Acute intoxication caused by three common synthetic cannabinoids: The experience of a large, urban, tertiary care hospital.

Background: Synthetic cannabinoids (SC) are chemical substances, which activate cannabinoid receptors in a similar fashion to tetrahydrocannabinol, but with increased efficacy, and are used as illicit recreational drugs.

Objective: Our objective was to characterize the clinical manifestations and management of three specific, common SC exposures in a cohort of patients presenting to the emergency department of our institution.

Methods: Retrospective case series of patients admitted to an urban tertiary care center between August 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021, with confirmed SC use and positive urinary immunoassay testing for AB-FUBINACA, 4F-MDMB-BUTINACA and ACHMINACA.

Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate Levels in Diagnosing Shunt Infections in Pediatric Patients.

Objective: The diagnosis and timely treatment of shunt infections (SI) in children is of paramount importance. In some cases, the standard cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) variables will not be sufficient for an accurate diagnosis of SI. CSF lactate (LCSF) has been found to assist in differentiating bacterial from nonbacterial meningitis in non-neurosurgical patients.

The value of cerebrospinal fluid lactate levels in diagnosing CSF infections in pediatric neurosurgical patients.

Purpose: Diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infections in patients following neurosurgical procedures can be challenging. CSF lactate (LCSF) has been shown to assist in differentiating bacterial from non-bacterial meningitis in non-neurosurgical patients. The use of lactate in diagnosing CSF-related infections following neurosurgical procedures has been described in adults.

Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) in Liver Fibrosis.

Fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of collagen and additional extracellular matrix (ECM) components in response to chronic injuries. Liver fibrosis often results from chronic hepatitis C virus infection and alcohol abuse that can deteriorate to cirrhosis and liver failure. Current noninvasive diagnostic methods of liver fibrosis are limited in their ability to detect and differentiate between early and intermediate stages of fibrosis.

Developmental effects of trichloroacetate in Zebrafish embryos: Association with the production of superoxide anion.

To assess the developmental toxicity of trichloroacetate (TCA), zebrafish embryos were exposed to 8 to 48 mM of TCA and evaluated for developmental milestones from 8- to 144-hour postfertilization (hpf). All developmental toxicities are reported in this paper. Embryos were found to have developed edema in response to 16 to 48 mM of TCA exposure at 32- to 80-hpf, experienced delay in hatching success in response to 24 to 48 mM at 80-hpf.

Comparative toxicity studies on bromochloroacetate, dibromoacetate, and bromodichloroacetate in J774A.1 macrophages: Roles of superoxide anion and protein carbonyl compounds.

The brominated and mixed bromo-chloro-haloacetates, such as dibromoacetate (DBA), bromochloroacetate (BCA), and bromodichloroacetate (BDCA), are by-products of water chlorination and are found at lower levels than the fully chlorinated acetates in the drinking water. The toxicities of the compounds were assessed in J774A.1 cells and were found to induce concentration-dependent increases in cell death and superoxide anion and protein carbonyl compounds production.

Data comparing the plasma levels of procollagen C-proteinase enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) in healthy individuals and liver fibrosis patients.

This article provides a protocol for determination of human procollagen C-proteinase enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) concentrations by ELISA. The inter-assay and intra-assay coefficients of variability are given and so are the average plasma concentrations of PCPE-1 in healthy (control) individuals and liver fibrosis patients.

Identification and characterization of the zebrafish glutathione S-transferase Pi-1.

Zebrafish has in recent years emerged as a popular vertebrate model for use in pharmacological and toxicological studies. While there have been sporadic studies on the zebrafish glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), the zebrafish GST gene superfamily still awaits to be fully elucidated. We report here the identification of 15 zebrafish cytosolic GST genes in NCBI GenBank database and the expression, purification, and enzymatic characterization of the zebrafish cytosolic GST Pi-1 (GSTP1).

Correction: Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) as a Plasma Marker of Muscle and Liver Fibrosis in Mice.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) as a Plasma Marker of Muscle and Liver Fibrosis in Mice.

Current non-invasive diagnostic methods of fibrosis are limited in their ability to identify early and intermediate stages of fibrosis and assess the efficacy of therapy. New biomarkers of fibrosis are therefore constantly sought for, leading us to evaluate procollagen C-proteinase enhancer 1 (PCPE-1), a fibrosis-related extracellular matrix glycoprotein, as a plasma marker of fibrosis. A sandwich ELISA that permitted accurate measurements of PCPE-1 concentrations in mouse plasma was established.

Dichloroacetate and Trichloroacetate Toxicity in AML12 Cells: Role of Oxidative Stress.

The toxicity of the drinking water disinfection by products dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) was studied in the alpha mouse liver (AML12) cells at concentrations ranging between 770 and 4100 ppm and at incubation times ranging from 24 to 72 h. Cellular viability, superoxide anion (SA) and lipid peroxidation (LP) production, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were determined. DCA and TCA resulted in time- and concentration-dependent decreases in cellular viability, and also in significant increases in SA and LP production, and in SOD activity at specific concentrations and time points.

Do Antioxidant Enzymes and Glutathione Play Roles in the Induction of Hepatic Oxidative Stress in Mice upon Subchronic Exposure to Mixtures of Dichloroacetate and Trichloroacetate?

Dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) are water chlorination byproducts, and their mixtures were previously found to induce additive to greater than additive effects on hepatic oxidative stress (OS) induction in mice after subchronic exposure. To investigate the roles of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione (GSH) in those effects, livers of B6C3F1 mice treated by gavage with 7.5, 15, or 30 mg DCA/kg/day, 12.

The effects of mixtures of dichloroacetate and trichloroacetate on induction of oxidative stress in livers of mice after subchronic exposure.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) are drinking-water chlorination by-products previously found to induce oxidative stress (OS) in hepatic tissues of B6C3F1 male mice. To assess the effects of mixtures of the compounds on OS, groups of male B6C3F1 mice were treated daily by gavage with DCA at doses of 7.5, 15, or 30 mg/kg/d, TCA at doses of 12.

The induction of phagocytic activation by mixtures of the water chlorination by-products, dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate, in mice after subchronic exposure.

In this study, groups of B6C3F1 male mice were treated with dichloroacetate (DCA), trichloroacetate (TCA), and mixtures of the compounds (Mix I, II, and III) daily by gavage, for 13 weeks. The tested doses were 7.5, 15, and 30 mg DCA/kg/day and 12.

The effects of a low vitamin E diet on dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate-induced oxidative stress in the livers of mice.

Groups of mice were fed either a standard (Std) diet or a diet not supplemented with vitamin E (Low-E) and were divided into three subgroups that were treated subchronically by gavage, with water (control), dichloroacetate (DCA), or trichloroacetate (TCA). The livers of the animals were assayed for various biomarkers of oxidative stress (OS), antioxidant enzyme activities, and total glutathione (GSH). In general, livers from the low-E diet group expressed lower levels of biomarkers of OS associated with greater increases in various antioxidant enzymes activities and GSH when compared with the corresponding treatments in the Std diet group.

Vitamin E restriction in the diet enhances phagocytic activation by dichloroacetate and trichloroacetate in mice.

The effects of a vitamin E-restricted diet on the induction of phagocytic activation by dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) was investigated. Groups of B6C3F1 male mice were either kept on standard diet (Std diet group) or diet that had the vitamin provided only by its natural ingredients (Low-E diet group). The animals in each diet group were administered 77 mg of DCA or TCA/ kg/day, or 5 ml/kg water (controls), by gavage, for 13 weeks.

Dichloroacetate- and Trichloroacetate-Induced Modulation of Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, and Glutathione Peroxidase Activities and Glutathione Level in the livers of Mice after Subacute and Subchronic exposure.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) were previously found to induce various levels of oxidative stress in the hepatic tissues of mice after subacute and subchronic exposure. The cells are known to have several protective mechansims against production of oxidative stress by different xenobiotics. To assess the roles of the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione (GSH) in DCA- and TCA-induced oxidative stress, groups of B6C3F1 mice were administered either DCA or TCA at doses of 7.

Linearity and stability of intravenous busulfan pharmacokinetics and the role of glutathione in busulfan elimination.

High-dose busulfan (Bu) is frequently used in preparative myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimens for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). MAC and reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) protocols for i.v.

The induction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, superoxide anion, myeloperoxidase, and superoxide dismutase in the peritoneal lavage cells of mice after prolonged exposure to dichloroacetate and trichloroacetate.

The induction of phagocytic activation in response to prolonged treatment with different doses of dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) has been investigated in mice. Groups of B6C3F1 male mice were administered 7.7, 77, 154, and 410 mg of DCA or TCA/kg/day, postorally, for 4- and 13-weeks.

Dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate-induced oxidative stress in the hepatic tissues of mice after long-term exposure.

Dichoroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) were found to be hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic in rodents. To investigate the role of oxidative stress in the long-term hepatotoxicity of the compounds, groups of mice were administered 7.7, 77, 154 and 410 mg kg(-1) per day, of either DCA or TCA, by gavage, for 4 weeks (4-W) and 13 weeks (13-W), and superoxide anion (SA), lipid peroxidation (LP) and DNA-single strand breaks (SSBs) were determined in the hepatic tissues.

Assessment of the roles of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione in 3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126)-induced oxidative stress in the brain tissues of rats after subchronic exposure.

The abilities of various doses of 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) to induce changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione levels in the brain tissues of rats were examined in rats after subchronic exposure. Groups of rats were administered 10,30, 100, 300, 550 or 1000 ng PCB 126/kg/day, p.o.

Dichloroacetate-induced modulation of cellular antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione level in the J774A.1 cells.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is used for different medical and industrial purposes and has been found to be a toxic by-product produced during the process of water chlorination. The DCA effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and glutathione (GSH) level were assessed and correlated with each other and also with cellular viabilities in J774A.1 macrophage cells.

Dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate-induced phagocytic activation and production of oxidative stress in the hepatic tissues of mice after acute exposure.

Dichoroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) are by-products formed during chlorination of the drinking water and were found to be hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic in rodents. In this study, the abilities of the compounds to induce oxidative stress and phagocytic activation have been studied in B6C3F1 mice. Groups of mice were administered 300 mg/kg of either DCA or TCA, p.

Association between the levels of biogenic amines and superoxide anion production in brain regions of rats after subchronic exposure to TCDD.

The effects of TCDD on the distribution of biogenic amines and production of superoxide anion (SA) in different brain regions of rats have been studied after subchronic exposure. Groups of females Sprague-Dawley rats were administered daily dose of 46ng TCDD/(kgday) (treated groups), or the vehicle used to dissolve TCDD (control group), for 90 days. The rats were sacrificed at the end of the exposure period and their brains were dissected into different regions including, hippocampus (H), cerebral cortex (Cc), cerebellum (C), and brain stem (Bs).