The influence of exploited compounds type in the vermicompost medium on the quality of produced compost from kitchen waste, garden waste and cow dung by Eisenia fetida

زمينه و اهداف: فرایند توليد کود از پسماند توسط کرم­ها مسيری است که دارای جنبه‌های مثبت زيست محيطی، بهداشتی و اقتصادی می‌باشد. لذا اين مطالعه با هدف بررسی تاثير نوع بستر در درصدهای مختلف بر کيفيت کود از زایدات جامد انجام شد. مواد و روش‌ها: این مطالعه با انتخاب سه نوع بستر شامل ضایعات آشپزخانه، شاخ و برگ پوسیده درختان و فضولات حیوانی در 20 تيمار طراحی گرديد. در انتهای دوره زمانی مناسب پارامترهای TKN،  P، TC، pH، EC، Na، K، رطوبت، خاکستر، مواد آلی، نسبت C/N، خصوصیات فیزیکی و ظاهری کمپوست آزمایش شدند. یافته‌ها: نتایج نشان داد در تمامی 20 تيمار کيفيت کود توليدی در محدوده استاندارد می‌باشد. با توجه به بالا بودن ترکيبات نيتروژنه در مواد اولیه تيمارهای M، N، O، Q، R وU، نسبت نيتروژن در کود حاصل از آن­ها بالاتر از بقيه تيمارها بود. بررسی توليد کرم در نمونه‌ها نشان داد که تيمارهای U (90% شاخ و برگ و 10% فضولات حیوانی) و Q (90% شاخ و برگ و 10% مواد غذایی) با 266 و253 عدد کرم بيشترين تعداد توليد کرم را در بين تيمارها داشته‌اند. نتيجه گيري: نوع مواد اوليه بستر اهميت ويژه‌ای در کيفيت کود توليدی دارد. هر گونه تغيير در اين ترکيبات به دليل تغيير در حضور يا عدم حضور ماکرو و ميکرونوترینت‌ها می‌تواند فرايند توليد کود با کيفيت و همچنين توليد کرم را تحت تاثير قرار دهد. لذا بهينه سازی درصد ترکيبات بستر، از اهميت ويژه‌ای برخوردار است که در  استفاده بهينه از سرمايه‌ها و کاهش زمان توليد ورمی کمپوست موثر می‌باشد.  Background and Aims: The production of fertilizer from waste by the use of worms (vermicomposting), covers all positive environmental, health and economic aspects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different media on the quality of produced compost from solid waste.Materials and Methods: Three different media including kitchen waste, rotting foliage of trees and animal waste were designated in the present study through 20 treatments. TKN, P, TC, pH, EC, Na, K, and moisture, ash, organic matter contents as well as C/N ratio and physical properties of produced compost were analyzed at the end of composting process.Results: The results showed that the quality of produced compost was in conformity with current standards in all 20 studied treatments. With regard to the high contents of nitrogen in raw material in some treatments such as M, N, O, Q, R, and U, the corresponding ratio of N in achieved compost was higher than other treatments. A survey of worm growth in studied samples revealed that U (leaf 90% and food waste 10%) and Q (leaf 90% and food waste 10%) treatments superbly overcame other treatments with 266 and 253  worms, respectively.Conclusion: Our study found that the type of raw material has a paramount importance on the compost quality, so that any change in the composition can affect the compost production process and the reproduction of worms mainly through the changes in the presence or absence of macro and micronutrients. Thus, optimization of media components, is of particular importance affecting the efficient use of capital investments and reducing the time duration of vermicomposting

Electrochemical exfoliated graphene oxide nanosheets modified graphite electrode for clozapine sensing

Graphene oxide nanosheets (GONs) are ideally suited for implementation in electrochemical applications due to their large electrical conductivity, large surface area and low production costs. In this research, electrochemical exfoliated graphene oxide-modified graphite electrode was developed for voltammetric determination of clozapine (CLZ). The dependence of oxidation peak current on the pH of the solution, scan rate and concentration of analyte were studied to optimize the experimental conditions for electrochemical determination of CLZ. The experimental results suggested that the modified electrode promoted electron transfer reaction for the oxidation of CLZ. The modified electrode exhibited high effective surface area, more reactive sites and excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of CLZ. In the concentration range of 0.75–100 µM of CLZ in citrate buffer solution (CBS, pH 6), the anodic peak currents, measured via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), presented good linear relationship with limit of detection (LOD) of 2.15 nM and good sensitivity of 0.0477 µA µM−1. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantify the amount of CLZ in the blood serum and plasma of schizophrenia patient

Amikacin-induced Nephrotoxicity in a Child with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome in Iran: A Case Report

We report an unusual case of Amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity in a child. The patient was a seven and a half year old girl with nephrotic syndrome and cushingoid facial features who was referred to Tehran Children's Medical Center for renal biopsy so as to start cyclosporine therapy for the diagnosis of disease recurrence. Before coming to our center she was admitted to another hospital with complaints of severe abdominal pain and vomiting. In the course of hospitalization in our center, the patient gradually became oliguric and her serum creatinine increased from 0.3 mg/dl to 3.5 mg/dl. During her previous hospitalization about 2 weeks ago, use of amikacin and ceftriaxone was found. There were several reasons for kidney failure in the child, one of which was possibility of amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity. A renal biopsy showed diffuse mesangial proliferative and tubular lesions, which were in favor of amikacin toxicity. It seems that Amikacin can lead to nephrotoxicity if the patient is dehydrated and experiencing reduction of effective vascular volume. Regarding logical use of amikacin,renal function should be monitored regularly. Keywords: Acute Tubular Necrosis; Acute Renal Failure; Acute Tubulointerstitial Nephritis; Nephrotic Syndrome; Amikacin; Iran

Study of genetic diversity in different wheat species with various genomes based on morphological characteristics and zinc use efficiency under two zinc-deficient growing conditions

Screening of cash crops to tolerate and grow under low levels of micronutrients is important issue in the plant breeding programs. Thus, the study screened the tolerance of 50 wheat genotypes to zinc (Zn) deficiency in the calcareous soil. The Zn treatment was carried out with application of 5 mg kg-1 (+Zn) and without (-Zn) to the collected soils with initial Zn extractable of 0.5 mg Zn kg-1 soil. The results revealed that the supplementary application significantly increased shoot dry matter, shoot Zn concentration and shoot Zn content compared to the without Zn application (control), but Zn utilization decreased under Zn application. There was considerable genetic variation in Zn efficiency (55 - 118 %), shoot Zn concentration (11.8 - 27.0 and 14.3 - 39.6 mg kg-1 DM under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively), shoot Zn content (0.56 - 2.02 and 0.90 - 2.83 µg plant-1, under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively) and Zn utilization efficiency (39 - 87.2 and 31.2 - 71.5 mg DM µg-1 Zn under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively) within wheat genotypes. Cluster analysis based on Zn efficiency, and shoot dry matter at deficient and adequate Zn conditions classified the genotypes into four clusters. Over the two conditions, the most Zn-efficient and Zn-unefficient genotypes were ‘Ankara-98’ and ‘Altintoprak-98’ and ‘Pg"S’ and ‘Zarin’, respectively. Most durum genotypes had a greater Zn efficiency than modern bread wheat genotypes, therefore these genotypes could be effectively used to breed the new cultivars with high Zn efficiency for calcareous soils

Educational Evaluation of Medical Student in Health Centers Using Portfolios: A Pilot Study

Background & Objective: The desire for portfolio application, as a suitable method for evaluation of clinical students, has recently expanded. This study investigated the implementation of portfolio in the evaluation of medical students. Methods: In the current study, medical students in their educational rotations in health centers in Mashhad, Iran, in 2011 were evaluated by using portfolio. The scores of medical students' performance and health centers supervisors' evaluation of them were assessed during 10 months and compared with scores from a similar period in the past. Data were analyzed using t-test and SPSS software. Results: Portfolios were completed by all medical students during their rotation in health centers and and evaluation of student was done based on portfolio scoring. Mean performance scores of medical students and health center supervisors' evaluation of them had increased compared of them by portfolio evaluation had increased compared with traditional students' evaluation method in similar past period. Conclusion: Using portfolios for evaluation of medical students' performance in community educational fields is proposed as a performance-based approach. Key Words: Portfolio, Evaluation, Medical students, Health center

Structural Analysis of the Western Part of Shotori Mountain Range; Eastern Iran

NW-SE trending Shotori range has some structural elements such as folds and fractures (including thrust and strike-slip faults), following almost a similar trend. Based on the plotted stereograms, the predominant mechanism of the region’s faults is thrust with a dextral strike slip component which implies overcoming compressive stresses in the region. On the other hand the strike-slip horizontal component of the faults may also be due to the Nayband fault activities on Shotori and Esfandiar thrust zones. The steep dip of these faults may also be due to some normal faults converted to reverse faults as a result of stress phase change from tensional to compressional. Based on planar axis perpendicular compression or stretching axis σ1= 34, 10 and σ3= 296, 38 were obtained for the study area. striogram axial surface folds dominantly show NW-SE direction, which is indicates compression axis which is equal N53, 12.Aeromagnetic data analysis revealed two magnetic lineaments with the same trends as surveyed lineaments in the field. The relatively high magnetic intensity of these lineaments could be due to basement faults in the region. With regards to obtained stereo plots, trend of the folds’ axis are parallel to the regional thrust faults and folds’ contour diagrams apply asymmetric folds with faulting in the area

Rearrangement of Morning Report Sessions: An Action Research

Background: Morning report (MR) is one of the most common methods in medical education. It is effective for improvement of the communication skills, problem solving abilities, and clinical reasoning among learners. This study aimed to evaluate and rearrange the MR sessions in the department of obstetrics and gynecology of Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad.Method: This study was an action research. The first step  included observation of current sessions, formation of focus groups, and conducting a training workshop regarding the principles of MR. Fourty-six individuals including 25 medical interns, 14 residents, and 7 faculties participated in the study within two months. Then , evaluation of the sessions was done and the effect of the intervention was evaluated.Results: Some of the significantly improved items are: the method of patient selection by selecting common diseases (P: 0.010), announcing the patient's file number (P: 0.000), the patient’s follow up  (P: 0.000) and declaring the person responsible for patient’s follow-up  (P: 0.000), writing the list of the patients on the board before the meeting (P: 0.042), proper management of the meeting (P: 0.000), referring to proper articles (P: 0.000), and managing the duration of the presentation (P: 0.000), documenting the summary of the history (P: 0.000), documenting the key points of history (P: 0.000), providing appropriate feedback to the provider (P: 0.010), and paying attention to complications (P: 0.001.Conclusion: The methods of holding MR differ from defined standards in many educational centers worldwide. Thus, various aspects of meetings, including structural principles of holding MR, timing, patient selection, attention to intern and resident training at different stages, and compliance with ethical issues still need to be reviewed

Atheism and Prosocial Behavior: Evidence From a Laboratory Experiment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of religion on charitable donation of atheists. We used experimental method utilizing a post-test and a control group. The population of the present study was 314 students at Sharif University of Technology recruited in the second half of 2018 semester and randomly assigned to either the experimental (n=27) or the control (n=26) group. Then subjects answered some demographic questions (i.e., age, gender, and income) and some questions from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and were also primed using a research-made Religious Priming Tool. Then they were given an opportunity to donate money to Mahak Charity, while keeping the record of donation amounts. At the end, they reported their religious orientation again and answered questions to check their knowledge of the objectives of the experiment. Finally, we compared the median of the donations in two groups. The data analyzed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test due to the abnormality of data distribution. The results showed that highlighting religion had no effect on donation of the atheists. The experiment warrants further research for the purpose of a better understanding of mechanisms influencing prosocial behavior

Effects of silver nanoparticles added into polyurea coating on sulfate-reducing bacteria activity and electrochemical properties; an environmental nano-biotechnology investigation

In the present work, Ag nanoparticles were added to polyurea coating in order to improve its antibacterial and electrochemical properties in sulfide-reducing bacteria-containing media. To this end, Ag nano-powder was mixed with two component polyuria, and then the antibacterial behavior of the nanocomposite coating was studied in sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)-containing medium. The results revealed the inhibitory effects of nanocomposite coating on the formation of SRB biofilms on the samples. Moreover, the SRB population decreased in contact with the Ag nanoparticles-mixed coating over 7 days. Investigation of the growth and activity of the bacteria represented the effective antibacterial properties of Ag nanoparticles in the polyurea matrix. Furthermore, EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) measurements indicated that the corrosion properties of the nanocomposite coating improved considerably over 7 days. The coating resistance increased 2 times by adding Ag nanoparticles after 1 day and 3.3 times after 7 days. In accordance with the same results, the charge transfer resistance increased 1.5 times and 1.1 times by adding Ag nanoparticles after 1 day and 7 days, respectively. The improvement in the protective properties of the nanocomposite coating are reflected in the increase in both film and charge transfer resistance