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The project investigates the relationship between the biological parameters (phytoplankton, zooplankton, Macrobenthic and ctenophore- Mnemiopsis leidyi) and environmental parameters, nutrients and environmental pollutants (oil, pesticides, heavy metals, and detergents) in water and sediment, at the southern of Caspian Sea in 2010-2011. Sampling was carried out in four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) and in eight transects perpendicular to the coast (Astara, Anzali, Sefidroud, Tonekabon, Noshahr, Babolsar, Amir Abad and Bandar Turkmen). Samples were collected from the different layers at depths of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 meters. The relationship between biological and environmental parameters surveyed through parametric and multivariate statistical methods. Result showed that the annual mean of environmental parameters and nutrients concentration such as water temperature, pH, transparency, DO, ammonium, nitrate, inorganic nitrogen (DIN), organic nitrogen (DON), inorganic phosphorus (DIP), organic phosphorus (DOP) and soluble silicon (DSi) at euphotic layer were 16.70±0.43 (ºC), 8.38±0.01 (m), 5.48±0.05 (ml/l), 1.52±0.06 (µM), 1.80±0.08 (µM), 3.41±0.10 (µM), 43.3±0.9 (µM), 0.32±0.01 (µM), 0.52±0.02 (µM), 8.88±0.22 (µM), respectively. Meanwhile, annual mean of environmental pollutant such as PAHs and OCPs in sediment were recorded 0.88±0.16 (µg/g.dw) and 9.78±2.20 (µg/g.dw), respectively. In addition, annual mean of heavy metals such as Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Hg in sediment were obtained 247±46 (µg/g.dw), 29.5±1.5 (µg/g.dw), 49.9±4.9 (µg/g.dw) and 0.179±0.800 (µg/g.dw), respectively. Annual mean abundance of biological parameters namely phytoplankton, zooplankton and M. leidyi (0-20m) at photic layer were 238±17 (million cells/m3), 4808±362 (individuals/m3) and 26±3 (individuals /m3) respectively, and for biomass were 747±60 (mg/m3), 44.3±5.0 (mg/m3), 2.15±0.31 (g/m3). Annual mean abundance of those biological parameters at below of photic layer (50-100m) were 104±35 (million cells/m3), 843±92 (individuals/m3) and 2±1 (individuals /m3) respectively, and for biomass were 412±93 (mg/m3), 9.1±1.0 (mg/m3), 0.15±0.05 (g/m3). Annual mean abundance and biomass of macrobenthic were 5073±1225 (individuals /m2) and 144±73 (g/m2), respectively. Annual mean annual percentage of TOM, Gravel, Sand and Silt-clay were recorded 3.74±0.26, 0.92±0.32 , 22.51±4.97 and 76.67±5.01, respectively. The stratification of water column was strongly based on gradient of water temperature and the phenomenon (difference of temperature between water layers) was more clear in this study compared to previous years. Temperature and biological factors (phytoplankton) were effected on changes of dissolved oxygen at warm and cold seasons summer and winter), but coefficient factor of temperature was higher than biological factors in winter. The nutrients concentration (with the exception of inorganic phosphorus) in different years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 increased compared to 1995-1996 (the year of stability of ecosystem). One of the reason attribute to the presence of the ctenophore (M. leidyi) in Caspian Sea after 1999. The annual correlation of phytoplankton abundance and temperature was reversed but seasonal pattern was varied at each season (within a year). In this study, the Caspian Sea contained the conditions of nitrogen limitation (55%) and nitrogenphosphorus limitation (6-43%) as well as phosphate limitation (2-39%) (DIN/DIP>20) . Inspite of no silica limitation (sufficient concentration of silica) in the Caspian ecosystem, Bacillariophyta was not dominance phylum at whole seasons.It seems that other factors such as the temperature changes of seasons, the effects of predation and feeding of the next chains of the food chain, the difference of the ability in the growth and reproduction, competition (uptake of nutrients) in dfferent groups of phytoplankton and stoichiometry of the nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) were caused of non-diatoms dominance at most seasons. As, Pyrrophyta and Bacillariophyta were dominant at spring and winter, respectively and Cyanophyta was pre-dominant at summer and autumn. Multivariate analysis showed the significant correlation between Coppepoda and oxygen and water temperature only. The other gropus of zooplankton did not show any significant correlation with environmental parameters. It might be due to stronger effects of other parameters such as food and predators on different groups of zooplankton at each season and abundance of zooplankton groups indirectly affected by environmental parameters. In this study, Shannon diversity indices of zooplankton and phytoplankton were closer to 1995-96 values and showed diferent trend compared to 2009-2010. However it is not enough reason for recovery of ecosystem in to the stability of Caspian Sea. It is because of other negative evidiance such as strong increasing trend of phytoplankton to zooplankton biomass ratio in all seasons and regions particularly the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 years compared to 1995-96 (the year of stable ecosystem). In the other word, the balance between the biomass of the first and second of the food chain has been disturbed and the value was much much higher than the year of stable ecosystem in 1995-96. Based on multivariate analyses, there was not significant correlation between zooplankton groups and some edible phytoplankton species, vise versa zooplankton groups consumed some unsuitable species of phytoplankton (based on size, nutritional value, difficulty of digestion and absorption, the potential of toxicity and harmfulness). The lack of expected relationship and routine rules of nutritional between zooplankton and phytoplankton are the more resons of instability in the ecosystem. In current study, dominant group of macrobenthos (polychaeta) observed in depths less than 20 meters which the percentage of silt-clay and sand were 74 and 26, respectively. It seems that this ratio of silt-caly and sand was suitable for their living and accumulation. PCA analysis showed that increasing the percentage of TOM and siltclay accompanied to the decreasing of macrobenthos abundance while increasing the temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH had a positive effect on macrobenthos abundance in most seasons. Increasing the abundance of macrobenthos at all seasons (except spring) would not be a strong indication of improvement of Caspian ecosystem after the ctenophore introduction stress and unfavorable evidence such as low Shannon diversity index observe in the results. Meanwhile, in the present study, Streblospio and oligochaeta (invasive growth and advantage to the food uptake and habitat and sediment seeding) similar to the years of 2008-2009, 2009-2010 still were dominant groups insteade of Gammaridae family (feeding on suspended solids). This means that sediment has a noteworthy amount of organic matter which indicate to the trophic level of ecosystem tend to eutrophy level. The comparison of results on this study to previous studies on biological parameters (phytoplankton, zooplankton and macrobenthos) indicating to the persistence of stress (such as biological and anthropogenic) on their changing population patterns (quantitative relationships between species) and structural patterns (species composition and seasonal succession of dominant species). In other words, many species (both macroscopic and microscopic) of the Caspian Sea are still vulnerable to complications of stressor factors. In order to protection and sustainable exploitation of this worth ecosystem it is necessary to look more serious studies and practical techniques from the relevant organizations in this area. Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute Published

Objective (s): This study aimed to determine the relationship between the hospital functional indices and energy consumption rate in the selected hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.Methods: The present practical, cross-sectional study was conducted in a period of three years (2008-2010) .The study population included six hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Two categories of information were collected: the information about energy consumption which was extracted from bills and the information related to the bed indicators that obtained from the Information Technology Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The results showed that during the three years, the mean water and electricity consumption was 2.99 and 13.38 to 22.3 times above the international standards, respectively. Besides, the average gas consumption was 19.5 cubic meters per bed occupancy. There was a statistically significant relationship between hospital functional indices and energy consumption.Conclusion: Optimization energy consumption and reduction of hospital expenditures can be achieved by culturalization, and learning effective energy consumption management, presenting functional plans, and creating more relationships among the engineering groups and the hospitals.

At the present study, the water quality parameters monthly, environmental pollutants (pesticides, heavy metals and surfactants) seasonally, macrobenthos and bacteria (monthly) were done 2009 t0 2010 that located in Mangol Dam with longitude and latitude 52° 22' 49" N and 43° 15' 43" E, respectively. All water samples were collected from under-groundwater, surface water and wastewater in 12 stations and the results are as follow: The mean concentrations of DO, BOD_5, COD, HCO^3-, CO_3^2-, TA, Ca^2+, Mg^2+, TH, TSS, TDS, Cl^-, PO4^3-, NH^4+, NO^2- and NO^3- were determined about 11.86±0.49, 5.95±0.11, 4.96±0.59, 28.1±6.1, 14.34±1.64, 36.30±2.33, 64.66±2.34, 28.84±1.52, 271.62±8.41, 0.37±0.03, 0.45±0.02, 28.02±1.96, 0.06±0.01, 0.010±0.001, 0.01±0.001 and 0.96±0.03 mg/l, respectively and also temperature, pH and EC were 12.7±0.61°C, 8.00±0.02 unit, 0.57±0.02 ms/cm in all samples. The surface water quality of Haraz River and its tributaries were suitable for usual applications such as aquatic matters, but based on BOD_5 need to more attention for human usages. The water quality index (WQI) of surface water was classified in group II at all stations that shows serious water quality changes due to domestic and agriculture sewage. The groundwater was affected by different matters that caused change of water quality parameters. The wastewater was classified from good to moderate based on BOD5. The quality of wastewater was declined at down-stream with decreasing DO and pH and increasing BOD5 pollutants. The mean concentrations of aldrin and endrin were about 0.66 ± 0.59 and 0.71 ± 1.07 µg/l, respectively. The maximum seasonal concentration of organochlorin pesticides (OCPs) were detected in fall, winter and spring for endosulfan sulfate, γ-BHC, heptachlor, endrin aldehyde compounds about 2.85, 0.34, 0.14 and 0.14µg/l, respectively. The maximum seasonal percentage range of OCPs in fall, winter and spring for endosulfan sulfate, DDD and β-BHC were 42, 25 and 25 %, respectively. The maximum seasonal concentrations during fall, winter and spring were detected in Sorkhroud and Polechelave stations for only Fe about 1.48, 3.3 and 8.22 µg/l, respectively. Also for Hg in spring was determined about 17.2 mg/l. The mean concentration of Zn, Fe and Hg in water sampled were 0.23 ± 1.01 and 1.21 ± 2.00 µg/l, respectively and 4.65± 6.38 mg/l. The maximum concentration of linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) in summer was 971µg/l. The mean concentration of surfactant during fall, winter, spring and summer was 418.62 ± 52.16 µg/l. The maximum seasonal percentage ranges of surfactant during fall, winter, spring and summer in all stations of sampling were 76, 76, 100 and 100 %, respectively. Tottaly 15 families of macrobenthos were identified in Haraz River. The maximum mean of abundance and biomass in Sorkhroud and Nour-roud stations were 1177±256 ind/m^2 and 3609±935mg/m^2, respectively. During Seasons, the maximum mean abundance and biomass were detected in fall and winter with 1185±444 ind/m^2 and 3891±849 mg/m^2, respectively. Water quality were classified by Hilsenhoff Biotic Index such as Sorkhrood station as "Very Poor", Isar town station as "Fairly Poor" and Karesang and Nor-roud stations as "good" qualification. The maximum of total coli forms and fecal coli forms in surface water were observed in Sorkhrood about 4.9 and 2.3CFU/100ml, respectively. The maximum of total coli forms and fecal coli forms in groundwater were observed in Halomsar and Absak stations about 4 and 1.7CFU/100ml, respectively. Maximum of total coli forms and fecal coli forms in wastewater were observed in Nor-roud station about 3.1 and 1.6CFU/100ml, respectively. The Ovary of nematode in wastewater were observed in Nor-roud and Isar Town stations about 30 through 124, respectively.

Background: One of the behaviors taken into consideration in organizations such as hospitals is organizational citizenship behavior. Recent studies have shown that organization employees show interest in organizational citizenship behavior and this subject may be influenced by demographic specifications.This study aims to determine the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and demographic specification (gender, age, marital status, educational qualifications, salary&wage ,ethnicity,employment type, work type, organizational post, place of employment and work experience) among selected hospitals employees of selected hospitals of Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciencesis Universities. Materials and Methods: This research has been implemented in six selected Hospitals of Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciencesis Universities and data was collected by distributing a questionnaire among 429 employees of these hospitals using a two-stages random sampling method.The research methodology has been cross-sectional- descriptive using field study. In order to accept or reject the research hypothesis kruskal-wallis and mann-whitneyU tests have been used. Results: Results showed that, the most studied demographic characteristics have an effect on organizational citizenship behavior of the staff of selected hospitals employees in Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences. Conclusion: Findings of this research indicated that men have shown more organizational citizenship behavior compared to women, Married people have shown higher organizational citizenship behavior compared to single and divorced people and people in the age class of 50 to 54 years have been the highest organizational citizenship behavior average. In addition to, people with master degree, have been the highest organizational citizenship behavior. Also our findings show that Ethnicity does not have effect on the incidence of organizational citizenship behavior.

Background and Objective: Pregnancy is a period of women’s life which is usually associated with reducing maternal daily physical activity. However, maintaining adequate daily physical activity is important for mother and fetus. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between exercise before and during pregnancy and gestational diabete mellitus (GDM). Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 80 pregnant women with gestational diabete mellitus and 57 non-diabetic pregnant women. Physical activity during one and eight years before, and first and second trimesters of pregnancy was recorded through interview. Results: Regular participation in exercise activities in non-diabetic women were significantly more than diabetic women during all periods (P<0.05). Regular participation in exercise during one year before and second trimester of pregnancy was inversely correlated to GDM (P<0.05). Energy expenditure of second trimester of pregnancy was significantly correlated to reduce GDM (P<0.05). Conclusion: Regular exercise before and during pregnancy can be effective in reducing the probability of GDM. Exercise during one year before and especially second trimester of pregnancy are more important predictors of GDM.

Background and objective: Alcoholic drinks are interested in societies since long time ago. Other than its psychological effects in drinkers, several researches have been done about ethanol side-effects. In this study, we investigate different aspects of ethanol consumption by oral intake. Results: Ethanol interferes in active transport of nutrients on the brush border. With regard to macronutrients, it disturbs the normal hydrolysis in the intestine. Although, lower absorption of macronutrients in the small intestine is compensated by their increased absorption in the lower gastrointestinal tract. It has been reported that ethanol intake at lower doses may protect the heart, but its prolonged intake could damage surface of villi, make lesions in the intestine, induce diarrhea, and stimulate growth of intestinal pathogens (known as endotoxemia). Chronic alcohol consumption induces inflammation and oxidative stress in drinkers, which affect the liver as the main metabolizing organ followed by brain. Reduced supply of antioxidants in drinkers and increased inflammation after alcohol intake makes the body susceptible to further infections. Conclusion: Despite the positive effect of ethanol in prevention of cardiovascular diseases at low doses, its negative impacts on the other organs are not deniable. Importantly, no sale level has been introduced for ethanol oral intake. Therefore, the scientists recommend to avoid its drinking every time.

Background and Objective: Colorectal cancer is the third common malignancy in the world. Personal habits including life style and nutrition have been proposed as risk factors of colorectal cancer. We conducted this study to assess the nutritional characteristics in colorectal cancer patients in Golestan province of Iran. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was done on 47 colorectal cancer cases, diagnosed during 2004-05 and 47 healthy controls. A questionnaire containing socio-demographic and nutritional characteristics (FFQ) was filled for each of the participants. Chi square test was used to assess the relationship between variables. Results: In each of the two groups, 40.4% were females and 59.6% were males. The mean±SD age of age in cases and controls were 52.4±13.4 and 52.1±13.1 years, respectively. Total energy expenditure of higher than 1837.5 Kcal/ day was significantly related to colorectal cancer (OR=3.8 95% CI: 1.2-11.3). Colorectal cancer risk was higher in individual with frying cooking method (OR=3 95% CI: 0. 8-11.1). The risk of colorectal cancer was 6.5 times higher in individuals with fat consumption of higher than 118.5 grams/day (95% CI: 1.5-28.8). No significant relationship was seen between vegetables consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer. Conclusion: This study showed that high total energy expenditure, high fat consumption and using frying method for cooking are risk factors of colorectal cancer in Golestan prevince in Nothern of Iran.

Background and Objective: Bunium percicum is often used in Iranian traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders particularly gastric ulcer.This study was done to evaluate the antiulcerogenic effect of Bunium percicum Boiss.essential oil against indomethacin and ethanol – induced ulcer models in Wistar rats. Methods: This experimental study was carried out on rats weighing 200-220 g in veterinary college of Urmia University, Iran. LD50 was calculated based on Lorke’s method. To evaluate the short term oral toxicity, animals were allocated into four group of six each. In groups 1-3 animals were received orally 250, 125, 80 mg/kg/bw of Bunium percicum Boiss.essential oil, respectively. Controls were received Tween 80 (2%) orally for 14 consecutive days and monitored daily. Bunium percicum Boiss. essential oil was administered orally at doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg/bw and cimetedin (10 mg/kg/bw) and omopirazol (30 mg/kg/bw) in indomethacin and ethanol–induced ulcer models. Results: The LD50 was 375 mg/kg/bw. Daily single oral doses of Bunium percicum Boiss.essential oil tolerated behaviorally after 14 days without any alterations in body and organs weight, food, water consumption and serum total protein, alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activity. The preventive index in doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg/BW of Bunium percicum Boiss.essential oil was 37.98% and 59.21%, respectively in the indomethacin -induced ulcer model (P<0.05). In the model of ethanol -induced ulcer, the preventive index in doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg of Bunium percicum Boiss. essential oil was 12.40% and 22.05%, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: The essential oil of Bunium percicum Boiss is completely ‘‘safe’’ and at the doses of 40 and 80mg/kg/bw significantly prevent gastric ulcers in animal model.

Economic growth planning and policy making is one of the macrocosmic goals which it need to pay specific attention to energy and environmental sector and their relationship with production. Therefore, this study has conducted to investigate the relationship between economic growth, energy consumption and environmental pollution using a Spatial Panel Simultaneous-Equations model for 9 developing countries during 2000-2011. Empirical results of this method show that energy consumption, economic growth and environmental pollution in each country is affected by these factors in neighboring countries. The results of research confirm there exists bidirectional causality between energy consumption and environmental pollution, economic growth and environmental pollution. Thus, there is a bidirectional causal relationship between energy consumption and economic growth. Regarding to result of this study suggests to achieve the sustainable economic growth should be used tax tools for controlling the emissions of CO2 and replacement of the renewable energies with fossil fuels.

Abstract Background: Increase of nitrate concentration in water sources is becoming a serious problem in many parts of the world. Nitrogen containing compounds released into environment can create serious problems, such as eutrophication of water sources and hazard potential to human health, because it has potency of causing methemoglubinemia disease and cancer. Between recommended methods, biological denitrification is an effective method to remove nitrate from water and wastewater. Materials and methods: In this study, biological nitrogen removal process was evaluated using ethanol, methanol and succinate as different organic carbon sources in batch scale. The different parameters, carbon source, initial nitrate concentration, pH, and inoculated of bacteria were evaluated. Results: The experimental results were showed that bacteria can not use methanol as carbon source. The dinitrifyers bacteria can dissimilate 200 mg/L No3-N, in the optimum condition: 28 ºC, pH 7.2 and initial inoculation of 3×108 CFU/ml, respectively. In the process, produced nitrate-N was less than 1 mg/l. Conclusion: The bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri can use ethanol as carbon source for biological denitrification, but efficiency of succinate was better than ethanol.