Survey of pollutant emissions from stack of Saman cement factory of Kermanshah city from year 2011 to 2012

Background and Aims: Toxic gases and hazardous particulates that release into environment from cement factories have considered as the environmental problems. This study aimed to determine the level of air pollutants from the stacks and the ambient air of the Kermanshah Saman cement factory and its comparison with existing standards.Materials and Methods: This is a Descriptive - analytical study. The assessed parameters include the suspended particles CO, NO2, NO and SO2 from pre-heater, crusher, and electro filter have performed according to the method of Perkinz air pollution control.Results: Results showed that amount of suspended particulates was lower than the industry emissions standard, which has been approved as a national standard for crusher (200 mg per cubic meter) electro-filter (150 mg per cubic meter). However, the amount of gases emission was more than standard.Conclusions: This study revealed that the controlling devices have good ability in particles control. Although the exhaust gases seemingly different from the standard, but the difference is not significant.However further controls are recommended for control of gases pollutants.Key words: Cement factory, Particulate, Polluting gases, Kermanshah

The evaluation of breakfast intake pattern and short-term memory status in junior secondary school students in Shiraz 2007

زمینه و هدف: یادگیری، حافظه و پیشرفت تحصیلی کودکان در مدرسه تحت تاثیر عوامل مختلف تغذیه ای و از جمله صبحانه قرار دارند. مواد مغذی اعم از ویتامین های نیاسین (B3)، فولیک اسید (B9)، کوبالامین (B12)، آهن، ید و غیره بر حافظه کوتاه مدت موثرند. از آنجا که صبحانه از عادات مطلوبی است که بر حافظه کودکان موثراست. لذا این مطالعه با هدف بررسی الگوی صبحانه دریافتی و وضعیت حافظه کوتاه مدت دختران دانش آموزان مدارس راهنمایی شهر شیراز صورت گرفت. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی-تحلیلی 150 نفر از دختران دانش آموز مدارس راهنمایی شیراز به روش تصادفی چند مرحله ای انتخاب شدند. اطلاعات دموگرافیک اجتماعی-اقتصادی با پرسشنامه والگوی صبحانه با پرسشنامه بسامد و یادآمد صبحانه 3 روزه جمع آوری و از هر فرد یک تست حافظه وکسلر به عمل آمد. داده ها با استفاده از آزمون های آماری همبستگی پیرسون و ANOVA تجزیه و تحلیل شد. یافته ها: بین شغل و تحصیلات والدین، وضعیت تحصیلی، سن و حافظه‌ رابطه‌ معنی داری وجود نداشت. طی بررسی تغذیه ای بین مصرف پیریدوکسین (ویتامینB6 )، B12، ید، کالری، پروتیین، چربی یا کلسترول و نمره ی حافظه رابطه‌ی معنی داری وجود نداشت (05/0P>)، اما بین مصرف ویتامین B3، کربوهیدرات و آهن در صبحانه و نمره ی حافظه رابطه ی معنی دار و همبستگی از نوع مستقیم وجود داشت (05/0

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Birth Weight in Shahroud; 2013-2015

Background : One of the most important causes of neonatal death is their Low Birth Weight (less than 2500 grams). Low Birth Weight has a lot of risk factors. Low birth weight will cause physical, mental, and growth problems in the future. In respect to importance of the issue, this study aimed to determine the prevalence rate and risk factors of LBW (Low Birth Weight) in Shahroud, Iran.  Methods: In a cross-sectional research, all mothers who had given birth at Bahar Hospital from 2013 to 2015 entered to the study. The information of the mothers and neonates were extracted from their records. Data were analyzed using SPSS v16 and t-test and chi-square tests. Results: 6677 mothers were enrolled in the study. The mean age of mothers was 27.20±5.43. %4.8of newborn babies had weights equal or less than 2500 grams. There was a significant relation between low birth weight and the mothers who were under 18 years, maternal addiction, and type of delivery (p value= 0.001).Also, there was a significant relationbetween Preterm labor and prevalence of Low Birth Weight, and the need to revive and hospitalization of baby in NICU (p value= 0.001). Conclusions: The infants' health is one of the main factors determining the quality of Health Services in a community. Since the rate of LBW is stillhigh, and this matter leads to a lot of problems for both family and society; preventive actions are recommended

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Birth Weight in Shahroud; 2013-2015

Background : One of the most important causes of neonatal death is their Low Birth Weight (less than 2500 grams). Low Birth Weight has a lot of risk factors. Low birth weight will cause physical, mental, and growth problems in the future. In respect to importance of the issue, this study aimed to determine the prevalence rate and risk factors of LBW (Low Birth Weight) in Shahroud, Iran.  Methods: In a cross-sectional research, all mothers who had given birth at Bahar Hospital from 2013 to 2015 entered to the study. The information of the mothers and neonates were extracted from their records. Data were analyzed using SPSS v16 and t-test and chi-square tests. Results: 6677 mothers were enrolled in the study. The mean age of mothers was 27.20±5.43. %4.8of newborn babies had weights equal or less than 2500 grams. There was a significant relation between low birth weight and the mothers who were under 18 years, maternal addiction, and type of delivery (p value= 0.001).Also, there was a significant relationbetween Preterm labor and prevalence of Low Birth Weight, and the need to revive and hospitalization of baby in NICU (p value= 0.001). Conclusions: The infants' health is one of the main factors determining the quality of Health Services in a community. Since the rate of LBW is stillhigh, and this matter leads to a lot of problems for both family and society; preventive actions are recommended

Efficacy evaluation of drinking water distribution network existence in microbial quality desirability and its chlorination status in small communities - Case study: Kermanshah province villages

Background and Aims: Safe drinking water supply is very important for human societies. The goal of this study is the determination of drinking water distribution network existence in microbial quality desirability and its chlorination status in small communities – Case study: Kermanshah province villages.Material and Methods: This method of the study is descriptive and analytical. The required data and information were collected from existing data of health center. The collected samples for microbial quality monitoring of rural drinking water were taken by health center during three-year period, that were 9174 samples. Data analysis was taken by SPSS software by using T-Test and ANOVA.Results: The results showed 79.7% and 84.3% as an average rate of desirability of microbial water quality and residual chlorination status respectively in villages having distribution system and 60.36% and 69.56% in those without distribution system.Conclusion: Assessing of microbial quality of water in all rural areas showed that villages with distribution network have better quality than other villages. So development planning for implementation of water distribution networks are suggested in other rural communities also for improvment of water quality in all rural communities (with and without distribution networks) the water safety plane should be employed.Key words: Microbial quality, Residual chlorine, Rural area, Distribution network, Kermansha

Evaluation of fractionation and bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soils: a case study in Hamedan province, Iran

Urbanization in developing countries has caused extensive soil and environmental contamination with heavy metals. Determination of pollution indices and fractionation of heavy metals in soil is pivotal for assessment and prediction of their mobility and hazard potentials in the environment. Therefore, in this investigation pollution factor as single (PF) and comprehensive (Pn), pollution load index (PLI) and sequential extraction technique were used for Ni, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in soils affected by municipal wastewater in some large cities of Hamedan province, western Iran. According to results, PF factors for heavy metals in Hamedan, Malayer, Razan and Kabudarahang were respectively 2.47-27.40, 2.44-28.80, 2.46-27.20, and 2.50-27.10. PF results indicated that pollution intensity were 21.6-26.56 (very high) for Ni, 4.52-4.81(High) for Pb, 21.90-28.80 (very high) for Cd and 2.44-2.74 (medium) for Zn and 11.85-13.92 (very high) for Cu in the studied sites. Pn and PLI were 20.89-24.88 and 9.44-10.16 in the studied area, respectively. According to results, the OM fraction was the most abundant pool for Ni, Pb, and Cd. The mobility of metals in calcareous soils acquired for Ni (22.81%), Pb (15.32%), Cd (17.88%), and Cu (18.18%) was a representative of potential risk for groundwater contamination through deep percolation or runoff. The bioavailability factor related to each metal was estimated for Ni (26.51-35.72 %), Pb (27.67-35.55 %), Cd (30.22-39.51 %), Zn (22.06-26.71 %), and Cu (22.88-27.34 %). Such high bioavailability of heavy metals especially for Cd can severely impose adverse effects on the environment, groundwaters and accordingly human health

Biochemical Pathway and Protein-Network Analysis of Dental Caries Based on Systems Biology Approaches

Background: Tooth decay (TD) is a multifactorial disorder, and several factors are involved in its etiology. Objective: The present study aimed to unravel the main genes and molecular mechanisms underlying TD. Methods: The dataset GSE1629 in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was analyzed to uncover differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with TD compared to patients with sound teeth. A protein-protein interaction network was built, and the most important clusters, hub genes, transcription factors (TFs), and protein kinases involved in the regulation of TFs were disclosed. Signaling pathways and Gene Ontology terms dysregulated in TD were also identified. Results: A total of 196 DEGs were determined (false discovery rate1). PTPRC, ITGB2, TYROBP, MMP9, CXCL8, CD44, CCL2, C1QB, C3, and SPP1 were considered hub genes. Further, BPTF and MAPK1 were demonstrated to be the highest TFs and protein kinases likely involved in the pathogenesis of TD, respectively. Conclusion: PTPRC, ITGB2, TYROBP, MMP9, CXCL8, CD44, CCL2, C1QB, C3, SPP1, BPTF, and MAPK1 may be regarded as potential markers for the therapeutic purposes of TD

Spatial Analysis of Socio- Economic Inequalities Based on Multidimensional Welfare Indicators, Case study: Zahedan Urban Neighborhoods

Nowadays, cities are places for the economic development of societies, and as cities have human existence, they are one of the challenges of the fight against poverty to provide the proper infrastructure for economic growth and promotion. Focusing on enhancing multidimensional welfare indicators can minimize issues such as economic and social inequalities in the city. The aim of this study is spatial analysis of socio-economic inequalities of Zahedan based on multidimensional welfare indicators. In this study, multidimensional welfare indicators were measured in 55 dimensions in two dimensions of material welfare. In order to spatial analysis of multidimensional welfare indicators after normalization, welfare differences in urban neighborhoods were calculated and the results were prepared in the form of difference coefficient maps. Finally, the relation between the level of welfare and the coefficient of difference was evaluated using Pearson's statistical test. The results showed that the neighborhoods with the more welfare are located in district one and five in southwest of Zahedan and the north and south suburbs of Zahedan are in more undesirable condition than other urban areas. The results of correlation test between multidimensional welfare level and welfare difference coefficient also show that at alpha level of 0.1 there is only significant relationship between non-material welfare and housing components, access to services, infrastructures and facilities and knowledge with their difference coefficient. However, at Alpha level of 2 there is a significant relationship between material and immaterial welfare and housing components, access to services, health and knowledge with their difference coefficient

Relationship among dietary estimates of net endogenous acid production, bone mineral density and biochemical markers of bone turnover in an Iranian general population

Chronic, low-grade metabolic acidosis due toWestern diets may be a risk factor for osteoporosis. The severity can be determined in part by net endogenous acid production (NEAP). In a population-based study, a total of 1028 healthy men and women aged 20–72 years were evaluated for dietary intakes and NEAP estimates with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to determine BMD of the lumbar spine (L2–L4), distal third of radius, and proximal femur. Serum CrossLaps, degradation products of the C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen, and osteocalcin were measured by highly specific ELISA methods. Lower estimates of energy-adjusted rates of NEAP were associated with greater femoral neck BMD (p=0.01) in premenopausal women and with greater BMDs at the distal radius (p=0.001) and lumbar spine (p=0.04) in postmenopausal women. Compared with women in the highest quartile of the estimates of the energy-adjusted rates of NEAP, pre- and postmenopausal women in the lowest quartile had significantly greater means of osteocalcin [9.12 (SD±1.62) vs. 5.24 (SD±1.41) ng/ml, p=0.02 and 11.74 (SD±1.69) vs. 7.79 (SD±2.63) ng/ml, p=0.002, respectively]. Analysis by quartiles of the estimates of energy-adjusted rates of NEAP did not reveal a relationship between BMD and bone turnover markers in men. In conclusion, we found that a high energy-adjusted rate of NEAP was associated with a significantly lower BMD in women but not in men and the energy-adjusted rate of NEAP had a negative relationship with bone formation

Idiopathic Hirsutism and Insulin Resistance

Background and Objectives. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and idiopathic hirsutism (HI) are the two most common causes of hirsutism. Insulin resistance plays a key role in PCOS, but there are not enough data showing that patients with HI also have insulin resistance. This study was designed to evaluate the presence of insulin resistance in women with HI. Methods. Based on a cross-sectional study, two groups of age-BMI matched, hirsute women were compared to age-BMI matched, nonhirsute women. Sixty nonobese women with PCOS, thirty nonobese women with HI, and sixty nonobese control women were included in the study. Samples of hormones including androgens were measured. Insulin resistance based on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was compared between three groups by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results. Patients with PCOS had significantly higher basal insulin level (16.04±1.4 versus 7.32±6.85 μIu/mL) and HOMA-IR score (3.7±3.36 versus 1.75±1.67) than patients with HI (P  0.001). Patients with HI also had significantly higher basal insulin level and HOMA-IR score than control group (P  0.001). Conclusion. Our data suggest that both PCOS and HI are associated with insulin resistance and these patients are more insulin resistant than healthy control people