Effect of Blood Phenylalanine Levels on Oxidative Stress in Classical Phenylketonuric Patients

Mental retardation, which occurs in phenylketonuric patients, is associated with increased levels of phenylalanine, increased oxidative stress, and an imbalance of amino acids in the brain. Recent studies have shown that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of phenylketonuria. In this work, we aimed to compare the influence of blood phenylalanine levels on oxidative stress parameters in phenylketonuric patients who divided patients into groups according to blood Phe levels during follow-up visits and compared these groups with healthy controls. Results showed significant differences in glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), coenzyme Q10 (Q10), Q10/cholesterol, and l-carnitine levels in phenylketonuria patients and the control group. GSHPx, Q10, and Q10/cholesterol levels were significantly lower in poor adherence patients than in the control groups. l-carnitine levels were significantly increased in good adherence patients than poor adherence patients and decreased in poor adherence patients than healthy controls. No correlations were observed between phenylalanine and l-carnitine concentrations in poor adherence group. No significant differences were observed in paraoxonase 1 (PON1), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels. As a result, in this work, poor adherence patients are prone to oxidative stress. Although the patients may have the same diagnosis, patients have different clinical characteristics and different prognosis. Antioxidants can be used as an adjuvant therapy in order to avoid neurological damage in these patients.     

The role of human factor in maritime environment risk assessment: A practical application on Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) system in ship

The role of human factor plays a critical role in the safe and clean operation of maritime industry. Human error prediction can be beneficial to assess risk in maritime industry since shipping activities can pose potential hazards to human life and maritime ecology. The aim of this paper is to propose a risk assessment tool by considering the role of human factor. Hence, the desired safety control level in maritime transportation activities can be ascertained. In the proposed approach, a Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM) extended with fuzzy logic is used to calculate human error probability (HEP). Severity of consequences are adopted in the proposed approach to assess risk. The quantitative risk assessment approach under fuzzy SLIM methodology will be applied to a very specific case on-board ship: Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) system. In order to improve consistency of research and minimize subjectivity of experts' judgments, the paper adopts the dominance factor which is used to adjust the impact level of experts' judgments in the aggregation stage of the methodology. The paper aims at not only highlighting the importance of human factor in maritime risk assessment but also enhancing safety control level and minimizing potential environmental impacts to marine ecology.     

Biomonitoring of metal(oid)s in mining-affected Borcka Dam Lake coupled with public health outcomes

Due to increased anthropogenic activities, the aquatic environment is exposed to pollutants much more than ever. These pollutants go into the food chain and can pose a health risk to human. Correlatively, Borcka Dam Lake, Turkey has been affected by mining activities since decades. In the present study, therefore, Cu, Pb, As, Zn, Mn, Cd, Cr, and Se concentrations in water, sediment, and different tissues (muscle, gill, liver) of 11 fish species sampled from the lake were analyzed regarding metal(oid)s pollution and potential human health risk through fish consumption. The metal(oid) concentrations in the water were below the limit values recommended by USEPA for aquatic life criteria but sediments were heavily polluted by As, Cu, Pb, and Zn based on Sediment Quality Guideline. The lowest metal(oid) values among tissues for all fish species were determined in muscle (p < 0.05) which was lower than the limits for human consumption declared by European Union Regulation. Target Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index used non-cancer risk estimate which was lower than 1. In the view of these results, the consumption of fish caught from the Borcka Dam Lake may not pose a potential risk to human.     

Effects of bisphenol A on antioxidant system and lipid profile in rats

We investigated the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on antioxidant system enzymes, blood lipid profile and histologic structure of liver and pancreas in rats. We used 40 8-week-old male Wistar albino rats. The animals were divided into five groups of eight: control, vehicle, BPA-5, BPA-50 and BPA-500. BPA was dissolved in ethanol, then mixed with corn oil. The control group was untreated. The vehicle group was given the ethanol-corn oil mixture. The BPA 5, BPA 50 and BPA 500 groups were given 5, 50, and 500 µg/kg body weights/day, respectively. After 8 weeks, blood and tissue samples were obtained from the animals and plasma GSH, TBARS, SOD, GPx, CAT, NO, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, insulin and glucose were measured. The sections were stained using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. BPA significantly decreased the levels of GSH, SOD, GPx and CAT, and increased the levels of TBARS and NO in plasma. There was no significant difference among the groups in plasma insulin and glucose levels. The percentage of insulin immunoreactive cells in islets increased significantly in the BPA-500 group. The H-score of the BPA-5 and BPA-50 groups decreased significantly compared to controls. We found that BPA caused oxidative stress and disruption of pancreatic β-cell function. Therefore, BPA is a risk factor for animal and human health.     

Sulfite Reductase (SiR) Gene in Rice (Oryza sativa): Bioinformatics and Expression Analyses Under Salt and Drought Stresses

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Rice sulfite reductase (OsSiR) is important protein in reducing sulfite to sulfide. In this paper, it is aimed to shed light on OsSiR’s probable...     

Cytogenetic effects of extremely low frequency magnetic field on Wistar rat bone marrow

In this study, the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) was investigated in Wistar rat tibial bone marrow cells, using the chromosomal aberration (CA) and micronucleus (MN) test systems. In addition to these test systems, we also investigated the mitotic index (MI), and the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) to normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs). Wistar rats were exposed to acute (1 day for 4h) and long-term (4h/day for 45 days) to a horizontal 50Hz, 1mT uniform magnetic field generated by a Helmholtz coil system. Mitomycin C (MMC, 2mg/kg BW) was used as positive control. Results obtained by chromosome analysis do not show any statistically significant differences between the negative control and both acute and long-term ELF-MF exposed samples. When comparing the group mean CA of long-term exposure with the negative control and acute exposure, the group mean of the long-term exposed group was higher, but this was not statistically significant. However, the mean micronucleus frequency of the longer-term exposed group was considerably higher than the negative control and acutely exposed groups. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). The results of the MI in bone marrow showed that the averages of both A-MF and L-MF groups significantly decreased when compared to those in the negative control (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). No significant differences were found between the group mean MI of A-MF exposure with L-MF. We found that the average of PCEs/NCEs ratios of A-MF exposed group was significantly lower than the negative control and L-MF exposed groups (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). In addition, the group mean of the PCEs/NCEs ratios of L-MF was significantly lower than negative control (p<0.01). We also found that the MMC treated group showed higher the number of CA and the frequency of MN formation when compared to those in all other each groups (p-values of all each groups <0.01) and also MMC treated group showed lower MI and the PCEs/NCEs ratios when compared to those in all other each groups (p-values of all groups <0.01). These observations indicate the in vivo suspectibility of mammals to the genotoxicity potential of ELF-MF.     

Cytogenetic damage in workers from a coal-fired power plant

The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic risk to workers occupationally exposed to coal combustion products in Afsin-Elbistan A power plant, located in south-eastern Turkey. We analysed chromosomal aberrations (CAs), polyploidy, sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs), and micronuclei (MN) in 48 male workers without a history of smoking, tobacco chewing, or alcohol consumption. The results were compared with a control group of 30 healthy male individuals without exposure to any known genotoxic agents. The mean frequencies of CA, polyploidy, SCEs (P<0.01), and MN (P<0.05) were significantly higher in workers than in the control group, by the Mann-Whitney U-test. Spearman's rho correlation analysis revealed a significant increase in the frequency of CA and MN with increasing years of exposure (P<0.05). However, there was no significant effect of age on the cytogenetic markers analysed in both groups (P>0.05). The data obtained from this study clearly showed chromosomal hazard in the peripheral lymphocytes of workers exposed to coal combustion products in Afsin-Elbistan A power plant for several years. This cytogenetic damage might be attributed to the cumulative effects of several substances due to chemical complexity of the coal ash and gaseous emissions rather than a specific substance.     

The effect of resveratrol on surgery-induced peritoneal adhesions in an experimental model

Adhesion formation is a common cause of complications following surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on intra-abdominal adhesion prevention in a rat model. Twenty one Wistar-Albino rats weighing 200-250 g were assigned to three groups, of 7 rats each. After a midline laparotomy was performed, a 1 cm area of the ceacum was abraded in two of the groups. They were then given either resveratrol (Group 1), or saline (Group 2) intraperitoneally. Group 3 rats (sham operation) received no treatment, without the serosal damage. On the 14th day, the rats were killed and the adhesion score was determined according to Mazuji's adhesion grade scale. The tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured. The mean Mazuji's adhesion grade in the resveratrol group was 1.0 +/- 0.0, in the saline group 2.57 +/- 1.51, and zero in the sham operated group (p < 0.05 between the resveratrol group and saline group comparison). The levels of MDA and NO in the resveratrol group were significantly lower than those of the saline group (p < 0.001). The level of GSH in the resveratrol group was significantly higher than in the saline and sham operated groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Introduction of resveratrol into the peritoneal cavity at the time of surgery reduced adhesion formation effectively in this model. Resveratrol probably acts through reduction of lipid peroxidation products.     

Effects of subacute treatment of ethylene glycol on serum marker enzymes and erythrocyte and tissue antioxidant defense systems and lipid peroxidation in rats

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of ethylene glycol (EG) on serum marker enzymes, antioxidant defense systems and lipid peroxidation concentration (malondialdehyde=MDA) in various tissues of rats exposed to ethylene glycol. EG (1.25% or 2.5%) in drinking water was administered orally to rats (Sprague-Dawley albino) ad libitum for 21 days continuously. EG treatments caused different effects on the serum marker enzymes, antioxidant defense system and MDA content in various tissues of the treatment groups as compared with the controls. EG also caused a significant increase in the serum marker enzyme activities with 2.5% dosage whereas, no changes were not observed with 1.25% dosage of EG treatment. Lipid peroxidation significantly increased in all the tissues except for in the heart and stomach of rats treated with both dosages of EG. Also, the antioxidative systems were also seriously affected by EG. For example, SOD significantly decreased in the liver treated with both dosages whereas, SOD activity in the erythrocytes, kidney, heart and stomach were significantly increased and not changed in the brain with two dosages of EG. Also, while CAT activity significantly decreased in the erythrocytes, liver and kidney, the activity in the stomach significantly increased, but did not change in the brain and heart with two doses of EG. GR activity significantly decreased in the erythrocytes treated with both dosages of EG whereas GR was not affected in other tissues by EG treatment. GST activity significantly elevated in the heart and brain but did not change in the other tissues of rats treated with both dosages of EG. Meanwhile, GSH depletion in the erythrocytes of rats treated with 2.5% dosage of EG was found to be significant whereas, the level of GSH in the brain was significantly increased treated with both the dosages of EG. The observations presented led us to conclude that the administration of subacute EG promotes lipid peroxidatin content, elevates tissue damage serum marker enzymes and changes in the antioxidative systems in rats. These data, along with the determined changes suggest that EG produced substantial systemic organ toxicity in the erythrocyte, liver, brain, heart kidney and stomach during the period of a 21-day subacute exposure.