Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) blood levels and potential hematological health risk among inhabitants of the claimed hazardous region around Qaroun Lake in Egypt.

Background: Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) heavy metals are considered potentially hazardous toxins which cause serious health problems. Many studies reported that the water of Qaroun Lake in Fayoum, Egypt with its fish farms was contaminated with Pb and Cd above permissible levels. However, there is a lack of studies addressing levels of these toxic metals among inhabitants.

Minipool caprylic acid fractionation of plasma using disposable equipment: a practical method to enhance immunoglobulin supply in developing countries.

Background: Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is an essential plasma-derived medicine that is lacking in developing countries. IgG shortages leave immunodeficient patients without treatment, exposing them to devastating recurrent infections from local pathogens. A simple and practical method for producing IgG from normal or convalescent plasma collected in developing countries is needed to provide better, faster access to IgG for patients in need.

Role of Ulva lactuca extract in alleviation of salinity stress on wheat seedlings.

Seaweeds are potentially excellent sources of highly bioactive materials that could represent useful leads in the alleviation of salinity stress. The effects of presoaking wheat grains in water extract of Ulva lactuca on growth, some enzymatic activities, and protein pattern of salinized plants were investigated in this study. Algal presoaking of grains demonstrated a highly significant enhancement in the percentage of seed germination and growth parameters.

Comparative removal of solvent and detergent viral inactivating agents from human intravenous immunoglobulin G preparations using SDR HyperD and C18 sorbents.

The capacity of hydrophobic octadecyl (C18) and SDR HyperD materials to remove the combination of 1% (v/v) solvent (tri-n-butyl phosphate, TnBP) with 1% (v/v) nonionic detergents (Triton X-100 and Triton X-45) used for viral inactivation of plasma-derived polyvalent intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) preparation has been evaluated. Efficient removal of TnBP (<10 ppm in IVIG preparation) was found at ratios of 0.5 g of C18/7 ml of IVIG and 0.

Impact of Triton X-100 on alpha 2-antiplasmin (SERPINF2) activity in solvent/detergent-treated plasma.

Large-pool solvent/detergent (SD) plasma for transfusion exhibits reduced alpha 2-antiplasmin (alpha2-AP; SERPINF2) functional activity. The reason for the loss of alpha2-AP has not been described and could be due to the SD incubation itself and/or to the processing steps implemented to remove the solvent and the detergent. We have studied alpha2-AP activity during six down-scale preparations of plasma virally-inactivated by 1% (v/v) TnBP combined with two different non-ionic detergents, either 1% Triton X-100 or 1% Triton X-45, at 31 degrees C for 4h.

A process for solvent/detergent treatment of plasma for transfusion at blood centers that use a disposable-bag system.

Background: Solvent/detergent (S/D) inactivates enveloped viruses in plasma. The current technology requires a plasma fractionation facility and is applied to large plasma pools, which increases the cost and risks of exposure to S/D-resistant pathogens and lowers the content of protein S and alpha2-antiplasmin. Two S/D treatment procedures for single donations or minipools of plasma have been developed with a single-use bag system.