No abstract

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02128776.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if there are significant relationships between lead concentrations in children's hair and height, sitting height, and estimated leg length. Methods: We analyzed three samples collected at different times: 1998, 2002, 2007. The total sample consisted of 825 children between 11 and 14 years of age living in different municipalities of Sardinia (Italy). Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (1998), inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption spectrometry (2002), and inductively coupled mass spectrometry (2007) were used to measure the lead concentration in hair (PbH). Some AAS measurements were also performed on the 1998 and 2007 samples to check the reliability of the data. Results: The mean PbH is much higher in 1998 (5.84 μg/g) than in 2002 (1.49 μg/g) and 2007 (0.78 μg/g). Multivariate regression analysis of the three samples, controlling for age and sex, indicates a subclinical impact of lead on growth that differs according to the mean lead concentration in the hair. In fact, for 1998, the relationships between all three anthropometric variables and logPbH are significantly negative. For 2002, there are significant negative associations between height and estimated leg length and logPbH but not between sitting height and logPbH. For 2007, there are not significant associations between logPbH and anthropometric variables. Conclusions: Our results support the use of hair lead levels as a biomarker to assess the impact of subclinical lead on the physical growth of children, especially when the study area presents medium and/or high levels of lead pollution. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

The polymer nanocomposite samples have been prepared by solution embedding of CdS nanoparticles in polyurethane (PU). The structural properties have been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). SEM and AFM images represent the dispersion of CdS nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. The permittivity of nanocomposite samples increases with temperature due to formation of new dipoles or accumulation of charge carriers in a nanoparticle‐‐polymer interface. The increase in permittivity with temperature can be attributed to the heat‐assisted dipole moment. Furthermore, it has been observed that permittivity is the function of nanoparticle concentration, temperature, and frequency. The high concentration of nanoparticles lowers permittivity with frequency. The positive and negative tangential loss has been observed in PU‐‐CdS nanocomposite samples. The negative loss phenomenon could be understood in terms of a local space charge separation. The phase transition of PU and PU‐‐CdS nanocomposites has been studied by using a thermally stimulated discharge current technique. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E274–E286, 2013; View this article online at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21273

Outpatient management of low-risk patients with FN is as safe and effective as inpatient management of low-risk patients and is significantly less costly.