فهرست مطالب maghsoodi

Self-medication is considered as the most common form of self-care, which can compromise the health of various people in the community, especially students who are in a more prone environment for taking medications. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of self-medication and the factors affecting it among students and peers in Boukan city in 2016.

In this descriptive study, 600 students and nonstudent peer group of Boukan city were selected using cluster sampling and simple random sampling and studied in 2016. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using independent t-test and chi-square test.

The mean and standard deviation of students' and peer group’s age were 21.41 ± 3.10 and 23.44±3.39 years (p=0.122), respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of arbitrary use of drugs (p=0.448). Also, the most commonly used drugs in the studied participants were Acetaminophen, Cold tablets and Antibiotics. The unnecessary need to see a doctor, having no time to visit health centers and not considering the disease important were reported as the most common causes of self-medication.

The results of this study showed that there is a high degree of arbitrary use of drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to develop training and prevention programs to reduce this inappropriate behavior and to incorporate it in the future programs of the relevant organizations.

 This study was funded by Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Conflict of interest: None declared

The Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences approved the study (1394-0-33-1698).

Date palm is one of the most valuable horticultural products in Iran, which includes 16% of non-oil exports to the world. Kerman province has the second rank for the cultivation area of date palm in Iran. Having information about the exact cultivated area has gained importance for further decision makings. To determine the cultivated area, organizations usually use census which has the disadvantages of high cost, wasting time and labor intensive. The aim of this research was to study the feasibility of using Landsat 8 OLI images to identify and classify the area under date palm cultivation. To accomplish this purpose, four supervised classification methods were evaluated. The study area was in Bam region located at 200 km southeast of Kerman province. In this research, a total of 14 images of Landsat8 OLI satellite from the study area during fall and winter were downloaded from Landsat official web page. After preliminary inspections for interested classes (Date palm gardens, Lands covered with bare soil and forage crop fields), one of the images that was taken on Jan 14, 2017, was selected for further analysis. After initial corrections and processing, 32 images of alfalfa farms, 32 images of date palm gardens and 32 images of lands covered with bare soil, were selected using GPS data points collected in study area scouting. Shape files of all selected fields were created and utilized for supervised classification training set. The same process was also done for the unsupervised classification method.  To evaluate the classification methods confusion matrix and Kappa coefficient were used to determine the true and miss-classified area under date palm cultivation. It is worth mentioning that these factors alone cannot identify the most powerful method for classification and they just give us a general overview to choose acceptable methods among all available methods. To identify the most powerful method among selected methods, confusion matrix and investigating the pixel transfers between classes is the crucial method. Results of classifications revealed that the overall classification accuracy by using NN, MLC, SVM, MDC, and K-Means were 99.10% (kappa 0.973), 98.77% (kappa 0.975), 98.66% (kappa 0.973), 98.52% (kappa 0.97), and 52.66% (kappa 0.31) respectively. Concerning the confusion matrix in the NN method, the percentage of producer accuracy error in date palm class was 0% and in user, accuracy error was 1.44%. In the review of other methods, the lowest producer accuracy error value in date palm class obtained by NN and SVM methods was 0% and the highest producer accuracy error belonged to MLC method which was 1.35%. Checking the recognition power of other classes showed that in the soil class, the highest producer accuracy error was 2.32% by MDC method and the least one was 0.64% by MLC. For forage class, the highest producer accuracy error was calculated 37.07% by SVM and the least accurate one was 4.92% by MDC. Although the K-Means method with Kappa Coefficient of 0.31 did not have a good classification quality, concerning classes and samples, it successfully could identify date palm according to selective samples with 100% accuracy. Results of calculated date palm area using supervised classification methods versus actual area measurements showed that NN and SVM methods with the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9995% and 0.9986% had the highest coefficients. K-Means method with R-square of 0.9228% had a good correlation.
In general, all supervised classification methods obtained acceptable results for distinguishing between date palm classes and two other classes. NN and SVM methods could successfully recognize date palm class. K-Means method also could recognize date palm class but the recognition included some errors such as dark clay soil textures which were classified as the date palm. In general, overall accuracy and kappa Coefficient alone cannot identify the most powerful method for classifying and these methods just give us a general overview to choose an acceptable percentage of accuracy coefficients among available methods. After the initial selection, to identify the most powerful method of classification the pixel transfer calculations in a confusion matrix would be an acceptable technique.

In this paper, two types of flows are modeled using the Isogeometric Analysis (IA) method. The first problem is to find the velocity distribution of uniform flow in a sloped channel and the second is irrotational flow around circular and rectangular obstacles. The formulation is derived and its differences with the finite element (FE) method are explained. In the IA method, the unknown function of the governing differential equation and the domain boundaries are approximated by NURBS (Non-uniform Rational B-Splines). Due to the ability of NURBS in constructing curves and surfaces with high precision, channels with complicated boundaries can easily be considered. The IA results are compared with the standard finite element and the accuracy is demonstrated by several examples. Furthermore, the effect of some of the IA parameters such as the irregularity of the control point grid, different knot vectors and the number of control points are also discussed.

Background and The main objective of the present paper was to study the factors affecting the satisfaction of people with traditional medicine. This study was a survey and the required data were collected using a questionnaire. For this purpose, 300 men and women referring to the centers providing traditional medicine services in the citiy of Kerman were randomly selected based on accessible and targeted sampling. To study the relationship between variables, some statistical tests such as summers, Spearman, Pearson correlation, and stepwise multivariate regression were used.
Study findings showed that there is a significant relationship between independent variables (Education background, awareness, attitude and interest, doctor-patient relationship, personnel behavior, cost of treatment, and effectiveness) and the dependent variable (satisfaction with traditional medicine).
The survey of results of regression analysis also indicated that personnel behavior, awareness of the consequences of traditional medicine, and cost of treatment, respectively, are the most effective factors in the explanation of the dependent variable.

In this study، a comparison between the artificial neural network (ANN) and linear regression models for estimating the dry weight of corn and its P uptake، based on the extracted P from soil by different extractants was done. For this purpose، 25 surface soil composite samples (0-30 cm) were collected from different points of East Azerbaijan province، and then corn plants (single cross 704) were cultivated in these soils under the greenhouse condition with three replications. After 60 days، the plants were harvested and the shoot dry weight and its P concentration were measured. The results showed that the coefficient of determination (r2) values between the extracted soil P، obtained by Colwel and Olsen''s tests and corn shoot dry weight were 0. 49 and 0. 44، respectivly. The results of ANN showed that the Olsen''s test for estimating the corn shoot dry weight and distiled water for estimating the shoot P concentration were supreoir. For prediction of the important indices of the corn shoot dry weigh and P uptake، based on P concentration measured using different extractions، higher values for coefficient of determination were obtained by applying some conventional methods of ANN with respect to those obtained by applying linear regression methods، so it was concluded that ANN could be used in soil P testing.

In this research, several chemical extractants and modified Olsen methods were studied in 25 surface-calcareous soils (0-30 cm) for determining available phosphorus (P) for corn (Zea mays L.) plant. In this experiment, the highest correlation was obtained between extracted P by Olsen and Colwell methods (NaHCO3-extractable P) and dry weight of corn shoot (r =0.67 and 0.75, p<0.01, respectively). Therefore, effects of varying effective conditions of extraction such as the period of shaking, the concentration and pH of NaHCO3 solution on the amount of P extracted from the soil and its correlation with growth parameters of the corn plant was investigated. The results showed that increasing the pH of NaHCO3 solutions: soil ratio, shaking period and concentration of NaHCO3 solution significantly increased the extracted P from the soils, but could not significantly increase the correlation between P extracted from the soil and growth parameters of the corn plant. The highest correlation was obtained between modified Olsen method (with 4-hour shaking period and the solution: soil ratio of 6) and shoot dry weight (r=0.75, p<0.01) which was not significantly different (Δr=0.08) using Olsen’s test (0.5hour shaking time and solution: soil ratio of 20). The results of this study showed that P buffering capacity (PBC) could be the best method for predicting the available P by the corn plant.

More than a billion people have some form of disabilities worldwide. Persons living with a disability have many needs (including physically, mentally, and socially needs). Estimating the size of disabled population is a challenge in health systems. An innovative indirect method to estimate the size of populations is network scale up (NSU) having widely used for hidden populations. The method is based-on the social network of individuals. We assessed the capability of NSU to estimate persons living with a disability being a middle population (neither non-hidden nor hidden populations) in the Southeast of Iran (Kerman City, southeast Iran). A total of 3052 of Kermanian people over 20 year old were interviewed by simple random sampling. We asked them whether they knew acquaintances with complete blindness, severe visual impairment, deafness, severe hearing impairment, limb defects, and mental retardation, if yes; we wanted them to count them. Based on the network scale up method, the prevalence of the populations was estimated at 5.21/1000 in Kerman City where severe visual impairment was 1.35, mental retardation was 1.039, severe hearing impairment was 1.005, limb defects was 0.78, deafness was 0.59, and complete blindness was 0.56 (per 1000 inhabitants). The results were not exactly comparable to previous studies using different methods such as surveys. Although the method has some limitations, considering its easiness and cost-effectiveness, modified NSU could be used when direct methods are not practicable.

The speciemns of red algae “Gracilaria corticata” were collected from the rocky intertidal shores in Bostaneh Port in the Persian Gulf and Lipar in Oman Sea in May, June and August 2013. Anatomical, morphological structures, thallus of vegetative and reproductive samples were studied. Carpogonial and tetrasporangium stages were determined based on histological and morphological methods. The female thallus, the Cystocarp with hemispherical structure through out thallus were observed. The Spermatangial conceptacle was located deeper as the oval shape in male thallus. The tetrasporophytic stage of diploid samples was determined by the presence of tetrasporangium oval shape.

The Cox model is the dominant tool in clinical trials to compare treatment options. This model does not specify any specific form to the hazard function. On the other hand, parametric models allow the researcher to consider an appropriate shape of hazard function for the event of interest. The aim of this article is to compare performance of Cox and parametric models. We used data collected in a prospective clinical trial that aimed to compare performance of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) treatments in terms of survival of newborn infants who had respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Performance of Cox, exponential, Weibull, and log-logistic models were compared in terms of goodness of fit. Fitting the Cox model, we have seen that infants who received NCPAP were 4.23 (Hazard Ratio= 4.23, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.87-9.59) times more likely to fail than those received NIPPV (P=0.001). Adequacy of the exponential model was rejected. We have seen a decreasing hazard rate over time, in both treatment groups. This decrease was sharper in NCPAP group. Akiake information criterion corresponded to the log-logistic model and was lower than all other models followed by Weibull model. Our results demonstrate the benefit of parametric survival models over traditional Cox regression model in terms of modeling of shape of hazard function. We saw a decreasing hazard that confirms the flexibility of parametric models in terms of the modeling of hazard rate.

Pulse combustors are simple، low-cost and can operate with different fuels.. In this research، a non-premixed pulse combustor was constructed and some factors affecting NOx، CO، flame temperature and frequency of combustion were experimentally investigated. The key variables of the experiments were the inlet mass flow rate of fuel and the tailpipe length. The results show that with decreasing the mass flow rate of fuel concentrations of NOx and CO reduce and reach to their minimum values of 17 and 65ppm، respectively. This level of NOx emission is considerably lower than conventional burners which are reported to have NOx emissions of 58-138 ppm. Increasing the tailpipe length decreased concentrations of NOx and CO emissions and also reduced the frequency of combustion. The results were in good agreement with previous research reported in the literature.

The growing number of obesity and excess of body fat mass in adolescents in recent years and also increasing prevalence of chronic diseases associated with obesity in Iranian adolescents, tends to develop this study. The present was aimed to investigate relationship between adiponectin level with some of biochemical and anthropometric index in obese and normal weight adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, 76 healthy non-athlete and non-smoker adolescent girls, without any history of chronic, inflammatory, infectious, metabolic and endocrine diseases, without taking any drugs or supplements were investigated. They were divided in 2 groups by Iranian BMI percentile criteria according to their age and sex. Age, pubertal stages, weight, BMI, fat mass and its percentage, waist and hip circumstance, waist to hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, adiponectin, high sensitive C-reactive protein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL-cholestrol, fasting blood sugar and insulin levels were measured. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. The adiponectin levels were higher in normal weight adolescents (435.04±37.66 vs 411.46±34.47). There were a significant negative correlation between adiponectin levels with TG, total cholesterol, LDL-chol, Hs-CRP, insulin, weight, BMI, waist and hip circumstance, WHR, FM & FM percentage in obese group, however, the correlation between adiponectin and HDL-chol was positive. The higher adiponectin levels in normal weight group and significant negative correlation between FBS, insulin and lipid profile (except HDL-chol) and anthropometric index such as weight, BMI, WC, HC. WHR, FM & FMP in obese group can show the possibility of using adiponectin to prevent obesity outcome and improving healthy adolescents.

Pulse combustors are simplest form of combustor with low cost and operating with different fuels. In this research a non-premixed pulse combustor is constructed and some factors affecting the NOX, CO, flame temperature and frequency of combustion are experimentally investigated. The key variables of the experiments are the inlet mass flow rate of fuel and the tailpipe length. The results show that with decreasing the mass flow rate of fuel, the concentrations of NOX and CO are reduced and reached to its minimum values of 17 and 65 ppm, respectively. This level of NOX emission from pulse combustors is quoted to be generally lower than from conventional burners which reported to be 58-138 ppm. Increasing the tailpipe length causes the concentrations of NOX and CO to be decreased and the frequency of combustion is also decreased. The results are compared with the results of other researchers and are in good agreement.

The drying of saffron stigma was investigated in a laboratory infrared dryer. The effect of temperature on the drying rate of samples at various temperatures (60,70…110 °C) was studied. The drying time decreased with an increase in drying air temperature. The constant-rate period is absent from the drying curve. The drying of saffron occurred in the falling rate period. Four, thin-layer drying models, namely, Lewis, Handerson and Pabis, Page, and Midilli and Kucuk, were fitted to drying data. The performance of these models was investigated by comparing the determination of coefficient (R2) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between the observed and predicted moisture ratios. Among these models, in each of six drying temperatures, the Midilli and Kucuk model gave the best results and showed good agreement with the experimental data obtained from the experiments, including the thin layer drying process. In all drying temperatures, the amounts of R2 were higher than 0.999, and the amounts of RMSE were less than 0.012. According to results, it can be said that the Midilli and Kucuk model adequately described the drying behavior of saffron stigmas at a controlled temperature range 60–110 °C in an infrared dryer.

In this paper an approach to improve the quality of synthetic speech in formant and concatenative synthesis techniques is described. To deal with this problem we focused on using vocoders. In concatenative speech synthesis the idea is based on post processing the generated speech to reduce discontinuities. The post processing is consists of integrating Straight method to synthesis system in order to smooth the boundary between units. On the other hand, in formant synthesis we used multi excitation linear predictive method to replace simple excitation signal in Klatt method with multiband excitation. Our synthesis techniques were evaluated with respect to naturalness, fluidity and intelligibility based on subjective methods. These experiments clarified that the naturalness of synthetic speech can be improved by using our smoothing methods and multiband excitation signal.

Oral disease is a significant burden to all countries of the world. Since there is little know about this in Iran we decided to identify of oral mucosal disease in patients referred to Oral Medicine Center affiliated to Tabriz Dental School. A consecutive sample of admitted patients to OMC between April to June 2007 were included in this study. We employed a standard questionnaire in order to Eight hundred two patients were completed the requested questionnaire. Seventy percent was female. The mean age of the study sample was 32. 68 (SD=12. 25) years. Approximately 70% of subjects had oral lesion، %19. 2 had normal mucosa and %21. 60 of patients had oral mucosal lesions that need to follow and control. The most common lesions were ankiloglossia (%29. 7) then fissural tongue (%25. 7) and coated tongue (%23. 7). Many patients attending the center were unaware of oral lesions in their soft oral tissue which needed to follow up. This emphasizes that examination of soft oral tissue should be considered by health policy makers in oral health agenda at national level.

The objective of the present investigation was to design a sustained release floating microcapsules of theophylline using two polymers of different permeability characteristics; Eudragit RL 100 (Eu RL) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) using the oil-in-oil emulsion solvent evaporation method. Polymers were used separately and in combination to prepare different microcapsules. The effect of drug-polymer interaction was studied for each of the polymers and for their combination. Encapsulation efficiency, the yield, particle size, floating capability, morphology of microspheres, powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were evaluated. The in vitro release studies were performed in PH 1.2 and 7.4. The optimized drug to polymer ratios was found to be 4:1 (F2) and 0.75:1 (F'2) with Eu RL and CAB, respectively. The best drug to polymer ratio in mix formulation was 4:1:1 (theophylline: Eu RL: CAB ratio). Production yield, loading efficiencies, and particle size of F2 and F'2 were found to be 59.14% and 45.39%, 73.93% and 95.87%, 372 and 273 micron, respectively. Microsphere prepared with CAB showed the best floating ability (80.3 ± 4.02% buoyancy) in 0.1 M HCl for over 12 h. The XRD and DSC showed that theophylline in the drug loaded microspheres was stable and in crystaline form. Microparticles prepared using blend of Eu RL and CAB polymers indicated more sustained pattern than the commercial tablet (P<0.05). Drug loaded floating microballoons prepared of combination of Eu RL and CAB with 1:1 ratio were found to be a suitable delivery system for sustained release delivery of theophylline which contained lower amount of polymer contents in the microspheres.

Open heart surgery is associated with acute perioperative changes in plasma levels of neurohormonal stress factors,cortisol,interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Human studies involving cardiopulmonary bypass have shown that very low doses of ketamine can attenuate the markers of inflammation without adverse effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether, low dose infusion of ketamine when administered during 48 hours after induction, have anti-inflammatory effect and attenuate stress factors, in on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this prospective randomized-controlled trial, 50 patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft were randomly assigned to receive either 1.25mcg/kg/min of ketamine (Ketamine group, n=25) or normal saline (Control group, n=25) infusion during and for 48 hours after surgery. Inflammatory and stress response markers including C-reactive protein, cortisol, White blood cell count and differential, glucose and lactate level were measured, before induction (T1), 4 hours after surgery (T2), and on the first and the second days after surgery (T3 and T4). The level of lactate were higher in ketamine compared with control group four hours after operation (P< 0.05) without any significant differences detected in other measurements. Low dose ketamine did not cause any change in C-reactive protein, cortisol, White blood cell count and glucose level, however lactate level was higher compared to control group.

Production yield of solid-state (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SMF) on chitosan from Aspergillus niger was investigated. A. niger BBRC 20004 was grown on soybean residue and Sabouraud Dextrose Broth medium (2% glucose). Chitosan was extracted from the fungal mycelia using hot alkaline and acid treatment. Soybean residue at a moisture content of 37%, and 8.4  0.26% of nitrogen content produced the highest amount of chitosan, 17.053  0.95 g/kg dry substrate after 12 days. Also, chitosan was extracted from A. niger on Sabouraud Dextrose Broth medium in submerged fermentation (0.8455 g/l after 12 days of cultivation). The yield of chitosan isolated in SSF was about 15-20 times more than in SMF (Submerged Fermentation).

The role of inflammatory markers in diagnosis of acute appendicitis has not been clearly defined. To determine the diagnostic value of WBC count and C-reactive protein in diagnosis or rejection of acute appendicitis in children. In a prospective study, 100 child with probable diagnosis of acute appendicitis (Alvarado score ≤5) referred to Tabriz Pediatric Hospital during 14 months from April 2007 to May 2008 were studied. Serum CRP, WBC count, and neutrophil percentage were compared in patients with and without definite diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Out of 100 patients, 54 were males and 46 females with a mean age of 9.6±2.7 years. The number of patients with definite diagnosis of acute appendicitis was 48. Children with final diagnosis of acute appendicitis had significantly higher value of inflammatory markers. Elevated CRP showed the greatest sensitivity (85%) and negative predictive value (83%). None of the children with normal markers had acute appendicitis. This study showed that despite elevation of these inflammatory markers in patients with acute appendicitis, it is unwise to completely rely on results of such tests in confirming or rejecting the disease. Normal values obtained for all three markers are unlikely to be associated with pathologically confirmed appendicitis in children.

Cerebrovascular disorders are the third leading cause of death in individuals over the age of 50 mental disorders of this origin are reported in up to 50 and even 78 percent of patients. The global goal of this study was to assess mental disorders of stroke patients. In a cross-sectional study, 100 consecutive stroke patients in the neurology clinic of Rasool hospital were evaluated by accidental sampling and use of Neuropsychotic Inventory (NPI). Data was analyzed using Chi square and t-test. 37 men and 63 women with mean age of 62.5 years were assessed over 1 to 12 months after their stroke. The results of Chi square suggested men patients had higher frequency in subscales of delusion, aphaty, disinhibition and sleep disorders and women patients in subscale of anxiety. The results of t-test reported that there was a correlation between right hemisphere lesions and euphory. Depression, anxiety and aggression were the most common mental disorders after stroke, respectively.

The effect of Solid State Fermentation (SSF) on Chitosan production by A. niger was investigated. A. niger BBRC 20004 from Biochemical and Bioenvironmental Research Centre of Sharif University of Technology (Tehran, Iran) was grown on corn residue. Chitosan was extracted from the fungal mycelia using hot alkaline and acid treatment. A. niger was incubated for 12 days on corn residue with moisture content of 35 % and 1.12 % of nitrogen. The Chitosan was obtained and 10.9 g/kg of Urea dry residue was added in various amounts to the medium in order to evaluate the effect of the nitrogen concentration in the production of Chitosan. The highest amount of Chitosan obtained by 6.5 g of urea after 12 days of incubation was 16.15 g/kg.

Abstract: In this study the effect of different nitrogen source substrates on the amount of chitosan production by Aspergillus niger was investigated. A. niger PTCC 5012 from the Persian Type Culture Collection (PTCC) was grown on soy bean, corn seed and canola residues at 30 °C for specified cultivation days under sterilized conditions. Chitosan was extracted from the fungal mycelia using hot alkaline and acid treatment. The results were shown that soy bean residue at moisture of 37% and 8.4 0.26 % of nitrogen content produced the highest amount of chitosan (17.053 0.95 g/kg of dry substrate), after 12 days of incubation. Corn seed residue produced very low amount of chitosan (1.9 0.4 % of nitrogen content). The chitosan was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy and its spectrum was recorded.

Micro flora of the effluents from a dairy factory in Tehran(Pegah Dairy Processing Plant) were isolated and screened for their ability to reduce the organic matter content and COD of the effluents. 10 bacteria were selected due to reduction in COD content from the 4th to 6th day of incubation at 30 °C and pH =11. Highest COD reduction were obtained by two isolates, BP3 and BP4, 70.7 % and 69.5 %,, respectively (The initial COD concentration was 3000 mg/l and reduced to 880 and 920 mg/l).After optimization of the condition for test organisms, big reductions in COD, carbohydrate, fat and protein content of the effluents were observed by BP3 up to 84.70 %, 98 %, 45.30 % and 53 %, respectively. The mixture of BP3 and BP4 did not show the good results as the BP3 alone. Therefore, BP3 has been selected as the most efficient microorganism for the system.The overall efficiency of the system will be increased if it is added to anaerobic activated sludge tank

Abstract Treatment of wastewater containing carbohydrates by Pichia saitoi growing on beet molasses was investigated in a well-mixed continuous tank as an alternative to bulking control.The yeast strain that used in this work was isolated from non-alcoholic beverage industrial wastewater, with a view on TOC removal compared with other strains in previous study.In this research the isolated yeast showed high COD and TOC removal at three hydraulic retention times, HRT= 48, 24 and 18 hours.Maximum COD and TOC reductions were obtained at HRT=48 hours, which were 96% and 88%, respectively.The influent COD and TOC were 2500 and 148 mg/l, respectively.The pH maintained for synthetic wastewater was about 9.The changes of pH within the aeration tank at each HRT was monitored.Effects of organic loading rate (OLR) on COD and TOC reduction efficiencies were studied in this work.Aeration rate was between 0.2-0.25 vvm, which was very low in comparison to the other studies.This yeast strain had high settling ability (maximum SVI was observed at 60 ml/g) and also high F/M ratios (maximum of F/M was 2.9 kg COD/kg MLSS.day).

The succinylcholine administration and tracheal intubation causes significant rise of intraocular pressure (I.O.P), which is of special concern in penetrating ophthalmic injuries. Different methods have been suggested to prevent this complication, but none of them were completely successful. Reports of use of calcium channel blocking agents specially nifedipine for prevention of I.O.P rise after succinylcholine administration for tracheal intubation have been published. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of sublingually administered nifedipine on I.O.P rise after succinylcholine administration and tracheal intubation. Fifty patients of both genders 30 - 40 years, having ASA physical status 1 without any ophthalmic, hypertensive or cardiac disease scheduled for non ophthalmic surgery in Shiraz Khalili hospital, were selected and divided into two case and control groups randomly. Twenty minutes before the induction of anesthesia, the patients in the case group were given a 10 mg capsule of nifedipine and the ones in the control group, a placebo capsule sublingually. The induction and maintenance of anesthesia was the same in the two groups. I.O.P and systolic blood pressure (S.B.P) were recorded before and 20 minutes after nifedipine or placebo administration. Just after the induction of anesthesia the I.O.P and S.B.P were again recorded as well as at the intervals of one, three and five minutes following intubations. The recorded data were compared in both case and control groups and analyzed statistically. In case group after the administration of nifedipine, during all stages of anesthetic induction and following tracheal intubation I.O.P remained below baseline, but in the control group, the I.O.P raised significantly (p<0.05). On the other hand comparison of systolic blood pressure recording in both case and control groups showed no difference. According to the data obtained in this study, it is concluded that sublingual nifedipine successfully prevents I.O.P rise following induction of anesthesia and tracheal intubation. Since the prevention of the rise of I.O.P especially in penetrating injuries of the eye is of utmost importance, the use of sublingual nifedipine before the induction of anesthesia is strongly suggested.