Background: Considering the rising prevalence of mental health issues among older adults and potential barriers to treatment seeking, investigating mental health literacy and attitudes toward ...professional psychological services in this demographic is crucial for enhancing access to care and fostering psychological well-being. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the association between mental health literacy (MHL) and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) among older adults attending health centers in Amol, Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 128 older adults attending health centers in Amol, Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023. Participants were selected using cluster random sampling and completed research instruments including O'Connor and Casey's Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and the short form of Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help (ATSPPH-S). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation coefficient in SPSS 24 software. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a positive and significant relationship between older adults' level of MHL and their ATSPPH (r = 0.28, P < 0.05). Tukey's post hoc test indicated a significant association between older adults' MHL and their educational level. Additionally, independent t-test results demonstrated a significant correlation between ATSPPH and gender as well as the history of visiting a psychologist or psychiatrist (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The study findings suggest that higher levels of MHL among older adults are associated with an increased willingness to seek professional psychological help. Therefore, initiatives aimed at enhancing MHL through education and promotion may play a vital role in encouraging older adults to seek appropriate support.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are major energy consumers and cause environmental impact on receiving waters. Many WWTPs are operated in a less-than-
optimal manner with respect to both ...treatment and energy efficiency. A better solution is to optimize the operation and processes of the existing WWTPs.
Therefore, the most effective process parameter for providing control strategies was determined.
The South WWTP of Tehran was designed and simulated based on the activated sludge model using MATLAB/
Simulink software for the first time in the country to obtain the factors affecting WWTP. To calibrate this model some kinetic and
stoichiometric coefficients were determined. Then the simulator validation was performed by three error calculation methods. Finally,
the values of three main controllers, including the optimum rate or return activated sludge (RAS), internal recycle (IR) and oxygen transfer coefficient (KLa) are determined using the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm.
According to the results, coefficients such as Y, kd, K and KS for Oxidation-Ditch process were in the range of 0.303-0.331mgVSS /mg sCOD, 0.030-0.033 1/day, 1.65-1.93 1/day and 37.6-44.92
mg sCOD/l, respectively and the Mean of COD, BOD5, TSS and TN removal was obtained 94.8 ± 0.4, 97.3 ± 0.65, 94.7 ± 1.5 and 56 ± 7.46, respectively. Also, the percentage of Root Mean Square for
TN, TSS, COD, BOD5 was 3.14%, 2.95%, 3.13% and 5.2%, respectively, Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.88, 0.93, 0.89, 0.99 and absolute mean error of 2.62%, 2.47%, 2.6% and 3.58%,
respectively, which shows that the simulation outputs are compatible with the effluent of plant. To achieve the best process performance conditions, RAS and IR must be considered for
1.7 and 0.8 percent of influent wastewater and K
La
is suggested to be 154 d-
1
.
Therefore, by using the optimization performed, the effect of other controllers on the process can be investigated and selected.
Despite the fact that there are wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) currently operational across Iran and great advances have been made in this area, there are still problems in the design, ...construction, and operation of WWTPs with large nonlinear systems, varying flow rates, and pollution charges. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of operating parameters including the return activated sludge (RAS) ratio, internal recycle (IR) ratio and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in an activated sludge system for the Modules 5&6 of the Southern Tehran WWTP. This study designed and simulated a plant based on the activated sludge model No.1 (ASM1) to determine the factors affecting wastewater treatment systems; then, the kinetic parameters were measured. The kinetic parameters such as the yield coefficient (Y), decay coefficient (Kd), maximum specific growth rate (K), and saturation constant (Ks) were in the range of 0.303-0.331g/g, 0.030-0.033d-1, 1.65-1.93d-1 and 37.6-44.92mg/l, respectively. The RAS ratios, IR ratios, and DO concentration varied from 0.2 to 2, 1 to 3.5, and 0.27 to 3.54 mg/l, respectively. The amount of RAS had the greatest impact on the effluent. The amounts of IR and DO concentration had no significant effect on the concentration of the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS) in the effluent. After the RAS, the amount of IR had the most direct effect on reducing the effluent total nitrogen (TN) concentration. As a result, the overall removal efficiency increased up to 75% when the IR rate was 200% of the influent flow rate, the RAS rate was 90% of the influent flow rate, and the DO concentration in the first aeration unit was 2 mg/l considering the aeration cost. Therefore, proper operating parameters can provide the best quality of effluent that meets environmental standards.
Imipenem, a member of the carbapenem class of beta-lactam antibiotics, is a broadly active antimicrobial. Due to indiscriminate use, drug resistance has spread in many hospitals. The aim of this ...study was to evaluate utilization of imipenem in Imam Khomeini educational hospital in Sari. Over a three-month period from September to November 2010, all patients who received imipenem during hospitalization were included. Demographic data, duration of imipenem therapy, dose, dosage adjustment in renal insufficiency and co-prescribed antimicrobials were extracted from patients' medical files. Recommendations of UpToDate 20.2 and Sanford 2009 were considered as standards of rational imipenem prescribing. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 17 software. High rate of empiric prescription of imipenem without considering culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results, lack of attention to dosage adjustment in renal insufficiency and initiation of antimicrobial therapy at the time of admission were the most important aspects of irrational use of imipenem that observed in this study. Providing a reliable culture/sensitivity setup and prescribing of imipenem based on a specific guideline are recommended.
