Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus on Routine Pelvic US for Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a prevalent and potentially debilitating condition that mostly affects individuals of reproductive age, and often has a substantial diagnostic delay. US is usually the first-line imaging modality used when patients report chronic pelvic pain or have issues of infertility, both common symptoms of endometriosis. Other than the visualization of an endometrioma, sonologists frequently do not appreciate endometriosis on routine transvaginal US images. Given a substantial body of literature describing techniques to depict endometriosis at US, the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts to make recommendations aimed at improving the screening process for endometriosis. The panel was composed of experts in the imaging and management of endometriosis, including radiologists, sonographers, gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons. A comprehensive literature review combined with a modified Delphi technique achieved a consensus. This statement defines the targeted screening population, describes techniques for augmenting pelvic US, establishes direct and indirect observations for endometriosis at US, creates an observational grading and reporting system, and makes recommendations for additional imaging and patient management. The panel recommends transvaginal US of the posterior compartment, observation of the relative positioning of the uterus and ovaries, and the uterine sliding sign maneuver to improve the detection of endometriosis. These additional techniques can be performed in 5 minutes or less and could ultimately decrease the delay of an endometriosis diagnosis in at-risk patients.

Micronutrients and socio-demographic factors were major predictors of anaemia among the Ethiopian population.

Anaemia is characterised by low hemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Despite being a public health concern in Ethiopia, the role of micronutrients and non-nutritional factors as a determinant of Hb concentrations has been inadequately explored. This study focused on the assessment of serum micronutrient and Hb concentrations and a range of non-nutritional factors, to evaluate their associations with the risk of anaemia among the Ethiopian population (n 2046). It also explored the mediation effect of Zn on the relation between se and Hb. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the relationship between serum micronutrients concentration, inflammation biomarkers, nutritional status, presence of parasitic infection and socio-demographic factors with Hb concentration (n 2046). Sobel-Goodman test was applied to investigate the mediation of Zn on relations between serum se and Hb. In total, 18·6 % of participants were anaemic, 5·8 % had iron deficiency (ID), 2·6 % had ID anaemia and 0·6 % had tissue ID. Younger age, household head illiteracy and low serum concentrations of ferritin, Co, Cu and folate were associated with anaemia. Serum se had an indirect effect that was mediated by Zn, with a significant effect of se on Zn (P < 0·001) and Zn on Hb (P < 0·001). The findings of this study suggest the need for designing a multi-sectorial intervention to address anaemia based on demographic group.

Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Excision of Abdominal Wall Endometrioma Utilizing Intraoperative Ultrasound and Transabdominal Needle Placement.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with endometriosis, extra pelvic endometriosis is estimated to have an incidence of 11% and a rare subset of extra pelvic lesions include abdominal wall endometriosis with an incidence of 0.03% to 3.5% [1,2]. Evaluation for and surgical management of abdominal wall endometriosis are an essential skill set for the advanced gynecologic surgeon. In this video, we demonstrate a surgical technique for robot-assisted laparoscopic excision of abdominal wall endometriosis with intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement. DESIGN: Description and demonstration of surgical technique. SETTING: A patient with previous history of 2 cesarean sections and right lower quadrant cyclic abdominal wall pain; a tertiary care, academic center. INTERVENTIONS: Intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement to map location and boundaries of the lesion followed by minimally invasive resection of the lesion with the intermittent advancement and withdrawal of needles to confirm clear margins. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive resection of abdominal wall endometriosis using intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement is an effective technique to guide surgical dissection and allow for clear surgical margins and successful treatment of this rare condition.

Thyroid Nodule Margin Assessment Using ACR TI-RADS: Adding Points for Macrolobulation Impairs Performance.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the performance of ACR TI-RADS when points for lobulated margins are applied only when the margins meet a quantified measure of margin microlobulation and not applied when nodules only demonstrate macrolobulation. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed ultrasound and pathology records (May 01, 2018 to July 31, 2020) to find all thyroid nodules at one institution characterized as having lobulated margins using the ACR TI-RADS lexicon and subsequently undergoing fine needle aspiration (FNA). Nodule margins were evaluated to note the presence or absence of microlobulation, quantitatively defined as a protrusion with a base <2.5 mm in length. The impact to detection of malignant nodules and avoidance of benign FNA when margin points for lobulation were added only when microlobulated was analyzed. RESULTS: 58 of 516 thyroid nodules undergoing US-guided FNA were classified as lobulated, comprising the study population. 21 (36.2%) had microlobulated margins, with 12 of the 21 (57.1%) being malignant. Comparatively, of the 37 nodules showing only macrolobulated margins without microlobulation, only 2 (5.4%) were malignant (P < .0001). For 53 nodules ≥10 mm, 15 (28.3%) benign nodules would not have met size criteria for FNA had points for margins not been applied when only showing macrolobulation, whereas all 10 malignant nodules would still have been sampled. CONCLUSION: Adding two points to the ACR TI-RADS score for lobulated thyroid nodules should only apply when microlobulations are present.

Soil and plant contamination by potentially toxic and emerging elements and the associated human health risk in some Egyptian environments.

The aim of this work was to assess the origins, mobility, bioavailability and potential health risks of V, Cr, Co, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sn and Sb, which are not sufficiently studied in the terrestrial environment of Egypt. This has been carried out by employing a combination of chemical fractionation, plants uptake, mathematical modeling and risk assessment approaches on a wide range of soils and plants sampled from industrial, urban and agricultural locations across Egypt. The contents of As, Cd, Sn and Sb were elevated in the soils of some urban and industrial locations within Cairo, although their soil geo-accumulation (Igeo) indices remained ≤ 2, indicating only moderate contamination. Selenium showed moderate to heavy contamination levels (Igeo up to 4.7) in all sampling locations, and Sb was highly elevated (Igeo = 7.1; extreme contamination) in one industrial location. Therefore, Se was the most important contributor to the pollution load followed by Sb and Cd. Both principle component analysis (of total content) and geochemical fractionation (by sequential extraction) suggested that V, Cr and Co are mostly of geogenic origin, while Se and Sb contents appear to be highly influenced by anthropogenic inputs. The most mobile and bioavailable element was Cd with a large non-residual fraction in all soils (76% of total Cd). The bio-concentration factors of Cd in leafy and fruiting plants were 50 times larger than other elements (except Mo) indicating preferential systematic plant uptake of Cd. Risk assessment models showed an overall low noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to the population of Egypt due to the studied elements with only a few anomalies.

Mineral micronutrient status and spatial distribution among the Ethiopian population.

Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in Ethiopia. However, the distribution of Se and Zn deficiency risks has previously shown evidence of spatially dependent variability, warranting the need to explore this aspect for wider micronutrients. Here, blood serum concentrations for Ca, Mg, Co, Cu and Mo were measured (n 3102) on samples from the Ethiopian National Micronutrient Survey. Geostatistical modelling was used to test spatial variation of these micronutrients for women of reproductive age, who represent the largest demographic group surveyed (n 1290). Median serum concentrations were 8·6 mg dl-1 for Ca, 1·9 mg dl-1 for Mg, 0·4 µg l-1 for Co, 98·8 µg dl-1 for Cu and 0·2 µg dl-1 for Mo. The prevalence of Ca, Mg and Co deficiency was 41·6 %, 29·2 % and 15·9 %, respectively; Cu and Mo deficiency prevalence was 7·6 % and 0·3 %, respectively. A higher prevalence of Ca, Cu and Mo deficiency was observed in north western, Co deficiency in central and Mg deficiency in north eastern parts of Ethiopia. Serum Ca, Mg and Mo concentrations show spatial dependencies up to 140-500 km; however, there was no evidence of spatial correlations for serum Co and Cu concentrations. These new data indicate the scale of multiple mineral micronutrient deficiency in Ethiopia and the geographical differences in the prevalence of deficiencies suggesting the need to consider targeted responses during the planning of nutrition intervention programmes.

Assessing the Lability and Environmental Mobility of Organically Bound Copper by Stable Isotope Dilution.

The environmental mobility of Cu and therefore its potential toxicity are closely linked to its attachment to natural organic matter (NOM). Geochemical models assume full lability of metals bound to NOM, especially under strong oxidizing conditions, which often leads to an overestimation of the lability of soil metals. Stable isotope dilution (SID) has been successfully applied to estimate the labile (isotopically exchangeable) pool of soil metals. However, its application to study the lability of NOM-Cu required development of a robust separation and detection approach so that free Cu ions can be discriminated from (the also soluble) NOM-Cu. We developed a SID protocol (with enriched 65Cu) to quantify the labile pool of NOM-Cu using size exclusion chromatography coupled to a UV detector (for the identification of different NOM molecular weights) and ICP-MS (for 65Cu/63Cu ratio measurement). The Cu isotopic-exchange technique was first characterized and verified using standard NOM (SR-NOM) before applying the developed technique to an "organic-rich" podzol soil extract. The developed protocol indicated that, in contrast to the common knowledge, significant proportions of SR-NOM-Cu (25%) and soil organic-Cu (55%) were not labile, i.e., permanently locked into inaccessible organic structures. These findings need to be considered in defining Cu interactions with the reactive pool of NOM using geochemical models and risk evaluation protocols in which complexed Cu has always been implicitly assumed to be fully labile and exchangeable with free Cu ions.

Non-Vascular Considerations When Interpreting Extremity Arterial and Venous Examinations.

Peripheral arterial and venous examinations are performed regularly in vascular labs and interpreted by physicians of different specialities. Many vascular examinations have nonvascular pathology that is either inadvertently imaged by the sonographer or imaged with intent as it relates to patient's symptoms. It is prudent for every reader of vascular studies to be acquainted with the sonographic appearance of these non-vascular lesions to enable appropriate and optimal interpretation that has a direct bearing on patient's clinical care. Our review includes a discussion of the nonvascular pathologies like lymph nodes, soft tissue edema, soft tissue fluid collections, musculotendinous injuries, soft tissue masses, and joint and bursal pathologies that may be encountered during interpretation of vascular exams. The pictorial essay includes a discussion of their sonographic appearances and pitfalls in interpretation. Multiple illustrative examples and sonographic images of the non-vascular pathologies found during interpretation of vascular studies have been utilized to highlight their appearances.

Detection of Bleeding Complications After Renal Transplant Biopsy.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to analyze the timing of major bleeding complications after renal transplant biopsy in the context of a standardized 1-hour postprocedure observation protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records for consecutive patients who underwent ultrasound-guided renal transplant biopsies between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017, and were observed according to a newly implemented 1-hour postprocedure observation protocol. The development of a major bleeding complication (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events class 3 or higher) was recorded along with all available details regarding the time course of patient symptoms and presentation. Complications were grouped into one of four categories according to onset time after biopsy: 2 hours or less (timing category 1), more than 2 hours but 4 hours or less (timing category 2), more than 4 hours but 8 hours or less (timing category 3), and more than 8 hours (timing category 4). RESULTS. In 1824 patients (769 women, 1055 men) who underwent 4519 consecutive ultrasound-guided renal transplant biopsies during the study period, 11 class 3 complications were found (11/4519 [0.2%]). Four of the 11 patients (36.4%) had symptoms during the 1-hour observation period. Of these four patients, three (3/11 [27.3%]) had substantial symptoms related to major bleeding and were classified as timing category 1, and one (1/11 [9.1%]) had initially minor symptoms that increased in severity more than 2 hours but within 4 hours and was classified as timing category 2. Seven of the 11 patients (63.6%) did not have any symptoms at 1 hour of observation and were discharged; three (27.3%) were classified as timing category 3, and four (36.4%) were classified as category 4. CONCLUSION. Major bleeding complications following ultrasound-guided renal transplant biopsy are rare (0.2% of patients in this study). In our study, more than half were not clinically apparent within 4 hours of biopsy. A 1-hour postprocedure recovery period can be safely used after renal transplant biopsy.

Online Microdialysis-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MD-HPLC-ICP-MS) as a Novel Tool for Sampling Hexavalent Chromium in Soil Solution.

Conventional soil solution sampling of species-sensitive inorganic contaminants, such as hexavalent chromium (CrVI), may induce interconversions due to disruption of system equilibrium. The temporal resolution that these sampling methods afford may also be insufficient to capture dynamic interactions or require time-consuming and expensive analysis. Microdialysis (MD) is emerging as a minimally invasive passive sampling method in environmental science, permitting the determination of solute fluxes and concentrations at previously unobtainable spatial scales and time frames. This article presents the first use of MD coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) for the continuous sampling and simultaneous detection of CrVI in soil solution. The performance criteria of the system were assessed using stirred solutions; good repeatability of measurement (RSD < 2.5%) was obtained for CrVI, with a detection limit of 0.2 µg L-1. The online MD-HPLC-ICP-MS setup was applied to the sampling of native CrVI in three soils with differing geochemical properties. The system sampled and analyzed fresh soil solution at 15 min intervals, offering improved temporal resolution and a significant reduction in analysis time over offline MD. Simple modifications to the chromatographic conditions could resolve additional analytes, offering a powerful tool for the study of solute fluxes in soil systems to inform research into nutrient availability or soil-to-plant transfer of potentially harmful elements.

Growth Rate of Ovarian Serous Cystadenomas and Cystadenofibromas.

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed growth rates of benign ovarian serous cystadenomas and cystadenofibromas to understand what percentage would show a volume doubling time (DT) of less than 3 years, between 3 and 5 years, or greater than 5 years. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed pathology records (January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2019) to find all surgically excised ovarian serous cystadenomas and cystadenofibromas. Imaging records were then reviewed to identify those that had been confidently identified with ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, or computed tomography at least twice before surgical removal, with at least a 60-day interval between studies. Three orthogonal measurements were recorded on the first and last imaging studies on which the mass was detected, with volume calculations by the prolate formula (product of 3 measurements multiplied by 0.52). The volume DT was calculated and grouped into 1 of 5 categories: (1) DT of less than 1 year; (2) DT of 1 to 3 years; (3) DT of 3 to 5 years; (4) DT of 5 to 10 years; and (5) no growth (any mass with a DT >10 years or showing a decrease in volume). RESULTS: A total of 102 of 536 cystadenomas and 44 of 227 cystadenofibromas met inclusion criteria. Of the 146 tumors, 40 (27.4%) had a DT of less than 1 year; 38 (26.0%) had a DT of 1 to 3 years; 22 (15.1%) had a DT of 3 to 5 years; 10 (6.8%) had a DT of 5 to 10 years; and 36 (24.7%) showed no growth. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 53.4% of ovarian serous cystadenomas/cystadenofibromas have a DT of less than 3 years; 15.1% have a DT between 3 and 5 years; and 31.5% have a DT of greater than 5 years or show no growth.

Impact of Uterine Sliding Sign in Routine United States Ultrasound Practice.

OBJECTIVES: The study aim was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the uterine sliding sign in predicting deeply infiltrating endometriosis in the setting of non-physician sonographers performing but not interpreting the maneuver. The impact of uterine sliding sign has not been previously demonstrated in this practice setting. METHODS: Physicians' remote interpretations of transvaginal ultrasound examinations in 2016, before uterine sliding sign, were compared to examinations in 2019 after addition of uterine sliding sign to determine the diagnostic rates. Surgical and histopathological results were reviewed to determine sensitivity and specificity of the respective exam techniques. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-five transvaginal ultrasounds were performed in 2016 and 390 sliding sign ultrasounds in 2019. The number of deeply infiltrating endometriosis cases identified increased significantly from 2% to 6% during the study period (chi-square, Fisher's exact test p = .012). The sensitivity and specificity of routine pelvic sonography for detecting deeply infiltrating endometriosis improved from 36%/94% to 68%/98%. CONCLUSIONS: Uterine sliding sign videos should be included in the standard sonographic protocol for patients presenting with chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis history, or sonographic evidence of endometriosis in the setting of physicians interpreting sonographic images obtained by non-physicians.

Added Benefit and Risk of an Additional Biopsy or Targeting With Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Patients With Renal Transplants.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether renal transplant diagnoses substantially change when 2 biopsy sites are chosen and whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has value for targeting the second site. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 40 patients undergoing ultrasound-guided renal transplant biopsy within 2 years of transplant: 20, surveillance; and 20, for cause. A CEUS examination was performed to identify cortical regions with subjectively altered flow. One biopsy was performed at the operator-preferred (primary) site regardless of CEUS findings. Another biopsy was done at a second location, either targeted to an area in which CEUS perfusion findings differed from the primary site (targeted) or at a random location (secondary) if no other area differed. Specimens were randomly labeled A or B; pathologists were blinded to the CEUS result and biopsy location. Location-specific CEUS assessments were recorded. Pathologic results were compared, including acute and chronic Banff scores and any new findings from the targeted or secondary biopsy. RESULTS: Forty patients were enrolled between January 2016 and December 2018. No location-specific pathologic differences correlated with differences in CEUS assessments. The second biopsy provided additional information that changed management in 4 of 40 patients (10.0% [95% confidence interval, 2.8%-23.7%]). Major bleeding complications occurred in 3 of 40 (7.5%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound targeting was not useful. Major bleeding complications were higher than expected, possibly due to the additional biopsy away from the operator-preferred location. Obtaining a second renal transplant biopsy from a substantially different area than the initial operator-preferred location provided additional clinically useful information in 10% of patients.

Fate of selenium in biofortification of wheat on calcareous soil: an isotopic study.

Selenium (Se) biofortification of staple cereal crops can improve the Se nutritional status of populations. A field trial employing an enriched stable isotope of Se (77Se) was undertaken over three consecutive cropping seasons in a coarse-textured, calcareous soil in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The objectives were to (1) assess the feasibility and efficiency of Se biofortification, (2) determine the fate of residual Se, and (3) assess the consequences for dietary Se intake. Isotopically enriched 77Se (77SeFert) was applied, either as selenate or as selenite, at three levels (0, 10, and 20 g ha-1) to a wheat crop. Residual 77SeFert availability was assessed in subsequent crops of maize and wheat without further 77SeFert addition. Loss of 77SeFert was c.35% by the first (wheat) harvest, for both selenium species, attributable to the practice of flood irrigation and low adsorption capacity of the soil. No 77SeFert was detectable in subsequent maize or wheat crops. The remaining 77SeFert in soil was almost entirely organically bound and diminished with time following a reversible (pseudo-)first-order trend. Thus, repeat applications of Se would be required to adequately biofortify grain each year. In contrast to native soil Se, there was no transfer of 77SeFert to a recalcitrant form. Grain from control plots would provide only 0.5 µg person-1 day-1 of Se. By contrast, a single application of 20 g ha-1 SeVI could provide c. 47 µg person-1 day-1 Se in wheat, sufficient to avoid deficiency when combined with dietary Se intake from other sources (c. 25 µg day-1).

Multiple geochemical factors may cause iodine and selenium deficiency in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Deficiencies of the micronutrients iodine and selenium are particularly prevalent where populations consume local agricultural produce grown on soils with low iodine and selenium availability. This study focussed on such an area, Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, through a geochemical survey of iodine and selenium fractionation and speciation in irrigation water and arable soil. Iodine and selenium concentrations in water ranged from 0.01-1.79 µg L-1 to 0.016-2.09 µg L-1, respectively, which are smaller than levels reported in similar mountainous areas in other parts of the world. Iodate and selenate were the dominant inorganic species in all water samples. Average concentrations of iodine and selenium in soil were 685 µg kg-1 and 209 µg kg-1, respectively, much lower than global averages of 2600 and 400 µg kg-1, respectively. The 'reactive' fractions ('soluble' and 'adsorbed') of iodine and selenium accounted for < 7% and < 5% of their total concentrations in soil. More than 90% of reactive iodine was organic; iodide was the main inorganic species. By contrast, 66.9 and 39.7% of 'soluble' and 'adsorbed' selenium, respectively, were present as organic species; inorganic selenium was mainly selenite. Very low distribution coefficients (kd = adsorbed/soluble; L kg-1) for iodine (1.07) and selenium (1.27) suggested minimal buffering of available iodine and selenium against leaching losses and plant uptake. These geochemical characteristics suggest low availability of iodine and selenium in Gilgit-Baltistan, which may be reflected in locally grown crops. However, further investigation is required to ascertain the status of iodine and selenium in the Gilgit-Baltistan food supply and population.

Environmental and human iodine and selenium status: lessons from Gilgit-Baltistan, North-East Pakistan.

Iodine and selenium deficiencies are common worldwide. We assessed the iodine and selenium status of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. We determined the elemental composition (ICP-MS) of locally grown crops (n = 281), drinking water (n = 82), urine (n = 451) and salt (n = 76), correcting urinary analytes for hydration (creatinine, specific gravity). We estimated dietary iodine, selenium and salt intake. Median iodine and selenium concentrations were 11.5 (IQR 6.01, 23.2) and 8.81 (IQR 4.03, 27.6) µg/kg in crops and 0.24 (IQR 0.12, 0.72) and 0.27 (IQR 0.11, 0.46) µg/L in water, respectively. Median iodised salt iodine was 4.16 (IQR 2.99, 10.8) mg/kg. Population mean salt intake was 13.0 g/day. Population median urinary iodine (uncorrected 78 µg/L, specific gravity-corrected 83 µg/L) was below WHO guidelines; creatinine-corrected median was 114 µg/L but was unreliable. Daily selenium intake (from urinary selenium concentration) was below the EAR in the majority (46-90%) of individuals. Iodine and selenium concentrations in all crops were low, but no health-related environmental standards exist. Iodine concentration in iodised salt was below WHO-recommended minimum. Estimated population average salt intake was above WHO-recommended daily intake. Locally available food and drinking water together provide an estimated 49% and 72% of EAR for iodine (95 µg/day) and selenium (45 µg/day), respectively. Low environmental and dietary iodine and selenium place Gilgit-Baltistan residents at risk of iodine deficiency disorders despite using iodised salt. Specific gravity correction of urine analysis for hydration is more consistent than using creatinine. Health-relevant environmental standards for iodine and selenium are needed.

Crop uptake of heavy metals in response to the environment and agronomic practices on land near mine tailings in the Zambian Copperbelt Province.

A field experiment was undertaken on farmers' fields adjacent to a large mine tailings dam in the Zambian mining town of Kitwe. Experimental plots were located close to the tailings (≤ 200 m) or further away (300-400 m) within the demarcated land farmed by the same community. This study evaluated the uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn by pumpkin leaves and maize grown in soil amended with lime and manure applied at agronomic rates, and the subsequent risk of dietary exposure to the local community, typical of many similar situations across the Zambian Copperbelt. Treatments, combinations of lime and manure (present or absent), were applied to subplots selected independently and randomly within each main plot, which represented variable geochemistry across this study site as a result of windblown/rain-driven dust from the tailings. Total elemental concentrations in crops were determined by ICP-MS following microwave-assisted acid digestion. Concentrations of Cu and Pb in pumpkin leaves were above the prescribed FAO/WHO safe limits by 60-205% and by 33-133%, respectively, while all five metals were below the limit for maize grain. Concentration of metals in maize grain was not affected by the amendments. However, lime at typical agronomic application rates significantly reduced concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the pumpkin leaves by 40%, 33%, 19% and 10%, respectively, and for manure Cd reduced by 16%, while Zn increased by 35%. The uptake of metals by crops in locations further from the tailings was greater than closer to the tailings because of greater retention of metals in the soil at higher soil pH closer to the tailings. Crops in season 2 had greater concentrations of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn than in season 1 due to diminished lime applied only in season 1, in line with common applications on a biannual basis. Maize as the staple crop is safe to grow in this area while pumpkin leaves as a readily available commonly consumed leafy vegetable may present a hazard due to accumulation of Cu and Pb above recommended safe limits.

Meeting technical challenges for protein characterization and surrogate equivalence studies that resulted from insecticidal protein co-expression in maize event MZIR098.

Safety assessment of genetically modified plants includes protein characterization to confirm the intended trait protein expression. In addition, to conduct safety tests, the large amount of purified protein needed is usually met through the use of a surrogate, microbially produced protein source. Characterization of the eCry3.1Ab and mCry3A proteins as derived from Event MZIR098 maize was challenging because of the difficulty in purifying/isolating these proteins that are of similar molecular weight and have considerable shared sequence and immunogenicity. This also applies to establishing the biochemical equivalence to the microbially produced surrogate proteins, as highly-purified plant protein is required. While use of crude plant extracts facilitated functional equivalence testing with the surrogate proteins, a separate technical challenge had to be met. The eCry3.1Ab and mCry3A proteins display differentiated modes of action toward CRW pests, however, with the same overall target pest spectrum, no differential test organism existed to allow equivalence testing for one insecticidal protein in the presence of the other. To establish that the microbially produced proteins are suitable surrogates for the plant-produced proteins, the challenges in the protein purification and bioactivity testing had to be addressed. This article describes technical solutions to assess and characterize the insecticidal proteins in this new event and thereby confirm equivalence/suitability of the microbially produced protein surrogates.

Short-Term Iodine Dynamics in Soil Solution.

Assessing the reactions of iodine (I) in soil is critical to evaluate radioiodine exposure and understand soil-to-crop transfer rates. Our mechanistic understanding has been constrained by method limitations in assessing the dynamic interactions of iodine between soil solution and soil solid phase over short periods (hours). We use microdialysis to passively extract soil solution spiked with radioiodine (129I- and 129IO3-) to monitor short-term (≤40 h) in situ fixation and speciation changes. We observed greater instantaneous adsorption of 129IO3- compared to 129I- in all soils and the complete reduction of 129IO3- to 129I- within 5 h of addition. Loss of 129I from solution was extremely rapid; the average half-lives of 129I- and 129IO3- in soil solution were 4.06 and 10.03 h, respectively. We detected the presence of soluble organically bound iodine (org-129I) with a low molecular weight (MW) range (0.5-5 kDa) in all soils and a slower (20-40 h) time-dependent formation of larger MW org-I compounds (12-18 kDa) in some samples. This study highlights the very short window of immediate availability in which I from rainfall or irrigation remains in soil solution and available to crops, thus presenting significant challenges to phytofortification strategies in soil-based production systems.

Do arsenic levels in rice pose a health risk to the UK population?

Consumption of rice and rice products can be a significant exposure pathway to inorganic arsenic (iAs), which is a group 1 carcinogen to humans. The UK follows the current European Commission regulations so that iAs concentrations must be < 0.20 mg kg-1 in white (polished) rice and <0.25 mg kg-1 in brown (unpolished) rice. However, iAs concentration in rice used for infant food production or direct consumption has been set at a maximum of 0.1 mg kg-1. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate iAs concentrations in different types of rice sold in the UK and to quantify the health risks to the UK population. Here, we evaluated 55 different types of rice purchased from a range of retail outlets. First, we analysed all rice types for total As (tAs) concentration from which 42 rice samples with tAs > 0.1 mg kg-1 were selected for As speciation using HPLC-ICP-MS. Based on the average concentration of iAs of our samples, we calculated values for the Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCR), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Margin of Exposure (MoE). We found a statistically significant difference between organically and non-organically grown rice. We also found that brown rice contained a significantly higher concentration of iAs compared to white or wild rice. Notably, 28 rice samples exceeded the iAs maximum limit stipulated by the EU (0.1 mg kg-1) with an average iAs concentration of 0.13 mg kg-1; therefore consumption of these rice types could be riskier for infants than adults. Based on the MoE, it was found that infants up to 1 year must be restricted to a maximum of 20 g per day for the 28 rice types to avoid carcinogenic risks. We believe that consumers could be better informed whether the marketed product is fit for infants and young children, via appropriate product labelling containing information about iAs concentration.