The use of waste water for irrigation is on the rise, particularly in peri-urban areas of developing countries. Effects of municipal waste water application on soil and eldar pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) trees were studied. Two areas irrigated by municipal waste water and well water (for at least 15 years) were selected south of Tehran, Iran. Data was collected using the technique of systematic random sampling with 4 replicates in either or both fields. Observations included the measurement of tree diameter at breast height (d.b.h.), total height, crown length, average crown diameter, basal area and standing volume, needle mineral composition and changes in soil properties. Application of municipal waste water produced better growth in P. eldarica as compared with well water. Concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn as well as the values of pH, EC, SOC, CaCO3 were greater in needles of trees irrigated with municipal waste water than of those with well water. All measured parameters of soil showed their greatest values in the upper layer of soil (0-0.15 m). Irrigation using municipal waste water did not result in toxicity of elements of needles and soil. This study confirms that municipal waste water could be utilized as an important source of water and nutrients in growing P. eldarica to increase biomass production.
Cattle manure has a high carbon/nitrogen ratio and may not decompose; therefore, full-dose application of urea fertilizer might improve biological properties by increasing manure decomposition. This study aimed to investigate the effect of combining cattle manure and urea fertilizer on soil CO2 flux, microbial biomass carbon, and dry matter accumulation during Nigella sativa L. (black cumin) growth under field conditions. The treatments were control, cattle manure, urea, different levels of split and full-dose integrated fertilizer. The results showed that integrated application of cattle manure and chemical fertilizer significantly increased microbial biomass carbon by 10%, soil organic carbon by 2.45%, total N by 3.27%, mineral N at the flowering stage by 7.57%, and CO2 flux by 9% over solitary urea application. Integrated application increased microbial biomass carbon by 10% over the solitary application and the full-dose application by 5% over the split application. The soil properties and growth parameters of N. sativa L. benefited more from the full-dose application than the split application of urea. Cattle manure combined with chemical fertilizer and the full-dose application of urea increased fertilizer efficiency and improved biological soil parameters and plant growth. This method decreased the cost of top dressing urea fertilizer and proved beneficial for the environment and medicinal plant health.
Advances in 64-row multidetector computed tomography have provided noninvasive imaging of coronary arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of coronary artery anomalies in Iranian symptomatic patients and to determine the presence of anomalies resulting in myocardial ischaemia without atherosclerotic plaque. This study was carried out in Tabriz University of medical sciences on 534 patients with suggestive symptoms for coronary artery diseases. Original slices were reconstructed from data achieved by using a ECG-gated multidetector computed tomography scanner, and reconstructed 3-dimentional images of the heart were reviewed. Congenital angiography was performed in 36.3% of patients. The prevalence of myocardial bridging in symptomatic patients was 6.0% by multidetector computed tomography while conventional angiography could detect 20% of them. The most prevalent site was the middle portion of the left anterior descending artery. Anomalous origin or course of coronary arteries and AV fistula was detected by multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography in 2.6% of cases while conventional angiography could detect 44.4% of these anomalies. The prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques in patients with myocardial bridging was 53.1%. In 46.9% of these patients, myocardial bridging was held responsible for signs and symptoms of myocardial ischaemia as no atherosclerotic plaque was evident. This rate was 64.3% in symptomatic patients with other anomalies in origin or course of coronary arteries. This study gives the prevalence of coronary artery anomalies and myocardial bridging in the Iranian population. The results suggest multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography as the preferred utility for diagnosing such anomalies. (Folia Morphol 2009; 68, 4: 201–206)
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