ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to compare the visual contrast sensitivity (CS) of men and women exposed and not exposed to organic solvents. Forty-six volunteers of both genders aged between 18 and 41 years (mean±SD=27.72±6.28) participated. Gas station attendants were exposed to gas containing 46.30 ppm of solvents at a temperature of 304±274.39 K, humidity of 62.25±7.59% and ventilation of 0.69±0.46 m/s (a passive gas chromatography-based sampling method was used considering the microclimate variables). Visual CS was measured via the psychophysical method of two-alternative forced choice using vertical sinusoidal gratings with spatial frequencies of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 16.0 cpd (cycles per degree) and an average luminance of 34.4 cd/m2. The results showed that visual CS was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the following groups: i) exposed men compared to unexposed men at frequencies of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 cpd; ii) exposed women compared to unexposed women at a frequency of 5.0 cpd; and iii) exposed women compared to exposed men at a frequency of 0.5 cpd, even at exposures below the tolerance limit (300 ppm). These results suggest that the visual CS of exposed men was impaired over a wider range of spatial frequencies than that of exposed women. This difference may have been due to the higher body fat content of women compared to that of men, suggesting that body fat in women can serve as a protective factor against neurotoxic effects.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Young Adult , Contrast Sensitivity/drug effects , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Solvents/adverse effects , Visual Perception/physiology , Adipose Tissue/anatomy & histology , Brazil/epidemiology , Educational Status , Microclimate , Occupational Exposure/statistics & numerical data , Sensory Thresholds/physiology , Sex Factors , Spatial Learning/physiologyABSTRACT
Curcumin (CUR), the main phenolic composition in turmeric, shows preventive effects in various diseases. CUR is commonly found in the Curcuma species and historically applied in herbal medicine. Numerous studies have indicated that CUR possesses protective effects against toxic agents in the various animal tissues including the brain. This study found that CUR may be effective in nervous system problems induced by neurotoxic agents. However, due to the lack of information on human, more investigations are needed to determine the efficacy of CUR as an antidote matter. The current study aimed to critically review the recent literature data from 2014 to 2016 that regarding the therapeutic aspects of CUR versus neurotoxic agents-induced brain damage and its involved mechanisms.
ABSTRACT
Curcumin (CUR), the main phenolic composition in turmeric, shows preventive effects in various diseases. CUR is commonly found in the Curcuma species and historically applied in herbal medicine. Numerous studies have indicated that CUR possesses protective effects against toxic agents in the various animal tissues including the brain. This study found that CUR may be effective in nervous system problems induced by neurotoxic agents. However, due to the lack of information on human, more investigations are needed to determine the efficacy of CUR as an antidote matter. The current study aimed to critically review the recent literature data from 2014 to 2016 that regarding the therapeutic aspects of CUR versus neurotoxic agents-induced brain damage and its involved mechanisms.
ABSTRACT
To illustrate the construction of precursor complementary DNAs, we isolated mRNAs from whole venom samples. After reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we amplified the cDNA coding for a neurotoxic protein, phospholipase A2 D49 (PLA2 D49), from the venom of Crotalus durissus collilineatus (Cdc PLA2). The cDNA encoding Cdc PLA2 from whole venom was sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA has high overall sequence identity with the group II PLA2 protein family. Cdc PLA2 has 14 cysteine residues capable of forming seven disulfide bonds that characterize this group of PLA2 enzymes. Cdc PLA2 was isolated using conventional Sephadex G75 column chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The molecular mass was estimated using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. We tested the neuromuscular blocking activities on chick biventer cervicis neuromuscular tissue. Phylogenetic analysis of Cdc PLA2 showed the existence of two lines of N6-PLA2, denominated F24 and S24. Apparently, the sequences of the New Worlds N6-F24-PLA2 are similar to those of the agkistrodotoxin from the Asian genus Gloydius. The sequences of N6-S24-PLA2 are similar to the sequence of trimucrotoxin from the genus Protobothrops, found in the Old World.