Pajouhan Scientific Journal
Year:2015 | Volume:13 | Issue:4|Papers Count:7

Introduction: Nowadays, owing to industrial activities heavy metals alongside chemical and physical pollutants are discharged to the environment resulting in extensive pollution of water bodies. Thus, simultaneous reduction of hexa-valent chromium and nitrate using granular zero-valent magnesium was studied.Methods: The current experimental study was conducted in 250 ml erlens on a shaker as bench scale.The effects of pH, zero-valent magnesium concentration, initial concentration of chromium and nitrate, contact time, temperature and reduction-oxidation potential were studied. In order to measure chromium and nitrate, the methods of colorimetric and cadmium reduction were applied by using direct reading.Results: The efficiency of hexa-valent chromium and nitrate removal increased with increasing magnesium concentration, initial concentration of pollutants, contact time and temperature, while it decreased when there was an increase in pH value. The highest efficiency was reached in the following conditions: pH=3, magnesium concentration=0.7 g/L, and initial chromium concentration=100 mg/L. The findings showed that the two pollutants interface each other leading to a decrease in the efficiency as the reduction of hexa-valent chromium and nitrate decreased to, respectively, 93.8 and 72% at the optimum conditions and 81 and 46% at the separate simultaneous reduction.Conclusion: Considering there are various pollutants in industrial wastewaters, the results of this study illustrated that zero-valent magnesium can be applied to remove several pollutants simultaneously.

Introduction: Unwanted pregnancy is a global health issue which impacts the families and societies, negatively. Women with unwanted pregnancy due to unpleasant sensations during pregnancy, are at the risk of hypertension, abortion, preterm birth and low birth weight. The current study was aimed to survey unwanted pregnancy rate and related causes in pregnant women in Kerman, 2013.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was randomly carried out on 231 pregnant women referring to the Afzalipour Maternity Center of Kerman in 2013. Information was collected by individual interviews, using a confirmed researcher-made questionnaire with reliability of 0.81 and validity coefficient. Data analysis was done by descriptive indices and chi-square test, using SPSS-17 software.Results: In current study 30.3% unwanted pregnancy was reported. The probability of having unwanted pregnancy was significantly increased with increasing mother’s age, (P=0.001) and decreased with increasing level of mother’s education (P=0.02). The chance of unwanted pregnancy in families with more children was higher (P=0.0001). There was significant relation between unwanted pregnancy and the husband’s age (P=0.02) and job (P=0.02). Also significant relationship was seen between unplanned pregnancy and contraceptive method (P=0.04). The level of knowledge in unwanted pregnancy group was less than wanted pregnancy group and it was statistically significant, too (P=0.002). The health care centers were the main source of getting contraceptive information.Conclusion: The results of this study state that there is an inverse relationship between unwanted pregnancy and number of children, low level of women’s education and higher age of mother. Thus, these factors should be considered more precisely in consulting for choosing the contraceptive methods.

Introduction: The widespread application of disposable food containers in Iranian society has been rapidly increased. Scientific evaluation for detecting problems of such containers and their microbial contamination is necessarily inevitable. The aim of this study was to determine the level of contamination in plastic and plant disposable food containers and examining the antibiotic resistances of the isolated bacteria.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 samples of disposable plastic and plant type food containers, were randomly collected from the main distributors in Hamadan. Swab cultures were taken from the internal surface of containers. Based on microbiological standard methods, samples were studied. Isolated bacteria were examined by consideration of antibiotic resistance, using antibiotic disks consisting: ampicillin, cloxacillin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamycin and amoxicillin. To do the statistical analysis, SPSS version 16 was utilized. The data were analyzed using chi-square test.Results: The results showed that 58 (36.3%) plastic containers and 15 (37.5%) plant disposable containers had microbial contamination. The isolated bacteria included Corynebacterium, Bacillus, Micrococcus and coagulase-negative Staphylococci species. All Gram-positive bacteria isolated were resistant (95 to 100%) to cloxacillin. Staphylococci strains had the highest sensitivity (100%) compared to the ampicillin and gentamycin and 75% to the clindamycin. Micrococcus strains demonstrated 100% sensitivity to the ciprofloxacin and gentamycin.Conclusion: Although, the percentage of contamination in plastic and plant disposable containers was approximately similar, Because of less diversity of isolated bacteria in plant disposable containers, These containers are recommended. However, there are concerns about species of coagulase-negative Staphylococci contamination in the containers, which must be considered.

Introduction: Now a days being involved in the jobs that are consistent with the capabilities and limitations, is one of the most important priorities of occupational health and company executives. The aim of this study was to determine the work ability index and factors affecting it in the fruit and vegetable stands workers in the fields of Tehran in 2014.Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. The studied group was 268 workers, chosen by simple random selection, in the fruit and vegetable stands of 22 different zones of Tehran’s fields. In order to predict the work ability, demographic and career information questionnaire and work ability index questionnaire was used. Based on obtained scores, individuals were classified into four groups for the prediction of work ability. Statistical methods such as chi-square, correlation coefficient and T-test were utilized to data analyze, by using SPSS version 18.Results: Mean of work ability index was 36.46±6.44. All Correlation coefficients showed a significant inverse relationship between age (P<0.001) and job experience (P<0.03) with work ability index. Also difference of mean work ability in six job groups was not statistically significant (P=0.06). No significant relationship was seen between level of education and work ability (P=0.12). On the other hand, mean of work ability index for singles was significantly higher, compared with married ones (P=0.03).Conclusion: According to the results, the ability index of workers in fruit and vegetable stands was intermediate.Therefore, it is suggested that training programs, insurance coverage and pensions to be more considered based on labor law and modifying workstations, in the priorities of employers.

Introduction: Drug abuse is regarded as one of the most important challenges in the field of individual family and community health. Due to ignoring the dangers of drug abuse, considering the driver’s license applicants who are exposed to drugs while driving is necessary. The purpose of this study was to determine predicting factors with drug abuse among applicants for driving license in Hamadan by application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic.388 applicants for driving licenses of 6 Driving School in Hamadan, from July to August 2012 were selected by the cluster sampling. The data were collected using the standard questionnaire based on theory of planned behavior and analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 16, with chi-square test, Pearson correlation and logistic regression.Results: There was a significant relationship between the experience of drug abuse and the following demographics variables: sex (P=0.001) and marriage status (P=0.046). Also, there was a significant relationship between the experiences of drug abuse and the following variables: intention to drug abuse, having friends who had experienced alcohol, drug abuse and medications addiction treatment, having the experience of alcohol consumption, drug abuse consumption and medications addiction treatment (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that subjective norms (P=0.003), and perceived behavioral control (P=0.001) were the most influential predictors of intention drug abuse on these pepole.Conclusion: Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control can be taken into account for predicting risk behaviors and drug abuse prevention programs codification.

Introduction: Inappropriate emotional reactions such as stress, anxiety and depression is very evident in today’s societies, affecting and causing too many problems for nurses and patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of anxiety, stress, depression and the role of demographic variables in nurses in Fasa Valiasr hospitals, in 2014.Methods: This was a descriptive analytical cross-sectional study on 142 nurses, who work in Fasa University of Medical Sciences, that were selected through random sampling in 2014. In order to collect the data, the questionnaire, consisting two part: demographic information and DASS-21 Depression questionnaire, was used. Data analysis was performed by the Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney test, using SPSS version 22.Results: According to the findings, (32%) of nurses suffer from depression, (19%) from anxiety and (52%) from stress. There was a significant relationship between work experience and the level of stress (P=0.035). Also a significant relationship between age and depression was found (P=0.006). But there wasn’t any significant relationship between depression, anxiety, stress and level of education, gender and marital status.Conclusion: As the results show, depression, anxiety and stress can be seen in a significant number of nurses. Considering the important role of nurses in improvement and promotion of public health, elimination of underlying factors that cause emotional reactions in nursing must be addressed, as a health priority.

Introduction: Quality of work life (QWL) is a comprehensive program which leads to promotion of productivity, performance and satisfaction of staff. Occupational stress is, also, defined as individual`s physical, mental and emotional reactions which are experienced due to working life needs and changes.Therefore, this research aims to determine the relationship of QWL with occupational stress in Bu-Ali Sina university staff.Methods: The study is a cross sectional-descriptive type carried out on 178 individuals of Bu-Ali Sina university staff. The data were collected through standard questionnaire of determining QWL and questionnaire of classification of individual`s stress. To test the hypotheses, Pearson correlation coefficient and Lambda test, by utilizing SPSS-16, were used.Results: The results showed that the level of QWL in the population of the study was at the medium and there was a positive significant relationship between QWL and staff education (P=0.001) and between QWL and staff working experience (P=0.04). However, between QWL and sex, marital status and age no significant relationship was found. Based on Pearson correlation test, there was obtained a significant relationship between score of QWL mean and mean of individuals` stress (P=.0.004). In another word, the greater the individuals` QWL, the less stress they experience.Conclusion: Regarding the research findings, managers should improve the level of QWL through cooperative programs and team working to reduce occupational stress in the workplace.