Contamination level and risk assessment of heavy metals in the topsoil around cement factory: A case study

Hamid Amiri,Ehsan Daneshvar,Sama Azadi,Samira Azadi 대한환경공학회 2022 Environmental Engineering Research Vol.27 No.5

The cement industry is considered as a major source of heavy metals pollution in topsoil. This study aims at measuring the heavy metal contamination level in the vicinity of Shiraz cement factory, and assessing the ecological and environmental risks associated with the factory"s activities in the surrounding topsoil. To do so, 10 samples of soil were taken from around the Shiraz cement factory at the depth of 0-10 cm and the concentration of some heavy metals including Al, Cd, Ni, and Pb was measured. Enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation (Igeo), and pollution load (PLI) indices were used to assess the ecological risk of heavy metals.Based on the results, the mean concentration of Al, Ni, Cd, and Pb was 6,937.14, 88.09, 1.96, and 30.74 mg/kg, respectively. The EF results showed that due to anthropogenic activities, the Ni, Pb, and Cd element has moderate, severe, and very severe enrichment in the study area, respectively. The Igeo result for Al, Ni, Pb, and Cd was -0.82, -0.17, 0.16, and 0.68, respectively, which indicates non- to slightly pollution of these heavy metals in this region. The mean PLI in the study area was 1.4 indicating the low to medium pollution of heavy metal. The results of this study can be useful in determining and investigating the environmental effects of Shiraz cement factory.

Laboratory Investigation into the Flexural Behavior of Embedded Concrete Sleepers in Two-Stage Concrete with Preplaced Ballast Aggregate

Morteza Esmaeili,Hamid Amiri 한국콘크리트학회 2022 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.16 No.2

The conversion of ballasted railway tracks into slab tracks using the preplaced aggregate concrete (PAC) technology over the bridges and in the tunnels has been introduced by many researchers but the flexural behavior of this composite system has not yet been studied. Therefore, in the first stage, a series of mortar and concrete mixture designs were proposed and evaluated. Subsequently, a concrete beam mold with dimensions of 3 * 0.6 * 0.5 m, which represented the track conditions, was developed and the bending behavior of the constructed beams in both conditions of the presence and absence of the concert B70 sleeper were investigated. The maximum bending force in the middle of the concrete beam without a sleeper (SE) equaled 177.5 kN. In addition, the average values of bending tolerance by the sleeper including a PAC beam for three specimens in the four modes of the positive moment of midspan (SPM), negative moment of midspan (SNM), positive moment of rail seat (SPR), and negative moment of rail seat (SNR) were 55.25 kN m, 32.5 kN m, 91.84 kN m, and 38.21 kN m, respectively, which met the requirements of the AREMA regulations.

Optimization of Direct Yellow 12 dye removal by nanoscale zero-valent iron using response surface methodology

Mahmoud Reza Sohrabi,Sama Amiri,Hamid Reza Fard Masoumi,Mina Moghri 한국공업화학회 2014 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.20 No.4

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles were synthesized, for removal of Direct Yellow 12 dye. The experiments were designed by response surface methodology. Quadratic model was used to predict the variables. Analysis of variance was used for investigation of variables and interaction between them. High F-value (10.01), very low P-value (<0.0001), non-significant lack of fit, the determination coefficient (R2 = 0.903) and the adequate precision (10.82) demonstrate good correlation between experimental and predicted values of the response. The highest removal percent (90.02%) was attained, and the optimum parameters are achieved: catalyst amount (0.31 w/w%), initial concentration (40 mg/l), reaction time (105.35 s) and pH (5.23).

Open Access : In vitro maturation of ovine oocyte in a modified granulosa cells co-culture system and alpha-tocopherol supplementation: effects on nuclear maturation and cleavage

( Hamideh Adeldust ),( Saeed Zeinoaldini ),( Hamid Kohram ),( Mahmoud Amiri Roudbar ),( Morteza Daliri Joupari ) 한국동물자원과학회(구 한국축산학회) 2015 한국축산학회지 Vol.57 No.27

This study was designed to investigate the effects of α-tocopherol and granulosa cells monolayer on nuclear maturation and cleavage rates of ovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The COCs (n = 2814) were matured in maturation medium supplemented with various concentration of α-tocopherol (0, 5, 10, 15 μg/ml), oocytes were incubated at 39 °C with 5 % CO2 for 24 h in three culture systems: (a) maturation medium (MM; n = 884), (b) co-cultured with granulosa cells (CG; n = 982) and (c) co-cultured with granulosa cells and cells were further cultured in MM for 12 h (CG + 12hMM; n = 948). Our results showed that α-tocopherol had no effect on GVBD and MII as compared to control group, but when α-tocopherol added to maturation medium the rate of cleavage decreased. This indicates interaction of above mentioned factors in any of the treatments showed no significant differences on the rate of maturation and cleavage stages (MII, GVBD and cleavage) (p > 0.05). The oocytes co-cultured with granulosa cells for 24 h had beneficial effects on cleavage rate. The maximum MII and cleavage rates were achieved when oocytes had extra 12 h culture in the maturation medium without granulosa cells. Results also showed our modified co-culture system (CG + 12hMM), improved rates of MII and the cleavage in comparison with other studied maturation systems.

Nonlinear Vibration Control of Adjacent Steel MRF Structures Using Non-velocity Dependent Dampers Subjected to Various Seismic Excitations

Mohammad Amin Abbaszadeh,Hamed Hamidi,Hamid Rajabnejad,Seyed Abolfazl Naseri,Javad Vaseghi Amiri 한국강구조학회 2022 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.22 No.3

Control of adjacent structures during an earthquake is one of the major challenges in engineering practices. Connecting two structures with the use of a damper is considered to be one of the eff ective vibration control and reducing damage approaches. Improving the seismic performance of weak structures by connecting them to substructures is an eff ective method. The type of dampers and the characteristics of input earthquake loading play an important role in the performance of connected buildings. In addition, some previous studies have shown that viscous dampers, besides the problem of sensitivity to temperature and oil leakage, could not be much eff ective against near-fault records. In this study, the vibration control of smaller frequency structures while connected to robust structures with two types of dampers (i.e., friction and yielding) was investigated Three distinctive sets of earthquake records were considered to be the excitation input data. To this end, three 3-, 5-, and 8-story buildings were selected and the eff ects of applying friction and yielding dampers to control their vibration while subjected to the abovementioned records were studied. The results imply that both dampers performed well when subjected to nearfault records; however, the performance varies depending on the type of earthquake. A maximum displacement reduction rate of 64% was observed. Friction and yielding dampers have shown more eff ective performance in the middle and at the top stories, respectively. As the number of stories increased, the eff ectiveness of lower stories dampers to reduce seismic responses decreased, so their application could be neglected.

Efficacy of a Persian herbal medicine compound on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A randomized controlled trial

Setayesh Mohammad,Karimi Mehrdad,Zargaran Arman,Abousaidi Hamid,Shahesmaeili Armita,Amiri Fatemeh,Sadat Hasheminasab Fatemeh 한국한의학연구원 2022 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.11 No.3

Background: The global attention to the capacities of traditional medicine for alleviating the clinical man-ifestations of COVID-19 has been growing. The present trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a Persian herbal medicine formula among patients with COVID-19. Methods: The present trial was conducted in Afzalipour hospital, Kerman, Iran, from June to September 2020. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients were randomly divided into intervention (Persian herbal medicine formula + routine treatment) or control (only routine treatment) groups. The intervention group received both capsule number 1 and 2 every 8 hours for 7 days. Capsule number 1 contained extract of the Gly-cyrrhiza glabra, Punica granatum, and Rheum palmatum, and the second capsule was filled by Nigella sativa powder. Participants were followed up to 7 days. The primary outcome was the number of hospitaliza-tion days, while cough, fever, and respiratory rate, days on oxygen (O2) therapy, and mortality rate were considered as the secondary outcomes. Results: Eighty-two patients were enrolled to the study, while 79 cases completed the trial and their data were analyzed (mean age: 59.1 ± 17.1 years). Based on the results, the Persian medicine formula decreased the mean hospitalization days, so that the mean difference of length of hospitalization as pri-mary outcome was 2.95 ± 0.43 days. A significant clinical improvement was observed regarding dyspnea, need for O2) therapy, and respiratory rate in the intervention group. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: The present study supported the use of the Persian medicine formula as an adjuvant therapy for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Background: The global attention to the capacities of traditional medicine for alleviating the clinical man-ifestations of COVID-19 has been growing. The present trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a Persian herbal medicine formula among patients with COVID-19. Methods: The present trial was conducted in Afzalipour hospital, Kerman, Iran, from June to September 2020. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients were randomly divided into intervention (Persian herbal medicine formula + routine treatment) or control (only routine treatment) groups. The intervention group received both capsule number 1 and 2 every 8 hours for 7 days. Capsule number 1 contained extract of the Gly-cyrrhiza glabra, Punica granatum, and Rheum palmatum, and the second capsule was filled by Nigella sativa powder. Participants were followed up to 7 days. The primary outcome was the number of hospitaliza-tion days, while cough, fever, and respiratory rate, days on oxygen (O2) therapy, and mortality rate were considered as the secondary outcomes. Results: Eighty-two patients were enrolled to the study, while 79 cases completed the trial and their data were analyzed (mean age: 59.1 ± 17.1 years). Based on the results, the Persian medicine formula decreased the mean hospitalization days, so that the mean difference of length of hospitalization as pri-mary outcome was 2.95 ± 0.43 days. A significant clinical improvement was observed regarding dyspnea, need for O2) therapy, and respiratory rate in the intervention group. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: The present study supported the use of the Persian medicine formula as an adjuvant therapy for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

In vitro maturation of ovine oocyte in a modified granulosa cells co-culture system and alpha-tocopherol supplementation: effects on nuclear maturation and cleavage

Adeldust, Hamideh,Zeinoaldini, Saeed,Kohram, Hamid,Roudbar, Mahmoud Amiri,Joupari, Morteza Daliri Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology 2015 한국축산학회지 Vol.57 No.8

This study was designed to investigate the effects of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol and granulosa cells monolayer on nuclear maturation and cleavage rates of ovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The COCs (n = 2814) were matured in maturation medium supplemented with various concentration of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol (0, 5, 10, $15{\mu}g/ml$), oocytes were incubated at $39^{\circ}C$ with 5 % $CO_2$ for 24 h in three culture systems: (a) maturation medium (MM; n = 884), (b) co-cultured with granulosa cells (CG; n = 982) and (c) co-cultured with granulosa cells and cells were further cultured in MM for 12 h (CG + 12hMM; n = 948). Our results showed that ${\alpha}$-tocopherol had no effect on GVBD and MII as compared to control group, but when ${\alpha}$-tocopherol added to maturation medium the rate of cleavage decreased. This indicates interaction of above mentioned factors in any of the treatments showed no significant differences on the rate of maturation and cleavage stages (MII, GVBD and cleavage) (p > 0.05). The oocytes co-cultured with granulosa cells for 24 h had beneficial effects on cleavage rate. The maximum MII and cleavage rates were achieved when oocytes had extra 12 h culture in the maturation medium without granulosa cells. Results also showed our modified co-culture system (CG + 12hMM), improved rates of MII and the cleavage in comparison with other studied maturation systems.