[Comparison of OCT pachymetry pattern in keratoconus suspect and normal subjects]

Comparison of pachymetry pattern of OCT finding in Keratoconus [KCN] suspect and normal subjects. Thirty-two KCN suspect eyes and Thirty- eight normal eyes in young subjects [20-30 year- old] were evaluated. Pachymetry pattern of frequency domain OCT [Visante] in different parts of cornea [thinnest point, inferior - superior thickness difference, inferior temporal - superior nasal thickness difference and thinnest point in 0-2 millimeter decent ration] were measured. There was a significant [p<0.0001] difference in normal and KCN suspect patients in all measurements. KCN suspects showed thinner cornea and more differences in corneal thickness measurements. Anterior frequency domain OCT seems to be suitable for evaluation of KCN suspect patients. It may be critical for refractive surgery candidate and may be used as Pentacam or OrbScan corneal imaging systems

[Evaluation of analgesic effects of intrathecal eugenol in male rats]

Eugenol, the most important substance of clove plant [Eugenia caryophyllata] extract, has been widely used as a local relief for pain and inflammation in dentistry. To our knowledge, the beginning time and duration time of intrathecal injection of eugenol were not determined. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate the analyesic effects of intrathecal injection of eugenol regarding the beginning and duration time, using thermal pain method [water: 52°C] in male rats. In this experimental study, 51 male Wistar rats, were divided into three groups of eugenol [5, 10 and 15 microl] and three groups of normal saline [5, 10 and 15 microl]. Lumbar intrathecal catheters were implanted under anesthesia. Five days later, different volumes of eugenol and normal saline [5, 10 and 15 microl /rat] were administrated intrathecally and the withdrawal tail responses to high temperature [51°C] water [tail immersion] at different times intervals [pre-catheterization, pre-administration, 10, 30, 180, 360, 720, 1440 minutes after eugenol administrations] were evaluated. Data were analyzed using one and two way ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests. Eugenol induced analgesia dose-dependently. Furthermore, eugenol at higher doses induced longer analgesic effect [P<0.05]. Higher doses of eugenol caused long term paralysis and immobility. The beginning time of analgesia was 10 minutes after injection of eugenol and maximum analgesia was seen after 30 minutes [P<0.05]. The observed analgesic effect of intrathecal eugenol can be helpful in the clinical use at the future

[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

Optimization of reactive blue 19 decolorization by ganoderma SP. using response surface methodology

Synthetic dyes are extensively used in different industries. Dyes have adverse impacts such as visual effects, chemical oxygen demand, toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity characteristics. White rot fungi, due to extracellular enzyme system, are capable to degrade dyes and various xenobiotics. The aim of this study was to optimize decolorization of reactive blue 19 [RB19] dye using Ganoderma sp. fungus. Response Surface Methodology [RSM] was used to study the effect of independent variables, namely glycerol concentration [15, 20 and 25 g/L], temperature [27, 30 and 33 °C] and pH [5.5, 6.0 and 6.5] on color removal efficiency in aqueous solution. From RSM-generated model, the optimum conditions for RB19 decolorization were identified to be at temperature of 27°C, glycerol concentration of 19.14 mg/L and pH=6.3. At the optimum conditions, predicted decolorization was 95.3 percent. The confirmatory experiments were conducted and confirmed the results by 94.89% color removal. Thus, this statistical approach enabled to improve reactive blue 19 decolorization process by Ganoderma sp. up to 1.27 times higher than non-optimized conditions

[Investigation of heavy metals concentration in the water wells close to Zanjan zinc and lead smelting plant]

Heavy metals processing industry has always been a major cause of concern which affects soils, surface waters, ground waters and river sediments contaminations. Thus, the Zanjan Zinc and Lead Smelting Plant has been considered as a potential source of contamination. This cross-sectional study has been conducted in February 2008 in the site region .The concentrations of Lead, Zinc and Cadmium have been assessed. The samples have been taken from 17 wells and atomic absorption spectrophotometeric method has been used to assess the samples. In order to find out and locate the exact situation of the wells under study, Global Positioning System instrument has been used. The correlation between the concentration of each metal and the distance of studied well from the plant has been assessed too. The findings of this study showed that lead and cadmium concentrations were 53% and 59% respectively out of the guideline values of World Health Organization. The concentration of Zinc was lower than both national and international values in all samples. As the heavy metal concentration is very important for human health status, the other fields of study like heavy metal air pollution effects and related diseases and conditions should be studied and assessed

[Assessment of exposure to respirable particles [PM2.5] concentrations in public transportation]

High concentrations of respirable particles may cause high incidence of respiratory diseases and mortality. Epidemiological exposure assessment is based on fixed site measurements in ambient air. However, major studies reported good relationship between indoor fine particulate air concentrations and personal exposure. This study is focussed on personal exposure to PM[2.5] in different transportation modes and factors that cause high indoor PM[2.5] levels. In this study, a calibrated real time monitor [MicroDust Pro] was used to measure PM[2.5] levels in 3 mode of transportation [bus, car and train] on the same route. Results were also compared with PM[10] concentrations measured by fixed site monitors. A small Poly Urethane Foam [PFU] filter was designed for PM[2.5] size fraction monitoring and a small personal sampling pump was used to provide a continuous airflow through the gravimetric adaptor and photo detector. The mean PM[2.5] concentration measured in the train was lower than the mean fixed site PM[10] concentration. However, the mean PM[2.5] levels in car and bus were much higher than those mean PM[10] concentrations measured by fixed site monitors. Boarding, picking up, dropping off, and movement of passengers inside the bus and train were significantly related to short-term increases in PM[2.5] concentrations. However, stopping at the traffic light was the most important factor associated with peak PM[2.5] concentrations inside the car. Penetration of particles that were created by road traffic and resuspension of fine particles in the vehicles were the most important factors that may increase respirable particles in transportation modes

Identity status of adolescents in Tehran

The aim of this study was to explore the ideological and interpersonal identity statuses among adolescents in Tehran and to compare their identity styles and statuses. The study was a post-hoc descriptive cross-sectional. Four hundred sixty-seven adolescents [235 girls and 232 boys] were selected from four schooling regions in Tehran by cluster sampling. The subjects were doing third grade high school or pre-university courses. They were assessed using the questionnaires 'Ego Identity Process' and 'Identity Style'. Data were processed by the chi-square test and ANOVA. The findings of this study revealed that, regarding ideological and interpersonal identity status, Tehrani adolescents were mainly in the moratorium phase with smaller part of them being in the identity achievement phase. There was a significant difference in the identity statuses of boys and girls. There was also a significant relationship between the identity styles and identity statuses. The diffuse-avoidant style was highly associated to the undifferentiated status; the normative style was related to foreclosure; and the informational style was closely related to the identity achievement status. Tehrani adolescents were less at the identity achievement status or informational style

[Myocardial 99m Tc-MDP uptake on the bone scintigraphy in the hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis:a case report]

Amyloidosis is characterized by an abnormal extracellular deposition of amyloid in different organs, where it usually causes some type of dysfunction. Its cause is unknown. Five different types of amyloidosis have been described according to the underlying disease; immunoglobulin amyloidosis, familial amyloidosis, senile systemic amyloidosis, secondary amyloidosis and hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis. We report a case of hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis in a 56-year-old man that radionuclide imaging demonstrated intense uptake of Tc-99m MDP within the myocardium. The diagnosis of amyloidosis was established by analysis of aspirated abdominal fat, although other non- invasive modalities didn't reveal any positive findings. The first clue to the possible presence of amyloidosis in this case was provided by the radionuclide bone scan performed, which revealed intense tracer uptake in the heart suggesting amyloid deposit. We conclude that in cases of extraosseous accumulation of Tc-99 MDP especially as a diffuse pattern of myocardial uptake, a diagnosis of amyloidosis should be considered, in an appropriate clinical setting