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The process of dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) is an effective economic and environmentally friendly method due to its features such as reducing the volume of waste, destroying pathogens, consuming less energy, and producing biogas rich in energy and fertilizer. This study was conducted on a pilot scale with a reactor volume of 24 L in 30 days for three ratios of C/N: 30, 25, and 20 separately using a mixture of activated sludge and plant waste. During the process, the temperature, pH, and ratio of C/N were measured at certain times, and the percentage of gases produced by the Gas chromatography (GC) device was also measured. The results were compared with the National standard of Iran (Compost, Physical, and Chemical Specifications) at the end of the process. The results showed that the average volume of biogas produced in ratios of C/N: 30, 25, 20 is 1.7, 2.5, and 1.5 L. d -1 , respectively. The results showed that in the C/N ratio of 20, and 25, the amount of, C/N ratio and NO 3 are in the range the standard of class 1, and the amount of Phosphorus pentoxide (P 2 O 5 ) is in the range the standard of class 2. The results showed that the average microbial parameters in ratios of C/N: 30, 25, and 20 are lower than the national standard of Iran. The dry digester is an efficient method in waste treatment, methane gas production, and quality fertilizer close to the national standard of Iran., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of hydrocarbons, some of which are established human carcinogens. Human exposure to these chemicals is complex and originates from both indoor and outdoor sources. This study measured the concentration of PAHs in the gaseous and particulate phases during the cold months of 2022 using XAD-2 sorbent tubes and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters in the indoor air of coffee shops in Zahedan, Iran (n = 23). The average concentrations of particulate-bound PAHs and gaseous PAHs were 13,411.86 ± 6517.24 ng/m³ and 6432.76 ± 4311.72 ng/m³, respectively. Source apportionment analyses indicated that the primary sources of PAHs in coffee shops were fossil fuel combustion and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), commonly referred to as second and third-hand smoke. The lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) of inhaled PAHs was calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The mean LTCR for adults and children from inhaling these substances were 9.43 × 10- 6 ± 5.06 × 10- 6 and 5.34 × 10- 6 ± 2.87 × 10- 6 , respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) of PAHs exceeded 1. These findings highlight the need to reduce PAHs exposure in public spaces through proper health warning labels and regulated indoor smoking policies., 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 The Authors.)

The presence of pollutants in the earth's atmosphere has a direct impact on human health and the environment. So that pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) cause respiratory diseases, cough headache, etc. Since the amount of pollutants in the air is related to environmental and urban factors, the aim of the current research is to investigate the relationship between the concentration of CO, PM 2.5 and PM 10 with urban-environmental factors including land use, wind speed and wind direction, topography, traffic, road network, and population through a Land use regression (LUR) model. The concentrations of CO, PM 2.5 and PM 10 were measured during four seasons from 26th of March 2022 to 16th of March 2023 at 25 monitoring stations and then the information about pollutant measurement points and Land use data were entered into the ArcGIS software. The annual average concentrations of CO, PM 2.5 and PM 10 were 0.7 ppm, 18.94 and 60.76 µg/m 3 , respectively, in which the values of annual average concentration of CO and PMs were outside the air quality guideline standard. The results of the health risk assessment showed that the hazard quotient values for all three investigated pollutants were lower than 1 and therefore, they were not in adverse conditions in terms of health effects. Among the urban-environmental factors affecting air pollution, the traffic variable is the most important factor affecting the annual LUR model of CO, PM 2.5 and PM 10 , and then the topography variable is the second most effective factor on the annual LUR model of the aforementioned pollutants., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the physiopathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is associated with impaired antioxidant defenses. This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and disease activity in women with RA. In this clinical trial, 48 women with RA were treated with one capsule of curcumin (500 mg daily) or placebo for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and end of the study. Finally, we assessed the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS-28), dietary intake, and physical activity levels. While curcumin supplementation for 8 weeks significantly increased the serum levels of TAC (p < 0.05), it decreased tender joint counts, swollen joint counts, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and DAS-28 compared to the placebo at the end of the study (p < 0.001 for all). MDA levels significantly decreased in the curcumin group (p < 0.05). However, changes in MDA concentration were not significant between groups at the end of the trial (p = 0.145). Curcumin supplementation had a beneficial effect on increasing the serum levels of TAC and decreased DAS-28 in women with RA., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study investigated batch-fed vermicomposting of cow manure, with a specific focus on assessing the effects of tylosin on the weight of earthworms and the overall quality of the resulting manure. Five reactors, including three concentrations of tylosin (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg) and two control reactors, were employed. Residual tylosin concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quality parameters such as pH, temperature, volatile solids (VS), organic carbon content (OCC), electrical conductivity (EC), ash content, C/N ratio, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and microbial content were evaluated. The toxicity and maturity of vermicompost were assessed by determining the germination index (GI). The study also monitored variations in the earthworm's weight. The results demonstrated a decreasing trend in VS, OCC, C/N, and fecal coliforms, along with increased pH, EC, ash content, and TKN during the vermicomposting process. Furthermore, investigations revealed significant reductions in the reactors with tylosin concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, resulting in the removal of 98%, 90.48%, and 89.38% of the initial tylosin, respectively. This result confirms the faster removal of tylosin in reactors with lower concentrations. Degradation of tylosin also conforms to first-order kinetics. The findings showed a significant influence of tylosin on the weight of Eisenia fetida earthworms and the lowest antibiotic concentration led to the highest weight gain. Finally, the high percentage of germination index (90-100%) showed that the quality and maturity of vermicompost is by national and international standards., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Reuse of wastewater is one of the ways to develop water resources. In addition to the need for drinking water, many industries also need high-quality water in the production line. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the advanced treatment of the wastewater treatment plant of Morche Khort industrial town using the processes of coagulation, flocculation with aeration, multi-layer filter, and disinfection by ultraviolet radiation to increase the quality of wastewater and reuse it in industries. In this study, to investigate the effect of coagulation and flocculation units along with aeration, filtration, and disinfection by ultraviolet rays (UV), on the quality of the secondary effluent from the wastewater treatment plant of Morche Khort industrial town, they were operated on a pilot scale. Polyaluminum chloride (PAC) was used as a coagulant. Layering of three layers of sand filter, from bottom to top including granulated silica at a height of 10 cm, sand at a height of 20 cm, and activated carbon at a height of 70 cm was used. The input and output sampling points of each unit were considered. By repeating twice in five stages of flow rates of 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 (L/min), the samples were collected to determine COD, TSS, TDS, turbidity, pH, hardness, total coliform, and fecal coliform. Jar test results showed that Alum coagulant works almost the same as PAC in removing turbidity, but the efficiency of removing organic substances by PAC coagulant is higher than that of Alum at lower doses. The results of this study showed that the efficiency of the coagulation and flocculation process in removing turbidity, COD, TSS, TDS, and fat was 56.88%, 46.66%, 38%, 23.19%, and 91.43% respectively. In the current study, the results of the wastewater entering the sand filter showed that the percentage of removal efficiency with a loading rate of 1 (L/min) was turbidity, TSS, COD, TDS, and fat was 16. 93%, 56.84%, 50%, 5.67%, 33.44% respectively. In the UV disinfection unit, the removal efficiency percentage with a loading rate of 1 (L/min) for COD, TSS, turbidity, hardness, total coliform, and fecal coliform is 16%, 3.45%, 3.58%, 5.21%, 99.88%, and 98.37% respectively. Coagulation and flocculation system-multi-layer filter and disinfection can remove chemical-physical and microbial parameters to an acceptable level for using water in advanced purification systems and also for irrigation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and advanced reduction processes (ARPs) are a set of chemical treatment procedures designed to eliminate organic (sometimes inorganic) contamination in water and wastewater by producing free reactive radicals (FRR). UV irradiation is one of the factors that are effectively used in oxidation-reduction processes. Not only does the UV beam cause the photolysis of contamination, but it also leads to the product of FRR by affecting oxidants-reductant, and the pollutant decomposition occurs by FRR. UV rays produce active radical species indirectly in an advanced redox process by affecting an oxidant (O 3 , H 2 O 2 ), persulfate (PS), or reducer (dithionite, sulfite, sulfide, iodide, ferrous). Produced FRR with high redox potential (including oxidized or reduced radicals) causes detoxification and degradation of target contaminants by attacking them. In this review, it was found that ultraviolet radiation is one of the important and practical parameters in redox processes, which can be used to control a wide range of impurities., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The current study aims to investigate the relationship betweSen serum IL-17 (IL-17) levels and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLE-DAEI) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. In this case-control study, 36 patients with SLE and 40 healthy individuals matched for age and sex were included as the control group. The study measured serum IL-17 in both groups. The correlation between serum IL-17 with disease activity (as per SLE-DAI) and organ involvement in SLE patients. The case group in this study consisted of 4 males and 32 females with a mean age of 35 (17-54) years old, and the control group included six males and 34 females with a mean age of 37 (25-53) years old ( p  = .35). Serum IL-17 was higher in the cases than in the controls (536 pg/mL vs. 110 pg/mL; p  < .001). There was a positive correlation between the serum levels of IL-17 and disease activity index ( p  < .001, rho = 0.93) among cases. Additionally, the serum levels of IL-17 were higher in patients with renal ( p  = .003) or central nervous system involvement ( p  < .001) than in patients without such involvement. Serum Il-17 is associated with SLE, and its serum levels correlate positively with the disease activity and renal and nervous system involvement.

Sustainable municipal solid waste leachate (MSWL) management requires a paradigm shift from removing contaminants to effectively recovering resources and decreasing contaminants simultaneously. In this study, two types of humic substances, fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) were extracted from MSWL. HA was extracted using HCl and NaOH solution, followed by FA using a column bed under diversified operations such as flow rate, input concentration, and bed height. Also, this work aims to evaluate efficiency of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Dynamic adsorption models in predicting FA. With the flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, bed height of 15.5 cm, and input concentration of 4.27 g/mL, the maximum capacity of FA was obtained at 23.03 mg/g. FTIR analysis in HA and FA revealed several oxygen-containing functional groups including carboxylic, phenolic, aliphatic, and ketone. The high correlation coefficient value (R 2 ) and a lower mean squared error value (MSE) were obtained using the ANN, indicating the superior ability of ANN to predict adsorption capacity compared to traditional modeling., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this work, modified Bi-PbO 2 electrode was fabricated and employed for simultaneous degradation of fenitrothion (FT), trifluralin (TF), and chlorothalonil (CT) from synthetic and pesticide wastewater through the anodic oxidation process. A novel high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed and optimized to identify the pesticides simultaneously. Quadratic models were developed to investigate the effects of main operating parameters and predict the degradation efficiencies of the treatment processes. The R 2 of the degradation efficiencies were obtained of 0.9847, 0.9910, and 0.9821 for FT, TF, and CT, respectively, which indicates the degree of conformity between the experimental and the actual values of degradation efficiencies, and the adjusted R 2 values for the degradation efficiency of FT, TF, and CT in proposed models were 0.9826, 0.9898, and 0.9796, and the values of the predicted R 2 were 0.9792, 0.9875, and 0.9755, respectively. The maximum degradation efficiencies of 99.7, 100, and 100% obtained for FT, TF, and CT, respectively, under the optimal operating condition of FT, TF, and CT concentration of 10.0, 6.0, and 8.0 mg L -1 , respectively, pH 6.0, the current density 6.0 mA cm -2 , and electrolysis time of 60 min. Chemical oxygen demand removal and energy consumption were 64.7% and 5.1 kWh m -3 . Eventually, the generated intermediates and other produced species of pesticides through the treatment process was evaluated using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method, and their degradation pathways were proposed., 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 © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pesticide residues in the environment have irreparable effects on human health and other organisms. Hence, it is necessary to treat and degrade them from polluted water. In the current work, the electrochemical removal of the fenitrothion (FT), trifluralin (TF), and chlorothalonil (CT) pesticides were performed by catalytic electrode. The characteristics of SnO 2 -Sb 2 O 3 , PbO 2 , and Bi-PbO 2 electrodes were described by FE-SEM and XRD. Dynamic electrochemical techniques including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, accelerated life, and linear polarization were employed to investigate the electrochemical performance of fabricated electrodes. Moreover, evaluate the risk of toxic metals release from the catalytic electrode during treatment process was investigated. The maximum degradation efficiency of 99.8, 100, and 100% for FT, TF, and CT was found under the optimal condition of FT, TF, and CT concentration 15.0 mg L -1 , pH 7.0, current density 7.0 mA cm -2 , and electrolysis time of 120 min. The Bi-PbO 2 , PbO 2 , and SnO 2 -Sb 2 O 3 electrodes revealed the oxygen evolution potential of 2.089, 1.983, 1.914 V, and the service lifetime of 82, 144, and 323 h, respectively. The results showed that after 5.0 h of electrolysis, none of the heavy metals such as Bi, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Ti were detected in the treated solution.

Heavy metals are threatening the lives of people around the world. This study aims to quantify the adverse health risks of seven heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel in taxi drivers in an urban desert city, Yazd, Iran. The exposure concentrations were determined through air sampling in the breathing zone of 40 randomly selected intercity taxi drivers, 20 in winter and 20 in summer, in 2019. An ICP-MAS spectrometer was applied to measure the elements. Target hazard quotient (THQ) and excessive cancer risk (ECR) indices were applied to calculate the non-cancer and cancer risks based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines, respectively. The results showed that arsenic and lead had the highest exposure concentrations among the seven measured heavy metals while cobalt and chromium metals had the lowest concentrations. Arsenic, cadmium, manganese, and nickel would probably cause some adverse non-carcinogenic health problems (THQ > 1) in the drivers over their working life. The percentile 95% ECR of measured heavy metals was 1.3E - 03 in total, which is much higher than the value of 1E - 06. The concentration of arsenic and nickel was higher in winter than in summer. Taxi drivers in Yazd city are at considerable health risk; therefore, swift and serious controlling measures should be taken by responsible authorities. Besides, the taxi drivers should be educated about heavy metals' health effects and their protective behaviors., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Stachys schtschegleevii (SSC) is a herbal medicine used to treat infections. To date, this is the first study aimed to investigate the effects of SSC tea on disease activity score (DAS), serum inflammatory biomarkers and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1 and MMP-3) among women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: This pilot, triple-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted among forty-four women (age: 30-65 years) diagnosed with moderately active RA. Subjects were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) into either SSC group (2.4 g/day SSC + 2.4 g/day black tea, n=22) or placebo (2.4 g/day black tea, n=22) for 8 weeks. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and MMPs were measured using ELISA. According to the American College of Rheumatology guideline considering hs-CRP, DAS28 was assessed., Results: Both study groups had respondent rates above 94.9%. The SSC intervention caused significant reductions in the number and the percent changes of the tender joints (SSC: -74.39% vs. placebo: -57.15%, mean differences= -0.77; P<0.05) and DAS28 [SSC: -32.44% vs. placebo: -22.32%, mean differences= -0.41, P<0.05). Unlike the intervention within SSC group that showed significant reductions in the mean serum levels of hs-CRP, IL-1β, and MMP-3, SSC caused significant MMP-3 reductions (SSC: -20.59% vs. placebo: 1.29%, P<0.05)., Conclusion: The SSC intervention showed an appropriate clinical efficacy for female RA patients, accompanying remarkable reductions in the number of tender and swollen joints, DAS28, and serum levels of MMP-3. This can provide additional insights to the interventional studies controlling RA-related pathological and inflammatory outcomes. Trial registration Prospectively registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), linked to the WHO Registry Network ( https://en.irct.ir/trial/11602 , IRCT registration number: IRCT2015032011335N5, Registration date:2015-05-12). Key Points • Stachys schtschegleevii improved clinical outcomes and attenuated disease severity in RA patients. • Stachys schtschegleevii ameliorated serum level of MMP-3 in RA patients., (© 2021. International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to cartilage damage with mostly accompanied by metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on metabolic parameters (lipid profile and glycemic indices), inflammatory factors, visfatin levels, and obesity values in women with RA. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 48 women with RA. The patients were treated with curcumin (500 mg once a day) or placebo for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, and physical activity levels of subjects were collected at baseline and the end of the study. Curcumin supplementation significantly decreased homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and triglycerides, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference of patients compared with the placebo at the end of the study (p < .05 for all). HOMA-IR and triglyceride levels significantly increased within the placebo group. Changes in fasting blood sugar, insulin, other lipids profile, and visfatin levels were not significant in any of the groups (p > .05). These results support the consumption of curcumin, as a part of an integrated approach to modulate metabolic factors, inflammation, and adiposity in women with RA., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Regular monitoring and measurement of Legionella in tower water and preventive measures against contamination are particularly important in hospitals. This study aimed at risk assessment and disease burden because of legionella presence in cooling towers of Iran's central hospitals. Then its correlation with temperature, pH, turbidity, residual chlorine, and EC was investigated by the Pearson test. The health risk and burden of diseases caused by Legionella exposure were determined using QMRA and DALY models. Statistical analysis and modeling were performed in MATLAB 2018 . Of the total samples, 30-43% was infected with Legionella. The mean concentrations in hospital A and B were 5-102.5 ± 10 and 5-89.7 ± 0.7 CFU/L, respectively. Among environmental factors, turbidity and pH were the most effective factors in increasing and decreasing Legionella concentration, respectively. According to the QMRA model, the risks of Legionella infections and annual mortality in both hospitals were 0.2-0.3, 0-0.19, 2-2.9 × 10 -5 , and 0-0.7 × 10 -5 , respectively, which was higher than the acceptable risk range for Legionella (10-4-10-7). However, the trend of its change was negatively correlated with time (R B  = - 0.77). According to the results, the concentration of Legionella and the exposure risk in both hospitals were higher than the permissible range, which is necessary to decrease to 0.1 current concentrations., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In general, ecological findings indicate a positive correlation between MS and the intake of certain foods. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between radon (Rn) gas concentration and nutrition of patients in food groups with MS. Demographic information, diet, and building characteristics were collected by a questionnaire. Indoors Rn gas was measured using CR-39 detectors. Three models were used in the study of food intake. The interaction analysis between MS prevalence, diet, residential building characteristics, and Rn gas content was performed using SPSS 2020. The total Rn was significantly associated with cooling devices (P = 0.021). Buildings > 20 years had higher Rn concentrations than buildings < 20 years (P = 0.038). Also, no significant relationship was found between Rn-total and MS concentrations, but the total Rn concentration was higher in people homes with MS. Case group used more processed meat than the control (P < 0.001). The case group consumed more butter than the control, which was significant in Model III (P < 0.04). Tomato consumption in the case group was significantly higher than the control (P < 0.03). According to the results there was no interaction between Rn gas concentration in any of the food groups in each cases. However, future studies with larger sample sizes will be needed prospectively., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

This study was aimed to investigate the air pollutants impact on heart patient's hospital admission rates in Yazd for the first time. Modeling was done by time series, multivariate linear regression, and artificial neural network (ANN). During 5 years, the mean concentrations of PM 10 , SO 2 , O 3 , NO 2 , and CO were 98.48 μg m -3 , 8.57 ppm, 19.66 ppm, 18.14 ppm, and 4.07 ppm, respectively. The total number of cardiovascular disease (CD) patients was 12,491, of which 57% and 43% were related to men and women, respectively. The maximum correlation of air pollutants was observed between CO and PM 10 (R = 0.62). The presence of SO 2 and NO 2 can be dependent on meteorological parameters (R = 0.48). Despite there was a positive correlation between age and CD (p = 0.001), the highest correlation was detected between SO 2 and CD (R = 0.4). The annual variation trend of SO 2 , NO 2 , and CO concentrations was more similar to the variations trend in meteorological parameters. Moreover, the temperature had also been an effective factor in the O 3 variation rate at lag = 0. On the other hand, SO 2 has been the most effective contaminant in CD patient admissions in hospitals (R = 0.45). In the monthly database classification, SO 2 and NO 2 were the most prominent factors in the CD (R = 0.5). The multivariate linear regression model also showed that CO and SO 2 were significant contaminants in the number of hospital admissions (R = 0.46, p = 0.001) that both pollutants were a function of air temperature (p = 0.002). In the ANN nonlinear model, the 14, 12, 10, and 13 neurons in the hidden layer were formed the best structure for PM, NO 2 , O 3 , and SO 2 , respectively. Thus, the R all rate for these structures was 0.78-0.83. In these structures, according to the autocorrelation of error in lag = 0, the series are stationary, which makes it possible to predict using this model. According to the results, the artificial neural network had a good ability to predict the relationship between the effect of air pollutants on the CD in a 5 years' time series., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Long-term inhalation of radon gas can cause harm to humans and lead to many diseases. One of these diseases is multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common chronic disease of the central nervous system, which alters the brain structure and impedes the rapid transmission of nerve signals throughout the neuron system. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship of the radon gas concentration in residential homes of MS and non-MS individuals with their results of paraclinical MRI and VEP in Yazd City, Iran. The radon gas concentration was measured in residential homes of 44 people with MS and 100 healthy people. To this end, the questionnaire of radon gas monitoring in residential buildings was administered, and the radon gas concentration was measured by CR-39 detectors. The mean radon concentrations in the homes of MS and non-MS people were 69.51 and 70.83, respectively. A significant positive relationship was found between radon concentration and building's age (P = 0.038). Furthermore, radon concentration had a significant inverse relationship with the building's ventilation (P = 0.053) and cooling systems (P = 0.021). No significant relationship was observed between total radon concentration and MS incidence (P = 0.88). Moreover, no significant correlation was found between radon concentration and location of the plaque in MRI test results of the patients. However, it showed an inverse non-significant correlation with the plaque's number (r = - 0.12, P = 0.42). Further studies in this area are recommended.

Background: Transmission of pathogens such as fecal coliforms is regarded as a significant concern about using livestock manure in agricultural applications., Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vermicomposting on fecal coliforms in cow manure containing co-trimoxazole as a widely used drug for cow diseases in animal husbandry., Methods: Adaptation process of earthworms was carried out in two phases for 6 weeks; then, the main process was fulfilled in 9 weeks. The final weight of cow manure per reactor was 3.5 kg. 120 g of earthworms added to each reactor (approximately 280-300 numbers in the reactor). Co-trimoxazole was also prepared with a purity of 99% from Pakdarou Co., Iran, and added to the reactors at concentrations of 10, 20, 50, and100mg/kg. Organic carbon, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio, as well as phosphorus content of the reactors were measured. Fecal coliforms and parasite eggs were counted using standard laboratory methods (i.e. the Iranian Compost Standard) for 8 weeks., Results: The results revealed a decrease in organic carbon, C:N ratio, and co-trimoxazole content but a rising trend in TKN and phosphorus levels. The weight of earthworms also increased at the end of the process in all reactors, except for one case. A significant reduction was observed in fecal coliforms and parasite eggs at the end of the vermicomposting., Conclusions: According to the results, earthworms could be active in cow manure vermicomposting including 10-100 mg/kg concentration of co-trimoxazole antibiotic. The vermicomposting seems to be an effective method for reducing fecal coliforms and parasites in cow manure. As well, co-trimoxazole in common concentration could not have any effects on the ability of earthworms. At the end of the vermicomposting, all parameters were placed within the ICS (National) - Grade 1., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declared no competing interests., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.)

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, angiographic and prognostic characteristics of Takayasu arteritis (TA) in Iran., Materials and Methods: A total of 75 patients with TA based on the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for TA classification referred to the Rheumatology Centres, were followed-up from 1989 to 2019. Demographic, clinical, angiographic and prognostic characteristics were collected at baseline and last visit., Results: The mean age was 31.9 ± 9.8 years at the disease onset. Female to male ratio was 14. The median latency in diagnosis was 24 months. Pulse discrepancy in the arms, blood pressure discrepancy in the arms, limb claudication, hypertension and constitutional symptoms were the most common clinical features. The most common angiographic type at the time of diagnosis was Type I (42.7%). The most frequent arterial lesion was stenosis (89.4%). Subclavian, carotid and aortic arteries were the most commonly involved arteries. New lesions developed in 28.6% of patients during the 5.25-year follow-up. Vasculitis-induced chronic damage was observed in all patients. Disease activity decreased and vascular damage remained stable throughout the follow-up period., Conclusions: The clinical features and angiographic type of TA in Iran are different from most Asian countries. Differences in angiographic and clinical features may lead to delayed diagnosis. The issue of delay in diagnosis should create awareness among health care providers that TA is not a very rare disease in Iranians and failure to pay attention to warning symptoms may delay the diagnosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

This case-control study aimed to investigate the relationship of indoor radon gas concentration and residential building characteristics with mental health with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Yazd City, Iran. The participants included 45 patients with MS and 100 healthy individuals. The participants' socio-economic status and residential building characteristics were investigated using a questionnaire. The radon gas concentration was also measured by CR-39 detectors over a 6-month period. Furthermore, the participants' mental health data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The mean concentrations of radon gas were 66.77 and 65.33 Bq/m 3 in the homes of patients with MS and healthy individuals, respectively, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.882). However, the radon gas concentration had a significant relationship with the building's age (p = 0.038), ventilation (p = 0.053), and cooling system (p = 0.021). A significant difference was observed between the two study groups in terms of the mental health (p = 0.018), depression (p = 0.037), somatic symptoms (p ≤ 0.001), and physical activity (p = 0.030). Since the indoor radon gas concentration did not have any significant relationship with MS prevalence, more studies are required in this regard, especially in long-term exposure.

Trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water are associated with many chemical parameters in water. However, the available evidence on the relationship between physical parameters of the water distribution system (WDS) and THMs is still scarce; therefore, this study aimed to compare the THMs concentration in the old and new WDS in Yazd, Iran. Moreover, we investigated the seasonal trend and health risk assessment of exposure to THMs through ingestion, dermal, and inhalation pathways. Mann-Whitney test was applied to compare THMs between old and new WDS as well as fall season and winter season. The order of THM concentrations was: chloroform > BDCM > DBCM > bromoform. The maximum levels of THMs in the fall and winter were 31 and 39 ppb, respectively, which were less than the WHO recommended limits for drinking water, i.e., <200 ppb. There was a significant difference between the concentration of BDCM in autumn and winter (P-value = 0.01). There was a marginally significant difference between THM concentration in the autumn and winter (P-value 0.09). The total concentration of THMs and chloroform in the old WDS were significantly higher than the new WDS. The mean values of lifetime cancer risks (LTCR) for oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure pathways to THMs were in the acceptable and low-risk levels. The inhalation exposure pathway had the highest LTCR from among the three mentioned exposure pathways. The hazard index was found to be < 1 through oral and dermal pathways. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis revealed that the ingestion rate for oral exposure, the exposure time for dermal and exposure duration for the inhalation exposure pathway had the highest impact on chronic daily intake (CDI). Our finding confirmed that THM concentration in tap water was associated with the lifespan of WDS and this finding could be useful for urban planners and decision-makers., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent oral and genital aphthous ulcers, uveitis and skin lesions. Oxidative stress and inflammation have important role in the pathogenesis of BD. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Nigella sativa (NS) oil administration on malondialdehyde (MDA), total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-10 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs- CRP) levels in patients with BD., Materials and Methods: In this randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial, 96 BD patients were randomly assigned to NS or placebo groups. Study groups received 1000 mg/day NS oil and placebo soft gels for 8 weeks. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-10, hs-CRP, MDA and TAC were measured before and after treatment., Results: Eighty-nine individuals completed the study. Significant decreases in the serum levels of MDA and increases in the serum levels of TAC were found in the NS group. However, differences in the changes of MDA and TAC in the NS and placebo groups were not significant. Pre- and post-intervention changes of TNF-α, IL-10 and hs-CRP levels in the NS group were non-significant., Conclusion: NS 1000 mg per day is probably not effective in reducing the inflammatory and oxidative markers in BD.

Biofiltration of hydrophobic and/or recalcitrant volatile organic compounds such as n-hexane is imperfect. In the present study, we applied a hybrid system consisting of a photoreactor packed with scoria granules coated with TiO 2 and a biofilter to improve the removal efficiency of n-hexane from the air stream. The experimental results showed that the hybrid system provided higher removal efficiencies than the single biofilter process with an inlet n-hexane concentration range of 0.11-1 g -3 for empty bed residence times (EBRTs) of 30-120 s in the hybrid system. The removal efficiency of the single biofilter in EBRTs of 30, 60 and 120 s was 10.06%, 21.45%, and 45.98%, respectively. When the photoreactor was included as a pretreatment system (with residence time of 7-27 s) and the overall EBRTs of the system was adjusted to 30, 60 and 120 s, the removal efficiency of the hybrid system was increased to 39.79%, 63.08%, and 92.6%, respectively. The mass ratio of carbon dioxide produced as an indicator for n-hexane degradation in the hybrid system and the biofilter alone was 1.9 and 1.28, respectively. Bacterial community analysis with sequence analysis of 16S rDNA in the biofilter biomass revealed that Pseudomonas and Bacillus as predominant bacterial species were responsible for n-hexane biodegradation. Therefore, the application of the hybrid system is advantageous in enhanced n-hexane removal from the air stream., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThere is no conflict of interest., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.)

Asbestos is classified as a hazardous pollutants between the airborne particles that cause diseases such as lung fibrosis (asbestosis). This protocol describes an integrated method for determination of asbestos fibres concentration and its temporal-spatial trends in the air of urban areas. To do this, 60 samples were gathered from various areas of Yazd city with low, moderate and high traffic. For analysis of asbestos fibres in the samples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) were utilized. The spatial and temporal variation of asbestos fibres concentration was carried out by ArcGIS 10 analysis. The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method was used to draw asbestos fibres distribution maps. The interpolation of asbestos fibre by IDW method indicated that the distribution of the fibres in summer and winter were followed almost the similar pattern. However, the distribution of asbestos fibre concentrations in the direction of southeast to the northwest of the city was higher than that in the other areas due to high vehicular traffic., (© 2019 The Authors.)

System dynamics is considered as a computer-aided approach to policy analysis and design. It includes the response and reaction of a system to external shocks. In the present research, following the sampling and testing phases, a system dynamics model was developed for modeling of phosphorus in facultative stabilization ponds. First, the scheme of soluble reactive phosphorous stock, its specifications and parameters were determined and created in the VenSim PLE 7.1 software. Then, mathematical relations were determined for each process. Finally, the model was calibrated and verified based on the data from the Yazd facultative ponds, Iran. Sensitivity analysis showed that the most important factors affecting phosphorus concentration in the ponds are the phosphorus settling rate, losses caused by algal respiration and excretion, while the losses caused by herbivorous zooplanktons, hydrolysis rate of inorganic carbon, and ratio of phosphorus to chlorophyll-a had the least importance. Results showed that, algal growth rate and phosphorus settling rate were important factors in phosphorus removal. Hence, with appropriate retention time in the pond, it can be managed more properly. The ratio of phosphorus to algae had less importance in the model. The ratio of carbon to phosphorus and rate of respiration of carnivorous zooplanktons did not affect the phosphorus concentration. It is recommended that this model can be used for pond management and overall assessment of facultative ponds.

Biofiltration of n-hexane as a representative of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at presence and absence of rhamnolipid biosurfactant was studied using a multilayer biofilter packed with scoria, compost, poplar tree skin and sugar beet pulp, for 131 days. The concentration of n-hexane was measured by a gas chromatograph coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The results showed that the mean removal efficiency (RE) of n-hexane at the presence of the biosurfactant was two times higher than that at absence of the biosurfactant. According to the results, rhamnolipid can enhance the efficiency of biofiltration of VOCs from polluted air streams., Competing Interests: The authors of this article declare that there is no conflict of interests., (© 2019 The Authors.)

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is attributed as one of the most common malignancies worldwide. CD133 molecule, as a pentaspan transmembrane glycoprotein, confers stem cell-related characteristics, including self-renewal and multi-directional differentiation capability. CD133 plays important roles in the progression of CRC by conferring apoptotic resistance and migration ability., Objective: To investigate the anti-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effect of CD-133 targeted siRNA in a colorectal cancer cell line., Methods: In this study, CD133-targeted siRNA transfection was conducted into HT-29 cells. MTT assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of transfection on the cells. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis rate. The mRNA expression of apoptosis and metastasis related genes were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). Wound healing assay was used to assess the migration potency of the infected cells., Results: Expression of CD133 was significantly downregulated after transfection of CD133-specific siRNA. Moreover, the rate of apoptosis was significantly increased after transfection. The migration potential of cells was diminished after transfection. siRNA delivery resulted in the modulation of expression of apoptosis and metastasis-related genes., Conclusion: siRNA mediated targeting of CD133 could be considered as a promising approach to treat CRC through suppressing the cancerous behavior of tumor cells.

To manage the pistachio de-hulling waste (PW), investigated the co-composting process using a mixture of PW and cattle manure (CM) (5.5:10 dry weight) as well as PW and municipal dewatering sewage sludge (DSS) (1:10 dry weight) at the laboratory scale for 60 days. Compost toxicity was evaluated using the seed germination index (GI). The maximum temperatures in co-composting processes of PW+CM (51.9 °C) and PW+DSS (49.9 °C) were reported on the seventh day. The increase of temperature was higher in PW+CM and remained in the thermophilic phase for five days. In both reactors, the pH rates decreased, increased, and finally remained neutral. The C/N ratio decreased in both reactors, but the reduction rate was faster in the PW+DSS reactor. Sodium (Na%) and potassium (K%) contents were increased, while the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were decreased during the processes. The numbers of parasite eggs in the final composts of the reactors containing PW+CM and PW+DSS were zero and 8 Number/4gDW, respectively. The amounts of Salmonella were zero in the final products of reactors containing PW+CM and PW+DSS. The results of GI showed that the final compost of PW+CM process was not toxic for the plants, whereas the PW+DDS final compost was toxic. In conclusion, the co-compost product of the PW+CM reactor had higher quality than the PW+DSS reactor. So, it is suitable for PW management., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Trihalomethanes (THMs) formed due to a reaction between water disinfection chlorine and some natural organic matters, as chlorinated by products. The aim of this study was determination of THMs values and spatial trend in Yazd city water distribution network, in center of Iran. Sampling of tap water was done in two autumn and winter seasons. The THMs value were measured by using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS), Agilent Company 6890 N. The spatial analysis of THMs values was carried out using ArcGIS 10.1 to show the spatial spreading. The Kriging method was used to draw distribution maps. Using the Kriging method to illustrate the difference or precision of forecasts is relatively easy compared to the other interpolation methods. Also, the acceptable level of % RMSE (Root mean square error) was calculated for Kriging method (% RMSE > 40). Thus, this protocol as integrated between data and geraphic could easily used for reporting of THMs level in studies of water distribution network. Finally, the maximum THMs value were obtained lower than USEPA and WHO guidelines for drinking water (THMs < 40 ppb).

Chlorine reacts with both organic and inorganic matters in water. That is why water quality modeling has received great attention in recent years. The serious issue in municipal water quality modeling is gathering the essential input parameters of the model, particularly bulk decay (k b ) and wall decay (k w ) coefficients as well as their calibrations. Therefore, this study first thoroughly formulates the problem in the form of a heuristic optimization and then utilizes Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Hybrid GA-PSO as the model optimizers in order to best calibrate k w for minimizing the difference of residual chlorine concentrations that exist between the simulated and observed values. These three algorithms are linked to EPANET, the hydraulic and water quality simulator. The method is then applied to a real-world water distribution network. Here, k w is considered as a decision variable. The objective function is to minimize both the Sum of Square Error and Root Mean Square Error between the observed and simulated chlorine concentrations. According to the simulation results obtained, the optimal value of wall decay coefficient is 1.233 m/day during the calibration process while the minimum and maximum differences between the measured and simulated chlorine rates were 0 and 0.18, respectively. •The method presented in this article can be useful for managers of water and wastewater companies, water resources facilities and operators and operation manager of water distribution system to manage chlorine dosing rate.•Due to adverse health effect of disinfection by product and poor microbial water quality as results of inefficient chlorination, control chlorine concentration in water distribution networks and its consequence on human health effect is necessary.•Hybrid PSO and GA methods are used to cope with their falling in local optimum and requiring highly computational effort.

The present study investigated biodegradation and removal of Reactive Red 198 (RR198) dye from aqueous environments using a new bacterial consortium isolated from textile wastewater sludge on laboratory scale via batch study. Two bacterial species, Enterococcus faecalis (EF) and Klebsiella variicola (KV), were identified after isolation, through biochemical assays, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To determine their ability to biodegrade RR198 dye, physicochemical parameters, including bacterial concentration, time, pH, and temperature, were tested; the results showed that the best conditions included a bacterial concentration of 3.5 mL × 10 5 cells/mL and incubation time of 72 h. Under such conditions, the removal efficiency of RR198 dye at an initial concentration of 10-25 mg/L was more than 98%; however, for concentrations of 50, 75, and 100 mg/L, removal efficiency was reduced to 55.62%, 25.82%, and 15.42%, respectively (p = 0.005). The highest removal efficiency occurred at pH 8.0, reaching 99.26% after 72 h of incubation. With increasing the incubation temperature from 25 °C to 37 °C, removal efficiency increased from 71.71 to 99.26% after 72 h of incubation, and increasing the temperature from 37 to 45 °C, the removal efficiency was reduced (p ≤ 0.001). Therefore, the EF-KV bacterial consortium can be used for efficient removal of RR198 dye from textile effluent.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an autoinflammatory disease, has been associated with impaired Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase (ERAP) 1 activity, which is involved in priming antigenic peptides. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the genetic variant of ERAP1 gene could impress the inflammation status of the AS patients. For genotyping, 140 AS cases and 140 healthy controls were enrolled. After isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and DNA extraction, all the subjects were genotyped for rs27044 polymorphism using SSP-PCR assay. Total RNA of PBMCs was isolated, cDNA was synthesized, and quantitative analyses of mRNA expression of cytokines were performed via Real-time PCR using the SYBR Green Gene Expression MasterMix. To measure the concentration of cytokines in serum of subjects, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. It was observed that the G allele of rs27044 polymorphism was significantly prevalent in AS patients. Moreover, the GG genotype and the GG+GC dominant model had significantly different distribution between study groups. There was a significant overexpression of mRNAs of IL-17A, IL-6, IL-33, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, while IL-10 was significantly downregulated in AS patients. The ELISA results were in line with that of the gene expression analysis. No significant differences in mRNA expression and concentration of cytokine were identified among AS patients with three genotypes for rs27044 SNP. This study replicated the association of polymorphisms in ERAP1 gene with the risk of AS in a population from Iranian. However, it did not directly determine the inflammatory profile of the AS patients.

Enhanced treatment of ceramic-tile industry wastewater was investigated by modified coagulation-flocculation process using combination of poly-aluminum chloride (PAC) with anionic (A 300 ), cationic polymer (C 270 ) and nonionic polymers. The effects of pH, PAC coagulant dose alone and with polymers dose in various combinations was studied by jar tests. To compare the removal efficiencies of turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color at different levels, we run multivariate analysis of variance. Regarding the economic evaluation, we applied the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. PAC had the best performance in pH 7 and in optimal dose of 400 mg/L; so that removal efficiency of wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.63%, 99.7%, 47.5% and 50.38%, respectively. The best removal efficiency for wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.87%, 99.89%, 87.5% and 93.02%, respectively which were obtained by combination of anionic polymer (1.5 mg/L) with PAC (300 mg/L). Furthermore, with combination of PAC + anionic + non-ionic polymers, the removal efficiency for wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.93%, 99.94%, 88% and 94.57%, respectively. The imposed cost for treating one cubic meter of ceramic-tile wastewater treatment by PAC + anionic and PAC + anionic and non-ionic polymers in comparison with PAC alone was reduced to 22.96% and therefore economically more affordable for the tile industry wastewater treatment.

Introduction: Lupus nephritis is a common and severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus that can lead to end-stage renal disease and death. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and cyclophosphamide as induction therapy and subsequently as maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis., Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 67 patients with proliferative lupus nephritis who were treated with MMF (n = 45) and pulse of intravenous cyclophosphamide (n = 22) were included. Remission of the kidney disease, mortality, and adverse events were evaluated and compared between the two groups., Results: The 45 patients treated with MMF had a mean age of 33.8 ± 10.6 years and 17.1% of them were males. The 22 patients treated with pulse of intravenous cyclophosphamide had a mean age of  38.1 ± 11.1 years and 18.2% of them were males. Complete and partial kidney remission occurred in 40% and 42.2% of the patients treated with MMF and in 31.8% and 59.1% of the patients treated with cyclophosphamide, respectively. No significant differences were observed in complete and partial remission between the two groups. No mortality was reported in the studied patients. There were no significant differences in the frequency of adverse events between the two groups., Conclusions: The efficacy of MMF in long-term treatment of lupus nephritis was comparable to that of cyclophosphamide, and there is no significant differences in the rate of side effects between the two regimens.

The efficiency of photocatalytic oxidation process in arsenite (As(III)) removal from contaminated water by a new Fe 2 O 3 -Mn 2 O 3 nanocomposite under UV A radiation was investigated. The effect of nanocomposite dosage, pH and initial As(III) concentration on the photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) were studied by experimental design. The synthesized nanocomposite had a uniform and spherical morphological structure and contained 49.83% of Fe 2 O 3 and 29.36% of Mn 2 O 3 . Based on the experimental design model, in photocatalytic oxidation process, the effect of pH was higher than other parameters. At nanocomposite concentrations of more than 12 mg L -1 , pH 4 to 6 and oxidation time of 30 min, photocatalytic oxidation efficiency was more than 95% for initial As(III) concentration of less than 500 μg L -1 . By decreasing pH and increasing the nanocomposite concentration, the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency was increased. Furthermore, by increasing the oxidation time from 10 to 240 min, in addition to oxidation of As(III) to arsenate (As(V)), the residual As(V) was adsorbed on the Fe 2 O 3 -Mn 2 O 3 nanocomposite and total As concentration was decreased. Therefore, Fe 2 O 3 -Mn 2 O 3 nanocomposite as a bimetal oxide, at low doses and short time, can enhance and improve the efficiency of the photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption of As(III) from contaminated water resources. Furthermore, the energy and material costs of the UV A /Fe 2 O 3 -Mn 2 O 3 system for photocatalytic oxidation of 1  mg L -1 As(III) in the 1 L laboratory scale reactor was 0.0051 €., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a debilitating spondyloarthropathy that has been associated with variation in several genes. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 constructs an impaired structure, culminating in recognition and activation of immune system. Impaired function of Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase (ERAP) 1, which primes peptides to be loaded in HLA molecules, has strongly been associated with AS proneness. Here, we intended to investigate the possible association of ERAP1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with AS susceptibility in Iranian patients. Methods Two-hundred and twenty AS patients and 220 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. DNA was extracted from blood samples and then was genotyped for rs27044, rs17482078, and rs10050860 polymorphism by SSP-PCR approach. Results It was seen that G allele and GG genotype of rs27044 SNP significantly increased the risk of AS that was even stronger in HLA-B27 positive patients. Moreover, the T allele and TT genotype of rs10050860 polymorphism were associated with increased risk of the disease in both all and HLA-B27 positive AS group. Two haplotypes were associated with the risk of AS and there was linkage disequilibrium between SNPs. Two SNPs were associated with clinicopathological manifestations of AS subjects. Conclusions This association study replicated the role ofERAP1 gene polymorphisms with the risk of AS in an Iranian population., (Copyright © 2018 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to follow up patients with polymyositis (PM) and/or dermatomyositis (DM) to determine survival rate, pattern of disease, response to treatment, malignancy incidence and poor prognostic factors (PPFs)., Method: A total of 76 patients with PM (n = 47) and/or DM (n = 29) based on Bohan and Peter diagnostic criteria referred to the Imam-Reza Hospital were followed up from 2004 to 2016. The follow-up period was considered from diagnosis to patient's death or last visit. All patients underwent physical examinations and data including age, sex, disease duration, disease subtype, pattern of disease, PPFs and malignancy incidence were collected., Results: Mean age at diagnosis was 45.49 ± 10.88 years and women were predominant (84.2%). Course of disease in the majority of patients (52.6%) was polyphasic, followed by monophasic (31.6%) and chronic-progressive (5.3%). The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 96%, 93% and 92%, respectively. Delay in treatment and dysphagia were common PPFs in the present study. The majority of patients responded to treatment (88.2%) and there were significant differences in cancer and dysphagia between responders and non-responders to treatment (P < 0.05). The most common cause of death was cancer in four of eight deaths. There was significant difference in survival rates between patients with and without pulmonary involvement (P = 0.001). Moreover, the survival rates were significantly lower in patients with malignancy (P = 0.001)., Conclusion: Presence of dysphagia and cancer were associated with poor response to treatment. Pulmonary involvement and cancer incidence significantly affect survival rate. Furthermore, since cancer is the most common cause of death, so this study emphasizes the importance of careful cancer screening in these patients., (© 2018 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

In this study, the efficiency of Integrated Fixed-film Activated Sludge (IFAS) system in synthetic greywater treatment and nutrients removal was studied in duration of 105 days according to different Organic Loadings Rates (OLRs). The study was operated in pilot-scale and OLRs of 0.11-1.3 gCOD/L.d. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image showed that the biofilm with a proper thickness was formed on IFAS reactor's media. The results indicated that the best removal efficiency of BOD 5 , COD, and TSS were 85.24, 92.52 and 90.21%, respectively, in an organic loading of 0.44 gCOD/L.d. Then, with the OLR increased, the removal efficiencies of BOD 5 , COD, and TSS increased as long as the organic loading reached 0.44 gCOD/L.d. But with the OLR increased more, the removal efficiency of these parameters decreased. The ANOVA statistical test results showed that the mean difference of removal efficiency in organic loadings for BOD 5 (p ≤ 0.001) and COD (p = 0.003) was significant, while it was insignificant for TSS (p = 0.23). The best removal efficiencies of Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) were 89.60 and 86.67%, respectively, which were obtained at an OLR of 0.44 gCOD/L.d. By increasing OLR up to 0.44 gCOD/L.d, removal efficiencies of TN and TP increased, while the removal efficiency decreased with the OLR increased more, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.021). Finally, the results showed that the IFAS system provided a proper efficiency in treatment of the synthetic greywater and it could be used in a full scale.

Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a new approach of water desalination methods, which is based on ionic species removal from water in proportion to the electric current generated by bacteria. However, the low current generation and insufficient deionization in this technology have created challenges to improve the process. Here, the performance of MDC using ozone as a new electron acceptor (O 3 -MDC) was evaluated versus another operated independently with oxygen (O 2 -MDC). Results showed the maximum open-circuit voltages of 628 and 1331 mV for 20 g L -1 NaCl desalination in O 2 -MDC and O 3 -MDC, respectively. The O 3 -MDC produced a maximum power density of 4.06 W m -2 (about 11 times higher than O 2 -MDC) while at the same time was able to remove about 74% of salt (55.58% in the O 2 -MDC). Each cycle of O 2 -MDC and O 3 -MDC operation lasted about 66 and 94 h, respectively, indicating a more stable current profile in the O 3 -MDC. Moreover, sequencing test based on 16S rRNA gene showed that the anode biofilm had more diverse microbial community than anolyte sample. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Acidobacteria were from dominant microbial communities in anode biofilm sample. Accordingly, the results revealed that ozone can enhance MDC performance either as a desalination process or as a pre-treatment reactor for downstream desalination processes., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biological Aerated Filter (BAF) reactors due to their plentiful biomass, high shockability, high efficiency, good filtration, availability and lack of need for large land areas, are enjoying from great importance in advanced wastewater treatment. Therefore, in this study, Polystyrene Coated by Sand (PCS) was produced as a novel media and its application in a modified down-flow BAF structure for advanced wastewater treatment was assessed in two steps. In step one, the backwash effluent did not return to the system, while in step two backwash effluent returned to increase the water reuse efficiency. The backwash process was also studied through three methods of Top Backwashing (TB), Bottom Backwashing (BB), as well as Top and Bottom Backwashing Simultaneously (TBBS). The results showed that return of backwash effluent had no significant effect on the BAF effluent quality. In the second step similar to the first one with slight differences, the residual average concentrations of TSS, BOD 5 , and COD at the effluent were about 2.5, 8.2, and 25.5 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, in step two, the mean volume of disposal sludge/volume of treated water (v ds /v tw ) decreased a large extent to about 0.088%. In other words, the water reuse has increased to more than 99.91%. The backwash time in methods of TB and BB were 65 and 35 min, respectively; however, it decreased in TBBS methods to 25 min. The concentrations of most effluent parameters in this system are in concordance with the 2012 EPA Agriculture Standards, even for irrigation of Non-processed agricultural crops and livestock water consumption., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to compare efficacy and safety of test-adalimumab (CinnoRA®, CinnaGen, Iran) to the innovator product (Humira®, AbbVie, USA) in adult patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, non-inferiority trial, a total of 136 patients with active RA were randomized to receive 40 mg subcutaneous injections of either CinnoRA® or Humira® every other week, while receiving methotrexate (15 mg/week), folic acid (1 mg/day), and prednisolone (7.5 mg/day) over a period of 24 weeks. Physical examinations, vital sign evaluations, and laboratory tests were conducted in patients at baseline and at 12-week and 24-week visits. The primary endpoint in this study was the proportion of patients achieving moderate and good disease activity score in 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR)-based European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response. The secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients achieving American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for 20% (ACR20), 50% (ACR50), and 70% (ACR70) responses along with the disability index of health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), and safety., Results: Patients who were randomized to CinnoRA® or Humira® arms had comparable demographic information, laboratory results, and disease characteristics at baseline. The proportion of patients achieving good and moderate EULAR responses in the CinnoRA® group was non-inferior to the Humira® group at 12 and 24 weeks based on both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) populations (all p values >0.05). No significant difference was noted in the proportion of patients attaining ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 responses in the CinnoRA® and Humira® groups (all p values >0.05). Further, the difference in HAQ scores and safety outcome measures between treatment arms was not statistically significant., Conclusion: CinnoRA® was shown to be non-inferior to Humira® in terms of efficacy at week 24 with a comparable safety profile to the reference product., Trial Registration: IRCT.ir, IRCT2015030321315N1 . Registered on 5 April 2015.

Objective: In an attempt to investigate new strategies aimed at reducing inflammation in osteoarthritis, the anti-inflammatory effect of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. as a complementary treatment was evaluated in females with knee osteoarthritis., Method: In this clinical trial, 90 females with mild to moderate osteoarthritis were assigned to two intervention and one placebo groups. In addition to the conventional therapy, the patients in intervention groups received 15g/day of E. angustifolia L. medulla and whole fruit powders respectively for 8 weeks. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukine-1β (IL-1β), interleukine-10 (IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and -13 (MMP-13) were measured with human ELISA kits. Paired t-test and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis., Results: The statistically significant decrease was observed in the mean levels of serum TNF-α in the medulla (0.004) and whole fruit (0.001) groups after 8 weeks of supplementation. In contrast to the placebo group, there was a significant rise in the mean levels of serum IL-10 in medulla (p-value=0.01) and whole fruit groups (p-value=0.009) at the end of study. The interventions resulted in significant decrease in the mean levels of serum MMP-1 in the medulla (0.001) and whole fruit (0.002) groups. After the interventions, no significant changes were observed in the serum IL-1β and MMP-13 levels., Conclusion: Daily supplementation with E. angustifolia L. in both forms of medulla and whole fruit powders appeared to be effective for decreasing inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and MMP-1) and enhancing anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10)., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Genetic factors that predispose individuals to Behcet's disease (BD) are considered to play an important role in the development of the disease. The serum level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is elevated in patients with BD, and a dramatic response to anti-TNF-alpha antibody treatment further supports the role of TNF in BD. We investigated the distribution of TNF-alpha promoter -1031T/C and -308G/A polymorphisms in 53 BD patients of Iranian Azeri Turks and 79 matched healthy controls, via the PCR-RFLP technique. The frequency of the TNF-alpha -1031C allele was significantly higher in Behcet's patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.0001, OR = 3.08; 95% CI = 1.73-5.47), whereas the frequency of the TNF-alpha -308A allele was similar in the two compared groups. The frequency of CG haplotype was significantly higher (p < 0.0001, OR = 3.42; 95% CI = 1.89-6.18), and that of the TA haplotype was significantly lower in BD patients than in healthy controls. These results suggest that TNF-alpha is a susceptibility gene for BD in patients from Iranian Azeri Turk ethnic group.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease common in all races and ethnics. Cytokines and cytokines receptors play an important role in RA pathogenesis and clinical presentation., Objective: To investigate the serum levels of TNF-alpha, TNF-alpha RI, TNF-alpha RII and IL-12 in RA patients and healthy control group., Methods: In this study 43 patients fulfilling the revised criteria of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for RA and 13 healthy cases as a control group were selected for TNF-alpha, TNF-alphaRI, TNF-alphaRII and IL-12 serum level analysis. The patients' age was 42.2 +/- 22 and the age of healthy group was 40.1 +/- 19.2 years (p=0.1). The patients had an active disease with at least six swollen and ten tender joints. Minimum ESR was 28 mm at first hours of the morning. Early morning stiffness in patients lasted longer than 45 minutes., Results: Our study showed that IL-12 serum level of the patients (91.69 +/- 43.07 rhog/ml) and control (61.79 +/- 40.08 rhog/ml) group was significantly different (p<0.001). The serum level of TNF-alphaRI was 2.36 +/- 0.77 ng/ml in the patient and 1.73 +/- 0.37 ng/ml in the control group (p<0.01). TNF-alphaRII serum concentration in patients was 8.89 +/- 2.3 ng/ml, while that of control group was 7.06+/-1.30 ng/ml (p=0.03). The serum level of TNF-alpha in patients was 32.90 +/- 19.27 rhog/ml and that of the control group was 24.27+/- 8.28 rhog/ml (p=0.08) with no significant difference between the two., Conclusions: It is concluded that IL-12, TNF-alphaRI and TNF- alphaRII serum concentrations are more important and better predictive factors than TNF-alpha in RA course and in the active forms of the disease.

Unlabelled: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been described as having significantly low serum potassium concentrations than that in healthy subjects. We assessed the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of oral potassium supplement dissolved in grape juice in female hypokalemic patients with active RA. Thirty-two hypokalemic patients with active RA were investigated in a parallel, randomized design. In addition to their usual medication, the control group received placebo and the intervention group received 6000 mg chloride potassium dissolved in grape juice on 28 consecutive days. The primary outcome parameter was the change of pain on a visual analog scale (VAS). The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) percent response criteria and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28, 28-joint count) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) moderate response were assessed. Mean age was 48.6 +/- 6 years. In the potassium group, 43.75% (7/16) of the patients met the criteria of 33% lower pain intensity compared with 6.25% (1/16) in the placebo group (P < .02) at day 28. Also, 31.25% (5/16) of the patients in the intervention group achieved moderate responses, according to the EULAR criteria. The corresponding percentage for patients receiving placebo was 6.25% (1/16) (P < .05). Potassium supplements appeared to decrease pain intensity., Perspective: This article reports a trial evaluating the effect of potassium supplementation in the treatment of pain in hypokalemic patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The elevated serum cortisol and potassium values in the treatment group correlate negatively with patient's assessment of pain intensity, reflecting an anti-pain effect for potassium supplementation.