2023 Impact Factor: 1.3
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pISSN: 2251-6085
eISSN: 2251-6093
Chairman & Editor-in-Chief:
Dariush D. Farhud, MD, Ph.D., MG.
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 
Vol 28 No 1-4 (1999)
Articles
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This study was to determine the health knowledge, attitude, and practice of adolescence girls during puberty among 8th grade students in southern part of Tehran in 1996-1997. It also addressed the health needs and therefore the necessary steps to be taken to promote adolescent's health.Sample study consisted of 225 students, their mothers, and their teachers. Each person was interviewed by a trained personnel and special questionnaire. Analysis of the questionnaires showed that the girls' knowledge about physiological, psychological, and social aspects of puberty was low. Most of them (%75) reported that their first menstruation made them scared because they thought had a disease. The most reported source of information about puberty and menstruation was the mother, %36 reported their knowledge about adolescent's health is not enough and %33 reported having difficulties talking to their daughters about puberty and menstruation %19 of them were illiterate, %39 had primary school, %30 had secondary school, and %12 had higher education. The higher the mother's education level, the higher the age that they considered their daughters to be psychosocially matures. Most of the girls (%76) expected psychologically negative changes during puberty and (%72) experienced them based on this study, it can be suggested that health education programs for adolescent girls should focus their efforts on the mothers knowledge as their main practical method of meeting the girls need for information. Mothers were sensitive to moral and behavioural aspects of adolescent's health. The results show the importance of psychological aspects of adolescent's health Educating mothers will promote their knowledge, attitude, and practice about adolescent's health and therefore decrease their daughter’s mental and emotional problems during this period of time.
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Potassium ferrate has been used as a multi-purpose chemical in treatment of wastewaters. With the formula of K2Fe04 it has 3 excellent characters for water treatment, so by using it alone, it would be possible to confine all reactivity, it is essential to prepare ferrate at the point of use. In this study, K2Fe04 was synthesized, then it has been employed for chlorine gas with an alkaline solution of ferric chloride, then it has been employed for textile wastewater treatment. Textile is one of the industries with high significance for water pollution. Comparison of results with a conventional coagulant (FeC13) has shown that total COD and SS removal were about 27 to 29 and 0.7 to 2 percent more and the sludge volume was 2.5 times less, also, the required dose of K2Fe04 for this treatment. Another advantage of using ferrate is its ability in reducing bacterial content of wastewater. All the simplex treated by synthesized chemical was well disinfected.
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One of the most important parameters essential in different water supplies, treatment, transfer and distribution projects, is water consumption per capita. But unfortunately in many cases, statistics and date available in texts or irrelevant samplings are used. Varamin is a region located in South east of Tehran. Among the most important problems in this region, insufficiency of personnel prolonged reading and registration of counter readings, illegal use of water may be mentioned. In order to determine accurately the panel of water consumption per capita per day, this research was done in all four seasons in 1995 (especially in hot days). After gathering basic data, they were analyzed by SPSS software reaching a value of 240.76 4.968LPCD with %95 accuracy for total water consumption, with maximum daily and hourly factors of 1.47 0.047 and 1.578, respectively. Average domestically consumption per capita (LPSD) 208.37 2.037; Average industrial and commercial per capita (LPSD) 2.5 0.86; Average general uses per capita (LPSD) 1.39 0.57; General Parks per capita (LPCD) 4.99; and Water loss per capita (LPSD) 22.61 1.501. It should be mentioned that the standards for domestic water was 75-150 LPCD, 10-45 LPCD for industrial uses and 10-20 LPCD for general uses. Simultaneously, designing a computerized system management which, using FoxPro software, a file was designed which was well coordinated with water price system in water and W.W company which using its data, the mean daily water consumption based on different types of connections and pipe diameter, this program, may be regarded as one of the most accurate recommended systems in determining LCPD in other regions of the country.
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This study was to determine the health knowledge, attitude, and practice of adolescence girls during puberty among 8th grade students in southern part of Tehran in 1996-1997. It also addressed the health needs and therefore the necessary steps to be taken to promote adolescent's health. Sample study consisted of 225 students, their mothers, and their teachers. Each person was interviewed by a trained personnel and special questionnaire. Analysis of the questionnaires showed that the girls' knowledge about physiological, psychological, and social aspects of puberty was low. Most of them (%75) reported that their first menstruation made them scared because they thought had a disease. The most reported source of information about puberty and menstruation was the mother, %36 reported their knowledge about adolescent's health is not enough and %33 reported having difficulties talking to their daughters about puberty and menstruation %19 of them were illiterate, %39 had primary school, %30 had secondary school, and %12 had higher education. The higher the mother's education level, the higher the age that they considered their daughters to be psychosocially matures. Most of the girls (%76) expected psychologically negative changes during puberty and (%72) experienced them based on this study, it can be suggested that health education programs for adolescent girls should focus their efforts on the mothers knowledge as their main practical method of meeting the girls need for information. Mothers were sensitive to moral and behavioural aspects of adolescent's health. The results show the importance of psychological aspects of adolescent's health Educating mothers will promote their knowledge, attitude, and practice about adolescent's health and therefore decrease their daughter’s mental and emotional problems during this period of time.
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A total of 2519 blood samples were collected from five distinct populations of Larestan, in Fars province, in Iran (Lar, Gerash, Khour, Latifi and Berake) were examined for ABO and Rh blood groups. The gene frequencies obtained from these samples were compared with the hitherto reported corresponding data from other populations of Fars province to determine the genetic structure of the Larestan populations as a whole. The effects of natural selection, migration and size of populations on the frequencies of ABO alleles in the studied populations are discussed. It appeared that, at least in part, the genetic drift counts for the fluctuations of the A and B gene frequencies in the Gerash, Klour, and Latifi.
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Based on the date obtained through food consumption surveys conducted by the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Research (during 1991-95), the dietary quality of seven provinces (Eastern Azerbaijan, Isfahan, Tehran, Khorasan, Khouzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan and Fars) was assessed. Using allowances figures for developing countries, single value nutrient density (S.V.N.A.) was designed for two nutrients including calcium and Iron. Index of nutrient density of each nutrient was calculated separately for each household, included in the study. The mean and the standard deviation were obtained in each province, disaggregated into urban and rural areas and the index of nutrition quality (INQ) was determined. The finding showed that the mean nutrient density and the index of nutrition quality for calcium were below and for Iron were above their respective standards in all provinces. The finding suggested that there was unbalanced energy and nutrient intakes in the form of excess intake (especially in urban households) and low intake (especially in urban households). According to the results only a small proportion of the households had both energy and nutrient intake at an acceptable level.
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In this paper, by using the Survival models, survival functions for the time from birth to the event of using formula (i.e. the time that baby in fed by breast milk) in urban and rural areas of Takestan (Iran, Winter 1998) are reported. Later the relation between the mentioned time and some factors are also discussed. The Kaplan-Meire Method and Cox Regression are used in this paper as well. 480 babies from urban areas and 720 from rural areas were chosen to be included in this research. It was shown that 7.7% of babies in urban and 6.5% in rural areas were fed by formula. The mean time of feeding by breast milk, before using formula, in urban and rural areas was 2.5 and 2 months, respectively. It was also shown that the survival functions of time that a baby fed by breast milk was not significantly different in urban and rural areas (P=0.50). The survival functions of the mentioned time in different sexes for both urban (P = 0.62) and rural (P = 0.62) areas were not significantly different. It was also shown that in urban areas the discussed survival functions were significantly different. In different mother's age groups (P = 0.03) and in groups of mothers with and without a job (P = 0.0001). Cox Regression showed that the hazard of a baby, belonged to a mother whit a job, being fed by formula was 6.31 times of a baby, belonged to a mother without a job. It also showed that the babies of older mothers were more at risk of being fed by formula. The mean time of using breast milk for mothers with and without a job was 17 and 23 months, respectively.
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Air pollution in large cities is very important from health and economic points of views. In a city, air pollution has direct relationship with the topography, climate, population, economic situation and the degree of industrialization. Therefore, for a survey about Kerman's air pollution, 13 stations were chosen for determination of SO2, NO2 and CO, and 14 stations to assess concentration of suspended particles. Specific autoanalyser electrodes were used for determination of gas materials and Hi-Vol Sampler for Suspended particles. Sampling and tests were run everyday of weeks, holiday and nonholidays, four seasons of a year, 1977 Iranian calendar (March 1998-1999). The mean yearly concentrations of SO2, NO2 and CO in Kerman metropolitan area were 0.055, 0.5 and 5.19 ppm, respectively, higher than standards in most of the stations. Industries are biggest suspects. Daily (24 h) concentration of suspended particles in Kerman varied between 100 to 756 micrograms per cubic meter. The yearly mean of SP was 348 in Kerman metropolitan area, much higher than WHO standard, but most of it was dust. As the final conclusion, authorities should pay necessary attention to the Kerman ambient air quality. The standard for suspended particles in cities such as Kerman, with dry, Semi-desert climate, having desert winds with running sand, should be revised.
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The present study was performed during spring, summer and fall of 1997 in the central and western parts of Fars province, Iran, led to identification of Paederus ilsae bernhauer and Paederus iliensis coiffait (Col: staphylinidae). This is the first original report of the latter species from Iran. The adults have 5 months activity in average, begin lately in April and then continue until early September; soon afterwards they endure the inclement climate. This over wintering period takes 6-8 month long according to the region. P.ilsae has two annual generations in most regions; the population arising from the first one is more significant. According to clinical records and reports, it has been noticed that the yearly epidemics of linear dermatitis coincide when Paederus population reach its peaks. Paederus ilsae is dominant species and also principal agent of linear dermatitis.
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Yersiniosis is a common infection in human and animals. Yersinia enterocolitica infection has been associated with a variety of clinical manifestations. This bacterium has been isolated from water, meat, milk environment, animals and so on. Our studies have been accomplished about isolation of Y. enterocolitica from vegetables such as lettuce, carrot, celery, parsley, tomato, cabbage, radish, mushroom and leek. Four methods for isolating were: enrichment with ITC broth, enrichment with PSB broth, enrichment with PSB medium with KOH 0.25% and cold enrichment for 14 d at 4 C and used from PSB medium with KOH0.25%. Two cases of Yersinia were isolated from 110 samples of raw vegetables. One case of Y. enterocolotica enterocolitica was isolated from lettuce and the other case was Y.fredriksenli from parsley. Biochemical and virulent tests demonstrated environmental strains but not pathogenic.
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Blood sulfhemoglobin (S-Hb), total haemoglobin and phosphorous (P) level and blood cell count in 33 matches industry workers of Azar Abhar, who were exposed directly or indirectly to chemical agents used in the factory (subjects), were measured. The results were compared with the result of the same measurement on 14 farm workers of the region (control) and were analysed. In this study the effect of the work situation and duration of their occupation on the above-mentioned parameters were studied. The following results were obtained: S-Hb blood level between the subjects had a significant increase in respect to the control. This level in subjects of the regions with a high phosphorous pollution was higher than the other parts. Total haemoglobin concentration in the subjects yielded a significant decrease in respect to the control.
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A faunistic study was carried out to estimate the frequency and distribution of different species of ticks and their association with intermittent relapsing fever, in 1995. In this study, during a course of 18 months, 78 villages were examined in 4 towns and 11 cities. Totally 5938 soft and hard ticks were collected from different habitats, mostly human dwellings and stables. After microscopic examination using a morphological discriminative key, four and three species of soft and hard ticks harbouring Borrelia spp. were identified as well. The distribution of ticks in proportion to whole area was 6.5% per Km for all species which was divided to 3.6% and 2.9% ticks per km for soft and hard ticks, respectively. The rate of infection among Tholozani ticks by Borrelia persica was 36.6%.
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Thirty eight patients with visceral Leishmaniasis were reviewed, age ranged from 2 months to 10 years, 74% above 3.5 y, with 24% affection in infants (7 to 12 m), with slight male predilection. All the patients had weight loss, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly, 97% with fever, 92% had positive serology and 63% had positive bone marrow findings. A few patients presented with atypical clinical findings and one patient even had no history for fever. In 2 patients both serology and bone marrow were negative, but due to their critical conditions and high indexes of clinical suspicion for this disease, treatment with antimonate (glucantime) was started which was dramatically successful. It was interesting that later in both patients the serology became highly positive. In conclusion this is a disease that firstly could be prevented by strengthening of struggle against phelebotomus and animal reservoirs in affected areas and secondly for early diagnosis and initiation of therapy it is suggested to establish a community setup for medical and laboratory facilities in involved areas.
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This research was conducted from July 1993 to June 1994 on the total population (711 workers) of a glass factory. The purpose of this study was to determine the quantitative free silica (quartz) in respiratory zone of workers in glass industry. Field samples including 50 samples total dust and 37 samples respirable dust and standard simplex were collected on membrane filters using SKC dust sampler (NIOSH method). To include effects of uneven dust thickness on the filters, standard filters were prepared exactly in the same manner as the field sample have been collected, this was accomplished through the design and construction of a dust generating chamber. The analytical instrument used for quantitative and qualitative determination of free silica was an X-ray diffraction apparatus. The maximum and minimum concentration of free silica in total dust and respirable dust in the respiratory zone workers were 16:98-0.25 mg/m3, 2.55-0.1 mg/m3, respectively. The average free silica in total dust and respirable dust in the respiratory zone workers were 6.47 mg/m3 (exceeding the PEL-OSHA by 22 times) and 0.95 mg/m3 (exceeding the TLV-TWA-ACGIH by 9.5 times).
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Fossil fuel power plant is one of the most important sources of environmental pollution of the vanadium toxic metal. This survey showed that the Penicilium austuranium is the best microorganism for biosorption of vanadium isolated from environment of fossil fuel power plant. To determine the optimum pH and most biosorption and accumulation of vanadium by these fungi, power plants wastewater, passed through a cylindrical laboratory vessel, containing a great mass of this microorganism. When the concentration of 1000 ppm vanadium solution with 120 m1/h speeds, was passed through the above mentioned container, after 10 min, the laboratory experiment showed that the absorption was 100% and by the concentration, the time, was reduced. The best biosorption occurred with pH lower than 2, because vanadium acted as a cationic element, but in pH more than 2, vanadium was adsorbed to the cell fungi as anionic element and the sorption reduced. The alkaline condition stopped the vanadium sorption on the outer surface of the fungi. For isolation and recovery of vanadium, one can use water from distributed water supply networks.
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To determine the degree of susceptibility of An. Sacharovi to malathion 5%, fenitrothion 1% and DDT 4% extended studies were carried out on sucked blood engorged mosquitoes collected from Dasht Argen (Fars province) in 1997. Testing method was according to standard WHO method in lots of 25 adults' mosquitoes in 4 replicates. An. Sacharovi were touched by malathion 5% and DDT 4% insecticides in 15, 30 and 60 minutes exposure time. Based on the results, mortality level was found to be 53.1%, 84.3% and 100% for malathion and 48.5%, 85.4% and 100% for D.D.T. LD50 and LD90 for DDT was found to be 15.70 and 32.55 min, respectively. According to the results, An. Sacharovi was susceptible to malathion and D.D.T. However, this Anophel had strong resistance background to D.D.T. in other areas in Iran. Another insecticide tested was fenitrothion with 1% in 60, 75, 90 and 120 min exposure time mortality was 35.4%, 60.6%, 64.3% and 84.5%, with LD50 and LD90 of about 69.83 and 138.9 min, respectively. Due to absence of fenitrothion application in malaria vectors control program in southern Iran and also susceptibility to malathion, it seems that the fenitrothion dosage of 1% in 120 min time might not be effective, therefore, it is recommended to change that concentration of insecticide or the amount of exposure time.
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The most important environmental pollutant in steel industry is air pollution due to the process of its products. Optimise sitting for this industry, in a great extend will prevent pollutants and emissions. Khorasan Steel Company is located near some populous villages and three rivers. It is necessary to perform an investigation for providing abatement and control of air pollution, in time of planning and manufacturing of control instruments. The manufacturing company has determined air pollution reduction instruments in this site, according to the emission suspended particulate and its climatic conditions. The air pollution reducer's instruments were used back-fither. But, this offer was not agreed by the Department of the Environment of Iran. Perhaps, this disagreement was announced just for another original problem, which was the site selection of plants. This research was on the filtration which has been offered by the manufacturing company, if this selection can improve the future regional air pollution. These figures, of course, were obtained from the present data and plume rise particulate, considering Gausian distribution mode for all the rural population and rivers rounding to the site, up to 5 km. The results showed that the produced particulates were less than permissible limit and the proposed methods will improve the complex air pollution difficulties So, the proposed methods were provided for increasing the control and operating the system for conducting of cyclone before input of particulate to the back-filter.
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This investigation was carried out in Koveh village Siahow district, Hormozgan province, from spring 1997 to the end of fall 1998. Anophele fluviatilis is highly exophilic in this region, so it was not possible to collect a good number of An. Floviatilis in human and animals. Out of 6594 female Anopheles, An. fluviatilis comprised 47.85 percent, the highest number of mosquitoes, and the other species were: An.dthali (31.6%), An.stephensi (13.94%), An.sergenti (6.31%), An. superpictus(0.1%), An. Culicifacies (0.1%), An. Turkhudi (0.1%) and An. Pulcherimos (0.01%). The number of An. Floviatilis collected on animal and human bait was 2895 and 260, respectively. Out of 3155 An. Fluvatilis collected on animal and human baits, 57 percent were dissected for age determination. Age composition of An. Flaviatilis varied in different seasons. The highest parous rate was in summer (71.4%) and the lowest in winter (37%). In spring and autumn it was 59.5 and 46.5 percent, respectively. Comparing the parous rate of adults using two different methods, detinova (tracheal system of ovary) and polovodova (Ovary dissection) showed no significant differences.
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BIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHITINSYNTHESIS INHIBITOR (TRIFLUMURON) ON ANOPHELINE LARVAETriflumuron (Bay sir 8514) is one of many benzoylated ureas, which inhibit chitin synthesis during insect molting and are commonly referred to as insect growth regulators or I. G. Rs. The post emergence efficacy of triflumuron (SC 48%) was evaluated against larvae of Anopheles stephensi. The first instar larvae were exposed to tirflumuron at LC50 level (0.0001 mg/l) in a continues exposure time. Among 1000 larvae listed 570 were passed to pupal stage (43% morality at the larvae of stage). The dead larvae generally showed different abnormalities, i.e. cuticle of these larvae was dark and thorax of them was inflated. 271 adults, off the pupae, emerged incompletely. At last, only 138 pupae developed completely to adults. It was noted that certain morphological abnormalities became evident in emerged adults. In the emerged adults, generally there were different abnormalities in wing or tarsus. They also showed some difficulties in mating or feeding behaviour in breeding cages. In the end of experiment, 3 out of 13 adults were oviposited. The effect of triflumuron on egg laying of adults was studied and the larvicid did not show any effect on egg laying of adults.
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This survey was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study. It was carried out in September 1994. A total of 539 child-bearing non-pregnant women (aged 16-53y) were chosen by the two-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected through pre-tested questionnaires and the 24-hour dietary recall method. Anthropometric measurements were also made and blood specimens were collected. The results showed that 8.1% and 31.8% of the mothers were anaemic. Stepwise multiple-regression analyses showed positive significant correlations between haemoglobin (Hb) and age at marriage (P<0.05) or body mass index (P<0.04), number of rooms per person and TIBC(P<0.02), age at marriage and transferin saturation (Ts) (P<0.04), and between animal iron intake and hematocrit (P<0.04). Negative significant correlations were found between age at first pregnancy and Hb(P<0.03), number of rooms per person with (Ts)(P<0.03), and between animal iron intake and MCHC(P<0.04). The strongest correlation was between age at marriage and Hb. It can be concluded that causes of iron-deficiency anaemia in rural areas of Khorram-abad city are related to cultural, economic and social factors, and also food consumption patterns.
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In this investation phenotype frequency of some polymorph systems namely ABC, haptoglobin, esterase D and acid phosphatase, in 104 patients suffering from oesophageal cancer were compared with those of the healthy controls. The results were analysed using chi square and woolfs test. In general, the outcome of the present investigation showed that although the frequency of B blood groups in oesophageal cancer patients was observed to be more than that in controls, the difference was not statically significant Association of in haptoglobin system with oesophageal cancer was not statistically significant. In the esterase D system frequency of heterozygote phenotype ESD2-1 in oesophageal cancer patients was more than that in the control group and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Frequency of phenotype BB of the acid phosphatase system in oesophageal cancer patients was more than in the controls and this outcome was statistically significant (p<0.01).
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In 1998 international guidelines on principles of ethics in medical genetics and genetic services was edited and provided by the World Health Organization. These principles are Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficience, Proportionality of beneficence and non-malificience, and Justice. The World Health Organization considers the observance of these principles highly important and expects all member nations to adjust these principles in to their social and cultural conditions. Hence, attitudes of people, particularly those directly involved with patients, are imperative. In this investigation, the aim was to determine the attitudes of 545 individuals among physicians, nurses, and midwives, by questioners. The data collected, showed that these principles are not always viewed positively. The highest agreements were on the principle of proportionality (88-91%), followed by beneficence (75-89%).
