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Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):83-87. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Molecular Biology, Zagreb, Croatia.

The ascomycete fungus causes early blight, one of economically the most important tomato diseases. Due to frequent use of fungicides, has developed resistance with negative economic and environmental consequences. Research of new ways to control fungal pathogens has turned its eye to environmentally friendly chemicals with low toxicity such as boronic acids. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):1-14. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Dr Ivo Pevalek Scientific Research Centre, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Plitvice Croatia.

We investigated the influence of local meteorological conditions and number of visitors on ambient particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations and particle fraction ratios at the Plitvice Lakes National Park between July and October 2018. Outdoor mass concentrations of particles with aerodynamic diameters of less than 1, 2.5, and 10 μm (PM, PM, and PM, respectively) and indoor PM were measured with two light-scattering laser photometers set up near the largest and most visited Kozjak Lake. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):31-42. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Drug Applied Research Centre, Tabriz, Iran.

Noise and toluene can have significant adverse effects on different systems in the human body, but little is known about their combination. The aim of this study was to see how their combined action reflects on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), body weight, and pathological changes in the heart, lung, stomach, and spleen tissues. To do that we exposed New Zealand rabbits to 1000 mg/L toluene and 100 dB of white noise in a chamber specifically designed for the purpose over two consecutive weeks. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):23-30. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

University of Belgrade Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Department of Physical Chemistry, Belgrade, Serbia.

Ionising radiation damages DNA directly and indirectly through increased production of reactive oxygen species. Although telomeres have been reported as indicators of radiosensitivity, their maintenance in response to occupational exposure to low radiation doses is still a matter of debate. In this work we aimed to investigate telomere length and structure in hospital workers occupationally exposed to X-rays and to relate these findings to oxidation of biomolecules and chromosome aberrations. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):43-47. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Toxicology Unit, Zagreb, Croatia.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CTN) are nephrotoxic mycotoxins often found together in grain. The aim of this study was to measure their accumulation in the kidney and liver of adult male Wistar rats, see how it would be affected by combined treatment, and to determine if resveratrol (RSV) would decrease their levels in these organs. The rats received 125 or 250 mg/kg bw of OTA by gavage every day for 21 days and/or 20 mg/kg bw of CTN a day for two days. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):71-82. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

University of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Zagreb, Croatia.

Valproate is a common antiepileptic drug whose adverse effects include liver steatosis and dyslipidaemia. The aim of our study was to see how natural flavonoid antioxidant naringin would interact with valproate and attenuate these adverse effects. For this reason we treated male C57BL6 mice with a combination of 150 mg/kg of valproate and 25 mg/kg naringin every day for 10 days and compared their serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL, and liver PPAR-alpha, PGC-1 alpha, ACOX1, Nrf2, SOD, CAT, GSH, and histological signs of steatosis. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):48-61. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

Ferritin is the main intracellular storage of iron. Animal studies show that female liver and kidney express more ferritin and accumulate more iron than male. However, no study so far has investigated sex and age differences in light (FtL) and heavy (FtH) ferritin chain expression. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):62-70. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Mutagenesis Unit, Zagreb, Croatia.

Patient immobilisation with volatile anaesthetics (VA) during radiotherapy is sometimes unavoidable. Although it is known that both VAs and ionising radiation can have nephrotoxic effects, there are no studies of their combined effects on DNA damage. The aim of this study was to address this gap by investigating whether 48 groups of healthy Swiss albino mice (totalling 240) would differ in kidney cell DNA damage response (alkaline comet assay) to isoflurane, sevoflurane, or halothane anaesthesia and exposure to 1 Gy or 2 Gy of ionising radiation. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2022 Apr 7;73(1):15-22. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

Papuk Nature Park, unlike most similar parks and preserves in the world, contains active quarries. Quarries dig stone from the ground, creating dust and exposing deeper, potentially more radioactive layers. Since the forest trails in the Park lead right up to the quarries, we believed it was important to determine the radiological impact of the quarries on the Park environment. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):254-267. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

The most common and consequently analysed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). As these persistent organic pollutants are widespread in the environment and have a number of harmful effects on human health, the production and use of most has been banned for several years. The aquatic environment is polluted by these compounds through their deposition from the atmosphere, sewage sludge, wastewater treatment plants, and landfills, and higher levels are found in areas with developed industry and agriculture and near landfills. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):305-314. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

4University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) hydrolyse extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) and aztreonam. As ESBL-producing organisms have been identified in food producing animals, the aim of our study was to detect and analyse such isolates from poultry. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined with disk-diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):333-342. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

1Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic hallucinogen, widely abused for decades, while phencyclidine (PCP) has increased in popularity in recent years, especially among the adolescents. Very little is known about the general toxicity of these compounds, especially about their possible neurotoxic effects at the cell level. The aim of this study was to address these gaps by assessing the toxic effects of 24-hour exposure to LSD and PCP in the concentration range of 0. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):289-297. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

3Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be diagnosed as occupational disease by an occupational health physician (OHP), if supported by relevant work-related and medical documentation. The aim of this study was to analyse such documentation submitted by Croatian healthcare workers (HCWs) and discuss its relevance in view of European and Croatian guidelines. The study included 100 Croatian HCWs who were SARS-CoV-2-positive and requested that their infection be diagnosed as occupational disease by their OHPs from 1 May 2020 to 10 March 2021. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):299-304. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

1Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Croatian Poison Control Centre, Zagreb, Croatia.

We characterised accidental ingestion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and non-opioid analgesics in children aged 0-5 years between 2009 and 2019 by analysing records of telephone consultations with the Croatian Poison Control Centre (CPCC) and cases treated at the Children's Hospital Zagreb (CHZ). Among the total of 466 identified cases (411 from CPPCC records and 55 from CHS hospital records), the most frequently ingested drugs were ibuprofen (47 %), paracetamol (20 %), ketoprofen (15 %), and diclofenac (11 %). In 94 % of the cases unsupervised children ingested the drug left within their reach. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):280-288. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.

As part of our OPENTOX project, we evaluated the incidence and mass concentrations of multiclass pesticide residues in 23 river/stream water samples collected in urban and agricultural areas of northwest Croatia at various points of the pesticide application season in 2015. The study included 16 compounds of five herbicide classes and seven compounds of three insecticide classes. Pesticide residues were accumulated from water by solid-phase extraction and analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with UV-diode array detection and/or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):268-279. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

3University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade, Serbia.

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of human exposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) through agricultural soil by considering both uncertainty and variability in key exposure parameters. For this reason we collected soil samples from 29 locations in the Tuzla Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and measured their metal levels with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission or absorption spectrometry (ICP-AES and ICP-AAS, respectively). The levels of Pb ranged from 13. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):315-325. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

1Women University Mardan Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Mardan, Pakistan.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of AlO, FeO, and Cu nanoparticles with chromosomal aberration (CA), micronucleus (MN), and comet assays on the bone marrow of male BALB/c mice. Three doses of AlO, FeO (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg), or Cu (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) nanoparticles were administered to mice through intraperitoneal injection once a day for 14 days and compared with negative control (distilled water) and positive control (mitomycin C and methyl methanesulphonate). AlO and FeO did not show genotoxic effects, but Cu nanoparticles induced significant (P<0. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):295-298. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

2University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.

In Croatia, malaria was eradicated in 1964 and has since been imported, ten cases a year in average, mostly by Croatian migrant workers, seafarers in particular. About 80 % of registered cases were infected in Africa and the main reason for infection was negligence in the use of chemoprophylaxis. The aim of the study was to establish the incidence of malaria among Croatian seafarers from 2004 to 2014, how many of them took chemoprophylaxis properly, and whether malaria was acknowledged as occupational disease. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):326-332. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

1University of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Laboratory for Toxicology, Zagreb, Croatia.

Non-planar di--substituted PCB 153 (2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl), one of the most abundant PCB congeners in the environment and in biological and human tissues, has been identified as potential endocrine disruptor affecting the reproductive and endocrine systems in rodents, wildlife, and humans. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper insight into its mode/mechanism of action in Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells (CHO-K1). PCB 153 (10-100 μmol/L) inhibited CHO-K1 cell proliferation, which was confirmed with four bioassays (Trypan Blue, Neutral Red, Kenacid Blue, and MTT), of which the MTT assay proved the most sensitive. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Dec 30;72(4):244-253. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Gazi University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology, Ankara, Turkey.

Exposure to environmental particulate matter (PM), outdoor air pollution in particular, has long been associated with adverse health effects. Today, PM has widely been accepted as a systemic toxicant showing adverse effects beyond the lungs. There are numerous studies, from those to epidemiological ones, suggesting various direct and indirect PM toxicity mechanisms associated with cardiovascular risks, including inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, changes in blood pressure, autonomic regulation of heart rate, suppression of endothelium-dependent vasodilation, thrombogenesis, myocardial infarction, and fibrinolysis. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):182-190. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Kangwon National University College of Animal Life Sciences, Chuncheon, Korea.

Even though the endocrine-disrupting potential of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is well known, the mechanisms underlying its cellular and epigenetic toxicity at the critical stage of hypothalamic development are poorly understood. This is why we studied its effects on the embryonic mouse hypothalamic cell line N46 (mHypoE-N46) with a hope to shed more light on the mechanisms through which PFOA causes embryonic hypothalamic cell damage. To do that, we studied cell viability, global DNA methylation, and gene expression in cells exposed to PFOA. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):205-215. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physics, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Assessment of radiation exposure to drinking, surface, and groundwater and of the associated health risks calls for accurate and precise Ra and Rn measurements. One method that fits the bill is liquid scintillation counting (LSC), which allows measurements in one-phase (homogenous) or two-phase samples. The aim of our study was to compare the measurement efficiency with both variations in Niška Banja spa water, known for its elevated Rn content to get a better insight into the stability and behaviour of the samples and Ra interference in samples spiked with Ra with Rn measurement. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):240-243. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Community Health Centre of Primorje-Gorski Kotar Count, Rijeka, Croatia.

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous impact on every facet of private life and work organisation in virtually all social and economic sectors worldwide. People who stand on the first line of defence are healthcare workers (HCWs) risking exposure to infected patients. However, even though they are often affected by COVID-19 and associated somatic and mental health problems, COVID-19 as a new illness was not immediately acknowledged as occupational disease. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):225-231. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University of Zadar Department of Psychology, Zadar, Croatia.

The Job Demands-Control-Support (JDCS) model has seldom been tested in palliative care settings, and occupational well-being of palliative care professionals has never before been investigated in Croatia. Our aim was therefore to fill that gap by testing the JDCS model among Croatian nurses providing palliative care. More specifically, we wanted to see how job demands, job control, and social support at work affect occupational well-being outcomes (i. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):173-181. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University of València Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Burjassot, Spain.

Some mycotoxins such as beauvericin (BEA), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZEA) can cross the blood brain barrier, which is why we tested the anti-inflammatory action of a pumpkin carotenoid extract (from the pulp) against these mycotoxins and their combinations (OTA+ZEA and OTA+ZEA+BEA) on a blood brain barrier model with co-cultured ECV304 and C6 cells using an untargeted metabolomic approach. The cells were added with mycotoxins at a concentration of 100 nmol/L per mycotoxin and pumpkin carotenoid extract at 500 nmol/L. For control we used only vehicle solvent (cell control) or vehicle solvent with pumpkin extract (extract control). Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):216-224. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University of Banja Luka Faculty of Natural Sciences, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This retrospective study provides an insight into the levels of radiation exposure of six nuclear medicine (NM) staff (four technologists and two nurses) performing routine diagnostic F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Disorders, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data analysis included monthly staff exposure measured with personal thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) between June and December 2018, quantified in terms of normalised dose for the whole body [Hp(10)] and dominant hand [Hp(0.07)] and their comparison between each staff member and between the two groups (technologists and nurses). Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):198-204. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University Hospital Centre Split, Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Split, Croatia.

We believe that analysing pooled urine samples for recreational drugs used at mass events can provide useful information about trends in drug use. An opportunity arose with the Ultra Europe music festival, which is attended by more than 150,000 people from over 150 countries every year. We analysed 30 pooled urine samples collected from portable chemical toilets located at or close to the Ultra Europe music festival venue in Split, Croatia in 2016-2018 to detect the presence of classic and new psychoactive substances (NPS). Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):191-197. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

We investigated two functional polymorphisms in NLRP3 inflammasome genes ( rs35829419 and rs2043211) and their association with alcohol dependence and related anxiety, depression, obsession-compulsion, or aggression in 88 hospitalised alcohol-dependent patients, 99 abstinent alcohol-dependent participants, and 94 controls, all male Caucasian. Alcohol dependence-related psychiatric disorders were assessed with the Zung Depression and Anxiety scale, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Brief Social Phobia Scale, Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale, and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. For genotyping we used the allele-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based methods. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Sep 28;72(3):232-239. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Polyclinic "Dr. Zora Profozić", Zagreb, Croatia.

One of the side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is a global change in work ergonomic patterns as millions of people replaced their usual work environment with home to limit the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection. The aim of our cross-sectional pilot study was to identify musculoskeletal pain that may have resulted from this change and included 232 telecommunications company workers of both genders [121 (52.2 %) men aged 23-62 (median 41; interquartile range 33-46 yrs. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2021 Jun 28;72(3):114-128. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Clinical Chemistry, Zagreb, Croatia.

Concomitant treatment with drugs that inhibit drug metabolising enzymes and/or transporters, such as commonly prescribed statins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), has been associated with prolonged drug exposure and increased risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to drug-drug interactions. The risk is further increased in patients with chronic diseases/comorbidities who are more susceptible because of their genetic setup or external factors. In that light, we present a case of a 46-year-old woman who had been experiencing acute renal and hepatic injury and myalgia over two years of concomitant treatment with diclofenac, atorvastatin, simvastatin/fenofibrate, and several other drugs, including pantoprazole and furosemide. Read More