Mercury and selenium content in Otolithes ruber and Psettodes erumei from Khuzestan Shore, Iran.

In this paper the level of selenium and mercury is analyzed in edible part and liver of Psettodes erumei and Otolithes ruber two commercial fish in Persian Gulf. The average concentration of Hg and Se in edible parts of P. erumei was 0.077 ± 0.062 and 0.044 ± 0.018 (µg g(-1)ww), and in liver was 0.127 ± 0.122 and 0.132 ± 0.610 (µg g(-1)ww) respectively. In O. ruber, the average concentration of Hg and Se in edible parts was 0.348-0.27 and 0.06 ± 0.021 (µg g(-1)ww) and in liver was 0.176 ± 0.174 and 0.093 ± 0.022 (µg g(-1)ww), respectively. P. erumei has higher mean molar ratio Se/Hg (1.98) compared to O. ruber (0.88).

Fat grafting of hairy areas of head and neck - comparison between lipofilling and nanofat grafting procedures in a cadaveric study.

AIM: Fat grafting has well-recognized effects in terms of volume gain, skin trophicity, relieving of post-wound nevralgia. Recent publications suggest a regenerative action on hair follicles. The objective of our study was to compare lipofilling and nanofat grafting in hairy areas of head and neck so as to determine a convenient fat injection technique for those areas in the prospect of treating alopecia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study compared lipofilling and nanofat grafting, in a cadaveric study involving one body. RESULTS: Lipofilling was found easy to perform in the face, avoiding classical pitfalls, but was more difficult in the scalp areas. Nanofat grafting seemed particularly convenient to inject into the scalp, especially in Merkel's space, and hairy areas that required high precision injections. CONCLUSION: After having compared lipofilling and nanofat grafting in hairy areas of the head and neck, we propose a combination of lipofilling (in hairy areas where a durable gain of volume is acceptable, in case of burn or scar) and nanofat grafting (in all hairy areas and in Merkel's space in scalp areas). This technique may be used either as a complement of hair follicle grafting or as a regenerative treatment of alopecia.

Radiological studies in the hot spring region of Mahallat, Central Iran.

Five hot springs called 'Abegarm-e-Mahallat', located in the central part of Iran, have a mean water temperature of 46 +/- 1 degrees C and are used by visitors as spas. This is an area of high natural radiation background due to the presence of (226)Ra and its decay products in the deposited travertine (CaCO(3)). The mean concentration of (226)Ra in these hot springs, measured by the emanation method, ranged from 0.48 +/- 0.05 to 1.35 +/- 0.13 Bq l(-1). (222)Rn concentrations measured in the hot springs using a liquid scintillation counter ranged from 145 +/- 37 to 2731 +/- 98 Bq l(-1). Mean radon concentrations in air were 487 +/- 160 and 15.4 +/- 2.7 Bq m(-3) for indoor and outdoor, respectively. Radiation levels above that of normal background ( approximately 100 nGy h(-1)) were mainly limited to the Quaternary travertine formations in the vicinity of the hot springs. The results of environmental radiological studies in this region are presented and discussed.

Low molecular weight proteins secreted by peritoneal macrophages obtained from 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin-treated NMRI mice.

The protein secretion patterns in a macrophage-like cell line (CBrD), established from the peritoneal cells of NMRI mice treated with the dioxin analog 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin (TBrDD), were analyzed by high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE), and compared to the pattern of proteins secreted by control macrophages which were intraperitoneally activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The most striking alterations were observed in the low molecular range. The transformed cells encode a number of low molecular mass proteins (10-20 kDa) which were not detected in control cells under identical experimental conditions. The protein pattern with respect to isoelectric point, molecular weight, optical density (OD) and area of the spot (in mm2) has been depicted by computer analysis in relation to a standardized spot outline and the spot's background (in OD). It is concluded that the transformation of murine peritoneal macrophages by TBrDD leads to an upregulation of proteins, in particular of low-molecular-weight proteins.