The Effectiveness of a Collector Bag for Measurement of Post-partum Hemorrhage.

The aim of the study was to assess sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) of collector bag and its correlation with hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) variations. This study, carried on 100 women referred for admission to labor ward of Shohada hospital in Orumeyeh City, Iran, from April to November, 2007. Serum Hb and Ht were measured after admission; a collecting bag placed under the pelvis just after birth and was weighted after delivery. Hb and Ht were again assessed at 8 hr after delivery. PPH was defined as blood loss ˃500 ml following vaginal delivery. Each 500 ml blood loss accounts for approximately a 3% change in the Ht level or a falling in Hb of 1 g/dl. With this cut off our noted Sensitivity=80%, Specificity=95. 7%, PPV= 88.9% and NPV= 91.8%. The collector bag is a rapid and precise instrument to diagnose of postpartum hemorrhage in the delivery room. It also enables a visual, quantitative and objective estimation of blood loss.

Heavy metal bioaccumulation in sediment, common reed, algae, and blood worm from the Shoor river, Iran.

Concentrations of 11 metals (cadmium, zinc, copper (Cu), vanadium (V), lead, magnesium (Mg), manganese, aluminum, iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), and nickel), and one metalloid (arsenic (As)) were measured in sediment, common reed (Phragmites australis), algae (Spirogyra sp.), and blood worm (Chironomus sp.) tissues of samples collected from the Shoor river. Samples were dried, acid digested, and the concentrations of metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer. A higher concentration of heavy metals was accumulated in Spirogyra and Chironomids than sediment and common reed. The highest rate of accumulation was found for Mg, V, Fe, As, Cu, and Cr. Spirogyra and Chironomids are capable of accumulating and thereby removing metals from polluted water bodies and are suitable for biomonitoring purposes.