Original Articles
Mitra Keshavarz; Seyed Mohammad Mazloomi; Siavash Babajafari
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 88-93
Abstract
Background: Spinach is one of the vegetables with a high concentration of nitrate which is affected by various processes such as cooking and refrigeration before consumption. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of home cooking method, which has not been studied before, on the level of nitrate ...
Read More
Background: Spinach is one of the vegetables with a high concentration of nitrate which is affected by various processes such as cooking and refrigeration before consumption. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of home cooking method, which has not been studied before, on the level of nitrate and nitrite in spinach. The effect of refrigeration was studied, as well. Methods: After removing non-edible parts of spinach, it was cut into 4-7 cm pieces. Then, it was washed with deionized water thrice and drained. A part of raw spinach was set aside to measure the nitrate and nitrite and the other part was heated in a closed container without adding water, until almost all the water of the spinach was evaporated and then refrigerated. HPLC method was used to measure the nitrite and nitrate levels. The collected data were analyzed using Wilcoxon test by SPSS. Results: The mean concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in the raw spinach were 336.54±182.2 and 26.49±10.07 mg/kg, respectively. Cooking process caused a significant increase in the level of nitrate, while refrigeration process led to a significant decrease in this regard. Besides, a slight reduction was observed in the nitrite level after cooking, but the change was not statistically significant. Refrigeration also had no significant effects on the nitrite level of spinach. Conclusion: Considering the non-significant changes in nitrite levels, it seems that home cooking without adding water, unlike refrigeration, is not a proper method to reduce the intake of nitrates and nitrites from spinach.
Original Articles
narges shamsedini; Mohammad Ali Baghapour; Mansooreh Dehghani; Simin Nasseri
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 94-100
Abstract
Background: Atrazine is one of the most widely used triazine herbicides which has been used for controlling broadleaf and grassy weeds for many years. Its widespread use in water has caused environmental concern because of frequent detection of atrazine in aquatic systems where this herbicide has been ...
Read More
Background: Atrazine is one of the most widely used triazine herbicides which has been used for controlling broadleaf and grassy weeds for many years. Its widespread use in water has caused environmental concern because of frequent detection of atrazine in aquatic systems where this herbicide has been spilled. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the herbicide removal efficiency at the optimal conditions. Methods: The effect of different parameters including pH at three different levels (3-11), the initial concentration of atrazine at three different levels (0.1-10 mg/L), and reaction time at five different levels (0-120 min) on the removal of atrazine in the aqueous phase using ultraviolet radiation (1020 μw/cm2) was investigated. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 16). Results: The results demonstrated that atrazine removal rate increased by increasing pH, initial atrazine concentration, and reaction time. The maximum rate of atrazine removal (99.2%) at optimal condition occurred in pH=11, atrazine concentration=10 mg/L at 30 min. Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that the UV-A process is an effective and commodious method for reducing atrazine in polluted water resources.
Original Articles
alireza besharati; Ali Ghanbari; Alireza Choobineh; Seyed Hamidreza Tabatabaee; Hadi Daneshmandi
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 101-106
Abstract
Background: Proper training on how to correctly handle loads is one key point for prevention of low back disorders. This study was conducted with the objectives of assessing manual material lifting activities and comparing two methods of training intervention in a porcelain company. Methods: In this ...
Read More
Background: Proper training on how to correctly handle loads is one key point for prevention of low back disorders. This study was conducted with the objectives of assessing manual material lifting activities and comparing two methods of training intervention in a porcelain company. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial which was conducted in a porcelain company, all male employees with lifting activities (n=204) participated. The data were collected using Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire and Lift/ Lower Force Risk Assessment software for assessing manual material lifting. Intervention methods included booklet and oral training. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Chisquare tests using SPSS software (Version 17.0). Results: The most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders symptoms were reported in the knee (52.5%), feet (45.1%), and lower back (43.6%). Risk assessment before intervention showed that in 62.7% of the workers studied, the level of exposure to musculoskeletal risks was in Action Level (AL) 1, 31.9% in AL 2 and 5.4% in AL 3. The risk assessment after intervention showed that in 77.5% of the workers studied, the level of exposure to musculoskeletal risks was in Action Level (AL) 1, 20.6% in AL 2 and 2% in AL 3 (P<0.001). Also, statistical analysis revealed that oral training (24.5%) was more effective than the booklet training (11.8%) (P=0.018). Conclusion: This study showed that training intervention could be effective in correction of methods of manual material lifting of workers. It seems oral training for workers of porcelain industry is more effective than the booklet training. Trial registration number: IRCT2015050322071N1.
Original Articles
Alireza Mirahmadizadeh; Mitra Rahimi Haghighi; Pegah Shoa Hagighi; Abdolrasool Hemmati; Mohsen Moghadami
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 107-112
Abstract
Background: The dependency ratio (DR) is defined as the ratio of the non-working population to the economically active population. Dependency ratio is calculated by the sum of population under fifteen years and over 65 years divided by 15-64 year old population. The interpretation of DR variation gives ...
Read More
Background: The dependency ratio (DR) is defined as the ratio of the non-working population to the economically active population. Dependency ratio is calculated by the sum of population under fifteen years and over 65 years divided by 15-64 year old population. The interpretation of DR variation gives us the impact of health care services and some reproductive interventions. This study analyzed a 23-year DR trend in rural population of Fars province and the effect of some fertility variables on it. Methods: In this study, using data from vital horoscope and regression analysis, we analyzed a 23-year period of DR and some fertility indicators. Results: The total DR significantly declined from 102.5% in 1990 to 41.4% in 2012 (P<0.001). Most of this reduction is attributed to reduction in young DR. Old dependency ratio (population of 65 years and more) was significantly growing (P<0.035). Number of rural health house, family planning coverage, total fertility rate and general fertility rate was significantly associated with total dependency ratio (P<0.009). Conclusion: We passed the first stage of demographic transition, i.e. young dependency ratio declining. But the old dependency ratio slowly increased; it is recommended that the health care services should be promoted in future, especially services for old age people.
Original Articles
samira mirzaei; Zahra Zamanian; Jafar Hasan Zade
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 113-118
Abstract
Background: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of work shifts and mental workload on chronic fatigue among female nurses in Intensive Care Units of selected hospitals in Shiraz. Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 118 female nurses working in Intensive Care Units ...
Read More
Background: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of work shifts and mental workload on chronic fatigue among female nurses in Intensive Care Units of selected hospitals in Shiraz. Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 118 female nurses working in Intensive Care Units of three hospitals in Shiraz with an average age of 304.8± years. SP (Samn-Perelli) Mental fatigue scale and NASA task load index were rated for two weeks at the beginning and end of each work shift. The Checklist Individual Strenght (CIS) questionnaire was completed to assess the fatigue during the last two weeks. Results: Mean score of chronic fatigue was 69.2±13. Menal fatigue and mental workload per shift were significantly correlated with work shifts (P=0.001). Mental workload (P=0.006, r=0.24) and mental fatigue caused by work shifts (P=0.001, r=0.42) were also significantly correlated with chronic fatigue. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that mental workload and work shifts influence the nurses’ fatigue in Intensive Care Units. Therefore, using intervention strategies to reduce mental work load and modification of shift work system in this group seems to be necessary.
Original Articles
Masoud Neghab; Parisa Azad; marzieh Honarbakhsh; Fatemeh Zarei; Ebrahim Ghaderi
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 119-124
Abstract
Background: Despite wide application of chromium in electroplating industry, the pulmonary effects of chronic exposure to this chemical have not been extensively studied and are subject of debate and controversy. This study was, therefore, undertaken to further address this issue. Methods: The study ...
Read More
Background: Despite wide application of chromium in electroplating industry, the pulmonary effects of chronic exposure to this chemical have not been extensively studied and are subject of debate and controversy. This study was, therefore, undertaken to further address this issue. Methods: The study population consisted of a group of 15 workers with a history of past and present occupational exposure to chromium mists and 15 unexposed healthy subjects (referent). Subjects were interviewed, respiratory symptom questionnaires were filled out for them, and their parameters of pulmonary function (PFT) were measured during the shift and a few days after exposure ceased. Results: Both groups were similar as to the number of smokers, their length of smoking, and demographic factors such as age, weight and height. Although the unexposed group, on average, were slightly older than their exposed counterparts, statistical analysis of the data revealed that symptoms such as productive cough, phlegm, wheezing and shortness of breath were significantly (P<0.05) more prevalent among the exposed workers. Furthermore, the parameters of pulmonary function (PFT) of the exposed workers, while at work, were significantly lower than those of referent individuals. Interestingly, PFT of the exposed subjects generally showed some improvement a few days after their exposure ceased. However, despite this relative recovery, the differences of PFT values between the exposed and referent groups, from statistical point of view, remained significant. Conclusion: Our data support the proposition that exposure to chromium mists induces abnormal respiratory symptoms as well as both acute, partially reversible and chronic irreversible lung functional impairments.
Letter to Editor
seyed esmaeil Managheb; Mesbah Shams; Mahmood Soveid; Mohamad Hadi Imanieh; Mohsen Moghadami
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, Pages 125-127
Abstract
Health care system is organized to achieve more efficiency as well as developing public equity and providing access to the first, second and third levels of services. Family physician is in the first line of the health care system; in other words, family physician is the health system’s goalkeeper. ...
Read More
Health care system is organized to achieve more efficiency as well as developing public equity and providing access to the first, second and third levels of services. Family physician is in the first line of the health care system; in other words, family physician is the health system’s goalkeeper. According to classification of health services, gaining access to specialized services becomes possible through the referral system.1 Referral system is a system in which the client should primarily refer to the family physician in order to gain access to health care services and be referred to a specialist if necessary. The specialist refers the patient to the family physician for following treatment modalities after doing necessary medical care and advice and recording the results in the feedback form.2 Despite the different levels of service delivery, the boundaries between these levels are not clear enough and have caused problems in the referral system. Certainly, for better implementation of family physician plan, empowering family physicians, clarifying the referral procedure, and localizing its components are of great importance. One of the life long concerns of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, especially Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, has been developing clinical guidelines to empower family physicians based on clinical referral system and local conditions of the country. Among effective measures in this field is preparing clinical guidelines, according to the level of services and in line with the referral system. The purpose of developing clinical guidelines is improving the quality of health care and increasing the patient’s satisfaction through the following specific objectives:
