Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences
Year:2012 | Volume:4 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Introduction: Phosphorus is an important nutrient for plant and microorganisms growth, thus has an important role in creating eutrophication of surface waters. The present study has investigated Poly Aluminum Chloride efficiency on orthophosphate removal by coagulation and chemical precipitation process in municipal Wastewater in Ahvaz west Wastewater treatment plant.Methods and Materials: This bench scale study was performed on influent wastewater to the primary and secondary clarifier and the effluent of the secondary clarifier in Ahvaz west wastewater treatment plant. By using a jar test, the optimum pH and dose of Poly Aluminum Chloride in orthophosphate removal was determined.Results: The results showed that Poly Aluminum Chloride in pH=7, and in doses between 20, 30 and 30 mg/l decreases orthophosphate concentration to 0.51, 0.705 and 0.43 mg/l respectively and the influent point to the primary clarifier, with the lowest consume of coagulant dose and consequently the low cost of this process in treatment plant, has been selected as the optimum sampling point.Conclusion: As the results show, the efficient removal of orthophosphate, organic material and suspended material using Poly Aluminum Chloride are desirable, and orthophosphate concentration in effluents decreased to lower than 1 mg/l.

Introduction: Nutrition department has a critical effect on patient satisfaction and improves the therapeutic process and is one of the most important departments in hospitals. The current study was carried out to assess HACCP implementation requirements in the nutrition department of the selected hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2010.Methods: In this descriptive, cross sectional study, nutrition department of the three hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences has been examined. Data collection was done using a questionnaire including 156 questions in five main dimensions through interviews and observations. Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test.Results: Hospital A with the mean score 3.90±1.37 and having 78% of the HACCP requirements had better condition than the two hospitals B and C, with the mean score of 3.18±1.50 and 2.97±1.46 and having 63.6% and 59.4% of the requirements, respectively. In general, compliance HACCP requirements, in hospital A was considered desirable and hospitals B and C were moderate. Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference between the five main dimensions (p>0.51). But a significant difference between hospital scores were observed (p<0.01).Conclusion: According to results, in order to establish HACCP; the nutrition department of these hospitals should have more effort in the engineering and construction status, status of staff and training and supervision of production and distribution of food using necessary educational courses and strengthening prerequisites, while the establishment of this system, guarantee food safety of their hospitals.

Introduction: Printing and copying centers have been implicated as an emission source of pollution, and affecting air quality in closed environments. The aim of this study was to measure the BTEX compound (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes), and the intensity of electromagnetic fields and the UVA ray in photocopy centers in the Hamadan city.Methods and Materials: This descriptive study was done on 45 printing and copying centers during 2011 to 2012. In order to measure the intensity of electromagnetic fields and UVA intensity, the HI-3603 and 3604 VLF and ELF survey meter and a radiometer (Hagner ECI-UV-A) were used, respectively. For sampling BTEX compounds in the air, using OSHA and NIOSH guidelines, activated carbon tubes manufactured by SKC was used. Air in taking was performed by a personnel pump (SKC, 224-44EX). According to NIOSH method and SKC sorbent instructions, the sampling time of 8 hours and air flow passing of ml/min200 was chosen. After sampling, two-end of the glass tube adsorbent was completely closed by a plastic cap and they were maintained at a temperature of zero degrees Celsius prior to extraction and analysis. After extracting, the samples were measured using a gas chromatography (Varian CP-3800) equipped with a FID detector. Data were managed using SPSS version 16 and the Relation between electromagnetic field intensity values and measuring distances (30, 50 and 60cm) was analyzed by Pearson statistic test.Results: The results of the analyses showed that maximum concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene were 9.3, 11.3 and 9 mg/m3, respectively and ethyl benzene was not observed in any of the samples. The results of magnetic fields intensity measurements were 4.33±3.07 and 0.25±0.095 V/m for ELF and VLF, respectively and electrical field was 0.292±0.108 mA/m. The mean value obtained for UVA was 0.0281±0.02 mW/cm2. The Statistical tests showed significant correlation between the electromagnetic field intensity values and measuring distances (P≤0.05).Conclusion: The results of the study showed that BTEX compound concentrations, intensity electromagnetic fields and UVA ray levels were below the accepted occupational standards and guidelines.

Introduction: 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, has had a widely spread popularity among young adults in recent years. Kidney toxicity is one of the consequences of ecstasy. The studies have shown that ecstasy is metabolized by cytochrome p450 to reactive electrophil metabolites which detoxify by glutathione (GSH) conjugation. To our knowledgein vivo study of the effect of glutathione on ecstasy –induced nephrotoxicity has not been reported previously. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glutathione (as antioxidant agent) on ecstasy induced renal damage.Methods: Adult male N-MRI rats were pretreated with 300 mg/kg glutathione (ip). The Control group received vehicle was only (0.5 ml. normal saline). 30 min later, the animals were given ecstasy at doses of 10, 20 or 30 mg/kg. Control rats received vehicle only after 24 hours, animals were killed with over dose of sodium pentobarbital. Blood was collected for determination of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. The kidney tissues were removed, fixed and processed for light microscopy, using hematoxyline and eosine (H& E) staining method.Results: Ecstasy induced dose related increased in BUN and creatinine concentration when compared to those in control group. Dose- dependent his to pathological damage was also noted in rats treated with ecstasy. Glutathione had no effect on BUN and creatinine when compared to control animals. Similarly, GSH had no effect on kidney cells. However, this agent protected rat kidney against ecstasy-induced nephrotoxicity.Conclusion: The results of the present study suggested that GSH has the ability to protect kidney against ecstasy-induced toxicity.

Introduction: Industrial effluents, especially the textile industry are discussed as one of the fundamental problems of the environment. Dyes are materials with complex structures that enter into the wastewater from different stages of the textile industry. Colors are often toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic. This study investigated the absorption efficiency of Reactive Red 198 dye from aqueous solutions by Pomegranate Seed powder.Methods and Materials: This study is an experimental research which was performed in laboratory scale in which Pomegranate Seed is crushed and milled with the use of electrical mill and ASTM standard sieves with a mesh size of 40 and 100. In this study, variables such as adsorbent dose (0.2 and 0.4 gr/100cc), initial dye concentration (25 and 50 mg/l) and contact time (10, 20, 30, 60, 90, 120 min) have been studied in acidic conditions. Concentration of unknown color values was determined using a spectrophotometer UV / Vis (model SP-3000 Plus) in Maximum adsorption wave length (λmax), 518 nm.Results: Results of this study showed that with increasing adsorbent dose and contact time, the removal efficiency increased while the amount of dye adsorbed per unit mass of adsorbent (qe) reduced. With increasing the initial dye concentration from 25 to 50 mg/l, the removal efficiency decreased. So that removal efficiency in the concentration of 25 mg/l in optimal conditions and the balance time was 79.44% and in the concentration of 50 mg/l was equal to 62.6%. Investigation of dye adsorption kinetic for new adsorbent showed that Pseudo second kinetic model (R2>0.99) provides a Good agreement with data.Conclusion: Based on results, Pomegranate Seed powder as a new natural adsorbent is able to absorb the dyes as organic contaminant index with desirable absorption capacity from aqueous solutions.

Background and aim: Because of The progressive nature of addiction in all aspects of life, it influences the health of society individuals and has bad effects on psychological, physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the social acceptance and the quality of addict’s life referred to addiction centers in Golestan province.Methods: 244 patients were selected by the addiction census centers of the province during 1388, and were studied in a descriptive cross-sectional analysis. The data included a questionnaire about demographic characteristics and two questionnaires containing the social acceptance (Crown & Marlow) and the quality of life (SF17) was recorded.Results: The social acceptance was respectively the highest and lowest percentage, (70 percent) medium and (30 percent) low which the rate of social acceptance with the mean and standard deviation of the average 13±3. The highest percentage (54 percent) had undesirable life and the lowest percentage (8 percent) had desirable life which the quality of life with the mean and standard deviation of 24±1 was pretty good. Statistically there was a significant relationship (p=0.001) between social acceptance and the quality of life. So the reduction of social acceptance reduced the quality of life. Also there was a significant relationship between the quality of life and gender. It indicated that women had a lower life quality (p=0.01).Conclusion: Many addicts can’t give up and repeatedly get back to their addiction. But care team members can identify common characteristics, personality traits and support systems for promoting social acceptance and the quality of addict’s life which facilitates prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

Introduction: The evaluation of plaque and tooth decay represents the oral health status of society. Lack of oral hygiene, can adversely affect the health of students. This study was designed with the aim to determine the oral- dental health status of the first grade guidance students in Hamadan: using Health Belief Model (HBM).Methods: This was a descriptive- analytical study which was conducted on 268 students of first grade guidance in Hamadan by multi-stage stratified sampling method, which was selected during the school year (2011-2012). Data collection was a questionnaire designed according to health Belief Model (severity, susceptibility, benefits, barriers perceived and self efficacy); knowledge, dental health behaviors, checklist DMFT and dental plaque. The data were analyzed by SPSS16.Results: The mean DMFT was 2.25±1.74.The plaque dental index (PI) was reported 78.64±9.There was a statistically significant relation between, gender with both index (p=0.000). There was not a statistically significant relation between the mean scores of knowledge (p=0.4), health behaviors (p=0.07,) susceptibility (p=0.09), barriers (p=0.900, benefits perceived (p=0.09), and self- efficacy (p=0.18) but there was a statistically significant relation with perceived severity (p=0.003) and cues to action (p=0.01). Also, There was a statistically significant relation between dental health behaviors with perceived susceptibility (p=0.02), perceived barriers (p=0.001), cues to action (p=0.05), and self-efficacy (p=0.005) but it had no statistically significant relation with perceived severity (p=0.83) perceived benefits (p=0.40) and knowledge (p=0.94).Conclusion: In this study the amount of DMFT and Dental plaque, among three educational regions, in the girl students educational regions, was more than the boy students and the other regions. Therefore, appropriate educational interventions based on behavioral theories and models such as HBM are suggested to increase knowledge, performance in the prevention of dental decay and to improve oral health among this group.

Introduction: Hospitals as the centers that consume the most resource of health system, based on their function have difference performance and efficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficiency of Ahvaz hospitals using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method.Methods: This study is a descriptive-analytic study that assessed the efficiency of teaching and nonteaching hospitals in Ahvaz using DEA in 2006-2010. The input variables include the number of doctors, the number of nurses, and the number of beds. The output variables include inpatient bed occupancy, the number of surgeries, the number of outpatient, the number of inpatient, and length of stay. Data was collected using standard forms that have been made by Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Then data was analyzed by DEAP2 software and independent T-test, to compute the difference between the efficiency of hospitals.Results: The mean of technical, scale and managerial efficiency in hospitals during the period of study were 0.740, 0.862 and 0.837 respectively. The mean of technical efficiency in teaching hospitals and nonteaching hospitals were 0.557 and 0.873 respectively. The results showed a significant difference between them.Conclusion: Hospitals with technical efficiency level less than one had slack inputs and outputs. So they should decrease their inputs in order to achieve the expected optimal efficiency.