Elements in hair and nails of residents from a village adjacent to New Delhi

Samples of hair and nails collected from the residents of Wazirpur, a village adjacent to New Delhi, were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and correlated with the residents' rural and urban places of occupations. It was observed that Pb and Cd hair levels of males working in rural areas were lower than in male businessmen and officers working in an urban area of New Delhi, thereby showing the different levels of elements exposure of the rural subjects. Such differences in the hair levels of elements were not observed among female subjects. The tobacco smoking habits of male and female rural subjects using hookah were associated with increased Cd levels in hair and nails.     

Occurrence of heavy metals,sodium, calcium,and potassium in human hair,teeth, and nails

Heavy metals in biological samples: nails, teeth, and hair were examined during 1991–1993. Investigations of biological samples (hairn=249 samples, teethn=145, nailsn=80 samples) were provided for inhabitants of selected towns in Beskid Śląski. The towns are small mountain towns in southern Poland: Wista, Szczyrk, Istebna, Koniaków, and Jaworzynka. The analysis of ANOVA and MANOVA variances were used for biological samples in the context of age, sex, and type of samples for 12 elements (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Co, Ca, Na, and K). The matrix correlation and cluster analysis were applied to explain the behavior of metals in human hair, teeth, and nails.     

Body composition and fat distribution pattern of urban elderly females, Delhi, India

The present study was conducted on females (n = 279) in the age range of 51-89 year, living in the urban dwellings of Delhi, India. Another group of 21-25 years old young adult females was taken as a control group. A total of 14 anthropometric measurements were taken: stature, sitting height, weight, skinfold thickness at nine different sites over the body and body girths such as upper arm, waist and hip circumference. Indices like body mass index, grand mean thickness, waist-hip ratio were computed to assess the body composition. Fat profile and responsiveness of different skinfold sites towards fat accumulation were studied to find out the regional fat distribution with advancing age. Redistribution of body fat was found to take place with increasing age. A relative preponderance of upper body fat was visible among elderly subjects. However, a clear reverse trend was observed in the young control group females. Significant differences were observed with regards to the body composition and fat profile between young adult females and test group females. Abdomen and the sub-scapular area were reported to be the most sensitive sites for fat deposition as the age advanced. The stature and sitting height showed significant decline with age. All the indices of adiposity i.e. grand mean thickness, waist-hip ratio and body mass index revealed significant changes in elderly females when compared with young adult control group females.     

Seasonal changes in thermal responses of urban residents to cold exposure

To determine whether urban circumpolar residents show seasonal acclimatisation to cold, thermoregulatory responses and thermal perception during cold exposure were examined in young men during January-March (n=7) and August-September (n=8). Subjects were exposed for 24 h to 22 and to 10 degrees C. Rectal (T(rect)) and skin temperatures were measured throughout the exposure. Oxygen consumption (VO(2)), finger skin blood flow (Q(f)), shivering and cold (CDT) and warm detection thresholds (WDT) were assessed four times during the exposure. Ratings of thermal sensations, comfort and tolerance were recorded using subjective judgement scales at 1-h intervals. During winter, subjects had a significantly higher mean skin temperature at both 22 and 10 degrees C compared with summer. However, skin temperatures decreased more at 10 degrees C in winter and remained higher only in the trunk. Finger skin temperature was higher at 22 degrees C, but lower at 10 degrees C in the winter suggesting an enhanced cold-induced vasoconstriction. Similarly, Q(f) decreased more in winter. The cold detection threshold of the hand was shifted to a lower level in the cold, and more substantially in the winter, which was related to lower skin temperatures in winter. Thermal sensations showed only slight seasonal variation. The observed seasonal differences in thermal responses suggest increased preservation of heat especially in the peripheral areas in winter. Blunted vasomotor and skin temperature responses, which are typical for habituation to cold, were not observed in winter. Instead, the responses in winter resemble aggravated reactions of non-cold acclimatised subjects.     

Comparison of hair, nails and urine for biological monitoring of low level inorganic mercury exposure in dental workers.

Creatinine-corrected urine mercury measurements in spot urine samples are routinely used in monitoring workers exposed to inorganic mercury. However, mercury measurement in other non-invasive biological material has been used in some epidemiological studies. Dentists and dental nurses remain a group of workers with potential exposure to inorganic mercury through their handling of mercury-containing amalgam, although changes in work practices have reduced the current, likely exposure to mercury. Therefore, dental workers remain an occupational cohort in whom the value of using different biological media to identify exposure to low level inorganic mercury can be investigated. Samples of head hair, pubic hair, fingernails, toenails and urine were analysed for mercury content from a cohort of UK dentists (n=167) and a socioeconomically similar reference population (n=68) in whom any mercury exposure was primarily through diet. The mercury content in all biological material was significantly higher in the dental workers than in the control population (p<0.0001). The geometric mean and 90th percentile mercury concentrations in the urine samples from dentists were 1.7 and 7.3 micromol mol(-1) creatinine, respectively, with only one sample having a value at around the UK's Health and Safety Executive biological monitoring health guidance level of 20 micromol mol(-1) creatinine. Receiver operator characteristic analyses suggested that the ability of the biological material to discriminate between dentists and referents were fingernails>urine approximately equal to toenails>pubic hair approximately equal to head hair. Further investigation is warranted as to why fingernails appear to be such a good discriminator, possibly reflecting some contribution of direct finger contact with amalgam or contaminated surfaces rather than systemic incorporation of mercury into growing nails. Good correlation between head hair and pubic hair mercury levels in all subjects was obtained (r=0.832), which was significantly improved when hair samples weighing <10 mg were excluded (r=0.868). Therefore, under these exposure conditions and using the described pre-analytical washing steps, there is little influence from atmospheric contamination on the level of mercury content of head hair. The choice of non-invasive biological materials for mercury analysis depends on a number of considerations. These include the toxicokinetics of urinary mercury excretion, the growth rates of hair and nail, the nature and time-frame of exposure, and the fact that urine mercury may not reflect the body burden level from dietary methyl mercury. However, the data from this study suggests that urine mercury remains the most practical and sensitive means of monitoring low level occupational exposure to inorganic mercury.     

Assessment of reference values for elements in human hair of urban schoolboys

Hair samples of youngsters (3–15 years of age) from several urban areas of Rome were analyzed to determine the content of 19 minor and trace elements with the aim of assessing Reference Values (RVs). Thirteen essential elements were taken into account, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Se, V and Zn. On the other hand, Al, As, Cd, Pb, Sr and Ti were also evaluated on the basis of their potential toxicity. Procedures were developed for the collection, storage and pre-analytical treatment of samples. Measurements were performed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Subgroups were formed according to age and sex. Significant differences were found for certain elements depending on age and sex. This was the case, e.g., for Ca which showed a mean value of 336 mg/kg for males and of 537 mg/kg for females. The sex-dependent pattern for this element was also apparent when the three age subgroups of 3–6, 7–10 and 11–15 years were compared. The overall RVs obtained (mg/kg) are as follows Al, 10.2; As, 0.09; Ca, 450; Cd, 0.23; Co, 0.67; Cr, 0.99; Cu, 22.1; Fe, 19.0; Mg, 28.0; Mn, 0.35; Mo, 0.43; Ni, 1.49; P, 195; Pb, 7.11; Se, 0.77; Sr, 1.20; Ti, 0.79; V, 1.22; and Zn 150.     

Selenium levels in related biological samples: human placenta, maternal and umbilical cord blood, hair and nails.

A study on selenium levels has been carried out in human placenta, maternal and umbilical cord blood, hair and nails of a group of 50 mothers and in the hair of the newborns. The determinations were perfomed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The selenium concentration obtained for each sample type was as follows: For the human placenta the values obtained were between 0.56 and 1.06 microg/g (mean +/- standard deviation: 0.81 +/- 0.02 microg/g). The levels for the umbilical cord blood were 51.1-104.2 microg/l (76.3 +/- 6.5 microg/l). For the maternal blood the values measured were between 57.3 and 117.9 microg/l (90.0 +/- 15.2 microg/l), and for hair and nails were 0.22-1.5 microg/g (0.60 +/- 0.37 microg/g) and 0.46-1.57 microg/g (0.90 +/- 0.27 microg/g), respectively. For the hair of the newborns the values obtained were between 0.40 and 2.53 microg/g (1.04 +/- 0.48 microg/g). The effect of different variables as age, habitat, nutritional index or gestation age of the mothers on the selenium concentration in the samples was studied. The influence of the habitat is significant with a confidence level of 95% for the selenium concentration in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood samples. The influence of the mothers' age is significant with a confidence level of 95% for the selenium concentration in the umbilical cord blood samples. For the placenta samples, the effect of the nutritional index is significant with a confidence level of 95%. There is a positive correlation between samples of umbilical cord blood and the newborns' hair, between placenta and umbilical cord, and between cord blood and maternal blood.     

Elements in the hair of workers at a workshop, foundry, and match factory

The levels of seven elements determined in the hair were compared between male controls and industrial workers from Madras (South India). Particularly, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Ni in the foundry workers and Cu, Mn, and Ni in the workers of a workshop and match factory were observed to be higher than that of controls working in the office. In addition, the occupation, age, and period of service of workers had an influence, but diet, smoking habits, income of family, and hair color had no influence on the element levels in the hair.     

Electromagnetic field in and around the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

We have surveyed the levels of magnetic field in the open environment around the high-tension lines as well as in the domestic and laboratory environment in the JNU campus. Measurements were made in the direction of most likely access, and from the surface of the appliances. The data so obtained are analyzed and compared with some quoted in the literature. It is hoped that the results will be useful for epidemiological studies in determining the criteria for safe human exposure.     

Status of collective immunity to hepatitis A virus in urban residents in Byelorussia]

The large immune stratum and intense collective immunity to virus hepatitis A among the urban population of Byelorussia are characteristic of hyperendemic territory. The geometric mean of the antibody titer has been noted to increase with age, which is probably due to repeated infections of persons who have already had the disease. The use of this value for the characterization of collective immunity and epidemiological situation has been proposed.     

Fears,attitudes and opinions of suburban residents with regards to their urban foxes

Throughout Central Europe, foxes have taken over urban areas as their habitat. In Southern Germany, these foxes are also carriers of the small fox tapeworm, which causes a serious zoonotic infection in humans. Therefore, a survey was carried out in a suburb of the city of Munich. A postal questionnaire was used to analyse the attitudes, opinions and fears of these participants towards their urban foxes and the background to these attitudes. Questionnaires were sent to all households with gardens and collected in again via the community council. Seven hundred and seventy-nine or 31% of questionnaires were returned. Only a few people are afraid of the fox itself; however, 55% are afraid of the fox tapeworm. Worming the animals is the preferred counter-measure, with 81% in favour. The majority of inhabitants are pleased to see a fox in the community and feel the animals have a right to live. People are afraid of the tapeworm either because they have children in the household or because of increased knowledge of the subject or because it has increasingly become an issue. On the basis of the results of this study, it is to be expected that radical solutions such as killing the foxes are unlikely to be accepted among the population. Worming of the foxes does, however, meet with general approval.     

Selenium-dependent and non-selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in human tissues of New Zealand residents

Glutathione peroxidase was assayed in human tissues of New Zealand residents by the coupled assay method. Total glutathione peroxidase was assayed using cumene hydroperoxide. The non-selenium-dependent activity was not detected with t-butyl hydroperoxide and thus was determined from the difference between total activity and the selenium-dependent activity using hydrogen peroxide or t-butyl hydroperoxide. Only selenium-dependent activity was found in whole blood, erythrocytes, platelets and biopsy skeletal muscle. A small non-selenium dependent activity was measured in plasma and a larger activity in biopsy liver supernatant and homogenate. Glutathione-S-transferase was detected in all tissues.     

Stress status and related characteristics among urban residents: a six-province capital cities study in China

Objectives

To estimate current prevalence levels of stress, and to identify related characteristics among urban residents in China.

Design

A cross-sectional, multilevel study. Selected through multi-stage quota-sampling, survey participants were 4,735 urban residents aged 15 years and older who resided in one of six selected Chinese capital cities. Data were collected on stress levels and sociodemographic characteristics. Stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, Chinese version (CPSS). A multilevel variance component model was employed to analyze associations between sociodemographic variables and stress.

Results

The mean stress score for urban residents was 22.34 (SD: 3.22), and 36.8% of those surveyed (95% CI: 33.5–40.2%) were severely stressed (>25). Multilevel regression analysis indicated that residents aged 55 years and older were less stressed than residents under age 25. The most educated and higher income earners had lower stress levels than the least educated and poorest. High levels of stress were apparent among all other occupational groups, relative to managers and clerks, except retirees and operational workers. Residents in the north of China exhibited higher stress levels than counterparts in the south.

Conclusions

This study suggests that higher stress levels are positively associated with social class in China. Our findings could inform health policy, guide prevention strategies, and justify the design and implementation of targeted interventions.     

实验性氟中毒小鼠毛发中几种微量元素含量的研究

让年幼小白鼠饮用不同浓度的 N a F水溶液一个月造成其氟中毒 ,然后分析其毛发中 Fe、Cu、Zn、Se等微量元素的含量。结果发现 Fe、Cu、Zn的含量明显下降或有下降趋势 ,而 Se能抑制其下降。这一结果对氟中毒的防治具有一定的意义     

Natural occurrence of Bacillus thuringiensis in leguminous phylloplanes in the New Delhi region of India

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates were present on the phylloplanes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), pea (Pisum sativum) and mung bean (Vigna radiata). Bt index (ratio of the number of Bt colonies to the total number of spore-forming colonies per g of leaves) differed significantly among these plants, with the highest (0.20) in the chickpea phylloplane, followed by pigeon pea (0.17). Bt population of the chickpea phylloplane varied with plant age, being maximal in 45-day-old plants. Diversity was observed among Bt isolates for growth (up to 10-fold difference), antibiotic resistance, PCR product profile and toxicity to Helicoverpa armigera. Two isolates with high activity towards H. armigera were found. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Secular trend in stature and age at menarche among Punjabi Aroras residing in New Delhi, India

The study was conducted on Punjabi Arora girls (n = 159) and their mothers to see the phenomenon of secular trend in stature and age at menarche. An increase in stature and decrease in age at menarche was reported when the data of daughters was compared with that of their mothers thereby indicating secular trend in these two parameters. Better living conditions, improved nutrition and medical facilities, changes in environmental and socio-economic factors may account for increase in stature and early biological maturation.