Estimation of Target Hazard Quotients and Potential Health Risks for Toxic Metals and Other Trace Elements by Consumption of Female Fish Gonads and Testicles.

The aim of this study was to assess the risk to consumers associated with the intake of toxic metals and other trace elements in diets that include the female gonads, testicles, and muscles of four popular freshwater fish species in Poland­common bream (Abramis brama L.), European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), common roach (Rutilus rutilus L.), and northern pike (Esox Lucius L.). The following methods were used to determine the elements: GF-AAS (Pb, Cd); CV-AAS (Hg); ICP-AES (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Li, Cr, Al). The concentration of toxic elements (Hg, Cd, Pb) in the female gonads and testicles ranged from 0.004 ± 0.006 mg/kg (Cd) to 0.028 ± 0.018 mg/kg (Pb). Of the other elements, the lowest content was noted for Cr (0.122 ± 0.182 mg/kg) and the highest for Al (46.98 ± 31.89 mg/kg). The study confirmed that female gonads and testicles are a valuable source of essential trace elements (Zn, Fe). Considering the content of toxic elements, the raw material of female gonads and testicles posed no health risks (THQ < 1).

Influence of Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment on the Changes in Residues of Important Elements in Drinking Water.

Drinking water is the essential medium for food production, and is also needed for direct consumption; while it must be free of harmful substances, it also must have a composition that is beneficial to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of water and wastewater treatment on reducing the concentrations of zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in the Western Pomerania Voivodeship in Poland. The research was carried out in 2017-2019. The analysis was performed with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES). The concentrations of trace elements in drinking water were below maximum acceptable concentrations (MACs). Reductions in the most dangerous elements during water treatment fluctuated from 48.5% (As) to 97% (Pb). Wastewater treatment reduced the concentrations of analyzed elements by a range of 28.6 to 60.8%, and the most toxic elements (Pb and As) by over 50%. Trace element concentrations in treated wastewater were below MAC values, and ranged from 1.15% (Pb) to 6.23% (As) of MACs for toxic elements. The concentrations of both essential elements (Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu) and toxic elements (Pb, As) in drinking water were below the MACs. Water treatment had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on decreasing trace element concentrations.

Endocrine-disrupting organochlorine xenobiotics in fish products imported from Asia-an assessment of human health risk.

The sources of endocrine-disrupting persistent organochlorine compounds (OC) are environmental pollutants. Contaminated food is a direct result of environmental pollution, and fish are considered as the main source of OC in the human diet. This study aimed to analyze the contamination of imported fish fillets with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in the context of potential health risks of consumers in Poland in the light of the new tolerable weekly intake (TWI) values. The tested compounds in fish products were determined by liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GS-MS) method. Despite the detection of almost all pesticides analyzed in the fish fillets tested, the risk factor (hazard quotient) was significantly lower than 1.0, ranging from 0.003 to 0.013. Considering the previous recommended TWI value (14 pg-TEQ/kg bw/week), the estimated weekly intake was lower at 43-53% of TWI. However, according to the new TWI values set by the EFSA in 2018, the estimated weekly intake was about three times higher than the TWI. This raises concerns regarding threats to consumer health.

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF NEW MANDELATE IONIC LIQUIDS.

Novel mandelate ionic liquids with quartenary ammonium cations were synthesized and characterized. The compounds exhibit antimicrobial activity and the most potent one is of similar efficacy against Gram+ bacteria as its counterpart chloride. On the other hand, the mandelates are much less active against Gram-bacteria and fungi. QSAR models suggest that, with respect to cation, their potency depends on lipophilicity. The synthesized ionic liquids are also quite cytotoxic against mammalian cells.

Long-alkyl-chain quaternary ammonium lactate based ionic liquids.

A new group of quaternary ammonium lactate based ionic liquids have been prepared and characterized. Didecyldimethylammonium (DDA) and benzalkonium (BA) D,L- and L-lactates are air-stable, hydrophilic, surface-active salts. They are very effective antibacterial and antifungal agents, especially the DDA lactates, against Streptococcus mutants and Candida albicans. Their activities are comparable or more effective than the original benzalkonium chloride. In addition, they have been shown to be good insect-feeding deterrents. However, they are poor antifungal agents for wood preservation. The toxicity of the DDA and BA lactates has also been studied and the results are presented in this paper.

Molecular structure of some 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone derivatives.

It is generally accepted that the specific, energetically preferred conformation of a compound decides on the nature of interactions with pharmacological receptor. Therefore it is of basic importance to get an insight into such molecular parameters as charge distribution, most preferred conformations or the distances between specified points within a molecule. The structure of some 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone derivatives with the aid of NMR spectroscopy (13C and 15N) and X-ray analysis was investigated. Analysis of AS-8 structure revealed that the crystals of hydrochloride salt are built up of cation-anion pairs and crystallized with molecule of water. The results allowed to identify the primary place of the molecule interaction with an acid residue within putative receptor site.

Intravenous amiodarone for cardioversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common causes of hospital admission, with a prevalence of up to 5% of the population, increasing with advancing age. Emergency direct current cardioversion is the therapy of choice when arrhythmia leads to hemodynamic compromise, but in patients who are hemodynamically stable, antiarrhythmic drugs are usually given to restore sinus rhythm. HYPOTHESIS: The study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of intravenous amiodarone in cardioversion of recent-onset paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). No standard antiarrhythmic therapy has been accepted for pharmacologic cardioversion of AF. Amiodarone seems to be a promising candidate, but only few randomized trials are available and the results are inconsistent. METHODS: In all, 160 patients with AF lasting < 24 h were randomly assigned (2:1 fashion) to the amiodarone group (n = 106) receiving 5 mg/kg as a 30 min intravenous (i.v.) infusion, followed by i.v. infusion of 10 mg/kg during 20 h diluted in 1000 ml of 10% glucose with 20 IU of rapid-action insulin, 80 mEq of potassium chloride, and 8 g of magnesium sulphate (GIKM), or to the control group (n = 54) receiving 1000 ml of GIKM alone. Treatment was continued up to 20 h independent of sinus rhythm restoration. RESULTS: Sinus rhythm was restored 20 h after initiation of therapy in 88 (83%) patients in the amiodarone group and in 24 (44%) patients in the control group (p < 0.0001). The difference between efficacy of the two treatment modalities became significant already after 8 h of therapy (53 vs. 14 patients with sinus rhythm, respectively, p < 0.05). The mean dose of amiodarone administered until sinus rhythm restoration was 740 +/- 296 mg. The presence and the type of underlying heart disease did not influence the conversion rate in either group. In two patients (1.8%) treated with amiodarone, the return of sinus rhythm was preceded by asystole. CONCLUSION: Amiodarone is effective in the termination of AF lasting < 24 h. It may be particularly useful in patients with organic heart disease in whom class I antiarrhythmic agents may be contraindicated. During treatment, the heart rhythm should be monitored continuously.

Rigid analogues of buspirone and gepirone, 5-HT1A receptors partial agonists.

Rigid analogues of buspirone and gepirone, 5-HT1A receptors partial agonists, were obtained. The compounds exhibited very low affinity to the receptors. Their structural features resembled to a large extent the arrangement of the respective structural elements found in the solid state of buspirone and in the theoretical structure of NAN-190 (5-HT1A postsynaptic antagonist) rigid analogue exhibiting high affinity to the receptor. The obtained results would thus suggest that the bioactive conformation of buspirone might not be the extended one. That would additionally suggest that either both groups of compounds could occupy different areas at the receptor binding sites (or bind to different receptor states) or the constrained structure of 2 does not represent well 5-HT1A receptor binding site requirements.

[Hypertension and metabolic syndrome in population of one company. Monotherapy with amlodipine and doxazosin]. / Nadcisnienie tetnicze i zespól metaboliczny w populacji jednego zakladu pracy. Monoterapia amlodypina i doksazosyna.

UNLABELLED: In Poland diagnosing of hypertension (HA) and the efficacy of treatment of this condition is still insufficient. Consideration of the concomitant metabolic disorders may help to choose the best line of therapy. AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the incidence of HA and concomitant lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disturbances in population of one company. To assess the efficacy of monotherapy of HA and the influence of therapy on some metabolic parameters. METHODS: The blood pressure was measured in 599 subjects. Patients with HA (> or = 140/90 mmHg) were treated according to metabolic parameters. Patients with fasting total cholesterol (TC) > or = 200 mg% and/or fasting glucose level > or = 110 mg% received doxazosin (D); initial dose 1 mg. The remaining patients received amlodipine (A); initial dose 5 mg. RESULTS: HA was found in 154 patients (27.5%). In this group, 50 of subjects were unaware of the disease, the remaining 67 (44%) were not treated or treated insufficiently. Elevated glucose and/or TC levels were found in 51% of hypertensives. After one month of treatment with A or D, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly (p = 0.001). Monotherapy was effective in 88.9% of subjects in group D and in 92.1% in group A. In group D, TC concentration decreased by 9.5% comparing to baseline (p = 0.001). The tolerance of treatment was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: One fourth of the examined company population under medical attention of the local health service had HA. One third of HA patients were unaware of the disease. The half of patients with HA had metabolic disorders. Doxazosin and amlodipine were equally effective and well tolerated during one month of treatment. Treatment with doxazosin positively influenced the metabolic profile.