Prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in Tehran City, Iran

The objective of the present research was to determine the frequency of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil samples of public parks, in the city of Tehran, Iran. A total of 600 soil samples were taken from 120 parks between Aprils to November, 2008. Soil samples were collected from 5 distinct sites in the parks. The samples were washed with saline solution and the collected sediment from each park were equally divided and examined by floatation and Petri dish methods for Toxocara eggs. Ten percent were contaminated with Toxocara spp. eggs. The number of observed Toxocara eggs in each microscopic field was varied from 1-3. No significant differences were observed between floatation and Petri dish methods. Our public parks showed a high risk of toxocariasis and the need for preventive studies

[Air pollution quality index [AQI] and density of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 in the air of Qom]

Air pollution has broad social, economical, political and technical aspects. one of the major issues in this regard is taking measures to prevent its increase. Since suspended particles are among the standard pollutants, the present study was carried out with the aim of measuring the amounts of these particles. In the present study, the suspended particles [PM1, PM2.5 and PM10] were measured at two sites in Qom city. For each of them, 60 samples were selected with the Enviro Check during five consecutive months during summer [2 months] and fall. During sampling, PM10 in the period between October 22'th to November 22[nd] 2007 had the maximum amount with the mean of 117microg/m[3] and in the period between September 22'th to October 22[nd] 2007 it had the minimum amount with the mean of 83microg/m[3]. PM2.5 in the period between November 22[nd] to December 22[nd] 2007 with the mean of 33microg/m[3] had the maximum amount and in the period between July 22[nd] to October 22[nd] 2007 it had the minimum amount with the mean of 8microg/m[3]. Based on the findings of this study, the densities of suspended particles PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 were below the standard levels on most occasions. The amounts of AQI for them were normal and acceptable

[Survey of personal and educational characters in unsuccess medical students in compare with success students]

Educational failure and dropping out are among the major problems of higher education centers in the country. The present study was performed to compare personal and educational characters of success and unsuccessful medical students in the medical school of Kermanshah. Information about personal and educational characters were collected from all dropped out students, as unsuccessful group, and the students without dropping out and with a educational score more than 15, as control [success] group, during 2001 and 2005. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS software. To compare mean quantitative factors in two groups, in-depended T test and F test were used, chi-square and fisher test used for qualitative factors, and Pierson correlation coefficient calculated. There was a significant difference between two successful and unsuccessful students groups with regard to age, sex, diploma score, time gap between graduation from high school and studying in university, parents education, marital status, students job, quota system and mean of all specialized lesson in Konkor examination [p<0.05]. No significant difference was observed in the type of diploma and living in university accommodation between two groups. According to significant differences in many personal and educational characters between two successful and unsuccessful student groups, it seems more attention and special programming is necessary in this field

[Qom wastewater disinfection with hydrogen peroxide-silver ion complex]

Hydrogen peroxide solution with stabilized formulation with oligodynamic amounts of silver ion [trade mark: Nanosil] recently became a popular disinfectant for fruits, vegetables, surfaces, medical instruments and so on. This study was based on determining efficiency of hydrogen peroxide-silver ion complex in six different concentrations measured through removal of total coli forms from samples taken from Qom wastewater. All six different concentrations of disinfectant were incubated separately with wastewater for one hour. Sample size was 12 and sampling was done weekly. In the concentration of 80 and 480 mg/1, logarithmic removal value of total coli forms was 1.9 and 4.5 respectively. In CT value 8600 [mg/l].min and more, the total coli forms effluent standard for surface water discharge and agriculture irrigation was achieved [Iranian environmental protection agency act]. Use of hydrogen peroxide-silver ion complex as a water and wastewater disinfectant, has some benefits such as elimination of hazardous by products, measurable residual amount and so on. However its application in wastewater effluent is more costly than other usual disinfectants so it is not economically advisable

Estrogen attenuates fatty streak formation in coronary arteries of cholesterol-fed diabetic male rabbits

In this study we investigated the histological role of estrogen on Fatty Streak [FS]formation in some branches of coronary arteries [CA] in cholesterol-fed diabetic male rabbits. Seventeen rabbits were obtained from Pasteur Institute of Iran and diabetes was induced by intravenous injection of Alloxan [200 mg/kg]. After induction of diabetes, they were randomly divided into three groups: [i] control, [ii] low-dose estrogen treatment [1mg/animal] and [iii] high-dose estrogen treatment [5mg/animal]. Estrogen was injected i.m, weekly. Control group received normal saline injection. All groups were fed with cholesterol rich diet [1%] during the experiment. After six weeks, the animals were sacrificed. Hearts were isolated and four branches of CA [Right and Left CA; RCA and LCA, Anterior and Posterior interventricular arteries; AIVA and PIVA] were dissected and evaluated for the relative size of FS and the percentage of arterial lumen narrowing by FS using scale micrometer. The average grades of pathological evaluation for branches of coronary crteries showed that in animals receiving high dose estrogen, the FS formations in RCA, LCA, AIVA and P1 VA [0.33 +/- 0.21, 0.17 +/- 0.17, 0.0 +/- 0.0, 0.0 +/- 0.0, respectively] were significantly lesser than control group [1.40 +/- 0.24, 2.2 +/- 0.37, 0.80 +/- 0.2, 1.20 +/- 0.37, respectively]. We conclude that estrogen has a beneficial role in histological changes of coronary arteries, it can attenuate progression of FS formation administration diabetic rabbits

Survey of protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Falcaria vulgaris on aspirin -induced gastric ulcer in rat

In traditional medicine of west of Iran, Falcaria vulgaris [Ghazzayaghi] were used for many purposes such as treatment of skin ulcer and gastric disorders. The extract of falcaria vulgaris showed prominent protective effect on gastric mucosa against ethanol adverse effects in our pervious study. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of F. vulgaris on aspirin-induced gastric ulcer in rat. 24 young male rats [NMRI strain], with the weights of 180-230 gr divided into four groups [6 Rats/group]: Case group, received 150 mg Falcaria vulgaris extract /kg/day, Control negative group, received 1ce DW /kg/day, Control positive groups received 5 mg omeprazole /kg/day, ASA solvent groups received 150 mg falcaria vulgaris extract /kg/day, Gavage of the above mentioned doses continued for 14 days. Animals were deprived of food from day ten for 48 hour and the three first groups received ASA [200 mg/kg/day] in 1cc solvent [carboxymethyl cellulose] orally for 3 days [12-14] and the last group received only ASA. Solvent 3 hours after the last dose, Animals were killed and their stomachs were dissected. Based on the size of ulcers and their mean number, the microscopic ulcer-index and cure rate were assessed for every stomach by use of stereomicroscope and graticule. In order to study ulcer formation and its healing, microscopic slides from the lesions were prepared. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey test. F. vulgaris extract [150 mg/kg/day] significantly [p<0.01] decreased stomach ulcer index and also increased cure rate to 91.73%, and 90.25% in comparison to negative control and positive control groups respectively. Histologic survey confirms macroscopic findings. F. vulgaris extract has significant beneficial effects on the healing of aspirin induced gastric ulcer

[Effect of bisphenol A on histological structure of testis and prostate in rat]

Bisphenol A [BPA] is a xenobiotic estrogenic compound that are a monomer of some plastics [poly carbonate and epoxy resin] that are widely used in dental sealant, dishes and tableware. This compound has suspected to have estrogenic effects on reproductive system and related to endocrine disrupting chemicals. In this present study we investigated possible low dose effects of BPA on testis weight and structure and prostate weight. Male wistar rats [12-13 week old] were administrated a daily intra peritoneal 10 micro g/kgbw/day, 50 micro g/kgbw/day, 100 micro g/kgbw/day dose of BPA for 6 and 12 days and one day after last injection testis and prostate weighted and histological section of testes prepared [5 micrometer] and stained by H and E and weigert hematoxilin. All data were expressed as means +/- SE. two-way ANOVA and chiquire was performed. in compare with control group, testis and prostate weight of dose groups were decreased. Disruptions of epithelial layer cells of somniferous tubules were detected. The present study showed that BPA at low doses affects histological structure and weight of testis and prostate, in the adult wistar rat