Ground water quality mapping in Shahrekord aquifer

It is necessary to have a working knowledge of the quantity and quality of the water resources especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Shahrekord plain has a 551 Km[2] total area where groundwater is discharging almost at 230 MCM annually for drinking and agriculture. The main objective of this study was mapping of Shahrekord aquifer groundwater quality and comparison with the drinking water standard limits. Some of the chemical properties such as Cations, Anions, Electrical Conductivity [Ec], Total Hardness [TH] and Total Dissolved Solids [TDS] were measured four times [spring and autumn 2004 and 2005]. The results show that the chemical concentration in north-western part of the aquifer was lower than southern part. Bicarbonate and Calcium have the maximum value however they are lower than the standard limits. The TH in the wells varies from 150 to 300 [mg/lit/CaC0[3]].The water is classified as hard water based on TH. The results show that there was not considerable difference in TH and TDS values between spring andauturrm seasons. Increasing population increases more water needs and wastewater production. Surface waters and groundwater are polluted where there is no wastewater treatment plant. The manmade activity increases Electrical Conductivity [Ec], Na, Cl, S0[4] and N0[3] in groundwater. The maximum concentration level [MCL] of Cl and S0[4]'S ion in surface water and groundwater is 250 ppm.The main objective of this study was mapping of Shahrekord aquifer groundwater quality and comparison with the water standard limits. Shahrekord plain with 551 km2area is located in the CHB province, Iran at 32° 07" to 32° 25" latitude and 50° 38" to 51° 10" longitude. Shahrekord aquifer includes 417,59 and 159 agricultural, drinking water and industrial usage wells, respectively. It also has 79 Qanats and 40 springs where they are discharging almost 230 MCM water from the aquifer annually. Eleven wells were selected for groundwater sampling and measurement of chemical indexes. The positions of the wells were determined using global positioning system [GPS] and drawn using MapInfo software [Fig. 1]. Fig. 1 also shows the groundwater flow direction in the aquifer. The overall flow direction is from north to the south. Water sample was collected from the 11 wells in spring and autumn 2004 and spring and autumn 2005. The water sample analyzed for total hardness [TH], total dissolve solid [TDS], electrical conductivity [Ee], cations and anions [Carbonate, Bicarbonate, Sulfate, CWoride, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and Sodium] based on the standard method. The water quality was classified using Wilcox diagram and the anion and cation compared by Aquachem software. The nitrate concentration was measured in 17 wells, in summer 2004. Base on the maps and the field observation the research results were concluded. As the results for the spring and auturrm were similar, therefore, only the map for the spring is presented here. According to Fig. 1 and 2 there are two regions in the aquifer based on TDS, southern and northern part. The northern part [well no 1 to 6] has less TDS where the southern [well no 7 to 11] has grater TDS value. Maximum of TDS concentration happened at well no. 9 where concentration is close to 500 ppm

[Intravitreal bevacizumab [avastin] injection alone or combined with triamcinolone versus macular photocoagulation as primary treatment for diabetic macular edema; an interim analysis]

To report the efficacy of a single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab [IVB] alone or in combination with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide [IVT] versus macular laser photocoagulation [MPC] as primary treatment for diabetic macular edema [DME]. This randomized three-arm clinical trial included 103 eyes of 97 patients with clinically significant DME and no previous treatment. The eyes were randomly assigned to one of the three study arms: the IVB group received 1.25 mg IVB [37 eyes], the IVB/IVT group received 1.25 mg IVB together with 2 mg IVT [33 eyes], and the MPC group underwent focal or modified grid laser photocoagulation [33 eyes]. Primary outcome measure was change in best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA]. Changes in BCVA [logMAR] at 12 weeks were -0.22 +/- 0.23, -0.13 +/- 0.31 and +0.08 +/- 0.31 in the IVB, IVB/IVT and MPC groups, respectively. The marginal regression model based on generalized estimating equation analysis demonstrated that changes in visual acuity was statistically significant in the IVB group at both 6 [P<0.001] and 12 [P=0.024] weeks but only at 6 weeks in the IVB/IVT group. Significant decrease in central macular thickness [CMT] was observed in the IVB and IVB/IVT groups at 6 weeks. Up to 12 weeks, IVB treatment in eyes with DME yielded better visual outcome than laser photocoagulation, although it was not associated with a significant decrease in CMT. IVT seemed to have no further beneficial effect in combination with IVB

Comparing the effect of teaching breast self-examination by peers and health care personnel on students knowledge and attitude

Training breast self-examination by peers provides an appropriate situation in order to form proper health behaviors during the adolescence age. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of training breast self-examination by peers and health care personnel on students' knowledge and attitude. In this quasi-experimental study, 112 students from two schools of dentistry and management of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were selected randomly and were allocated in two groups. They were taken a pre-test and two post-tests. Data gathering tool was an assessment test evaluating their knowledge about breast cancer and self-examination and their attitude toward breast self-examination. Four or five students from each class were selected and trained as peer instructors. Students of the first group were trained by peers and the students in the second group were instructed by health care personnel separately using booklet. At the end of educational sessions, the first post-test, and after 6 weeks, the second post-test were taken. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test and independent t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and factor analysis test. There was a significant difference between knowledge and attitude scores of the two groups immediately after education, so that, the mean score of knowledge in the group trained by peers was higher than the one educated by health care personnel. But, no significant difference was observed between the attitude scores of the two groups, 6 weeks after education. Comparing the knowledge and attitude scores, before, immediately after and 6 weeks after education showed a significant difference in each group. The efficacy of training breast self-examination by peers is higher than by health care personnel. It is recommended to employ this educational method more, especially in training self-examination

identification of avian eimeria species in Iran based on biological characteristics

One hundred and fourteen litter samples from grand parent, and broiler breeder farms were taken ,according to five different climate areas, to isolate and determine biological characteristics of Eimeria species. 0.5 Kg of each litter samples was used for oocyte isolation. Then, oocytes sporulated at 28' C? for 24-48 hours by oxygenation. The single oocytes were produced and OPG, the time of oocyte excretion and sporulatoin were recorded. Oocytes replicated and isolated from dropping collected on th 4 day after oral inoculation of a single oocytes to 4-6 week chicks. Replicated oocytes of different Eimeria species were ingested by 3-6 week oocyte- free chicks [of necessary quantity] for lesion studies and biometric assay. 25 isolates of oocytes related to different Eimeria species. [E. maxima,E. tenella, E.necatrix, E.acervulina,E.brunette,E.mitis and E.praecox] were categorized based on the following factors: Location of lesions in intestine, Gross lesions condition, Oocyte size, shape and color, Schizont and merozoite size, Parasite locationin tissues, Minimum latent period in experimental infection., Minimum required time for sporulation. The resultes were finally confirmed by"Weibridge reference laboratory". The result were analysed by variance analysis was performed by SX statistical Software

Environmental surveillance of Polio and Non-Polio Enteroviruses in Sistan and Balouchestan Province

Enteroviruses can easily circulate in the population through sewage and they are suitable indicators for environmental surveillance. On the other hand, in some countries there are evidences of silent circulation of viruses in sewage specimens despite no virus isolation from clinical specimens. Therefore, WHO has suggested environmental surveillance using surface water and sewage specimens for final confirmation of Poliovirus eradication. In this research, according to wild Poliovirus circulation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and probability of virus entrance to Iran, and also to assure wild Poliovirus eradication, the environmental surveillance was performed in Sistan and Balouchestan Province of Iran. From March 2004 to February 2005, 86 specimens from 2 sewage disposal systems, 5 hospitals and surface water from several villages were collected by Grab Sample method and tested for Enteroviruses directly and using 2 concentration methods: Pellet and Two-phase. Then Poliovirus and Non-Polio Enteroviruses [NPEV] were serotyped by microneutralization method and Polioviruses were intratypically differentiated using ELISA and Probe Hybridization techniques. From a total of 86 specimens, Enteroviruses and Non-Polio Enteroviruses were isolated from 49[56.98%] and 46[53.49%] of specimens respectively. Polioviruses were isolated from 18[20.93%] specimens and none of them was wild Poliovirus fortunately. 13[17.81%], 39[53.42%] and 57[78.08%] of enteroviruses were isolated using Direct, Pellet and Two-phase methods, respectively. The results of this research confirm the validity of environmental surveillance and Polio eradication in Sistan and Balouchestan Province