Reinke's Edema and Risk Factors, A Case-Control Study.

Reinke's edema (RE) is a benign pathological non-inflammatory disorder of the vocal folds with a wide range of clinical manifestations. We aim to investigate the relationship between Reinke's edema and some common inhalant abuse. In this case-control study, subjective consisted of 23 patients with RE (the cases), and 50 patients with sinusitis (control) who underwent surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology, between 2015 and 2020. Demographic characteristics, history of some related disease, methods, and the duration of cigarette, and opium consumption were collected through the patients' files. The chi-square (χ²) test was run to analyze the differences in the categorical and, and the Independent Sample T-test was used to compare two sample means from unrelated groups. A significant level (p-value) was considered less than 0.05. The mean age was 54 ± 12 years, and 42 ± 11 years, respectively for Reinke's edema and sinusitis. More women had been recorded in the RE group, compared to men. Allergy, unprincipled use of voice and talkativeness, history of laryngeal surgery, and type of disease were correlated to RE (p < 0.05). Also, cigarette smoking was significantly correlated with Reinke's edema. The average number of cigarettes per day, the duration of smoking, and opium consumption were more frequent in RE (P < 0.05). 90% of the RE and 4% of sinusitis patients were opium consumers. There was a statistically significant difference in the methods of substance use in the two groups of cases and control (p < 0.0001). Among the different methods, the poker and stone method was the most common (69.6%), and the opium smoking pipe was the second most common method. This study also confirmed the hazardous effects of smoking and inhaling opiates in the formation of lesions of the pharynx and larynx. In particular, longer use of these substances will be associated with more serious side effects. Therefore, it seems that people who are addicted to opiates should undergo periodic visits and counseling to reduce and stop their use.

Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis Following COVID-19 Infection in Iran.

Background & Objective: Mucormycosis (also called black fungus) is an opportunistic serious fungal infection caused by mucormycetes. It can occur in diabetes mellitus patients and other immunosuppressive conditions with recent predisposing factors such as maxillofacial surgery and corticosteroid usage. Methods: In this study, 14 patients were referred to the otorhinolaryngology or ophthalmology ward of Shafa Hospital (Kerman, Iran) with primary symptoms of nasal fullness and facial nerve dysfunction; they were admitted to the hospital to rule out the fungal infection. An endoscopic biopsy was taken from facial sinuses or orbit, and a microscopic evaluation was performed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining methods to rule out mucormycosis. Results: In the histopathological examination, broad-based nonseptate branching fungal hyphae were found in nasal sinuses through the endoscopic biopsy. Most of the patients had diabetes mellitus with a primary symptom of facial nerve palsy; also, most of them received corticosteroids (intravenous [IV] or intramuscular [IM] injection). All patients have recently been infected with COVID-19 (less than 1 month ago). Conclusion: COVID-19 infection might be a predisposing factor for many opportunistic infections, such as fungal elements); thus, the physician should be aware of the dosage and duration of corticosteroid therapy to prevent the development of these infections.

Risk of urinary tract cancers following arsenic exposure and tobacco smoking: a review.

Bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer, due to their high morbidity and mortality rates, result in significant economic and health care costs. Arsenic exposure affects the drinking water of millions of people worldwide. Long-term exposure to arsenic, even in low concentrations, increases the risk of developing various cancers. Smoking is also one of the leading causes of bladder, prostate and kidney cancers. Accordingly, this research reviews the relationship between arsenic exposure and smoking with three kinds of urinary tract cancers (bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer) due to their widespread concern for their negative impact on public health globally. In this review, we have gathered the most current information from scientific databases [PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ISI web of science] regarding the relationship between arsenic exposure and tobacco smoking with the risk of bladder, prostate, and kidney cancer. In several studies, a significant relationship was determined between the incidence and mortality rate of the above-mentioned cancers in humans with arsenic exposure and tobacco smoking. The decrease or cessation of smoking and consumption of arsenic-free water significantly declined the incidence of bladder, prostate, and kidney cancers.

Ecological risk assessment of trace elements (TEs) pollution and human health risk exposure in agricultural soils used for saffron cultivation.

Contamination of farmland soils by trace elements (TEs) has become an international issue concerning food safety and human health risks. In the present research, the concentrations of TEs including cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in soils of 16 farmlands were determined in Gonabad, Iran. In addition, the human health risks due to exposure to the TEs from the soils were assessed. Moreover, the soil contamination likelihood was evaluated based on various contamination indices including contamination factor [Formula: see text]), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and pollution load index (PLI) calculations. The soil mean concentrations for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe ranges as 0.102, 6.968, 22.550, 29.263, 475.281, 34.234, 13.617, 54.482 and 19,683.6 mg/kg in farmland soils. The mean concentrations of the TEs decreased in the order of Fe > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cu > Cr > Pb > Co > As > Cd. Levels of all metals in this study were within the FAO/WHO and Iranian soil standards. The HQ values from investigated elements for adults and children in the studied farms were less than the limit of 1, indicating no health risks for the studied subpopulations. The results of the present research indicated no significant carcinogenic health hazards for both adults and children through ingestion, skin contact and inhalation exposure routes. [Formula: see text] values of Ni and Zn in 100% and 6.25% of farmlands were above 1, showing moderate contamination conditions. EF values of metals in farmlands were recorded as "no enrichment", "minimal enrichment" and "moderate enrichment" classes. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the all farms were uncontaminated except Ni (moderately contaminated) based on Igeo. This is an indication that the selected TEs in the agricultural soils have no appreciable threat to human health.

The Patients' Characteristics And Non-Surgical Treatment Results For Hypopharyngeal Cancer In Southeast Of Iran: A 13-Year Study.

BACKGROUND: Various modalities have been used to treat hypopharyngeal cancer. Non- surgical modalities include radiotherapy alone, sequential chemoradiation and concomitant chemoradiation or bio radiation. This study was conducted to evaluate the primary non-surgical treatment. METHODS: A total number of 67 patients treated from March 2009 to January 2022 were enrolled in this study. The 2-year and 5-year survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival outcomes according to various factors. To define independent prognostic factors, we used Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 56.2 years, and 55.2% of them were male. These patients were treated by radiation alone (9 patients) or induction chemotherapy followed by either radiation (4 patients), chemoradiation (33 patients), or bio-radiation (21 patients). The mean follow-up time was 18.12 months. The 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were estimated to be 43% and 18%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that T stage, N stage, and treatment modality had a statically significant relationship with overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: The results of non-surgical treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer are not satisfactory. More studies are needed to investigate the role of salvage surgery.

Non-Surgical Treatment Prognosis For Laryngeal Cancer Based On American Joint Committee On Cancer Staging And T And N Integer Score.

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system is the most acceptable staging method. In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the survival rate of laryngeal cancer based on the AJCC and T and N integer scores (TANIS). Methods: In this prospective cohort study, from March 2004 to March 2021, laryngeal cancer patients who were considered for non-surgical treatment were included. Radiation alone was considered for T1-T2 lesions without nodal involvement. Sequential or concomitant chemoradiation (based on physician choice) was considered for locoregionally advanced patients (T3/T4 or node positive). The 2-year, 5-year and 10-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. Cox -Regression method was used for covariates analysis. Results: The 2-year, 5-year and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates in all patients were estimated to be 82%, 70% and 41%, respectively. The 2-year, 5-year and 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates in all patients were estimated to be 78%, 59% and 41%, respectively. The 5-year OS rates for stages I, II, III, IVa, and IVb were 83, 84, 51, 12, and 19 percent, respectively. The 5-year OS rates for TANIS 1, 2, and 3 were 85, 62 and 53 percent, respectively. Based on multivariate analysis, the group stage (p=0.001), TANIS group (p=0.003) and tumour subsite. (p=0.006) were independently effective in survival rates. Conclusion: TANIS-3 can simply predict the prognosis of non-surgically treated laryngeal cancers. The separation of different prognostic groups by TANIS is better than the AJCC system. More extensive studies are necessary to confirm this.

Opium Use and Head and Neck Cancers: A Matched Case-Control Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Head and Neck (H and N) cancers include malignant tumors of the nasal cavity, pharynx, paranasal sinuses, oral cavity, larynx and salivary glands. Opium use might be related to these cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between Opium and its Derivatives (O and D) use and the incidence of H and N cancers. METHODS: In this case-control study conducted in Kerman, 140 patients with HandN cancers and 280 healthy controls (matched for age, gender, and place of residence) were included. Information about their use of O and D, cigarette smoking, alcohol and diet were collected using a structured questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to investigate the relation between variables. RESULTS: The use of opioids was associated with an increased risk of H and N cancers (Adjusted OR: 8.13; CI: 4.08-16.2). A significant dose-response relation between O and D use was observed, with high use Adjusted OR=8.91; 95% CI: 4.03-19.65 and low use Adjusted OR=6.52; 95% CI: 3.18- 13.36. This dose-response association was stronger in patients with laryngeal cancer and opioids use, with high use Adjusted OR = 11.17; 95% CI=4.48-28.09 and low use Adjusted OR = 9.46; 95% CI= 3.97- 22.52. CONCLUSION: The results show that opium use can be considered as an important risk factor for H and N cancers. Also in Iran, opium seems to play a more important role than cigarette smoking.

The relationship of indoor radon gas concentration with multiple sclerosis: a case-control study.

This case-control study aimed to investigate the relationship of indoor radon gas concentration and residential building characteristics with mental health with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Yazd City, Iran. The participants included 45 patients with MS and 100 healthy individuals. The participants' socio-economic status and residential building characteristics were investigated using a questionnaire. The radon gas concentration was also measured by CR-39 detectors over a 6-month period. Furthermore, the participants' mental health data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The mean concentrations of radon gas were 66.77 and 65.33 Bq/m3 in the homes of patients with MS and healthy individuals, respectively, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.882). However, the radon gas concentration had a significant relationship with the building's age (p = 0.038), ventilation (p = 0.053), and cooling system (p = 0.021). A significant difference was observed between the two study groups in terms of the mental health (p = 0.018), depression (p = 0.037), somatic symptoms (p ≤ 0.001), and physical activity (p = 0.030). Since the indoor radon gas concentration did not have any significant relationship with MS prevalence, more studies are required in this regard, especially in long-term exposure.

Decolorization and biodegradation of reactive Red 198 Azo dye by a new Enterococcus faecalis-Klebsiella variicola bacterial consortium isolated from textile wastewater sludge.

The present study investigated biodegradation and removal of Reactive Red 198 (RR198) dye from aqueous environments using a new bacterial consortium isolated from textile wastewater sludge on laboratory scale via batch study. Two bacterial species, Enterococcus faecalis (EF) and Klebsiella variicola (KV), were identified after isolation, through biochemical assays, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To determine their ability to biodegrade RR198 dye, physicochemical parameters, including bacterial concentration, time, pH, and temperature, were tested; the results showed that the best conditions included a bacterial concentration of 3.5 mL × 105 cells/mL and incubation time of 72 h. Under such conditions, the removal efficiency of RR198 dye at an initial concentration of 10-25 mg/L was more than 98%; however, for concentrations of 50, 75, and 100 mg/L, removal efficiency was reduced to 55.62%, 25.82%, and 15.42%, respectively (p = 0.005). The highest removal efficiency occurred at pH 8.0, reaching 99.26% after 72 h of incubation. With increasing the incubation temperature from 25 °C to 37 °C, removal efficiency increased from 71.71 to 99.26% after 72 h of incubation, and increasing the temperature from 37 to 45 °C, the removal efficiency was reduced (p ≤ 0.001). Therefore, the EF-KV bacterial consortium can be used for efficient removal of RR198 dye from textile effluent.

Efficient photocatalytic oxidation of arsenite from contaminated water by Fe2O3-Mn2O3 nanocomposite under UVA radiation and process optimization with experimental design.

The efficiency of photocatalytic oxidation process in arsenite (As(III)) removal from contaminated water by a new Fe2O3-Mn2O3 nanocomposite under UVA radiation was investigated. The effect of nanocomposite dosage, pH and initial As(III) concentration on the photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) were studied by experimental design. The synthesized nanocomposite had a uniform and spherical morphological structure and contained 49.83% of Fe2O3 and 29.36% of Mn2O3. Based on the experimental design model, in photocatalytic oxidation process, the effect of pH was higher than other parameters. At nanocomposite concentrations of more than 12 mg L-1, pH 4 to 6 and oxidation time of 30 min, photocatalytic oxidation efficiency was more than 95% for initial As(III) concentration of less than 500 µg L-1. By decreasing pH and increasing the nanocomposite concentration, the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency was increased. Furthermore, by increasing the oxidation time from 10 to 240 min, in addition to oxidation of As(III) to arsenate (As(V)), the residual As(V) was adsorbed on the Fe2O3-Mn2O3 nanocomposite and total As concentration was decreased. Therefore, Fe2O3-Mn2O3 nanocomposite as a bimetal oxide, at low doses and short time, can enhance and improve the efficiency of the photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption of As(III) from contaminated water resources. Furthermore, the energy and material costs of the UVA/Fe2O3-Mn2O3 system for photocatalytic oxidation of 1  mg L-1 As(III) in the 1 L laboratory scale reactor was 0.0051 €.

Kinetics of biogas production and chemical oxygen demand removal from compost leachate in an anaerobic migrating blanket reactor.

In this study, laboratory anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) with four units was used to reduce and remove COD leachate of composting process; it was also used to determine the kinetic coefficients of COD removal and biogas and methane gas production in several different OLRs. The maximum concentration of organic matter entering the reactor was 100,000 mg/L and the reactor was under operation for 319 days. The results showed that the COD removal efficiency of AMBR in all concentrations of substrate entering the reactor was above 80%. First-order model and Stover-Kincannon were used to investigate the kinetics of COD removal via AMBR biological process; in addition, the two models of Modified Stover-Kincannon and Van der Meer and Heertjes were used to check the kinetic constants of biogas and methane gas production. The results obtained from the models showed that the experimental data on COD removal were more consistent with the results obtained from Stover-Kincannon model (R2 = 0.999) rather than with the First-order model (R2 = 0.926). Kinetic constants calculated via Stover-Kincannon model were as follows: saturation value constant (KB) and maximum utilization rate constants (Umax), respectively, were 208,600 mg/L d and 172,400 mg/L d. We investigated the linear relationship between the experimental data and the values predicted by the models; as compared with the values predicted by the First-order model, the values predicted by Stover-Kincannon model were closer to the values measured via experiments. Based on the results of the evaluation of kinetic coefficients of Stover-Kincannon model, with the migration of the leachate flow from unit 1 to unit 4, Umax value has fallen significantly. The values of maximum specific biogas production rate (Gmax) and proportionality constant (GB) obtained from the Stover-Kincannon model, respectively, were 35,714 ml/L d and 42.85 (dimensionless) and value of kinetic constant of Van der Meer and Heertjes (ksg) was 0.0473 ml CH4/mg COD.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal intake due to fish consumption in the Sistan region, Iran.

The heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni) content of a fish species consumed by the Sistan population and its associated health risk factors were investigated. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr were slightly higher than the standard levels. The Ni content of fish was below the maximum guideline proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). The average estimated weekly intake was significantly below the provisional tolerable intake based on the FAO and WHO standards for all studied metals. The target hazard quotients (THQ) of all metals were below 1, showing an absence of health hazard for the population of Sistan. The combined target hazard quotient for the considered metals was 26.94 × 10-3. The cancer risk factor for Pb (1.57 × 10-7) was below the acceptable lifetime carcinogenic risk (10-5). The results of this study reveal an almost safe level of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni contents in the fish consumed by the Sistan population. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Effect of Organic Loading Rates on biodegradation of linear alkyl benzene sulfonate, oil and grease in greywater by Integrated Fixed-film Activated Sludge (IFAS).

In this study, performance of Integrated Fixed-film Activated Sludge (IFAS) system in treatment of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS), and oil & grease in synthetic greywater and effect of Organic Loading Rates (OLRs) on removal efficiency within a period of 105 days were investigated. Present study was carried out in a pilot scale under such conditions as temperature of 30 ± 1 °C, dissolved oxygen of 2.32 ± 0.91 mg/l, pH of 8.01 ± 0.95 and OLRs of 0.11-1.3gCOD/L.d. Also, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images were employed to specify rate of the biofilm formed on the media inside the reactor IFAS. The best removal efficiency for COD, LAS and oil and grease were respectively obtained as 92.52%, 94.24% and 90.07% in OLR 0.44gCOD/L.d. The assessment of loading rate indicated that with increased OLR to 0.44gCOD/L.d, removal efficiency of COD, oil and grease was increased while with increased OLR, removal efficiency was decreased. In doing so, based on the statistical test ANOVA, such a difference between removal efficiencies in diverse OLRs was significant for COD (p = 0.003), oil and grease (p = 0.01). However, in terms of LAS, with increased value of OLR to 0.44gCOD/L.d, the removal efficiency was increased and then with higher OLRs, removal efficiency was slightly decreased that is insignificant (p = 0.35) based on the statistical test ANOVA. The SEM images also showed that the biofilm formed on the media inside IFAS reactor plays a considerable role in adsorption and biodegradation of LAS, and oil & grease in greywater. The linear relation between inlet COD values and rate of removed LAS indicated that the ratio of inlet COD (mg/L) to removed LAS (mg/L) was 0.4. Therefore, use of IFAS system for biodegradation of LAS, oil and grease in greywater can be an applicable option.