Albuterol as an adjuvant in acute anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Acute anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning is a serious clinical problem, particularly in developing countries. Atropine is the most acceptable treatment for acute anticholinesterase poisoning. However, it only stops fluid production. Albuterol is a beta-2 receptor agonist that can increase fluid removal and speed the return of effective oxygen exchange. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nebulized albuterol as an adjuvant therapy in patients with acute anticholinesterase poisoning. This stratified block randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial was conducted between November 2020 and October 2021. It enrolled 80 patients with acute anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning who were admitted to Tanta University Poison Control Center. Patients were allocated into two groups (40 patients each). The strata were based on the severity of poisoning (moderate and severe). Patients in group I received 10 mg of nebulized albuterol. Group II received an equivalent volume of nebulized normal saline. Additionally, standard treatment was provided to both groups. Outcomes included oxygenation, mortality, need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, hospital stay duration, time to atropinization, and total doses of atropine and oxime. We found insignificant differences in sociodemographics, exposure characteristics, clinical manifestations, or routine laboratory tests between the studied groups. The median values of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry were 99% in the albuterol moderate toxicity group and 98% in the control moderate toxicity group. Albuterol significantly improved oxygen saturation in moderate intoxicated patients (P = 0.039). Therefore, nebulized albuterol is a safe drug. Moreover, it may improve oxygenation in acute anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning.

Lipoic acid inhibits cognitive impairment induced by multiple cell phones in young male rats: role of Sirt1 and Atg7 pathway.

The utilization of digital technology has grown rapidly in the past three decades. With this rapid increase, cell phones emit electromagnetic radiation; that is why electromagnetic field (EMF) has become a substantial new pollution source in modern civilization, mainly having adverse effects on the brain. While such a topic attracted many researchers' scopes, there are still minimal discoveries made regarding chronic exposure to EMF. The extensive use of cell phones may affect children's cognition even indirectly if parents and guardians used their phones repeatedly near them. This study aims to investigate possible lipoic acid (LA) effects on cognitive functions and hippocampal structure in young male rats exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted from multiple cell phones. Forty young male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups: control, multiple cell phones-exposed and lipoic acid-treated rats. By the end of the experimental period, the Morris water maze was used as a cognitive test. The rats were sacrificed for the collection of serum and hippocampal tissue. These serum samples were then utilized for assessment of Liver function tests. The level ofglutamate, acetylcholine (Ach) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was estimated, in addition to evaluating the expression of autophagy-related protein-7 (Atg7) and Sirt1 genes. The left hippocampal specimens were used for histopathological studies. Results showed that multiple cell phone-exposed rats exhibited shorter latency time to reach the platform by the fifth day of training; additionally, there was a reduction in consolidation of spatial long-term memory. Correspondingly, there was an elevation of hippocampal Ach, glutamate, and MDA levels; accompanied by up-regulation of hippocampal Sirt1 and Atg7 gene expression. Compared to the EMF-exposed group, LA administration improved both learning and memory, this was proved by the significant decline in hippocampal MDA and Ach levels, the higher hippocampal glutamate, the downregulated hippocampal Sirt1 gene expression and the upregulated Atg7 gene expression. In conclusion, EMF exposure could enhance learning ability; however, it interfered with long-term memory consolidation shown by higher hippocampal Ach levels. Lipoic acid treatment improved both learning and memory by enhancing autophagy and hippocampal glutamate level and by the reduced Ach levels and Sirt1 gene expression.

Effect of fermentation on naturally occurring deoxynivalenol (DON) in Argentinean bread processing technology.

The stability of naturally occurring DON was evaluated during the fermentation stage of the bread-making process on a pilot scale. Two different products, French bread and Vienna bread, were prepared with naturally contaminated wheat flour (150 mg kg(-1)) under controlled experimental conditions. Dough was fermented at 30, 40 and 50 degrees C according to standard procedures employed in Argentinean low-technology bakeries. When the dough was fermented at 50 degrees C, the maximum reduction was 56% for the Vienna bread, with French bread being reduced by 41%. DON reduction during bread-making occurs not only in the baker due to thermal decomposition, but also during the fermentation step. The Argentinean traditional bread-making process might reduce DON levels during the fermentation stages if the dough is leavened at temperatures > 30 degrees C.

Occurrence of trichothecenes in Argentinean beer: a preliminary exposure assessment.

The presence of trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyl deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, neosolaniol and diacetoxyscirpenol) was studied in 50 samples of Argentinean beer (nine different brands). Gas chromatography with electron capture detector was used for identification and quantification of these mycotoxins. The only mycotoxin detected was deoxynivalenol (DON). It was present in 44% of the samples, 18% were contaminated with more than 20 ng/ml. Toxin levels ranged from 4 to 221 ng/ml in positive samples. This is the first report on DON contamination of Argentinean beer. The estimate of probable daily intake (PDI) of DON from beer consumption in Argentina does not indicate a health hazard, but it has to be taken into account in calculations of total DON exposure in the population.