The effect of vitamin E supplementation on brain tissue element levels in epileptic rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate how the application of vitamin E affected the levels of chemical elements in the brain tissues of epilepsy-induced rats. The sample of 40 adult male rats was separated into 4 equal groups: Group 1: control, Group 2: vitamin E; Group 3: penicillin to promote epileptic form activity and Group 4: penicillin + vitamin E. After three months of treatment, an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used to analyze the presence of the elements in brain tissue sections (brain, brainstem, cerebellum) of the decapitated animals. The levels of magnesium in the groups that received vitamin E (G2 and 4) were significantly higher than in the control group (G1) and the first epilepsy group (G3) (p.05).Chrome and zinc levels in brain, brainstem, and cerebellum tissue of the two epilepsy groups (G3-4) decreased significantly compared to the control group (G1) and the vitamin E group (G2) (p.05). The levels of copper in the brainstem and lead in the cerebellum of the first epilepsy group (G3) were higher than in all other groups (p.05). The findings showed that the application of vitamin E in experimental epilepsy may have a limited effect on element metabolism in brain tissue. A decline in zinc levels in the brain, brainstem and cerebellum tissues in epilepsy groups constitutes another result of our study. This should be examined further to determine whether decreased levels of zinc play a role in epilepsy pathogenesis.

Occupational allergy to dog among police dog trainers.

Summary: This study was aimed to reveal the prevalence of dog allergy and other common allergy and allergic symptoms in police dog trainers. Fifty-six police dog trainers and 150 workers as control group were included in this study. Medical records of dog trainers including respiratory, skin, eye symptoms and physical examinations and skin prick test results are compared with the medical records of control group. Positive SPT to dog was present in 21.4% of dog trainers, whereas the frequency of sensitization to dog in the control group was 1.3% (p minor 0.001). Dog allergy development risk is found 20 times greater in dog trainers than control group. In multiple logistic regression analysis, it was found that atopy was associated with dog allergy likelihood. Sensitization to dog allergens is an important occupational problem for dog trainers.

Evaluation of aortic elasticity parameters in arsenic exposed workers.

One of the major complications of arsenic on human health is hypertension. Arsenic-related hypertension and negative effects of arsenic on arterial system such as oxidative stress and vasoconstriction/vasorelaxation imbalance may lead to impair aortic elasticity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of arsenic on aortic elasticity parameters including aortic strain and distensibility. One hundred twelve (112) workers were occupationally exposed to arsenic and 60 healthy control subjects were enroled. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography for detecting aortic strain and aortic distensibility. There were no differences in baseline demographic and echocardiographic characteristics between the groups. Aortic strain (10.3±3.9 vs 12.1±2.7%, P=0.001) and aortic distensibility (0.45±0.17 vs 0.54±0.15 cm2 per dyn, P=0.001) were decreased in arsenic-exposure group compared with controls. Urinary arsenic level was found to be negatively and significantly correlated with aortic strain (r=-0.306, P=0.001) and aortic distensibility (r=-0.259, P=0.006). Duration of arsenic exposure was also found to be negatively and significantly correlated with aortic strain (r=-0.386, P<0.001) and aortic distensibility (r=-0.333, P<0.001). This study suggests that arsenic exposure is related to impairment of aortic elasticity parameters even in subjects without overt cardiovascular disease.

Ultrasonographic Measurement of the Achilles and Supraspinatus Tendon Thicknesses in Patients with Chronic Lead Exposure.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess tendon thickness in patients with chronic occupational lead exposure by using ultrasonography. METHODS: Twenty-seven male workers (mean age 32.9 ± 6.2 years, range 25-44 years) with occupational lead exposure and 27 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy male subjects (mean age 33.1 ± 5.6 years, range 25-44 years) were enrolled. Ultrasonographic measurements were obtained from the supraspinatus and Achilles tendons by using a linear probe (5-10 MHz). RESULTS: Mean Achilles tendon values at long axis (p = 0.034) and tendon cross-sectional area (p = 0.013) were significantly smaller in the lead-exposed group than the control group. On the other hand, no significant difference was found regarding the thickness of the supraspinatus tendon (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results imply that subjects with occupational lead exposure have smaller Achilles tendons than healthy subjects. Chronic lead exposure may affect the tendons due to reduction of collagen synthesis. Further studies are definitely needed to confirm our initial findings.

Does tamoxifen citrate prevent pulmonary fibrosis due to silica inhalation?

BACKGROUND: As shown in several studies, besides being used in breast cancer, tamoxifen is also known for its antifibrotic effects via reducing the serum TGF-beta levels. We investigated the possible preventive effect of tamoxifen in rats exposed to silica particles depending on the antifibrotic effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 102 adult female Wistar Albino rats were divided into five groups. First two groups (control and tmx) were free of silica and the last three groups (slc, tmx1 and tmx 10) were exposed to crystalline silica. The rats in tmx, tmx1 and tmx10 groups received 10 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of body weight tamoxifen, respectively. On day 84, all rats were sacrified and tissue samples were obtained together with blood samples. The differences in serum TGF-ß levels, histological grades of fibrosis and inflammation in the lung and liver tissues together with addional biochemical markers were calculated between the groups. RESULTS: Silicosis occurred in slc, tmx1 and tmx10 groups in 100%, 91.7% and 52.1%, respectively. Liver fibrosis did not occur. The highest mean lung fibrosis scores were obtained in slc group while the scores were lower in tmx1 group and the lowest in tmx10 within silica-exposed rats. Nevertheless, the inflammation scores were higher in tamoxifen-administered rats in a dose-dependent pattern. CONCLUSION: Silica inhalation did not result in liver fibrosis. Tamoxifen is found to prevent lung fibrosis and reduce serum TGFß-1 levels while increasing lung inflammation (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 27).

Serum biochemical markers of central nerve system damage in children with acute elemental mercury intoxication.

OBJECTIVE: Acute mercury intoxication among children can occur through unintentional exposure, and neurotoxicity is one of the main findings in acute exposures. In this study, we aimed to study the central nerve system markers, namely neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S100B, and glutamate receptor (GRIA 1) levels and discuss the mechanisms of central nerve system damage and whether these parameters could be used as markers of acute elemental mercury intoxication neurotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a case-control study which includes 169 children with acute elemental mercury intoxication, who were exposed to mercury in the school laboratory from a broken jar, and 45 sex- and age-matched controls without mercury exposure. Patient group were divided into three subgroups according to the neurological examination performed during the admission. Neuropathy Group included the children with neurological symptoms including peripheral neuropathy and decreased muscle strength (n = 39) (with or without dilated pupils). Dilated Pupil Group included the children who had mid-dilated/dilated pupils (n = 52). Asymptomatic Exposure Group included the children who did not have any neurological symptoms (n = 78). Serum NSE, S100B, GRIA 1, blood, and urine mercury levels were determined. RESULTS: NSE, S100B, GRIA 1, and blood mercury levels were significantly higher in exposed group than the nonexposed subjects (Median values NSE 22.4 ng/mL, 17.2 ng/mL; S100B 0.09 ng/mL, 0.08 ng/mL; GRIA 1 70.6 pg/mL, 54.1 pg/mL, and blood mercury 15.2 µg/L, 0.23 µg/L for exposed and nonexposed groups, respectively). GRIA 1 levels found to differ between exposed and nonexposed groups and it has also been found to be increased in the subgroups with positive neurological findings compared to that in neurological finding negative groups. S100B levels were found to be increased in exposed and having neurological symptom groups. There was not a significant difference between exposed-not having neurological symptom patients and control group. NSE levels were found to be higher in all subgroups when compared to those in controls, however there was not a significant difference between the subgroups. CONCLUSION: Serum NSE, GRIA 1, and S100B were increased with mercury exposure. GRIA 1 and S100B levels were observed to have the power to discriminate neurological symptom positive and negative groups. The increase in S100B levels are thought to be protecting the neurons and preventing further NSE elevations.