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 26 No 1-2 (1997)
Articles
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Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction measured by skin testing is an important indicator for evaluation of cellular immune response in leishmaniasis. Skin testing in leishmaniasis, known as leishmanin or Montenegro test, is used normally for immunoepidemiological studies and for diagnosis. In cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), the skin test is positive during the active phase of disease and remains reactive in almost 100% of recovered cases. The present paper describes the preparation and evaluation of the standard leishmanins produced from a well characterized strain of Leishmania major, and their applications in human CL, Different batches of leishmanin preparations were prepared in standard conditions and their reactivities were tested in different areas. Specificity of reagents was evaluated in healthy individuals in non endemic area of Tehran. Sensitivity and potency of antigens were evaluated in recovered cases from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in endemic areas for both urban CL (north - west of Tehran) and rural CL (Isfahan area).The skin testing was carried out by intradermally injection of 0.1 ml of antigen or control regent into forearm of the individuals. Data obtained showed that specificity is 100% for all preparations. In recovered cases, different batches of leishmanin showed high sensitivity in different foci of leishmaniasis (> 93 % in urban CL foci, and > 95.83% in rural CL foci). Also different batches of leishmanin demonstrated a reliable potency in cured cases from urban CL, with mean diameter of indurations between 11.85 ±3.78mmand 14.21 + 5.0 mm. Moreover, strong potency was found in healed cases of rural CL with mean indurations between 15.18+ 3.93 mm and 18.04 + 5.22 mm. Finally, the reactivity of leishmanin was tested and proved stable after eight years study in recovered cases, This standard leishmanin, has also been tested in research centers of the country and abroad, and compared with other reagents, and selected by FDR as a reference reagent for vaccine trials.
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This study took an epidemiological approach toward the problem of drug addiction in Tehran. The subjects were 300 addicts chosen on the basis of stratified random selection out of the population of 3627 prisoners who were all proven addicts and sentenced to imprisonment by the court in the year 1370. A descriptive survey showed that drug addiction generally, and heroin addiction specifically, is more common among the youth. In fact, 89.7% of the addicts were between 15 and 40 years old, with the average age of 32.5% years. The data are summarized in 6 tables and statistical computations, especially the chi-square test which was applied to determine correlation coefficients between the sets of dependent and independent variables, showed that the following factors have the highest influence on this growing phenomenon: Availability of drugs; lack of hobbies; lacking clear objectives and planning in one’s life; socto-cultural pressure; family conflicts; illiterate parents; unemployment and immature character. The educational system should also be criticized as 35% of the sample had obtained their high school diploma. This suggests that should be a more effective syllabus for health education on junior high school curriculum and get the teenagers acquainted with the effects of drug addiction on one’s health and its consequences.
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Clostridium diffcile is part of the normal intestinal flora in a small proportion of healthy persons. When exposed to antibiotics, the normal enteric flora is altered, permitting the overgrowth of these relatively resistant organisms. Proliferation of the organisms with localized production of their toxins leads to disease (pseudomembran colitis or antibiotic associated diarrhea). In this study, by anaerobic and Hela cell culture method, toxigenicity of 132 Clostridium difficile strains, isolated from 2517 enterocolitis patients' specimens, were investigated and the results were obtained as very high toxigenic in 21 cases (15.9%), high toxingenic in 17 cases (12.8%), moderate toxigenic in 18 cases 13.6%, low toxigenic in 12 cases (9%) and nontoxigenic in 64 case (48%).
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To determine the effective factors on persistent diarrhea in under five year old children (UN5), a total of 1341 subjects were selected between cases referred to Sanandaj children hospital for diarrhea in the period between 1st June and 22nd October 1994. The children were questioned for prolongation of diarrheal episode after 14 days of its onset. The investigation showed that the duration of diarrhea was prolonged for fourteen days and more in 103 out of 1341 children (7.7%). In other words, 92.3% of children recovered before 14th days. The incidence of persistent diarrhea was usually greatest during the first year of life (P=0.00). Duration of diarrheal episode in children who were breast fed is shorter than in those who were not breast fed (P=0.00). Inappropriate use of antibiotic may favor the over growth of pathogenic or commensal bacteria in the proximal intestine to persistent diarrhea. Diarrhea became persistent 4 times more in children whose stool was mucus or bloody at the onset than those with water stool (P=0.00).
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In this research performed during 1993-1994, the effluent of Behran Oil Refmery, in south of Tehran, which produces different types of industrial oil and greases, was studied and 3 methods of gravity separation, coagulation and flocculation and dissolved air flotation were investigated. In the first phase of the survey, the quality and quantity of the effluent were determined. This showed an average daily flow rate of 302 m3, pH 9.03, and average concentration of 314.84, 3330, 200, 1726 and 34.5 mg/l, respectively for oil, COD, SS, TS and furfural. In the second phase, the efficiency of abovementioned treatment methods were as follows: Applying gravity separation with the detention time of 180 mm, removal percentages for COD, SS and greases were 30.3%, 52.5% and 49.6%, respectively. Applying coagulation and flocculation following gravity separation different coagulants (alum, lime and ferric chloride) were used and their treatment efficiencies were evaluated. Lime showed the highest efficiency of 64% and 85.4%, for grease and COD removal, respectively in pH 11. Dissolved air flotation (DAF), which was conducted in the pressure of 3 bars, showed average removal percentages of 9l.96% and 79.17%, for the oil and COD, respectively. So, this system may be chosen as the most efficient one in oil and grease removal producing an effluent which may be fed to a biological treatment unit to remove other pollutants such as ROD and COD.
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Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) has been accepted as an attractive alternative to chlorination for the disinfection of wastewater. In this study the effluent from Sahebgaranieh treatment plant was subjected to changes in UV transmission and turbidity in order to correlate these commonly measured parameters with the performance of a submerged -UV- reactor employed in disinfecting the effluent. Studies have shown successful performance of the reactor in disinfecting typical secondary effluents. Highly significant correlations are observed between TJV- transmission, turbidity, and the degree of coliforms inactivation which depend upon disinfection limit. Besides, the method was regarded suitable in disinfecting effluent samples, having suspended solids twice as much the discharge quality at disinfection detention time of 102 seconds. Average UV dosages ranged from 230 to 580 milliwatt - second per square centimeter.
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In this survey, asbestos fiber levels within the breathing zone of employers and in the environment of an asbestos-cement factory were monitored on membrane filter and counted by phase contrast optical microscope considering length/diameter>3:I (Asbestos International Associational method). The plant was fairly old and utilized both white (chrysotile) and blue (chrocidolite) asbestos. In each workshop, 8-h time-weighted average concentrations (Ctw,) or its equivalent were calculated as fiber/ml. Average and range of concentrations were determined as well. Results indicated that asbestos fibers were dispersed all over the plant and major sources of emission were mills (raw materials and waste products) and finishing. In addition, longer daily shift durations (12-h) increased workers’ exposure levels more than 2 times than that of 8-h shift (α=0.05, t0.95.17). In finishing workshop by comparison of two criteria length/diameter>3:1 (Asbestos International Association) with length/diameter >5:1 (American Society for Testing and Materials), test statistics on mean showed no significant difference between two counting criteria (α= 0.05, t0.975.9).
