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Various biological agents including fungi are effective in the symptoms of the sick building syndrome. Fungal growth and activity depend on environmental parameters, which causes different types of fungi to be observed in the indoor environment. In this study, the relationship between sick building syndrome and fungal activity was reviewed. Articles were selected by applying a search protocol and inclusion criteria. The health consequence of fungi in the indoor environment such as allergies were discussed in three separate categories. The health consequences of fungal metabolites such as mycotoxins were also reviewed. Also, factors affecting fungal growth activity such as humidity and temperature were discussed. Strategies to control the sick building syndrome associated with fungi were defined and discussed in three congeries. Identifying the factors affecting fungal activity and the symptoms caused by them can be useful in using the optimum method to control the sick building syndrome caused by fungi. Assessment of the health risk associated with sick building syndrome for residential and office buildings and the effectiveness of strategies such as improving physical conditions or disinfection in reducing it can be considered in future studies.

Background/objectives: A group of environmental carcinogens are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are formed during the incomplete combustion of organic materials. The aims of this study was evaluated the Characterization, ratio analysis, and carcinogenic risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds bounded PM10 in a southwest of Iran. Methods: In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, was conducted in every 4 seasons. In each region, 20 air samples and a total of 40 samples were collected by the OMNI device in two regions. Results: Based on result of this study in the cold season the average concentration total of PAHs was higher than in the hot season. Anthracene and fluorine with 4.70 and 4.25 ng/m3 in the cold season and naphthalene and anthracene with 4.07 and 3.48 ng/m3 in the warm season were the highest mean concentration among other organic compounds. The results of diagnostic ratios also showed that the main source PAHs of in the air of Shushtar city is fossil fuel and the use of gasoline cars. Conclusion: According to the results the mean amount of PAHs in the cold season is higher than in the hot season, and the effects of temperature on it can aggravate these pollutants. Considering that PAHs are mainly produced as a result of the use of fossil fuels and transportation, it is necessary to pay more attention to these pollutants and control the sources of their emission. It is also necessary to create a culture in society in order to increase the use of public transportation.

Objective(s): Studies show that chronic injuries like air pollution or acute damage such as hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) cause various cellular pathologies such as oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation in hepatocytes. p-Coumaric acid (p-CA) is known as an antioxidant with many therapeutic impacts on inflammatory-related pathologies. In this experiment, we aimed to assess the hepatoprotective effects of p-CA on liver damage induced by dust and IR injury in adult male rats. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight adult male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups; Control (CTRL); sham; DMSO+Dust+Laparotomy (LPT); DMSO+Dust+Ischemia-reperfusion (IR); p-CA+Dust+LPT; and p-CA+Dust+IR. Clean air, DMSO, p-CA, and dust were administrated 3 days a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Animals were sacrificed, the blood samples were aspirated and the liver sections were prepared for biochemical and histopathological assessments. Results: Significantly (P

Recently, the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased among workers of meat processing plants (MPPs) around the world. This study reviewed the possible routes of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and useful actions against it in slaughterhouses. The results revealed that the main factors for the spread of the virus included low indoor temperature, crowded area, wrong standing along production lines, contamination of high-touch surfaces, difficult education of workers with diverse native languages, low financial income, large MPPs with over 10 million Ib of packed meat per month, higher speed of production lines with 175 birds/minute, temporary contract of the workers, and weak approach of some meat processing companies against COVID-19 infection such as National Beef. COVID-19 transmission rate was 24 times higher among the workers of MPPs than among the population of the US. The practical actions against the spread of the virus were mainly marker using for remembering the previous location, mandatory mask use, especially FFP2/3 masks, and decentralization of large MPPs. By using the results of this study, slaughterhouse managers would be able to significantly control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and future bio-threats to workers of MPPs and even to society.

Nowadays, the air of most of Iran's cities especially high population metropolises hasn’t an optimal quality. This adverse quality is due to various pollutant resources such as automobiles, industries, heating devices, construction, and commercial activities during recent decades and there are more concerns about it. Therefore, monitoring air pollutants and studying their seasonal and spatial variations are specifically important. The present study aimed to evaluate air quality and seasonal and spatial variations of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in Tehran city. In this research, the AQI index has been used to determine the air quality of Tehran and to introduce the responsible pollutant. To investigate the variations of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in seasonal and spatial scales, the data of air pollution monitoring stations (18 stations) of Air Quality Control Company was used in 2018 and 2019. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS software and results of statistical analysis of pollutants distribution in Temporal – spatial scales are provided and they are drawn using Arc GIS software and analytical function of inverse Distance Weighting interpolation (IDW) as maps, tables, and graphs. Based on the results, favorable and unfavorable air quality were respectively observed in 83.8 and 16.2% of days in 2018, as well as 76.4 and 23.6% of days in 2019, which can be related to the changes in rainfall rate and wind speed in the years. The maximum seasonal concentration of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) relates to summer and winter respectively and the minimum seasonal concentration of both pollutants relates to spring. Results of inverse Distance Weighting interpolation (IDW) also showed that the west, south, and central regions of Tehran got involved with particulate matter more than other regions.

Introduction: Particulate matter (PM) increases the risk of heart disorders. Gallic acid (GA) with strong antioxidant properties has shown an effective role in reducing the complications of various diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of Gallic acid in preventing cardiac arrhythmias due to exposure to particulate matter. Methods: In this study, 40 rats were placed in 4 groups including: control, Particulate matter (5 mg/kg), Gallic acid (30 mg/kg) and particulate matter + Gallic acid. The rats were anesthetized, blood pressure was measured with a tail cuff, and the lead Π of electrocardiogram was examined to record the prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias. Oxidative stress factors were evaluated in blood samples of all groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 and ANOVA statistical test. Results: The results showed the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia in rats exposed to particulate matter compared to the control group. Gallic acid significantly reduced the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias ventricular tachycardia (P=0.006), ventricular fibrillation (P=0.0005) and premature ventricular contraction (P=0.0041) in the particulate matter group. The Malondialdehyde levels in the particulate matter group showed a significant increase (P=0.0049) that this increase caused oxidative stress and reduced the levels of superoxide dismutase (P=0.00031) and catalase (P=0.0019) in the particulate matter group compared to the control group. The Gallic acid administration improved the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion: The results of this study show that Gallic acid as a natural antioxidant agent could prevent cardiac complications caused by exposure to particulate matter.

Objective(s): Exposures to particulate matter (PM) have been related to increased risk for cardiovascular health effects and can promote cardiac ischemia and oxidative stress. Crocin has strong antioxidant properties and stress-reducing effects. Therefore, this study considered the effect of crocin on cardiovascular parameters in rats exposed to PM10.Materials and Methods: Forty Wistar rats (male, 250–300 g) were grouped as control, receiving normal saline and crocin, receiving PM10, receiving PM10+Crocin. Instillation of PM10 into the trachea was done. Forty-eight hours after exposure to the normal saline or PM, the heart was separated. Hemodynamic and electrophysiological factors were measured. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase activity (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), xanthine oxidase, were evaluated by kits.Results: The voltage of the QRS complex was significantly reduced and PR and QTc intervals increased in PM10 groups. Hemodynamic parameters before ischemia and in the ischemic-reperfusion stage, in the PM10 group, showed a significant decrease. In the ischemic hearts of the PM10 group, a significant decline in the activity of CAT, SOD, and GPx, and a significant increase in MDA and XOX enzymes activity were observed, and crocin improved all of these factors. Conclusion: Cardiac ischemia causes abnormal hemodynamic factors of the heart, which are exacerbated by PM10 and further reduce the heart’s contractile strength. Increased oxidative stress due to PM10 is probably one of the important reasons for these changes. This study suggests that the use of antioxidants such as crocin improves the cardiovascular adverse effects of myocardial ischemia and PM10 exposure.

Background: Air pollution is an important environmental issue due to its proven serious impacts on human health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of suspended particles (PM2.5 and PM10) and its relationship with the rate of death due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Susangard during 2014-2016. Methods: This study was performed cross -sectional to assess health impacts of PM2.5 and PM10 by using Air Q software. Results: The results showed that the highest annual average concentration was of PM2.5 and PM10 in 2016, which consisted of 58.07 and 356.89 μg/m3, respectively. The highest and lowest average concentration of PM2.5 was observed in April and December, respectively, and the highest and lowest average concentration of PM10 in July and November. Daily analysis showed that there was 178 dusty out of three years of the study, the most severe dust day occurred in 2016. Percentage of overall mortality attributed to PM2.5 in people over 30 years of age according to the estimate of the average relative risk in 2014-16 equal to 25.23%, 20.6% and 24.21%, The mortality attributed to ischemic heart disease was 62.87%, 60.74% and 43.62%, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the health effects attributed to PM2.5 included mortality for all-causes, cardiovascular and respiratory deaths in the city of Susangerd, which requires more attention from officials and specialists to control air pollution.

Research objectives: Intertwined with modern life, air pollution is not a new phenomenon. Air pollution imposes a significant number of deaths and disease complications on society, and therefore it is very important to determine the extent of its effects on health in any society. This study sought to evaluate the concentration and short-term and long-term excess mortality attributed to PM2.5, NO2 and O3 observed in Shahrekord. Procedure: Hourly concentrations of PM2.5, O3, and NO2 measured at different stations of the Shahrekord Monitoring Network were obtained from the Shahrekord Department of Environment (DOE). Then, for different air quality monitoring stations, the average 24-hour PM2.5 concentration, the one-hour average NO2 concentration and the maximum 8-hour daily O3 concentration were calculated using Excel 2010. When the maximum 8-hour daily ozone level exceeds 35, it drops below 35 to calculate the SOMO35 index for modeling. Results: The death rates of IHD, COPD, lung cancer and ALRI and stroke related to PM2.5 were 176, 7, 0, 10, 105, respectively. The effect of ozone on respiratory mortality was zero. During the study period in Shahrekord, no respiratory mortality was determined due to ozone and acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). this study is first ever study on health effects of air pollution in shahrekord city Conclusion: A significant number of deaths due to air pollutants in Shahrekord have been reported. It can be concluded that by designing and implementing strategies and measures to control air pollution, both health effects and economic losses are prevented.

Due to the increasing population of the world, the presence of harmful compounds, especially phthalate esters (PAEs), are one of the important problems of environmental pollution. These compounds are known as carcinogenic compounds and Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) for humans. In this study, the occurrence of PAEs and the evaluation of its ecological risks were carried out in the Persian Gulf. Water samples were collected from two industrial sites, a rural site and an urban site. Samples were analyzed using magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique to measure seven PAEs including Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), and Di-iso-butyl phthalate (DIBP). The BBP was not detected in any of the samples. The total concentration of six PAEs (Σ6PAEs) ranged from 7.23 to 23.7 μg/L, with a mean concentration of 13.7μg/L. The potential ecological risk of each target PAEs was evaluated by using the risk quotient (RQ) method in seawater samples, and the relative results declined in the sequence of DEHP >DIBP > DBP > DEP > DMP in examined water samples. DEHP had a high risk to algae, crustaceans and fish at all sites. While DMP and DEP showed lower risk for all mentioned trophic levels. The results of this study will be helpful for the implementation of effective control measures and remedial strategies for PAEs pollution in the Persian Gulf.

Objective: The burden of diseases and death related to environmental pollution is becoming a major public health challenge. This study was designed to evaluate the deleterious effects of a combination of dust exposure and high-fat diet on liver function. Gallic acid as a potent antioxidant was used to prevent/alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats exposed to dust and HFD. Materials and Methods: 24 rats were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups: HFD+Clean air, HFD+N/S+Dust and HFD+gallic acid+Dust. Animals were exposed to CA/ dust for six weeks on alternate days. At the end of the experiments, rats were anesthetized and samples were taken to perform molecular, biomedical, and histopathological evaluations. Results: Dust exposure induced NAFLD features in rats under HFD. Dust exposure and HFD disrupted liver enzymes and lipid profile. Dust exposure and HFD increased liver MDA level, mRNA expression of NF-Kβ, TNF-α, IL-6, Nrf2, HO1 and miRs122, and 34a. Dust+HFD also decreased liver total antioxidant capacity level. Pretreatment with GA improved almost studied variables in the HFD+GA+Dust group. Conclusion: The present study showed that HFD given for 6 weeks and dust exposure induced NAFLD in Wistar rats through inducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress through activating the inflammatory pathways caused NAFLD features. GA pretreatment by inhibiting oxidative stress, effectively protected liver functions against HFD+Dust induced inflammation.

Background and Objectives: The main topic of this study was to impact assessment of the outcome of Acute Lower Respiratory Infection (ALRI) attributed to PM2.5 exposure using the AirQ+ model in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, as one of the most polluted cities in the world during the period (2008-2017). Methods: Mortality data (including population and incidence of health outcome) and PM2.5 were obtained from the Deputy Minister of Health, Environmental Protection, and Meteorological Organizations of Ahvaz. After validating the data according to WHO guidelines, they entered the AirQ+ software. Also, BI values ​​in 100 thousand people and RR with 95% confidence intervals were used. Results: The highest concentration of PM2.5 was in 2010 (70.72 µg/m3) and the lowest in 2014 (41.97 µg/m3) and in all years of measurement the amount of PM2.5 was higher than the WHO standard (10 µg/m3) was. The results showed that in the health outcome of ALRI, there was a significant relationship between PM2.5 concentration, ratio, and attributed cases. Thus, with the increase of air pollution in Ahvaz due to PM2.5 pollutants, mortality and risk of this disease increased. During the ten years under study, the highest proportions and attributed cases of AP, BE, and NE in all health outcomes were observed in 2010. In ALRI, 41.43% were 8 and 10 people. Conclusion: It can be concluded that appropriate measures and policies should be adopted to reduce air pollution in the control of PM2.5 pollutant sources. Until it reduced the health effects of this pollutant in urban children under 5 years of age.

Background: T Exposure of normal subjects to dust storm (DS) with different doses of ambient air-born dusty particulate matter (PM) causes memory and locomotion impairment, anxiety and depression-like behaviors. This study was designed to investigate the effect of sub-chronic exposure to DS with inhalation of ambient PM in a designed special chamber on cognition, anxiety, depression, locomotion behaviors, brain tissue inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant indices in healthy adult rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (250-300 g) were divided randomly into the 4 groups: Sham (clean air, contains the least dusty PM < 150 μg/m3), DS1 (200-500 μg/m3 PM), DS2 (500-2000 μg/m3 PM) and DS3 (2000- 8000 μg/m3 PM). Rats were exposed to the clean air or different sizes and concentrations of PM in DS during the first 4 consecutive days of each week in an experimental actual-ambient dust exposure chamber. Results: Sub-chronic exposing to dust storm PM impaired avoidance memory and locomotion, increased anxiety and depression like behaviors. These disturbances were in line with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in brain tissue and suppressing the antioxidant indexes. Conclusion: Current findings indicated that exposure to ambient PM due to DS caused cognitive, anxiety, depression-like and locomotion behaviors impairment by increasing the neuroinflammatory responses and suppressing the antioxidant indexes in the brain.

Introduction: Scientific evidence suggests the role of environmental pollutants, especially particulate mater in oxidative stress. However, the regular aerobic training has an important role in enhancing antioxidant defense and resistance to oxidative stress. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 6 weeks of aerobic training on the oxidative stress condition of male Wistar rats exposed to particulate matter. Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male rats (245 ± 8.5 g) aged 10 weeks, were divided into 4 groups of 8 rats each. The rats received the infusion of the particulate matter for 6 weeks through the nose. The exercise program included 6 weeks of aerobic training with 50% of maximum exercise; at the end of 6 weeks of the program, 24 hours after the last exercise session, blood samples were taken. Descriptive one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used in different groups. If analysis were significant, differences between groups were estimated using LSD test. Significance was defined as P≤0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16. Results: After 6 weeks of aerobic training, levels of Malondialdehyde in both groups: healthy exercise and particulate matter+exercise decreased significantly and in the infected group (P≤0.05), but did not show significant difference compared to the control group (P≥0.05). The level of Superoxide dismutase in the infected group showed a significant increase. There was no significant difference between the two Glutathione peroxidas and catalase enzymes in each group (P≥0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that aerobic training may be effective in reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant defense.

Background: The production and consumption of pharmaceutical compounds, including antibiotics, and their entry into the environment have raised concerns for experts. It is important to find appropriate methods for treatment of these pollutants from aquatic environments. In this study, nano-persulfate process using green synthesis of zero iron nanoparticles was used in decomposition of the antibiotic Metronidazole (MNZ). Methods: In this study, first, zero iron nanoparticles were synthesized using oak leaves. Then, the characteristics of these nanoparticles were determined using electronic images such as SEM, and TEM. In the experimental part of the study, the effect of operating conditions such as nZVI dosage, persulfate concentration and pH of the PS/nZVI process on degradation of MNZ in aqueous solution Was examined. Results: The results of this study showed that the PS/nZVI process had an acidic nature for removal of MNZ. The optimal conditions for this process were: the dosage of nZVI was 1.8 g/l, the concentration of persulfate was 1.5 mg/l, and pH was 3 for the degradation of 50 mg/l MNZ at contact time of 90 min. The maximum MNZ removal efficiency using PS / NZVI process was about 98.4 % in these conditions. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the synthesis of green zero iron nanoparticles is an economical and environmentally friendly method that can be used to remove MNZ from aqueous solutions.

Background and purpose: Increasing population and urbanization density and as a result increasing impermeable levels, led to an increase in the volume of urban runoff. Applying simulation models is a suitable way to know the amount of runoff quality parameters. This study aims at evaluating the quality of urban runoff in Shushtar city using storm water management model (SWMM). Materials and Methods: Two given rainfall events in 1395 for calibration and validation of the model were considered. The parameters related to the first rainfall event were measured at the outlet of the urban drainage system. Quantitative and qualitative calibration of the model was performed using the first rainfall and model validation was performed using the second rainfall. Results: In the hydraulic calibration, mean values of impermeability, slope, catchment width and manning coefficient were estimated to be 50%, 75%, 25 m and 0.013, respectively. In the qualitative calibration, the coefficients of the Build-up equations for TSS, COD and Zn were equal to 95-25, 48-1, 1- 0.09, respectively. The coefficients of Wash-off equations for TSS, COD and Zn were estimated 0.21- 0.8, 0.2-0.8 and 0.19-0.78, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the accurate calibration of the model enhances the ability of the model to estimate the quantitative and qualitative parameters in future rainfall events for the study area. According to the results, the modeling is a powerful tool that can be very useful to improve runoff management.

The presence of criteria air pollutants (CAP) in the ambient air of a populated inhalation region is one of the main serious public health concerns. The present study evaluated the number of cardiovascular mortalities (CM), hospital admissions with cardiovascular disease (HACD), and hospital admissions for respiratory disease (HARD) due to CAP exposure between 2010 and 2014. The study used the Air Q model and descriptive analysis to investigate the health endpoint attributed to the ground level of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfide dioxide (SO2), and particle matter (PM10). Baseline incidence (BI) and relative risk (RR) are the most important factors in the evaluation of health outcomes from exposure to CAP in the ambient air of a populated area according to EPA and the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Our study showed that annual cases of cardiovascular mortality during the period 2010–2014 relating to particle mater were 478, 506, 469, 427, and 371; ozone was 19, 24, 43, 56, and 49; nitrogen dioxide was 18, 20, 23, 27, and 21; and sulfide dioxide was 26, 31, 37, 43 and 11, in the years 2010 to 2014, respectively. These results indicate that the number of hospital admissions for respiratory disease attributed to PM were 2054, 2277, 2675, 2042, and 1895; O3 was 27, 35, 58, 73, and 63; NO2 was 23, 24, 15, 25, and 18; and SO2 was 23, 24, 25, 30, and 20, in the years from 2010 to 2014, respectively. The results also showed that the number of hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease related to particle mater was 560, 586, 529, 503, and 472; ozone was 22, 32, 38, 55, and 51; nitrogen dioxide was 19, 18, 13, 21, and 14; and sulfide dioxide was 12, 14, 16, 22, and 9, in the same period, respectively. Observations showed that most of the pollution was from outdoor air and in the human respiratory tract. Increased levels of sulfide dioxide, particle matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone can cause additional morbidity and mortality for exposed populations. According to the results, it is possible to help increase the level of public health. The use of these findings could also be of great help to health professionals and facilitators at regional and national levels.

Introduction: Inadequate air quality is one of the environmental hazards factors imposing a significant number of deaths and complications of diseases on society. Therefore, it is highly important to determine the extent of its effects on health in communities. This study sought to assessment the concentration and additional short- and long-term mortality attributed to Particulate Matter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Ozone (O3) were observed in Ahwaz from 2012 to 2018 using AirQ+. Materials and methods: Daily and hourly concentrations of PM2.5, ozone and NO2 were obtained from Department of Environment in Ahvaz. Then, the mean concentration of 2.5 PM2.5 for 24 h, the mean concentration of NO2 for 1 h and the maximum concentration of O3 for 8 h daily were calculated using Excel 2010. Finally, to calculate the annual sum of maximum daily 8-h ozone means over 35 ppb (SOMO35) index, concentrations above 35 were collected and entered into the software. Results: The mean seven-year concentrations of PM2.5, NO2 and O3 were 68.21 (±135.86%), 24.46 (±22.79%) µg/m3 and 24.48 (±13.77%) ppb, respectively. The death rates of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung cancer and Acute Lower Respiratory tract Infections (ALRI) and stroke related to PM2.5 were 2023, 128, 110, 23, 802, respectively. The number of respiratory deaths attributed to ozone was 68. Conclusion: The results show a high number of deaths due to bad weather in Ahvaz. It can be concluded that by designing and implementing appropriate and correct solutions and decisions, both health and economic losses are prevented.

Objectives: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) is created by various mechanisms mainly including the production of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) and other class A, B, and D beta-lactamases (e.g., OXA-48). The present study was undertaken to assess the occurrence of blaKPC and blaOXA-48 genes among K. pneumoniae isolates. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 110 K. pneumoniae strains were collected from clinical samples from 2 teaching hospitals in Khorramabad, Iran. Susceptibility testing and modified-Hodge test (MHT) for K. pneumoniae isolates were performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute procedures, followed by carrying out the detection of blaKPC and blaOXA-48 genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, genetic similarity among the tested strains tested was determined by the repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) method. Results: Up to 110 K. pneumoniae, the highest resistance and susceptibility rates pertained to ampicillin and ertapenem, respectively. In addition, 10 (9%) isolates were considered as carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae by the MHT. Although 13 (11.8%) isolates were blaOXA-48-positive, none of them were harboring blaKPC. Eventually, 13 and 44 clusters were distinguished in hospitals A and B by rep-PCR, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that resistance to carbapenems among K. pneumoniae isolates were relatively common in our region. Moreover, the disseminated clones in our hospitals had mainly diverse origins.

Objectives: The principal mechanism of resistance in many clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus involves the inactivation of aminoglycoside antibiotics by aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs). The present study identified the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and the prevalence of AMEs among S. aureus strains. Materials and Methods: To carry out this cross-sectional research, a total of 100 S. aureus were gathered from the university hospitals in Khorramabad, Iran, from January to November 2017. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates was determined using the disk diffusion method according to the guidelines suggested by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. The samples were assayed to detect the presence of three AME genes by the use of a triplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results: The prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 14.7% (50/340). In addition, 15%, 10%, 15%, and 8% of the total isolates were found to be resistant to gentamicin, amikacin, kanamycin, and netilmicin, respectively. Further, aac(6′)/aph(2′′), aph(3′)-IIIa, and ant(4′)-Ia genes were present in 17%, 12%, and 0% of the isolates, respectively. Based on the results, the double combination of aac(6′)/aph(2′′) and aph(3′)-IIIa genes were only observed among clinical-isolated strains (12/50, 24%), which predominantly were resistant to oxacillin (10/12, 83.3%). Eventually, the aac(6′)/aph(2′′) gene was found in all isolates that were phenotypically resistant to gentamicin and kanamycin. Conclusions: These findings indicated that resistance to aminoglycosides is significantly related to methicillin-resistance (P

Background and Objectives: Recently, the rise of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from hospital healthcare workers (HCWs) and various infectious samples has become one of the main concerns in hospital settings. Therefore, epidemiological studies are necessary to monitor antibiotic resistance patterns in each region and to study the pathogenesis of this strain to control infections. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 100 S. aureus isolates, including 50 isolates obtained from the anterior nares of healthcare workers, as well as 50 other isolates cultured from the various clinical specimens from the referral hospitals in Khorramabad (West of Iran) were tested. All isolates were examined to determine antibiotic resistance pattern, and the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (sea), staphylococcal enterotoxin B (seb) and mecA genes. Results: The mecA gene was found among 36% (18/50) of the clinical S. aureus isolates (CSIs) and 14% (7/50) of nasal S. aureus isolates (NSIs), with statistically significant difference (X2 = 6.53; p = 0.011). The difference between the frequency rate of sea gene among MRSA strains isolated from clinical specimens (46.6%, 7/15) was significant compared to strains isolated from nostrils (14.3%, 1/7) (X2 = 3.85; p = 0.049). Conclusion: The frequency of mecA, sea, and seb genes among the clinical samples was more than strains isolated from the nostrils of healthcare personnel.

Thepresent study aimed to investigate the description and determination of municipal waste management in seven cities located in Shadegan wetland region, Iran. Some parameters were evaluated, including the waste generation rate, weight density rate, moisture content, pH, and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio. In addition, the current status of waste management in the region was assessed using a simple questionnaire and via interviews with households and field surveys. According to the findings, the generation rate of solid wastes was 0.55-0.8 kg/capita/day. The wastes contained approximately 70% of corruptible materials, more than 12% of plastic, and approximately 9% of paper and paperboard. The density, moisture content, pH, and C/N were estimated at 3,242 kg/m, 72.7%, 5.6, and 23.4, respectively. In Shadegan wetland region, recycling was active through the informal sectors, while there was no definite program for source reduction and recycling. Daily collection operations were carried out with no specific programs and prioritization in determining the route of the vehicle and performed manually in optimal conditions. Moreover, the final disposal was observed to be poor and in the dumping form. The obtained results indicated that the wastes in the region had considerable potential for recycling and composting. Therefore, it is recommended that integrated waste management be applied through the improvement of the regulations, environmental education, development of source reduction programs, organized recycling, mechanization of waste collection, establishment of central composting plants, and selection and design of safe landfills in order to achieve optimal outcomes.

Background: Perfectly clean air cannot be found in nature. It contains a certain abundance of particles, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. Mounting evidence indicates increase in particle concentrations and health effects attributed to them in developing countries. In this work, we focused on the determination of number of cardiovascular, respiratory diseases and total death associated with PM2.5 in Karaj city during 2012 to 2015. Material and Methods: The health effects of PM2.5 concentrations in ambient air of Karaj was determined using AirQ+ software. Air pollution data was obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection of this city. To validate the data, WHO criterion was performed. After all, data processed by Excel was given to the model. Results: The annual average PM2.5 concentrations in ambient air of this city during the study was higher than WHO health protective guideline (10 µg m–3). The concentration of pollutant has been reduced during the study period but there is a sudden increase in 2015. In addition, the most attributable proportion was estimated in Karaj in 2012 (59.04% for long-term and 5.86 for short-term effects). PM2.5 exposure has caused 275 and 60 natural deaths due to long-term and short-term exposure in 2012 which is unexpected. Conclusion: Regarding the health effects of PM2.5 in ambient air of Karaj city, the importance of controlling air pollution in this metropolis is becoming increasingly evident.

Amongst the various pollutants in the air, particulate matters (PM) have significant adverse effects on human health. The current research is based on existing epidemiological literature for quantitative estimation of the current health impacts related to particulate matters in some selected principal Iranian megacities. In order to find the influence of air pollution on human health, we used the AirQ software tool presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) European Centre for Environment and Health (ECEH), Bilthoven Division. The adverse health outcomes used in the study consist of mortality (all causes excluding accidental causes), due to cardiovascular (CVD) and respiratory (RES) diseases, and morbidity (hospital admissions for CVD and RES causes). For this purpose, hourly PM10 data were taken from the monitoring stations in eight study cities during 2011 and 2012. Results showed annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in all megacities exceeded national and international air quality standards and even reached levels nearly ten times higher than WHO guidelines in some cities. Considering the short-term effects, PM2.5 had the maximum effects on the health of the 19,048,000 residents of the eight Iranian cities, causing total mortality of 5,670 out of 87,907 during a one-year time-period. Hence, reducing concentrations and controlling air pollution, particularly the presence of particles, is urgent in these metropolises.

It is estimated that up to 20% of all types of human cancers worldwide are attributed to viruses. The genome of oncogenic viruses carries genes that have protein products that act as oncoproteins in cell proliferation and transformation. The modulation of cell cycle control mechanisms, cellular regulatory and signaling pathways by oncogenic viruses, plays an important role in viral carcinogenesis. Different signaling pathways play a part in the carcinogenesis that occurs in a cell. Among these pathways, the Wnt signaling pathway plays a predominant role in carcinogenesis and is known as a central cellular pathway in the development of tumors. There are three Wnt signaling pathways that are well identified, including the canonical or Wnt/β-catenin dependent pathway, the noncanonical or β-catenin-independent planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, and the noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ pathway. Most of the oncogenic viruses modulate the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. This review discusses the interaction between proteins of several human oncogenic viruses with the Wnt signaling pathway.

Objectives There are few studies about the association between breathing polluted air and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac death in the Middle East. This study aimed to investigate the relation between air pollutants and cardiovascular mortality (based on ICD-10) in Ahvaz. Material and methods In this ecological study, the data about cardiovascular disease mortality and air pollutants from March 2008 until March 2015 was inquired from the Ahvaz City Authority and the Khuzestan Province Environmental Protection Agency. The quasi-Poisson, second degree polynomial constrained, distributed lag model; using single and cumulative lag structures, adjusted by trend, seasonality, temperature, relative humidity, weekdays and holidays was used for the data analysis purposes. Results Findings indicated a direct significant relation between an interquartile range (IQR) increase in ozone and cardiovascular deaths among men after 3 days’ lag. There was also a significant relation between an IQR increase in particulate matter below 10 μm and cardiovascular deaths for all people, over 60 years old and under 18 years old after 3 and 13 days’ lags. There was a significant relation between an IQR increase in nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, and cardiovascular deaths in the case of under 18-year-olds (in the lag 11) and over 60-year-olds (in the lag 9), respectively. We finally found a significant association between an IQR increase in sulfur dioxide and cardiovascular deaths in the case of men, under 18-year-olds and from 18- to 60-year-olds in the lag 9, 0, and 11, respectively (p-values < 0.05). Conclusions It appears that air pollution is significantly associated with cardiovascular deaths in Ahvaz City. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(4):459–473

Abstract Background Some epidemiological evidence has shown a relation between ambient air pollution and adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of air pollution on mortality from respiratory diseases in Tehran, Iran. Methods In this ecological study, air pollution data was inquired from the Tehran Province Environmental Protection Agency and the Tehran Air Quality Control Company. Meteorological data was collected from the Tehran Meteorology Organization and mortality data from the Tehran Cemetery Mortality Registration. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) was used for data analysis with different lags, up to 15 days. A 10-unit increase in all pollutants except CO (1-unit) was used to compute the Relative Risk of deaths. Results During 2005 until 2014, 37,967 respiratory deaths occurred in Tehran in which 21,913 (57.7%) were male. The strongest relationship between NO2 and PM10and respiratory death was seen on the same day (lag 0), and was respectively (RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.07) and (RR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.04). O3 and PM2.5 had the strongest relationship with respiratory deaths on lag 2 and 1 respectively, and the RR was equal to 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.05 and 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.10 respectively. NO2, O3, PM10 and PM2.5 also showed significant relations with respiratory deaths in the older age groups. Conclusions The findings of this study showed that O3, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 air pollutants were related to respiratory deaths in Tehran. Reducing ambient air pollution can save lives in Tehran.

Objective(s): Particulate matter (PM) exposure can promote cardiac ischemia and myocardial damage. The effects of PM10 on hemodynamic parameters, lipid peroxidation, and infarct size induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury and the protective effects of vanillic acid (VA) in isolated rat heart were investigated. Materials and Methods: Eighty male Wistar rats (250–300 g) were divided into 8 groups (n=10): Control, Sham, VAc, VA, PMa (0.5 mg/kg PM, intratracheal instillation), PMb (2.5 mg/kg PM, intratracheal instillation), PMc (5 mg/kg PM, intratracheal instillation), and PMc + VA (5 mg/kg PM, intratracheal instillation; and 10 mg/kg vanillic acid, gavage for 10 days). PM10 was instilled into the trachea in two stages, within 48 hr. After isolating the hearts and transfer to a Langendorff apparatus, hearts were subjected to 30 min ischemia and 60 min reperfusion. Hemodynamic parameters (±dp/dt, LVSP, LVDP, and RPP), production of lipid peroxidation (MDA), and infarct size were assessed. Results: A significant decrease in ±dp/dt, LVSP, LVDP and RPP occurred in PM groups. A significant increase in MDA and myocardial infarct size occurred in PM groups. A significant increase in LVDP, LVSP, ±dp/dt, RPP and decrease in infarct size, MDA, and myocardial dysfunction was observed in groups that received vanillic acid after ischemia–reperfusion. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that PM10 increases MDA, as well as the percentage of cardiac infarct size, and has negative effects on hemodynamic parameters. This study suggests that vanillic acid may serve as an adjunctive treatment in delaying the progression of ischemic heart disease.

Background: Modeling the dispersion of pollutants from factory stacks addresses the problem of matching emissions of a cement plant with the capacity of the environment to avoid affecting the environment and society. The main objective of this study was to simulate the dispersion of carbon monoxide (CO) from the main stack of a cement plant in Doroud, Iran using SCREEN3 software developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Methods: Four samplings were conducted to measure the concentration of CO in the three-stack flow of a cement factory. The input parameters were those affecting gas dispersion and included CO rate, meteorological parameters, factors associated with the stack, and various factors related to the receptor. All factors were incorporated in the model, and dispersion was modeled by SCREEN3. Results: Southwesterly winds have been dominant in the past 5 years. According to the results of this study, the highest and the lowest CO levels were estimated by the model in spring and autumn as having maximum amounts of 842.06 and 88.31 μg/m3, respectively, within distances of 526 and 960 m from the cement plant, respectively, at a downwind southwesterly direction from the plant. Conclusion: Although the maximum predicted CO levels in each of the four seasons were lower than the NAAQS criteria, the simulation results can be used as a base for reducing CO emissions to prevent the potentially significant health and environmental impacts imposed by long-term contact to such emissions.

The objective of our study was to simulation of carbon monoxide (CO) dispersion exited from the stacks of a cement industry of Doroud, Iran by Gaussian Model (GM). Four sampling period was conducted to measurement of CO from the factory's three-stack flow during one year. The input parameters for were the rate of CO emission, meteorological data, factors of related to the stack, and factors of related to the receptor. Parameters were corporate and the dispersion of CO during four season was modeled. The southwesterly winds were dominated during recently five years. The highest and the lowest CO levels were estimated at spring and fall seasons with maximum amounts of 842.06 and 88.31 µg/m3 within distances of 526 and 960 m away from the cement plant, respectively. Although, the maximum predicted CO concentration at four seasons were lower than the NAAQS standard, the simulation results can be used as a base for reduction of CO emissions rate, because the long-term exposure to emissions of cement plant imposes potentially significant health and environmental impacts.

Background: Sulfur dioxide is one of the important pollutants that at the present time cause irreparable damage to environment and human health. The aim of present study was to study and comparison the effects of SO2 on respiratory and cardiovascular deaths in Bushehr city. Materials and Methods: This analytical study was conducted in Bushehr city during 2011. In the first stage data were collected from Bushehr department of the environment. The concentration of SO2 was measured by using BUBK portable device. After processing data by EXCEL software, data were converted as input file to the model and health effects of SO2 pollutant were measured by using statistical analysis and the World Health Organization model (Air Q model). Results: The results showed that concentration of SO2 pollutant with an annual average was 44 µg/m3 in Bushehr city. In the study area, increasing the concentration of sulfur dioxide per 10 µg/m3 than before values increased risk of cardiovascular death (0.8%) and respiratory deaths (1%). Conclusion: The local comparison results showed that the number of respiratory and cardiac cases death which is attributable to the sulfur dioxide pollutant has been low in Bushehr city health endpoint can result due to continued and this situation could be justified by the low concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air of Bushehr city.

Background: Epidemiological studies have illustrated that exposure to atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NO 2/NOX) is responsible for an increased risk of acute or chronic diseases such as cancer. In this study the health risks associated with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were assessed in the city of Kermanshah, the capital of Kermanshah province, Iran. Methods: Data on hourly NO2 levels that had been measured with the Environ tech model M200 was taken from the Kermanshah Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA). The AirQ2.2.3 model was used to quantify data based on baseline incidence (BI), relative risk (RR), and attributable proportion (AP). The number of cases of cardiovascular mortality (CM), acute myocardial infarction (MI), and hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (HACOPD) was estimated. Results: The results of the current study show that there were 33, 16, and 13 cases of CM, acute MI, and HACOPD, respectively, attributable to NO2 exposure. Furthermore, 26.85% of health impacts occurred on days when NO2 levels did not exceed 40 µg/m3. For every 10 µg/m3 increase in the NO2 level, the risk of CM, MI, and HACOPD rose about 0.2%, 0.36%, and 0.38%, respectively. Conclusion: In order to reduce the number of cases of mortality and morbidity caused by exposure to NO 2, several immediate steps should be taken by the government to control emissions from various sources, particularly car exhaust, to reduce the levels of NO2 in the atmosphere.

The sugar cane industry produces significant amounts of cane trash and bagasse. Inappropriate disposal of agro-wastes can lead to environmental problems. Converting wastes such as cane trash and bagasse (Bg) to a fertilizer and conditioner is the aim of sustainable waste management in sugar cane industry. Cow dung (CD), kitchen waste (KW), and sewage sludge (SS) were mixed with bagasse as amendment in different proportions: Bg:CD (1:1), Bg:CD (1:2), Bg:SS (1:1), Bg:SS (1:2), Bg:KW (1:1) and Bg:KW (1:2) in triplicate treatment with Eisenia fetida. Chemical analysis of the samples showed a significant decrease in total organic carbon (TOC) (20%-54%), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) (9.5%-39.7%) and C:N ratio (12%-31.2%), while total potassium (31.4%-54%) and available phosphorus (32%-55%) contents increased during vermicomposting. A significant difference was observed among weight and number of worms in control with other treatments at the end of vermicomposting. According to obtained results vermicomposting is an efficient method for sustainable recycling different classes of waste produced in sugar cane agro-industry.

The majority of diseases caused by air pollution, such as asthma and allergies, are caused by pathogenic bacteria, which are transmitted through bioaerosols. Bacteria and fungi are the main sources of hospital infections causing the majority of diseases and cases of mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the ratio of indoor to outdoor fungi concentration, the effect of population density on fungi concentration, and the relationship between indoor and outdoor environments. In this study, 3 stations were assessed; the outdoor environment, general indoor environment, and intensive care units (ICUs) of a hospital affiliated to Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. These stations were used for the sampling of airborne fungi from October to December 2010. The samples were collected over a period of 2 minutes in a flow rate of 28.3 l/minute using a QuickTake 30 air sampling pump. The 3 dominant fungi genera in the sampling stations were Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium. The average of total fungi concentration before visiting hours was 365.8 CFU/m which was reduced to 578 CFU/m after visiting hours. The indoor to outdoor ratios in the ICU and internal wards for fungi before visiting hours were 0.36 and 0.68, respectively. However, these ratios in the ICU and internal wards for fungi after visiting hours were 0.78 and 0.99, respectively. Following the visiting hours, the concentration of fungi available indoors was conspicuously higher (even in the wards in which no visitors were allowed (e.g., ICUs). Hence, the amount of indoor fungi was affected by the concentration of outdoor fungi and the number of visitors.

In this batch study, montmorillonite was modified by a cationic surfactant [hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-MMT)] and used as sorbent to remove bromocresol green (BCG) from aqueous solutions. The effect of several factors such as surfactant loading rate onto the clay, contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, and ion strength were investigated on the sorption. The equilibrium time for BCG sorption was reached at contact time of 20 minutes. Fitting the experimental data to different kinetic and isotherm models showed that the experimental data are well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic (R2 > 0.99) and Freundlich isotherm (R2 > 0.99) models. According to the results of this study, HDTMA-MMT can be considered as a low-cost, eco-friendly, and highly effective option for the sorption of BCG from aqueous solutions.

Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10μm (PM10) has the great adverse endpoints on human health. The aim of this study was to assess the hospital admissions (HA) due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) attributed to PM10 among people living in the cities of Ahvaz, Khorramabad and Ilam, during 2014. In this study, Air Quality Health Impact Assessment (AirQ2.2.3) software proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess of health impacts of atmospheric pollutants was used. To evaluate human exposure and health outcome of PM10, 24-hour data was taken from the Departments of Environment of Ahvaz, Khorramabad and Ilam. We acquired an input file for the software from raw data and quantified PM10 by the AirQ2.2.3 model. The annual averages in three study areas illustrated that PM10 concentration in Ahvaz and Ilam with values of 534.77 and 60.45μg/m3, were the highest and lowest in 2014, respectively. The number of excess cases for HA due to CVD in Ahvaz, Khorramabad, and Ilam was estimated 508, 144 and 66 persons, respectively. The most percentage of person-days was attributable to the concentration interval of 130-139µg/m3 of PM10, whereas this was for Khorramabad and Ilam 60-69 and 40-49µg/m3, respectively. The comparison of PM10 concentrations with NAAQS standard was revealed the annual average of particulate matter concentrations in Ahvaz was higher than standard. Therefore, the efforts should be conducted in the governmental scale to prevent pollution and reduce PM10 emission from various sources, such as transport and industries and also control dust entering the country by spreading mulch and development of green space.

Background: Contamination of aquatic bodies with heavy metals is a serious environmental problem. Chromium is a common contaminant in ground and surface water, soil and wastewater. The aim of this study was to use magnetite nanoparticles modified by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) for removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions and various factors affecting the uptake behavior such as pH, contact time, initial concentration of metal ions, adsorbent concentration, were studied. Materials & Methods: SDS modified magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM scaning electron microscopy. The XRD diffractogram showed purity of the magnetite nanoparticles and the SEM image showed that the modified magnetite particles were 50 nm. Results: The results showed that highest adsorption (99.7%) for Cr(VI) was occurred at pH=4, adsorbent dosage 2 g/L, initial concentration Cr(VI) 10 mg/L and contact time 60 min. The adsorption data was correlated to different non-linear isotherm and kinetic models and the data fitted better to the Freundlich isotherm model. The kinetics of the Cr(VI) adsorption followed Ho (Pseudo-second-order) model. Conclusion: The SDS modified magnetite nanoparticles appears to be very effective at removing the Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

Background: The importance of common diseases between humans and animals (zoonosis), and whose health impacts on the community individuals are obvious to everyone. One of these diseases is human infection with Coxiella burnetii and Q fever. Due to the importance of this subject and lack of published documents regarding the presence and distribution of this bacterium in Lorestan province, we aimed to determine the prevalence of C. burnetii in this area. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2013 to March 2014. A total of 500 raw milk samples was collected from 130 cattle, 200 sheep, and 170 goats in both warm and cold seasons from 20 selected villages in Khorramabad and Nourabad regions, Lorestan province, Iran. The presence of C. burnetii in collected specimens was tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: A total of 9 (1.8%) milk specimens were positive for the presence of C. burnetii (3 sheep milk samples and 6 goat milk samples). All positive milk samples were obtained from 2 villages (Daraei and Ghalebi) around of the Khorramabad region during the winter season. However, all collected samples from Nourabad were negative for presence of C. burnett. Conclusion: The presence of C. burnetii in raw milk of ruminants in the cold seasons could be related to climate changes. Therefore, further investigations via various methods seems to be needed.

Introduction: Dispersion of pollutants from burners and stacks has been always one of the most important environmental concerns in some industries such as oil due to the personnel exposure to pollutant sources. All combustible burners, release hazardous pollutants in environment. The target pollutant in this study is carbon monoxide derived from combustion, so the perpouse is finding the distance from burner which the risk for inhalation of this pollutant is high due to the highest concentration of this pollutant at this distance. Materials and methods: In this study, 4 pollution sources at the National Iranian South Oilfields Company were selected, then the exhaust gases, temperature, wind velocity, and the other parameters were measured by measuring instruments in order to carry out by Screen 3 for dispersion of CO. Results: The highest concentration of CO ( 27.04 μg / m3 ) at difference of 226 m from station 3 were determined in the stability class C. The exhaust gas velocity of burner was assumed as the most critical mode, 10 m / s, considering the exhaust gas temperature from burner was 1000 ° C. Conclusions: Results showed that the burners of this unit are safe and in compliance with the standards in terms of CO emission.

BACKGROUND: Air pollutants can have harmful effects on human health. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is represented by a spectrum of obstructive airway diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between air pollution exposure and COPD in Ahvaz, Iran. METHODS: The present epidemiological study was performed in Ahvaz city. Data were obtained from the Ahvaz Department of Environment (ADoE). Sampling was performed for 24 hours in 4 stations. Raw data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel software, and after the impact of meteorological parameters, data were converted as input file into the model. Data analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the annual average PM10 concentration during 2012 was 727 μg/m3. According to the research findings, the two stations of Bureau of Meteorology and the city center had the highest and the lowest PM10 concentrations during 2012, respectively. The results showed a strong correlation between visits to a hospital due to COPD and PM10 emission in Ahvaz city. Approximately, 6.2% of hospital admissions for COPD occurred when the PM10 concentration was higher than 30 μg/m3. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study showed that the total mean of particle matter was higher than the standard concentration. The higher percentage of hospital admission could be the result of the dust storm, higher average PM10, and sustained high concentration days in Ahvaz

The main aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes attributed to PM10 in Kermanshah, Iran. In order to gather data, an Environmental Dust Monitor instrument was used at 3 stations throughout the city at a height of at least 3 m above the ground. We obtained an input file for the model from crude data and quantified PM10 using the AirQ model. Our estimation showed that 80% of cardiovascular deaths occurred on days with PM10 concentrations of less than 170 μgm-3. The number of respiratory deaths due to PM10 was estimated to be 46 people in 2011, showing a 48% reduction in such deaths compared to 2010. The number of patients with respiratory problems attributed to PM10 exposure comprised 5.61% of the total number of patients admitted to hospitals due to respiratory diseases. This lower percentage of morbidity and mortality attributed to suspended particles in Kermanshah in 2011, in comparison with 2010, was due to the higher exposure days with PM10 concentration of 200-250 μgm-3 in 2010. Every 10 μgm-3 increase in the concentration of suspended particles led to a 0.8 and 1.2% rise in the mortality rate due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, respectively. Additionally, the rates of heart and respiratory problems increased by 0.9 and 0.8%, respectively.

Background and Objectives: Association between Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and increased risk for brain stroke has been well understood. Hence, the value of serologic tests for assessing causative relationship between this infection and brain stroke seems to be high. The present study aimed to determine serum level of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibodies in patients with brain stroke and to compare it with non-stroke patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 97 consecutive ischemic stroke patients and 97 sex and age-matched non-stroke patients. Quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established to measure the levels of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgG and IgM antibodies. Results: Regarding the level of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM, the titer of this marker was positive in 4.1% of patients with ischemic stroke, while none of the subjects in control group had positive titer for this antibody (OR = 1.043, 95%CI:1.001 – 1.087, p = 0.043). The rate of positivity for anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgG in ischemic stroke patients was significantly higher than in the control group (28.5% versus 13.4%, p = 0.031). Odds ratio for exposure to M. pneumoniae was 2.24 times of the control subjects. The level of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM was independent to both sex and age variables in patients group (p = 0.77). The level of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgG did not depend on subjects’ gender in control group, but was significantly higher in men compared with women in patients group. Conclusion: A high level of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM and IgG antibodies indicate a significant association of M. pneumoniae infection and history of this infection with increased risk for ischemic stroke.

PM10 emissions are defined as PM emissions that are less than ten microns in diameter. Long exposure of suspended particles as showed in his personal life. PM10 can cause harmful health effects such as the prevalence of bronchitis and reduced lung function in children and adults. Major sources of emissions are causing by human intervention particulate road traffic, stationary combustion and industrial processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate health- effects of carbon monoxide exposure in Ahvaz city (located in south-western Iran), during 2012. PM10 data were collected through Ahvaz Meteorological Organization and the Department of Environment. Raw data processing by Excel software includes (instruction set correction of averaging, coding and filtering) and after the impact of meteorological parameters was converted as input file to the Air Q model. Finally, respiratory mortality, cardiovascular death and hospital admissions respiratory disease of PM10 exposure was calculated. The results showed that the approximately 17% of total respiratory mortality, cardiovascular death and hospital admissions respiratory disease happened when the PM10 concentrations were more than 30μg/m3. The results showed that the concentration of PM10 was related to Ahvaz with an annual average 321 μg/m3. Sum of cardiovascular and respiratory death attributed to PM10 were 1055 and 189 cases in 2012. The higher percentage of these deaths perhaps could be the result of higher average PM10 or because of sustained high concentration days in Ahvaz. Therefore, the higher relative risk value can depict mismanagement in urban air quality.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas that emitted from combustion. Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health effects by reducing oxygen delivery to the body's organs (like the heart and brain), tissues, fibrinolysis effects, abortion and death at extremely high levels. The aim of this study was to assess health- effects of carbon monoxide exposure in Ahvaz city. Data were collected through Ahvaz Meteorological Organization and Department of Environment. Raw data processing by Excel software includes (instruction set correction of averaging, coding and filtering) and after the impact of meteorological parameters was converted as input file to the Air Q model. Finally, health-effects of carbon monoxide exposure were calculated. The results showed that the concentration of carbon monoxide was 7.41 mg/m3 in Ahvaz as annual average. Sum of total numbers of deaths attributed to carbon monoxide was 16 cases within a year. Approximately 4.3% of total Cardiovascular deaths happened when the carbon monoxide concentrations was more than 20 mg/m3. This could be due to higher fuel consumption gasoline in vehicles, Oil industry, steel and Heavy industries in Ahwaz. Mortality and Morbidity risks were detected at current ambient concentrations of air pollutants.

Backgrounds: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains are the predominant causative organisms of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Aminoglycosides are clinically useful antibiotics with bactericidal activity against this bacterium. The most common mechanism for resistance to these antibiotics are mediated through production of aminoglycoside modifying enzymes (AMEs). The most common of these enzymes are Aminoglycoside Acetyltransferases (AACs). The epidemiology of the dominant type of these enzymes, AAC(3)-II, varies from region to region. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern with a focus on aminoglycosides and the prevalence of aac(3)-IIa gene among clinical isolates of uropathogenic Escherichia coli obtained from Delfan, Lorestan, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, a total of 100 uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates were collected from BoAli hospital in Delfan city, Lorestan, from July to November 2010. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates were determined using disk diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute )CLSI) guidelines. Prevalence of aac(3)-IIa gene was determined by PCR and the relationship between resistance phenotypes to aminoglycosides and presence of aac(3)-IIa gene was evaluated. Results: Among the 100 tested isolates, maximal resistance was seen to ampicillin (85%); whereas, no resistance to imipenem was found. Sixty percent of the isolates demonstrated resistance to at least one of the tested aminoglycosides. Resistance rate towards these agents were as followed: gentamicin 39%, kanamycin 26%, neomycin 31% and amikacin 1%. Forty–four isolates (44%) harbored the aac(3)-IIa gene. The maximal rate of gene presence (36 isolates, 92.3%) was detected in strains with gentamicin resistant phenotype (39 isolates, 39%). Conclusion: On the basis of our findings, use of antibiotics such as nitrofurantoin, amikacin or imipenem are recommended for empirical treatment of UTIs. In addition, locally widespread distribution of aac(3)-IIa gene will pose concerns about progressive resistance against potent aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, tobramycin and others in the future.

Airborne particulate matter along with volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and other compounds have raised many concerns to many countries including Iran. In this study, the concentrations of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Al) associated with PM10 have been investigated during normal and dusty days from September to February 2012. The mean PM10 concentrations on the normal days in the winter and autumn were 189.4109 and 116.5087 µgm-3, respectively. PM10 concentrations during dusty days for the winter and autumn were 741.6467 and 410 µgm-3, respectively. The heavy metals concentrations are vary in different days of a month. Enrichment factors (EF) are used to determine and assess the source type of released heavy metals in particulate matter. The results of EFS analysis showed that Al metal had low enrichment suggesting crustal origin, whereas Zn (zinc) and Pb (lead) metals were appeared to result from non-crustal sources such as vehicular and industrial emissions because of their high enrichment factors. Results of the present study revealed that the concentrations of PM10 were higher than the reliable standards for the two studied seasons.

Background and Objectives: According to the WHO estimates, air pollution is accounted for about 800000 premature death of cardiovascular and respiratory disease and lung cancer resulted from air pollution throughout the world; approximately 150000 cases of those deaths occur in south Asia. The studies conducting on short-term and long-term effects are reported in terms of admission rate, consulting with a physician, number of a particular disease, death, and years of the lost life (YOLL). We used Air Q2.2.3 (Air Quality Health Impact Assessment) Model to evaluate adverse health effects caused by NO2 exposure in Ahvaz City during 2009. NO2 reacts with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form small particles. These small particles penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death. Materials and Methods: First the data required was collected from Ahvaz Environment Organization and Meteorological Organization. Then, this data were processed by Excel software through correcting temperature and pressure, coding, averaging and filtering. Finally, the data processed were entered to Air Q model. This model is a valid and reliable WHO-proved tool to estimate the potential short term effects of air pollution. This model includes four screen inputs (Supplier, AQ data, Location, Parameter) and two output screens (Table and Graph). Results: It was found that the Meteorological and Environment Organization stations have had the maximum and minimum NO2 concentration respectively. Moreover, the annual, summer, and winter average and 98cile of this pollutant was 27, 6, 43, and 115 µg/m3 respectively. The cumulative number of myocardial infarction resulted from NO2 exposure was estimated to be nine persons per year. This value for the cardiovascular death was found to be 19 cases. Finally, the COPD cases was estimated to be seven per year. Conclusion: Air Q software calculated relative risks, attributable proportion, and baseline incidence using data processed by Excel and presents the output as the cause specific deaths. It is noteworthy that there is no model that can estimate all of the pollutants health effects simultaneously. Cumulative number of persons for acute MI attributed to NO2 exposure was 9 in 2009. Moreover, 51% of this number occurred in the days with concentrations lower than 60 µg/m3. It should be noted that 72% of this value are corresponded to the days with concentrations below 90 µg/m3. The total cumulative number of cardiovascular death attributed to exposure with NO2 during one year of monitoring was 19 persons. 60% of these cases have occurred in days with NO2 levels not exceeding 90 µg/m3. Cumulative number of hospital admission of COPD attributed to exposure with NO2 during one year of monitoring was 7 persons.87 % of these cases have occurred in days with NO2 levels not exceeding 110 µg/m3.

Introduction: Today, one of the main indicators in the assessment of development in countries is their share in producing knowledge .Thus, performance evaluation of educational units, which in turn leads to efficiency enhancement, has gained significant importance. This study examined the efficiency of educational departments in Kerman University of Medical Sciences through the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was done in 2010. A researcher-designed form was used for data collection, and data entry was done through Excel software. Finally, efficiency of the six departments was estimated by Deap 2.1 software. Results: The average of total efficiency, managerial efficiency and scale efficiency for departments was 0.847, 0.918 and 0.91, respectively. Half of the departments were functioning efficiently. Conclusion: To achieve maximum efficiency (=1), departments should increase their research output through more research projects, articles or books. These departments should establish a long-term program to reduce training inputs (students) and funds based on the specified surplus amount.

Background: The world is changing continually and organizations as the subsystems of the world should be adapted with these changes by helping to develope of creativity and innovation.This study to evaluate the relationships between conflict management styles and creativity of staff in training hospitals in Kerman province. Materials & Methods:This is a cross-sectional study from aspect of descriptive -analytical. For gathering data, the standard questionnaires of conflict management for managers and creativity for staff applied. The participants in the study were all disciplinary managers from selected hospitals in one group and all disciplinary staff of selected hospitals in another group.Data analysis used in SPSS software. Results:The results showed that there is a significant and opposite assosiation between enforcing styles and negotiating styles between managers (P

Background: The prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is really high in the world. Escherichia coli is a major agent of UTI. One of the strategies for decreasing UTI infections is vaccine development. As the attachment is a really important stage in colonization and infection, at- tachment inhibition has an applied strategy. FimH protein is a major factor during bacterial colonization in urinary tract and could be used as a vaccine. Thus, it was considered in this research as a candidate anti- gen. Methods: The sequences of fimH and acmA genes were used for de- signing a synthetic gene. It was cloned to pET23a expression vector and transformed to E. coli (DE3) Origami. To confirm the expression of recombinant protein, SDS-PAGE and western blotting methods were used. Subsequently, recombinant protein was purified. On the other hand, Lactobacillus reuteri was cultured and mixed with FimH / AcmA recombinant protein. The rate of protein localization on lactobacillus surface was assessed using ELISA method. Results: It was showed that the recombinant protein was expressed in E. coli (DE3) Origami and purified by affinity chromatography. More- over, this protein could be localized on lactobacillus surface by 5 days. Conclusion: In current study, a fusion recombinant protein was pre- pared and displayed on L. reuteri surface. This strain could be used for animal experiment as a competitor against Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Using manipulated probiotics strains instead of antibiotic ther- apy could decrease the antibiotic consumption and reduce multi-drug resistant strains.