[Investigation of heavy metals concentration in the water wells close to Zanjan zinc and lead smelting plant]

Heavy metals processing industry has always been a major cause of concern which affects soils, surface waters, ground waters and river sediments contaminations. Thus, the Zanjan Zinc and Lead Smelting Plant has been considered as a potential source of contamination. This cross-sectional study has been conducted in February 2008 in the site region .The concentrations of Lead, Zinc and Cadmium have been assessed. The samples have been taken from 17 wells and atomic absorption spectrophotometeric method has been used to assess the samples. In order to find out and locate the exact situation of the wells under study, Global Positioning System instrument has been used. The correlation between the concentration of each metal and the distance of studied well from the plant has been assessed too. The findings of this study showed that lead and cadmium concentrations were 53% and 59% respectively out of the guideline values of World Health Organization. The concentration of Zinc was lower than both national and international values in all samples. As the heavy metal concentration is very important for human health status, the other fields of study like heavy metal air pollution effects and related diseases and conditions should be studied and assessed

[Normal exophthalmic values in children, teenagers, and adults of Tehran]

Purpose: to determine normal values of Hertel exophthalmometry in children, teenagers, and adults in Tehran

Methods: in a population-based epidemiological study, ocular protrusion was measured in 1063 randomly selected [stratified sampling method] normal subjects of Tehran. Hertel exophthalmometry was performed in all by a single oculoplastic surgeon. Subjects were divided into 3 age groups: children [6-12 years], teenagers [13- 19 years], and adults [20-70 years]. Data were analyzed using two-tailed paired t-test, independent sample t-test and linear regression test

Results: the age range was 6 to 70 years [mean 20.3 +/- 10 .9] and 601 [56.5%] were male. Mean absolute exophthalmic value was 14.2 +/- 1.8 mm in children, 15.2 +/- 1.9 mm in teenagers, and 14.7 +/- 2.3 mm in adults. Increase in age had a statistically significant effect on the exophthalmic value [r = +0.32 for children, +0.01 for teenagers, and -0.30 for adults; P<0.01]. Relative exophthalmic value was less than 2 mm in all subjects

Conclusion: the normal exophthalmic value had positive correlation with increase in age up to 20 years old and negative correlation thereafter. There was a positive correlation between the base and increase in age of all age groups