Health Risk Assessment on Selected Essential and Non-Essential Elements in Food Crops Grown in Kibera Slum, Nairobi-Kenya

Peri-urban agriculture of food crops is practiced in many slum areas in developing countries. This often uses waste water whose levels of essential and non-essential elements are largely unknown but would be feared to contaminate soils, consequently exposing man to associated health risks. Inhabitants in Kibera slum, Nairobi City practice these growing kales, amaranthus, arrowroots, and spinach. Health risk assessment was done using daily intake of metals (DIM), target hazard quotient (THQ) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). Atomic absorption spectroscopy was employed for elemental analysis. The levels of essential elements ranged as follows;Mn 91.04 - 374.44, Mg 261.28 - 532.96, Fe 350.74 - 1273.68, and Zn 1.18 - 6.3 μg/g per dry weight were found to be below the recommended limits by FAO/WHO. Non-essential elements ranged as follows;Cr 1.15 - 4.32 and Pb 0.14 - 0.91 μg/g above the EU recommendation. DIM of Fe 5.81 - 27.61 and Mn 1.97 - 8.12 μg/g is above the recommended daily intake amounts. THQ values for Mn and Fe were more than unit. THQ values for non-essential elements were generally below unit. ILCR showed that from lead alone 73 people (0.043% of 0.17M residents) are likely to develop cancer. There are foreseen health risks associated with consumption of food crops grown in Kibera slum that requires immediate address.

Dynamics of Essential Metal Elements Contents in Winter Oilseed Rape during Cold Acclimation

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the dynamics of essential metal elements（Ca,Mg,Fe,Mn,Zn and Cu）contents in winter oilseed rape（Brassica napus L.）during cold acclimation,and to reveal the effects and mechanisms of essential elements in cold resistance of oilseed rape.[Method]Three varieties with different cold resistance including Zhongshuang No.11（ZS,freezing sensitive variety）,Ganyouza No.1（GY）and Jinyuyou No.1（JYY,freezing tolerant varieties）were used in the study,and the changes of necessary metal elements in these oilseed rapes during cold acclimation were studied.[Result]The concentration of metal elements in oilseed rape had significant changes during cold acclimation,and the difference between varieties was significant.In plant roots,the concentrations of Ca,Mg,Fe,Mn,Zn and Cu were significantly increased,this might because that low temperature made the transpiration decreased,thus blocking the upward transport of elements.In plant shoots,the concentrations of Ca,Mg and Zn were significantly decreased,while the concentrations of Fe and Mn were significantly increased;the change extent of various elements in ZS variety was the largest.[Conclusion]Maintaining the stability of Ca,Mg and Zn concentrations and increasing Fe,Mn and Cu concentrations in plant shoots might be benefit for increasing the cold tolerance of winter oilseed rape.

Evaluation by ICP-MS of Essential, Nonessential and Toxic Elements in Brazilian Fish and Seafood Samples

Fish is considered one of the healthiest foods due to the high levels of several important cardioprotective compounds such as long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. However, due to widespread environmental pollution, high levels of contaminants may also be present in fish and seafood samples, which may counteract the beneficial effects of consumption of this food. With this in mind, the aims of this study were: 1) to examine both toxic and essential chemical elements in seafood and river and sea fish samples sold in different Brazilian regions by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS);2) to estimate the daily intake of these chemical elements by Brazilians. The toxic elements Ba, Cd, Pb, Sr, V and Sb were found in higher concentrations in seafood than in either sea or river fish, while As concentrations were higher in both seafood and sea fish than in river fish. On the other hand, Hg levels were higher in river and sea fish. Concentrations of the essential chemical elements Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, Mg, Zn and Mo were significantly higher in seafood compared with both sorts of fish except for Se, whose levels were similar in seafood and sea fish. Daily intake of all chemical elements was estimated on the basis of a calculation of the amount of fish consumed by Brazilian households (mean fish and seafood consumption of 11.0 g/person/day). The amount of toxic element in fish and seafood did not represent a risk for the Brazilian people. Moreover, fish and seafood seem to be a good source of selenium.

An AAS Dependent Method for Quantitative Analysis of Essential Trace Elements from Blood Samples of Pakistani Female Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the second leading cancer in the world. The long-term exposure of some metallic compounds induces different forms of cancer, including breast cancer. Trace elements are essential metals for the physiological functions of the cell on a molecular level and also contribute in treatment of many diseases. The aim of study was to compare the level of essential trace elements, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc in breast cancer patients with normal healthy adult women. Total forty-five patients (age range from 25 - 73 years) were included in this study and divided into three groups according to three different stages of breast cancer including tumor-II, tumor-III and tumor-IV. Blood was collected from all participants after taking history, clinical data and taking consent. However, about fifteen non-cancer healthy women in age range from 26 - 69 years were subjected to this study. The elemental concentrations were determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometer subsequent to microwave-induced acid digestion. The results of Na, K, Zn, Fe, Ca, were observed to decrease in blood samples of breast cancer patients as compared to non-cancer subjects. The results are reliable with other numerous literature reported studies, the efficiency, and deficiency of these trace metals may contribute an important role in the progress of breast cancer.

Determination of Selected Essential and Non-Essential Metals in Three Types of Teff (<i>Eragrostis tef</i>) Cultivated in Southern Ethiopia

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is used to supply staple food “injera” for many Ethiopians. The present study was aimed toward determining the extent of selected metals that can exist in three types of teff cultivated in selected districts of southern Ethiopia. The level of those metals was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimized wet digestion procedure was evaluated employing a spiking method and an acceptable percentage recovery of (91.1% - 108.9%) has been obtained for metals in the teff. Oven dried 1 g of teff samples were digested using 5 mL of HNO3 and 1 mL of HClO4 at 300°C for 3 hours. The result indicated that the mean concentration of metals (in mg/kg dry weight basis) in teff samples were found to be from 1206.9 to 1768.9 of Ca, 2463.9 to 2554.7 of Mg, 82.6 to 109.9 of Na, 2879 to 3075 of K, 207.4 to 239.5 of Fe, 55.9 to 100.4 of Mn, 27.1 to 87.1 of Zn, 5.4 to 45.5 of Cu and 0.118 to 0.130 of Pb respectively. However, Cd is below the method detection limit. A statistical analysis of variance revealed that there was a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between the mineral content in three teff types and teff from the three districts. Red teff had higher essential metal contents except Cu followed by brown teff. Strong positive correlation was recognized between Mg with Ca and K, the rest have moderate or weak correlation. Further study has been done on the mineral contents of similar variety or three types of teff with the soil analysis from different locations.

Detection of Total Phenols, Essential and Toxic Elements in Latvian Whole Grain Bread

A survey was carried out with the aim of assessing the level of the total phenolic compounds （TPC）, essential （Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn） and toxic （Cd and Pb） elements in 10 Latvian whole grain rye and/or wheat flour bread samples, obtained from the local market. The quantities of the TPC were determined by spectrophotometry. Mineral content was determined by flame photometry, flame atom absorption spectrometry （FAAS） and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry （ETAA） after wet digestion in concentrated HNO3. The values were comparable to the literature data. The average content in all the samples was （on a basis of weight of the product） 547 ± 28 mg/100 g for Na; 280 ±20 mg/100 g for K; 32 ± 2 mg/100 g for Ca; 88 ±5 mg/100 g for Mg; 0.49 ± 0.09 mg/100 g for Cu; 1.6 ±0.2 mg/100 g for Zn. Both Pb and Cd were determined below the limit of detection （LOD 5 0.10 mg/100 g）. The LOD values were determined for each element. The TPC content in defatted samples was slightly lower than the non-defatted ones, showing the dependence on the sample preparation. The calculated average levels of the elements were compared with the maximum levels recommended or regulated by the national legislation.

Levels of Selected Essential and Non-Essential Metals in the Soil and Ginger (<i>Zingiber officinale</i>) Cultivated in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an important spice and medicinal plant used in different parts of the world. The objective of current study was to determine the level of essential and non-essential metals in ginger and its correlation with concentration of metals in the supporting soil. The level of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cd and Pb in soil and ginger cultivated in the selected districts of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. A 0.5 g ginger sample was digested using a mixture of 4 ml HNO3 and 1.5 ml HClO4 at 210°C for 150 minutes, and a 0.5 g soil sample was digested employing a mixture of 6 ml aqua-regia and 1 ml H2O2 at 280°C for 150 minutes. The metal concentrations range in dry weight basis for ginger samples is decreasing in the order: K (1691 - 3487 mg/kg) > Mg (701 - 1583 mg/kg) > Ca (862 - 1476 mg/kg) > Na (398 - 776 mg/kg) > Mn (325 - 672 mg/kg) > Fe (6.14 - 11.92 mg/kg) > Zn (5.30 - 10.09 mg/kg) > (0.12 - 0.23 mg/kg) for Pb. The concentration of Cd, Cu and Co in ginger samples were below the limit of detection. The results revealed that ginger has the ability to accumulate relatively higher amounts of K and Mg among the determined essential metals. The soil samples have been found to be acidic pH, sandy clay loam in texture, a very low electrical conductivity and moderate level of (CEC, organic carbon, available phosphorus and total nitrogen). Although, a positive correlation between the levels of K, Mg, Zn, Mn in ginger and soil samples were observed. All the non-essential metals analyzed in this study were below the permissible ranges set by FAO/WHO.

An Investigation on γ induced activation reactions on human essential elements

In radiotherapy, the energy of the γ rays used could be larger than 10 Me V, which would potentially activate stable nucleus into a radioactive one. The γ induced reactions on some of the human essential elements are studied to show the probability of changes of nuclei. The Talys 1.4 toolkit was adopted as the theoretical model for calculation. The reactions investigated include the(γ, n) and(γ, p) channels for the stable Na, Mg, Cl,K, Ca, and Fe isotopes, with the incident energy of γ ranging from 1 to 30 Me V. It was found that the cross sections for the reactions are very low, and the maximum cross section is no larger than 100 mb. By considering the threshold energy of the channel, the half-life time of the residue nucleus, and the percentage of the element accounting for the weight and its importance in the body, it is suggested to track the radioactive nuclei22 Na,41Ca, and42,43 K after γ therapy. The results might be useful for medical diagnosis and disease treatment.

Development of China's Public Health as an Essential Element of Human Rights

September 2017 Contents Preface Ensuring People’s Right to Health Based on China’s Conditions Continuous Improvement of Health Environment and Conditions Public Health Service Capability Improving Steadily Great Improvement in the Quality of Medical and Health Services Improvement of the National Medical Security System

Determination of Elements by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Medicinal Plants Employed to Alleviate Common Cold Symptoms

Eleven important medicinal plants generally used by the people of Turkey for the treatment of common cold have been studied for their mineral contents.Eleven minor and major elements(essential,non-essential and toxic)were identified in the Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L.,Althaea officinalis L.,Verbascum phlomoides L.,Euphorbia chamaesyce L.,Zizyphus jujube Miller,Peganum harmala L.,Arum dioscoridis Sm.,Sambucus nigra L.,Piper longum L.,Tussilago farfara L.and Elettaria cardamomum Maton by employing flame atomic absorption and emission spectrometry and electro-thermal atomic absorption spectrometry.Microwave digestion procedure for total concentration was applied under optimized conditions for dissolution of medicinal plants.Plant based biological certified reference materials(CRMs)served as standards for quantification.These elements are found to be present in varying concentrations in the studied plants.The baseline data presented in this work can be used in understanding the role of essential,non-essential and toxic elements in nutritive,preventive and therapeutic properties of medicinal plants.

Birth Weight in Relation to Maternal Blood Levels of Selected Elements in Slovenian Populations： A Cross-sectional Study

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relation between maternal blood levels of selected toxic and potentially toxic elements （manganese （Mn）, copper （Cu）, zinc （Zn）, arsenic （As）, selenium （Se）, cadmium （Cd）, lead （Pb） and mercury （Hg）） and birth weight of their new-borns in a Slovenian population, taking into account maternal socio-demographic characteristics and dietary habits. 535 women from 12 regions of Slovenia were recruited at delivery. Maternal blood was collected at 1.5 months after birth. Associations between birth weight and a） predictors obtained through the questionnaires and b） levels of selected elements were tested using bivariate tests and multiple linear regression. Multiple regression models revealed maternal age as an additional predictor for birth weight and confirmed pre-pregnancy body mass, estimated gestational age and gender of the baby as the main predictors for birth weight. Mn in maternal blood was significantly and positively associated with birth weight. The positive association observed between birth weight and Mn in maternal blood could be explained by the essentiality of Mn in foetal development as an important cofactor in enzymereactions in bone formation and in metabolic regulation for amino acid, lipid, protein and carbohydrate levels.

中国特色社会保障制度论纲

中国特色社会保障制度是打上中国特色社会主义制度烙印并具有中华传统保障基因的新社会保障制度文明。中国式现代化的确定性决定了中国特色社会保障制度的确定性,而遵循现代社会保障制度的基本规律,以共同富裕为追求目标,以初次分配、再分配、三次分配协调配套的基础性制度安排为基本条件,与社会主义公有制和中华传统保障有机融合,构成了这一制度文明的基本要素。经过新中国成立以来的实践探索,中国特色社会保障制度轮廓已经呈现,但制度尚未成熟,亟待厘清目标理念,矫正政策路径偏差,充分发挥中国制度优势,走出与中国式现代化相适应的社会保障制度创新发展之路。

同人作品视域下传统戏剧作品完整权保护探析

传统戏剧同人作品是套仿传统戏剧作品创作的戏剧作品,不是著作权法上的全新作品。保护传统戏剧作品完整权,是传统戏剧表演形象不受歪曲、原剧作品得以保真与正当利用的权利。保护传统戏剧作品完整权的认定,存在“主观说”“客观说”“折中说”等说法。传统戏剧作品创作的劳动价值论与制度价值论、传统戏剧剧种保护及当前滞后的专项法律,都要求同人创作中必须保护传统戏剧作品完整权。在同人作品视域下,增强保护传统戏剧作品完整权的实然效能,需要完善法律规范,以明确完整权性质与传统戏剧同人创作者义务;推行转换性使用方法,以提高保护效果;增设传统戏剧元素点制度,以健全专项制度。在信息时代,同人创作对作品完整权的保护程度,一定程度上决定着传统戏剧的兴衰。

沉积矿床中重要(变价)金属元素与古海洋环境关系综述--以新元古代-早古生代扬子板块周缘为例

对氧化—还原敏感元素和生命必需元素地球化学性质和相关沉积矿产形成机制及其时空分布特征的分析、总结和归纳,有助于对古海洋环境演化与相关沉积矿产形成关系的深入认识,这对沉积矿床学理论的发展具有重要意义。新元古代南华纪—早古生代早志留世,扬子板块周缘黑色岩系中依次沉积了举世瞩目的南华纪锰矿、震旦纪—早寒武世沉积磷块岩、早寒武世重晶石矿、镍—钼—钴多金属矿、钒矿和早志留世铀矿的完整沉积矿床系列,不同时代地层、同一时代不同沉积环境地层赋存不同类型的沉积矿产,有必要对其成矿机理进行系统研究、总结和归纳。笔者等在对氧化—还原敏感金属元素、生命必需元素和海底热液元素等元素地球化学性质综述的基础上,兼论了它们在结合黄铁矿矿物学对氧化—还原环境、生物生产力和盆地限制性分析方面具体作用;进一步结合新元古代—早古生代扬子板块古环境演化特征,对扬子板块周缘特定时代中特定沉积矿产的分布、成因机理进行分析、总结和归纳;最终得出扬子板块周缘相关沉积矿产,是在全球氧化事件、冰期—间冰期、Rodina大陆裂解大背景下,海洋中成矿金属元素得到长期积累,在特定时代区域性海水—海底热液—生物作用(根据不同矿种各有侧重)影响下,在相关重要元素地球化学性质的控制下、局部区域特殊氧化—还原环境的控制下形成的特定矿产的初步认识。最后,结合相关沉积矿床研究中存在的问题,提出下一步解决方案与展望。

不同混交模式对杉木精油化学成分的影响

以湖南省永州市金洞林场15年林龄杉木-毛竹混交林、杉木-闽楠混交林和杉木纯林为研究对象,采用气相色谱–质谱联用(GC-MS)测定杉木不同器官(叶、枝、干、根)精油成分,用硫酸-高氯酸消化法检测杉木各器官矿质元素含量,分析不同混交栽植模式对杉木不同器官中精油成分和含量的影响,并将精油中主要挥发物成分与矿质元素进行相关性分析,探讨不同栽植模式下精油成分与矿质元素的关系。结果表明:杉木各器官共检测出50种物质,主要包括萜烯类32种、醇类12种、萘类2种、萜烯酯类3种、其他类1种。相比于杉木纯林,杉木-毛竹、杉木-闽楠模式中杉木干精油分别增加了156%、76%,根精油分别增加了77%、99%,杉木-毛竹模式效果更佳;精油主成分的相对质量与Al、Ca、K、Mg、Mn、P元素含量密切相关;混交模式会导致杉木不同器官间(+)-雪松醇、β-石竹烯、(-)-(7S)-germacrene D、α-芹子烯、(+)-β-芹子烯等主要物质的相对含量产生显著变化。因此,可通过改变杉木的混交模式提高精油提取率,定向提高精油中特定物质成分或降低有害物质的相对含量,满足对杉木精油产品的不同需求。

西北太平洋公海中上层游泳动物体内必需微量元素赋存特征

中上层游泳动物具有较强的微量元素富集能力,通过食物链的生物放大作用,其体内富集的微量元素会传递到高营养级生物体内。为了解西北太平洋中上层游泳动物肌肉微量元素赋存特征,采集西北太平洋远东拟沙丁鱼(Sardinops sagax)、三棘若蛇鲭(Nealotus tripes)、鳀(Engraulis japonicus)、北方拟黵乌贼(Gonatopsis borealis)、发光柔鱼(Eucleoteuthis luminosa)和日本爪乌贼(Onychoteuthis borealijaponica)等6种中上层游泳动物样品,测定其肌肉中必需微量元素B、Cr、Mn、Fe、Co、Cu、Zn、Se的含量以及碳氮稳定同位素比值,采用聚类分析、皮尔逊相关分析、主成分分析以及营养放大系数(trophic magnification factor,TMF)等方法揭示微量元素赋存的物种差异、元素之间的相关性和来源以及微量元素与营养级相关性与传递规律。结果表明,西北太平洋6种游泳动物体内必需微量元素含量都遵循Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Se>Cr>B>Co的规律,鱼类体内Cr、Mn、Fe、Co和Zn含量明显高于头足类;微量元素在中上层游泳动物物种之间的赋存差异明显(P<0.05),Zn和Mn两个微量元素在3种鱼类(远东拟沙丁鱼、三棘若蛇鲭和鳀)中均存在显著正相关关系;鱼类和头足类体内的Zn、Co、B、Cu和Fe主要是摄食获取,而Mn、Cr和Fe主要来源于栖息水体中;西北太平洋6种游泳动物的食物来源存在差异性(δ13C:-26.9‰~-17.8‰),营养级跨度大(1.7~3.7);Cr在西北太食物链存在生物放大效应(TMF>1),B、Co、Fe、Zn和Se在中上层游泳动物食物链存在显著生物减小效应(TMF<1),其浓度随着营养级的升高呈显著下降趋势(P<0.05)。研究结果可为该海域环境治理以及食品安全监管提供科学参考。

基于水系沉积物地球化学背景特征的生态环境评价

本文通过对额尔古纳地区1∶25万区域化探数据分析研究,探讨用水系沉积物地球化学背景特征评价研究区生态环境。参照生态环境地球化学评价方法,对研究区的生态环境进行评价,得出研究区的生态环境总体较好,局部存在轻度至重度污染,并重点圈定了F、As元素土壤污染区域。特征植物营养元素相互间搭配平衡关系较差,说明该区的土壤环境不能很好地为植物生长提供适宜的营养补给条件。测区生命必需元素均在正常范围之内,适宜人类生活和工作。综合分析认为,造成研究区内污染状况的原因可能与矿业开采、人类活动及地质背景等因素有关。区域化探数据结合生态环境地球化学评价方法可以应用于内蒙古生态环境评价。

Effects of Supplemental Glutamine and Lysine on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens

The optimum levels of Lysine and Glutamine needed for growth performance and maintenance of the chicken broilers were evaluated in a randomized 3 × 4 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments. The battery cages measured 99 × 66 × 25 cm that can be sufficient for 5 birds. Day old Chicken broilers totaling 180 were assigned to dietary treatments comprising of 3 concentrations of Lysine (0.85, 1.14, and 1.42) each in combination with 4 concentrations of Glutamine (0, 1, 2, and 3). Each dietary treatment was replicated 3 times and each replication had 5 birds. The birds were given feed and water ad libitum with a 23-hour light regimen for a period of 4 weeks. Then, the experimental birds were evaluated for body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion in order to determine their optimum requirement for dietary Lysine and Glutamine. Based on the findings of this study, the highest performance was observed in birds fed the diet supplemented with 1.42 lysine and 1% glutamine, but the highest improvement in feed conversion was observed in diet contain 1.14 and 1.42 with 1% and 3% glutamine, respectively. Birds fed 1.42 lysine and 1% glutamine had the highest total body weight gain and feed consumption. The lysine requirements in the diet for Chicken are between 1.14 and 1.42 with glutamine level of 1%.

论我国主流话语能力的多层要义、建设要素及生成条件

我国主流话语能力是各类话语主体在话语生产和话语实践中生产建构、传播表达、捍卫维护、创新发展主流话语的能力。我国主流话语能力建设要以调动话语主体的积极性力量为基点、以满足话语受众的多方面需求为主线、以促进话语内容的多向性发展为依托、以实现话语方式的持续性优化为关键、以增强话语语境的动态性适应为要点、以谋求话语主题的自洽性转变为动力、以保持话语模式的持久性活力为目标。我国主流话语能力的生成需要一系列的条件,表现为话语主体对话语受众的人文关怀、对话语内容的创新发展、对话语方式的积极调整、对话语语境的协调整合、对话语主题的准确把握、对话语模式的自主探寻、对话语体系的全面审查。

个体化叙事积极元素提炼回馈护理对老年原发性高血压患者的影响

目的:探讨个体化叙事积极元素提炼回馈护理对老年原发性高血压患者的影响。方法:选取2021年1月—2023年1月南京医科大学康达学院附属连云港东方医院收治的150例老年原发性高血压患者,将其随机分为对照组和研究组,各75例。对照组给予常规护理,研究组进行个体化叙事积极元素提炼回馈护理。比较两组干预前后自我感受负担量表(SPBS-CP)评分、自我管理能力、血压控制效果、匹兹堡睡眠质量指数(PSQI)和护理满意度。结果:干预前,两组自我感受负担、自我管理能力、血压水平和睡眠质量比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);干预后,两组SPBS-CP评分、PSQI评分和血压水平低于干预前,自我管理能力高于干预前,且研究组SPBS-CP评分、PSQI评分和血压水平低于对照组,自我管理能力高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。研究组护理总满意度高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:个体化叙事积极元素提炼回馈护理能有效降低老年原发性高血压患者的自我感受负担,能在提高自我管理能力的基础上,更好地控制血压水平,从而提高睡眠质量和护理满意度。