The Impact of Greenhouse Density on Cognitive Function in Primary School Children Using the WISC Method

Exposure to pesticides is associated with various health concerns and may also be related to impaired cognitive function. This study investigated the relationship between greenhouse density and cognitive function in primary school children using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and environmental sampling. This study was conducted on 128 children (6–9 years old) in Ebrahimabad village, Ashkezar, Yazd, Iran in 2019, and 10 students were excluded from the study after filling consent form. The WISC-IV measured children’s cognitive function, and a flame ionization detector for gas chromatography (GC-FID) instrument was used to detect environmental exposure to pesticides. There was a significant inverse relationship between greenhouse density in children’s homes and cognitive function scores with verbal thinking scores (P value=0.003) and the total scale (P value=0.0001) on the WISC. Further, the results showed that the obtained verbal thinking scores are significantly related to their fathers’ education (P value=0.008) and occupation (P value=0.014). Moreover, the results of environmental exposure measurement confirmed the presence of malathion, ethion, chlorpyrifos, dieldrin, and oxadiazine with a maximum concentration of 183 µg/m3 in response to malathion. The present study indicated that increasing the density of the greenhouse reduces children’s cognitive functions. The results of ambient air analysis confirmed the environmental exposure to pesticides as well. Due to long-term chemical effects, management measures such as public education, substituting crop types, and the use of eco-friendly methods are unavoidable

Corresponding Author Effect of Selenium spraying on yield and growth indices of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under drought stress condition

ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of Se spraying on yield and growth indices of wheat under drought stress condition, in agriculture and natural resource research center of Tehran province in 2011-12. A split plot layout within randomized complete block design with three replications were used. main plots were three irrigation treatments (normal irrigation, non-irrigation at 50% stem elongation stage and non-irrigation at 50% flowering stage) and sub plots were three levels of Se (Na 2 O 3 Se) spraying (pure water, 18 and 36 mg/l Se concentration). The greatest grain yield was belonged to normal irrigation with 6425 kg/ha. It decreased to 5375 kg/ha and 3979 kg/ha for light and severe stress by 16.3% and 38% respectively. Light stress has not a significant effect on LAI and CGR, but it was significant at severe stress treatment. All traits except no. of fertile tiller, plant height and HI influenced by selenium spraying. Grain yield was increased by using selenium but was significant for low level of Se spraying. Se spraying at drought stress conditions had desirable effect on RWC, LAI and CGR and increased them

Investigating the Radiation Dose Received by the Heart and Its Electrocardiographic Changes after Three-dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy in Patients with Left Breast Cancer

Background and Objective: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in Iran. The present study aimed to investigate the absorbed dose received by the heart and its relationship with cardiac complications in radiotherapy of patients with left breast cancer using a three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 181 women with left breast cancer who received radiotherapy after surgery were included in the study. Dosimetric parameters were obtained using dose-volume histograms for the heart, whole lung, left lung, and clinical target volume. Electrocardiography tests were performed for all patients before and one year after the radiotherapy. Results: The mean doses of heart, left lung, whole lung, and clinical target volume were 6.3±3.1, 13.3±4.5, 6.9±3.7, and 47.3±6.4 Gray (Gy), respectively. A significant reduction in T-wave amplitude was observed in 57% of patients three months after radiotherapy. T-wave amplitude decreased from 3.03±0.92 mm to 1.56±0.83 mm. The reduction in the T-wave amplitude displayed a significant relationship with the mean dose of the heart (β = 2.653; P= 0.019). Conclusion: In women with left-sided breast cancer, cardiac complications are frequent, for which electrocardiographic tests can be used for cardiac evaluation after radiotherapy. Based on the obtained results, the most frequent side effect caused by radiotherapy in these patients was an abnormality in T-wav

The effect of fractionated gamma knife radiosurgery on visual acuity in patients with optic nerve tumor

Background: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) method has been considered the first-line treatment option to treat patients involved with pre-optic nerve tumors. However, studies have shown that using fractionated SRS, normal tissue sparing and tumor dose can be strongly increased simultaneously. Our main goal was to illustrate the effects of fractionated SRS approach in optic nerve tumor treatment and its adjacent sensitive structures. Materials and methods: 19 patients involved in optic nerve tumor with clinical symptoms of vision loss were treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery in three sessions with 12 hours intervals between them. The prescribed dose was about 6.0 ± 1.2 Gy. Patient-related parameters including pre-treatment and after-treatment tumor size, visual acuity and visual field were evaluated using the Snell chart and MRI imaging. Patients were followed for about 14 months. Result: The overall result showed vision improvement for patients with low and moderate visual loss. However, there was no significant improvement in patients with severe visual loss. Relative improvement was observed in blind patients, although poorly. There was no evidence of growth, recurrence, or new tumor after treatment in patients. Conclusion: Fractionated gamma knife radiosurgery offers a safe and effective alternative for benign lesions adjacent to the optic nerve.