Here, butylene adipate-co-terephthalate/polypyrrole with nanohydroxyapatite (PBAT/PPy/nHAp) scaffolds were fabricated and characterized. The electrospinning process was carried out using 12 kV, a needle of 23 G, an infusion pump set at 0.3 mL/h, and 10 cm of distance. Afterwards, nHAp was directly electrodeposited onto PBAT/PPy scaffolds using a classical three-electrode apparatus. For in vivo assays (comet assay, acute and chronic micronucleus), 60 male albino Wistar rats with 4 groups were used in each test (n = 5): PBAT/PPy; PBAT/PPy/nHAp; positive control (cyclophosphamide); and the negative control (distilled water). Peripheral blood samples were collected from the animals to perform the comet test after 4 h (for damage) and 24 h (for repair). In the comet test, it was shown that the scaffolds did not induce damage to the % DNA tail and neither for tail length. After the end of 48 h (for acute micronucleus) and 72 h (for chronic micronucleus), bone marrow was collected from each rat to perform the micronucleus test. All of the produced scaffolds did not present genotoxic effects, providing strong evidence for the biological application of PBAT/PPy/nHAp scaffolds.
Pesticides are a complex mixture of chemicals used to protect crops from a number of pests and diseases. They have been considered as potential mutagenic agents. This study aims at evaluation of the mutagenic effect of pesticide exposure to agricultural workers through chromosomal aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN) assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and oral mucosal cells, respectively. The exposed group was consisted with 97 farmers, while the control (un-exposed) group consisted of 55. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in frequency of CA and MN in the exposed group. Both CA and MN profiles were linked to a significant (p < 0.05) co-relation with the confounding factors such as smoking habits, alcohol, vegetables, tea/coffee, vitamins, and sweetener consumptions. More cytogenetic events were denoted in smoking and alcohol consumption as well as non-personal protective equipment (non-PPE) and low/no vegetables user farmers. In conclusion, a deficiency of dietary and medicaments-derived antioxidants, while consumption of alcohol and tobacco, as well as effects of radiation, heavy metal poisoning (especially from sweeteners), and non-PPE using habits, may contribute cytogenetic damage to the workers.
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