Field studies to investigate the eutrophication problem in the Anzali wetland

Background: In the recent years, eutrophication has become a serious challenge for many of the water ecosystems. It has affected the environmental and economical aspects of the Anzali Wetland, which is known as one of the significant ecosystem. Due to the increase of the nutrient loadings from the industrial, agricultural and human activities, the wetland’s health is faced many serious problems. Therefore, in this study the wetland condition is evaluated through the field measurements and sampling from various regions of the wetland; then the data obtained were analyzed in order to review this conditions from the Eutrophicational point of view that is one of the most important conditional indexes of the lakes and wetlands. Methods: In this research, in addition to use the field measurements to determine the wetland quality status related to the nutrient loadings, the results from total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) measured parameters of 21 stations in the study area were transferred to the Geographical Information System (GIS) and then the Eutrophication condition of the wetland was determined in comparison to international standards. Findings: This study illustrated that since the wetland has received more nutrients loading comparing to the few past years, so most of the wetland regions have high levels of TN and TP. Also, performing more investigations using Nurnberg method based on TN and TP depicted that hypertrophic status is dominated in all over the wetland. Conclusion: although the procedure used in this research was very simple and with the least computational cost to determine the hypertrophic status of the Anzali Wetland, but the findings gained from the study is in compliance with the previous results achieved

Wastewater treatment using integrated anaerobic baffled reactor and Bio-rack wetland planted with Phragmites sp. and Typha sp.

The purpose of this study is to examine the potential use of anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) followed by Bio-rack wetland planted with Phragmites sp. and Typha sp. for treating domestic wastewater generated by small communities (751 mg COD/L, 500 SCOD mg/L, 348 mg BOD(5)/L). Two parallel laboratory-scale models showed that the process planted with Phragmites sp. and Typha sp. are capable of removing COD by 87% & 86%, SCOD by 90% & 88%, BOD(5) by 93% & 92%, TSS by 88% & 86%, TN by 79% & 77%, PO(4)-P by 21% & 14% at an overall HRT of 21 (843 g COD/m(3)/day & 392 g BOD(5)/m(3)/day) and 27 (622 g COD/m(3)/day & 302 g BOD(5)/m(3)/day) hours, respectively. Microbial analysis indicated a high reduction in the MPN of total coliform and TVC as high as 99% at the outlet end of the processes. The vegetated system using Phragmites sp. showed significantly greater (p <0.05) pollutant removal efficiencies due to its extensive root and mass growth rate (p <0.05) of the plant compared to Typha sp. The Phragmites sp. indicated a higher relative growth rate (3.92%) than Typha sp. (0.90%). Microorganisms immobilized on the surface of the Bio-rack media (mean TVC: 2.33 × 10(7) cfu/cm(2)) were isolated, identified and observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study illustrated that the present integrated processes could be an ideal approach for promoting a sustainable decentralization, however, Phragmites sp. would be more efficient rather than Typha sp

Primjena regresijskog modela u analizi ključnih čimbenika koji pridonose težini nesreća u građevinskoj industriji u Iranu

Construction industry involves the highest risk of occupational accidents and bodily injuries, which range from mild to very severe. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify the factors associated with accident severity rate (ASR) in the largest Iranian construction companies based on data about 500 occupational accidents recorded from 2009 to 2013. We also gathered data on safety and health risk management and training systems. Data were analysed using Pearson’s chi-squared coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Median ASR (and the interquartile range) was 107.50 (57.24-381.25). Fourteen of the 24 studied factors stood out as most affecting construction accident severity (p<0.05). These findings can be applied in the design and implementation of a comprehensive safety and health risk management system to reduce ASR.Građevinska se industrija povezuje s najvišim rizikom od nesreća na radu i tjelesnih ozljeda u rasponu od blagih do vrlo teških. Cilj ovoga presječnog istraživanja bio je utvrditi čimbenike povezane s indeksom težine nesreća među najvećim građevinskim tvrtkama u Iranu na temelju podataka iz 500 izvještaja o nesrećama na radu prikupljanih od 2009. do 2013. Usto smo prikupili podatke o upravljanju rizikom za sigurnost i zdravlje radnika te o njihovu obrazovanju u tom pogledu. Podaci su analizirani Pearsonovim hi-kvadratnim testom i modelom višestruke regresije. Medijan indeksa težine nesreća (i interkvartilni raspon) iznosio je 107,50 (57,24-381,25). Na težinu nesreća najviše je utjecalo četrnaest od 24 ispitana čimbenika (p<0,05). Ovi rezultati mogu biti korisni u osmišljavanju i uspostavi obuhvatnih sustava upravljanja rizikom za sigurnost i zdravlje radnika kako bi se smanjio indeks težine nesreća na radu

Studying the Plantar Pressure Patterns in Women Adapted to High-Heel Shoes during Barefoot Walking

Introduction: The feet are the only anatomical structures of the body which are in touch with the ground and complete the lower limb chain to bear the ground reaction forces (GRFs). Inappropriate distribution of the GRF as a result of the long-term use of high-heeled shoes causes an excessive stress which results in a wide-range of musculo-skeletal disorders mainly in feet and leg areas. Due to the increased rate of using high-heeled shoes in the world and because of the lack of knowledge about feet pressure patterns in this condition, the current study focused on studying the pressure in different parts of the foot in barefoot women who used to(were accustomed to wearing) wear high-heeled shoes for a long time. Materials &amp; Methods: In this observational analytical case-control study, two groups of 35 subjects, were recruited. The feet pressure indexes of the experimental group of women who were habituated to wearing high-heeled shoes for the last 2 years were compared with women in the control group who wore shoes with normal heel height. A Zebris pedobarograph (Zebris Company, Germany) system was used to study the subjects’ feet planter pressure during the static (double stance) and the dynamic (walking with self-selected speed) conditions. All tests were run amog subjects with their feet bare. Results: The statistical analysis showed a significantly stronger pressure on feet in participants with high-heeled shoes than the ones in the control group (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The finding of this study suggested that long-term use of high-heeled shoes results in some changes on the distribution of body weight on feet even during barefoot standing and walking positions. In other words, individuals wearing high-heeled shoes involuntarily press a greater percentage of their body weight on the front part of their feet, which may results in pathological conditions of their feet such as callosity, corns or ulcers beneath their forefoot.Keywords: High-Heel Shoes, Foot Pressure, Pedobarography, Wome

The Reliability of Standing Sagittal Measurements of Spinal Curvature and Range of Motion in Older Women With and Without Hyperkyphosis Using a Skin-Surface Device.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to investigate the intrarater reliability of a skin-surface instrument (Spinal Mouse, Idiag, Voletswil, Switzerland) in measuring standing sagittal curvature and global mobility of the spine in older women with and without hyperkyphosis. METHODS:Measurements were made in 19 women with hyperkyphosis (thoracic kyphosis angle ≥50°), mean age 67 ± 5 years, and 14 women without hyperkyphosis (thoracic kyphosis angle &lt;50°), mean age 63 ± 6 years. Sagittal thoracic and lumbar curvature and mobility of the spine were assessed with the Spinal Mouse during neutral standing, full spinal flexion, and full spinal extension. Tests were performed by the same examiner on 2 days with a 72-hour interval. The intrarater reliability of the measurements was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient, standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change. RESULTS:Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.89 to 0.99 in both groups. The standard errors of measurement ranged from 1.02° to 2.06° in the hyperkyphosis group and from 1.15° to 2.22° in the normal group. The minimal detectable change ranged from 2.85° to 5.73° in the hyperkyphosis group and from 3.20° to 6.17° in the normal group. CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicated that the Spinal Mouse has excellent intrarater reliability for the measurement of sagittal thoracic and lumbar curvature and mobility of the spine in older women

The reliability and validity of a designed setup for the assessment of static back extensor force and endurance in older women with and without hyperkyphosis.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the intra-rater reliability and validity of a designed load cell setup for the measurement of back extensor muscle force and endurance.ParticipantsThe study sample included 19 older women with hyperkyphosis, mean age 67.0&nbsp;±&nbsp;5.0&nbsp;years, and 14 older women without hyperkyphosis, mean age 63.0&nbsp;±&nbsp;6.0&nbsp;years.MethodsMaximum back extensor force and endurance were measured in a sitting position with a designed load cell setup. Tests were performed by the same examiner on two separate days within a 72-hour interval. The intra-rater reliability of the measurements was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard errors of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC). The validity of the setup was determined using Pearson correlation analysis and independent t-test.ResultsUsing our designed load cell, the values of ICC indicated very high reliability of force measurement (hyperkyphosis group: 0.96, normal group: 0.97) and high reliability of endurance measurement (hyperkyphosis group: 0.82, normal group: 0.89). For all tests, the values of SEM and MDC were low in both groups. A significant correlation between two documented forces (load cell force and target force) and significant differences in the muscle force and endurance among the two groups were found.ConclusionThe measurements of static back muscle force and endurance are reliable and valid with our designed setup in older women with and without hyperkyphosis

Comparison of Vertical Ground Reaction Force during Walking in Patients with Sacroiliac Joint Pain and Healthy People

Introduction: Vast majority of the muscular disorders are known to be related to Sacroiliac joint. Due to the main role played by Sacroiliac joint, the current study was conducted to examine the effect of the pain among the people suffering from Sacroiliac joint pain on the vertical ground reaction force parameter. Materials and Methods: This case control study was carried out on 19 participants with Sacroiliac joint pain, VAS 3-5 and average age of 27±5.7, and 19 subjects with normal health conditions and average age of 29±7.6. The relevant data were collected while the participants were asked to walk at their desired speed over the force plate located on their way. Later on, all the parameters of vertical ground reaction force in the stance phase were recorded. At the end, data collected were compared by independent T-test in SPSS. Results: The results of the study revealed that participants distributed in control (healthy individuals) and experimental (individuals with Sacroiliac joint pain) groups were significantly different regarding the parameters of time and speed required to reach the stage of weight transition to the heel. Discussion: Considering the findings, it can be concluded that some compensatory strategies were adopted by the individuals with Sacroiliac joint- related problems in order to decrease the force that body experienced during walking.Key words: Force Plate, Sacroiliac Joint, Vertical Ground Reaction Forc

Effect of interlayer thickness on mechanical properties of steel/polymer/steel laminates fabricated by roll bonding technique

Nowadays, metal/polymer/metal laminates are extensively used in various industries due to their unparalleled properties. In this study, the roll bonding process was employed for lamination of low carbon steel (St14) and semi-melted thermoplastic polyurethane sheets. The T-peel and Single Lap Shear (SLS) tests were conducted to determine the optimal rolling speed to achieve the highest bond strength between the polymer core and the steel skins. Then, with the goal of investigation of the effect of polymer volume fraction on the mechanical properties of laminates, the lamination process was performed at the optimal rolling speed and various thickness reductions. The uniaxial tensile tests were conducted at three directions of 0°, 45°, and 90° with respect to rolling direction for the skin sheet and four different laminates. The results of both T-peel and SLS tests recommend the lowest rolling speed (25 rpm) to acquire maximum bond strength. The results of tensile tests show that the mechanical properties of the laminates depend on the sample direction. Abstract-Nowadays, metal/polymer/metal laminates are extensively used in various industries due to their unparalleled properties. In this study, the roll bonding process was employed for lamination of low carbon steel (St14) and semi-melted thermoplastic polyurethane sheets. The T-peel and Single Lap Shear (SLS) tests were conducted to determine the optimal rolling speed to achieve the highest bond strength between the polymer core and the steel skins. Then, with the goal of investigation of the effect of polymer volume fraction on the mechanical properties of laminates, the lamination process was performed at the optimal rolling speed and various thickness reductions. The uniaxial tensile tests were conducted at three directions of 0°, 45°, and 90° with respect to rolling direction for the skin sheet and four different laminates. The results of both T-peel and SLS tests recommend the lowest rolling speed (25 rpm) to acquire maximum bond strength. The results of tensile tests show that the mechanical properties of the laminates depend on the sample direction. It is also observed that as the volume fraction of the polymer in the laminate structure increases, the yield strength, tensile strength and elastic modulus decrease. The bond strength of the metal/ polymer interface is directly related to the ductility behavior of the laminates

Corneal topography and higher-order aberrations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Changes in blood sugar levels cause alterations in the anterior segment and retina of the eye. This study was aimed at evaluating corneal topography, aberrometry, and corneal asphericity in patients with treatment-naive type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Participants with treatment-naive T2DM were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The inclusion criteria were glycated hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) greater than or equal to 7.5% and absence of other ocular or systemic diseases. Patients who refused to participate or had a history of topical or systemic steroid use, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, anemia, prior ocular disorder or surgery, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract, active ocular inflammatory or infectious disease, or contact lens use were excluded. All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. The Pentacam HR Scheimpflug tomography system (Pentacam High Resolution; Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) was used to measure the anterior-segment parameters. Results: Sixty eyes of 30 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1 were included; the mean (standard deviation [SD]) age and Hb A1c were 51.63 (6.73) years and 8.82% (1.31%), respectively. The mean (SD) values of central corneal thickness, root mean square (RMS) of total aberration, RMS of lower-order aberrations, RMS of higher-order aberrations, spherical aberration, 0° coma, 90° coma, flat anterior keratometry (K), steep anterior K, mean anterior K, anterior topographic astigmatism, flat posterior K, steep posterior K, mean posterior K, posterior topographic astigmatism, anterior corneal asphericity, and posterior corneal asphericity were 540.22 (24.47) µm, 1.72 (0.73) µm, 1.63 (0.73) µm, 0.51 (0.17) µm, + 0.31 (0.09) µm, - 0.06 (0.15) diopters (D), 0.003 (0.21) D, 43.87 (1.49) D, 44.69 (1.50) D, 44.28 (1.44) D, + 0.82 (0.83) D, - 6.25 (0.27) D, - 6.55 (0.31) D, - 6.40 (0.28) D, - 0.30 (0.15) D, - 0.32 (0.12) Q-value, and - 0.47 (0.17) Q-value, respectively. Conclusions: We presented the mean values of Pentacam parameters for aberrometry, keratometry, and corneal asphericity in patients with treatment-naive T2DM. These values could serve as a baseline for prospective monitoring of the ocular health status of this cohort and for comparison with future cohorts of patients with well-controlled T2DM. Further studies are required to assess the presence and applicability of ocular changes following intensive blood glucose control in T2DM and further understand the related pathophysiology