Reference Site Research Articles

The impact of lead, cadmium, and mercury on the reproduction of mountain hares (Lepus timidus L., 1758) in the north of Krasnoyarsk Krai

Reproduction is key to the survival and development of a species. Anthropogenic activities release significant amounts of toxic pollutants into the environment. In this study, we aimed to determine effects of heavy metals on some reproductive parameters of the mountain hare. Female mountain hares (n = 41) were hunted in the reference and industrially polluted areas of Krasnoyarsk Krai during four seasons. Their skeletal muscles, liver, and kidneys were subjected to atomic absorption spectrometry to determine concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury. The contents of lead, cadmium, and mercury were significantly higher in the hares from the contaminated areas compared to the reference sites. According to the results, the exposure to lead, cadmium, and mercury had an impact on the reproductive potential of the female mountain hares. In particular, we established correlations between numbers of embryos and corpora lutea and contents of lead in the kidneys and liver, as well as cadmium in the kidneys. The number of corpora lutea and embryonic losses in the female hares from the contaminated areas were higher than those in the hared from reference areas. However, the numbers of embryos did not differ significantly between the compared areas. Our study showed that about 40% of the liver samples and 100% of the muscle tissue samples obtained from the hares in the impact zone contained high concentrations of lead and cadmium. Therefore, hunting in these industrially polluted areas may pose a toxic hazard to the indigenous peoples living there. Further research is needed to assess potential and actual fertility, offspring survival, and other important parameters of mountain hare populations exposed to different levels of chemical pollution.

Evaluating the influence of marine protected areas on surf zone fish.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) globally serve conservation and fisheries management goals, generating positive effects in some marine ecosystems. Surf zones and sandy beaches, critical ecotones bridging land and sea, play a pivotal role in the life cycles of numerous fish species and serve as prime areas for subsistence and recreational fishing. Despite their significance, these areas remain understudied when evaluating the effects of MPAs. We compared surf zone fish assemblages inside and outside MPAs across 3 bioregions in California (USA). Using seines and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs), we found differences in surf zone fish inside and outside MPAs in one region. Inside south region MPAs, we observed higher abundance (Tukey's honest significant difference [HSD]=0.83, p=0.0001) and richness (HSD=0.22, p=0.0001) in BRUVs and greater biomass (HSD=0.32, p=0.0002) in seine surveys compared with reference sites. Selected live-bearing, fished taxa were positively affected by MPAs. Elasmobranchs displayed greater abundance in BRUV surveys and higher biomass in seine surveys inside south region MPAs (HSD=0.35, p=0.0003 and HSD=0.23, p=0.008, respectively). Although we observed no overall MPA signal for Embiotocidae, abundances of juvenile and large adult barred surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus), the most abundant fished species, were higher inside MPAs (K-S test D=0.19, p<0.0001). Influence of habitat characteristics on MPA performance indicated surf zone width was positively associated with fish abundance and biomass but negatively associated with richness. The south region had the largest positive effect size on all MPA performance metrics. Our findings underscored the variability in species richness and composition across regions and survey methods that significantly affected differences observed inside and outside MPAs. A comprehensive assessment of MPA performance should consider specific taxa, their distribution, and the effects of habitat factors and geography.

Mobile air quality monitoring and comparison to fixed monitoring sites for instrument performance assessment

Abstract. Air pollution monitoring using mobile ground-based measurement platforms can provide high-quality spatiotemporal air pollution information. As mobile air quality monitoring campaigns extend to entire fleets of vehicles and integrate smaller-scale air quality sensors, it is important to address the need to assess these measurements in a scalable manner. We explore the collocation-based evaluation of air quality measurements in a mobile platform using fixed regulatory sites as a reference. We compare two approaches: a standard collocation assessment technique, in which the mobile platform is parked near the fixed regulatory site for a period of time, and an expanded approach, which uses measurements while the mobile platform is in motion in the general vicinity of the fixed regulatory site. Based on the availability of fixed-reference-site data, we focus on three pollutants (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and nitric oxide) with distinct atmospheric lifetimes and behaviors. We compare measurements from a mobile laboratory with regulatory site measurements in Denver, CO, USA, and in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA. Our 1-month Denver dataset includes both parked collocation periods near the fixed regulatory sites and general driving patterns around the sites, allowing a direct comparison of the parked and mobile collocation techniques on the same dataset. We show that the mobile collocation approach produces similar performance statistics, including coefficients of determination and mean bias errors, to the standard parked collocation technique. This is particularly true when the comparisons are restricted to specific road types, with residential streets showing the closest agreement and highways showing the largest differences. We extend our analysis to a larger (yearlong) dataset in California, where we explore the relationships between the mobile measurements and the fixed reference sites on a larger scale. We show that using a 40 h running median converges to within ±4 ppbv of the fixed reference site for nitrogen dioxide and ozone and up to about 8 ppbv for nitric oxide. We propose that this agreement can be leveraged to assess instrument performance over time during large-scale mobile monitoring campaigns. We demonstrate an example of how such relationships can be employed during large-scale monitoring campaigns using small sensors to identify potential measurement biases.

PREVALENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Even in affluent nations, IDA is still a significant public health issue, particularly for young children and women who are ready to have children. Aims: This systematic review is to review the treatment and prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children. Methods: This study demonstrated compliance with all requirements by means of a comparison with the standards established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020. Thus, the specialists were able to guarantee that the research was as current as feasible. Publications released between 2014 and 2024 were considered for this search strategy. This was accomplished by utilizing a number of distinct online reference sites, including Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SagePub. It was determined that reviews, previously published works, and partially completed works would not be included. Result: In the PubMed database, the results of our search brought up 353 articles, whereas the results of our search on SCIENCE DIRECT brought up 8.865 articles, our search on SAGEPUB brought up 3.269 articles. The results of the search conducted for the last year of 2014 yielded a total 184 articles for PubMed, 4.071 articles for SCIENCE DIRECT and 1.144 articles for SAGEPUB. In the end, we compiled a total of 5 papers, 3 of which came from PubMed, 1 of which came from SCIENCE DIRECT and 1 of which came from SAGEPUB. We included five research that met the criteria. Conclusion: In summary, with its haematological repercussions of anemia, IDA is a prevalent and significant children health concern. To assess the effects of IDA on immunity and neurocognition, additional research is necessary. The key to successfully treating children with IDA is early identification and diagnosis of the condition together with competent interpretation of laboratory tests.

Seven years of microbial community metagenomes from temperate soils affected by an ongoing coal seam fire.

We examined the dynamics of soil microbiomes under heat press disturbance from an underground coal mine fire in Centralia, PA. Here, we present metagenomic sequencing and assembly data from soil microbiomes across seven consecutive years at repeatedly sampled fire-affected sites along with unaffected reference sites.

Contribution of early succession regeneration plants to heavy metal remediation in abandoned Artisanal small-scale mining sites in Ghana

Artisanal Small-Scale mining (ASM) is a major land use activity in Ghana. Despite its tremendous contribution to livelihoods, ASM is largely unregulated in the country, illegally operated, leaving most mined out sites unrehabilitated. In this study, we explored the extent to which early succession naturally regenerating plants on two abandoned illegal artisanal small scale mined-out sites (Chamfi and Alluvial types) remediate heavy metals. The study was undertaken in three districts of the Western Region of Ghana. Plots were randomly established in the alluvial, chamfi and reference (control) sites. Within each plot, samples of soil and naturally regenerating plants were collected for determination of bioaccumulation potential, translocation and contamination factor of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results revealed that the concentration of As, Cd, Hg, Pb from soil samples, as well as roots and shoots of the plants collected from the two mined sites were significantly higher than the concentrations in the samples from the control plots. Our results show that heavy metal removal is more significant in plants at the alluvial mined soils than those at the chamfi sites. C. pubescens, C. odorata, and M. pudica were observed to be better cadmium translocators than the other vegetations sampled. Furthermore, plants at the alluvial sites recorded higher Bioaccumulation Factor (BF) in the roots than those at the chamfi sites for lead and arsenic. The study implies that natural regeneration of early successional species can promote contaminant removal on abandoned artisanal mine sites. They however vary in their capacity to accumulate different metals on abandoned soils. Within the context of illegal ASM prevalence, our results suggest that efforts should be made to encourage and minimize disturbances to the growth of early succession plant species as short-term alternative measures in abandoned artisanal mined sites, where reclamation is often neglected.

Site Response in the Walnut Creek–Concord Region of San Francisco Bay, California: Ground-Motion Amplification in a Fault-Bounded Basin

ABSTRACT Thirty-seven portable accelerometers were deployed in the eastern San Francisco Bay communities of Walnut Creek and Concord to study site response in a fault-bounded, urban, sedimentary basin. Local earthquakes were recorded for a period of two years from 2017 to 2019 resulting in 101 well-recorded events. Site response is estimated by two methods: the reference site spectral ratio method and a source-site spectral inversion method. The reference site spectral ratio method allows investigation of the variability of site amplification with source azimuth and frequency. The source-site spectral inversion method yields the best least-squares fit to site response for a database of ground-motion records. Both methods show substantial amplification in the Walnut Creek–Concord basin below 2 Hz indicating strong surface-wave development. Greater amplification is seen for sources aligned along the long axis of the basin. Inversion using close-in sources at short distances yields lower amplification at longer periods than the entire data set due to reduced surface-wave generation for steeper angles of incidence. Inversion of site response spectra for shallow shear-wave velocity using a global search algorithm yields VS30 values consistent with generalized mapping results based on geology and topography but with greater variability due to local site variations. 3D finite-element modeling shows greater amplification in the Walnut Creek–Concord basin with a basin-edge effect likely contributing to higher ground motions. Topography is also seen to lead to increased scattering and shadowing effects.

ASSOCIATION OF BETA BLOCKER USE AND COPD MORTALITY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) it is currently the third greatest cause of mortality worldwide and one of the main causes of morbidity Aims: This systematic review is to review the association of beta blocker use and COPD mortality. Methods: This study demonstrated compliance with all requirements by means of a comparison with the standards established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020. Thus, the specialists were able to guarantee that the research was as current as feasible. Publications released between 2014 and 2024 were considered for this search strategy. This was accomplished by utilizing a number of distinct online reference sites, including Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SagePub. It was determined that reviews, previously published works, and partially completed works would not be included. Result: In the PubMed database, the results of our search brought up 249 articles, whereas the results of our search on SCIENCE DIRECT brought up 18.876 articles, our search on SAGEPUB brought up 4.844 articles. The results of the search conducted for the last year of 2014 yielded a total 131 articles for PubMed, 6.875 articles for SCIENCE DIRECT and 1.840 articles for SAGEPUB. In the end, we compiled a total of 8 papers, 5 of which came from PubMed, 2 of which came from SCIENCE DIRECT and 1 of which came from SAGEPUB. We included eight research that met the criteria. Conclusion: In summary, beta blockers showed the effect to reduce the exacerbation or exacerbation related mortality of COPD in some cases. More studies needed in the future for more evidence of the use of beta blockers as the treatments in patients with COPD.

Prediction of m6A and m5C at single-molecule resolution reveals a transcriptome-wide co-occurrence of RNA modifications

The epitranscriptome embodies many new and largely unexplored functions of RNA. A significant roadblock hindering progress in epitranscriptomics is the identification of more than one modification in individual transcript molecules. We address this with CHEUI (CH3 (methylation) Estimation Using Ionic current). CHEUI predicts N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and 5-methylcytosine (m5C) in individual molecules from the same sample, the stoichiometry at transcript reference sites, and differential methylation between any two conditions. CHEUI processes observed and expected nanopore direct RNA sequencing signals to achieve high single-molecule, transcript-site, and stoichiometry accuracies in multiple tests using synthetic RNA standards and cell line data. CHEUI’s capability to identify two modification types in the same sample reveals a co-occurrence of m6A and m5C in individual mRNAs in cell line and tissue transcriptomes. CHEUI provides new avenues to discover and study the function of the epitranscriptome.

Homogenization of soil seed bank communities by fire and invasive species in the Mojave Desert

Soil seed banks help maintain species diversity through temporal storage effects and function as germination pools that can optimize fitness across varying environmental conditions. These characteristics promote the persistence of native plant communities, yet disturbances such as fire and associated invasions by non-native species can disrupt these reserves, fundamentally altering successional trajectories. This may be particularly true in deserts, where native plant communities are less adapted to fire. While studies of fire effects on desert plant communities are not uncommon, information regarding the short- and long-term effects of fire on seed banks is less available. To better understand the influence of fire and invasive species on desert seed banks, we investigated soil seed bank biodiversity from 30 wildfires that burned between 1972 and 2010 across the Mojave Desert ecoregion of North America. We assessed how characteristics of fire regimes (frequency, time since fire, and burn severity) interacted with climate and invasive plants on measures of α-, β-, and γ-diversities. Because β-diversity is a direct measure of community variability and reveals important information about biodiversity loss, we further examined the nestedness and turnover components of β-diversity. Mean α- and γ-diversities were generally higher for burned locations than in unburned reference sites, however individual fire variables had little influence on patterns of seed bank diversity. Burned area seed banks tended to be dominated by non-native invasive species, primarily two grasses, (Bromus rubens, Bromus tectorum), as well as an invasive forb (Erodium cicutarium). The most striking pattern we observed was a collective sharp decline in α-, β-, and γ-diversities with increased invasive species dominance, indicating the homogenization of seed bank communities with the colonization of invasive species after fire. Evidence of homogenization was further supported by reduced turnover and increased nestedness in burn areas compared to reference areas indicating potential biodiversity loss. Our findings highlight how biological processes such as plant invasions can combine with disturbance from fire to alter patterns of seed bank composition and diversity in desert ecosystems.

Integration of a battery of biomarkers to evaluate the health status of field-collected frogs of Leptodactylus luctator living in ecosystems with different anthropogenic disturbances

Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates because they have certain biological and ecological characteristics that make them sensitive to environmental changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health status of field-collected adult frogs of Leptodactylus luctator (Amphibia, Anura) living in sites with different anthropogenic disturbances (florihorticulture, petrochemical industry and sewage discharges) and a reference site without any detectable influence of such activities. To this end, a battery of 21 biomarkers (hematological, biochemical and individual biomarkers) was studied using a multivariate approach that allows us to evaluate the relationship between them and provide information on their usefulness. The frogs at the florihorticulture, petrochemical and sewage discharges sites exhibited several biomarkers far from homeostasis. In addition, we identified 11 of 21 biomarkers that were useful indicators of the health status of the frogs and allowed discrimination between study sites in the following order: lymphocytes (98 %), neutrophils (45 %), hemoglobin (42 %), monocytes (41 %), fat body index (35 %), eosinophils (35 %), hepatosomatic index (33 %), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (32 %), thrombocytes (27 %), catalase in liver (26 %), and GST in liver (26 %). The results suggest that hematological biomarkers contribute the most to site separation, whereas biochemical biomarkers contribute the least. The integral interpretation of the results also allowed us to diagnose the different health status of L. luctator: The frogs from the petrochemical industry were the most negatively affected, followed by the frogs from the sewages discharges and finally the frogs from the florihorticulture and reference sites. This is the first field study with anurans in which so many biomarkers were examined.

Snow dumping station – A considerable source of tyre wear, microplastics, and heavy metal pollution

Snow dumping stations can be a hotspots for pollutants to water resources. However, little is known about the amount of microplastics including tyre wear particles transported this way. This study investigated microplastics and metals in snow from four snow dumping stations in Riga, Latvia, a remote site (Gauja National Park), and a roof top in Riga. Microplastics other than tyre wear particles were identified with Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) (>500 µm) and focal plane array based micro-Fourier Transform Infrared (FPA-µFTIR) imaging (10–500 µm), tyre wear particles by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (Py-GC–MS), and total metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma with Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Microplastics detected by FTIR were quantified by particle counts and their mass estimated, while tyre wear particles were quantified by mass. The concentrations varied substantially, with the highest levels in the urban areas. Microplastic concentrations measured by FTIR ranged between 26 and 2549 counts L−1 of melted snow with a corresponding estimated mass of 19–573 µg/L. Tyre wear particles were not detected at the two reference sites, while other sites held 44–3026 µg/L. Metal concentrations varied several orders of magnitude with for example sodium in the range 0.45–819.54 mg/L and cadmium in the range 0.05–0.94 µg/L. Correlating microplastic measured by FTIR to metal content showed a weak to moderate correlation. Tyre wear particles, however, correlated strongly to many of the metals. The study showed that snow can hold considerable amounts of these pollutants, which upon melting and release of the meltwater to the aquatic environment could impact receiving waters.

Exploring Wilton microlithic technologies: New analyses from Rose Cottage Cave, South Africa

The Later Stone Age of southern Africa sees the succession of varied lithic traditions. The Wilton (8ka BP – second millennium AD) corresponds to the last techno-complex of the LSA in South Africa. It has been typologically recognised over vast geographical areas and seems to last until the progressive disappearance of stone tool industries, while experiencing chronological and geographical variations. While Wilton formal tools, mainly small scrapers and microliths, have received much attention, the ways in which the stone tools themselves were produced are still unknown. This paper provides keys to describe mid-Holocene Wilton microlithic productions at the reference site of Rose Cottage Cave (Free-State). The lithic technological analysis highlights the integrated production of ‘ready-made’ blanks from one volume, including bladelets. The scraper and backed piece typologies are analysed and reveal an interesting diversity. These results provide a foundation for the building of the technological understanding of the Wilton in southern Africa. This paper ultimately aims to facilitate the exploration of regional and chronological variations at Wilton sites, and, by contrast, to differentiate other lithic traditions in southern Africa.

Relation between solid phase speciation and oral/lung bioaccessibility of metal(loid)s polluted soils in inhabited area: Contribution of synchrotron-based experiment

The presence of contaminated sites/soils in or near cities can pose significant risks to public health. The city of Viviez (France) was taken in reference site bears significant industrial responsibility, particularly in zinc metallurgy, with the presence of a now rehabilitated smelter. This has led to soil contamination by zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd), with concentrations reaching up to 4856 mg kg−1, 1739 mg kg−1, 195 mg kg−1, and 110 mg kg−1, respectively. The aim of this study is to comprehend the contamination patterns of the site post-rehabilitation, the geochemical behavior of each element, and their speciation (analyzed through BCR, XRD, and XANES) in relation to associated health risks due to metals accessibility for oral ingestion and inhalation by the local population. The findings revealed that elements inducing health risks were not necessarily those with the highest metal contents. All results are discussed in terms of the relationship between element speciation, stability of bearing phases, and their behavior in different media. XANES is an important tool to determine and estimate the Pb-bearing phases in garden soils, as well as the As speciation, which consist of Pb-goethite, anglesite, and Pb-humate, with variations in proportions (the main phases being 66 %, 12 % and 22 % for Pb-goethite, anglesite, and Pb-humate, respectively) whereas As-bearing phase are As(V)-rich ferrihydrite-like. A new aspect lies in the detailed characterization of solid phases before and after bioaccessibility tests, to qualify and quantify the bearing phases involved in the mobility of metallic elements to understand the bioaccessibility behavior. Ultimately, the health risk associated with exposure to inhabitants, in terms of particle ingestion and inhalation, was assessed. Only ingestion-related risk was deemed unacceptable due to the levels of As and Pb.

Using isotope-geochemical criteria for Olympiadinskoye gold deposit gas system genesis diagnosis

The authors studied modern gas manifestations spatially associated with the ore deposits in the Kaitbinskaya lithological-facies zone of the Yenisei Ridge. The purpose of the research is to obtain scientifically based data on the genesis of gaseous and vaporous fluids in various sampling environments of the Vostochny open-pit mine of the Olympiadinskoye gold deposit: rocks, natural waters, free-flowing gases from blastholes and air of the surface atmosphere. It has been conducted a complex of field and analytical works including degassing, gas chromatography, pyrolysis of the organic substance of lithified and metamorphosed deposits, analysis of carbon isotopic composition in carbon dioxide and methane in fluidal systems. In order to study normal gas-geochemical field (natural background) of the work area an atmospheric geochemical survey was carried out at the reference site – an “environmentally friendly” site with the minimal influence of technogenic factors. It has been determined that the surface atmosphere of the site had been formed due to the landscape and geomorphological conditions of the Kaitbinskaya lithological-facies zone as well as fluidal systems of deep horizons. The latter, due to the presence of an extensive network of disruptive disturbances and diffusion-filtration processes of mass transfer reached the zone of exploratory geochemical sounding. The conducted pyrolytic studies of rocks have proved that within the open section of the Vostochny open-pit mine the organic substance of the Kordinskaya series of the lower Riphean deposits has implemented its oil and gas generation potential and cannot serve the formation source of abnormal gas fields of the Olympiadinskoye gold deposit. The studied gas systems are polygenic in nature and, being allochthonous to the host sediments, are formed without the participation of gases from the upper generating (bio) zone. According to isotope-geochemical criteria, these are mainly endogenous and naphthidogenic fluids identical to the gas condensate accumulations of the Yurubcheno-Tokhomskaya oil and gas accumulation zone.

MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN LOW INCOME COUNTRIES : A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is complicated and recurring. It usually first appears in early childhood and might persist throughout maturity. Aims : This systematic review is to review the management and outcome of atopic dermatitis in primary health care in low income countries. Methods: This study demonstrated compliance with all requirements by means of a comparison with the standards established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020. Thus, the specialists were able to guarantee that the research was as current as feasible. Publications released between 2014 and 2024 were considered for this search strategy. This was accomplished by utilizing a number of distinct online reference sites, including Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SagePub. It was determined that reviews, previously published works, and partially completed works would not be included. Result: In the PubMed database, the results of our search brought up 539 articles, whereas the results of our search on SCIENCE DIRECT brought up 9.462 articles, our search on SAGEPUB brought up 1.264 articles. The results of the search conducted for the last year of 2014 yielded a total 425 articles for PubMed, 5.474 articles for SCIENCE DIRECT and 613 articles for SAGEPUB. In the end, we compiled a total of 5 papers, 3 of which came from PubMed, 1 of which came from SCIENCE DIRECT and 1 of which came from SAGEPUB. We included five research that met the criteria. Conclusion: In summary, atopic dermatitis is still a major global public health problem, especially for women and young children as well as in high-income nations. It is important to recognize the profound effects on patients, their families, and economies as well as the financial ramifications.

MANAGEMENT OF MULTI DRUG RESISTANT IN TREATMENT OF GONORRHEA : A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: A significant worldwide public health issue, gonorrhea is made worse by antibiotic resistance. Aims : This systematic review is to review the treatment of gonorrhea in patients with multi drug resistant of antimicroba. Methods: This study demonstrated compliance with all requirements by means of a comparison with the standards established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020. Thus, the specialists were able to guarantee that the research was as current as feasible. Publications released between 2014 and 2024 were considered for this search strategy. This was accomplished by utilizing a number of distinct online reference sites, including Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SagePub. It was determined that reviews, previously published works, and partially completed works would not be included. Result: In the PubMed database, the results of our search brought up 4.511 articles, whereas the results of our search on SCIENCE DIRECT brought up 1.110 articles, our search on SAGEPUB brought up 1.738 articles. The results of the search conducted for the last year of 2014 yielded a total 1.464 articles for PubMed, 265 articles for SCIENCE DIRECT and 684 articles for SAGEPUB. In the end, we compiled a total of 5 papers, 3 of which came from PubMed, 1 of which came from SCIENCE DIRECT and 1 of which came from SAGEPUB. We included five research that met the criteria. Conclusion: In summary, globally, the prevalence of gonococcal infections is growing quickl. Most concerningly, N. gonorrhoeae is a significant contributor to the bacterial population that disseminates resistance to antibiotics.

Identification of the Ideal Reference Site and Pain Threshold Values for the Placement of Electric Pulp Testers in Permanent Upper and Lower Anterior Teeth: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Electric pulp testers (EPTs) are widely used diagnostic tools for diagnosing traumatized teeth. Several factors can affect the result of an electric pulp test. One such factor that will affect the diagnosis is the electrode tip placement. Hence, the current study aims to identify the most painful site and response time threshold in healthy anterior teeth. A total of 90 individuals, 48 male and 42 female, aged 19 to 25 years,were recruited. An EPT was placed on three different sites: the cervical, middle, and incisal third of the labial surface of both upper and lower anterior teeth (central incisor, lateral incisor, and canine) with an appropriate electrolyte as a conducting medium. Later, the threshold values were recorded, and pain assessment was done using the Memojis pain scale (MPS). Finally, the data was analyzed statistically using the Mann-Whitney U test. Mean and standard deviation values of reaction time were collected from 540 EPT readings (three sites from 180 teeth).Among the three sites tested, the difference between the upper and lower central incisors was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Similarly, when upper and lower lateral incisors and canines were compared, a statistically significant difference was observed among the three sites (p<0.05). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the pain scores only on the incisal and cervical thirds of the upper and lower central incisors. Only the incisal third showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the pain scores in the upper and lateral incisors. At the same time, a statistically significant difference in the pain scores was observed among the three tested sites between the upper and lower canines (p<0.05). Conclusion: Lower threshold values were appreciated at the incisal third of all the upper and lower anterior teeth for placing the EPT. Most individuals have experienced a score of 2 (hurts little bit) for the perceived pain using EPTs for both the upper and lower anterior teeth.

A cautionary tale from the Adriatic Palaeolithic: reassessing the stratigraphic reliability of Šandalja II cave (Istria, Croatia)

Šandalja II has been a reference site for numerous decades for the definition and study of the Eastern Adriatic Upper Palaeolithic and corresponding techno-complexes. This is due both to its extensive material record, and the purported presence of some otherwise elusive techno-complexes in the area, such as the Aurignacian and the Early Epigravettian. In this paper, we present two new series of C14-AMS dates (from layers H, E, C/d and A/d) to assess the validity of its archaeological sequence, together with previously obtained radiocarbon dates, both AMS and conventional. The results show, unambiguously, the lack of reliability of the stratigraphy defined for the site during the excavation. A simple chronometric deconstruction reveals, at the very least, that the assemblages from Šandalja II can no longer be considered and used as an example of the diachronic evolution within the Aurignacian and Epigravettian of the Eastern Adriatic, thus calling for a further re-evaluation of features defined for the Adriatic Upper Palaeolithic on the basis on the assemblages from Šandalja II. Hence Šandalja II joins an increasing list of so-called reference sites which must not be considered as “referential” anymore.

Soil pollution of the city with machine-building production by heavy metals and arsenic and epidemiological risk to public health

Introduction. The paper presents the results of a study for the assessment of the epidemiological risk to public health and the level of soil contamination with heavy metals and arsenic in the city of Kovrov, a large industrial center of the Vladimir region.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The objects of the study are the morbidity in the population of the Kovrovsky district of the Vladimir region and the soil cover of the city of Kovrov, whose industrial enterprises specialize in the production of machine-building products. Soil samples were taken in the area of industrial enterprises, highways, and residential areas. The soil cover was examined by X-ray fluorescence method to determine the content of heavy metals and arsenic.&#x0D; Results. The conducted study on the assessment of probable risk allowed establishing in the Kovrov district, relative to background regional values, children to have a very high risk for 10 classes of diseases, adults have a very high risk for 6 classes of diseases. Contamination of the Carpet city soil with heavy metals and arsenic has been established. The priority pollutants of the Kovrov soil are zinc, lead and arsenic, which belong to the first hazard class. There was a significant variation in the content of heavy metals within both industrial and residential zones. Extremely dangerous chemical contamination of the soil with heavy metals has been detected. The assessment of the level of chemical soil pollution, as an indicator of adverse effects on public health, showed the residential part of the city, where most of the residents live, to be located in the zone of moderately dangerous or dangerous category of soil pollution.&#x0D; Limitations. The limitations of the study are related to one-time sampling and a small number of reference sites, which limits the possibilities of a broader interpretation of the data obtained.&#x0D; Conclusion. The unfavourable state of the soil cover in the residential area of Kovrov requires the manaagement and conducting constant ecological and hygienic monitoring of this territory. To reduce pollutants in particular, heavy metals, entering the soil of the city and, it is necessary to improve the system for cleaning gas-air emissions of machine-building enterprises of the city, as well as to ensure the effective arrangement of sanitary protection zones. To reduce the content of heavy metals in the soil, it is necessary to carry out measures to detoxify contaminated soils.