ABSTRACT
Background: Slaughterhouse wastewater [SWW] is hardly treated due to the large amount of organic matter, nutrients and suspended solids. These materials are naturally decomposed through biological processes, and then environmental pollution, transmission of pathogens and problems become smelled. Conventional purification methods require high investment costs, high energy consumption and expert workforce. Therefore, the efficient and sufficient treatment of SWW with low cost, efficient construction and operation is important
Methods: A combined anaerobic system consisting of three pilot-scale anaerobic baffled reactors [ABRs] in the first stage and three anaerobic filters [AFs] were used to treat SWW. The ABR reactors arranged at three hydraulic retention times [HRTs] of 12, 18 and 24 hours and organic loading rates [OLRs] of 4, 7 and 10 kg/m3/d. The OLR applied for ABR reactors, was 0.5 to 1.55 kg COD/m3/d
Results: Evaluation of the ABR reactor indicated that this reactor at OLR of 7 and 10 kg COD/m3/d and HRT of 18 hours, had removal efficiency of 83.29% and 85.79%, respectively. AF reactor, at OLR of 0.981, 0.576 and 0.561 kg COD/m3/d and HRT of 36 hours, had removal efficiency of 79.39%, 74.09% and 63.14%, respectively
Conclusion: The optimum HRT and OLR were 24 hours and 7 kg COD/m3/d and 36 hours and 1 kg COD/m3/d in ABR and AF reactor, respectively
ABSTRACT
Background: iron deficiency anemia has been considered as an alarming sign of the possible presence of malignancy in the digestive tract. Inadequate assessment of such affected patients can lead to delay in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal [GI] tumors especially colorectal cancers. Therefore the present study examined the upper and lower GI tract of postmenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia by GI endoscopy
Materials and Methods: women aged over 45 years referred to Gastroenterology Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital were asked about their menstruation. Postmenopausal women with the anemia were enrolled. A list of laboratory studies was performed for all included patients. These laboratory studies included complete blood count [CBC], iron profile and stool examination for occult blood. 103 postmenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia according to laboratory tests were interviewed and their clinical and biochemical variables were recorded. All of the study patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. The endoscopic findings were recorded regarding the presence of GI lesions causing iron deficiency anemia or the lack of them
Results: a total of 103 patients participated in this study. Endoscopy revealed a source of iron deficiency anemia in 90.3% of the study population. Upper and lower GI tract lesions were found in 73.8% and 51.5% of the patients, respectively. The most frequent lesions in the upper GI endoscopy were severe gastroesophageal reflux disease involving 34 patients [33%] followed by gastric erosions in 31 cases [30.1%] and duodenal ulcer in 15 cases [14.6%]
Conclusion: in postmenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia as in men, it is necessary to examine the GI tract
ABSTRACT
The relation between defense mechanisms and anxiety has been shown in scientific texts. Considering epidemiology of generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], this study investigated the correlation between defense styles and trait-state anxiety among university students afflicted with GAD. The participants included 30 university students afflicted with GAD and 30 normal ones with the age range of 19 to 27 years old [15 male and 15 female in each group]. The subjects, selected via convenient sampling method, were matched with each other in terms of demographical variables. All subjects met the inclusion criteria by answering to structured clinical interview [SCID-CV] and general health questionnaire [GHQ-28]. Information questionnaire groups completed defense style questionnaire [DSQ-40] and Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory [STAI]. To analyze data, descriptive statistics, independent t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and analysis of variance were employed. An indication of a significant difference in utilization of mature defense mechanism was observed by normal versus GAD students [P<0.032]. The normal students used the defense mechanisms of humor [P<0.048], denial [P<0.034], suppression [P<0.035], dissociation [P<0.040], and rationalization [P<0.0005] more significantly; the GAD students used projection [P<0.002] and somatization [P<0.001] more significantly. There were significant negative correlations between the scores of general health level as well as state-trait anxiety with mature defense mechanisms. The results showed a poor support for the correlation between immature defense mechanisms and state-trait anxiety; no correlation was observed between neurotic defense style and state-trait anxiety. People with a good level of general health and a low score on state-trait anxiety tend to use mature defense mechanisms more significantly. Furthermore, using humor and projection defense mechanisms by normal students support the findings of this study