An investigation on heavy metals bio-sorption by azolla filiculoides in the international anzali wetland

The ultrasound assisted emulsification microextraction [USAEME] method followed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry [ICP-AES] was used for preconcentration and determination of bismuth [Bi], indium [In] and lead [Pb] hi the plant Azolla filiculoides Lam. Calix [4] pyrrole was used as a chelating agent and tetrachloroethylene was selected as extraction solvent. The main parameters of the USAEME method were optimized by using response surface methodology [RSM]. The optimal conditions were as follows: 130 microL for volume of extraction solvent, 4 min for sonication time, 6.75 [w/v%] for salt concentration, 890 mg/L for concentration of chelating agent and 7.5 for pH. The calibtaUou gxa

[Evaluation of oral microflora status in hemodialysis and kidney transplant patients]

The number of patients with chronic renal failure is increasing every year. There are some controversies about the risk of cariogenic and periodontal diseases in these patients. This study was conducted to delineate the relationship between hemodialysis and transplant with oral microbial flora. Three groups included in our study: 1/Hemodialysis patients with being at least 6 months under dialysis procedure, 2/ Transplant patients, being transplanted for more than 2 years and 3/controls with normal BUN and Creatinine. Bacteriological study: staining and culture used for diagnosing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria SPSS 15, Chi-square, variance and t tests were used to compare the mean of microflora between groups. Candida was significantly higher in dialysis group [1.29] and transplant group [1.26] comparing controls [0.52] [P=0.05]. There was no significant difference in count of other micro organisms [streptococci, Lactobacilli, Porphyromunas] between groups. Candida was higher in hemodialysis and transplant groups comparing with control group

[Effect of local hypothermia in prevention or reduction of chemotherapy induced mucositis signs]

Oral mucositis frequently occurs in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. It is hypothesized that Oral Cooling with ice chips or cubes cause local vasoconstriction thus cause less exposure to agents and then mucositis development. In this study, this theory was examined on 14 patients in 3 consecutive cycles in which stomatitis developed in the 1 st cycle of treatment. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the Ice-Therapy [mouth-cooling] in prevention or decreasing symptoms of chemotherapeutic-related stomatitis. Date was obtained on a total of 100 out-patients initiating chemotherapy regimens. The patients reported different rates of stomatitis received ice cubes in their 2nd cycle of treatment during the drug infusion and a few minutes after it. In the next cycle, the same patients were evaluated without mouth cooling. The severity of mucositis were measured based on the patient's judgment and scaled on WHO grading system in the 7th and 10th days. Statistically, comparison of severity rates of mucositis between 3 consecutive cycles were performed by mean, p value, GAMMA coefficient and Friedman test. Statistical approach of data between 3 cycles determined that severity rates of mucositis have been decreased significantly between 1st and 2nd cycles[p<0.01, gamma coefficient: 65%] But this relationship has not been obtained in comparison between 2nd and 3rd cycles so it has been speculated that Oral Cooling has no useful effect on the prevention of chemotherapy-induced mucositis. Oral Cooling has no evidence of benefit in improvement or decreasing of the chemotherapy induced lesions

[Review of routine therapeutic management of common oral lesions]

Since there are not specific pathogens for most of the intraoral lesions and there is not unique protocol for their therapies and also some of these drugs are not accessible in Iran, we decided to introduce the drugs most available and appropriate in our country. This study has been done by review discussion procedures. The articles were extracted from native, foreign and international journals, medline, books and theses. Whole part of therapies were considered in these articles. The following lesions were discussed in this study: 1- Primary and secondary herpetic gingivostomatitis, 2- Recurrent Aphthus stomatitis, 3- Lichen planus, 4-Candidiasis, 5- Burning sensation in oral cavity, 6- Xerostomia and 7- taste disorder. As we know there are several kinds of medications for each lesion, although most of them have side effects, and some of them can not be found in our country, we have tried to do our best to suggest appropriate drugs for each intraoral disorders

[Knowledge and attitudes of Tehran high schools [district 1] about HIV, 2006]

HIV/AIDS has been known as the most dangerous disease of the century. Moreover, special attention has been paid to teenagers who are more likely to be engaged in the AIDS complications. The present study aimed to evaluate the awareness and attitude of the students of the high schools at the north [district 1] of Tehran. In this cross -sectional study, a double stage random sampling was used and 640 students [357 girls, 283 boys] were evaluated. They were asked to complete an NCHS questionnaire consisting of 22 questions on awareness, 6 questions on attitude and 2 extra questions for obtaining information on AIDS. SPSS software, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to analyze the data. The level of difficulty of more than half of the questions [13] was higher than 80%. A question from pathogenesis section of the questionnaire was found to be the most difficult one which had been answered correctly by only 24% of the subjects. The easiest question correctly answered by 96.6% belonged to etiology. Difficulty of coefficiency for all the questions of the means of transmission was higher than 80%. In the prevention section, half of the subjects were able to answer 5 questions out of 7, correctly. The least-aware fact was the availability of some drugs which enhance survival time of the patients. Asked to make a self-assessment in attitude section, 59% of the subjects placed themselves at the medium level. The most popular source of awareness was found to be TV and the least were hospitals and clinics. The results furnish an evidence of a satisfactory level of awareness of the subjects. The students had fear of infection, and most of them believed that the dentists are not able to diagnose the disease. With increasing the awareness, the fear and the anxiety of HIV could be reduced

Comparison of the effect of sugarfree orbit chewing gum and natural turpentine on salivary flow rate and pH

Medications, systemic diseases, head and neck radiotherapy and mental stress reduce the salivary flow rate and dispose one to dental caries and oral disease. There are different ways to compensate reduction of salivary flow rate such as sour c and ies, lemon, special stimulating sprays or lacques and chewing gums. Many factories such as Wrigly factory producing chewing gums claim to reduce caries rate by increasing salivary flow pH and after chewing their product. The purpose of this research was to compare the effect of sugarfree Orbit chewing gum and natural turpentine on the salivary flow rate and pH. This single blind r and omized clinical trial was accomplished on 16 dental students of Shaheed Beheshti University in 1383 using a cross - over method. The samples were selected by simple non - r and omized method divided into two groups, A and B each including eight persons. The saliva of all samples were collected 5 minutes after eating 2 sweet biscuits by active method during 10 minutes. Then the volume of collected saliva was measured and immediately the pH was determined by a calibrated pH meter. After 72h wash out period, on the 3rd day two biscuits were given to all of the samples and after 5 minutes 14 grams of sugarfree Orbit gum was given to samples of group B, the amount of saliva collected during 10 minutes measured, and the pH was resigtered. Again, after 72 h washed out period, on the 3rd day, two biscuits were given to all of the samples and after 5 minutes 14 grams of sugarfree Orbit was given to members of group B and equal amount of Turpentine to members of group A during 10 minutes of chewing. The amount of saliva and its pH was measured and registered again. The data were analyzed with sphericity and Friedman tests. The mean saliva flow rate after having the biscuits, chewing the gum and Turpentine was 5.0 +/- 0.8 ml, 15.8 +/- 1.0 ml, 13.7 +/- 1.3 ml, respectively. The difference among three groups was statistically significant [P<0.005]. The mean salivary pH at the beginning was 5.8 +/- 0.6 and after using gum and turpentine turned to 7.4 +/- 0.5 and 7.1 +/- 0.3. All of these amounts had a statistically significant difference [P<0.001]. Sugarfree Orbit chewing gum causes increase of saliva flow rate and its pH. Therefore, preventing the mouth diseases, caused by Xerostomia and teeth diseases

Prevalence of HCV infection and related risk factors among patients on hemodialysis in Qazvin

Background: Hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is common among patients undergoing hemodialysis, and chronic liver disease is an important cause of mortality in this population

Objective: This study was conducted in 2000 to investigate the prevalence of HCV infection and associated risk factors among patients on hemodialysis in Qazvin

Methods: In this case series study 68 patients on hemodialysis in Qazvin were selected randomly and all were checked for anti-HCV antibodies, using ELISA 2[nd] and confirmed using RIBA 2[nd]

Findings: 16 patients [23.9%] were infected. Patients' sex, educational level, history of upper GI endoscopy and previous renal transplantation had no impact on HCV infection rate, but blood transfusion was an important risk factor for HCV infection [P=0.02]. The more units transfused, the greater rate of HCV infection was reported [P=0.003]. Moreover,the mean time of hemodialysis was significantly longer in HCV Ab positive cases [P=0.007]

Conclusion: It seems that early transplantation and avoidance of blood transfusion as much as possible- forexample by using erithropoietin are the two most important practical interventions to reduce HCV exposure rate in patients on hemodialysis