Investigating the Impacts of Credits Granted by Agricultural Bank of Iran on Economic Conditions of Farmers in Hirmand Region

One of the obstacles that has caused agricultural sector not to reach significant and expected growth is shortage of short, medium and long–term funds to finance various activities of this sector. This study aims at investigating the economic impacts of credits granted by Agricultural bank on farmers on Hirmand region. The statistical population of the survey included 4691 farmers of Hirmand region and the sample size were 117 farmers who had received loan from agricultural bank at least once during 2006-2011. The Sample was selected using simple random sampling and questionnaires were distributed among them. The results from t-Test showed that significant level for income manufacturing variants was 0.000 and for investment and livelihood variants were 0.014 and 0.077, respectively. This significantly levels suggest that received loan from bank has increased income and production, the living conditions of borrowers, economic profitability and increased productivity

Late Little Ice Age palaeoenvironmental records from the Anzali and Amirkola Lagoons (south Caspian Sea): Vegetation and sea level changes

This is a postprint version of the article. The official published article can be found from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Elsevier Ltd.Two internationally important Ramsar lagoons on the south coast of the Caspian Sea (CS) have been studied by palynology on short sediment cores for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic investigations. The sites lie within a small area of very high precipitation in a region that is otherwise dry. Vegetation surveys and geomorphological investigations have been used to provide a background to a multidisciplinary interpretation of the two sequences covering the last four centuries. In the small lagoon of Amirkola, the dense alder forested wetland has been briefly disturbed by fire, followed by the expansion of rice paddies from AD1720 to 1800. On the contrary, the terrestrial vegetation reflecting the diversity of the Hyrcanian vegetation around the lagoon of Anzali remained fairly complacent over time. The dinocyst and non-pollen palynomorph assemblages, revealing changes that have occurred in water salinity and water levels, indicate a high stand during the late Little Ice Age (LIA), from AD < 1620 to 1800–1830. In Amirkola, the lagoon spit remained intact over time, whereas in Anzali it broke into barrier islands during the late LIA, which merged into a spit during the subsequent sea level drop. A high population density and infrastructure prevented renewed breaking up of the spit when sea level reached its maximum (AD1995). Similar to other sites in the region around the southern CS, these two lagoonal investigations indicate that the LIA had a higher sea level as a result of more rainfall in the drainage basin of the CS.The coring and the sedimentological analyses were funded by the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography in the framework of a research project entitled “Investigation of the Holocene sediment along the Iranian coast of Caspian Sea: central Guilan”. The radiocarbon date of core HCGL02 was funded by V. Andrieu (Europôle Méditerranéen de l'Arbois, France) and that of core HCGA04 by Brunel University

Characterization of aerosol types over Lake Urmia Basin

Atmospheric aerosols affect the Earth's climate, air quality, and thus human health. This study used the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and the Ångström exponent to cluster different particle types over the Lake Urmia Basin. This classification found desert dust and marine (mixed with continental or local-pollution aerosols) as two main aerosol types over the region, while their sources are not well defined. Although different air masses and wind circulation over the study domain in varied months can help to distinguish aerosol sources, measurements are crucial for a complete evaluation

Investigation of Pb(II) Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Modified Nano Zero-Valent Iron Particles

This research was conducted in experimental scale with the aim of investigation effect of polyacrylic acid-stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles (PAA-nZVI) on lead removal from aqueous solution. In this regards, NZVI was synthesized with polyacrylic acid and their size and morphological characteristics were examined via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). To study the effect of PAA-nZVI on lead removal, pH of aqueous solution, contact time, PAA-NZVI concentration  and initial Pb(II) concentration were considered as variables. Furthermore, the experimental data of Pb(II)  removal were fitted using three kinetic models, namely Zero-order, First-order and Second-order.The results of experiments showed that maximum Pb(II) removal efficiency was observed at pH=5, 15 min contact time and 5 g/L PAA-nZVI concentration. Moreover, the results of kinetic studies indicated that among all applied kinetic models, First-order kinetic model had more better prediction than other kinetic models ofPb(II) removal. Based on the results of present research, PAA-NZVI is an efficient agent to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solutions

Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of 3-D endoanal ultrasound in perianal fistula in comparison with intraoperative findings

Objective: Perianal fistula is a common and debilitating disease. The definite treatment is surgery, identifying of primary and secondary tract, internal opening of fistula has important role in planning of surgical techniques. This study's goal was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of 3-D ultrasound in perianal fistula in comparison with intraoperative findings. Materials and methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. Adult patients (18–85 years old) with anal fistula have been selected. 3-D EUS was done for all patients by gastroenterologist. Then surgery was done. Check lists filled by endoscopist and surgeon was studied and data analysis was done. Results: The study examined 76 patients, in according to results for kappa coefficient there was a perfect agreement between 3-D ultrasound results and surgery in internal opening that was 96% (p < 0.001) and concordance was 0.974. In extension tract the agreement was 0.973 and concordance was 0.987 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There was perfect agreement between 3-D ultrasound and surgical findings in internal opening, primary tract and trunk expansion. 3-D ultrasound shows a high diagnostic accuracy when compared with surgery to assessment of perianal fistula before surgery. Resumo: Objetivo: A fistula perianal é doença comum e debilitante. O tratamento definitivo é cirúrgico. A identificação dos tratos primário e secundário e de abertura interna da fístula desempenha papel importante no planejamento das técnicas cirúrgicas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar a precisão diagnóstica da USE 3D em casos de fístula perianal, em comparação com os achados cirúrgicos. Materiais e métodos: Este é um estudo transversal. Foram selecionados pacientes adultos (18-85 anos) com fístula anal. Todos os pacientes foram examinados por USE 3D realizada por um gastroenterologista. Em seguida, procedeu-se à cirurgia. O endoscopista e o cirurgião estudaram as listas de verificação, com análise dos dados. Resultados: Nesse estudo foram examinados 76 pacientes. De acordo com os resultados para o coeficiente kappa, foi observada perfeita concordância entre os resultados da USE 3D e cirurgia para IO, de 96% (p < 0,001), com concordância de 0,974. Na extensão do trato a concordância foi 0,973 e concordância de 0,987 (p < 0,001). Conclusão: Foi observada concordância perfeita entre USE 3D e os achados cirúrgicos em abertura interna, trato primário e expansão do tronco. USE 3D demonstra elevada precisão diagnóstica, quando comparada com a cirurgia, para avaliação da fístula perianal antes da operação. Keywords: Anal fistula, Three dimensional endoscopic ultrasounds, Surgery, Palavras-chave: Fístula anal, Ultrassonografia endoscópica tridimensional, Cirurgi

Investigating the Impacts of Credits Granted by Agricultural Bank of Iran on Economic Conditions of Farmers in Hirmand Region

One of the obstacles that has caused agricultural sector not to reach significant and expected growth is shortage of short, medium and long–term funds to finance various activities of this sector. This study aims at investigating the economic impacts of credits granted by Agricultural bank on farmers on Hirmand region. The statistical population of the survey included 4691 farmers of Hirmand region and the sample size were 117 farmers who had received loan from agricultural bank at least once during 2006-2011. The Sample was selected using simple random sampling and questionnaires were distributed among them. The results from t-Test showed that significant level for income manufacturing variants was 0.000 and for investment and livelihood variants were 0.014 and 0.077, respectively. This significantly levels suggest that received loan from bank has increased income and production, the living conditions of borrowers, economic profitability and increased productivity