy level found a statistically significant interaction of literacy level and extent of depressive symptoms: children of mothers with more depressive symptoms had less favorable developmental outcomes only in the presence of low maternal literacy. Structural equation models provide evidence that parenting behavior mediates the relationship between the predictor variables and child outcomes, and that the pathways from depressive symptoms through parenting to child outcomes are stronger when maternal depressive symptoms co-occur with low maternal literacy.     

In Vitro Bioaccessibility,Human Gut Microbiota Metabolites and Hepatoprotective Potential of Chebulic Ellagitannins: A Case of Padma Hepaten? Formulation

Chebulic ellagitannins (ChET) are plant-derived polyphenols containing chebulic acid subunits, possessing a wide spectrum of biological activities that might contribute to health benefits in humans. The herbal formulation Padma Hepaten containing ChETs as the main phenolics, is used as a hepatoprotective remedy. In the present study, an in vitro dynamic model simulating gastrointestinal digestion, including dialysability, was applied to estimate the bioaccessibility of the main phenolics of Padma Hepaten. Results indicated that phenolic release was mainly achieved during the gastric phase (recovery 59.38%–97.04%), with a slight further release during intestinal digestion. Dialysis experiments showed that dialysable phenolics were 64.11% and 22.93%–26.05% of their native concentrations, respectively, for gallic acid/simple gallate esters and ellagitanins/ellagic acid, in contrast to 20.67% and 28.37%–55.35% for the same groups in the non-dialyzed part of the intestinal media. Investigation of human gut microbiota metabolites of Padma Hepaten and pure ChETs (chebulinic, chebulagic acids) established the formation of bioactive urolithins (A, B, C, D, M5). The fact of urolithin formation during microbial transformation from ChETs and ChET-containing plant material was revealed for the first time. Evaluation of the protective effect of ChETs colonic metabolites and urolithins on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative injury in cultured rat primary hepatocytes demonstrated their significant reversion of the t-BHP-induced cell cytotoxicity, malonic dialdehyde production and lactate dehydrogenase leakage. The most potent compound was urolithin C with close values of hepatoprotection to gallic acid. The data obtained indicate that in the case of Padma Hepaten, we speculate that urolithins have the potential to play a role in the hepatic prevention against oxidative damage.     

Community SES,Perceived Environment,and Physical Activity During Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation: Is There a Need to Consider the Urban vs. Rural Distinction?

Physical activity (MVPA) levels during home-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) remain problematic. Consequently, the present study examined the association between MVPA and urban vs. rural residential status and the perceived environment in patients attending home-based CR. A total of 280 patients completed a questionnaire assessing demographic, clinical, MVPA, and perceived environmental variables measured at baseline and 3 months later. Patient addresses were geocoded and linked to the 2006 Canadian census to establish the urban/rural distinction. Results showed that urban and rural patients had similar baseline MVPA and improvements in MVPA by 3 months. Several perceived environmental variables were significantly related to MVPA throughout home-based CR that were common and urban/rural-specific. Therefore, although there does not appear to be an urban vs. rural advantage in MVPA levels during home-based CR, there does appear to be environmental/MVPA-specific relationships specific to urban and rural patients that may warrant attention.     

“There is no place to dispose them. What would you have me do?’’: A qualitative study of menstruation in the unique physical and social environment in informal settlements in Nairobi,Kenya

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) is an essential component of individual and population-level health and is inextricably linked to the environment. Few scholars have explored women's day-to-day experiences of managing their monthly period within the unique environment of informal settlements. We used data from in-depth interviews with women 18–55 years in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Findings suggest that aspects of the social environment, particularly menstrual stigma and social and gender inequities, combined with resource limitations, such as lack of water, sanitation, disposal facilities, and waste management influence menstrual management, and this, in turn, impacts the physical environment.