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Introduction: The protein-energy malnutrition is the most prevalent cause of malnutrition and always occures in infants and children under 5 years old. According to the harmful effects of malnutrition, such as high mortality, inability of learning and decrease of mental and physical ability, reconnoite and study of malnutrition qualification is very important.
Material and Methods: This analytic cross-sectional study was carried out on 811 children under 5 years old who were living in rural zone of Arak. Based on health files, clinical inspections and interview with mothers a checklist was fulfilled for every child. Data were analysed by EPI6 software
Results: In this study, none of the children had stricken with Kwashiorkor or Marasmic-Kwashiorkor. Undernourished were seen in 7.39% and Marasmus were also seen in 1.1% of subjects. The prevalence of malnutrition was 7.5% in Wellcome, 33.55% in Waterlow-Stunting, 23.05% in Waterlow-Wasting and 30.94% in Gomez classification. There was statistically correlation between malnutrition and respiratory infection rate, milstones, birthweight, maturity and begning of helpfood (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the results, the most rate of malnutrition in each classification was mild. It is suggested that increasing of familial awareness is an important factor for preventing from next damages and additional treatment costs.

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Introduction: stress in the natural reflection of living creatures against internal and external motivations while stress hormones are secretion through cardiovascular, every production, and security systems. Some stress producing factors are muscular activities, anesthetics, surgery, starvation, water deprivation, etc. Thus, we studied effect of prenatal water deprivation stress on hormone level and sexual dimorphic nucleus in male rats. Materials and methods: In an experimental design, adult female and male Wistar rats (180 gr) acquired from Pastor institute and were coupled. Pregnant rats were divided randomly into control and experimental groups. Both groups were maintained under a controlled temperature (20±2°C) and photoperiod (13:11h, light: dark) conditions. Controlled group had food and water available ad lib, but experimental group had access to food and were deprived of water from the beginning of third week of pregnancy to the end of week. At 42 days at birth, male rats were slight anesthetic in order to prepare the blood and morphometric evaluations. Results: Plasma testosterone average level in experimental group was less than controlled groups (p<0.001), while in the comparison between experimental and controlled groups, progesterone indicates significant increment (p<0.001). There is no statistically significant regarding Estradiol level between both groups. Historical study indicated that the decreased size and number of neurons of MPO and Sch nuclei were significant in experimental compared to controlled ones. Conclusion: Prenatal water deprivation through affecting MPO and Sch nuclei, approximate inhibition of nuclei and decrease in secretion of Testosterone cause the emergence unusual sexual behavior and similar female sexual behaviors in male experimental rats in the postnatal and maturity.

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Introduction: Regarding the fact that dissanitation in swimming pools can cause a lot of diseases such as Dermatophytosis in swimmers, this study is done with the aim of determination of Dermatophytic infections in covered public swiming pools of Qom city during 2004. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study 480 samples were taken from six public swimming pools. Samples were carried to the laboratory where they were passed through milipore filters. Filters then were trasfered to mycosel agar medium and incubated for three weeks at 25 Co. Data was analyzed using fisher test. Results: Among 480 samples, eleven Dermatophytes (8/8 percent) were isolated and indentified as follow: Trichophyton Mentagrophytes (2/4%), Trichophyton Tonsuranse (1/6%), Trichophyton Equinum (1/6%), Trichophyton Verrucosum (0/8%) Trichophyton Rubrum (0/8%), Trichophyton Schoenlinii (0/8%) and Epidermophyton Floccosum(0/8%). There was a significant relationship between prevalence of Dermatophytes and disregarding of personal hygiene standards (p=0/0001) and no significant relationship between residual Chlorine of swimming pools and prevalence of Dermatophytes. Conclusion: Because the majority of isolated Dermatophytes were anthropophilic and had been transferred from swimmers to the swimming pools it is necessary to care personal hygiene standards and provide good sanitation conditions in water and environment of the swimming pools.

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  Background: Although the roles of steroid hormones in the activation and maintenance of reproductive function are proved well, emerging evidence indicated that these steroids influence on performance of learning and memory. These effects are complex and vary with task, gender, and age, as well as the regimens of steroid exposure. This study was carried out in order to assess the role of progesterone administration in newborns rats on Morris water maze learning ability after adolescence.

  Methods and Materials : This experimental study was carried out on 36 newborns Wistar rats. Rats were divided randomly into 6 groups female progesterone, male progesterone, female sesamoide, male sesamoid rats and male and female control rats. Progesterone groups were treated with a single injection of progesterone (100 mg/kg) and sesamoid groups were received the same volume of sesamoid oil as the progesterone vehicle in day 1 or 2 after brith, 60 days later, spatial memory ability was determined in Morris water maze.

  Results : The results of this study show that water maze learning can enhance by administration of sesamoid oil in newborn female pups in compared to progesterone and control groups (p<0.05). In addition, adding progesterone to sesame oil reduce water maze learning to control level.

  Conclusion: The hypothesis that progesterone impaired spatial reference memory in female rats was supported by this experiment.

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Background: Sensory signals and intrinsic activity of the neuronal circuits deeply influence on developing the sensory systems in early life. Light deprivation of animals is known as an established method in assessment of environmental signals in development of the nervous system. Methods and Materials: In this experimental study eighteen male rats at 75 days of postnatal age were used. The animals were divided in two groups, one reared in a cycle of 12light/12dark (light reared-LR) and the other keep in darkness since birth through experiment (Light deprived- LD). The animals were trained in a Morris water maze for spatial memory. They must navigate the maze until finding a platform hidden 1 cm below of water. Then, the time required and the distance spent to find the platform were measured for assessment of the animal behavior. Each animal was given 4 trials/day and the experiment lasted for 6 days. This stage was followed by probe and postprobe tests to evaluate how the learning is consolidated. Results: The results indicated that, compared to their LD counterparts, the LR group was superior in finding the platform where they required a noticeable shorter time to hit the platform(p<0.009). Also, animals in the LR group steered a shorter distance to find the target than did the LD animals(p<0.034). While the two groups elicited a considerable difference during the first half of the experiment both LR and LD rats demonstrated a similar behavior over the second half of the study. Conclusion: The light deprivation negatively influences the spatial navigation in water maze so that the visually deprived rats show less ability in searching the maze based on the spatial cues.

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Background: From a physiologic point of view, memory is formed through changes in synaptic conductivity from one neuron to the next. These changes result in the formation of long-term potentiation for conducting a message. Cannabis sativa has more than 61 components that are called cannabinoid. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aquatic extraction of cannabis sativa seed on spatial memory consolidation in rats. Materials and Methods: First, 40 Wistar rats, each nearly 250-320g, were divided into four experimental groups and a control group. Cannabis sativa seed was extracted with Soxhlet apparatus. To consolidate spatial memory, Morris water maze (MWM) test was administered in seven sessions, four trials for each session. Experimental groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 received 50mg/kg-1, 100mg/kg-1, 150mg/kg-1, 210mg/kg-1 peritoneal injections (IP), respectively. After memory consolidation, the position of platform area was changed and MWM was repeated for five days. Results: The results show that experimental groups 1, 2, and 3 had a significant decrease in learning time in the comparison to the control group (p<0.05), whereas experimental group 4 with a 210mg/kg-1 dose did not reveal any significant difference in comparison to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is likely that this long-term potentiation is done through depolarization-induced suppression inhibition (DSI) and depolarization-induced suppression excitatory (DSE) mechanisms in the CA1 area of Hippocamp that lead to neuro-plasticity through neurotransmitter regulation.

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Background: Hospital wastewater usually contains pathogenic micro-organisms, drugs, radio active materials, and toxic chemical elements that in case of being disposed without filtration, will result in pollution and spread of diseases. Therefore, evaluating the status of wastewater disposal in hospitals is necessary for proper planning. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive study in 2008, data collection was done by means of interviews, observations, and questionnaires in all hospitals of Markazi Province. Noticing the 33 items in the questionnaire, the overall conditions of the hospitals and the methods of using the sewage system were studied, and at the same time, filtration installations and wastewater disposal systems were inspected. Results: Of all the 19 hospitals, 10 used a conventional method of direct disposal of sewage to subterranean shafts, and of the 4 hospitals with filtration installations, three were practically out of order or were not efficient. Five of the hospitals were directly linked to the city sewage system without any pre-filtration. None of the hospitals had a specialized operator of sewage filtration and disposal system. Conclusion: Wastewater disposal in hospitals of Markazi Province is not desirable therefore, such acts as conducting more specific surveys, creating a positive attitude in planners, and providing sufficient funds for filtering wastewater in some of the hospitals are suggested.

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Background: Conjunctivitis is a common cause of reference to pediatrician and general hospitals. The common method of treatment is prescription of antibiotics however, there are concerns over the development of antibiotics resistance and their adverse effects. Therefore, this study was done to compare the effects of boiled water as supplementary treatment and antibiotics on the severity of infants' conjunctivitis. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 110 infants referring to the Pediatric Clinic of Amir Kabir Hospital in Arak were randomly allocated to 2 groups. The first group (intervention) received boiled water together with ophthalmic erythromycin ointment 1% and sulfastamid ophthalmic solution 10% four times a day and the second group (control) just received antibiotics. Severity of infants conjunctivitis on the first, third, and seventh days of treatment were compared between the two groups using SPSS software. Results: On the 3rd day, 18.2% of the infants in the intervention group and 9.1% of the infants in the antibiotics group were cured which did not indicate a significant difference (p=0.44). On the 7th day, the recovery rate was promoted to 32.7% and 34.5% in the intervention and control groups, respectively (p>0.05). Mild severity cases were 58.2% in the intervention and 45.5% in the control groups (p>0.05) while moderate severity cases of conjunctivitis were 9.1% and 20% in the intervention and control groups, respectively (p>0.05). Conclusion: Although the number of infants who were cured was more in the boiled water group with antibiotics group and the intensity and duration of their disease were less than the control group, these differences were not statistically significant.

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Background: Today, global concerns about water pollution with chemicals and its adverse impact on health have increased. This study aims to evaluate the physical and chemical quality of water treated through domestic water treatment systems.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, water samples were collected from 60 domestic water treatment systems and parameters, such as turbidity, total dissolved and suspended solid, total hardness and calcium, magnesium hardness, alkalinity, total alkalinity, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, sulfate, nitrite and fluoride, EC, pH, and free chlorine residuals, were examined.

Results: The results indicate that the average concentration of chemical parameters in treated water were: chloride=0.1mg/L, nitrate=0.006mg/l, sulfate=5 mg/l, Nitrate=15mg/L, bicarbonate=49 mg/L, calcium hardness=18 mg/L, and fluoride=0 mg/l.

Conclusion: The overall results of this study indicated that the use of municipal water treatment reduced Cl2, sulfate, and bicarbonate concentrations than the optimal levels in urban areas water. However, nitrite concentration was significantly higher in the output of these systems than distribution systems, which is a source of concern.

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Background: The conventional methods of water disinfection are chemical process, ozonation, UV radiation, membrane processes and etc. In recent years, electrolysis method has been considered that is a green process with high efficiency and not by-products. The aim of study is evaluation of efficiency of the electrolysis process with continuous flow in the disinfection of water contaminated with fecal coliform.

Materials and Methods: This study is a Descriptive - analytical study. The samples are prepared in three groups by adding domestic wastewater, manure and E.Coli colonies to distilled water. The prepared samples were introduced to continuous electrochemical reactor. The removal efficiency of electrolysis process was investigated in different conditions which include electrode material (copper and graphite compressed), reaction time (40, 50, 60 and 70 minutes), voltage 48V, distance of electrode 5 cm and the initial pH 7.

Results: The results indicate that removal efficiency depends on source of pollutant, reaction time, and type of electrode. Also the optimal efficiency for E.Coli colonies achieved in electrolysis instrument was as follows: electrode material = copper electrode, distance of electrode=5cm, applied voltage= 48V and reaction time=70 minute. Under these conditions removal efficiency was obtained 99%. No significant changes in pH, TDS and EC in different times and coliform bacteria were not created by changing the source.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, using the electrolysis process with continuous flow, as a convenient method with high performance and environmentally, suggest for the disin fecting the water contaminated with fecal Coliform.

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Background: Drugs residual discharge into the environment through municipal and hospital wastewaters is one of the emergent environmental problems. Imipenem as a professional hospital antibiotic is widely used against gram- positive and negative bacteria and with entrance to the aquatic environments could prompt a lot of risks such as bacteria resistance, allergies, spoiling alga and daphnia and interrupting in wastewater treatment processes. Therefore there is a command to develop a method for extraction and determination of Imipenem from hospital sewage.

Materials and Methods: Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to extract Imipenem from samples. Recovery percentage calculated at different pH of 3 and 7. The extracted samples analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) equipped with UV detector. HPLC operated using borate buffer/methanol as mobile phase at flow rate of 0.7 ml/min, column temperature of 20 °C, and UV wavelength of 280-300 nm.

Results: Maximum recovery percentage was obtained 68% at pH=7. The best condition for HPLC was 80:20 ratio of borate buffer/methanol with pH=7.5 and at UV wavelength of 300 nm. Linearity calculated 0.9829, primary and intermediate precision both were more than 95%. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 3 and 10 µg/l respectively.

Conclusion: The method could simply and with significant reliability be applied to extract and determinate Imipenem in complex hospital wastewater matrixes.

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Background and Aim: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative brain disease that gradually destroys memory and cognitive skills. The disease is caused by the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, oxidative stress, dysfunctions in the cholinergic system, neuronal killing inflammation, and ultimately brain atrophy. Donepezil and hyoscyamoside have inhibitory effects on these pathogens; therefore, their impact on the learning process of Alzheimer’s rats in the Morris Water Maze was investigated.
Methods & Materials:  In the present experimental study, 60 male rats of Wistar breed with approximately 7 weeks age within the control group (rats that received normal water and food), the PBS group (underwent surgery), PBS group (received solvent Aβ), the first Alzheimer›s group (animals that received beta-amyloid by Alzheimer’s surgery, second Alzheimer’s group (after Alzheimer’s surgery, they received 1 cc of normal saline daily, and treatment groups that treated the rats with beta-amyloid after Alzheimer. In the hyoscyamoside group, they received 10 mg/kg daily of hyoscyamoside for 28 days. The donepezil group received it 4 mg/kg daily for 28 days by gavage. The Morris Water Maze test was used to evaluate learning and memory. Data were analyzed by ANOVA statistical analysis and Post Hoc test.
Ethical Considerations: The Ethics Committee in Biomedical Research, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch approved the research (Code: IR.IAU.SRB.REC 1397.057)
Results: Beta-amyloid injection caused extensive damage to memory. The treatment groups with hyoscyamoside and donepezil spent less time and distance with a significant level (P<0.001) than the group of Alzheimer’s patients to find the hidden platform. In the reminder phase, where the previously hidden platform was located, they spent more time, with a significant level (P<0.001) in the local quarter.
Conclusion: Treatment of rats with hyoscyamoside and donepezil improved spatial memory in Alzheimer’s rats. They appear to play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Introduction: Exercise and physical activity have always been recommended as a core treatment for knee osteoarthritis. However, it is unclear which types of exercises have the most splendid effect on this condition. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two methods of water exercise (Traband exercise and NASM exercise) on pain and motor function in women with knee osteoarthritis.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study, with a design pre and post-test and a control group, 45 women with knee osteoarthritis with an average age = 56.5 years and a BMI = 29.04 kg/m2 were purposefully selected and divided into three groups (n = 15); Water Exercise with Theraband, Water Exercise with the NASM Approach and Control randomly. An exercise protocol with Theraband and NASM approach (approved by the Medical College of Georgia for patients with knee osteoarthritis) was performed for eight weeks, three sessions per week, and each session lasted about 60 minutes in the water. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and physical performance tests of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) were used to estimate the study variables. MANCOVA and post hoc Bonferroni tests were conducted to analyze the data at a significant level (P ≤ 0.05).
Results: The results showed that, similarly, in both experimental groups, the amount of pain and the time of tests TUG, 40MW, and SCT decreased significantly (P≥  0.05). In addition, in both experimental groups, there was a significant increase in the scores of the 30-S-CS and 6MWT tests (P≥  0.05).
Conclusions: These results showed the beneficial effects of training in water with the traband and training in water with the NASM approach on pain and motor performance indicators. Therefore, the use of these training methods is recommended as a suitable prevention and treatment method for knee osteoarthritis.