The Serum Lead level in Patients With Retained Lead Pellets

Background: Patients, who survived from shotgun injuries, often have some retained lead pellets in their bodies. Several cases of lead toxicity have been reported regarding these patients. Objectives: This study seeks to compare the serum lead level in patients who have retained lead pellets in their bodies with the control group. Patients and Methods: In this case-control study, we gathered the serum lead levels of 25 patients with some retained lead pellets in their bodies due to shotgun and 25 volunteers without similar lead exposure and compared them in view of the age, gender, and living place. Results: While the mean serum lead level in both groups was lower than the standard level (i.e. 40 µg/dL) , the mean ± SD of serum lead level were 29 ± 12.8 µg/dL and 25.3 ± 6.4 µg/dL in the case and control groups, respectively without any significant difference (P = 0. 30) . However, a positive relationship was seen between serum lead level, and the number of retained lead pellets (r = 0.447, P = 0. 025) . Conclusions: Although extensive surgery to remove the lead pellets is not recommended in patients injured with shotguns, those with many retained lead pellets in their bodies should be considered at risk for lead poisoning and monitored carefully

On the presence of humpback whales in the Persian Gulf: rare or rarely documented? Report of the IWC Scientific Committee Meeting SC/67A/CMP/14, Bled, Slovenia, May 2017

We critically review the evidence for humpback whale presence in the Persian Gulf. Five specimen records, assumed to belong to the endangered Arabian Sea population, are confirmed in the period 1883- 2017: Bassore Bay, Iraq; Doha, Qatar; Kuwait Inner harbour, Kuwait; Qeshm Island, Iran; and Akhtar, Bushehr Province, Iran. The two Iranian cases, both juveniles, are newly recorded. With accumulating reports, an alternate hypothesis to 'rare stragglers' deserves consideration, one in which Arabian Sea humpback whales may enter the Persian Gulf with some regularity, perhaps as normal visitors, if not permanent residents. Deficiency of records may reflect a general sparsity of whale research effort in the Persian Gulf. The historical description of Megaptera indica Gervais, 1883 is translated from French

A non-parametric structural hybrid modeling approach for electricity prices

We develop a stochastic model of zonal/regional electricity prices, designed to reflect information in fuel forward curves and aggregated capacity and load as well as zonal or regional price spreads. We use a nonparametric model of the supply stack that captures heat rates and fuel prices for all generators in the market operator territory, combined with an adjustment term to approximate congestion and other zone-specific behavior. The approach requires minimal calibration effort, is readily adaptable to changing market conditions and regulations, and retains sufficient tractability for the purpose of forward price calibration. The model is illustrated for the spot and forward electricity prices of the PS zone in the PJM market, and the set of time-dependent risk premiums are inferred and analyzed

Cross reactivity between ES and somatic antigens of Fasciola spp in enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

Summary Excretory-secretory (ES) and somatic antigens of Fmcioia hepatica and Fasciola gigantica were prepared from freshly collected Dukes. Laboratory bred rabbits were immunized with antigens for preparation of antisera. ES antigens of both species showed strong positive reaction with antisera raised against ES and somatic antigens of parasite. Somatic antigens of both species also showed strong positive reaction with antisera raised against somatic and ES antigens of parasite. In homologous combination of antigens and antisera higher enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) values was observed in comparison with heterologous combination, so it was concluded that ES and somatic antigens of Fasciola spp have strong cross reaction with each other but the antigenic rnateriaIs of ES and somatic products of parasite are not completely the same

Evaluation of the ability of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles

Background: Metal nanomaterials are unique because they show optical properties that depend on such physical properties as size, shape, and interparticle spacing. Their unique size-dependent property makes these materials better-quality in many areas of human activity. Biosynthesis of nanomaterials has been recently the aim of precious studies due to the environment-friendly nature of the biological processes and microorganisms such as fungi have been re-explored as potential bio-factories rather than the causing agents of humans and plants infections. The enzymatic activity of yeast presents them as highly competent microorganisms to precipitate of nanoparticles in external environment of the cell. This considerable ability has recently considered as worthy, applicable and available candidates for synthesis of smaller nano-sized particles. Materials and methods: A standard strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PTCC 5209 was grown in YPD medium. The yeasts were exposed to 2 m mol l⁻¹ of AgNO3 after ≈10 h of incubation at 30 °C. Afterward, the suspension was incubated in dark for 24 h. The cells were then separated from the culture medium by centrifugation and the cell-free medium was used for further characterization of synthesized Silver nanoparticles. The reduction of Ag+ ions to metal nanoparticles was investigated virtually by tracing the color of the solution which turned into reddish-brown after 24 h. The morphology and uniformity of silver nanoparticles were investigated by UV-VIS spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Results: The results demonstrated that the formed nanoparticles are fairly uniform, spherical, and small in size (less than70 nm). The yeast S. cerevisae has successfully demonstrated potential for extra cellular synthesis of fairly mono-dispersed, tiny silver nanoparticles. Extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles by this yeast is highly advantageous and may make the process simpler and easier for following usage. By using this approach, it is suggestive that this rapid synthesis of nanoparticles would be proper for developing a biological process for mass scale production

The Effect of Process Parameters on the Synthesis of Ti and TiO2 Nanoparticles Producted by Electromagnetic Levitational Gas Condensation

The nanoparticles of Ti and TiO2 have attracted extensive research interest because of their diverse applications in, for instance, catalysis, energy conversion, pigment and cosmetic manufacturing and biomedical engineering. Through this project, a one-step bulk synthesis method of electromagnetic levitational gas condensation (ELGC) was utilized for the synthesis of monodispersed and crystalline Ti and TiO2 nanoparticles. Within the process, the Ti vapours ascending from the high temperature levitated droplet were condensed by an argon gas stream under atmospheric pressure. The TiO2 nanoparticles were produced by simultaneous injection of argon and oxygen into the reactor. The effects of flow rate of the condensing and oxidizing gases on the size and the size distribution of the nanoparticles were investigated. The particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and image analysis. The process parameters for the synthesis of the crystalline Ti and TiO2 nanoparticles were determined

Dietary intake and health risk assessment of nitrate, nitrite, and nitrosamines: a Bayesian analysis and Monte Carlo simulation

Nitrate, nitrite, and nitrosamines intake from the diet creates human health risks. In this study, nitrate/nitrite intake from diet and its association with nitric oxide (NO) level in humans have been surveyed. Besides nitrate/nitrite, nitrosamines risks were also determined from the diet. This study was conducted as a pilot study; 33 heathy adults participated in and completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for 3 days. Then, concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and nitrosamines were studied by the literature review. Also, the association between the intake of nitrate and nitrite with salivary and urinary NO was evaluated by Bayesian bi-variate analysis. Then, the health risk was assessed for nitrate/nitrite from food groups and drinking water, and nitrosamines from food groups based on hazard index (HI) and cancer risk with the Monte Carlo simulation. The nitrate/nitrite intakes had no association with NO level in the saliva and urine samples. The mean of HI value for the mean of 3 days was 3.57 and 0.32 from food groups and drinking water, respectively. The cancer risk amount of nitrosamines from food groups was (1.74 to 2.22) × 10−3 based on 95 confidence interval (CI 95) values. This study showed the Iranian diet had a high risk, but drinking water consumption was safe based on nitrate/nitrite and nitrosamines for humans. There is a need to determine the concentration of nitrosamines in drinking water in Iran and to recommend for decrease risk of nitrate, nitrite, and nitrosamines exposure by food groups. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature