Myosin phosphatase (MLCP) plays a critical regulatory role in the Ca2+ sensitivity of myosin phosphorylation and smooth muscle contraction. It has been suggested that phosphorylation at Thr695 of the MLCP regulatory subunit (MYPT1) and at Thr38 of the MLCP inhibitor protein CPI‐17 results in inhibition of MLCP activity. We have previously demonstrated that CPI‐17 Thr38 phosphorylation plays an important role in G‐protein‐mediated inhibition of MLCP in tonic arterial smooth muscle. Here, we attempted to evaluate the function of MYPT1 in phasic rabbit portal vein (PV) and vas deferens (VD) smooth muscles. Using site‐ and phospho‐specific antibodies, phosphorylation of MYPT1 Thr695 and CPI‐17 Thr38 was examined along with MYPT1 Thr850, which is a non‐inhibitory Rho‐kinase site. We found that both CPI‐17 Thr38 and MYPT1 Thr850 were phosphorylated in response to agonists or GTPγS concurrently with contraction and myosin phosphorylation in α‐toxin‐permeabilized PV tissues. In contrast, phosphorylation of MYPT1 Thr695 did not increase. Comparable results were also obtained in both permeabilized and intact VD. The Rho‐kinase inhibitor Y‐27632 and the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X suppressed phosphorylation of MYPT1 Thr850 and CPI‐17 Thr38, respectively, in intact VD while MYPT1 Thr695 phosphorylation was insensitive to both inhibitors. These results indicate that phosphorylation of MYPT1 Thr695 is independent of stimulation of G‐proteins, Rho‐kinase or PKC. In the phasic PV, phosphorylation of CPI‐17 Thr38 may contribute towards inhibition of MLCP while the phasic visceral VD, which has a low CPI‐17 concentration, probably utilizes other Ca2+ sensitizing mechanisms for inhibiting MLCP besides phosphorylation of MYPT1 and CPI‐17.

ObjectivesThis study aims to describe the prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors among the urban poor in Bangladesh.DesignWe conducted a community-based cross-sectional epidemiological study.SettingThe study was conducted in a shantytown in the city of Dhaka. There were 8604 households with 34 170 residents in the community. Those households were categorised into two wealth strata based on the housing structure.ParticipantsThe study targeted residents aged 18–64 years. A total of 2986 eligible households with one eligible individual were selected by simple random sampling stratified by household wealth status. A total of 2551 residents completed the questionnaire survey, and 2009 participated in the subsequent physical and biochemical measurements.Outcome measuresA modified WHO survey instrument was used for assessing behavioural risk factors and physical and biochemical measurements, including glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The prevalence of NCD risk factors, such as tobacco use, fruit and vegetable intake, overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes (HbA1c ≥6.5%) and dyslipidaemia, was described according to household wealth status and gender differences.ResultsThe prevalence of current tobacco use was 60.4% in men and 23.5% in women. Most of them (90.8%) consumed more than 1 serving of fruits and vegetables per day; however, only 2.1% consumed more than 5 servings. Overweight/obesity was more common in women (39.2%) than in men (18.9%), while underweight was more common in men (21.0%) than in women (7.1%). The prevalence of hypertension was 18.6% in men and 20.7% in women. The prevalence of diabetes was 15.6% in men and 22.5% in women, which was much higher than the estimated national prevalence (7%). The prevalence of raised total cholesterol (≥190 mg/dL) was 25.7% in men and 34.0% in women.ConclusionThe study identified that tobacco use, both overweight and underweight, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia were prevalent among the urban poor in Bangladesh.

Ingestion of inorganic arsenic (iAs) is considered to be related to the development of diabetes mellitus. In order to clarify the possible differences in the metabolism in diabetics, we measured urinary iAs metabolites in diabetic cases and non-diabetic control subjects in Faridpur, an arsenic-contaminated area in Bangladesh. Physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetic cases (140 persons) and non-diabetic controls (180 persons) were recruited. Drinking water and spot urine samples were collected. Mean concentrations of total arsenic in drinking water did not differ between cases (85.1 μg/L) and controls (85.8 μg/L). The percentage of urinary iAs (iAs%) was significantly lower in cases (8.6%) than in controls (10.4%), while that of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA%) was higher in cases (82.6%) than in controls (79.9%). This may have been due to the higher secondary methylation index (SMI) in the former (11.6) rather than the latter (10.0). Adjusting for matching factors (sex and unions), and the additional other covariates (age and water arsenic) significantly attenuated the differences in iAs%, SMI, and DMA%, respectively, though the difference in monomethylarsonic acid% was newly significant in the latter adjustment. Our study did not suggest any significant differences in urinary arsenic metabolites between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

Maternal exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) decreased the plasma triglyceride in prepartum mice. To identify the fatty acid (FA) species involved and to understand the underlying mechanisms, pregnant Sv/129 wild-type (mPPARα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α-null (Pparα-null) and humanized PPARα (hPPARα) mice were treated with diets containing 0%, 0.01%, 0.05% or 0.1% DEHP. Dams were dissected on gestational day 18 together with fetuses, and on postnatal day 2 together with newborns. n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated, saturated, and monounsaturated FAs in maternal plasma and in liver of wild-type offspring, and representative enzymes for FA desaturation and elongation in maternal liver, were measured. The plasma levels of linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid were higher in the pregnant control mPPARa mice than in Ppara-null and hPPARa mice. DEHP exposure significantly decreased the levels of these four FAs only in pregnant mPPARα mice. Plasma levels of many FAs were higher in pregnant mice than in postpartum ones in a genotype-independent manner, while it was lower in the livers of fetuses than pups. DEHP exposure slightly increased hepatic arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid, palmitoleic acid and oleic acid in fetuses, but not in pups. However, DEHP exposure did not clearly influence FA desaturase 1 and 2 nor elongase 2 and 5 expressions in the liver of all maternal mice. Taken together, the levels of plasma four FAs with shorter carbon chains were higher in pregnant mPPARα mice than in other genotypes, and DEHP exposure decreased these specific FA concentrations only in mPPARα mice, similarly to triglyceride levels.

ObjectivesA population survey was conducted in an urban shantytown in Bangladesh, as a baseline study of future epidemiological studies. This paper aims to describe the findings of the study, including the population profile and residential environment of the urban poor.MethodsWe conducted a complete count household survey in an urban poor community in Dhaka. Using a brief structured questionnaire in Bengali language, trained interviewers visited each household and asked questions such as: duration of residence; ownership of house, toilet and kitchen; water supply; number of family members; age, sex, education, occupation, tobacco use, and history of diseases of each family member.ResultsWe found that there were 8604 households and 34,170 people in the community. Average number of household members was 4.0. Most people had access to safe water, but only 16% lived in the house with a toilet. Based on the proxy indicators of household wealth levels, we identified that about 39% were relatively well-off, while the rest were very poor. Tobacco use was prevalent in men regardless of age and in women aged over 35 years. Prevalence of self-reported hypertension and diabetes was slightly higher in women than in men, although over 70% of the respondents didn’t know if they had such diseases. Incidences of diarrhea in the last one month were relatively low.ConclusionsThe study showed population profile and sanitation environment in an urban poor community by a complete count survey. We expect the study to serve as a baseline for future epidemiological studies.

This study assessed subjective symptoms related to indoor concentrations of chemicals among residents in a housing estate in Dalian, China, where indoor air pollution by interior decoration materials has recently become a major health problem. Fifty-nine males and 50 females were surveyed for their symptoms related to sick building syndrome. Formaldehyde (HCHO), NO2, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their dwellings were collected using a diffusion sampler and measured by GC/MS. For residents with one or more symptoms in the past, HCHO, butanol or 1,2-dichloroethane concentrations were significantly greater in their bedrooms or kitchens compared with those of subjects without previous symptoms. For residents with one or more symptoms at the time of the study, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, xylene, butanol, methyl isobutyl ketone, and styrene concentrations in their bedrooms or kitchens were significantly greater compared with those of residents without symptoms. HCHO, NO2, and VOCs were detected in all rooms, but their levels were lower than the guideline values except for HCHO in two rooms. Chemical substances from interior decoration materials at indoor air levels lower than their guideline values might have affected the health status of residents.

Various carcinomas including skin cancer are explosively increasing in arsenicosis patients who drink arsenic-polluted well water, especially in Bangladesh. Although well drinking water in the cancer-prone areas contains various elements, very little is known about the effects of elements except arsenic on carcinogenicity. In order to clarify the carcinogenic effects of coexposure to arsenic and iron, anchorage-independent growth and invasion in human untransformed HaCaT and transformed A431 keratinocytes were examined. Since the mean ratio of arsenic and iron in well water was 1:10 in cancer-prone areas of Bangladesh, effects of 1 μM arsenic and 10 μM iron were investigated. Iron synergistically promoted arsenic-mediated anchorage-independent growth in untransformed and transformed keratinocytes. Iron additionally increased invasion in both types of keratinocytes. Activities of c-SRC and ERK that regulate anchorage-independent growth and invasion were synergistically enhanced in both types of keratinocytes. Our results suggest that iron promotes arsenic-mediated transformation of untransformed keratinocytes and progression of transformed keratinocytes. We then developed a low-cost and high-performance adsorbent composed of a hydrotalcite-like compound for arsenic and iron. The adsorbent rapidly reduced concentrations of both elements from well drinking water in cancer-prone areas of Bangladesh to levels less than those in WHO health-based guidelines for drinking water. Thus, we not only demonstrated for the first time increased carcinogenicity by coexposure to arsenic and iron but also proposed a novel remediation system for well drinking water.

BackgroundLittle is known regarding the effect of exposure to biomass fuel smoke inhalation on respiratory symptoms in the Bangladeshi population which is a major health hazard in most of the developing countries. This study aims to explore the association between respiratory symptoms and biomass fuel smoke exposure among children under 5 years of age.MethodsData were extracted from the Bangladesh Urban Health Survey conducted in 2013. A total of 10,575 mothers with at least one surviving children were selected. Respiratory symptoms among children under 5 years of age were considered as the primary outcome. Sequential multiple logistic regression models were used to observe the association between respiratory symptoms and biomass fuel smoke exposure adjusting the effect of residential factors and mother and child characteristics.ResultsAround 40% of the mothers exclusively used biomass fuel irrespective of the kitchen location and 54% of them were habituated in indoor cooking. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms of under-five children among in-house and outdoor biomass fuel users was 23.0% and 21.9%, respectively. Results of fitted multiple logistic regression models showed that the odds of having respiratory symptoms among children under 5 years of age were increased due to in-house biomass fuel use [OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04–1.36] compared with the non-biomass user. An increased risk of respiratory symptoms was also significantly associated with mother’s birth complication [OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.36–1.67], non-government organization (NGO) membership of mothers [OR = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.16–1.51], age of the child (6–23m) [OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10–1.52], and nutritional status (stunting) [OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06–1.31].ConclusionThis study found the use of in-house biomass fuel as a significant risk factor associated with respiratory symptoms of children under 5 years of age. More longitudinal studies should be designed to establish a causal relationship between HAP (household air pollution) and respiratory symptoms among children with more direct measures of HAP and clinical procedure.