Supplementation with selenium nanoparticles alleviates diabetic nephropathy during pregnancy in the diabetic female rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The bioactivity of nanoparticles has engendered a promise in scientific communities for developing novel therapeutic strategies. This study...     

Daily intake of selenium and concentrations in blood of residents of Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Concentrations of selenium (Se) in food from local markets of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) were measured and daily intake calculated based on information from a questionnaire of foods eaten by healthy Saudis. The daily intake of Se was then compared to concentrations of Se in blood serum. Primary sources of Se in the diet of Saudis were as follows: meat and meat products (31%), egg (20.4%), cereals and cereal products (16%), legumes (8.7%), fruits (6.8%), milk and dairy products (2.0%), beverages (2%), sweets (1.8%), pickles (0.2%), and oil (0.02%). Daily intake of Se, estimated to be 93 μg Se/person/day, was slightly greater than that calculated from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food balance sheet for KSA, which was approximately 90 μg Se/person/day. The daily intake of Se by Saudis in Riyadh was greater than that of Australians or Dutch but less that of Canadians and Americans. There was a statistically significant correlation (R = +0.38, P < 0.05) between daily intake of Se and concentrations of Se in blood serum of Saudis in Riyadh. The mean concentration of Se in serum was 1.0 × 10(2) ± 30.5 μg Se/l. Taken together, the results suggest that the average Se intake and Se serum concentrations are within the known limits and recommendations, making it unlikely that Saudis are on average at risk of deficiency or toxicity.     

Seasonal concentrations of lead in outdoor and indoor dust and blood of children in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Because detrimental effects of exposure to lead (Pb) on human health have been observed, we previously investigated concentrations of Pb in water supplies and blood of adult residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The objectives of the present study were to: (1) examine seasonal rates of deposition of Pb in dust in several areas of Riyadh city, (2) measure concentrations of Pb in both outdoor and indoor dust, (3) compare concentrations of Pb in dust in Riyadh with those reported for other cities, and (4) quantify Pb in blood of children living in Riyadh. Mean, monthly deposition of PB in outdoor dust was 4.7 × 10¹ ± 3.6 tons km^?2, with a mean Pb concentration of 2.4 × 10² ± 4.4 × 10¹ μg/g. Mean, monthly deposition of Pb in indoor dust was 2.7 ± 0.70 tons km^?2, with a mean concentration of 2.9 × 10¹ ± 1.5 × 10¹ μg Pb/g. There was a significant (P < 0.01) correlation between concentrations of Pb in outdoor and indoor dust. There was no correlation between concentrations of Pb in indoor dust and that in blood of children of Riyadh, whereas there was a weakly significant (P < 0.05) correlation between concentrations of Pb in outdoor dust and that in blood of children. The mean (±SD) concentration of Pb in blood of children in Riyadh was 5.2 ± 1.7, with a range of 1.7–1.6 × 10¹ μg/dl. Concentrations of Pb in blood of 17.8 % of children in Riyadh were greater than 10 μg/dl, which is the CDC’s level of concern.