mohammad rafiee

The new foreign policy doctrine of Russia in 2023 reflects fundamental changes in the international environment and the geopolitical goals of the country. This article, utilizing John Mearsheimer's framework of offensive realism, analyzes the foundations and implications of this doctrine. Offensive realism emphasizes the ongoing efforts of great powers to achieve regional hegemony and balance against international rivals. The main research question is: what principles and components does Putin's new foreign policy doctrine emphasize? It is assumed that the new foreign policy doctrine of Russia reflects the country's desire to redefine the international order and confront Western influence, particularly from the United States and NATO. This doctrine is formulated with the aim of achieving objectives such as expanding regional influence, establishing strategic alliances with non-Western powers, and reducing dependence on Western-led structures. The research findings indicate that Russia, through adopting aggressive policies in military, economic, and diplomatic fields, seeks to impose heavy costs on its rivals and increase strategic deterrence.

Personal hygiene and adherence with health protocols in food preparation and distribution centers by operators are essential for controlling the transmission of infectious diseases. This study aimed to investigate the microbial contamination and compliance with health protocols among bakery workers in Mahmoudabad, Mazandaran, in 2020.

In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 149 samples were collected from the hands of workers in bakeries in Mahmoudabad. The microbial load was determined using the System Sure Plus device. Additionally, standard checklists, which included questions related to compliance with health protocols in the workplace, were used.  The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS 26 software.

Among the studied samples, 51.1%had a microbial load higher than 30 RLU (Relative Light Units), 28.86%  had a microbial load of 10-30 RLU and 20.13% had a microbial load less than 10 RLU. Based on the results of the checklists, the rates of adherence to hand disinfection protocol, observance of social distancing, use of liquid soap, and use of a mask were 43.6%, 61.7%, 59.7%, and 53.7%, respectively. Additionally, data analysis revealed a significant relationship between business gown usage and microbial contamination on personnel's hands (p = 0.031).

Based on the results, it was evident that the workers' hand hygienewas in a concerning condition, posing a potential threat to their overall well-being. Therefore, individual health education and food safety practices should be improved, and inspections by environmental health monitors should be considered to ensure stricter public health standards.

Identifying the quality of non-conventional waters and exploring their optimal utilization are fundamental measures for maintaining public health. This study aims to investigate the effluent quality of the irrigation canals in Pakdasht farms.

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 120 samples were collected from 6 irrigation canals in Pakdasht fields over a period of 5 months. The physicochemical and microbial characteristics of the canal effluents were determined based on the standard methods of water and wastewater tests. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using an ICP device. To determine the possibility of using the effluent of Pakdasht canals for agricultural purposes, the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran and FAO standards were used.

The average concentrations of COD, BOD5, TSS, TDS, NO3-, SO4-2, PO4-3 parameters were 259, 125, 105, 697, 4.5, 94.4, 13.5 mg/L. Additionally, the average number of total and fecal coliforms in the effluent of the canals exceeded the standard values set by IRNDOE and FAO. The mean pH was 6.97, the electrical conductivity (EC) was 1014 μm/cm, and the turbidity was 76.2 NTU. The detected concentrations of heavy metals were awithin the following ranges: Cr (0.025-0.045 mg/L), Cd (0.0006-0.001 mg/L), Pb (0.0006-0.001 mg/L), Co (0.038-0.059 mg/L), and Ni (0.05-0.06 mg/L), which were roughly lower than the suggested standards. However, both HEI and WWQI indices confirmed that the water was unsuitable for agricultural irrigation.

Based on the comparison of the results of the parameters measured in this study with the environmental and FAO standards, the effluent from the irrigation canals of Pakdasht city is deemed unsuitable for the irrigation of warm-season crops but suitable for fodder and industrial crops.

 The release of organics and heavy metals from drinking water distribution pipes can adversely affect consumers' health. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of water quality and pipe diameter on the release of organic compounds and heavy metals in polyethylene pipes.

 The experiments were performed in three different cycles of 72, 144, and 216 hours. The effect of water temperature, pH, hardness and remaining chlorine concentrations, as well as pipes diameter on the release of organics and some heavy metals were investigated. Ethical considerations were all observed during the study.

 The release of TOC increased with increasing the contact time of water to the pipe; however, the concentration of released zinc decreased by increasing time. Concentrations of lead, cadmium, and nickel in all samples were lower than the detection limit (LOD). The odor threshold number in all samples was lower than the allowable limit. The results indicated that increasing pH and hardness resulted in the decreased concentrations of TOC and zinc in water. Additionally, with increasing temperature, the concentration of TOC sharply escalated. Nevertheless, the released amounts of both TOC and zinc decreased by increasing pipe diameter.

 The results of the study revealed that the existing pipes do not pose a health threat in terms of the release of heavy metals into water. In relation to the release of TOC in water, although these values are low, thorough research should be conducted to determine their types and subsequently assess the risk of released hydrocarbons on the health of individuals.

 Insufficient mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells and delayed engraftment are reported in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). The aim if this study was to identify and introduce predictive factors for mobilization and engraftment.

 The participants include AHSCT candidates. Pre-apheresis CD34+ cells and CD34+ count per kilogram (CD34+ CPK) in the apheresis products were assessed by flow cytometry. There were other parameters connected to platelet and neutrophil engraftment as well as mobilization by granulocyte-stimulating growth factor (G-CSF). Univariate, multivariate, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used in the statistical study.

 The predictive value of CD34+ CPK for platelet engraftment was fair (AUC: 76.9%) with the cut-off of 3.5×106, while it was poor for neutrophil engraftment (AUC: 64.4%) with the cut-off of 3.4×106. The multiple-variate analysis demonstrated that age and CD34+ CPK were positively correlated with platelet engraftment (p-values less than 0.01 and 0.005, respectively), while CD34+ CPK and total dose of infused G-CSF (TDIG) were associated with neutrophil engraftment (p-values: 0.03). In high rates, the TDIG correlated negatively with CD34+ CPK, CD34+ cell counts in pre-apheresis peripheral blood samples, and total engraftment, indicating negative effects of high and long-term doses of G-CSF on mobilization and engraftment.

 The management of AHSCT will be more efficient by considering the age, CD34+ CPK, and TDIG. For enhanced engraftment, adjusting the G-CSF injection days for <4 days and total dose of G-CSF on <4000 micrograms are suggested.

Cancer is one of the diseases affecting the elderly and can lead to loss of life years. The skin, breast, gastric, colorectal, and lung cancers are five prevalent cancers in the elderly. The present study was conducted to evaluate the incidence and burden of these cancers in the elderly.

This secondary study was conducted on available extracted data from the population-based cancer registry in Markazi province in 2019. The data of all cases older than 60 years that lived more than six months in Markazi province were extracted. Collecting information involves gathering data on cancer incidence and death rates based on age and sex groups, as well as overall mortality rates. This also includes survival rates, recovery rates for cancer patients, and disability attributed to cancer using the global burden of disease (GBD) standard table from various sources. Various data, including the latest death registration report and the latest cancer registration report for 2019 and the Iran Statistics Center, were obtained. In order to check and analyze the data, Excel and DISMOD2 software were used. In order to analyze the data, formulas for calculating the burden of diseases (DALY=YLL+YLD) were used. For the validity and reliability of the data, the method of preventing the registration of impossible codes and useless codes was used.

The incidence rate of skin, breast, gastric, colorectal, and lung cancers in elderly women was 52.87, 59.02, 67.63, 47.95, and 20.90, respectively, per 100000. DALYs of these cancers in elderly women were 63.15, 423.86, 686.37, 366.49, and 385.18, respectively. The incidence rate of skin, gastric, colorectal, and lung cancers in elderly men was 100.84, 135.80, 49.74, and 68.57, respectively per 100000. DALYs of these cancers in elderly men were 342.31, 1117.01, 337.99, and 452.41, respectively. The highest YLL and YLD were related to gastric cancer (493.31/100,000) and breast cancer (220.84/100,000)

Based on the results of this study, the incidence, mortality, and DALY of skin, breast, stomach, colorectal and lung cancers were higher in the elderly. In this study, the burden of some cancers such as breast, was lower compared to provinces such as Yazd.

The burden of disease analysis can be used to measure the factors that are suitable for interventions for disease control. This study aims to calculate the burden of risk factors for common cancers among the elderly in Markazi Province of Iran in 2016.

This a retrospective descriptive-analytical study. Information was collected based on age and sex groups, which included the cancer incidence rate, cancer death rate, cancer disability rate based on the GBD standard table, which were collected from the website of Statistics Centre of Iran, the latest death report and the latest cancer report in 2016. The data analyses were done in Excel and DISMOD2 applications. The disease burden calculation formula was used in this study. To ensure the validity and reliability of the data, the data with wrong or useless codes were excluded.

For skin cancer, the highest burden was related to exposure to sunlight (526.71); for stomach cancer, family history (79305.88); for colon, lack of fruit consumption (4063.18); for breast cancer, lack of marriage (6488.58); and for prostate cancer, history of previous diseases (7244.08).

Family history of cancer, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity are common risk factors of most cancers with a same burden.

Saveh plain, which is one of the semi-arid regions of the country.There is a demand for underground water resources due to extensive agriculture and also the existence of the country's largest industrial city, and the limitations of surface water resources are high. The purpose of this study is the impact of short-term rainfall on the amount of changes in the quality of underground water in this region.

Materials and Methods :

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study to evaluate the impact of rainfall on the chemical quality of water in the underground water resources of Saveh Plain in the period (2016-2018). Necessary information was collected from Iran's specialized mother company of water resources and the results were analyzed using DIC (Drought Indices Calculator) software and Chemistry software, and Wilcox and Shuler charts were used to determine drought years.

 The results showed that in the water year of 2016-2017, a severe drought prevailed in the Saveh Plain catchment area, but in 2017-2018, more rains occurred in this area, so it is considered a water year. The occurrence of successive droughts along with over-harvesting has caused the water in 74% of wells and 43% of aqueducts to be of unfavorable quality for agricultural purposes. For drinking purposes, the situation is better and 30% of wells, 53% of aqueducts and 93% of springs are in good and acceptable range for drinking purposes.

The results showed that the physical and chemical quality of underground water resources including wells, aqueducts and springs are affected by the amount of rainfall and the impact on underground water sources which are springs and aqueducts is more than short-term rainfall changes compared to wells in the region. Therefore, for optimal management, there is a need for proper planning in order to manage the consumption of water resources, change the pattern of cultivation and reduce unnecessary harvests in the mentioned plain.

 The evaluation of different cell proliferation and apoptosis indicators in cirrhotic tissues caused by different injuries may help recognize the etiology of cirrhosis and the risk of progression to hepatocellular carcinoma.

 This study aimed to measure p53 gene expression and AMPK and pAMPK protein expressions, as well as AgNOR features in cirrhotic tissues associated with five different etiologies in comparison with simple hepatic steatosis and controls.

 In this case-control study, AMPK and PAMPK protein expressions, p53 gene expression, and AgNOR features were investigated in 68 cirrhotic liver tissues obtained from patients with NASH (n = 15), HBV/HCV (n = 14), AIH (n = 15), PSC (n = 15), and alcohol toxicity (n = 9) and compared with tissues from individuals with simple steatosis (n = 15) and control subjects (n = 15). Protein and gene expressions were determined using western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Silver nitrate staining was used to assess AgNOR features.

 Significantly higher levels of AMPK and pAMPK were detected in all cirrhotic tissues compared to controls (P < 0.05). Also, a significantly and simultaneously higher p53 gene expression (P < 0.01) and AgNOR features, including total AgNOR length (TAL) (P < 0.001), total AgNOR number (TAN) (P < 0.01), and total AgNOR area (TAA) (P < 0.01), was detected in the hepatic cirrhotic tissues obtained from patients with PSC, NASH, and AIH. There was a significant positive correlation between p53 gene expression and AgNOR features in cirrhotic tissues (P < 0.01).

 Increased AMPK and pAMPK protein levels may be a general response to cirrhosis. Cirrhotic patients diagnosed with AIH, PSC, and NASH have a higher risk of progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma than those diagnosed with viral and alcoholic cirrhosis.

Monitoring and controlling water resources and using health risk assessment approaches for water pollutants are essential for health promotion programs. This study aims to determine the water quality status and its spatiotemporal variation across the Kan River Basin, explore the interrelationship between surface and groundwater quality indices, and assess the nitrate health risk in drinking water.

The water quality index (WQI) was calculated based on the guideline of the Iran Environmental Protection Organization, and spatiotemporal distribution maps were prepared using ArcGIS in 2020. To determine the correlation between IRWQISC and IRWQIGC indices, Spearman's non-parametric test was applied. Furthermore, Hazard Quotient (HQ), Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR), and Monte-Carlo Simulation techniques were used to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of nitrate in three age groups.

The water resources were classified into three groups of medium quality, relatively good, and good during the study period. All parameters complied with the Iranian water quality standards. Furthermore, the statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between the surface and groundwater quality indices. The calculated HQ values for infants, children, and adults were 0.661, 0.620, and 0.236, respectively. The ELCR values for infants, children, and adults were 1.06 × 10-4, 0.99 × 10-4, and 0.38 × 10-4, respectively, which, for the infants' group was higher than the guideline limit of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (10-4).

The water resources are suitable for drinking purposes. However, more attention is needed to prevent water contamination in the coming years.

The newfound  pollutant perchlorate, with global distribution, long-term stability in the environment, and solubility in water, is the most crucial health threat of the present era by causing changes in the level of thyroid hormones. Perchlorate enters the body by drinking water or contaminated food with perchlorate. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has provided a guideline of 15 μg/L in drinking water. This study aims to determine the relationship between the concentration of perchlorate in drinking water and the frequency of hypothyroidism in newborns.

238 samples were collected from the water supply network of the study area. The samples were analyzed according to the standard water and wastewater tests and ion chromatography methods.

The results showed that the quality characteristics of drinking water in the water supply systems of the studied area are within the normal range and in accordance with the standard. Drinking water is classified as hard water in Damavand city. Perchlorate concentration of drinking water was detected to be 0.002 - 0.009 mg/liter.

The concentration of perchlorate in the drinking water of the study area is according to the guidelines of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and does not threaten consumers’ health.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is characterized by its high organic content and refractory compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficiency of UV/O3 and UV/ acetylacetone (UV/AcAc) processes for treatment of pretreated OMW by coagulation/microfiltration (C&M) process.

In this study, a laboratory-scale UV plug flow reactor with ancillary equipment was fabricated. The experimental factors including initial pH (5-9), O3 dosages (1.5-4.5 g/h), and AcAc concentrations (0.01-0.03 M) were measured. For both processes, a reaction time of 120 min was considered. The effect of these variables on removal of wastewater contaminants including BOD, COD, TSS, turbidity, phenol, oil, and grease were investigated.

Results showed that raw OMW has a high load of pollutants and very low biodegradability (BOD5/COD = 0.12). In UV/O3 process, the optimal conditions were obtained at pH 8 and ozone injection at 4 g/h. The combined C&M-UV/O3 process removed 78.75% COD, 46.66% BOD5, 90.88% total phenol, 91.78% TSS, 99.14% oil and grease, and 98.38% turbidity, with promotion of BOD5/ COD from 0.12 to 0.33. In UV/AcAc process, the optimal conditions were achieved at pH 5 and AcAc concentration of 0.03 M. The combined C&M-UV/AcAc process removed 58.75% COD, 67.58% BOD5, 38.03% total phenol, 83.50% TSS, 93.65% oil and grease, and 95.00% turbidity, with promotion of BOD5/ COD from 0.12 to 0.22.

The results showed that the UV/O3 process is completely superior to the UV/AcAc process for removal of OMW contaminants, as well as promoting the biodegradability of OMW.

It is increasingly evident that interactions between leukemic cells and their niches can have profound effects on clinical outcomes and have been contributed to the failure in treatment and drug shortage in the eradication of minimal residual disease, at least in part, through moving the cells from proliferative state to quiescent state.

We, therefore, investigated the effects of different bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on the induction of quiescence and tested the advantage of pan-HDAC inhibitor panobinostat in the induction of apoptosis and targeting the quiescence cells of APL-derived (NB4) and CML-derived (K562) cell lines.

We firstly evaluated the effect of BMSCs including mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), osteoblast, and macrophage on the induction of NB4 and K562 cells quiescence in co-culture models. Next, the alterations in mRNA expression of quiescence-related genes and leukemia-driver oncogenes were evaluated in different models. Finally, the anti-leukemic effects of panobinostat were evaluated, using MTT assay and evaluation of apoptosis and G0 population.

Upon 10 days of co-culture with stromal cells, we found that leukemic cells significantly accumulated in the G0 phase. The co-cultured cells also depictured an overall overexpression of most quiescence promoter genes. The oncogenes were underexpressed in the majority of co-cultured models. The results also showed that although panobinostat could induce apoptosis in co-cultured cells, its effect on the reduction of the G0 population was more striking.

These data propose that leukemia cells' quiescence state induced by stromal cells is reversible by HDAC inhibition and panobinostat could be a potentiate drug for eradication of treatment-resistance quiescence leukemic cells.

Corrosion and precipitation are important indicators of water quality assessment. The aim of this study was to analyze water stability water in Semnan distribution networks.

To achieve the purpose, samples were taken from 5 points (3 points of storage tanks and 2 distribution network points) and analyzed for physical-chemical analysis. The concentration of common anions and cations was determined by ion chromatography (IC). The sediment formed in the water distribution network was also investigated for studying its structure and main elements by using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and induced coupling plasma spectroscopy (ICP). The corrosion and scaling indices, including the Ryznar stability index (RSI), Langelier index (LI), and calcium carbonate precipitation potential (CCPP) were also studied.

According to the obtained results, the quality (physically-chemically) of most of the taken samples lies within the permissible limits of Iran's national standard (1053). However, in terms of total harness all sampling point showed values beyond WHO guidelines for drinking water. Magnesium and sulfate concentrations were also exceeded in one of the reservoirs. The results also showed the main sediment structures were calcium carbonate (calcite) and silica oxide. Moreover, According to the results, the average values of LSI and CCPP represented the scaling due to carbonate calcium nature of water. Water stability analysis indicated major roles of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate formation as temporary hardness and minor roles of magnesium sulfate and chloride as permanent hardness.

According to the results, to prevent water scaling in pipes it is recommended to use lime softening at pH=10 which not only removes temporary hardness but enhances silicate ions removal by co-precipitation with Mg(OH)2 formed followed by filtration.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic and chronic disease. In this study, we examined the serum levels of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus in this disease and its relationship with clinical symptoms based on the patient's Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28).

This prospective cross-sectional study was performed on patients with rheumatoid arthritis referred to the rheumatology clinic of a military hospital in Tehran, Iran. The diagnosis was made by a rheumatologist according to the criteria of the American Rheumatological Association. After admission, the severity of rheumatoid arthritis was assessed according to DAS28 criteria, which is based on the number of painful joints, number of swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Serum levels of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus were also measured in all of these patients.

one hundred patients were present in this study, of which 22 were male (22%) and 78 were female (78%). The mean age of patients was 53.7±11 years (range: 26-76 years). The mean score of disease severity among patients was 14.4±1.2 (range 1.4-7.6). 12% of patients had passive disease, 8% had low-activity disease, 62% had moderate activity and 18% had severe activity. There was a significant difference between the severity of the disease and serum levels of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus. Patients with higher disease severity had lower levels of calcium and vitamin D while higher levels of phosphorus (p <0.05).

In patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, serum levels of vitamin D are low, so it is recommended to investigate the effect of this vitamin on improving the severity of the disease in these patients so that the final decision to increase this vitamin to the treatment regimen can be made.

Evaluation of objective experiences of health services users is essential for evidence-based health policy-making and planning. Accordingly, research on postpartum quality of life has attracted increasing attention. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting postpartum quality of life of women in Shiraz.

This cross-sectional study was performed among 1050 mothers in Shiraz in 1400. A proportional multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select participants. Data were collected using two general and specific scales for measuring postpartum quality of life. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and multiple linear regression.

Multiple linear regression showed that water birth (β=0.83, P=0.001), natural vaginal delivery (β=0.70, P=0.002), housekeeping (β=0.71, P=0.011), university education (β=0.68, P=0.028), basic education (β=0.23, P=0.043), and living in the cities (β=0.21, P=0.041) had the greatest impact on the postpartum quality of life of women, respectively (R2=0.861, df=7).

Findings indicate that method of delivery, level of education, employment status and place of residence were among the most important factors affecting postpartum quality of life. Identification of determinants of postpartum quality of life considering clinical justifications and economic analysis can provide the necessary evidence for the selection of appropriate childbirth methods.

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) has become a major global issue in the modern society. Adolescents may be more prone to IAD due to their particular conditions. The current study aimed to investigate the association of IAD with personality types and parenting styles among a sample of Iranian high school students.

In this cross-sectional study, 400 students (50% male), with a mean age of 15.5±1.7 years, were selected randomly from the high schools in Jahrom city, Fars Province of Iran, in 2020. In addition to the demographic information, each participant was asked to fill out three standard questionnaires concerning IAD, parenting style, and personality types. Logistic regression was used to measure the odds ratio and there was a 95% confidence interval regarding the relationship between the independent variables and IAD. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.

According to the results of the study, 25.5% of the students had severe IAD. The results of the backward logistic regression showed that the adolescents whose fathers (OR: 13.39, CI: 5.34-23.56) and mothers (OR: 13.64, CI: 7.89-24.99) had a permissive parenting style, as well as those with the personality types of psychoticism (OR: 10.83, CI: 4.26-19-59) and neuroticism (OR: 20.65, CI: 10.06-34.91), were at a higher risk of IAD.

The present study revealed that certain personality types and parenting styles are associated with an increased risk of developing IAD in adolescents. These results could be considered to develop appropriate programs for the prevention and control of the problem at the national or regional levels.

Exposure to an increasing amount of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (MFs) causes some adverse effects. Considering a direct association between the sizes and numbers of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and cell proliferation, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of 50-Hz MFs on the AgNORs of bone marrow (BM) cells.

Eighty male rats were randomly divided into four exposed groups and one control group. The exposed groups received 50-Hz MFs with magnetic flux densities of 1, 100, 500, and 2000 µT two hours a day for two months. BM cells were aspirated from sacrificed rats’ femoral bones, smeared on glass slides, and then stained with silver nitrate for AgNORs. The area (AA), length (AL), and number (AN) of AgNORs were calculated by a microscope equipped with a camera and Scion Image software in 100 BM cells of each rat. The mean of AA, AL, and AN was computed for each group.

AA, AL, and AN significantly reduced in the 1 µT group compared with 2000 µT and control groups. Eventually, there was a nonlinear relationship between the effect of 50-Hz MFs and magnetic flux densities.

Overall, 50-Hz MFs with a magnetic flux density of 1 µT reduced AgNORs in BM cells. However, 100, 500, and 2000 µT did not affect AgNORs. Therefore, 50-Hz MFs with low density may suppress BM cell proliferation.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been widely used in various treatments including inflammatory disorders, pain relief and fever. The permanent presence of these compounds in water resources and possible adverse effects due to toxicological and chemical properties is very important. The aim of this study was to evaluate of the efficiency of P4VP-Fe3O4 nanocomposite on the removal of diclofenac from aqueous solutions.

Adsorbent properties were determined by TEM, SEM, VSM and FTIR techniques. Effect of independent variables such as pH (3-9), adsorbent dose (0.1-2 g/L), contaminant concentration (2-20 mg/L), mixing speed (100-250 rpm), temperature (25-40°C) and the presence of interfering ions (120 min) were investigated. The adsorption process was evaluated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Tamkin isotherm models, and kinetic models of the adsorption process as well as thermodynamic studies.

Results showed that by examining the size and shape of P4VP-Fe3O4 composite, the composite had properties such as nano range size, polygonal structure and non-uniform shape. The peak of the pyridine ring in the results of FT-IR analysis of P4VP@Fe3O4 composite indicated the presence of C=C bands. In the adsorption process, the optimal removal conditions for diclofenac (contaminant concentration 15 mg/L, pH=5, contact time 75 min, adsorbent dose 1 g/L), the maximum removal efficiency of diclofenac 93.34% and adsorption capacity (qe) 9.33 mg/g was obtained. Also, the study of adsorption isotherm and kinetics showed that diclofenac adsorption followed Freundlich isotherm (R2 <0.956) and quasi-quadratic kinetic model (R2 <0.976). The results of thermodynamics also showed a spontaneous reaction.

P4VP-Fe3O4 composite can be used as an effective and useful adsorbent in the adsorption of diclofenac and pharmaceutical compounds from aqueous media due to its advantages such as simple and fast separation, recyclable, cost-effective and high removal efficiency.

Undoubtedly, COVID‑19 pandemic is one of the largest pandemics and one of the biggest international challenges for health‑care system of various countries in the world. This is a narrative review study based on the studies published related with different aspects of COVID‑19. The highest numbers of active cases are in the USA, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, as well as Colombia and the disease surveillance system must operate more quickly, timely, effectively, and sensitively in these countries. What is clear is that the SARS‑CoV‑2 basic reproduction number is significantly higher than one and its transmission power is extremely high. In general, it can be stated that mortality and fatality risk due to COVID‑19 in men, age increase, severity of disease, systemic disease, as well as inadequate access to the sufficient health‑care services will increase. There is currently no specific treatment and effective vaccine for COVID‑19. The novel coronavirus pandemic is more consistent with the epidemiological triangle model, which emphasizes that the disease is the result of the interaction of three factors of host, agent, and environment. Therefore, prevention and treatment activities should focus on cutting the virus transmission chain. The main way to deal with viral epidemics is prevention. The emerging of this ruthless virus has once again reminded us that communicable diseases should never be underestimated and forgotten. Considering the rapid transmission of COVID‑19, the health‑care authorities and workers should consider timely detection and safeguards to prevent the transmission to healthy individuals.

Methylene blue as a cationic dye is ubiquitously found in aquatic systems and its presence in water resources can be hazardous. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate extensively the efficiency of activated carbon prepared from grapevine for removing Methylene Blue from aqueous solutions because of its outstanding properties such as cost-effectiveness, simple synthesis, availability, and applicational.  For this purpose, the effect of the main operational parameters such as Methylene Blue initial concentration (500-100 mg/l), adsorbent dosage (0.25-12.25 g/l), pH (3-11), and contact time (10-90 min) was optimized through surface response method. The obtained results showed that more than 97.8% of MB has been removed. The experimental data were fitted to the Freundlich model (R2=0.99) and the maximum adsorption capacity was 2.23 mg/g. Also, the adsorption kinetics are well explained by the pseudo-second-order (R2=0.91). This study shows grape waste can be used as a potential alternative candidate for adsorption of Methylene Blue from aquatic environments.

The recent outbreak by a novel coronavirus originated from Wuhan, China in 2019, and is progressively spreading to other countries. Timely diagnosis of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) improves the survival of the patients and also prevents the transmission of the infection. In this study, we reviewed the applicable and available methods for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

For the review, we systematically searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Iranian articles that were published about COVID-19 diagnostic methods with a combination of the key terms: laboratory, radiological, tests, coronavirus.

Although the current gold standard diagnostic test for this virus is real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the occasional false-negative and the low sensitivity of the test should not be underestimated. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan is another diagnostic test for COVID-19, with higher sensitivity but low specificity. A combination of sensitive RT-PCR with a chest CT scan together with the clinical features are highly recommended for the proper diagnosis. Notably, there are some other sensitive and low-cost tests for evaluation of COVID-19 infection, but their validation should be approved.

Since early and accurate diagnosis of the viral disease could improve the survival rate of the patients, and halt the transmission chain, it is not surprising that tremendous attempts should be made to reduce the limitations of the tests leading to the false-negative results and to find a rapid test for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

 Hydrocarbon contamination is considered to be a crucial environmental pollutant, which threatens the marine ecosystem and indirectly affects human health. Petrochemical industries are among the major sources of oil release into the environment. Several approaches are used to remove hydrocarbons from contaminated water, including biological, mechanical, and chemical methods. Oil Spill Eater II (OSE II) is an EPA-listed liquid nutrient with enzymes for the removal of hydrocarbons or other organic contaminants, which has also been proposed for the elimination of oil contaminates worldwide.

 The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of OSE II on hydrocarbon degradation from contaminated seawater.

 In accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer, a combination of seawater and crude oil of various regions was prepared with a specific proportion. The amount of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) before the addition of OSE II and after the treatment with OSE II was analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

 The maximum removal rate of TPH from seawater was within the range of 59-75.5% after the OSE II treatment and 7-15 days of aeration. In addition, GC-MS indicated that the initial sharp peaks declined substantially due to the impact of OSE II on the destruction of hydrocarbon chains.

 According to the results, OSE II exhibited a high potential for the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Aniline is a substance used in chemical industries and in various processes such as pesticide production, chemical bleaching, textile dyes, etc. In spite of the negative effects of aniline on the environment due the difficult decomposition of this substance, various methods have been investigated to remove this substance from water resources. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of magnetized carbon nanotubes in the removal of aniline from aqueous solutions.

Fe3O4-CNT magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method. The morphology of the adsorbent surface, shape and size of CNT-Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transfer electron microscopy (TEM). BET analysis was also used to determine the physical properties of the adsorbent such as surface area, size and volume of the cavities and their distribution on the adsorbent. An X-ray diffraction device (XRD) was used to determine the pattern and the purity of the Fe3O4 particles. The synthetic adsorbent properties were analyzed by FTIR technique. In order to optimize the adsorption conditions and determine the optimal values of each of the factors affecting the adsorption process (pH, contact time, adsorbent value, initial aniline error and temperature), adsorption experiments were performed and aniline concentration was determined by spectrophotometric method.

SEM and TEM analyzes showed that the magnetic carbon nanotubes were almost uniform and had an average diameter of 5 nanometers and an average length of 100 nanometers. XRD analysis also showed the stabilization of Fe3O4 on carbon nanotubes. FTIR analysis for the absorption of aniline contaminants on the magnetic carbon nanotubes adsorbent indicated that the aniline contaminant bond has appeared on the adsorbent.

The results of the study showed that magnetic MWCNT adsorbent was able to effectively remove aniline contaminants from aquatic environments. Statistical analysis showed that pH parameters, adsorption concentration, pollutant concentration, temperature and contact time were effective on pollutant removal efficiency.

The goals of this study were to assess the microbiological quality and coastal water quality index (CWQI) in the Persian Gulf alongshore of Bandar Abbas city. Water samples were collected from five different coastal sites in spring and summer seasons. To assess the microbiological quality: Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms, Fecal Streptococci and Clostridium perfringens were measured. Also, eight physicochemical parameters (DO, BOD, TSS, Turbidity, Temperature, pH, Nitrate, Phosphate) were examined for calculating the CWQI. The mean for microbiological indicators was respectively, 3667, 1055, 50, 211 MPN/100ml. for physicochemical parameters, the average of water temperature was 32 °C, electrical conductivity was 57mmho/cm, the turbidity was 70.7 NTU, pH 8.1, and also the average concentration of phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium was 180, 18.2, 4.9, 12.16μmol/L, and the mean of concentration BOD, COD and DO were 4.89, 11 and 6.8mg/L, respectively. In addition, the water quality index for all months and at selected stations was 65. The results showed that in the most samples the levels of microbiological indicators were exceeded the national standard and guideline values. Also, the computed CWQI showed that quality of water was weak. All the extracted results are closely related to the inlets connected to the sea. These inlets except the Ghadir station will affect the rest of the stations. In general, in low tide, the Bactria index was more than high tide