Toloo-e-Behdasht
Year:2010 | Volume:9 | Issue:2-3 (29)|Papers Count:11

Background: Due to the unique absorption and anti-microbial properties of nanoparticles, making use of them for removal of bacteria in water and wastewater is growing. Application of these substances in removal of bacteria in municipal wastewater is an important matter which we will investigate in this research.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the sampling period was completed from summer untill fall of the year 2010at incoming sewage treatment plant in Kerman City. Samples were grown on nutrient agar culture media and then 180 Mueller Hinton agar medium was prepared. Different concentrations of nanoparticles at ratio of 1: 10 were injected on media containing the bacteria. After incubation, the level of CFU per milliliter was calculated by counting the number of colony. Tests were done based on 'water and wastewater standards" book.Results: No observed effect concentration (NOEC) for zinc oxide nanoparticles for staphylococcus aureus bacteria, bacillus subtilis and pseudomonas aeruginosa, and escherichia coli was 5, 5, 8, and 80 mg/l respectively, and 100% mortality for all the bacteria was in 6000 mg/l. NOEC of nano copper oxide for mentioned bacteria was in, 5, 7, 90, and 98 mg/l respectively and in the concentration of 6000mg/l the mortality percent of all three bacteria excluding escherichia coli (staphylococcus aureus, bacillus subtilis, pseudomonas aeruginosa) was 100% and for escherichia coli was 92%. NOEC of nano titanium dioxide for mentioned bacteria was 5, 90, 95, and 200 mg/l respectively, and in the concentration of 6000mg/l mortality of staphylococcus aureus, bacillus subtilis, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and escherichia coli was 96%, 81%, 89%, and 43% respectively.Conclusion: The results showed that with increasing concentration of nanoparticles, removal of bacteria increased as well. (P<0.05). The effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the removal of gram negative and positive bacteria was higher than Titanium dioxide and copper oxide nanoparticles. So application of this method after investigating economic balances and other factors for removing of bacteria from sewage via this method is recommended.

Background: Dyes are the most important pollutants of textile industries which have complex structures as well as toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic and nonbiodegredable properties. This research was performed to compare the efficacy of removal and mineralization of Reactive Red 198 dye at alkaline and neutral pH.Methods: The effect of different pH: 7, 9, 10 and 11 in dye and COD removal from 250 mg/l aqueous solution of RR198 was evaluated. Dye removal efficiency was measured by UVvis spectrophotometer and data were analyzed using SPSS16, via statistical tests including One-Way ANOVA. COD removal efficiency was also measured by closed reflex method.Results: Dye removal efficiency was higher than 96% in all different types of pH and also showed significant difference in different time intervals (P<0.05). COD removal was lower than dye removal and in different types of pH: 7, 9, 10 and 11 which after 60 minutes of reaction reached to 31, 40, 43 and 53% respectively.Conclusion: From the collected data it is obvious that rapid dye removal is due to the reaction of both molecular ozone and free radicals with dye molecules but more COD was removed only after the generation of hydroxyl radicals via pH elevation.

Background: In Iran, over 19% of the population are suffering from heart diseases. Understanding and modifying its risk factors can decrease its morbidity and mortality rate. Planning requires information about present knowledge and performance of the people. The purpose of this study was to determine factors related to preventive behaviors for heart diseases in the students of Islamic Azad university of Sabzevar based on Health Belief Model (HBM)Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 270 students of Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar.The subjects were selected using stratified random sampling. Data collection was performed through a questionnaire designed according to HBM and was completed by self-administeration. A panel of experts approved the validity of the questionnaire and its reliability was verified by means of cronbach alpha test (N=30, a=0.68%-0.86%).The data were then analyzed by SPSS version15.0 software using descriptive and analytical statistics (t-test, ANOVA, Regression analysis and Pearson correlation).Results: According to the results, the mean score of preventive behaviors for heart diseases among students was 10.41 out of 16. The subjects mostly followed preventive behaviors for heart diseases (65%).of the subjects, 23.8% were overweight or obese most of whom were males over 24 years and married. Perceived barriers, guide for action and preventive behaviors of heart diseases were related to parent education. Among the extended health belief model variables, there was a significant correlation between the presence of guide for action and self efficacy on preventive behaviors for heart diseases.These variables explained 14.6% of variance of preventive behaviors of heart diseases. Mass media (TV& Radio) was the most important source of information.Conclusion: The mean of heart diseases preventive behaviors was moderate among students, however, a significant percentage of students were overweight. Based on the results, using mass media and increasing self efficacy in the field of training programs can improve the preventive behaviors for heart diseases.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the marital satisfaction of mothers with mental retarded children.Method: This is a descriptive– analytical study through which 100 parents with mental relarded children studying via remedial education were selected through random– sampling in zahedan. They were studied by ENRICH marital satisfaction questionnaire. For data analysis, T-test and F-test were used.Results: Parents with mental retarded children live in an undesirable status in terms of marital satisfaction and its four subscales (idealistic distortion, marital relation, marital conflict and conflict resolution).Conclusion: To cope with psychological problems and marital conflicts, the organizations such as Welfare and Rehabilitation center, remedial education system, and IRIB are required to offer classes for these parents.

Background: Organizational commitment has been defined as "the relative strength of an individual’s identification with and involvement in a particular organization".Organizational commitment and factors that predict it has emerged as a promising area of research in recent decade for there is a strong evidence of link between high levels of commitment and favorable organizational outcomes. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the staff’s personality traits (introversion– extraversion) and organizational commitment.Methods: This comparative– applied study was carried out in 2009-2010. The research population consisted of nurses working at Shahid Sad doghi and Shahid Rahnemoon hospitals. The sample (n=175) was selected by random sampling method. The data were collected by 2 valid questionnaires.organizational diagnosis questionnaire (ODQ) and Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ). Data analysis was performed through SPSS14 software using descriptive statistics and independent T-Test.Results: The results of research indicated that the introvert and extrovert nurses are different in regards with their organizational commitment (p-v=0/000). Also, the organizational commitment was significantly different in both personality groups (introvert, extrovert) in terms of age group (P=0.003, 0.046) and job tenure group (p=0/002, 0/042). In the introvert group, organizational commitment was different based on the employment status (p=0/017) but there was no difference in any group in terms of sex and marital status.Conclusion: The research results indicated that personality traits as a predictor of organizational commitment should be considered in human resources management.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are among the most common public health problems worldwide especially in the developing countries. There are approximately two billion people in the world suffering from IDA. One of the problems of iron supplementation, including iron drop, is failing or noncompliance with consuming supplementary products. The aim of this survey was to determine the consumption status of iron-drop supplementation by 6-24 month infants in Yazd.Methods: Totally 770 mothers having 6-24 months infants participated in this survey. At first they were randomly selected from 8 health centers among all health centers of the city and then the sample size was selected regarding the covered population of each center. Sampling method was systematic random sampling. Each mother was invited to center and completed the questionnaire by interview. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.Results: In general, 84.8% of the mothers used iron drop supplement for their infants so that this rate was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas. The mean point of starting with supplementary iron drop was 5.9±1 months and 78.4% of mothers started giving irondrop from 6- month infants. The main causes of failing to use drop were forgetting (33.3%), teeth blackened (27.9%), constipation (8.2%) and unavailability (6.8%).Conclusion: Compared with other regions, compliance with and using iron drop is appropriate but because of health importance and logistic costs of supplementation, there is much higher expectation. Mothers’ education and reducing their concerns about transient supplementation side effects, more availability of supplementary products and supplying low side- effect products are the main issues for increasing the effectiveness of this preventive approach for ID and IDA.

Bakground: Malnutrition, especially in the developing countries, is a common disease of children. Some causes of malnutrition are inappropriate supplementary feeding, parental low nutrition-related knowledge, and childhood diseases especially digestive and respiratory disorders. Various interventions have been made in different countries based on their present conditions and facilities. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of interventions conducted by nutrition consulting center based on pivotal role of pediatrician at health center over growth status in children suffering from malnutrition.Methods: In this intervening quasi -experimental study, 189 children between 6-48 months affected by malnutrition were identified and included in the investigation using random sampling method. After verifiying diagnosis by pediatrist, required interventions were made and growth indices were determined before and after the intervention. Who’s Anthro software and graphs were used to evaluate growth indices.Results: Results indicated that 17.8 and 9.1% of boys and girls were respectively suffering from acute thinness; however, after intervention these findings reduced to 4.4 and 5.1% respectively. Moreover, 14.4 and 6.1% of the boys and girls who suffered from acute low– weight showed meaningful lower problem the intervention. The interventions could not deal with shortness of stature in the society.Conclusion: Through setting up intervening centers pivoted by pediatricians at the center of the provinces aimed at recognizing and treating children suffering from malnutrition as well as activating referral systems, we may take a step forward into a better situation therein improving the status of children suffering from low weight and malnutrition.

Background: The quality of service is a key ingredient in the success of health care organizations. Parasuraman, et al (1985) defined service quality as the differences between predicted or expected service (customer expectations) and perceived service (customer perception). Recently, service quality has become an important research topic for of its significant relationship to costs, profitability, customer satisfaction, customer retention and service guarantee. Several tools have therefore been developed to measure service quality but the Parasuraman 22 item servqual questionnaire created based on the gap model remains the most widely used tool in a variety of industries. This study attempts to replicate the servqual measurement of Parasuraman et al in determining the gap between perceptions and expectations of service recipients in Afshar hospital.Methods: This descriptive - applied study was carried out cross-sectionally in 2010. The research population consisted of patients admitted to Afshar hospital wards. Totally 84 patients were selected by sample size formula. The data were collected by 22-item servqual questionnaire designed according to gap model. Data analysis was carried out through SPSS and LISREL software using Kolmosrof - Smirnoff and paired sample t -test.Results: The results demonstrated that there was a quality gap in Afshar hospital, that is, there were significant differences between expectations and perceptions of patients in servqual dimensions. Also, the study identified some critical and problematic items that have main roles in constructing observed quality gap.Conclusion: The existing quality gap means patients’ expectations exceed their perceptions.Thus improvements are needed to be made across servqual dimensions.

Background: Carpet industry is one of the most important traditional handicraft in IRAN. Considering the long history of carpet industry in Iran and the existence of working a lot of men and women in the villages of Iran in this field, carpet industry as can be regarded a complementary industry for farming so paying attention to the health of worekers in the field can play an important role in socio economic development of our villages.Methods: This descriptive cross- sectional study was conducted on 2200 carpet handicrafters in Mehryz, yazd, Iran. selected through census. The relerant questionnaire was filled out by occupational health specialists and intern students of mdeicine via inspection, clinical examination and interviewing. Results: 44.4% of the target group were between 15-24 years of age.78.5% of the married subjects had 5 children or lower and 85.2% of them had different levels of literacy.14.7% had a history of psychologic disorders; 4.6% ophthalmologic disorders, 4.5% endocrine disorders and 19.8% had history of infectious diseases.Results: indicated that there was a significant relationship between different disorders of mind, skin, heart, muscle, and skeleton with temperature of the mind, handicrafters working environment (P<0.05). As we expected pulmonary disease was less prevalent among the subjects who possessed a better and more appropriate ventilating system for their morking place after correlation analysis, of the data it was revealed that with increasing the working years, the subjects’ visual capacity also decreased. In addition, the working hours decreased in relation to the subjects’ increase in blood pressure.Conclusion: The result of the study showed that some diseases, like pulmonary and ocular diseases is high in carpet workers.The diseases in the subjects with inappropriate working place was higher than others.So it is nesseary today more attention to heath of the carpet workers and their working places.

Background: Nowadays, to accelerate the process of turbidity removal in water treatment plants, the Accelator and Pulsator clarifiers are used. In this research, a comparison of the performance of these two systems in the TOC and turbidity removal as well as the consumption of chemicals in them is considered.Method: In this study, 1, 170 samples of raw water, effluent from clarifiers and filtered water were taken for nine months. Then turbidity; pH, alkalinity, Hardness, TOC and iron of the samples were measured. Saturation index (SI) was also calculated. Also the amount of consumed chemicals was recorded and the ratio of chemicals consumption to raw water turbidity and removed TOC was obtained. All sampling and examination procedures were conducted based on standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater.Results: The results indicated that the removal efficiency average of turbidity in the study period (nine months) in the Accelator and Pulsator system obtained were 46.2% ± 16.2% and 75.9% ± 10.9% respectively. The removal efficiency of TOC in the Accelator and Pulsator system obtained were 9.5%±1.8% and 68.5% ± 12.3% percent respectively. The amount of consumed coagulants in Pulsator was 0.20-0.25 of its consumption, in Accelator system. Water quality of Pulsator effluent was, at last, more desirable than Accelator.Conclusion: According to the results the use of Accelator treatment systems compared with Pulsator in water treatment plants does not have a desirable quality for drinking water and also Causs increase in the cost of consumed chemicals.

Sample size calculations are now mandatory for many research protocols and it is a main question before accomplishing a research. This paper outlines the ways of calculating sample sizes in clinical trial studies with two groups: binary, ordered categorical, and continuous outcomes. In each section a table for calculating sample size and working examples are given.