Sonographic measurement of cervical length and its relation to the onset of spontaneous labour and the mode of delivery.

Background: We aimed to investigate the relationship between cervical length at 37 weeks of pregnancy and the onset of spontaneous labour as well as mode of delivery.

Methods: We did a prospective observational study of 126 low-risk pregnant women with cephalic presentation who were not in labour, attending a south Tehran health centre for prenatal care. The length of the cervix was measured using transvaginal ultrasound (10 MHz endovaginal transducer) by a single sonographer at 37 weeks of gestation.

Statistical evaluation and modeling of cheap substrate-based cultivation medium of Chlorella vulgaris to enhance microalgae lipid as new potential feedstock for biolubricant.

Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) microalga was investigated as a new potential feedstock for the production of biodegradable lubricant. In order to enhance microalgae lipid for biolubricant production, mixotrophic growth of C.

Investigation of mixotrophic, heterotrophic, and autotrophic growth of Chlorella vulgaris under agricultural waste medium.

Growth of Chlorella vulgaris and its lipid production were investigated under autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic conditions. Cheap agricultural waste molasses and corn steep liquor from industries were used as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. Chlorella vulgaris grew remarkably under this agricultural waste medium, which resulted in a reduction in the final cost of the biodiesel production.

Optimization of factors affecting hexavalent chromium removal from simulated electroplating wastewater by synthesized magnetite nanoparticles.

Hexavalent chromium is a mutagen and carcinogen that is of significant concern in water and wastewater. In the present study, magnetite nanoparticles (n-Mag) were investigated as a potential remediation technology for the decontamination of Cr (VI)-contaminated wastewater. Synthesized n-Mag was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and BET-N2 technology.

Uptake of phosphorus and lead by Brassica juncea and Medicago sativa from chloropyromorphite.

In situ remediation of lead (Pb)-contaminated soils via phosphate amendments has been extensively used to immobilize Pb as pyromorphite. However, in phosphorus (P) deficient soils, plants may develop extensive root systems to access P in any P-containing minerals, thereby affecting the stability of Pb5 (PO4)3Cl (Chloropyromorphite; CP). We grew Brassica juncea and Medicago sativa in sand culture to evaluate the stability of CP in the presence or absence of hydroxyapatite (HA) as P source.

Sorption hysteresis of Cd(II) and Pb(II) on natural zeolite and bentonite.

Sorption hysteresis in natural sorbents has important environmental implications for pollutant transport and bioavailability. We examined sorption reversibility of Cd(II) and Pb(II) on zeolite and bentonite. Sorption isotherms were derived by sorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) from solutions containing a range of the metal concentrations corresponding to 10-100% maximum sorption capacity (SCmax) of the sorbents.

Ultrasound monitoring of temperature change in liver tissue during laser thermotherapy: 10 degrees C intervals.

In thermal tissue ablation, it is very important to control the increase in the temperature for having an efficient ablation therapy. We conducted this study to determine the efficacy of measuring pixel shift of ultrasound B-mode images as a function of change in tissue temperature. By fixing some micro thermocouples in liver tissues, temperature at different points was monitored invasively in vitro during laser-induced thermotherapy.

Sorption-desorption of cadmium in aqueous palygorskite, sepiolite, and calcite suspensions: isotherm hysteresis.

Sorption isotherms have been widely used to assess the heavy metal retention characteristics of soil particles. Desorption behavior of the retained metals, however, usually differ from that of sorption, leading to a lack of coincidence in the experimentally obtained sorption and desorption isotherms. In this study, we examine the nonsingularity of cadmium (Cd) sorption-desorption isotherms, to check the possible hysteresis and reversibility phenomena, in aqueous palygorskite, sepiolite and calcite systems.

The valine allele of the V89L polymorphism in the 5-alpha-reductase gene confers a reduced risk for hypospadias.

Context: Hypospadias is one of the most common malformations in man, with an incidence of 1:300 in newborn boys. No gene has been identified that causes isolated hypospadias, but the androgenic influence is important during male genital development.

Objective: A key enzyme for the androgenic function is steroid 5-alpha-reductase (SRD5A2).

Phosphorus dynamics in soils receiving chemically treated dairy manure.

Chemical treatment of animal manure with Al, Fe, and Ca salts appears capable of concentrating P in a smaller volume, thereby providing increased manure management options. However, little information is available on the fate of nutrients in soils receiving chemically treated manure. An incubation study (1 d to 2 yr) was conducted with three soils (Soils I, II, and III with 12, 66, and 94 mg kg(-1) Bray-1 P, respectively) and four manure treatments (one untreated and three chemical including Al-, Fe-, and Ca-treated) at two rates (12.

Solution chemistry effects on orthophosphate adsorption by cationized solid wood residues.

Adsorption of orthophosphate anions in aqueous solution by cationized milled solid wood residues was characterized as a function of sorbate-to-sorbent ratio (approximately equal to 0.001-2.58 mmol of P/g substrate), pH (3-9), ionic strength, I (no I control; 0.