Metal Contamination of Oman Sea Seaweed and Its Associated Public Health Risks.

Oman Sea region is a major gateway for international and local shipping. Metal pollution of aquatic environment is primarily caused by such shipping and industrial activities. Agricultural runoffs are also of concern. Seaweed contamination with heavy metals in this area is therefore a distinct possibility. We examined seaweed of Oman Sea for heavy metal content and potential risk of its consumption to the public. During winter of 2019, water, sediment, and seaweed were collected along twelve stations on the coast of Oman Sea. Triplicates of each sample were analyzed for metal content by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biomarkers of metals in seaweed (metallothionein and phytochelatin) were also analyzed. A significant positive correlation exists among levels of Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Fe in water, sediment, and seaweed (P < 0.05). Cadmium correlations were weak. The highest levels of metallothionein and phytochelatin were found in brown and red seaweed (118.6 µg/g wet weight, 16.4 amol/cell; 111.4 µg/g ww, 12.1 amol/cell), respectively. For nickel and lead, human consumption of red, brown, and green seaweed was associated with "some health hazard," with a target hazard quotient of > 1. We conclude that concerns over heavy metal contamination of some parts of Oman Sea are valid, and we invite policy makers to implement measures for protection of public and environment from metal toxic effects in the region.

Demographic, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of COVID-19 pediatric cases in southeast Iran.

BACKGROUND: Even though children seem to be less vulnerable to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, still a diverse range of clinical presentations and symptoms have been reported in children. Few studies assessed the clinical presentations of COVID-19 among Iranian children. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of COVID-19 infected children. METHODS: All COVID-19 suspected and confirmed children were referred to the Ali-ibn-Abitaleb Hospital, Zahedan, Iran. Patients were included in this longitudinal study. Patients were evaluated at admission and during hospitalization. Patients with some of the main COVID symptoms with positive PCR test were defined as confirmed cases. Clinical, imaging and laboratory results were collected for all patients. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients participated in this study. The male:female ratio was 1:1.03. There was a significant difference in fatigue prevalence between age groups (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of fever duration (P = 0.624) and maximum temperature (P = 0.629). There was a significant difference between PCR positive and negative patients in terms of neurologic signs (P = 0.003), Intensive care unit admission (P = 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Even though our population was small, most of the findings matched other studies conducted on pediatric cases in Iran or other countries. It was also found that some clinical features such as pneumonia, cough, diarrhea, and tachycardia at admission time were statistically different among age groups.

Large Congenital Pericardial Cyst Presented by Palpitation and Left Ventricle Posterior Wall Compression: A Rare Case Report.

Congenital pericardial cysts are rare anomalies caused by the failure of fetal lacunae to coalesce into pericardial coelom. In this article a 9-year-old boy admitted with complain of palpitation in daily activities. The electrocardiography detected sinus tachycardia of 150 beats per minute with normal axis. Although chest X ray were normal, echocardiography showed an abnormal mass that compressed the posterior wall of left ventricle. The mass was extrinsic and confined to the pericardium. After midsternotomy, a huge cyst was found and totally excised. The complications of pericardial cyst can be significant, and the diagnosis relies on a careful examination and radiographic findings.

Exposure effects of iron oxide nanoparticles and iron salts in blackfish (Capoeta fusca): Acute toxicity, bioaccumulation, depuration, and tissue histopathology.

We assessed the toxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles compared with iron salts in the blackfish (Capoeta fusca). After an acute toxicity assessment, we conducted a chronic exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of Fe3O4 NPs, and iron salts (ferric nitrate (Fe(NO3)3), ferric chloride (FeCl3), ferrous sulfate (FeSO4)) to measure iron uptake over a period of 28 days and then subsequent clearance of the iron uptake in the exposed fish that were transferred to clean water for 28 days. Fe(NO3)3 was the most acutely toxic compound followed by FeCl3, FeSO4, and Fe3O4 NPs. Exposure to Fe3O4 NPs and iron salts induced histopathology anomalies in both gills and intestine that included aneurism, hyperplasia, oedema, fusion of lamellae, lamellar synechiae, and clear signs of necrosis (in the gills) and increases in the number of goblet cells, blood cell counts, and higher numbers of lymphocyte (in the intestine). Fe3O4 NPs showed a higher level of uptake in the body tissues compared with iron salts (p < 0.05) with levels of Fe in the gill > intestine > liver > kidney. Fe was shown to be eliminated most efficiently from the gills, followed by the kidney, then liver and finally the intestine. The highest tissue bioconcentration factors (BCF) occurred in the liver for FeCl3, Fe3O4 NPs, and FeSO4 and in the gills for Fe(NO3)3. We thus show differences in the patterns of tissue accumulation, clearance and toxicological responses for exposures to Fe3O4 NPs and iron salts in blackfish with implications for different susceptibilities for biological effects.