Effects of airborne Aspergillus on serum aflatoxin B1 and liver enzymes in workers handling wheat flour.

OBJECTIVE: The present work aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to airborne molds, serum aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and liver enzymes of workers handling wheat flour. METHODS: The study included 90 bakers, 100 flour milling workers, and 100 controls with no exposure to flour dust. Workplace aspects such as temperature and relative humidity were measured. Airborne fungi were collected and identified. In all subjects included, the serum levels of AFB1, serum albumin (Alb), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured. RESULTS: Air temperature and relative humidity were found to be higher in bakeries than in flour mill sections. Airborne Aspergillus species were isolated in dust particles <8 µm in size. The concentration of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger were higher in bakeries than in the flour mill sections. They were higher in the grinding section than in other mill sections. The serum AFB1-Alb adduct and ALP levels were significantly higher in bakers compared to milling workers (p < 0.0001, p = 0.05), respectively. The liver enzymes AST and ALT were significantly higher among milling workers and bakers than controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.0001), respectively. The duration of exposure was significantly correlated with serum AFB1 in bakers. Moreover, there was significant correlation between serum AFB1, each of ALT and AST levels in bakers. CONCLUSIONS: chronic occupational exposure to high concentrations of Aspergillus in workplaces may cause elevations in serum levels of AFB1 and liver enzymes in workers exposed to flour dust. Hence, worker protection measures should be consistently adopted and enforced at the workplace.

Nicotine restores monoamine neurotransmitter changes in the cortex and hippocampus of reserpinized rats as a model of depression.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A number of studies have shown that nicotine has an antidepressant-like effect. The prevalence of smoking is much higher in people suffering from depression. In addition, the administration of nicotine from transdermal nicotine patch can exert antidepressant activity in nonsmokers and the continuous infusion of nicotine to rats attenuates learned helplessness, a putative behavioral model of depression. The aim of the present study is to elucidate the neurochemical effect of nicotine on monoamine levels in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of reserpinized rats as a model of depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, rats were divided into control animals treated with saline and reserpinized group which received a daily i.p injection of reserpine for 15 days to establish the animal model of depression. Starting from the 16th day, the reserpinized rats were divided into reserpinized rats, and reserpinized rats treated daily with nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) for 15 and 30 days. After decapitation, the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of each rat were dissected out. The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) were measured in each area using a spectrofluorimeter. RESULTS: The daily i.p injection of reserpine induced a significant decrease in monoamine levels in the cortex and hippocampus. Nicotine administration restored the changes in monoamine neurotransmitters induced by reserpine in both areas after 30 days. DISCUSSION: The data of the present study suggest that the antidepressant-like effect of nicotine could be mediated by the effect of nicotine on monoamine neurotransmitters in the cortex and hippocampus of rat brain.

Antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation activity in evaluating hepatocellular damage in children.

Serum levels of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase-alpha (GST-alpha) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined to evaluate their use in diagnosing hepatocellular damage in 75 children with liver disease. Except for level of GR in patients with HBV, GR, GST-alpha and MDA were raised significantly in patients compared with controls. At 100% specificity, the sensitivity of the 3 markers for detecting hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and schistosomiasis infection respectively were: 16.7%, 100.0% and 17.7% for GR; 33.3%, 62.1% and 38.2% for GST-alpha; and 25.0%, 10.3% and 29.4% for MDA. GR was more sensitive in hepatitis C infection, while MDA reflected changes in liver ultrasound and GST-alpha was the best indicator for histopathological changes.

Antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation activity in evaluating hepatocellular damage in children

Serum levels of glutathione reductase [GR], glutathione S-transferase-alpha [GST-alpha] and malondialdehyde [MDA] were determined to evaluate their use in diagnosing hepatocellular damage in 75 children with liver disease. Except for level of GR in patients with HBV, GR, GST-alpha and MDA were raised significantly in patients compared with controls. At 100% specificity, the sensitivity of the 3 markers for detecting hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and schistosomiasis infection respectively were: 16.7%, 100.0% and 17.7% for GR; 33.3%, 62.1% and 38.2% for GST-alpha; and 25.0%, 10.3% and 29.4% for MDA. GR was more sensitive in hepatitis C infection, while MDA reflected changes in liver ultrasound and GST-alpha was the best indicator for histopathological changes