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Background and Objectives: Recent evidences have shown that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause severe infections and is resistant to almost all commercially available antibiotics. Therefore, screening unknown sources of biological compounds such as the Thermoactinomycetaceae family as extremophilic bacteria may be helpful to find new antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: Various samples were collected from different ecosystems, including desert, volcano, compost, and forest. They were cultured on Soil extract agar and Water agar. The antimicrobial activity of the isolates was evaluated using agar overlay and well diffusion methods. Members of the Thermoactinomycetaceae family were selected for further study: Their ability to grow at different temperatures, NaCl concentrations, and pH values, enzyme production ability, antimicrobial secondary screening, fractionation of their supernatants and so on. Results: According to molecular identification of active isolates against MRSA, three strains, including Laceyella sacchari UTMC 2705, Thermoactinomyces sp. UTMC 2721, and Laceyella sp. UTMC 2731, belonged to Thermoactinomycetaceae were identified. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of their extracts were tested against some pathogenic bacteria, showing their antimicrobial activity with a broad spectrum. The results of TLC bioautography of the extracts showed that the most active fractions were semi-polar. Also, the results of HPLC analysis showed the existence of several UV-active compounds in their extracts. Conclusion: The present study highlighted the importance and potential of Thermoactinomycetaceae members as a lessknown source of antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium mist generator is an essential tool for conducting researches and making science-based recommendations to evaluate air pollution and its control systems. The purpose of this research was to design and construct a homogenous chromium mist generator and the study of some effective factors including sampling height and distances between samplers in side-by-side sampling on chromium mist sampling method. A mist generator was constructed, using a chromium electroplating bath in pilot scale. Concentration of CrO3 and sulfuric acid in plating solution was 125 g L-1 and 1.25 g L-1, respectively. In order to create permanent air sampling locations, a Plexiglas cylindrical chamber (75 cm height, 55 cm i.d) was installed the bath overhead. Sixty holes were produced on the chamber in 3 rows (each 20). The distance between rows and holes was 15 and 7.5 cm, respectively. Homogeneity and effective factors were studied via side-by-side air sampling method. So, 48 clusters of samples were collected on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filters housed in sampling cassettes. Cassettes were located in 35, 50, and 65 cm above the solution surface with less than 7.5 and/or 7.5-15 cm distance between heads. All samples were analyzed according to the NIOSH method 7600. According to the ANOVA test, no significant differences were observed between different sampling locations in side-by-side sampling (P=0.82) and between sampling heights and different samplers distances (P=0.86 and 0.86, respectively). However, there were notable differences between means of coefficient of variations (CV) in various heights and distances. It is concluded that the most chromium mist homogeneity could be obtained at height 50 cm from the bath solution surface and samplers distance of < 7.5 cm.