Cadmium is a nonessential metal that has heavily polluted the environment due to human activities. It can be absorbed into the human body via the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and the skin, and can cause chronic damage to the kidneys. The main site where cadmium accumulates and causes damage within the nephrons is the proximal tubule. This accumulation can induce dysfunction of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, leading to electron leakage and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cadmium may also impair the function of NADPH oxidase, resulting in another source of ROS. These ROS together can cause oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids, triggering epithelial cell death and a decline in kidney function. In this article, we also reviewed evidence that the antioxidant power of plant extracts, herbal medicines, and pharmacological agents could ameliorate cadmium-induced kidney injury. Finally, a model of cadmium-induced kidney injury, centering on the notion that oxidative damage is a unifying mechanism of cadmium renal toxicity, is also presented. Given that cadmium exposure is inevitable, further studies using animal models are warranted for a detailed understanding of the mechanism underlying cadmium induced ROS production, and for the identification of more therapeutic targets.
In an age of growing concern over issues of social justice, Gaile S. Canella, Michelle Salazar Perez, and Penny A. Pasque offer a refreshing examination of the process and purpose of conducting Critical Qualitative inquiry. A series of essays from noted scholars examine the researcher paradigm in a novel paradigm: globalization and social justice. The reviewer examined the collection of essays as someone who has had little experience with this form of academic inquiry.
Maria J. Mayan’s publication of Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry (2009) provides a broad introduction to the scope and process of conducting qualitative research. The author used many of the same concepts in his dissertation and continues to conduct qualitative inquiry, often times using Mayan’s book as a useful resource in structuring his research. The book outlined qualitative philosophies, methodologies, and data analysis procedures used in qualitative research.
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