[Evaluation of the rate of occupational exposure to wheat flour dust in wheat flour mill factories in Hamedan]

Wheat flour is a complex organic particle containing an array of different allergic and antigenic components. Exposure to flour dust may result in a variety of respiratory problems such as allergic responses, occupational asthma and allergic rhinitis. The aim of the present study was to assess the concentration of inhalable dust and gliadin of flour dust as an important wheat flour allergen and to determine the relationship between concentrations of flour dust and that of gliadin in the air breathed by the workers in different workstations of wheat flour mill factories. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. 64 air samples were collected by means of universal air sampling pumps. Inhalable flour dust density was measured by gravimetric method and flour dust gliadin concentration was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. The mean flour dust density was higher than that of permissible limit in all wheat flour mill factories [1.64-4.68 mg/m3] and showed a significant positive relation with gliadin concentration [R2 = 0.708, p<0.05] in all factories. In addition, Inhalable dust density and gliadin concentration have been different in different stations of the factories and were highest in flour packing workstation. This study revealed the density of Inhalable flour dust had been higher than the level of permissible limit [0.5 gr/m3] and the workers in Hamadan flour mills are exposed to a dangerous level of flour dust, and inhale a high level of gliadin in all flour packing unites of the factories in Hamedan

[Prevalence of malnutrition and factors related to it in the elderly subjects in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran, 2006]

Malnutrition is a very common clinical disorder risk factor in elderly people, which is not diagnosed in most cases and, therefore, remains untreated. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in free-living elderly people and its relationship with socioeconomic factors [SEF] in the elderly subjects in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. To assess the nutritional status of the free-living elderly people [n=2000 using cluster sampling, 917 male/1045 female, aged >/= 60], the standard Mini Nutritional Assessment [MNA] was used. Socio-economic information was obtained through interviews. In 42.7% of the subjects the nutritional status was satisfactory, 12.0% were malnourished, and the remaining 45.3% were at risk of malnutrition. The MNA score was associated with some of the SEF, and the proportions of malnourished subjects were higher in females, rural subjects, the illiterate, subjects living alone, and the unemployed. Prevalence of central obesity in females and males was 63.1% and 18.6%, respectively. The findings of this study are alarming. The government, physicians, and nutrition experts need to be aware of the problem and its dimenensions. Nutritional status was associated with some socio-economic factors. In particular, problems such as loneliness and poverty have to be addressed

Removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by lignocellulosic solid wastes

The batch removal of Cr[VI] from aqueous solution using lignocellulosic solid wastes such as sawdust and pine leaves under different experimental conditions was investigated in this study. The influence of pH, temperature, contact time, initial concentration of Cr[VI] and particle size on the chromium removal was investigated. Adsorption of Cr[VI] is highly pH-dependent and the results indicate that the optimum pH for the removal is 2. The capacity of chromium adsorption at equilibrium by these natural wastes increased with absorbent concentration. Temperature in the range of 20-60 °C showed a restricted effect on the adsorption capacity of pine leaves, but had a considerable effect on the adsorption capacity of sawdust. The capacity of chromium adsorption at the equilibrium increased with the decrease in particle sizes. The suitability of adsorbents was tested with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and their constants were evaluated. Results indicated that the Freundlich model gave a better fit to the experimental data in comparison with the Langmuir equation. The study showed that lignocellulosic solid wastes such as sawdust and pine leaves can be used as effective adsorbents for removal of Cr[VI] from wastewater