Analysis of fire deaths in Poland and influence of smoke toxicity

Dwelling fires have changed over the years because building contents and the materials used in then have changed. They all contribute to an ever-growing diversity of chemical species found in fires, many of them highly toxic. These arise largely from the changing nature of materials in interior finishes and furniture, with an increasing content of synthetic materials containing higher levels of nitrogen, halogen and phosphorus additives. While there is still a belief that carbon monoxide is the major lethal toxic agent in fires, the hydrogen cyanide and acid gases released from these additives are now well-recognised as major contributory causes of incapacitation, morbidity and mortality in domestic fires. Data for the total number of 263 fire death cases in the Mazowieckie region (mainly Warsaw area) of Poland between 2003-2011 for dwellings fires were obtained from pathologists, forensic toxicologists, fire fighters and analysed. Factors contributing to the death such as the findings of the full post mortem examination (age, sex, health status, burns), the toxicological analysis (carbon monoxide, alcohol etc.), and a thorough investigation of the scene (fire conditions, fuel, etc.) were taken into account and are summarised. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ECHOES FROM THE PAST: PROFESSOR WITOLD RAWITA-WITANOWSKI, 1899-1945, BIOCHEMIST, NEUROPHYSIOLOGIST, AND PHARMACOLOGIST, FIRST EDITOR OF ACTA POLONIAE PHARMACEUTICA

This is a short outline, on the 80th anniversary of Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, which is intended to commemorate Professor Witold Rawita-Witanowski who joined its editorial board at the very beginning of the journal, and who was the last Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Warsaw in the pre-war time It is not intended to present the whole of his curriculum vitae or the whole of his research involved, but is focused on the most dramatic events by the end of his life and, on the other side, on his early, consciously elected, and internally consistent direction of research that brought him respect within the scientific community, here and abroad, throughout renowned centers of research activity

COMBINATIONS OF ISOTHIOCYANATES WITH DRUGS – A CHANCE OR THREAT TO CHEMOPREVENTION AND CANCER TREATMENT?

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are a group of compounds of natural origin which exhibit anticancer properties. In addition to the cytotoxic impact on cancer cells, confirmed in the multiple cell lines and the in vivo models, ITCs exhibit the cytoprotective effect in normal cells by regulating the activity of enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. These properties of ITCs have led to a continuing increase in the number of studies which have shown that ITCs can sensitize cancer cells to cytostatic drugs used as standard in cancer therapies. On the other hand these compounds may decrease the effectiveness of drugs by deregulating the metabolising system of the cell. This paper discusses the results of preclinical study on ITCs applications in combination therapy as well as their role in drug metabolism

Salivary Aldehyde Dehydrogenase: Activity towards Aromatic Aldehydes and Comparison with Recombinant ALDH3A1

molecule

Salivary aldehyde dehydrogenase - temporal and population variability, correlations with drinking and smoking habits and activity towards aldehydes contained in food

Fluorimetric method based on oxidation of the fluorogenic 6-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde was applied to evaluate temporal and population variability of the specific activity of salivary aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and the degree of its inactivation in healthy human population. Analyzed was also its dependence on drinking and smoking habits, coffee consumption, and its sensitivity to N-acetylcysteine. Both the specific activity of salivary ALDH and the degree of its inactivation were highly variable during the day, with the highest activities recorded in the morning hours. The activities were also highly variable both intra- and interpersonally, and negatively correlated with age, and this correlation was stronger for the subgroup of volunteers declaring abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. Moderately positive correlations of salivary ALDH specific activity with alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking were also recorded (rs ~0.27; p=0.004 and rs =0.30; p=0.001, respectively). Moderate coffee consumption correlated positively with the inactivation of salivary ALDH, particularly in the subgroup of non-drinking and non-smoking volunteers. It was found that mechanical stimulation of the saliva flow increases the specific activity of salivary ALDH. The specific activity of the salivary ALDH was strongly and positively correlated with that of superoxide dismutase, and somewhat less with salivary peroxidase. The antioxidant-containing drug N-acetylcysteine increased activity of salivary ALDH presumably by preventing its inactivation in the oral cavity. Some food-related aldehydes, mainly cinnamic aldehyde and anisaldehyde, were excellent substrates of the salivary ALDH3A1 enzyme, while alkenals, particularly those with short chain, were characterized by lower affinity towards this enzyme but high catalytic constants. The protective role of salivary ALDH against aldehydes in food and those found in the cigarette smoke is discussed, as well as its participation in diminishing the effects of alcohol- and smoking-related oxidative stress

Detection of ALDH3B2 in Human Placenta

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 3B2 (ALDH3B2) gene contains a premature termination codon, which can be skipped or suppressed resulting in full-length protein expression. Alternatively, the longest putative open reading frame starting with the second in-frame start codon would encode short isoform. No unequivocal evidence of ALDH3B2 expression in healthy human tissues is available. The aim of this study was to confirm its expression in human placenta characterized by the highest ALDH3B2 mRNA abundance. ALDH3B2 DNA and mRNA were sequenced. The expression was investigated using western blot. The identity of the protein was confirmed using mass spectrometry (MS). The predicted tertiary and quaternary structures, subcellular localization, and phosphorylation sites were assessed using bioinformatic analyses. All DNA and mRNA isolates contained the premature stop codon. In western blot analyses, bands corresponding to the mass of full-length protein were detected. MS analysis led to the identification of two unique peptides, one of which is encoded by the nucleotide sequence located upstream the second start codon. Bioinformatic analyses suggest cytoplasmic localization and several phosphorylation sites. Despite premature stop codon in DNA and mRNA sequences, full-length ALDH3B2 was found. It can be formed as a result of premature stop codon readthrough, complex phenomenon enabling stop codon circumvention