IntroductionHeavy metal contamination of coastal waters results in bioaccumulation in fish, posing a significant route of human exposure via seafood consumption. The present study focuses on organ-specific metal distribution and associated health risk indices in three important fish species from the Nagapattinam coast, India.MethodsIn the current study, three species of fish (Nemipterus japonicus, Oreochromis mossambicus, and Lates calcarifer) were considered with three biological replicates per species obtained from local fish markets of Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India, during January–February 2024. The HM profiling was performed on three organs: liver, gills, and muscle tissues. HMs, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), strontium (Sr), and vanadium (V), were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).ResultsThe concentrations were found to be in the range of 0.025–21.53 μg kg−1. Upon non-carcinogenic risk assessment, the target hazard quotient (THQ) for all species was found to be <1 for both adults and children, indicating low non-carcinogenic risk associated with the consumption of the selected species under the assumed intake scenario. In contrast, the cancer risk (CR) value for chromium in Nemipterus japonicus was found to be elevated (children: 1643.58 × 10−6 and adults: 939.19 × 10−6), assuming a conservative worst-case exposure scenario in which total chromium is considered as Cr(VI), potentially inflating cancer risk estimates.DiscussionOverall, the findings suggest low non-carcinogenic risk under average consumption conditions; however, the estimated carcinogenic risk for chromium exceeded the commonly referenced acceptable threshold under conservative assumptions and should therefore be interpreted with caution. These results highlight the need for further investigation, particularly chromium speciation analysis, to refine risk estimates for fish consumed from the Nagapattinam marketplace.
Hanem F. El-Gendy, Soaad Salamah, Eman Elhusseiny
et al.
BackgroundVancomycin (VM) is widely used for treating life-threatening infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria resistant to other antibiotics. However, its nephrotoxic effects limit clinical use.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Daflon (DF) and Centrum (CE) against VM-induced nephrotoxicity in male rats.MethodsFifty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 (negative control) received saline intraperitoneally (IP) for 7 days followed by oral distilled water for 7 days. Group 2 (positive control) received VM (400 mg/kg BW, IP) for 7 days. Group 3 received VM for 7 days followed by DF (100 mg/kg BW, oral) for 7 days. Group 4 received VM for 7 days followed by CE (15 mg/kg BW, oral) for 7 days. Group 5 received VM for 7 days followed by combined DF and CE treatment for 7 days. Blood and kidney samples were collected for hematological, biochemical, molecular, comet assay, and histopathological evaluations.ResultsVM administration significantly elevated serum creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels (p < 0.01), increased renal malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities (p < 0.05). It also induced marked histological changes and increased DNA fragmentation. DF and CE, particularly in combination (Group 5), significantly reduced renal injury, DNA fragmentation, and histopathological alterations. The protective effect followed the order: G5 > G4 > G3 > G2. Furthermore, VM upregulated PARP1, RIP1, KIM1, TNF-α, and IL-1β expression, which were markedly downregulated by DF and CE.ConclusionDF and CE attenuated VM-induced nephrotoxicity through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and DNA-protective mechanisms. Their combination provided superior renal protection by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, while enhancing antioxidant defenses and DNA repair capacity.
BackgroundWith the progression of industrialization, an increasing number of emerging contaminants are entering aquatic environments, posing significant threats to the safety of drinking water. Therefore, establishing a system for identifying unknown hazardous factors and implementing safety warning mechanisms for drinking water is of paramount importance. Among these efforts, non-target screening plays a critical role, but its effectiveness is largely constrained by the scope of coverage of sample pre-treatment methods.ObjectiveTo integrate modern chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques with advanced data mining methods to develop a non-discriminatory sample pre-treatment method for comprehensive enrichment of unknown contaminants in drinking water, laying a technical foundation for the discovery and identification of unknown organic hazardous factors in drinking water.MethodsA non-discriminatory pre-treatment method based on supramolecular and solid-phase extraction was developed. The final target compounds including 333 pesticides, 194 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and 59 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were used for optimizing the pre-treatment method, confirming its coverage. The impacts of different eluents on the absolute recovery rates of target compounds were compared to select the conditions with the highest recovery for sample pre-treatment. The effects of different supramolecular solvents and salt concentrations on target compound recovery were also evaluated to determine the most suitable solvent and salt concentration.ResultsThe solid-phase extraction elution solvents, supramolecular extraction solvents, and salt concentrations were optimized based on the target compound recovery rates. The optimal recovery conditions were achieved using 2 mL methanol, 2 mL methanol (containing 1% formic acid), 2 mL ethyl acetate, 2 mL dichloromethane, hexanediol supramolecular solvent, and 426 mg salt. The detection method developed based on these conditions showed a good linear relationship for all target compounds in the range of 0.1-100.0 ng·mL−1, with R² > 0.99. The method’s limit of detection ranged from 0.01 ng−1 to 0.95 ng−1, and 95% of target compounds were recovered in the range of 20%-120%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 30%, indicating good precision.ConclusionThe combined pre-treatment method of solid-phase extraction and supramolecular solvent extraction can effectively enrich contaminants in drinking water across low, medium, and high polarities, enabling broad-spectrum enrichment of diverse trace contaminants in drinking water. It provides technical support for broad-spectrum, high-throughput screening and identification of organic pollutants in drinking water, and also serves as a reference for establishing urban drinking water public safety warning systems.
Abstract Background Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is a common and severe complication in patients with severe health conditions, yet effective targeted therapies are still not available. Recent studies implicate impaired fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and metabolic dysregulation in its pathogenesis. A clinically approved peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) agonist, fenofibrate, may improve energy metabolism and enhance renal FAO. This study investigated whether fenofibrate mitigates SA-AKI by restoring renal FAO and mitochondrial function. Methods The three groups (n = 6 per group) were as follows: control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced SA-AKI, and LPS with fenofibrate pretreatment (0.2% dietary supplementation for 7 days), with male C57BL/6 mice used for the study. Kidney injury was induced by intraperitoneal LPS injection (10 mg/kg). After 24 hours, renal function (serum creatinine [Scr] and blood urea nitrogen [BUN]), inflammation (interleukin-1 beta [IL-1β], interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]), and histopathology were evaluated. Biomarkers of kidney injury, including kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), as well as indicators of energy metabolism (adenosine triphosphate [ATP]) and lipid accumulation (triglycerides, glycerol, non-esterified fatty acids [NEFA]), were assessed. Mitochondrial function (citrate synthase), FAO capacity, and expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α), PPARα, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), CPT2, and acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) were assessed. Results Fenofibrate markedly enhanced renal function, lowered levels of Scr and BUN, decreased proinflammatory cytokines, and inhibited the expression of KIM-1 and NGAL. Histological damage was alleviated, and Oil Red O staining revealed reduced lipid accumulation. ATP levels and citrate synthase activity were restored, while renal levels of triglycerides, glycerol, and NEFA were decreased. Fenofibrate increased the expression of genes and proteins associated with FAO and restored the AMPK–PGC1α–PPARα signaling pathway. Conclusions Fenofibrate attenuates SA-AKI by enhancing renal FAO and mitochondrial energy metabolism via the AMPK–PGC1α–PPARα pathway, supporting its potential as a metabolic therapy for SA-AKI.
Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in many common foods and increase the risk of cancer in humans. This study systematically screened the components that may be related to the formation of PAHs by an excessive addition of 19 amino acids and glucose in the beef patties. Phenylalanine and glucose exhibited the potential as promoters of PAHs, while lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, valine, and methionine exhibited excellent potential as inhibitors of PAHs. Subsequently, a chemical model containing phenylalanine and glucose was established to confirm their roles as precursors of PAHs. The formation mechanism of PAHs showed that naphthalene was first formed as a basic structure, and then, PAHs with more rings were further formed through substitution, addition reactions, or intramolecular cyclization reactions. The mitigative effects of four flavonoids on total PAH contents were in the order: kaempferol > naringenin (better for individual PAH) > myricetin > quercetin (contradictory), which suggested that the antioxidant ability or radical scavenging capacity of flavonoids may be one of the pathways for PAH inhibition.
Food processing and manufacture, Toxicology. Poisons
Fatima den Ouden, Andrea Estévez-Danta, Lidia Belova
et al.
Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) is one of the major organophosphate flame retardants present in the indoor and outdoor environment. Knowledge of biotransformation pathways is important to elucidate potential bioavailability and toxicity of TCIPP and to identify relevant biomarkers. This study aimed to identify TCIPP metabolites through in vitro human metabolism assays and finally to confirm these findings in urine samples from an occupationally exposed population to propose new biomarkers to accurately monitor exposure to TCIPP.TCIPP was incubated with human liver microsomes and human liver cytosol to identify Phase I and Phase II metabolites, by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Using a suspect-screening approach, the established biomarkers bis (1-chloro-2-propyl) hydrogen phosphate (BCIPP) and 1-hydroxy-2-propyl bis (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPHIPP) were identified. In addition, carboxyethyl bis (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP-M1), bis (1-chloropropan-2-yl) (-oxopropan-2-yl) phosphate (TCIPP-M2) and 1-chloro-3-hydroxypropan-2-yl bis (1-chloropropan-2-yl) phosphate (TCIPP-M3) were identified. TCIPP-M2, an intermediate product, was not reported before in literature. In urine samples, apart from BCIPP and BCIPHIPP, TCIPP-M1 and TCIPP-M3 were identified for the first time. Interestingly, BCIPP showed the lowest detection frequency, likely due to the poor sensitivity for this compound. Therefore, TCIPP-M1 and TCIPP-M3 could serve as potential additional biomarkers to more efficiently monitor TCIPP exposure in humans.
Peppermint has been an area of interest for controlling aphid populations in the literature for decades, but it seems to be concerned with industrial applications more than everyday use. Aphid infestations indoors present a novel need for an organic pesticide that sufficiently culls infestations without risk to the household. Everyday access to peppermint substances were then obtained and used in various solutions to test their efficacy in a new environment. Dish soap has also been presented as a possibility, and is often reported to work by home gardeners. It was hypothesized that water would do nothing, Sevin would remove the aphid population entirely, and that dish soap and peppermint substances would be indistinguishable from Sevin. N=7 solutions were tested, being various solutions of water, dish soap, peppermint oil or paste extract, as well as the insecticide Sevin. Peppermint oil mixed with dish soap was effective in reducing the aphid population, as well as peppermint paste extract along with Sevin. However, Sevin and the paste did severe damage to the plants and are not recommended for household use.
The eleventh volume of the Journal of Police Medicine started at the beginning of 2022, in which 40 out of 90 received articles were published. All of which indexed in DOAJ, Copernicus, IMEMR, Google Scholar and some other databases. In this volume, more than 140 researchers from universities and research centers around Iran collaborated with the Journal of Police Medicine. Most of the articles were from the cities of Tehran, Ardabil, Mashhad, and Tabriz, and Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences had the highest percentage of submitted and accepted articles. The acceptance and rejection rates of articles in the Journal of Police Medicine in 2022 were 33% and 67%, respectively. The duration of receiving articles until acceptance was averagely calculated to be 84 days, although during the first 24 to 72 hours after receiving the article, entering the review process or rejecting the article was informed to the authors quickly, and 37 articles were rejected rapidly. The mean duration of accepting until publishing the article was also calculated to be 18 days. These obtained time durations are justifiable according to the flow diagram of receiving until publishing articles in the Journal of Police Medicine and considering the maximum allowed time for editing articles by authors (Figure 1).
Of 40 published articles, 37 (92.5%) were of the original type, and 3 (7.5%) were of the review type. All published articles matched the fields of the journal, and a higher percentage of the articles were related to the two fields of police psychology and police health, but no articles were published in the fields of medical exemptions, terror medicine, and police medicine ethics in 2022.
Considering that one of the goals of the Journal of Police Medicine is to help promote the methods used in medical centers and counseling of the Police Command, in 2022, 8 articles were published in this field [1-8]. Given the role of police in suicide prevention, Bukani et al. [3] designed a study, the results of which could be used by police consultants in case of disclosing self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Also, Amini et al. [4] and Safadel et al. [5] dealt with the treatment methods that could be used for some prevalent diseases in the military forces. Given that retired armed forces are among the elderly’s vulnerable groups due to their nature of professional activity in the pre-retirement period, 3 articles were published to improve the life quality and satisfaction of retired individuals and the armed forces staff [9-11].
By publishing 3 articles on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Journal of Police Medicine has tried to deal with some subjects related to the journal’s goals regarding urban epidemics, health, treatment, and management consequences in the crisis, and also the assessment of the Police Command healthcare centers. Jalili et al. investigated the dominant strain of the population in a specific time interval in Iran [12]. In a study, Vasei, Amini, and Tavasoli [13] also investigated the clinical hematology tests helpful in the prognosis of identifying and estimating the survival odds of patients with COVID-19. Golmohammadi, Raeesi, and Harati Khalilabad [14] investigated the performance and efficiency of selected military hospitals at time intervals before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asadi et al.’s review study regarding managing and controlling urban epidemics indicates that the readiness of Iranian hospitals against the potential risks stemming from natural disasters is at an average level, but the readiness of some departments, such as hospital admissions, should be promoted [15]. The results of this article can inform the managers and policymakers of the Police Command health system of hospitals’ problems in probable exposure to disasters [15]. Mortezaee and Mohammadnejad also investigated the hospital information system used in the Police Command health centers to evaluate healthcare centers [16].
Vasei, Amini, and Kashani studied antibiotic resistance to improve treatment effectiveness during war and crisis [17]. Regarding medical emergencies, Saeed et al. suggest to the medical staff of the military and police forces that if it is not possible to use an ultrasound device (for example, during war or other crises), the supraclavicular method should be used in the subclavian vein catheterization [18]. Mousavinejad et al.’s study on modern technologies in preparing relief items usable in police missions indicates that new dressings with different forms (film or hydrogel) can lower the risks of possible injuries in police missions [19].
The use of new methods based on enzyme reactions to monitor the police forces’ physical health and fitness [20, 21] was also one of the practical topics published in 2022 in the Journal of Police Medicine. Some articles have also been published regarding injuries related to police activities [22] and have proposed solutions to prevent such injuries [22-24]. Considering that injuries caused by exercise are a fundamental problem among military personnel [25], a study compared the effects of CrossFit and high-intensity interval exercises with ordinary physical fitness exercises on military students’ health and performance [26]. Mohammadyari’s study on police health provided suggestions regarding the military personnel’s diet according to the existing standards based on their physical activity [27]. Saadat Azhar, Sobhi, and Zarqam explained a model that can be used to promote job productivity in the recruitment and placement of military individuals in accordance with their personality characteristics [28].
Abdoli et al.’s article on the psychology of social groups and the mental health of the Police Command staff [29] indicates that considering the defects in the media literacy of the staff, self-destruction and psychological complications are observed in some cases, and the authors suggest that the necessary training be served in in-service courses. Regarding mental health of the staff, Hamid et al. also assessed occupational and psychological injuries stemming from shift work [30]. The medical staff’s mental health significantly affects the quality of patient service provision, and Rostami, Ahmadi, and Abdi addressed new styles of controlling disease anxiety among the Police Command’s medical staff [31].
The results of studies on criminal psychology also suggest that communication skills training and early intervention in conduct disorders can effectively reduce social crimes [32, 33]. The factors influencing some crimes of soldiers and the effect of management styles were examined in Attarian et al.’s [34] study. Given the importance of criminals’ identity authentication in crime detection, Babaei et al. [35] also conducted a study on the challenges of using biometric evidence in identity recognition.
Regarding addiction, the results of several studies were also published [1, 2, 6, 36]. In their study, Heidarzadeh et al. [36] reviewed quick and precise diagnostic methods of drug abuse. The results of Habibzadeh, Hashemi, and Rezaei’s research can also be a basis for addiction treatment through modern non-pharmacological methods [37]. Since many criminal behaviors occur in the drunkenness status, regarding new treatment methods related to various fields of police medicine, Soleimani et al. studied the effect of taking food supplements containing probiotics on ethanol-induced brain damage [38].
Sharifi Rahnamo et al. have provided their focal analysis regarding traffic medicine and analysis of some human factors influential in the incidence of driving accidents [39]. Koochakinejad et al. also performed a content analysis regarding solutions for enforcing wearing a helmet [40].
In 2022, by emphasizing on providing the clinical and practical points of research results regarding police medicine from the words of the articles’ authors, this journal has tried to make the studies’ results more practical for the readers. Also, aiming to increase the international audience and the articles’ citations, the main content of all articles in the eleventh volume were extracted and published in English. Thus, it can be said that as a bilingual journal, the Journal of Police Medicine has published the main content of all articles in Persian and English since 2022, and the full text of all articles will be published in Persian and English from the beginning of 2023. While appreciating all the authors, reviewers, and editors of the articles published last year (Table 1), all readers of the journal are invited to submit their precious manuscripts in different fields of the journal, particularly those fields that had no published articles in the previous volume.
Acknowledgments
All professors and officials who cooperated with the Journal of Police Medicine in 2022 are gratefully appreciated (Table 1).
Conflict of Interest
The authors hereby declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the present study.
Zewdie Abay, Amssalu Bezabeh, Alemayehu Gela
et al.
Global honeybee losses and colony decline are becoming continuous threat to the apicultural industry, as well as, for food security and environmental stability. Although the putative causes are still unclear, extensive exposure of bees to pesticides could be the possible factor for worldwide colony losses. This study was aimed at evaluating the impact of nine commonly used pesticide incidents on adult worker honeybees (A. mellifera) under the laboratory condition, in North Gonder of Amhara region, Ethiopia. Feeding test, contact test, and fumigation tests were carried out for each pesticide following the standard procedures, and each pesticide toxicity was compared to the standard toxic chemical, dimethoate 40% EC (positive control), and to 50% honey solution (negative control). The results revealed that all the tested pesticides caused significant deaths of the experimental bees (P<0.05) in all the tests when compared to the negative control. Diazinon 60% EC, endosulfan 35% EC, and malathion 50% EC were appeared highly toxic causing 100% mortality of bees, while chlorsulfuron 75% WG killed 90% of the experimental bees as tested via feeding. On the other hand, agro-2, 4-D and its mixture with glycel 41% EC are moderately toxic, and mancozeb 80% WP and glycel 41% EC were slightly toxic to honeybees as compared to the positive control (dimethoate 40% EC). Suddenly, diazinon 60% EC and malathion 50% EC triggered 100% mortality of bees, while endosulfan 35% EC and chlorsulfuron 75% WG caused 63.63% and 90.82% of bee mortality, respectively, when evaluated via contact test. The fumigation test also showed that chlorsulfuron 75% WG, diazinon 60% EC, and endosulfan 35% EC caused 100%, 86.7%, and 65.6% mortality rate of bees. Our result also highlighted that tested LD50 of all pesticide incidents were significantly lower than the manufacturer-based LD50. This shows that local honeybees A. m. jemenetica are extremely sensitive to commonly used agricultural pesticides, which may affect the colony level due to the intensive application of these pesticides in Ethiopia.
Abstract Phytosterols (PS) are widely distributed in the plant source foods, and research on their health benefits has become increasingly active. This article briefly outlines the main extraction processes of PS and instrumental analysis methods of PS in detail. The PS isolation technique depends on the nature of the matrix and the form of the PS (free, esterified, and glycosylated). Conventional extraction technologies for PS commonly used in practice were Soxhlet extraction and maceration method. Due to their inherent molecular structure, PS exhibits poor stability to heat, light, oxygen, pH, and metal ions. It is of great significance to find a reliable analytical technique to extract PS and oxidation products from food substances and an accurate detection method of PS in different foods due to the instability of plant sterol and the interference of complex plant‐based matrices. Generally, it is common to use GC–MS to determine the composition of total PS and their oxidation products, which requires standard monomer PS. It is desirable to use LC–MS to determine free PS in liquid samples. These methodologies could be meaningful in the quality assessment, health function evaluation, and applications and limitations of plant‐sourced foods.
Food processing and manufacture, Toxicology. Poisons
Abstract The effect of probiotics or probiotics add supplement on improving clinical outcomes of coronary heart disease (CHD) has produced conflicting results. This meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotics supplementation or probiotics add supplement on blood glucose, lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, and depress score in patients with CHD. Search PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant studies from February 1974 to September 2022. Pooled results were calculated using a fixed‐effect model to assess the effects of probiotics supplementation or probiotics add supplement in CHD. A total of 10 randomized controlled trials were included in this analysis. Overall, probiotics add supplement showed statistically significant reductions in triglycerides, insulin, homeostasis model of assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), interleukin‐6, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score, compared to the control group (standardized mean difference [SMD]: −0.35 mg/dL; SMD: −0.64 μIU/mL; SMD: −0.90; SMD: −0.57 mg/dL; SMD: −0.60 pg/mL; SMD: −0.52; respectively), but high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, nitric oxide (NO) were statistically significant increased (SMD: 0.45 mg/dL; SMD: 1.01 μmol/L; respectively). Then, probiotics showed statistically significant reductions in hs‐CRP, and Beck Anxiety Inventory score BDI (SMD: −0.50 mg/dL; SMD: −0.67; SMD: −0.41; respectively). Moreover, subgroup analyses revealed that low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, HOMA‐IR, diastolic blood pressure, NO indicators may influence by patients age, body mass index (BMI), duration of the supplement and dose of probiotics. Our analysis showed that probiotics supplementation or probiotics add supplement improved glucolipid metabolism, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and depressive disorder, particularly the patients who ages ≥60, baseline BMI <30 kg/m2, duration of intervention more than 12 weeks and the dose of probiotics ≥8 × 109 CFU/day. The PROSPERO ID was CRD42022357385.
Food processing and manufacture, Toxicology. Poisons
Alexey S. Averin, Mikhail V. Goltyaev, Tatyana V. Andreeva
et al.
Abstract Background: The cardiovascular system is one of the first systems to be affected by snake toxins; but not many toxins exert a direct effect on the heart. Cobra venom cardiotoxins are among those few toxins that attack the heart. Although the two cardiotoxin types (S and P) differ in their central-loop structure, it is not known whether they differ in their effect on the mammalian heart. We compared the effects of S- and P-type cardiotoxins, CTХ-1 and CTХ-2, respectively, from the cobra Naja oxiana, on the isolated rat heart. Methods: An isolated rat heart perfused according to the Langendorff technique was used in this study to investigate the activity of cardiotoxins CTX-1 and CTX-2. The following parameters were registered: the left ventricular developed pressure, calculated as the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure in the left ventricle, the end-diastolic pressure, the heart rate, time to maximal end-diastolic pressure (heart contracture), and time to depression of the heart contraction. Results: Both cardiotoxins at the concentration of 5 μg/mL initially produce a slight increase in systolic intraventricular pressure, followed by its rapid decrease with a simultaneous increase in diastolic intraventricular pressure until reaching contracture. CTX-2 blocks cardiac contractions faster than CTX-1; in its presence the maximum diastolic pressure is reached faster and the magnitude of the developed contracture is higher. Conclusion: The P-type cardiotoxin CTX-2 more strongly impairs rat heart functional activity than the S-type cardiotoxin CTX-1, as expressed in its faster blockage of cardiac contractions as well as in more rapid development and greater magnitude of contracture in its presence.
Background: Tramadol (TR) is a synthetic opioid-like centrally acting analgesic used for moderate to severe pain management in various diseases. Numerous investigations have supported the association between tramadol use and increased levels of oxygen-free radicals. Mass production of reactive oxygen species produces secondary toxic compounds. This could damage the internal components of the cell and ultimately causes organ damage. There exists a growing trend of tramadol abuse and the increasing reports of poisoning, abuse, and mortality due to this drug. Thus, the present study aimed to review the animals and human studies on the effects of acute and chronic exposure of tramadol in inducing organ toxicities through oxidative stress.
Methods: Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Scopus bibliographic databases were searched for studies that investigated oxidative stress as a mechanism of toxicity by tramadol. A manual search of reference lists of the retrieved articles was conducted. Data were collected from 2000 to 2021 (up to June 2021).
Results: From 28 articles concerning experimental and human studies of TR-induced oxidative stress organ damage, which included in this review, the occurrence of lipid peroxidation, alteration in the levels of total antioxidant capacity, and other oxidative stress biomarkers in many organs such as the brain, liver, kidney, adrenal and lung in the experimental studies of tramadol exposure have been observed.
Conclusion: Oxidative stress could be considered the most critical toxic mechanism in TR-induced tissue damage.
Mojtaba Ahmadinejad, Elham Valimohammdi, Ghazale Molaverdi
et al.
Introduction: Opiate (including heroin) use prevalence is 1.2% of the world population according to the last report of UNOCD. In Iran about 2 million people of population are drug abusers..Heroin reduces gastric motility and prolongs gastric emptying time and it can cause gastric dilation which can be a reason for gastric ischemia . Gastric ischemia is an uncommon condition do to the rich gastric blood perfusion and collateral arteries . As some of studies show, gastric dilation can be a cause for gastric necrosis.
Case presentation: A 22-year-old woman who presented to our hospital with severe abdominal pain and several episodes of vomiting. The patient declared that she had a history of addiction to methamphetamine and heroin. In abdominal examination, a soft and non-distended abdomen with generalized tenderness, mostly in hypogastric region without rebound tenderness was revealed.Abdominal radiograph revealed a much distended stomach. A non-contrast CT abdomen confirmed severe gastric dilatation. On endoscopy, multiple necrotic lesions were seen throughout the stomach and mostly in the proximal part. Our finding in the laparotomy was gastric necrosis in the proximal part, which resulted in a total gastrectomy. esophagojejunostomy with roux en y reconstruction was done after total gastrectomy.
Conclusion: Opioids can increase the risk of GI dysfunction and they can increase risk of infection in GI tract. In our case ,abuse of heroin caused a gastric dilation and massive gastric necrosis.
BackgroundIn recent years, Chinese residents have undergone profound changes in dietary habits and lifestyle, and the increasing prevalence rate of central obesity has become one of the major public health problems.ObjectiveTo analyze the changes in waist circumference distribution and central obesity prevalence, and the differences by demographic and socioeconomic factors among Chinese adults aged 18-35 in 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from 1993 to 2018, and to provide evidence for further exploration of etiology and control measures.MethodsBased on the data of nine follow-up rounds of the China Health and Nutrition Survey from 1993 to 2018, adults aged 18 to 35 were selected as study subjects. After excluding the records of missing demographic information or abnormal physical measurement data, a total of 16008 subjects were included in this study. Central obesity was diagnosed by WS/T 428—2013 Criteria of weight for adults. Spearman rank test was used to analyze the changes of waist circumference; Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to analyze the trends of central obesity prevalence rate; multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of central obesity in the whole population; subgroup analysis on waist circumference and central obesity prevalence rate was also conducted among participants from the 2018 follow-up survey. survey.ResultsFrom 1993 to 2018, the waist circumference and prevalence rate of central obesity of adults aged 18-35 in 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) significantly increased by year (P<0.05). In males, the prevalence rate increased from 4.40% to 35.49% (Ptrend<0.05), while in females, it increased from 6.33% to 18.31% (Ptrend<0.05), and the average growth rates were 8.14% and 2.58% per annum, respectively. The results of multiple model analysis showed that subjects aged 25 to 35 years were more likely to have central obesity than the control group with age 18 to 24 years in both males (OR=1.285, 95%CI: 1.066-1.550) and females (OR=1.558, 95%CI: 1.234-1.967). There were significant associations of central obesity in males with residence, geographical location, and economic zones: urban males were 39.5% (OR=1.395, 95%CI: 1.169-1.165) more likely to suffer from central obesity than rural males; males living in southern China were 37.9% (OR=0.621, 95%CI: 0.519-0.744) less likely to suffer from central obesity than those living in northern China; compared with males living in central economic zone, males living in western economic zone were 27.1% (OR=0.729, 95%CI: 0.567-0.937) less likely and males living in eastern economic zone were 21.8% (OR=1.218, 95%CI: 1.017-1.459) more likely to suffer from central obesity. No significant correlation was found of residence and geographical location with central obesity in females, only in the western economic zone, females were 32.4% (OR=0.676, 95%CI: 0.515-0.886) less likely to suffer from central obesity than those in the central economic zone. With increase of income levels, females were less likely to be central obese, and females of middle income level (OR=0.749, 95%CI: 0.600-0.934) and high income level (OR=0.684, 95%CI: 0.542-0.864) were less likely to suffer from central obesity than those of low income level. In the total population, a higher body mass index (BMI) level was significantly associated with having central obesity; overweight and obese males were found to be 12.207 (95%CI: 10.228-14.568) and 150.418 (95%CI: 111.186-203.492) times more likely to have central obesity, respectively, and the odds ratios for females were 9.014 (95%CI: 7.446-10.912) and 88.215 (95%CI: 61.411-126.717), respectively.ConclusionFrom 1993 to 2018, waist circumference and the prevalence rate of central obesity in adults aged 18-35 in selected 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) of China have been increased year by year, the condition of central obesity is more severe in males. Gender, age, economic zones, and BMI are the major influencing factors. It is necessary to take effective early screening and intervention measures targeting central obesity in youth population to reduce health risks.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are generated as by-products of aerobic metabolism. The production of ROS increases during xenobiotic stress and under multiple pathological conditions. Although ROS are considered harmful historically, mounting evidence recently indicates a signaling function of ROS, preceding to and regulating transcriptional or post-transcriptional events, contributing to cell death or cell survival and adaptation. Among the cellular defense mechanisms activated by ROS is formation of stress granules (SGs). The stalled translational apparatus, together with mRNA, aggregates into microscopically detectable and molecularly dynamic granules. We found that with H2O2, the dose most potent for inducing SGs in HeLa cells is 400–600 μM. With 200 μM H2O2, 2 h treatment induced the highest percentage of cells containing SGs. Whether ROS signaling pathways regulate the formation of SGs was tested using pharmacological inhibitors. We probed the potential role of PI3K, MAPKs, PKC or histone deacetylation in SG formation. Using deferoxamine as a positive control, we found a lack of inhibitory effect of wortmannin, LY-294002, JNK-I, SB-202190, PD-98059, or H89 when the percentage of cells containing SGs was counted. About 35% inhibition was observed with HDAC6 inhibitor Tubastatin A, whereas general HDAC inhibitor Trichostatin A provided a complete inhibition of SG formation. Our data point to the need of investigating the role of HDACs in SG formation during oxidative stress.
Masoud Mayel, Saleh Hamzeh, Salile Shahabi Rabori
et al.
Abstract Background In 2016, in a lead poisoning outbreak in Iran, physicians reported thousands of opium users who presented to emergency departments (EDs) with intractable severe abdominal pain which did not respond to any narcotic medication. During the same period of time, we investigated the efficacy of intravenous calcium gluconate in alleviating lead-induced abdominal pain. Methods In a single-center, single blinded, randomized controlled trial, a convenient sample of adult opium-addicted patients who presented to an academic ED with abdominal pain and had an initial diagnosis of lead poisoning were included and randomly subjected to two treatment groups receiving conventional treatment (morphine 0.1 mg/kg + normal saline; group 1) and conventional treatment plus 1 g of intravenous calcium gluconate (group 2) to alleviate their abdominal pain. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was determined by each patient (0 to 100 mm) before treatment, and 15, 30, and 60 min after intervention. Results A total of 50 patients (25 in each group) were enrolled. Blood lead levels, VAS scores before treatment, and mean administered dose of morphine were similar between the two groups. After treatment, mean VAS score dropped to 64.7± 10.4 vs. 67.1± 10.9 at 15 min (P = 0.437), 64.6± 10.9 vs. 58.0 ± 11.2 at 30 min (P = 0.041), and 63.8± 10.7 vs. 53.6± 10.9 at 60 min (P = 0.002) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusion Intravenous calcium gluconate administration along with morphine can improve abdominal pain in lead poisoning due to the ingestion of lead-contaminated opium. Further interventional studies are recommended to see if response to calcium salts in suspected lead-induced abdominal pain can rule in lead toxicity. Trial registration IRCT20171009036661N2 . Registered 27 May 2018 - Retrospectively registered,