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Malaria is a vector-borne disease, likely to be affected by climate change. In this study, general circulation model (GCM)-based scenarios were used for projecting future climate patterns and malaria incidence by artificial neural networks (ANN) in Zahedan district, Iran. Daily malaria incidence data of Zahedan district from 2000 to 2019 were inquired. The gamma test was used to select the appropriate combination of parameters for nonlinear modeling. The future climate pattern projections were obtained from HadGEM2-ES. The output was downscaled using LARS-WG stochastic weather generator under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) scenarios. The effect of climate change on malaria transmission for 2021-2060 was simulated by ANN. The designed model indicated that the future climate in Zahedan district will be warmer, more humid, and with more precipitation. Assessment of the potential impact of climate change on the incidence of malaria by ANN showed the number of malaria cases in Zahedan under both scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP 8.5). It should be noted that due to the lack of daily malaria data before 2013, monthly data from 2000 were used only for initial analysis; and in preprocessing and simulation analyses, the daily malaria data from 2013 to 2019 were used. Therefore, if proper interventions are not implemented, malaria will continue to be a health issue in this region.

The current work is documented as the first record of the characteristics, removal efficiency, partitioning behavior, fate, and eco-toxicological effects of paraben congeners in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP, stabilization ponds) and hospital WWTPs (septic tank and activated sludge), as well as seawater-sediments collected from runoff estuarine stations (RES) and coastal stations (CS) of the north of the Persian Gulf. The median values of Σparabens at the raw wastewater and effluent of the studied WWTPs were 1884 ng/L and 468 ng/L, respectively. The activated sludge system had a greater removal efficiency (56.10%) in removing ∑parabens than the septic tank (45.05%) and stabilization pond (35.54%). The discharge rates of methyl paraben (MeP) was computed to be 2.23, 21.18, and 9.12 g/d/1000 people for stabilization ponds, septic tank, and activated sludge, respectively. Median concentrations of Σparabens in seawater (103.42 ng/L) and sediments (322.05 ng/g dw) from RES stations were significantly larger than from CS stations (61.2 and 262.0 ng/g dw in seawater and sediments, respectively) (P 0.05). The median of field-based k

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 PM2.5-bound PAHs) plus inorganic pollutants (PM2.5-bound metals and asbestos fibers). The results revealed that the mean concentrations of ∑ PAHs, BTEX, ∑ heavy metals, and asbestos fibers were 5.34 ng/m3, 60.55 µg/m3, 8585.12 ng/m3, and 4.13 fiber/ml in the cold season, respectively, and 3.88 ng/m3, 33.86 µg/m3, 5682.61 ng/m3, 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.

The toxic air pollutants such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) as well as asbestos are considered hazardous because of their role in adverse impacts on human health. Accordingly,...

Child mortality rates are considered to be one of the key indicators of child health.The main objective of this research was to calculate child mortality rates (CMRs) indirectly, using census data, and to investigate using spatial pattern analysis the presence of any clustering patterns among provincial regions.The Trussell version of the Brass method and Coale-Demeny West model were used to estimate CMRs and life expectancy (LE) at birth. The analyses were performed using the QFive program of MORTPAK 4 software. For cluster analysis, local and global Moran's I indexes were measured.Infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, 1-4 mortality rate and LE at birth were estimated as 21.9, 26, 4.1 (deaths per 1000 live births) and 72.1 years, respectively. Global Moran's I index was calculated as 0.09, 0.09, 0.08 and 0.12, respectively.Special attention must be paid in provinces with high clusters regarding the evaluation of public health programmes, and the cause of failure of these programmes in reduction of childhood mortality indices.التقدير غير المباشر لوفيات الأطفال باستخدام بيانات تعداد السكان لعام 2011 في جمهورية إيران الإسلامية.ياسر مخيري، سيد رياحي، إلهه رفيعى، زهرا اسدكل، سيد هاشمي نظرى.يُعتبر معدل وفيات الأطفال أحد المؤشرات الرئيسية لصحة الأطفال.كان الهدف الأساسي من هذا البحث هو حساب معدلات وفيات الأطفال بطريقة غير مباشرة، باستخدام بيانات تعداد السكان، والاستقصاء بشأن وجود أنماط التكتل على مستوى المناطق الإقليمية باستخدام تحليل النمط المكاني.استُخدمت نسخة تروسل الخاصة بطريقة براس ونموذج كول – ديمنى وست لتقدير معدلات وفيات الأطفال ومأمول العمر عند الميلاد. ولقد أُجريت التحليلات باستخدام برنامج QFive لبرمجيات MORTPAK4. ولتحليل التكتلات، قِيسَت مؤشرات موران I المحلية والعالمية.قُدِّر معدل وفيات الرضَّع، ووفيات الأطفال أقل من 5 سنوات، ومعدل وفيات الأطفال من عمر سنة إلى 4 سنوات ومأمول العمر عند الميلاد بما مقداره 21.9، و26، و4.1 (الوفيات لكل 1000 مولود حيٍّ) و72.1 عاماً على التوالي. وجاءت نتائج حساب مؤشر موران I العالمي 0.09، و0.0.9، و0.08 و0.12 على التوالي.يجب إيلاء عناية خاصة في الأقاليم ذات التكتلات المرتفعة في ما يتعلق بتقييم برامج الصحة العامة، وسبب إخفاق هذه البرامج في خفض مؤشرات وفيات الأطفال.Estimation indirecte de la mortalité juvénile à l’aide des données du recensement de 2011 en République islamique d’Iran.Les taux de mortalité juvénile sont considérés comme l’un des indicateurs clés de la santé de l’enfant.La présente recherche visait principalement à calculer les taux de mortalité juvénile de façon indirecte, à partir des données du recensement. Elle avait aussi pour objectif de rechercher la présence de tendances de regroupement dans les régions provinciales au moyen d’une analyse de la structure spatiale.La version de Trussell du modèle de Brass et le modèle Ouest des tables de Coale et Demeny ont été utilisés pour estimer les taux de mortalité juvénile et l’espérance de vie à la naissance. Les analyses ont été réalisées à l’aide du programme QFive du logiciel MORTPAK 4. Pour l’analyse en grappes, les indices de Moran local et global ont été mesurés.Le taux de mortalité infantile, le taux de mortalité des moins de 5 ans, le taux de mortalité des enfants de 1 à 4 ans et l’espérance de vie à la naissance ont été estimés à 21,9, 26, 4,1 (décès pour 1 000 naissances vivantes) et 72,1 ans, respectivement. L’indice global de Moran I a été calculé à 0,09, 0,09, 0,08 et 0,12, respectivement.Une attention particulière doit être portée aux provinces présentant des grappes importantes en ce qui concerne l’évaluation des programmes de santé publique et la cause de l’échec de ces derniers en termes de réduction des taux de mortalité juvénile.

In the current work, the concentration, sources, and inhalation-based risk assessment of PM2.5-bound PAHs and heavy metals was assessed in ambient air of areas with low and high traffic density in Tehran, Iran. To this end, a total of 64 air samples—28 samples in low and moderate traffic areas (LTA), and 32 samples in high traffic areas (HTA))—were taken from March 2018 to March 2019 during warm and cold seasons and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to determination of PAHs and metals, respectively. The findings showed that the mean concentration of PM2.5, PAHs, and heavy metals were 61.08 ± 8.69 μg/m3, 28.69 ± 20.14, and 15,392.7 ± 20,073.0 ng/m3 in the low traffic areas, and 83.00 ± 9.7 μg/m3, 41.1 ± 29.6, and 19,378.2 ± 20,038.0 ng/m3 in the high traffic areas, respectively. Furthermore, the concentration of pollutants in cold season was significantly higher than those of warm season (p < 0.05). The results of source apportionment using Unmix.6 model indicated that 41.1% of PAHs is emitted through industrial activities and diesel vehicles, which are followed by traffic and transportation sources (34.2%) as well as burning coal and heating devices (26.3%). Additionally, risk assessment showed that the risk values of carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity resulting from PM2.5-bound PAHs and metal had exceeded the recommended safe limit by EPA.

To determine the concentration of particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10), 36 samples were collected from indoor/outdoor air of hookah cafes (HS), cigarette cafes (CS), both hookah and cigarette (HCS), and no-smoking building (NS) in Tehran City from December 2017 to March 2018. The mean ± SD of PM10 concentration in the indoor air of the cafes in terms of HS, CS, HCS, and NS sites has been 702.35, 220.20, 1156.60, and 60.12 μg/m3, while for PM2.5, the values have been 271.92, 111.80, 619.10, and 22.25 μg/m3, respectively. It was also found that the PM concentration inside the cafes was higher during weekend session (with a higher number of active smokers), than during the weekday sessions. Moreover, the PM levels in the indoor air of the cafes were considerably higher than those of the outdoors (p

Although the number of cholera infection decreased universally, climate change can potentially affect both incidence and prevalence rates of disease in endemic regions. There is considerable consistent evidence, explaining the associations between cholera and climatic variables. However, it is essentially required to compare and interpret these relationships globally. The aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review in order to identify and appraise the literature concerning the relationship between nonanthropogenic climatic variabilities such as extreme weather- and ocean-related variables and cholera infection rates. The systematic literature review of studies was conducted by using determined search terms via four major electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus) according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. This search focused on published articles in English-language up to December 31, 2018. A total of 43 full-text studies that met our criteria have been identified and included in our analysis. The reviewed studies demonstrated that cholera incidence is highly attributed to climatic variables, especially rainfall, temperature, sea surface temperature (SST) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The association between cholera incidence and climatic variables has been investigated by a variety of data analysis methodologies, most commonly time series analysis, generalized linear model (GLM), regression analysis, and spatial/GIS. The results of this study assist the policy-makers who provide the efforts for planning and prevention actions in the face of changing global climatic variables.

Background: Ozonation decays solids and accelerates their consolidation due to strong oxidation capability; hence, decreasing the problems and expenses of equipment and operating the sludge digestion and disposal. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of separate and combined effects of ozone and hydrogen peroxide in reducing contamination volume. Methods: Sludge ozonation was conducted with concentrations of 0.0557 to 0.5573mg O3/mgTSS5573 from 5 to 50 min. Total suspended solids (TSS), volatile solids (VS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) parameters, soluble COD, and the sludge settleability were investigated before and after the process. Results: The results demonstrated that after 50 min of ozonation and injection of mgO3/mg TSS 0.3901 ozone, sludge volume reduction reached 42%. Furthermore, after 50 minutes of ozonation, TSS and VS with a 43% and 48% reduction, reached to 4261mg/l and 3193mg/l, respectively. Total COD after 35 min of ozonation decreased 39% from 12524mg/l to 7639mg/l. Also injection of 6ml of hydrogen peroxide (30%) leading to a reduction in TSS and VS by 64 and 65%, respectively, and injection of 4ml of it, resulting in a 58% reduction in COD and 75% in the volume of sedimented sludge. The effect of the combination of ozone and hydrogen peroxide resulted in the reduction of only 10% of sedimented sludge volume and also reduced removal of COD by 42%. Conclusion: According to the results, ozone and hydrogen peroxide injection to sludge, decrease sludge volume, improve in sedimentation and reduce the pollution load at the level of standard

Parabens are a group of chemical additive extensively utilized in various health care products and ubiquitously observed in the different environmental matrixes. Nevertheless, the exposure of women working in beauty salons to these pollutants is not well-documented. For this purpose, 50.00 women working in beauty salons were chosen as the exposed group (EG) and 35.00 housewives were chosen as the control group (GC). The concentration of methyl paraben (MeP), ethyl paraben (EtP), butyl paraben (BuP), propyl paraben (PrP), benzyl paraben (BzP), heptyl paraben (HepP), and para-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HB) metabolite were quantified in the collected urine samples. It was seen that paraben sexist with a high detection frequency (DF) in the urine of women working in beauty salons. The results also revealed that the significant difference between the urinary parabens level in the EG and CG (P value 0.05). The median concentration of Σparaben and HB-4 metabolite in the before exposure (BE) samples was 124.00 and 219.00 μg/L, while in the after exposure (AE) samples, it was 156.00 and 249.00 μg/L, respectively. Moreover, the parabens levels in the AE samples were considerably higher than in BE samples in women working in beauty salons (P value 0.05). This research also documented that "personal care products (PCPs) usage" can be known as a leading factor for the urinary paraben level in the studied individuals. The median total estimated daily intakes (TEsDI) for MeP, EtP, and PrP for the studied women were obtained as 8.02, 4.57, and 7.88 μg/L respectively. Also, a significant and positive association was observed between EtP, PrP as well as BuP and 8-OhdG (as a DNA oxidative stress biomarker) (P value 0.01). Further, a significant and positive association was found between EtP as well as BuP and some biomarkers of kidney damage (like uTIMP-1 and uKim-1). Accordingly, it can be stated that women working in beauty salons are at a high risk in terms of DNA oxidative stress and kidney damage.

In this research, the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in the marine sediments of Asaluyeh harbor, in the Persian Gulf. The samples were taken from industrial, semi-industrial and urban regions. The mean concentration levels of total (Σ) 18 detected PCBs were 514.32, 144.67 and 31.6 pg/g dw for the industrial, semi-industrial and urban sampling stations, respectively. Based on a multivariate statistical analysis, it was found that high contamination levels of PCBs in sediments collected along the Persian Gulf were associated with releases from local industries. Total organic carbon (TOC) content was significantly and positively correlated with the concentrations of PCB congeners. World Health Organization toxic equivalents (TEQs) for PCBs ranged from 0.04 to 2.66 pg TEQ/g dry weight (dw) in the coastal sediments. The TEQ values in this study were higher than many reported worldwide in the literature for sediments. This suggests that there are high levels of contamination in the area due to industrial and other human activities.

Objective: To report and measure the burden of leishmaniasis in Iran using the global burden of disease (GBD) results, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation for the years 1990 to 2010, and provide some recommendations for reaching better conclusions about the burden of disease. Methods: GBD burden and fatality rates of leishmaniasis were compared with the findings registered by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). Data obtained from the GBD for the years 1990 to 2010 were used to estimate the disability-adjusted life-years and fatality rates of leishmaniasis in Iran. Results: The GBD estimated 229 714 disability-adjusted life-years due to leishmaniasis in Iranian people of all ages and both sexes. The number of deaths caused by visceral leishmaniasis (VL) had decreased significantly in recent years. MOHME registered data on fewer than 30 deaths in Iran from 1990 to 2010. Conclusions: The underreporting of VL deaths is always more pronounced. Findings indicate that the GBD estimation of mortality rates was surprisingly higher than MOHME’s data. The burden of leishmaniasis decreased significantly between the years 1990 and 2010 in both data sources. The possible explanation for this decrease has been discovered through the establishment of a VL surveillance system in various parts of Iran, particularly in endemic areas.

Background & Aims: Cement industry is very contaminated. Contaminants resulting from industries include dust, carbon compounds, sulfur and nitrogen. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the output of pollutants from cement plants in soil samples and leaf tree species. Methods: This study descriptive-analytic was designed tree species, plants and soil around the plant. Samples from four different stations within 500 meters of factory and 21 packages (each package contains three examples of the sample) were sent for laboratory tasks. Information of sampling stations in the soil, the plants and factories of qualitative and quantitative tests on samples of soil pollutants output of factories, plant species and trees daily and using written lists were collected. After the sampling, the samples were measured using standard methods and analyzed using statistical software. Results: Distribution of the total amount of metals in oak and black plants and reed Talo is normal and can be used for parametric tests. Also, there is no significant relationship statistically among the total amount of metals in plants such as oak trees, reed and Siah Talo. Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, we can conclude that dust subsides the leaves of three species of oak and black Talo and reed which contain considerable concentrations of metals such as silver, barium, bismuth, cesium, chromium, cobalt, cadmium and arsenic.

To determine the concentration of particulate matters (PM

Climate change has been described to raise outbreaks of water-born infectious diseases and increases public health concerns. This study aimed at finding out these impacts on cholera infections by using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) from 2021 to 2050. Daily data for cholera infection cases in Qom city, which is located in the center of Iran, were analyzed from 1998 to 2016. To determine the best lag time and combination of inputs, Gamma Test (GT) was applied. General circulation model outputs were utilized to project future climate pattern under two scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). Statistical downscaling was done to produce high-resolution synthetic time series weather dataset. ANNs were applied for simulating the impact of climate change on cholera. The observed climate variables including maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation were tagged as predictors in ANNs. Cholera cases were considered as the target outcome variable. Projected future (2020-2050) climate in previous step was carried out to assess future cholera incidence. A seasonal trend in cholera infection was seen. Our results elucidated that the best lag time was 21 days. According to the results of downscaling tool, future climate in the study area by 2050 will be warmer and wetter. Simulation of cholera cases indicated that there is a clear trend of increasing cholera cases under the worst scenario (RCP8.5) by the year 2050 and the highest cholera cases observe in warmer months. The precipitation was recognized as the most effective input variable by sensitivity analysis. We observed a significant correlation between low precipitation and cholera infection. There is a strong evidence to show that cholera disease is correlated with environment variables, as low precipitation and high temperatures in warmer months could provide the swifter bacterial replication. These conditions in Iran, especially in the central parts, may raise the cholera infection rates. Furthermore, ANNs is an executive tool to simulate the impact of climate change on cholera to estimate the future trend of cholera incidence for adopting protective measures in endemic areas.

Magnetically separable nanospheres consisting of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and succinated PEI grafted on silica coated magnetite (Fe3O4) were prepared and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared magnetic nanoparticles were then applied for physical adsorption or covalent attachment of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) via glutaraldehyde or hexamethylene diisocyanate. The reusability, storage, pH and thermal stabilities of the immobilized enzymes compared to that of free lipase were examined. The obtained results showed that the immobilized lipase on MNPs@PEI-GLU was the best biocatalyst which retained 80% of its initial activity after 12 cycles of application. The immobilized lipase on the selected support (MNPs@PEI-GLU) was also applied for the synthesis of ethyl valerate. Following 24 h incubation of the immobilized lipase on the selected support in n-hexane and solvent free media, the esterification percentages were 72.9% and 28.9%, respectively.

BACKGROUND Fabrication of nanocomposites with a magnetic core and their applications for enzyme immobilization has been introduced as an intresting trend during recent decades. The present study described the synthesis of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and β-cyclodextrin grafted PEI nanocomposites with magnetic cores and their applications for lipase immobilization. Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared by co-precipitation of Fe (III) and Fe (II) ions and then coated with polyethylenimine and/or hydroxyapatite/polyethylenimine, followed by grafting β-cyclodextrin onto the surface of the prepared nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy and consequently applied for the immobilization of lipase. RESULTS The results obtained for thermal and pH stability, reusability, and storage stability showed that the MNPs@hydroxyapatite/polyethylenimine/β-cyclodextrin was the best nanocomposite for lipase immobilization. Application of the immobilized lipase onto the selected nanocomposite for the synthesis of ethyl valerate (green apple flavor) revealed esterification rates of 79% and 62% in n-hexane and dimethyl sulfoxide, respectively, after 24 h incubation. CONCLUSION The results obtained demonstrate good stability, reusability, and potential application of immobilized lipase on magnetic nanocomposite of MNPs@hydroxyapatite/polyethylenimine/β-cyclodextrin for synthesis of ethyl valerate especially in organic medium. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry

In the present study, silicate mesoporous materials (MCM-41), MCM-41-grafted polyethylenimine (MCM-41@PEI), and succinated PEI containing amine, amide, and acid groups were successfully synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) was then immobilized onto MCM-41 and polymer-grafted MCM-41 by physical adsorption. Besides, for enzyme immobilization via covalent bonding, glutaraldehyde (GLU), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) were used as the bridges for binding the enzyme to supports. The best result was obtained with the immobilized lipase on MCM-41@PEI-GLU. In the study of the enzyme reusability, it was shown that about 83% of the initial activity could be retained after 12 cycles of uses. The immobilized lipase on the selected support was also applied for the synthesis of ethyl valerate. Following 24 h incubation in n -hexane and solvent free media, the esterification percentages were 79% and 67%, respectively.

In this work, new polyacrolein/MCM-41 nanocomposites with good phase mixing behavior were prepared through an emulsion polymerization technique. Mesoporous silica was synthesized by in situ assembly of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The structure and properties of polyacrolein containing nanosized MCM-41 particle (5 and 10 wt%), were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, Dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N 2 adsorption techniques, and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses. The SEM images from the final powder have revealed good dispersion of the MCM-41 nanoparticles throughout polymeric matrix with no distinct voids between two phases. The results indicated that the thermal properties of the nanocomposite were enhanced by addition of MCM-41. Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) was used as a model biocatalyst and successfully immobilized with polyacrolein and the nanocomposite via covalent bonds with the aldehyde groups. The activity between free enzyme, polyacrolein, and MCM-41 nanocomposite (10 wt%)-immobilized TLL was compared. The immobilized lipase with the nanocomposite shows better operational stability such as pH tolerance, thermal and storage stability. In addition, the immobilized lipase with the nanocomposite can be easily recovered and retained at 74% of its initial activity after 15 time reuses.

Malaria is a major public health challenge in tropical and semi-tropical countries in terms of high morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to report the burden of malaria in Iran, extracted from the global burden of disease 2010 study (GBD 2010) covering the period 1990 to 2010, to compare these findings with similar results, and to present some recommendations as potential solutions for gaining more accurate estimations regarding the burden of the disease in Iran.Data covering the period from 1990 to 2010 were derived from the GBD 2010, which is published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). The findings were used to estimate the years lived with disability (YLDs), the years of life lost (YLLs), the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and the death rate of malaria in Iran.The GBD 2010 estimated that there was a sharp declining death trend with regard to DALYs and death rate, showing that 4,647.63 DALYs were due to malaria in Iranian people of all ages and both genders, and that DALYs per 100,000 individuals declined from 37.15 in 1990 to 5.87 in 2010. The total number of malaria deaths over the 20 years was 73.37.The findings revealed that the burden of malaria decreased remarkably between 1990 and 2010. The explanation for this decrease is the establishment of a malaria surveillance system in various parts of Iran, and utilization of proper intervention and the improvement of infrastructures, which play a role in disease transmission, especially in endemic areas.

Sediment samples from the coastal area of Asaluyeh harbor were collected during autumn and spring 2015. The acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEMs) were measured to assess the sediment quality and potential ecological risks. The average concentrations (and relative standard deviation (RSD)) of AVS in the industrial sediments were 12.32 μmol/g (36.91) and 6.34 μmol/g (80.05) in autumn and spring, respectively, while in the urban area, these values were 0.44 μmol/g (123.50) and 0.31 μmol/g (160.0) in autumn and spring, respectively. The average concentrations of SEM (and RSD) in the industrial sediments were 15.02 μmol/g (14.38) and 12.34 μmol/g (20.65) in autumn and spring, respectively, while in the urban area, these values were 1.10 μmol/g (43.03) and 1.06 μmol/g (55.59) in autumn and spring, respectively. Zn was the predominant component (34.25–86.24 %) of SEM, while the corresponding value for Cd, much more toxic ingredient, was less than 1 %. Some of the coastal sediments in the harbor of Asaluyeh (20 and 47 % in autumn and spring, respectively) had expected adverse biological effects based on the suggested criterion by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), while most stations (80 and 53 % in autumn and spring, respectively) had uncertain adverse effects.

Background Elimination of hazardous phenolic compounds using laccases has gained attention during recent decades. The present study was designed to evaluate the ability of the purified laccase from Paraconiothyrium variabile (Pv L) for elimination of phenol and the endocrine disrupting chemical bisphenol A. Effect of laccase activity, pH, and temperature on the enzymatic removal of the mentioned pollutants were also investigated. Results After 30 min treatment of the applied phenolic pollutants in the presence of Pv L (5 U/mL), 80% of phenol and 59.7% of bisphenol A was removed. Increasing of laccase activity enhanced the removal percentage of both pollutants. The acidic pH of 5 was found to be the best pH for elimination of both phenol and bisphenol A. Increasing of reaction temperature up to 50°C enhanced the removal percentage of phenol and bisphenol A to 96.3% and 88.3%, respectively. Conclusions To sum up, the present work introduced the purified laccase of P. variabile as an efficient biocatalyst for removal of one of the most hazardous endocrine disruptor bisphenol A.