The prevalence of right to left shunt in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with increased pulmonary hypertension

Background: One of the important etiologies for cryptogenic stroke is paradoxical embolization secondary to Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). Foramen ovale can secondarily reopen due to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) which is common among the older age. PAH is known as a frequent and life threatening complication of COPD. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of PFO between COPD patients with PAH and compare it with the ratio of PFO in non PAH COPD patients by Valsalva Maneuver (VM) following the TCD test. Methods: This study was performed on 55 patients with COPD exacerbation who were admitted to Rasul-Akram Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The patients with high PAH were considered as the case group and the others without PAH were the control group. All patients underwent Trascranial Doppler (TCD) to detect intracardiac right-to-left shut (RLS) related by PFO. The data were collected and analyzed. Results: In the case group, among 45 patients 25 (55.5) males and 20 (44.5) females] with the mean age of 64.68±10.73 years, 31 (68.8) subjects had PFO. In 10 control patients whose PAP were normal during TTE, we detected PFO in 2 (20) patients during VM (p<0.001). There was a significant correlation with the number of microembolic signals (MES) and the increase in PAP (p=0.019). Conclusion: Right to left shunting was significantly more frequent in COPD patients with high PAP. High pulmonary pressure had a cardinal role in increasing the prevalence of RLS among these patients

Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment by Combined Chemical Coagulation and Electrocoagulation Process

Slaughterhouse wastewater contains various and high amounts of organic matter (e.g., proteins, blood, fat and lard). In order to produce an effluent suitable for stream discharge, chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation techniques have been particularly explored at the laboratory pilot scale for organic compounds removal from slaughterhouse effluent. The purpose of this work was to investigate the feasibility of treating cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater by combined chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation process to achieve the required standards. The influence of the operating variables such as coagulant dose, electrical potential and reaction time on the removal efficiencies of major pollutants was determined. The rate of removal of pollutants linearly increased with increasing doses of PACl and applied voltage. COD and BOD5 removal of more than 99% was obtained by adding 100 mg/L PACl and applied voltage 40 V. The experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of chemical and electrochemical techniques for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewaters. Consequently, combined processes are inferred to be superior to electrocoagulation alone for the removal of both organic and inorganic compounds from cattle-slaughterhouse wastewater

Dairy wastewater treatment by chemical coagulation and adsorption on modified dried activated sludge: a pilot-plant study

Dairy industries and milk processing plants normally discharge their wastes directly to the close surroundings, generating environmental nuisances. Consequently, dairy wastewater deserves special attention since its levels of potential contaminants typically exceed those levels considered hazardous for domestic wastewater. At present study, performance of conventional chemical coagulation using poly aluminum chloride as an inorganic pre-polymerized coagulant (at various pH and coagulant dosages) and adsorption process by modified dried activated sludge (with ZnCl2) for treatment of real dairy wastewater was investigated. Maximum removal efficiency of pollutants (BOD5 and chemical oxygen demand (COD)) by chemical coagulation process was achieved at initial pH 8 and coagulant dose 100 mg/L in 60 min. In addition, optimum conditions for adsorption process were found to be: initial pH 6, adsorbent dose of 7 g/L, and contact time 90 min. The biosorption equilibrium data were fitted by Freundlich isotherm. Furthermore, according to the thermodynamic properties, �G°, �H°, and �S°, adsorption of COD onto modified dried activated sludge was spontaneous, endothermic, and feasible in the temperature range of 298�318 K. © 2015 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved

The study and comparison of heavy metals concentration (Nickel, Lead, Cadmium and Zinc) in the muscle of Otolithes ruber, Parastromateus niger, Scomberomorus commerson and Sphyraena jello from Chabahar area in summer

The heavy metals are from the pollutants which create too much problems in aquatic ecosystems for aquatics and human. This study was done concentration of heavy metals Nickle, Cadmium, Lead  and  Zinc and risk assessment in the muscle of Otolithes ruber, Parastromateus niger, Scomberomorus commerson and Sphyraena jello in 2013. Ninety six  samples of fishes was prepared of coastal and marine from the Chabahar, Iran. Metals were extracted from the tissues using wet Digestion method and concentration of the heavy metals were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer Younglin AAS8020. Concentration of Cd was in Parastromateus niger (0.0450 mg Kg-1) higher than other species. Also, the lowest Concentration of this element was in Otolithes ruber and Scomberomorus commerson (0.0150 mg Kg-1). Concentration of Pb was in Sphyraena jello (0.0125 mg Kg-1) lower than other species. Concentration of Ni was in Sphyraena jello (4.1800 mg Kg-1) higher than other species. Also, the lowest Concentration of this element was in Scomberomorus commerson (0.0150 mg Kg-1). Concentration of Zn was in Sphyraena jello (0.5450 mg Kg-1) higher than other species. Also, the lowest Concentration of this element was in Scomberomorus commerson (0.0150 mg Kg-1). Concentration of Cd, Pb and Zn was lower than comparison of FAO, WHO, UKMAFF, NHMRC and FDA. Concentration of Ni was higher than comparison ofGlobal Standards. According to the results, the amount of heavy metals in muscle of fishes in the study not take any risks for human consumption