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Introduction: Angiography is an X-ray-based technique for the diagnosis of disorders of the arteries, veins, and heart chambers. X-ray is a potential factor for the modulation of immune responses, including cytokines, the key molecules that participate in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. Due to the potential roles of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in cardiovascular disease, this study was designed to evaluate the IL-6 and TGF-β serum levels before and after angiography in atherosclerosis suspected patients. Material and Methods: In this experimental study, the IL-6 and TGF-β serum levels were explored, using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, in the healthy controls as well as three groups, including atherosclerosis suspected patients without, obstruction of 1 and more than 1 vessel. The IL-6 and TGF-β serum levels also were evaluated before angiography and 3 hours after angiography in the last three groups. SPSS software was used for data analysis. Results: The results showed that TGF-β serum levels were significantly higher in the controls in comparison of other groups (p> 0.001). Angiography and smoking increased TGF-β (p= 0.027) and IL-6 (p= 0.035) serum levels, respectively, in atherosclerotic patients with obstruction of 1 vessel. Age had a positive, moderate correlation with IL-6 in the non-atherosclerotic patients (rs: 0.479, p= 0.039). Conclusion: Down-regulation of TGF-β may be associated with induction of inflammation in the patients. Angiography, via up-regulation of TGF-β, may reduce inflammation in the patients and smoking may increase the progression of atherosclerosis in atherosclerotic patients. Age may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases via up-regulation of IL-6.

Abstract Aim The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical competence and subscale of professional quality of life (ProQOL). Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019 on 291 nurses working in public hospitals in south Iran (Rafsanjan). The nurses were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the ProQOL questionnaire that included three subscales: compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress and burnout and the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurse (CIRN) that measured clinical competence. Results A significant positive relationship was observed between compassion satisfaction and clinical competence. A significant negative association was found between compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress/burnout and also between secondary traumatic stress and clinical competence. The results of regression analysis indicated that compassion satisfaction was the best predictor of secondary traumatic stress (R2 = 65%), burnout (R2 = 40%) and clinical competence (R2 = 12%). Moreover, secondary traumatic stress was found to be the best predictor of compassion satisfaction (R2 = 53%).

Charcoal production activities at the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) in Peninsular Malaysia have a potential to emit volatile compounds such as Hg back into the ambient environment, raising concerns on the public health and safety. The present study was aimed at analyzing Hg concentration from different plant/animal tissues and sediment samples (in total 786 samples) to understand clearly the Hg distribution at the MMFR. Leaves of Rhizophora spp. showed higher Hg concentration with an increasing trend from young, to mature, to senescent and decomposing stages, which was possibly due to accumulation of Hg over time. The low Hg concentration in Rhizophora roots and bark suggests a limited absorption from the sediments and a meagre accumulation/partitioning by the plant tissue, respectively. In the case of mangrove cockles the concentration of Hg was lower than the permissible limits for seafood consumption. Although the mangrove gastropod - Cassidula aurisfelis Bruguière had rather elevated Hg in the muscle tissue, it is still less than the environmental safely limit. Beside the chances of atmospheric deposition for Hg, the sediment samples were found to be unpolluted in nature, indicating that in general the MMFR is still safe in terms of Hg pollution., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents the results of mercury analysis on 786 abiotic (surface sediments) and biotic (plant and animal tissues) samples collected from 10 sites at Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve in Peninsular Malaysia. Sediment samples were collected at the surface level from both river bank and forest understory. Whereas plant tissues obtained from Rhizophora apiculata Blume and Rhizophora mucronata L. consisted of leaves (in four stages namely young, mature, senescent and decomposing), bark and roots (divided into xylem, cortex and epidermis), the animal samples were represented by muscle tissue of the gastropod Cassidula aurisfelis Bruguière and the cockle Tegillarca granosa L. The mercury concentration measurements were obtained through a cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometer. The core data have been analysed and interpreted in the paper "Distribution of mercury in sediments, plant and animal tissues in Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, Malaysia" [1]., (© 2020 The Author(s).)