Aim: Radiation affects all biological processes in the human body. Medemia argun(an Egyptian palm) is a mysterious plant from southern Egypt. In ancient Egypt, MA dried dates have been found in the famed tomb of Tutankhamun. Globally, this is the first study to look at the metabolomics and biological efficiency of Medemia argun(MA) in mitigating the risks of γ-irradiation. Materials and Methods: Rats were subjected to a single dose of γ-irradiation (6 Gy) for the whole body and injected intraperitoneally with or without MA ethanolic seed extract (200 mg/kg b. wt.). We studied the LD₅₀ of MA ethanolic seed extract in vivo using male rats, liver function, antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory biomarkers, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) to assess the biological functions and beneficial effects of the MA seed's ethanolic extract in reducing the γ-irradiation risks in rats. Also, DNA fragmentation was investigated via a Comet assay. Histopathological examinations were also performed. In addition, phytochemical analysis for MA was conducted. Results: The obtained results showed that 200 mg/kg b. wt. of MA ethanolic seed's extract is the recommended dose. γ-radiation increased DNA fragmentation, NO, MDA, inflammatory biomarkers, and liver function. Furthermore, there is a significant decrease in antioxidant enzymes, T. protein, and albumin. Conversely, MA (200 mg/kg b. wt.) treatment for 6 weeks effectively reflects most of the altered measurements induced by γ-radiation. Furthermore, histopathological examinations revealed that γ-radiation causes significant deleterious changes in the structure of liver tissue, whereas MA treatment preserves the cellular structure of the liver without the appearance of any changes. Conclusions: Our results showed that MA can be used as a healthy food during radiotherapy as a natural therapeutic drug due to its valuable nutritional benefits, safe nature, and low cost.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of lighting on the attention index of males and females under thermal comfort. Materials and Methods: To measure the effect of different lighting levels (200, 500, and 1500 lux) on attention index, Toulouse-Piéron Test was conducted in a chamber under thermal comfort condition (22°C, 45% RH). This study was conducted on 33 healthy students (17 males/16 females) with a mean (±standard deviation) age of 22.1 ± 2.3 years. The exposure time was 1.5 h. Results: The results indicated that the reduction in lighting level (200 lux) significantly decreased the attention index, speed, and accuracy of performance for both groups; however, this descending trend for the male participants was slightly higher than the female ones (P < 0.05). On the other hand, by increasing the lighting level (500 and 1500 lux), the attention index of the individuals was significantly improved under distracting and busy working environment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that the female participants showed better performance and lower mistakes in accuracy-demanded tasks. It was also found that, compared to the female participants, the attention level of the male participants was more easily affected. Furthermore, by increasing the lighting level, the distraction level among the female participants was lower than that of the males, and their ability to do dual tasks was significantly enhanced.

Aim: Undesirable lighting can affect the visual system, as well as mental, neuropsychological, and physiological efficiency of staff. The present study was done to determine the effect of luminosity and nominal correlated color temperature (NCCT) on the extent of mental and visual fatigue under experimental conditions among students at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was done in summer 2022 on 12 students at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. To measure the mental fatigue, flicker fusion method, while for visual fatigue, Rajabi questionnaire was used. In this study, two lamps with NCCT 3000 K and 6000 K were used at three angles 15°, 30°, 45°. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 20.91 years. At both NCCT 6000 K and 3000 K, the maximum and minimum extent of visual fatigue occurred at angles 15° and 45°, while the maximum and minimum mental fatigue score happened at 45° and 15°, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of mental fatigue (P < 0.001) and visual fatigue (P < 0.001) between 6000⁰K and 3000⁰⁰K at 0.01 level. Conclusion: The NCCT and angle of the light source position can contribute to the development of mental and visual fatigue. Once the angle of radiation increased, the extent of mental and visual fatigue diminished. The extent of mental fatigue, as with visual fatigue, was greater at 3000 K compared to 6000 K.

Aim: For more effective therapy and accurate diagnostic instruments and devices, it is crucial to develop novel nanomaterials with excellent biological performance and low toxicity. Due to their outstanding biocompatibility, feasibility, little environmental impact, affordability, and low toxicity, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as one of the most widely used metal oxide NPs in biological applications. One of the many multifunctional inorganic NPs is ZnO, which has been produced using an easy, environmental-friendly process. ZnO NPs have emerged a promising potential in biomedicine, especially in the fields of anticancer and antibacterial fields, which are involved with their potent ability to trigger excess reactive oxygen species production, release zinc ions, and induce cell apoptosis. Materials and Methods: Several methods were used to explore the physicochemical properties of ZnO NPs. By using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and scanning electron microscope (SEM), a sample's chemical and elemental composition, crystalline structure, optical properties, and surface appearance have all been studied. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is the main technique for characterizing ZnO NPs. Results: A heterogeneous surface form for extremely pure, completely crystalline, and photoactive ZnO NPs was produced. Radiation affects living cells and has an effect on all biological processes in the human body, causing living cells to be damaged. As a result, there is a great deal of interest in developing antioxidant bio-drugs based on Sargassum vulgare and ZnO NPs to protect radiotherapy patients and specialists from the dangers of γ-radiation. A major genus of brown marine algae, S. vulgare, is found along the Mediterranean and red sea coasts and is a member of the Sargassaceae family. S. vulgare methanolic extract (4 g/kg b.wt) and ZnO NPs (10 μM) were given intraperitoneally twice weekly for 6 weeks to rats that had previously received a single dose of γ-radiation (6 Gy) after 1 week of the experiment. There were five groups of rats (15 rats each). Conclusions: This cosmopolitan seaweed is known for valuable nutraceutical benefits but has not yet been researched in this regard. As a result, the current study was designed to assess the feasibility and in vivo potential activity of S. vulgare methanolic extract as a functional food supplement with ZnO NPs in alleviating γ-radiation-associated oxidative damage and toxic symptoms. Based on the findings, S. vulgare with ZnO NPs could be used as a therapeutic medication during radiotherapy to reduce the oxidative stress, toxicity, and damage caused by γ-radiation.

Aim: Urbanization, rapid industrialization, and related anthropogenic activities are the main reasons for air pollutant emissions and poor air quality. Continued deterioration of air quality in urban areas requires effective measures to control air pollution. The purpose of developing a model is for a better understanding the physical, chemical, and dynamic properties of air pollution and meteorology. Materials and Methods: In this work, an analytical approach has been used to analyze the diffusion of air pollutants emitted from point sources is presented. This article reports the method of solving three-dimensional atmospheric diffusion equation using the Fourier transform technique, variable separable method, and series solution to obtain analytical solution. Results: The present work focuses on the effect of dry deposition and wet deposition on the concentration of primary impurities. The concentration of primary impurities decreases when the removal rate of dry and wet deposition increases with respect to height and distance. Conclusion: The focus of this research article is to learn the effects of removal mechanisms such as dry and wet deposition of primary pollutants. It is found that the contaminant concentrations are close to point sources and gradually decrease toward nonsource areas due to diffusion and removal mechanisms in an urban area.

Aim: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of educational intervention on operating room personnel's knowledge of fire factors and lowering the level of fire risk in some selected hospitals in Isfahan city. Materials and Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 113 operating room personnel of Isfahan hospitals in Iran. A standard questionnaire (with 28 questions) was employed to assess the level of knowledge of the operating room personnel about the sources of combustion and ways to prevent it. The fire risk assessment method for engineering was employed to assess the fire risk of hospitals, and the risk level was calculated for the building and its contents (R), personnel (R1), and activity risk (R2). SPSS version 24 was used to analyze the data. Results: Forty-eight participants (36.1%) were men, and 85 participants (63.9%) were women. The findings demonstrated that the mean (standard deviation) score of personnel's fire safety knowledge was statistically enhanced before and after the educational intervention (10.62 [3.20] and 15.40 [2.66], respectively (P < 00.01). The findings of the fire risk assessment demonstrated that the risk of personnel has the maximum risk score, which is higher than one in all instances. Following personnel risk, the building and its contents risk had the maximum overall risk score. Following the educational intervention, the findings of the fire risk assessment demonstrated that the overall risk of the building and its contents, the overall risk of personnel, and the overall risk of the activity all reduced from 0.588–0.423, 4.174–3.408, to 0.543–0.498, respectively. Conclusion: Proper implementation of educational programs can reduce fire risk while also enhancing personnel knowledge and improving operating room safety. Accordingly, hospitals should incorporate the implementation of educational programs into their routine activities.

Aims: The present study was conducted to assess the gastrointestinal health effects and other health effects due to consumption of drinking water, to analyze the water quality parameters (bacteriological and free residual chlorine), and to find out the methods of purification of water at household level and hand washing technique among people in urban Vadodara. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at urban Vadodara city. 2609 participants were included in the study from among 720 households. 60 households from each selected water tank area were included. Interviews were conducted to know the health effects of water as well as method of purification, hand-washing technique, and the history of gastrointestinal problems. Thirty-eight water samples were tested hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) strip test and multiple tube method. Results: 4.21% had history of diarrhea in the last 2 weeks. 0.99% had typhoid and 0.65% had history of Jaundice in the past year. H₂S Strip test was Negative and no single coliform was found in all 38 water samples. The free chlorine levels in all the tanks were found to be higher than the normal levels. 43.05% participants were using simple cloth or sieve for purification of water followed by 35.97% participants were using reverse osmosis. 14.25% participants were not washing hands before cooking while 5.13% participants were not washing hands after going toilet. Conclusion: Supplied drinking water was bacteriologically safe. Despite that history of diarrhea, typhoid and jaundice was found in the study area.

Aim: The present study aims to determine the relationship between arsenic (As) concentration in groundwater and mortality rates due to urological and leukemia malignancies in Hamadan, as a hotspot of As concentration. Materials and Methods: The inverse distance weighting method in ArcGIS 10.8 software was used to show spatial patterns of As concentration. A total of 370 samples of tap water from urban and rural areas in all nine countries of the Hamadan province were collected by grab method. Poisson regression analysis was performed for comparing Kabudarahang region (As exposed) with the rest of the countries in Hamadan province during 2016–2020, for leukemia (ICD-10 code C90-95), bladder (ICD-10 code C67-67.9), and kidney (ICD-10, code C64-65) cancers. Results: Regarding leukemia, both Poisson regression and dose-response analysis supported an association between As concentration in drinking water and the risk of death. However, based on Poisson regression, no statistically significant association was observed for As levels and the mortality rates due to bladder and kidney cancers. In the linear regression fitting, for each unit increase of As concentration in groundwater, the mortality rates of leukemia increased by an average of 0.33 (P = 0.03), and according to the Poisson regression, leukemia mortality was elevated for Kabudarahang region comparing with the rest of the Hamadan province (relative risk = 1.91, 95% confidence interval = 1.24–2.92, P = 0.003). Conclusion: Therefore, due to the toxic and carcinogenic properties of As species, to reduce the related health risks, some managing programs, including screening, community education, and intervention, should be developed in the As-contaminated areas.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to model the causes and negligence of occupational accidents assessed by labor inspectors and justice official experts of Isfahan province from the perspective of health, safety, and environment management. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study that was conducted cross-sectionally to determine the causes of occupational accidents in some industries and workshops in Isfahan province. Data collection was by census, which after reviewing all cases, finally 367 cases completed by inspectors of the labor and justice official experts of Isfahan province have been reviewed. Results: The results showed that regarding the injured person's negligence percent, the least agreement was related to the opinion of the inspector and the opinion of the 7-member panel (intra-class correlation coefficient = 31.5%) and then the lowest agreement was related to the opinion of the inspector with the opinions of 3- and 5-member panels. There is a high level of agreement among all groups to determine the percentage of negligence for the contractor (>60%). There was no statistically significant difference between the 3-member and 5-member staff in any of the potential causes of the accident (P > 0.05). This disagreement is seen in 40% of cases. The results showed that the disagreement between the 3-member and the 5-member panels is 27%. The rate of disagreement between the 5-member and 7-member panels is 10%. Conclusion: Based on the results, people who have more work experience receive less negligence percentage. However, if the injured person has a higher work experience in the current job, the accident occurred with a higher percentage of negligence.

Aim: Among environmental pollutants, there is a great concern about organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) due to their environmental persistence, accumulation in the food chain, detection in breast milk, and their ability to accumulate in adipose tissues. Due to the toxicity of OCPs and its relationship with human health, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dieldrin pesticides on morphological changes in the HeLa cell line. Materials and Methods: Standard concentrations of dieldrin (0.1-20 ppm) were prepared and cells were cultured in 1640 Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) medium containing 10% bovine serum albumin and Pen-Strep antibiotic. Subsequently, the morphological effects of dieldrin on HeLa cells in a cell culture medium were investigated. Results: Morphological and cytopathic changes were not observed in HeLa cells treated with concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 ppm of dieldrin. However, significant changes including cell rounding and cytopathic effects were observed in the cells treated with 5 ppm of dieldrin. Moreover, at concentrations of 15 and 20 ppm of dieldrin, the cells were completely destroyed and could not be examined. Conclusion: The effects of dieldrin on HeLa cell morphology were observed in the form of cell rounding and cytopathic effects. These morphological changes suggest that dieldrin may induce the process of apoptosis in cells. According to the results, the identification of different factors that aggravate the cytotoxic effects of this pesticide needs further research.

Assam is a state in Northeast India facing floods every year which leads to human misery and devastation of nature. The objective of this review is to explore the natural and anthropogenic factors causing flood in Assam over a period of 11 years. The SCOPUS, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies in Assam. The outcome of interest was to identify the natural and anthropogenic factors that contributed to the occurrence of floods in Assam from 2010 to 2020. Data were charted and reported in accordance with the “PRISMA guidelines.” From 1582 screened citations, 54 articles went under full-text screening, among which 35 studies were eligible for this review. Rainfall events, climate change, urbanization, deforestation, improper drainage and embankment construction contributed most. This review concludes that anthropogenic factors outweigh the natural factors for flood occurrence in Assam.

Aim: Due to the importance of the relationship between air pollutants and the incidence of many diseases in polluted cities, in this study, we collected the data related to yearly, seasonally, monthly, daily, and hourly concentrations of particulate matter (PM) _2.5, PM₁₀, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃) recorded at four monitoring stations across Karaj city, Iran, to investigate the air pollutant trends based on air quality indexes (AQIs) in the city during 2012–2018. Materials and Methods: The correlations between PMs and gaseous pollutants were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The concentrations of air pollutants indexes including O₃, NO₂, SO₂, CO, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5 were recorded in four air pollution monitoring stations in Karaj obtained from the monitoring system of the environment department. Then, the data were analyzed using SPSS and Graph pad softwares. Results: The findings showed that in 20%–40% and 1%–5% of days during 2012–2018, higher concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were experienced than the national standard (NS) concentration, respectively. Furthermore, during this time, 0.3%–0.9% of days indicated the higher concentrations of CO and SO₂ than the NS, respectively. Although the daily concentration of NO₂ was lower than NS, 0.5%–5% of days were exposed to the higher concentration of O₃ than NS. SO₂ concentration showed a negative and positive correlation with PM₁₀ (r = −0.69, P = 0.013) and O₃(r = 0.58, P = 0.03), respectively. Conclusion: These results indicated that Karaj AQI was moderate and the most problem with air quality in Karaj city was attributed to the PM_2.5 concentrations. To reduce health disorders related to this pollutant, it is necessary to control PM_2.5 sources and sensitive groups should reduce outdoor activities.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the management of hospital wastes with an emphasis on genotoxic waste. In this regard, wastes production rate, separation method, temporary storage, collection, and disposal were investigated. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive survey was conducted at six public hospitals by designing a questionnaire regarding medical waste management. Furthermore, face-to-face interviews were arranged. Results: The results demonstrated that the generation rate of total medical waste, hazardous-infectious waste, genotoxic waste, and the generation rates of general waste in Semnan city were 2.904, 0.9 (31%), 0.09 (3%), and 1.914 (66%) kg/bed-day, respectively. Approximately 50% of the hospitals used unsuitable containers to collect genotoxic wastes from hospital wards. It was found that all the hospitals have temporary storage rooms. However, there is not a specific and separate temporary storage place for genotoxic wastes in the hospitals. Four hospitals (83.3%) are equipped with steam sterilization and shredding equipment. One hospital (16.7%) has steam sterilization without shredding for treating infectious and sharp wastes. In this study, chemical neutralization was considered the principal method for treating genotoxic waste in hospitals. Moreover, lack of staff training (46% of hospitals) and shortage of personal-protective equipment (85% of hospitals) were considered significant problems in these hospitals. Conclusions: This study revealed that the healthcare waste management index is acceptable for all types of hospital wastes except for genotoxic waste. Therefore, it is essential to pay more attention to the on-site collection and safe storage of genotoxic wastes. Furthermore, in terms of treatment, transfer, and disposal stages, general hospital waste was managed properly compare to genotoxic waste.

Aim: Cognitive function factors have been reported as an effective factor in the incidence of traffic accidents. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of heat stress on the cognitive performance parameters of taxi drivers. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed on 29 taxi drivers in both winter and summer. The parameters studied in this study were precision, speed of work, attention, short-term auditory memory, concentration skills, mental fatigue, the wet bulb glob temperature index, and the thermal comfort parameters. Results: The mean and standard deviation of drivers age was 52.24 ± 8.28 years. People's performance in terms of speed, precision, number of errors, and attention in the summer morning shift was better than the winter evening shift, but these parameters dropped sharply in the evening shift in the summer. There was a statitistically significant difference between these parameters in the morning and evening of summer (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that heat stress reduces the precision, speed of work and attention and increases the number of errors and mental fatigue of drivers. Therefore, it is necessary to plan to improve the working conditions of drivers to prevent the reduction of drivers' cognitive performance and improve driving conditions.

Aim: Hydrogen sulfide is one of the most harmful substances known in the drilling industry. Hydrogen sulfide can cause health, environmental, safety, and damage to property problems. Therefore, we conducted this study on a laboratory scale to make carboxylated carbon nanotubes and investigate their performance in removing hydrogen sulfide from drilling mud. Materials and Methods: In the first step, we prepared multi-walled carbon nanotubes with 90%–95% purity. In the next step, we provide the drilling fluid. The fluid used in these experiments was a simple water-based mud consisting of water and bentonite. In the last step, we used the Qualitek-4 software to design experiments, and the Taguchi model was used to investigate the obtained results. Results: Results show that pH is the most effective parameter in the adsorption process. Interaction of adsorbent concentration with retention time shows the highest SI = 85.85%. Optimal conditions of H2S adsorption are adsorbent concentration = 100 ppm, pH = 6, and retention time = 30 min. According to the Langmuir model, the adsorption capacity of carbon nanotube (CNT)-COOH was 2480 (mg/mg). By increasing CNT-COOH concentration from 50 ppm to 100 ppm, the adsorption percent of H2S increased from 51.6% to 66.1%. By increasing the retention time from 2 min to 30 min, an increase in adsorption will be seen from 57.5% to 65.3%. Conclusion: Using functionalized nanocarbon tube with at least 90% efficiency is a reliable method to remove hydrogen sulfide from drilling mud.

Introduction: In addition to having auditory effects, sound also has nonauditory effects. Acoustic Annoyance is one of the nonauditory effects of sounds which are construed as psychoacoustic characteristics. The study at hand was undertaken to investigate the psychoacoustic characteristics of absorbents used in common earmuffs. Materials and Methods: In this study, four earmuffs prevalent in industries were used. The psychoacoustic characteristics of loudness and sharpness were measured and analyzed in sound levels of 75, 85, and 95 dB using an impedance tube and Va-Lab 4 software with and without absorbers. The results were analyzed with SPSS-26 software. Results: Results showed that the highest and the lowest increase in loudness were attributed to the EM-101 and the EM-104, respectively. In addition, with the increase in the sound level, the loudness increased. Furthermore, in 85 dB, there was no significant relationship between loudness and earmuff absorber only in the case of the earmuff EM-103. Furthermore, the highest and the lowest increase in sharpness were, respectively, attributed to the EM-101 and the EM-103. Only in the samples of EM-103 and EM-104 earmuffs at the level of 75 dB, there was no significant relationship between sharpness and earmuff absorber. Conclusion: Earmuffs used in industries showed different performances against the loudness and sharpness of the sound. In other words, the quality and the structure of earmuff absorber play noteworthy roles in decreasing the qualitative parameters of sound.

Aim: The presence of Fe and Mn content in water, apart from being able to interfere with health, also creates a metallic taste and odor of drinking water and causes a yellow color on the walls and clothes. Thus, it is necessary to use appropriate and effective technologies to lower the amounts of iron and manganese in water. The technology involves the use of Filtration Media for Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) Content in Drilling Wells, including Zeolite, Ferolite, and Manganese Greensand. Materials and Methods: The first treatment was for control, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth treatments, each containing zeolite ferrolite, and Mn media and the combination of media, were for the filtration process and repeated four times. Results: The results showed that the use of zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media and the combination of media was able to increase Fe level by 11.05%, 5.99%, 21.78%, and 40.98%, respectively. Meanwhile, the use of zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn and the combination of media was able to reduce Mn level by 35.58%, 44.97%, 48.30%, and 75.28%, respectively. Conclusion: It is not recommended to use zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media for processing Fe in borehole water. Zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media can be used to reduce Mn levels in the borehole water.

Aim: This study aimed to verify the general health status and its related factors of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Daran Shahid Rajaee Hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed by census method on 168 medical staff in Shahid Rajaee Hospital in Daran city during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered by applying a questionnaire, containing demographic information and a 28-item standard General Health Questionnaire. Eventually, data analysis was performed by Spearman correlation tests and the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests, using the SPSS software V.26. Results: The results of the study revealed that the general health score, among the individuals, was at a healthy level with a mean of 20.77 ± 11.8. Spearman correlation test represented a significant interdependency between age and general health and its connected factors, Somatic Symptoms Scale, and depression symptoms scale (P < 0.05) (R = −0.226, R = −0.174, R = −0.168). In addition, a significant correlation was found between the depression symptoms scale and work experience (P = 0.005) (R = −0.214). Based on the results of the Kruskal–Wallis H tests, a statistically significant difference was found between the employment status and the general health (P = 0.04) as well as the depression symptoms scale (P = 0.019). Conclusion: In this study, the most vital factors affecting both job efficiency and general health were the variables of age, work experience, and type of employment. Furthermore, the subscales of somatic symptoms and depression symptoms were identified as the most effective subscales on general health.

Aim: The present study seeks to help the experts and specialists by investigating documents relevant to the harmful chemical compounds and toxic substances used in the production processes of a few novel industries so that, the information gap is identified by recognizing such toxicants and taking steps to fill such gap. Methods: By making the use of keywords related to the objective of the study (keywords such as toxicity, modern toxicity, modern industries (MIs), new toxins, modern/new chemical compounds), the indexed articles were searched from 2000 to 2022 in ProQuest, Science Direct, Pub Med, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases aiming at access to the toxic compounds in several MIs. In this study, out of 116 articles searched as full text and following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 46 articles were wholly selected. Results: According to the results, the issues include the nanotechnology industry (silver-nanoparticles, gold-nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, zinc-oxide, cerium-dioxide, and iron-oxide nanoparticles), nuclear technology (cobalt [60 Co and 58 Co], uranium [235U], and plutonium [Pu4+]), semiconductor industries (arsenic compounds, phosphorus, dopants, acids, photoactive compounds, etc.), liquid crystal display industries (indium compounds and indium tin oxide), pharmaceutical and medical (cytotoxic and platinum-based drugs), modern dentistry (resins, silica-nanofillers, barium-glass, and beryllium compounds), as well as the MIs involved in silica, nickel, and dioxin nanoparticles, were documented and discussed. Conclusion: Developing MIs and equipping the traditional industries with new technologies have confronted humankind with different chemicals and toxins resulting from producing and using products that require attention, study, and research. It is hoped that the present review study will pave the way for extensive studies on occupational health and toxicology in MIs.

Aim: Excessive exposure of drivers to traffic noise and the resulting hearing loss could affect safe driving. This study aimed to investigate the hearing status of heavy vehicle drivers and its correlation with traffic accidents. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 187 drivers of heavy vehicles (trucks and buses) in Tehran province during 2018. The hearing status of drivers was investigated by the audiometric test method, ISO 6189 (1983). A safety questionnaire and checklist of drivers' demographic variables were used to gather information on accident status and personal characteristics of drivers. SPSS version 24 software was used for the statistical analysis of data. The statistical tests used are Chi-square, Spearman's correlation, paired t-test, and odds ratio. Results: Examining the hearing status of drivers showed that 51.5% were normal and 48.5% of drivers had hearing loss. The highest mean hearing threshold was at a frequency of 4000 Hz. The mean (standard deviation) for the right and left ears was 27.82 ± 15.92 and 18 ± 27.32 dB, respectively. The results of the analysis on drivers' hearing status and accidents showed a significant correlation between the frequency of accidents and the classification of drivers' hearing loss. Thus, a significant relationship with the correlation coefficient of 0.123 and 0.307, respectively, was obtained between the average hearing loss of drivers and having one or five accidents. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed hearing loss in drivers in the left ear, especially at high frequencies. There is also a significant relationship between the number of accidents and the rate of hearing loss of drivers. Hearing loss caused by noise interferes with activities such as driving and negatively affects the safety of drivers and emphasizes the importance of preventing accidents by controlling traffic noise.

Aims: The steady development of human communities and the spread of industrial activities are major contributors to environmental pollution, especially the contamination of water resources. Population growth and thus the acceleration of municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastewater release have adversely affected these inestimable resources and restricted their accessibility. This work attempts to identify the ecogeomorphological condition of rivers in drainage basins emphasizing the Siminehrood River in Northwestern Iran. The purpose is to study all nonpoint source (PS) and PS pollutions and circumstances that weaken and intensify the pollution rate and self-purification capacity of rivers, especially in the Siminehrood River. Materials and Methods: All data and statistics were collected and their seasonal average was calculated. Maps and variables associated with the physical properties of drainage basins were then extracted through ArcGIS. The Schuler diagram was plotted through Chemistry software for all stations and each season to assess the type and chemical quality of the river's drinking water. HEC-RAS model, HEC-GEORAS extension, and ArcGIS were employed for simulation of river flow and calculation and determination of water surface profiles and other hydraulic characteristics of flow including water depth, water flow rate, stream shear stress, and stream power. Results: According to the analyses and results, the improper ecogeomorphological condition of rivers and their low self-purification capacity are directly correlated with the mean river water depth, water flow rate, slope of the river basin, and environmental differences. Conclusions: Within the study area, the highest environmental instability and the least self-purification capacity were observed downstream of the sub-basin in which the mean and maximum depth of water were, respectively, 3.10 m and 8.803 m. Insignificant water flow rate (0.86 m/s on average) and slope of <4% in the area have stagnated water flow in most areas and consequently declined the content of dissolved oxygen and the quality of water. Conclusively, this sub-basin can be reported as a region with an improper ecogeomorphological condition.

Aim: One of the most harmful agents in construction sites is heat exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of new evaporative cooling vests in construction workers. Materials and Methods: This case–control study was implemented on 60 construction workers in hot conditions (air temperature 49.0°, relative humidity 5.5%) in the summer of 2019. In this study, 30 people with cooling vests (case group) and 30 people without cooling vests (control group) were working for 120 min in a hot environment. In both groups, heart rate oral temperature and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index were measured. Moreover, the Perceptual Strain Index (PeSI) and Heat Strain Score Index (HSSI) questionnaires were completed by the workers. Data were analyzed after inter to SPSS16 software. Results: All of the WBGT values were higher than occupational exposure limit. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the work heart rate in the case and control groups, was equal to 111.1 ± 7.6 beats per minute (bpm) and 114.3 ± 7.9 bpm respectively (P < 0.05). Also the average and SD of the oral temperature in the case and control groups, respectively, was equal to 36.36 ± 0.41 and 36.37 ± 0.55. There was no statistically significant difference. Mean and SD of Physiological Strain Index (PSI), in case and control groups, were 2.53 ± 0.66 and 3.64 ± 0.81, respectively. The mean and SD of the PeSI and the HSSI in the case group were 4.64 ± 0.79 and 10.12 ± 1.71, respectively, and in the control group, 6.41 ± 0.85 and 15.88 ± 0.1.43. Statistically, the difference between PSI, PeSI, and HSSI means was significant. Conclusions: This study results showed that hot environmental conditions were stressful for construction workers and also Iranian evaporative cooling vests (Hifitcool brand) were able to reduce perceptual and physiological heat strain in construction workers in the hot conditions.

The advancement of telecommunication technology is vital for our wireless connectivity and networking across the world, but not at the expense of the lives of other organisms because their extinction follows us. This review article highlighted the various communication systems and technologies implemented and their implications. The relevant keywords used for this review, including fifth generation (5G), electromagnetic radiation (EMR), telephone tower, 5G impacts on lives, 5G impacts on human health, animals, and birds, were used for inclusive search on trustworthy citation databases listed in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 1993 to 2022. The findings revealed that the radiations range between radio frequency and electromagnetic frequency is causing detrimental effects on different species including their fertility and fetus development. Experts reported that birds use the earth's EMR to navigate in their flight, but when they are exposed to weak or microwave radiation from the telecommunication towers, they deviate from their path, confused, and even die from telephone tower collisions. The new movement in protecting the bird population from EMR is creating an awareness of "air as a habitat" for birds, and research reports show that it is experimentally proven, that such radiations affect the birds' lives in many ways. Authors believe that these critical surveillance data would create awareness among the readers and researchers about the consequences to human health due to the extensive use of new generation telecommunication and networking technologies. The World Health Organization mentioned the harmful effects of EMR in their report. It shows that a diffuse collection of symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, suicide and depression, nausea, fatigue, and loss of libido may be caused due to low levels of exposure to EMR at home.

Aim: In this study, the levels of urinary metabolites of toluene and xylene isomers in pregnant women in Isfahan and Khansar cities and their associations with air quality index (AQI) and demographic factors were investigated. Materials and Methods: Depending on the population, 55 pregnant women from Isfahan and 15 pregnant women from Khansar, a total of 70 people were enrolled in the study and 140 urine samples were collected during their 1^st and 3^rd trimesters of pregnancy (autumn and spring). Urinary metabolites of hippuric acid (HA), ortho-, meta-, and para-methyl HA (o-m-p-MHA) were extracted by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method, derivatized and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometer. The results were statistically correlated with AQI level and demographic factors using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Mean urinary concentrations of HA, o-m-p-MHA in the 1^st trimester of pregnancy were 371.2, 1.14, 2.48, and 1.97 mg/g cr, and those in the 3^rd trimester were 582.1, 3.54, 6.93, and 2.43 mg/g cr, respectively. In the 1^st trimester, the mean urinary level of ortho-MHA was significantly associated with the outdoor exposure time on workdays and fragrances use (P < 0.05). In the 3^rd trimester, the mean concentration of HA was significantly correlated to age and outdoor exposure time on workdays (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The mean urinary concentrations of HA and MHA isomers in the 1^st trimester of pregnancy in Isfahan were more than those in Khansar. Because the level of air pollution in Isfahan was higher than Khansar and that in autumn was higher than spring. In the 3^rd trimester of pregnancy, the mean levels of MHA isomers in Isfahan were more than those in Khansar. Only the amount of p-MHA was significantly associated with AQI in the 1^st trimester of pregnancy. Thus, women who lived in high-traffic urban areas with high AQI were more exposed to toluene and xylene compounds.

Aim: Currently, recycling of secondary effluent can be used sustainably as a new water source to minimize the water consumption in areas which are exposed to water crisis. Hence, it is necessary to appraise hybrid advanced treatment technologies performance and to determine the best alternative for reusing secondary effluent of industrial park in full-scale. Materials and Methods: The secondary effluent (biological-treated) of the centralized industrial park wastewater treatment plant (Aq Qala, Golestan province, Iran) is introduced into combined systems such as (1) sand filter (SF) and membrane bioreactor (MBR), (2) SF, MBR and granular activated carbon (GAC) (3) SF and GAC (4) SF, MBR, GAC, and reverse osmosis (RO), as the hybrid advanced scenarios. Results: The effluent of SF/MBR/GAC/RO showed the highest quality (>99% removal efficiency). In this scenario, pH, silica, manganese, iron, total suspended solids, turbidity, total coliform, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride, and sulfate were determined 6.93 ± 0.19, 1.4 ± 0.6 mg/L, not detectable (ND), ND, <2 ± 0.2 mg/L, <1 Nephelometric Turbidity unit (NTU), ND and <2 ± 0.2 mg/L, 54.8 ± 1 2.5 mg/L, 50 ± 17 mg/L, 100 ± 14.89 mg/L, 68 ± 10.9 mg/L, and 44 ± 3.67 mg/L were observed in the range of product water standard for sensitive industries. Also, the maximum of efficiency of SF/MBR, SF/MBR/GAC, and SF/GAC systems was obtained 97.75% (as total coliforms), 62.65% (as COD), and 55.8% (as COD), respectively. Other parameters removed slight about 2% to 40%. However, hardness, alkalinity, and manganese concentrations not reduced after these systems (0% efficiency). Conclusions: The hybrid system of SF/MBR/GAC/RO was produced a clean and suitable water supply for the sensitive industries (e.g., intermediate-pressure boilers, cooling water, textile, etc.) of Aq Qala industrial park according to the environmental protection agency standards.

Aim: This article evaluates the health risk of occupational exposure to BTEX compounds, cancer risk, and noncancer risk analysis among gas station workers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research evaluates pollutants rank of risk released at Ahvaz stations in Iran. We have collected 96 samples of workers exposed to BTEX and eight samples for control in the ambient air. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended BTEX method numbers 1500 and 1501 for sampling and analysis. To evaluate the risk assessment of pollutants, we utilized a semi-quantitative method offered by Singapore's Occupational Safety and Health Division. Results: The average benzene concentration in the operators' breathing zone (1.202 0.83 ppm) was greater than the threshold limit values-time weighted average (TLVs-TWA) (P < 0.05). Other contaminants had concentrations that were lower than the ACGIH's TLV-TWA (P < 0.05). In gas stations, benzene has a very high danger ranking among chemical compounds. Toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene in the employees' breathing zone posed a modest risk. The average cancer risk for benzene-exposed operators, head shift workers, and supervisors was calculated to be 4.46 × 10⁻³, 2.90 × 10⁻³, and 2.08 × 10⁻³, respectively. The risk of cancer is projected to be higher than the tolerable level of 10-6. Conclusion: In unique, long-term exposure to benzene has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and toxic effects, and a health-risk assessment can provide useful information about current workplace contaminants.

Aim: A reliable model for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is essential to provide a tool for predicting their performance and to form a basis for controlling the operation of the process also; this would minimize the operation costs. In recent years, computer-based methods have been applied to many areas of environmental issues. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and genetic algorithm (GA) techniques could be applied for modeling WWTP processes, owing to their high accuracy, adequacy, and quite promising applications in engineering. Materials and Methods: This study applied multilayer feed forward back propagation neural network and GA to predict and optimize the performance of the second phase of the Isfahan North WWTP. Experimental results, which demonstrated the performance of the plant over 6 years were applied for modeling. Results: A three-layer neural network was developed as a predictive model and the network was trained with Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and total phosphorus (TP) were introduced as the model input and output. Neural network performance was evaluated with correlation coefficient ® and least mean square error. Proposed model demonstrated the high consistency of the results of modeling and experiments. GA achieved the best value of input parameters as 324.36, 457.37, 359.11, 60.09, and 14.15 mg/l for BOD, COD, TSS, TKN, TP, respectively. Conclusion: ANN and GA combination provides powerful analysis tool for modeling and optimization of nonlinear relationships between the parameters in WWTPs and could be used for proper design and operation of the WWTPs.

Aim: Protection against nuclear radiation is one of the most important issues in nuclear technology and industries that use this technology. Among the types of radiation emitted from radioactive sources, neutron and gamma rays are among the most dangerous radiations due to lack of electrical charge and serious damage to living tissues. The principal challenge in radiation protection is the proper design of a shield against neutron and gamma radiations. Hence, this study has investigated the improvement of the protection against these radiations. Materials and Methods: This study is of applied-developmental and quantitative type. Calculations have been performed using the MCNPX code in this study, which is one of the strongest nuclear calculation codes. The data were analyzed using quantitative statistics and ORIGIN software (OriginLab company, 1992, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA). Results: Based on the results, utilizing the spherical geometry had a better performance to increase the neutron fluxes in comparison with the cylindrical and cubic geometries. Moreover, polyethylene with high density was selected as the best moderator. Ultimately, it was dealt with the comparison and selection of the best protection to minimize the produced gamma rays due to the absorption of neutrons in different materials used by the source and neutrons that run away from the outer surface of the source configuration. Conclusion: Using the composite sphere of paraffin and polyethylene with high density up to a radius of 12 cm and tungsten with a thickness of 1 cm was suggested as the final configuration for the aim of this study. In comparison to the no-protection mode, this protection is effective to 74% in reducing the neuron dosage and 55% in reducing the primary gamma-ray, while the mentioned protection is about 72%–73% effective in reducing the general dose.

Aim: Hydatid cyst is the Echinococcus granulosus larvae stage and is responsible for echinococcosis. Anticancer effects of hydatid cyst have been shown in human population, experimental animals, and in vitro works. However, the mechanisms of this anticancer activity are not clarified. Hence, in this work, the effect of antisera raised against hydatid cyst antigens on the growth of breast cancer cells has been investigated. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the various hydatid cyst antigens were prepared. To raise antisera, each of the hydatid cyst antigens (hydatid cyst fluid, germinal and laminated, protoscolex, and excretory-secretory [ES]) and toxoplasma trophozoite were injections to rabbits. The production of specific antibodies in rabbits determinate by enzyme-linked immunoassay, and then, the rabbit's blood was taken, and their sera isolated under the hood in sterile conditions. Before use, all antisera were inactivated at 56°C for half an hour and also placed under ultraviolet light for 20 min to disinfect. Breast cancer cells in the culture medium were purchased from the Pasteur Institute of Iran and growth in CO2 incubator in the Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) medium. After appropriate, the cells were counted and divided equally in eight-cell culture flasks and treated with different antisera of hydatid cyst. After 32-h incubation, the number of live cells was counted by trypan blue methods and compared with control groups. Results: Based on the results of this research, the difference between the number of live cells after treatment with antisera against hydatid cyst fluid, toxoplasma trophozoite, and ES antigen was significantly different from number of cells in flask treated with normal rabbit serum. Conclusion: In conclusion, due to the presence of common antigens between parasites and cancer, probably antibodies produced against hydatid cyst antigens may affect the growth of cells in the culture media.

Aim: Safe driving is influenced by various factors, including the driver's level of cognitive performance and thermal comfort. The aim of this study was to investigate temperature indicators, thermal comfort, and mental function parameters among taxi drivers in winter. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 30 taxi drivers in the morning and evening (8–9AM, 4–6PM). In this study, temperature parameters, including dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, thermal comfort indices, demographic parameters and cognitive performance parameters, including accuracy, work speed, attention, number of errors, mental fatigue, concentration skills, and auditory short-term memory, were measured. Statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS version 26. Results: The average dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity inside the cabin in the morning and evening were 23.2%, 22.1%, 22.3%, and 21.3%, respectively. The results showed that the drivers' dissatisfaction with the temperature in the morning and evening shifts was 6% and 5.6%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the measured parameters in the morning and evening shifts (P > 0.05). The results showed that there was a significant relationship between age and some cognitive function parameters (P < 0.05). Conclusion: More than 90% of drivers feel comfortable when the average dry bulb temperature of 22%–23% can be used to adjust the optimal temperature of the cabin vehicle in winter. Age is an effective factor in the cognitive performance of drivers and the cognitive performance of the drivers was not in a favorable condition, which requires further study to investigate the causes of this issue.

Aim: A high error rate among laboratory staff leads to accidents. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gender, work experience, age, and job stress on the number of errors and work speed in laboratory employees. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 32 laboratory staff via census method. The instruments used in this study were the General Health Questionnaire Mental Health Questionnaire, demographic questionnaire capturing age, gender, work experience, and level of education, and Health and Safety Executive Job Stress Questionnaire in England. A precision targeting vibrometer was used to measure the speed and number of errors. Independent t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test as well as Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between the parameters using SPSS software version 26. Results: The mean and standard deviation of age, work experience, and job stress were 43.56 ± 7.80 years, 205.68 ± 107.43 months, and 132.59 ± 12.55, respectively. Furthermore, the mean and standard deviation of the number of errors and work speed were 4.90 ± 4.09 and 14.27 ± 5.84, respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between age and the number of errors. Conclusion: The results indicated that gender, work experience, and job stress do not affect the number of errors and work speed in laboratory staff, but age affects the number of errors in employees, and the number of errors increases with age. Explaining the factors affecting the accuracy and speed of staff in the laboratory can lead to use of appropriate manpower and ultimately enhance productivity and reduce accidents in laboratories.

Alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) usually has a pH value ranging from of 8 to 10, and is postulated to produce many health benefits. Alkaline water consumption still invites a lot of controversy among health professionals and researchers. There were no comprehensive large-scale studies till date that compared the effects of AEW across various disease states targeting multiple system changes as outcomes. The present literature review was carried out to collate all the available clinical research works on Alkaline Water or AEW in improving disease state or promoting health. Search in various databases and search engines brought out 19 articles, of which nine met the eligibility criteria and were included for the analysis in the present study. The risk of bias and quality for every study included in the study were assessed. For all the randomized trials included in the study bias assessment was carried out using the Cochrane Risk-of-bias tool, and nonrandomized trials were assessed using nonrandomized studies of interventions tool. Reviewed studies have reported effects of AEW on oxidative stress, gastric cancer, blood sugar levels, exercise performance, blood viscosity, and gastrointestinal symptoms. AEW has shown considerable positive health effects in small-scale clinical studies. However, presently available evidence from the research works are not sufficient enough for recommendation to the mass in general or for use as a therapeutic intervention. Research works with larger study samples and among population of different demography are required.

Environmental health issues and epidemic pandemic aspects including infection spread during managing dead bodies revealed that infectious diseases and the associated mortality were often caused by infectious pathogens due to mismanagement of dead bodies. Dead body management is one of the main environmental health challenges during and after disasters and emergencies, especially following epidemic. This systematic review aimed to investigate the dead body management of epidemic victims. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In this study, electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Pro Quest, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library, were searched from March 1, 1970, to September 30, 2021. A comprehensive literature search was performed using scientific databases and gray literature. A thematic synthesis approach was used to analyze the data. In total, 2764 articles were identified, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria for entering the process of final synthesis. The findings showed three main sections, including (1) dead body management in the hospital and transfer of epidemic victims, (2) mortuary, shrouding, funeral, and burial of epidemic victims, and (3) management of families and risk communication. Implementation of the standards and protocols during dead body management of epidemic victims is essential with the aim of saving the lives of service providers and participants in ceremonial washing and burial.

Aim: The present study aims to design, manufacture, and evaluate the performance of an active liquid cooling vest (ALCV) to control the heat strain in hot laboratory conditions. Materials and Methods: An ALCV was designed with a cold liquid circulation system in tubes embedded inside the vest. A performance of ALCV in the hot laboratory conditions with an average temperature of 38.5°C and relative humidity of 40% was done with ALCV and none-ALCV (NALCV). Parameters such as heart rate, oral temperature (OT), thermal sensation (TS), perceived exertion (PE), and chest temperature (CT), forehead temperature (FT), and scapula temperature (ST) were measured. Paired t-test was used to compare the average of the data. Results: The results illustrated that the difference between the average temperature of the ST and CT with ALCV and NALCV, it was 2°C ± 0.5°C. There was a statistically significant difference between the average PE and TS in two testing conditions (P < 0.05). Paired t-test showed that there is no significant difference between the average FT and OT in the two testing conditions (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Due to the positive effects of the designed ALCV in reducing skin temperature, heat sensation, and PE, this cooling vest can be used as a useful and cost-effective solution to reduce the level of heat strain in hot environments.

A rise in the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increase in biomedical waste (BMW) all over the globe that leads to the perilous situation. Hence, this review has made an attempt to gather all the guidelines for appropriate BMW management in dental practice during COVID-19 pandemic. The keywords such as Biomedical waste management guidelines, COVID-19, dental waste management, and India were used in the literature search engines such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar along with the various guidelines provided by international, national agencies and verified government websites with a focus on the BMW management in dentistry during COVID-19. The result enumerated that Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, categorizes the bio-medical waste generated from the health-care facility into four categories based on the segregation pathway and color code. These guidelines were reshaped in 2018, 2019, and in 2020 for COVID-19 pandemic. Collection and segregation of biomedical waste separately before handling it to the Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility was highly recommended that should be labeled with “COVID-19” both in medical and dental waste management guidelines. This review revealed that BMW management guidelines should be followed by all the health-care fraternities including oral health professionals as they are at a heightened risk of COVID-19, it is vital that they are informed of the most up-to-date protocols for BMW disposal in this pandemic.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude of the staff of a university of medical sciences about housing health in Kermanshah, Iran. Materials and Methods: For this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, based on Morgan Table 100 people were randomly selected and knowledge and attitudes about housing health were assessed based on a researcher-made questionnaire in 2017. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18 and paired t-test on Likert scale. Results: A total of 100 employees were studied, more than half of them (60%) were female and more in the group of 20–29 years. The mean scores of knowledge and attitude of the target group regarding housing health were 18.35 and 78.00, respectively. The mean score of knowledge in men and women is significantly different (P < 0.001). However, the attitude scores of the two groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.15). Although knowledge of housing quality was reasonable among respondents, the method of disposing of sanitary waste and housing maintenance was poor. The highest score of women's attitude was related to the groups with diploma and/or associate degree and the highest score of knowledge and attitude in men was related to the groups with bachelor's degree or higher. Conclusion: This study showed that people with higher education have better knowledge and attitudes about housing health than people with lower education. However, more research is needed to fully understand the link between housing and adverse health outcomes.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the medical staff's burnout level and its related factors at Daran Shahid Rajaee Hospital. Materials and Methods: The total number of participants was 145 medical staff who participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected employing such various instruments as demographic information questionnaires, general health questionnaires, job satisfaction (JS), and Maslach burnout inventory. Then, the researcher analyzed the data with correlation, t-tests, and variance by using the SPSS software version 26. Results: The findings indicated that 79% of the medical staff suffer from high burnout level. The results showed that the correlation between burnout levels and JS was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Moreover, the correlation of depersonalization levels with marital status, age, work experience, and type of employment was significant (P < 0.001) as well. Conclusion: The results indicated that, during the pandemic of COVID-19, the medical staff's burnout was at a high level. Interestingly, on the emotional exhaustion scale, the medical staff burnout was more than other burnout levels requiring organizational interventions to lessen medical staff burnout.

Aim: The purpose of this article is to analyze subjective self-evaluation of thermal and respiratory discomfort experienced by workers in the foundry industry. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-one workers aged 18–55 years participated in this study. Discomfort due to high temperatures, hot work, skin rashes, cramps, fatigue, weakness, respiratory problems, and inhalation was subjectively evaluated by the questionnaire survey. The questionnaire is validated, and Cronbach's alpha test and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin's test are applied to ensure data reliability and adequacy. Results: The results indicated that the highest and lowest percentage of workers experiencing at least one discomfort is 86% and 4%, respectively. Furthermore, 11 out of 19 discomfort factors scored above the average thermal and respiratory discomfort score of 2.5 on the scale of 5. Conclusion: According to this study outcome, more exploration is needed on the relationship among thermal and respiratory discomfort and its effect on the workers in the foundry environment.

Aim: Today, low back pain (LBP) is one of the major challenges among occupational health professionals in various jobs. The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between work limitation and functional disability with LBP in Iranian nurses. Materials and Methods: Overall, 400 subjects were examined systematic random sampling in this cross-sectional-comparative study. Participants were divided into the case (195 persons with LBP) and control (205 persons without LBP) groups. Data were collected using a comprehensive questionnaire including demographic information form, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, and Work Limitation Questionnaire. The collected data analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 20. Results: Findings showed that age, marital status, and family history were significantly associated with LBP (P < 0.001). The most common cause of back pain among nurses was work-related LBP (56.9%) and genetics (heredity) (30.2%). Furthermore, the mean score of functional disability and work limitation in the case group was higher than the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Although, based on statistical analyzes, the frequency distribution and mean score of functional disability, work limitation, and all subscales in the group with LBP were higher than the group without LBP, it seems that back pain does not put nurses in working functional disruptive conditions.

Aim: In dental clinic environment, dental staff and patients are daily exposed to many types of infectious agents transported by aerosols and droplets, promoting an increased risk of cross infection. The aim of this study was to assess the level of bacterial contamination of air and surfaces in different wards of the educational clinic in Arak University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: Samples were obtained from the air and surfaces of five active wards of the dental school clinic. Air sampling was performed actively at ½ and 2 m distances from two random units in each ward. Sampling from surfaces was conducted using a wet sterile swab from the washing sink and handpiece after disinfection. Grown colonies were counted and bacterial phenotyping was based primarily on morphology, Gram-staining, endospore formation, catalase activity, and cytochrome oxidase presence. For statistical analysis, the Kruskal–Wallis test was used at a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Bacterial contamination was detected in all of 80 samples taken from the surfaces of different sections. Regarding the total number of colonies growing from surface samples, there was no significant difference between the studied wards (P > 0.05). The mean concentration of airborne bacteria in the pediatric ward (488 CFU/m³) at a distance of 0.5 m and the surgical ward (339 CFU/m³) at a distance of 2 m had the highest value compared to other wards. In general, there was no statistically significant difference between the total density of airborne bacteria at distances of 0.5 and 2 m (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Bacterial contamination in the environment of the dentistry clinic increases during the treatment process. The clinic's space, the types of the ward and treatment process, and distance from the unit are among the factors affecting the type and diffusion extent of microbial aerosols.