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The presence of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene) compounds in beauty salons has raised concerns about potential health risks. This study aimed to measure the levels of BTEX compounds in the air of beauty salons in Lahijan, Iran and assess the associated health risks. Air samples were collected from 15 beauty salons, and the concentrations of BTEX compounds were measured according to 1501 NIOSH standard method. The results showed that the mean concentrations of benzene (20.62 µg/m 3 ), toluene (18.3 µg/m 3 ), ethylbenzene (38.36 µg/m 3 ), and O and P-xylene (27.35, 23.6 µg/m 3 ) were above the recommended levels. The indoor to outdoor ratios for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, O and P-xylene were 3.04, 2.36, 3.75, 4.89, and 6.54, respectively. Also, the toluene/benzene (T/B) ratio in indoor and outdoor was 20.9 and 2.68 respectively. Almost half of the technicians (49.12%) reported adverse health effects, including joint pain, itchy eyes and nose, and respiratory allergies. The IARC guideline suggests that there is a potential risk of cancer development for individuals in all salons with LCR values exceeding 10 -6 , but the HQ index values indicate no non-carcinogenic risk. The findings suggest that beauty salon workers and customers are at risk of developing health problems from exposure to BTEX compounds. Effective risk management strategies, such as proper ventilation, use of personal protective equipment, and substitution of harmful chemicals with safer alternatives, to minimize exposure and protect the health of salon workers and customers recommended., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease often characterized by a multitude of skin findings. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is generally classified into three main categories: acute cutaneous lupus (ACLE), subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE), and chronic cutaneous lupus (CCLE). The current therapeutic guidelines for CLE include counseling patients on general measures and medication regimens. Treatment options include optimized photoprotection, avoidance of environmental triggers, corticosteroids, topical and systemic immunomodulators, and antimalarials. To date, no biologic medications (i.e., monoclonal antibodies [mAbs]) are approved for CLE. The first monoclonal antibody, belimumab, a B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS)-specific inhibitor, for the treatment of both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and active lupus nephritis, was approved in 2011 and 2020, respectively. Anifrolumab, a type I interferon (IFN) receptor antagonist, was approved in 2021 for SLE. Other mAbs with different targets, including a novel biologic that inhibits blood dendritic cell antigen 2 (BDCA2), are currently under investigation for CLE. This review will describe the general treatment landscape for CLE. Select studies related to these various mAbs, as well as their safety profiles and efficacies demonstrated in clinical trials, will be discussed. Biologic medications can potentially augment the number of treatment options for patients living with CLE., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Binaural beat stimulation (BBS) involve presenting two sinusoidal waves with specific frequency differences to induce neural changes in the brain, often used for mental state induction and symptom reduction. However, there are limited studies on its effectiveness for tinnitus. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of combining binaural beats with music containing nature sounds for chronic tinnitus., Methods: A total of 30 men, aged 45.87 on average (SD = 8.09), who had chronic tinnitus and symmetrical mild to moderate hearing loss, were included in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: MT group (Music therapy; n = 15), which received relaxing music containing the sound of sea waves, and MT + BBS group (Music therapy plus binaural beats; n = 15), which received the same music combined with alpha frequency (8 Hz) binaural beats. The therapy sessions were conducted twice a day for 15 min, over a period of 4 weeks. Outcome measures, including the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the pitch and loudness of tinnitus were administered before, immediately after, and during the three-month follow-up period., Results: The findings revealed improvements in loudness and annoyance VAS, as well as THI total and all subscale scores in both groups (p < 0.001). Additionally, TFI total score showed improvement in both groups (MT: p = 0.001; MT + BBS: p < 0.001) except for the sense of control subscale in both groups and the cognitive subscale in the MT group after the treatment and during the three-month follow-up period. Furthermore, both groups exhibited a decrease in scores for both subscales of HADS. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the measurement outcomes (p > 0.05), except for the emotional subscale scores of TFI (p = 0.049) and the functional subscale scores of THI (p = 0.034). In other words, during the follow-up period, the MT + BBS group exhibited lower scores in these two subscales compared to the MT group., Conclusion: Although our study failed to demonstrate the superiority of combining binaural beats with music, both groups experienced significant improvements. This suggest that there are potential benefits to be gained from these types of stimuli. Given the sustained effect of both methods and the even greater improvements in follow-up observed in the binaural beats group for some scales, it seems that the changes in neural response and brain waves caused by our stimulations are persistent. This necessitates further research involving brain mapping, especially with longer follow-up durations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter of materials discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this research, the behavior of an electric field caused by the mechanism of electrostatic painting has been investigated using the finite element method and FLEXPDE software. The aim of this study is to optimize the electrostatic spraying performance of the paint sprayer by investigating the potential field in the paint nozzle. The results show that the potential and the electric field can be solved at any given point and displayed graphically. Additionally, changing the 2D rectangular covering surface to a circular one increased the potential value reached on the covering surface by 10 percent. The amount of electric potential and electrostatic field in the direction perpendicular to the x-axis is shown to be symmetrical and equal for y > 0 and y < 0. The size of the spray opening/hole is a significant factor in reaching paint particles to the coating surface. Doubling the size of the spray opening increased the potential value on the coating surface by 54.3 percent, while halving it decreased the potential value by 75 percent., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an important cytokine that invokes early immune responses. TSLP, an IL-7-like cytokine encoded by the TSLP gene, activates JAK1 and JAK2 signaling pathways, stimulating dendritic cells to induce inflammatory Th2 cells. This cytokine is associated with pruritus in various cutaneous disorders, particularly atopic dermatitis. Varying levels of the cytokine TSLP have been demonstrated in studies of different cutaneous disorders. Pharmacological treatment targeting TSLP has been explored recently, particularly in the realm of atopic dermatitis.This review explores the relation of TSLP to cutaneous diseases, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for monitoring disease progression in discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). The pharmacological therapy involving TSLP is discussed, along with the potential role of TSLP promotion in the treatment of alopecia areata. This overview examines the background, structure, and functions of TSLP, with a focus on its association with cutaneous disorders and a special focus on the impact of the atopic march., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Liver metastasis is a major obstacle in treating aggressive cancers, and current therapeutic options often prove insufficient. To overcome these challenges, there has been growing interest in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery using lipid-shelled microbubbles (MBs) and nanobubbles (NBs) as promising strategies for enhancing drug delivery to tumors. Our previous work demonstrated the potential of Doxorubicin-loaded C 3 F 8 NBs (hDox-NB, 280 ± 123 nm) in improving cancer treatment in vitro using low-frequency unfocused therapeutic ultrasound (TUS). In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of sonicated hDox-NBs in orthotopic rat liver tumors. We compared their delivery and therapeutic efficiency with size-isolated MBs (hDox-MB, 1104 ± 373 nm) made from identical shell material and core gas. Results showed a similar accumulation of hDox in tumors treated with hDox-MBs and unfocused therapeutic ultrasound (hDox-MB + TUS) and hDox-NB + TUS. However, significantly increased apoptotic cell death in the tumor and fewer off-target apoptotic cells in the normal liver were found upon the treatment with hDox-NB + TUS. The tumor-to-liver apoptotic ratio was elevated 9.4-fold following treatment with hDox-NB + TUS compared to hDox-MB + TUS, suggesting that the therapeutic efficacy and specificity are significantly increased when using hDox-NB + TUS. These findings highlight the potential of this approach as a viable treatment modality for liver tumors. By elucidating the behavior of drug-loaded bubbles in vivo, we aim to contribute to developing more effective liver cancer treatments that could ultimately improve patient outcomes and decrease off-target side effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Styrene is a volatile organic compound with various applications, especially in the plastics and paint industries. Exposure to it leads to symptoms such as weakness, suppression of the central nervous system, and nausea, and prolonged exposure to it increases the risk of cancer. Its removal from the air is a topic that researchers have considered. Various methods such as absorption, membrane separation, thermal and catalytic oxidation, biofiltration have been used to remove these compounds. The disadvantages of these compounds include the need for high energy, production of secondary pollutants, large space, providing environmental conditions (temperature and humidity) and long time. The photocatalyst process is considered as an advanced process due to the production of low and safe secondary pollutants. MOFs are nanoparticles with unique photocatalytic properties that convert organic pollutants into water and carbon dioxide under light irradiation and in environmental conditions, which prevent the production of secondary pollutants. The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of MIL100 (Fe) nanoparticles coated on glass in removing styrene vapor from the air. Surface morphology, crystal structure, pore size, functional groups, and chemical composition of the catalyst were analyzed by SEM, XRD, BET, FTIR, and EDX analysis. The effect of parameters such as initial pollutant concentration, temperature, time, relative humidity, and nanoparticle concentration was evaluated as effective parameters in the removal process. Based on the results, MIL100 (Fe) 0.6 g/l with an 89% removal rate had the best performance for styrene removal. Due to its optimal removal efficiency, it can be used to degrade other air pollutants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soluble 'SOSIP'-stabilized HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers elicit dominant antibody responses targeting their glycan-free base regions, potentially diminishing neutralizing responses. Previously, using a nonhuman primate model, we demonstrated that priming with fusion peptide (FP)-carrier conjugate immunogens followed by boosting with Env trimers reduced the anti-base response. Further, we demonstrated that longer immunization intervals further reduced anti-base responses and increased neutralization breadth. Here, we demonstrate that long trimer-boosting intervals, but not long FP immunization intervals, reduce the anti-base response. Additionally, we identify that FP priming before trimer immunization enhances antibody avidity to the Env trimer. We also establish that adjuvants Matrix M and Adjuplex further reduce anti-base responses and increase neutralizing titers. FP priming, long trimer-immunization interval, and an appropriate adjuvant can thus reduce anti-base antibody responses and improve Env-directed vaccine outcomes., Competing Interests: C.C., K.X., P.D.K., and J.R.M. are co-inventors on a US Patent Application filed on their behalf by the National Institutes of Health. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

In big and industrial cities of developing countries, illness and mortality from long-term exposure to air pollutants have become a serious issue. This research was carried out in 2019-2020 to estimate the health impacts of PM 10 , NO 2 and O 3 pollutants by using AirQ + and R statistical programming software in Arak, Isfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz, Karaj, and Mashhad. Mortality statistics, number of people in required age groups, and amount of pollutants were gathered respectively from different agencies like Statistics and Information Technology of the Ministry of Health, Statistical Center, and Department of Environment and by using Excel, the average 24-hour and 1-hour concentration and maximum 8-hour concentration for PM 10 , NO 2 and O 3 pollutants were gathered. We used linear mixed impacts model to account for the longitudinal observations and heterogeneity of the cities. The results of the study showed high number of deaths due to chronic bronchitis in adults, premature death of infants, and respiratory diseases in Mashhad. This research highlights the importance of estimation of health impacts from exposure to air pollutants on residents of the studied cities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) can be considered as a factor affecting human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of PM 2.5 and heavy metals and their influence on survival of A549 human lung cells in exposure to PM 2.5 breathing air of Ahvaz city. In order to assess the levels of PM 2.5 and heavy metals, air samples were collected from 14 sampling stations positioned across Ahvaz city during both winter and summer seasons. The concentration of heavy metals was determined using ICP OES. Next, the MTT assay [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] was employed to ascertain the survival rate of A549 cells. The findings from this research demonstrated that average PM 2.5 of the study period was (149.5 μg/m 3 ). Also, the average concentration of PM 2.5 in the urban area in winter and summer was (153.3- and 106.9 μg/m 3 ) and in the industrial area this parameter was (191.6 and 158.3 μg/m 3 ). The average concentration of metals (ng/m 3 ) of urban areas against industrial, Al (493 vs. 485), Fe (536 vs. 612), Cu (198 vs. 212), Ni (128 vs. 129), Cr (48.5 vs. 54), Cd (118 vs. 124), Mn (120 vs. 119), As (51 vs. 67), Hg (37 vs. 50), Zn (302 vs. 332) and Pb (266 vs. 351) were obtained. The results of the MTT assay showed that the highest percentage of cell survival according to the exposure concentration was 25 > 50 > 100 > 200. Also, the lowest percentage of survival (58.8%) was observed in the winter season and in industrial areas with a concentration of 200 μg/ml. The carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals indicated that except for Cr, whose carcinogenicity was 1.32E-03, other metals were in the safe range (10 -4 -10 -6 ) for human health. The high concentration of PM 2.5 and heavy metals can increase respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and reduce the public health level of Ahvaz citizens., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

In the indoor environment of dental clinics, dental personnel and patients are exposed to a risk of infection because of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via particles or droplets. This study investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in indoor air of dental clinics in Tehran, Iran. Air sampling was done (n = 36) collecting particulate samples on PTFE filters at flow rates of 30 to 58 L/min. The samples were analyzed with novel coronavirus nucleic acid diagnostic real-time PCR kits. Only 13 out of 36 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Logistic regression showed that sampling site's volume, PM 2.5 concentration, number of people, and number of active patient treatment units were significantly positively related with the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Thus, strategies to control the spread of COVID-19 should include reducing the number of infected people in dental clinics, adding filtration systems, and/or improving ventilation conditions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most important and costly complications of surgical operations. The present study hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of SSI, and this current study investigated this hypothesis. Patients and Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with adult patients undergoing open right hemicolectomy operation with stapled anastomosis between February 2018 and March 2021 in the surgery ward of Imam Khomeini hospital. A logistic regression test examined and analyzed the connection between serum 25-OH vitamin D levels and post-operative wound infections. Results: This study comprised 315 participants who met the inclusion criteria. Pre-operative serum vitamin D levels were <30 ng/mL in 107 participants (34%) and ≥30 ng/mL in 208 participants (66%). The mean serum vitamin D level was 35.66 ± 13.26 ng/mL among the study population. Increased vitamin D deficiency was linked with elevated odds of surgical wound infection incidence among the patients after surgery (odds ratio [OR], 5.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06-14.6; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Pre-operative vitamin D level strongly affects post-operative SSI in patients with colon cancer. This study highlighted the importance of conducting further research to determine the possible advantages of vitamin D in preventing incision infection after surgery.

One of the popular process in volatile organic compounds removal in gas phase is advanced oxidation process. We in this research, synthesized BiOI@NH 2 -MIL125(Ti)/Zeolite nanocomposite as a novel nanocomposite to degradation of benzene in hybrid advanced oxidation process. The nanocomposite synthesized via solvothermal method. The effect of airflow, ozone gas concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration, relative humidity and initial benzene concentration are the main parameters in the UV/O 3 /H 2 O 2 / nanocomposite hybrid process that were studied. The characterization by XRD, FT-IR, FESEM, EDS element mapping, TEM, BET, and UV-vis spectra indicated that nanocomposite were well synthesized. Optimal operating conditions of the process were determined at air flow of 0.1 l/min, ozone concentration of 0.3 mg/min, hydrogen peroxide concentration of 150 ppm, relative humidity of 45 ± 3% and benzene concentration of 50 ppmv. Under these conditions, more than 99% of benzene was degraded. The synergistic effect coefficient of the mechanisms is 1.53. The nanocomposite had good stability in the hybrid process and remained above 99% efficiency up to 5 times. The ozone concentration residual the system was reported to be negligible (0.013 mg/min). The CO and CO 2 emissions in the hybrid process was higher than other processes, which indicates better mineralization in the hybrid process. Formaldehyde, octane, noonan, phenol, decanoic acid were reported as the main by-products. The results indicated that UV/O 3 /H 2 O 2 / nanocomposite hybrid process has fantastic efficiency in the degradation of benzene as one of the indicators of VOCs., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors of this article declare that they have no conflict of interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The present study aimed to investigate indigenous bacteria possibility in recycled paper and cardboard mill (RPCM) wastewater treatment through the isolation and identification of full-scale RPCM indigenous bacteria. The molecular characterization of the isolated bacteria was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Klebsiella pneumoniae AT-1 (MZ599583), Citrobacter freundii AT-4 (OK178569), and Bacillus subtilis AT-5 (MZ323975) were dominant strains used for RPCM wastewater bioremediation experiments. Under optimal conditions, the maximum values of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color biodegradation by C. freundii AT-4 were 79.54% and 43.81% after 10 days of incubation, respectively. In the case of B. subtilis strain AT-5 and K. pneumoniae AT-1, the maximum values of COD and color biodegradation were 70.08%, 45.96%, 71.26%, and 32.06%, respectively. The results from optimal conditions regarding efficiency were higher in comparison with the efficiency obtained from the oxidation ditch treatment unit in full-scale RPCM-WWTP. Therefore, the present study introduces the isolated indigenous bacteria strains as a promising candidate for improving the RPCM-WWTP efficiency using bioremediation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Previous researches have reported significant levels of heavy metals in indoor air of smoking cafés. The current research aimed to evaluate the potential exposure of smoking cafés workers to heavy metals through quantifying amounts of these pollutants in urine samples. To this end, 35 waterpipe/cigarette cafés workers were selected as the exposed population, 35 employees from non-smoking cafe' as the control group 1 (CG1) and 25 cases of the normal citizens as the control group 2 (CG2); and their urine samples were taken. Samples were then prepared by acid digestion approach and measured by the ICP in order to determine amount of heavy metals in them. The findings of the current work show the significant difference among urinary levels of metals in the exposed and both CG1 and CG2 (P value < 0.05). Furthermore, urinary metal levels in samples collected from smoking café workers after the exposure were considerably higher than those were collected before the exposure (P-value <0.05). According to the findings, "tobacco type" could be considered as a leading factor for heavy metal exposure in studied smokers. Additionally, a positive and significant association was found between urinary metals and urinary levels of 8-OHdG (a markers of DNA degradation through oxidative stress). Therefore, workers in waterpipe/cigarette café can be classified as high risk people in terms of DNA oxidative damage., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The recent pandemic which arose from China, is caused by a pathogenic virus named "severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)". Its rapid global expansion has inflicted an extreme public health concern. The attachment of receptor-binding domains (RBD) of the spike proteins (S) to the host cell's membrane, with or without the help of other cellular components such as proteases and especially co-receptors, is required for the first stage of its pathogenesis. In addition to humans, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is found on a wide range of vertebrate host's cellular surface. SARS-CoV-2 has a broad spectrum of tropism; thus, it can infect a vast range of tissues, organs, and hosts; even though the surface amino acids of the spike protein conflict in the receptor-binding region. Due to the heterogeneous ACE2 distribution and the presence of different domains on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for binding, the virus entry into diverse host cell types may depend on the host cells' receptor presentation with or without co-receptors. This review investigates multiple current types of receptor and co-receptor tropisms, with other molecular factors alongside their respective mechanisms, which facilitate the binding and entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cells, extending the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19 from this perspective can effectively help prevent this disease and provide more potent treatment strategies, particularly in vulnerable people with various cellular-level susceptibilities., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study photo-catalytic degradation of chlorobenzene from aqueous solutions using CQD decorated Fe-doped TiO 2 immobilized in Glass Fibers (GF) was investigated. Characteristics of the synthesized photo-catalyst were determined by EF-SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, FTIR, and DRS analysis. Additionally, DRS analysis demonstrated adding CQD to the TiO 2 -Fe reduced its band gap energy from 2.96 eV to 2.91eV, while that was 3.10 eV for undoped TiO 2 . Among that three photo-catalysts, GF/CQD (4.5 wt%) decorated Fe-TiO 2 composite had performance nearly 100.0%, when pH was 5 and low concentration of chlorobenzene. In addition, GF/CQD (4.5 wt%) decorated Fe-TiO 2 composite show it could be well applied for five times and with a little reduction on the performance. Also, no detectable Fe found to be released from the composite. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for E. coli bacteria was 12.2 mg L -1 of chlorobenzene residual. Our findings show the catalyst was successful for chlorobenzene removal in the wastewater effluent. In conclusion, present hybrid composite could successfully and safely remove chlorobenzene from synthetic aqueous solution., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Deciding whether a cranial Computed Tomography (CT) scan in a patient with minor head trauma (MHT) is necessary or not has always been challenging. Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a fundamental part of MHT managing especially in children who are more vulnerable in terms of brain CT radiation consequences and TBI. Defining some indications to timely and efficiently predict the likelihood of TBI is necessary. Thus, we aimed to determine the impact of clinical findings to predict the need for brain CT in children with MHT., Methods: In a prospective cohort study, 200 children (2 to 14 years) with MHT were included from 2019 to 2020. The data of MHT-related clinical findings were gathered. The primary and secondary outcomes were defined as a positive brain CT and any TBI requiring neurosurgery intervention, respectively. In statistical analysis, we performed Binary Logistic regression analysis, Fisher's exact test and independent samples t-test using SPSS V.26., Results: The mean age of participants was 6.5 ± 3.06 years. Ninety patients underwent brain CT. The most common clinical finding and injury mechanism were headache and falling from height, respectively. The results of brain CTs were positive in seven patients (3.5%). We identified three predicting factors for an abnormal brain CT including headache, decreased level of consciousness, and vomiting., Conclusion: We showed that repetitive vomiting (≥2), headache, and decreased level of consciousness are predicting factors for an abnormal brain CT in children with MHT., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Noise pollution is a common health hazard worldwide which is emitted along with chemical air pollutants, simultaneously from many sources. Some studies have been conducted to control these pollutants, simultaneously with promising results being achieved. Dielectric beads have been used in air pollution control technologies, successfully and probable effectiveness of them in noise reduction can be promising in dual use of them in the exhausts emitting noise and air pollution, simultaneously., Methods: In order to investigate the effectiveness of dielectric beads in noise reduction, two types of them; namely glass and ceramic beads, were placed separately inside the connecting tube of a double-expansion chamber muffler. Then the transmission loss (TL) of muffler was examined using impedance tube. A factorial design was used to evaluate and optimize the effect of noise related parameters on TL of such a system., Results: Results show that the presence of dielectric beads has significant effect on TL of muffler. The maximum TL was obtained as 74.76 dB for muffler with ceramic beads, under the optimal condition of 5250 Hz and 120 dB. Measurement of TL and sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of glass and ceramic beads showed that the noise reduction in muffler with ceramic and glass beads is probably due to SAC in ceramic beads and noise reflections in glass beads, respectively., Conclusion: These results promise the dual use of dielectric beads in the exhausts emitting noise and air pollution simultaneously., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

Purpose: The association between air pollutant (PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 ) concentrations and daily number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and related deaths were evaluated in three major Iranian cities (Tehran, Mashhad, and Tabriz)., Methods: Hourly concentrations of air pollutants and daily number of PCR-confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 were acquired (February 20 th , 2020 to January 4 th , 2021). A generalized additive model (GAM) assuming a quasi-Poisson distribution was used to model the associations in each city up to lag-day 7 (for mortality) and 14 (for morbidity). Then, the city-specific estimates were meta-analyzed using a fixed effect model to obtain the overall relative risks (RRs)., Results: A total of 114,964 confirmed cases and 21,549 deaths were recorded in these cities. For confirmed cases, exposure to PM 2.5 , NO 2 , and O 3 for several lag-days showed significant associations. In case of mortality, meta-analysis estimated that the RRs for PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 concentrations were 1.06 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.13), 1.06 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.19), 1.15 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.38), and 1.07 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.31), respectively. Despite several positive associations with all air pollutants over multiple lag-days, COVID-19 mortality was only significantly associated with NO 2 on lag-days 0-1 and 1 with the RRs of 1.35 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.67) and 1.16 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.31), respectively., Conclusion: This study showed that air pollution can be a factor exacerbating COVID-19 infection and clinical outcomes. Actions should be taken to reduce the exposure of the public and particularly patients to ambient air pollutants., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-021-00736-4., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest/Competing interestsThe authors declare no conflict of interests., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

Energy metabolism and neurotransmission are necessary for sustaining normal life activities. Hence, neurological or psychiatric disorders are always associated with changes in neurotransmitters and energy metabolic states in the brain. Most studies have only focused on the most important neurotransmitters, particularly GABA and Glu, however, other metabolites such as NAA and aspartate which are also very important for cerebral function are rarely investigated. In this study, most of the metabolic kinetics information of different brain regions was investigated in awake rats using the [ 1 H- 13 C]-NMR technique. Briefly, rats (n = 8) were infused [1- 13 C] glucose through the tail vein for two minutes. After 20 min of glucose metabolism, the animals were sacrificed and the brain tissue was extracted and treated. Utilizing the 1 H observed/ 13 C-edited nuclear magnetic resonance (POCE-NMR), the enrichment of neurochemicals was detected which reflected the metabolic changes in different brain regions and the metabolic connections between neurons and glial cells in the brain. The results suggest that the distribution of every metabolite differed from every brain region and the metabolic rate of NAA was relatively low at 8.64 ± 2.37 μmol/g/h. In addition, there were some correlations between several 13 C enriched metabolites, such as Glu 4 -Gln 4 (p = 0.062), Glu 4 -GABA 2 (p < 0.01), Glx 2 -Glx 3 (p < 0.001), Asp 3 -NAA 3 (p < 0.001). This correlativity reflects the signal transmission between astrocytes and neurons, as well as the potential interaction between energy metabolism and neurotransmission. In conclusion, the current study systematically demonstrated the metabolic kinetics in the brain which shed light on brain functions and the mechanisms of various pathophysiological states., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Laboratory and epidemiological researches have indicated that ambient air particulate matter have a plays critical role in causing diseases. The current research evaluated the chemical attributes of PM2.5 in the ambient air of the cities of Karaj and Fardis and determined its toxicological effects on human lung epithelial cells (A549). In the study city, 16 points were selected from the two high-traffic and low-traffic points for sampling. A sampling of ambient air was carried out in spring, summer, autumn, and winter 2018-19. Air sampling was performed for 24 h according to the EPA-TO/13A guidelines. To analyze of toxic metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ICP-OES and GC-MS were used, respectively, and for cell toxicity analysis, an ELISA reader was used. Then from SPSS, Excel and R software were used for statistical analysis. The results of the current study indicated that the concentration of PAHs carcinogenic in the autumn season in high-traffic stations was the highest and equal to 9.3 ng/m 3 , and in the spring season in the low-traffic stations, it was the lowest and equal to 5.82 ng/m 3 . In general, during the period of study, Heavy metals including Zn, Fe, Pb, Cu, and Al had the highest concentration compared to other metals. However, Hg, Cr, As, Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn were higher concentration in the winter and autumn seasons than in the spring and summer seasons. Cell viability measurements by using MTT showed that low-traffic and high-traffic stations had the highest toxicity in autumn season compared to other seasons. (p < 0.05). In general, high-traffic stations had the highest toxicity than low-traffic stations. The general conclusion of the present study was that PM2.5-bound PAHs and toxic metals, due to their high concentration, were toxic pollutants in air for residents of Karaj and Fardis. Also, the high concentration of PM2.5 caused the mitochondrial activity of A549 cells to stop and this stop was more significant in cold seasons and high-traffic areas., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors of this article declare that they have no conflict of interests., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

Objective: Evaluation of the effect of Plantago major (P. major) seed on ulcerative colitis (UC) symptoms., Methods: In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, 61 subjects received 3600 mg/day roasted P. major seed in intervention group (n = 31) and roasted wheat flour in control group (n = 30), for 8 weeks, as a complementary to standard medications. Variables were assessed using the Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index (LCAI) at baseline, week 4, and week 8., Results: 51 patients completed the trial (n = 28 in Plantago and n = 23 in placebo groups). Abdominal tenderness (p = 0.011), gastroesophageal reflux and gastric pain (p = 0.049 for both), were significantly less severe in P. major group. Visible blood in stool (p = 0.001), distension (p = 0.001), and anal pain (p = 0.051), decreased significantly in P. major group, although no significant difference was observed between the two groups: (p = 0.224), (p = 0.283), and (p = 0.455) respectively., Conclusion: P. major seems to be effective in complementary management of UC., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Sulfur dioxide, a noxious air pollutant, can cause health and environmental effects, and its emissions should be controlled. Nonthermal plasma is one of the most effective technologies in this area. This study evaluated the efficiency of a packed-bed plasma reactor (PBR) and in-plasma catalysis (IPC) in SO 2 removal process which were finally optimized and modeled by the use of the central composite design (CCD) approach. In this study, SO 2 was diluted in zero air, and the NiCeMgAl catalyst was selected as the catalyst part of the IPC. The effect of three main factors and their interaction were studied. ANOVA results revealed that the best models for SO 2 removal efficiency and energy yielding were the reduced cubic models. According to the results, both PBR and IPC reactors were significantly energy efficient compared with the nonpacked plasma reactor and had high SO 2 removal efficiency which was at least twice larger than that of the nonpacked one. Based on the results, the efficiency of IPC was better than in PBR, but its performance decreased over time. However, the PBR had relatively high SO 2 removal efficiency and energy efficiency compared to the nonpacked reactor, and its performance remained constant over the studied time. In optimization, the maximum SO 2 removal efficiency and energy efficiency were 80.69% and 1.04 gr/kWh, respectively (at 1250 ppm, 2.5 L/min, and 18 kV as the optimum condition) obtained by the IPC system which were 1.5 and 1.24 times greater than PBR, respectively. Finally, the model's predictions showed good agreement with the experiments., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Cigarette butts (CBs) are hazardous wastes usually littered by smokers and are of the prevalence wastes in the environment. Although various studies have been done regarding the quantity of CBs on the coast, few studies have been conducted on its density and distribution in urban areas. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the quantity and distribution of CBs in urban areas to define an index to convert the results into comparable data in various conditions and cities. The data were obtained by visual surveys using field CB counts in the summer of 2019 in the city of Qazvin, Iran. Cigarette butt pollution index (CBPI) was defined by considering CB density, weather conditions, urban characteristics including the structure of the walkways, and distance from groundwater. The findings indicated that the average cigarette butts density in urban areas were found to be in range of 0.01 and 0.51. Spatial variation of CB was observed in the city due to urban characteristics like land use, differences in municipal services, and population density. The CBPI index calculated for a park showed the highest number whereas an administrative (official) area had the lowest CBPI of 0.15. Given the significant pollution of the city studied with CBs and the proper performance of CBPI in classifying various parts of the city, using this method and index can be a good way to assess CBs in the streets of most of the cities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study evaluated the concentrations, spatial distribution, seasonal variations, potential sources, and risk assessment of organic/inorganic pollutants in ambient air of Tehran city. Totally, 180 air samples were taken from 9 sampling stations from March 2018 to March 2019 and were analyzed to determine the concentrations of organic pollutants (BTEX compounds and PM 2.5 -bound PAHs) plus inorganic pollutants (PM 2.5 -bound metals and asbestos fibers). The results revealed that the mean concentrations of ∑ PAHs, BTEX, ∑ heavy metals, and asbestos fibers were 5.34 ng/m 3 , 60.55 µg/m 3 , 8585.12 ng/m 3 , and 4.13 fiber/ml in the cold season, respectively, and 3.88 ng/m 3 , 33.86 µg/m 3 , 5682.61 ng/m 3 , and 3.21 fiber/ml in the warm season, respectively. Source apportionment of emission of the air pollutants showed that PAHs are emitted from diesel vehicles and industrial activities. BTEX and asbestos are also released mainly by vehicles. The results of the inhalation-based risk assessment indicated that the carcinogenic risk of PAHs, BTEX, and asbestos exceeded the recommended limit by The US environmental protection agency (US EPA) and WHO (1 × 10 -4 ). The risk of carcinogenesis of heavy metal of lead and chromium also exceeded the recommended limit. Thus, proper management strategies are required to control the concentration of these pollutants in Tehran's ambient air in order to maintain the health of Tehran's citizens.

This study is aimed at exploring the challenges and opportunities that the COVID-19 outbreak presents to the sustainability of shared mobility. To date, the sustainability of shared mobility has received little attention in the literature, and this study determines its central constructs that are critical to the sustainability of shared mobility. We accordingly conducted a three-phase Delphi approach composed of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Feedback was obtained from 18 international experts who are very knowledgeable regarding civil engineering and shared mobility, initially finding 18 challenges and 18 opportunities. Finally, we identified 12 key constructs as highly critical to the sustainability of shared mobility. The current work is an attempt to address gaps in exploring the challenges and opportunities that the COVID-19 outbreak has created in shared mobility, particularly when a comprehensive examination is needed. This study will serve as an inspiration and catalog for new studies within this field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this photocatalytic study, removal of bisphenol-A from aqueous solution was studied using the GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD composite. Due to its health and environmental effects, this compound should be disposed of sources that are mainly industrial wastewater. The phis-chemical properties of the composite were determined by traditional analyzes of EF-SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, FTIR and DRS. In this study, different ratios of CQD in the composite (1.5, 4.5 and 7.5 wt%), pH, and bisphenol-A concentration as variable parameters were investigated. All analyzes, EF-SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, FTIR, show that the GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD composite is well coated on glass fibers (GF) and all the elements in the catalyst are present. On the other hand, DRS analysis showed that CQD reduces the band gap of Fe-TiO 2 from 2.96 eV to 2.91 eV, it was 3.10 eV for TiO 2 . Among different catalysts, GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD 4.5wt% has the best performance. The results showed that for GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD 4.5wt% , optimum for the process was at pH = 6 in low concentration of bisphenol-A. The first order model for the photocatalytic degradation process were well studied. In addition, GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD 4.5wt% showed that it can be used many times with a minimal reduction in performance. As a result, the GF/Fe-TiO 2 -CQD 4.5wt% composite can successfully remove bisphenol-A form in synthetic aqueous solution. However, it is necessary to further studies to applied that for real water source in water and wastewater treatment plants., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

Covid-19 Pandemic leads to medical services for the society all over the world. The Covid-19 pandemic influence the waste management and specially medical waste management. In this study, the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak on medical waste was evaluated via assessing the solid waste generation, composition, and management status in five hospitals in Iran. The results indicated that the epidemic Covid-19 leads to increased waste generation on average 102.2 % in both private and public hospitals. In addition, the ratio of infectious waste in the studied hospitals increased by an average of 9 % in medical waste composition and 121 % compared with before COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in plans and management measurement such as increasing the frequency of waste collection per week leads to lower the risk of infection transmission from medical waste in the studied hospitals. The results obtained from the present research clearly show the changes in medical waste generation and waste composition within pandemic Covid-19. In addition, established new ward, Covid-19 ward with high-infected waste led to new challenges which should be managed properly by change in routine activities., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

This study investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in air of public places such as shopping centers, a post office, banks, governmental offices, and public transportation facilities including an airport, subways, and buses in Tehran, Iran. A total of 28 air samples were collected from the eight groups of public and transportation locations. The airborne particle samples were collected on PTFE or glass fiber filters using two types of samplers with flow rates of 40 and 3.5 L/min, respectively. The viral samples were leached and concentrated, and RNA was extracted from each. The presence of viral RNA was evaluated using novel coronavirus nucleic acid diagnostic real time PCR kits. In 64% of the samples, SARS-CoV-2 RNA (62% and 67% from the public places and transportation, respectively) was detected. Positive samples were detected in banks (33%), shopping centers (100%), governmental offices (50%), the airport (80%), subway stations (50%), subway trains (100%), and buses (50%). Logistic regression showed that number of people present during the sampling and the sampled air volume were positively associated with presence of SARS-CoV-2; while the percentage of people with masks, air temperature, and sampling site's volume were negatively related to SARS-CoV-2's presence. However, none of these associations were statistically significant. This study showed that most public places and transportation vehicles were contaminated with SARS-CoV-2. Thus, strategies to control the spread of COVID-19 should include reducing the number of people in indoor spaces, more intense disinfection of transport vehicles, and requiring people to wear masks., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 Turkish National Committee for Air Pollution Research and Control. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It has been demonstrated that sub-chronic exposure to air pollution containing nanoscale (˂100 nm) diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) may lead to excessive oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in adult male mice. Hereby, we investigated the effects of DEPs on hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and neuro-inflammation and memory-related gene expression in male mice. In this study, we divided 48 adult NMRI male mice into control group VS. three exposure groups. Mice were exposed to 300-350 μg/m 3 DEPs for 2, 5, and 7 h daily for 12 weeks. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze device were used to examine anxiety, spatial memory and learning, respectively. The mRNAs expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, and glutaminase were studied in hippocampus (HI) by real-time RT-PCR. Besides, malondialdehyde (MDA) tests were used to determine the state of oxidative stress. After 5 and 7 h. of DEPs exposure, mRNA expression of NR2A and NR3B IL1α, IL1β, TNFα, NMDA receptor subunits and MDA levels increased significantly ( P  < 0.05). Also, DEPs exposed mice for 2, 5, and 7 h. showed diminished entrance into open arms with short time spent there. Indeed, 5 and 7 h/day exposed mice required a longer time to reach the hidden platform. Sub-chronic exposure to DEPs increased oxidative stress markers, neuroinflammation, anxiety, impaired spatial learning and memory., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declared that they have no competing interests., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

In recent decades, particulate matter (PM) concentrations in Tehran have exceeded the World Health Organization's (WHO) guideline on most days. In this study, a search protocol was defined by identifying the keywords, to carry out a systematic review of the concentrations and composition of PM in Tehran's ambient air. For this purpose, searches were done in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science in 2019. Among the founded articles (197 in Scopus, 61 in PubMed, and 153 in Web of Science). The results show that in Tehran, the annual average PM 10 exceeded the WHO guidelines and for more than 50.0% of the days, the PM 2.5 concentration was more than WHO 24-h guidance value. The PM concentration in Tehran has two seasonal peaks due to poorer dispersion and suspension from dry land, respectively. Tehran has two daily PM peaks due to traffic and changes in boundary-layer heights; one just after midnight and the other during morning rush hour. Indoor concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in Tehran were 10.6 and 21.8 times higher than the corresponding values in ambient air. Tehran represents a unique case of problems of controlling PM because of its geographical setting, emission sources, and land use. This review provided a comprehensive assessment for decision makers to assist them in making appropriate policy decisions to improve the air quality. Considering factors such as diversity of resources, temporal and spatial variations, and urban location is essential in developing control plans. Also future studies should focus more on PM reduction plans., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

Background: Ammonium chloride as an explosive salt has proved to be a prominent activation agent for adsorbents and increase the specific surface area and volume of cavities. In this work, the ability of this substance was scrutinized for activation of carbon aerogel to prepare an efficient adsorbent for benzene removal from air streams., Methods: A carbon xerogel was fabricated from Novallac polymer and activated by ammonium chloride.The changes in structure and morphology were considered via Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses. Also, comprehensive studies were conducted to vouchsafe the properties of the new adsorbent for benzene removal, using a fixed-bed column mode., Results: The results showed both the successful synthesis and the suitability of the activation process. ACX possessed a higher specific surface area (1008 g/m 3 ), compared to the parent carbon xerogel (CX; 543.7 g/m 3 ) and organic xerogel (OX; 47 g/m 3 ), as well as a higher adsorption capacity., Conclusion: NH 4 CL is a very beneficial for modifying the structure and morphology of carbon aerogel, and the dynamic behavior of the column with respect inlet benzene concentration can be explained by Yan-Nelson model., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors confirm no conflicts of interest associated with this publication., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Background: Noise is one of the most common harmful agents in the workplace. Exposure to excessive noise can lead to complications such as cardiovascular disorders, disturbance of body hormones' rhythm and hearing loss. This study aimed at weighing and modelling factors influencing serum cortisol and melatonin concentrations of workers that are exposed to various sound pressure levels using neural network algorithm., Methodology: A case-control design was adopted in the current research. The required data were collected from 75 industrial and mining firm staff members. They were assigned to three groups with equal sample sizes (25 workers). In developing the conceptual model in regard to variables that may affect workers' serum cortisol and melatonin concentration, SPL, age, weight, and height were included. The influence of SPL on serum cortisol concentration as assessed in the three shifts. Moreover, radioimmunoassay (RIA) was utilized to assess serum cortisol and melatonin concentrations. Neural network algorithm was subsequently exploited to weigh and model predictor factors. IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 was the software program used for data analysis., Results: The average cortisol concentration values for administrative, condensing, and pelletizing units respectively were 10.24 ± 2.35, 12.15 ± 3.46, and 14.91 ± 4.16 μ g d l . On the other hand, the average melatonin concentration values for administrative, condensing, and pelletizing units respectively were 37 ± 12.52, 34 ± 13.15, and 27 ± 9.54 μ g d l . According to the results of the developed model for cortisol, SPL3 (32%) and age (5%) respectively had the highest and lowest impact. On the other hand, considering the model developed for melatonin, height (27%) and SPL1 (10%) were the most and least influential factors in that order. The accuracy rates of the model were also found to be 95% for cortisol and 97% for melatonin., Conclusion: Comparing cortisol concentrations during various shifts revealed a significant reduction (from the beginning to the end of the shift) in all the three groups. Further, the rise of SPL would result in higher secretion of cortisol. Moreover, in all the three groups, the average serum melatonin concentration went up from the beginning to the middle of the shift and then declined to the end of the shift. Considering the accuracy rates of the models developed to predict hormones, neural network algorithm is a suitable and powerful tool for weighing and modelling factors influencing serum cortisol and melatonin concentrations., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

The HIV fusion peptide (FP) is a promising vaccine target. FP-directed monoclonal antibodies from vaccinated macaques have been identified that neutralize up to ∼60% of HIV strains; these vaccinations, however, have involved ∼1 year with an extended neutralization-eclipse phase without measurable serum neutralization. Here, in 32 macaques, we test seven vaccination regimens, each comprising multiple immunizations of FP-carrier conjugates and HIV envelope (Env) trimers. Comparisons of vaccine regimens reveal FP-carrier conjugates to imprint cross-clade neutralizing responses and a cocktail of FP conjugate and Env trimer to elicit the earliest broad responses. We identify a signature, appearing as early as week 6 and involving the frequency of B cells recognizing both FP and Env trimer, predictive of vaccine-elicited breadth ∼1 year later. Immune monitoring of B cells in response to vaccination can thus enable vaccine insights even in the absence of serum neutralization, here identifying FP imprinting, cocktail approach, and early signature as means to improve FP-directed vaccine responses., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Present study aims to examine the efficiency of co-vermicomposting amended with activated sludge and E. fetida earthworm for bioremediation of diesel and gasoline from contaminated soil. The diesel and gasoline removal efficiency and degradation rates coefficients were estimated with gas chromatography (GC) analysis and first-order kinetics. The removal of gasoline and diesel in different co-vermicomposting processes with and without E. fetida ranged between 65-100% and 24.94-63.93%, respectively within 90- day experiment. Removal of gasoline and diesel increased in soil with addition of earthworm (E. fetida); higher degradation rate coefficients (k) were observed for co-vermicomposting with earthworm compared with co-vermicomposting processes. The highest k (0.014) for diesel degradation was estimated for microcosm reactor 4 (R4), where high numbers of E. fetida accelerate the less biodegradable organic contaminant from the soil matrices. The reasonable survival rates of earthworms in exposure to high concentration of petroleum-derivatives contaminated soils indicated increased activity of ligninolytic diesel-degrading earthworms and microorganisms. Therefore, co-vermicomposting amended with activated sludge is suggested as feasible and promising technologies for bioremediation of high content of organic contaminants from the soil matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of conpeting interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Due to the presence of pain during nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion and related complications and lack of positive clinical response of nasopharyngeal anesthesia with lidocaine and the related side effects and limitations in ketamine and intravenous midazolam, this study aims to determine the efficacy of oral midazolam in relieving pain in the patients requiring NGT insertion., Methods: A randomized, triple-blind clinical trial was performed on the patients in the Emergency Department of Zanjan Valiasr and Mousavi Hospitals in Iran, who were nominated for NGT. In each group, 100 patients were examined. Two milligram syrups of midazolam and placebo were administered 20 min before the procedure. In two groups, the pain based on the Visual Analog Scale and satisfaction rate of patients during the NGT insertion were compared. The data were analyzed through the SPSS software version 16.0., Findings: There was no statistically significant difference in the demographic characteristics of two groups. Despite the effects of potential confounding variables, the cause of the referral and indication of NGT, as well as the use of midazolam syrup, had a significant relationship with the outcome, so that midazolam group experienced less pain. The mean and standard deviation of the examined outcomes (feeling of pain and satisfaction with NGT insertion) was statistically significantly different in the midazolam group as compared to the placebo group ( P = 0.001)., Conclusion: Midazolam was effective in decreasing pain and increasing the satisfaction of patients after NGT insertion. This manuscript is registered in Irct. com with code IRCT20110629006922N4., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice.)

The non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a superior proposed method for nitric oxide removal because of operation at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. The energy consumption is the main challenge of using this technology. The packed plasma reactor with dielectric materials has been extensively investigated; it has higher energy efficiency. In this study, the energy efficiency and the other effectiveness factors in nitric oxide removal by NTP reactor packed with ceramic and glass beads optimized and modeled using Response Surface Methodology. The findings showed the maximum energy efficiency was 132.69g/J in the optimal conditions of initial concentration, gas flowrate, and duty cycle(voltage) equal to 1050 ppm, 2.5 L/min, and 9%(22KV), respectively in the packed reactor with ceramic beads by 1.7 times than the empty reactor. It is concluded that the use of ceramic beads as a dielectric material in the discharge space significantly increased energy efficiency in the removal of nitric oxide.

In this study, benzene was selected as an indicator of VOCs, and a modeling procedure was carried out on benzene removal (outflow concentration of benzene, C/inflow concentration of benzene, C 0 ), in DC and AC non-thermal plasma systems. Different diameters (18, 23, and 36 mm) of wire-tube plasma reactors were prepared, and models were raised based on the results of experiments with influencing factors of the used voltage, gap size inside the reactor, current density, and specific energy. The results showed correlation between the factors and benzene removal in both DC and AC discharge non-thermal plasma. The applied voltage as an electrical factor had negative correlation with C/C 0 , and the correlation was stronger than for gap size which was positively correlated with C/C 0 . Current density and specific energy were affected by the voltage and gap size of the reactor; the lowest C/C 0 values were obtained in the highest values of specific energy and current density. Regarding the raised models, multi-factor exponential model was the most reliable one with the results.

Background: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) in smoke and water bowl of 5-most commonly used tobacco brand in waterpipe in Tehran, the capital of Iran., Methods: Five types of conventional tobacco in Tehran were investigated. Heavy metals and BTEX were analyzed in waterpipe smoke, tobacco, charcoal and water bowl prior to and after smoking by using ICP-OES and GC-MS, respectively., Results: Our results indicated that Khansar and Al Fakher brands had the maximum and minimum concentrations of metals among tobacco consumed, respectively. The results showed that there was a significant difference between content of heavy metals in burned and unburned tobacco. The highest and lowest concentrations of metals were related to Fe and Hg, respectively., Conclusion: Results showed that tobacco, charcoal and smoke of waterpipe contained significant contents of toxic metals and BTEX, and exposure to these components could be the main reason for the concerns about waterpipe smoking., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.)

The enhancement of composting technology to stabilize sludge pretreated by ozonation and ultrasonic was tested for 35 days. Secondary sludge produced by biological process are characterized with endogenous residue and inert solid matter which inhibit fully degrade bacterial cell walls. The composting process was performed with sludge pretreated with ozonatian and ultrasonics and green waste in a ratio of 2:1. The composting characteristics was evaluated for different physico-chemical and microbiological parameters in five different reactors. A high degree of composting quality was achieved with respect to significant reduction in volatile solids (VS) (32%), total organic carbon (TOC) (35.0%), C/N ratio (23.74), total coliform (TC) (168) along with the substantial increase in availability of nutrients like N (1.2%) and P (8.77%). High removal efficiency of TC and Fecal Coliform (FC) were observed in composting results, where simultaneous ultrasonic and ozonation were considered as primary-stabilization process. Therefore, applying integrated ultrasonic/ozonation with composting system for sludge stabilization is potentially useful technology in sustainable land restoration practices to meet standards and produce soil conditioner.

From a health prospective, it is critical to provide a comprehensive model which integrates all the parameters involved in virus transmission and its consequences on human body. In order to estimate the health risks, for workers and residents, associated with an exposure airborne viruses emitted from a wastewater treatment (WWTP), the concentration levels of viruses in emitted bioaerosols over a twelve-month period were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A combined Gaussian plum dispersion model and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) with Monte-Carlo simulation served as suitable explanatory tools to estimate the risk of acquiring gastrointestinal illness (GI) due to exposure to air containing Rotavirus (RoV) and Norovirus (NoV) bioaerosols. Additionally, DALY metric was applied to quantify the disability and mortality for workers and residents. RoV and NoV were detected above aeration tank with annual mean concentration 27 and 3099 (Viruses/m 3 .h), respectively. The medium calculated DALY indicator based on viral loads in contaminant source (RoV:5.76 × 10 -2 and NoV:1.23 × 10 -1 ) and estimated in different distances away (300-1000 m) (RoV:2.87 × 10 -2 - 2.75 × 10 -2 and NoV:1.14 × 10 -1 -1.13 × 10 -1 ) were markedly higher than the threshold values recommended by US EPA (10 -4 DALY pppy) and WHO (10 -6 DALY pppy). The sensitivity analysis highlighted dose exposure and disease burden per case (DBPC) as two most influential factors for both workers and residents following exposure to two pathogens of concern. Due to high resistance and high concentration in the environment, the presence of RoV and NoV can intensify the consequences of diarrhea especially for children under five years of age; A comprehensible and transparent presentation of DALYs and QMRA can help decision makers and responsibilities to justify the priorities of exposure to wastewater in comparison with other risks of daily life., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Advancement of ultrasound molecular imaging applications requires not only a reduction in size of the ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) but also a significant improvement in the in vivo stability of the shell-stabilized gas bubble. The transition from first generation to second generation UCAs was marked by an advancement in stability as air was replaced by a hydrophobic gas, such as perfluoropropane and sulfur hexafluoride. Further improvement can be realized by focusing on how well the UCAs shell can retain the encapsulated gas under extreme mechanical deformations. Here we report the next generation of UCAs for which we engineered the shell structure to impart much better stability under repeated prolonged oscillation due to ultrasound, and large changes in shear and turbulence as it circulates within the body. By adapting an architecture with two layers of contrasting elastic properties similar to bacterial cell envelopes, our ultrastable nanobubbles (NBs) withstand continuous in vitro exposure to ultrasound with minimal signal decay and have a significant delay on the onset of in vivo signal decay in kidney, liver, and tumor. Development of ultrastable NBs can potentially expand the role of ultrasound in molecular imaging, theranostics, and drug delivery.