Tania Rahman

Publications

• 1.22

  Impact points

  Assessment of impact on health of children working in the garbage dumping site in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

  Gargy Lahiry, Tania Rahman, A K M Mahbub Hasan, Alak K Dutta, Md Arif, Zakir H Howlader

  Journal of tropical pediatrics. 01/2011; 57(6):472-5.

  Waste dumping is one of the major causes of environment pollution in Bangladesh. This study was designed to assess the impact on health of children working in one of the garbage dumping sites in Dhaka. Blood samples were collected from exposed (n = 20, aged: 8-15 years, exposed to dumped garbage fro... [more] Waste dumping is one of the major causes of environment pollution in Bangladesh. This study was designed to assess the impact on health of children working in one of the garbage dumping sites in Dhaka. Blood samples were collected from exposed (n = 20, aged: 8-15 years, exposed to dumped garbage from 6 months to 6 years) and control subjects (n = 15, age matched and never worked in the garbage dumping site). Oxidative stress markers like lipid hydroperoxides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and protein carbonyl content were measured. Alkaline comet assay was performed to assess the possible damage in DNA. To check the consequences of possible toxic exposure, we performed liver function tests of the study subjects. Oxidative stress-mediated damage of macromolecules was found to be significantly increased in the exposed children. Liver function tests were found normal. Thus, the children working in garbage dumping site are in severe health risk.

• Dopamine-β-Hydroxylase (DBH), Its Cofactors and Other Biochemical Parameters in the Serum of Neurological Patients in Bangladesh

  Rahman Khalilur, Rahman Farhana, Rahman Tania, Kato Takeshi

  International Journal of Biomedical Science. 01/2009;

  Dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) is a neurotransmitter synthesizing enzyme which catalyzes the formation of norepinephrine from dopamine. In this study, we measured the level of DBH activity in the serum of patients of three different age groups (8-14 yrs, 20-40 yrs and 45-60 yrs) suffering from neurolo... [more] Dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) is a neurotransmitter synthesizing enzyme which catalyzes the formation of norepinephrine from dopamine. In this study, we measured the level of DBH activity in the serum of patients of three different age groups (8-14 yrs, 20-40 yrs and 45-60 yrs) suffering from neurological diseases. Serum DBH activity was measured in 38 neurological patients and 38 normal individuals in order to determine significant variables for its potential use to diagnose the neurological patients. It was found that the DBH activity decreased in the patients of all age groups. A considerable decrease in activity was observed in the patients of 8-14 yrs age group (14.2 nmoles/min/ml in patients compared to the normal value of 22.6). A significant decrease in activity was found in the 20-40 yrs age group (23.4 nmoles/min/ml in patients compared to the normal value of 33.0). The decrease in DBH activity was also found in the patients of 45-60 yrs age group but to a lesser extent (26.4 nmoles/min/ml in the patients compared to the normal value of 30.2).The kinetic studies of DBH exhibited an increase of Km value and a decrease in Vmax in the neurological patients. Serum copper and ascorbic acid levels (cofactors of DBH) were found to be decreased in neurological patients and hence are in agreement with the decrease in DBH activity in these patients. Other parameters such as glucose and cholesterol levels increased, protein and zinc levels decreased and ALT, AST, creatinine and urea content remained nearly unchanged in the patients’ serum.