[Investigation of blood lead levels and its toxicity in workers of zinc melting factory of Dandi, Zanjan, Iran]

Environmental pollutions that affect human health are one of the important worries related to heavy metals production. Our objective of this study was to investigate the blood lead levels in workers of Zinc melting factory of Dandi Zanjan and to compare its level with healthy men who were living around the factory. This study was carried out on 40 workers as case group and 40 healthy non-worker male individuals who where living around the mentioned factory in Dandi region of Zanjan as control group. Blood lead concentrations was measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer [GFAAS]. The data were analyzed using T-test and ANOVA. The mean of blood lead levels in case and control groups were 16.06 and 10.47- micro g/dL respectively [P = 0.0001]. There was also a significant difference between workers lead levels in different parts of the factory [P = 0.04]. Blood lead levels in factory workers were higher than in control group, although blood lead levels were in reference limit in workers on the basis of OSHA standards. Since the major way of lead pollution is respiratory tracts, therefore it is necessary to use appropriate air conditioner systems in such factories

[Evaluation and comparison of serum melatonin determination in normal individuals and migraine patients]

Background: Migraine is a chronic hereditary and relapsing headache. With regard to the prevalence of this ancient disease and its economic complications in country, in this study, nocturnal serum melatonin of migraine patients and control subjects have been evaluated and compared by ELISA kit

Materials and Methods: Fifty migraine patients [mostly women] were compared to a control group [mostly men] matched according to age

Results: Statistical analysis revealed a decrease in nocturnal serum melatonin levels for migraine patients [32.9 28.4] compared to the control one [75.6 56.8]. With using of t-test by ELISA kit showed significant difference [p=0.0064]

Conclusion: With regard to this, the pineal gland has the main role in the synchronization of the organism with the environmental conditions and migrainous headaches