Desert growth in Iran is a major problem. A large part of the country is surrounded by vulnerable areas at risk of desertification, so that about 75% of the ecosystems of arid and semi-arid regions of the country, face the effects and consequences of desertification. Effects such as the drying up of inland lakes, sandstorms, dust and intensification of wind erosion are a clear manifestation of the growing rate of desertification in recent years in the country. In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, there is little vegetation due to lack of moisture and other adverse climatic conditions. As a result, soils are more prone to degradation, but in some of these areas, despite the lack of soil moisture, high temperatures and other unfavorable ecological conditions, the distances between plants are often covered by a community of microscopic plants, and this Communities are known as BIOLOGICAL soil crusts. BIOLOGICAL soil crusts are the association of soil mineral particles with cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, or bryophytes and are common coverings in open spaces around vascular plants in arid and semi-arid regions. BIOLOGICAL crusts significantly affect early ecosystem processes and have been described as ecological engineers in arid regions.

Background and Objectives: The presence of BIOLOGICAL AEROSOLS in the air of medical centers is more than other enclosed spaces. Determining the role and importance of such factors has always attracted the attention of health and medical researchers. This study aimed to evaluate the bacterial density of surgical and infectious wards in two important hospitals of Kermanshah and environmental factors affecting them.Methods: In this study, a total of 160 samples were selected. One hundred and twenty eight samples were related to the air of surgical and infectious wards in two stages before and after disinfection of wards and 32 samples were related to the hospital outdoor air as the control sample. MCS Flite (SKC) air sampling pump was equipped with a Biostage 225 (SKC) microbial sampling cassette made in the USA. Data were analyzed with SPSS 19.Results: The highest bacterial density in the air was measured in Imam Khomeini Hospital (402.7 ±200.3 CFU/m3) and the lowest was in Imam Reza Hospital (258.6 ±90.5 CFU/m3). There was a significant inverse relationship between air temperature and total bacterial density and a significant direct relationship between the whole population and bacterial density.Conclusion: It seems that reduced bacterial density in wards’ air with increased temperature occurs due to increasing the air volume and replacing air in wards. The presence of people in the ward plays an important role in increased bacterial density.

Background and Objective: BIOLOGICAL soil crusts are a collection of lichens, mosses, fungi, cyanobacteria, etc. that are part of the soil ecosystem. Estimation of density and distribution of BIOLOGICAL soil crusts in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, which is the subject of soil erosion and wastage is very important. Methods based on remote sensing techniques are important in terms of cost and time less efficient methods to achieve this goal. Segzi plain is one of the critical points of wind erosion in Iran and identifying and determining the distribution of BIOLOGICAL soil crusts as a soil modifier is an effective step in reducing wind erosion in the region. In this research, BSCI (BIOLOGICAL Soil Crust) index has been used to prepare the distribution map of lichen-dominated BIOLOGICAL soil crusts. Materials and Methods: The study area is part of the Sajzi Desert (Central Deserts of Iran) which is located in Isfahan province of Iran. The study area with an area of 199. 5 hectares is spread between the eastern lengths of 51o52'32" to 52o27'41" and the northern widths of 32o33'31" to 32o55'01". The average slope of Segzi plain is 1. 08 percent and its average height is 1680 meters. According to the statistics of East Isfahan Meteorological Station (Shahid Beheshti Station), the average annual rainfall in the region is 106 mm. According to the Dumarten climatic classification, the climate of the region is dry and according to the Amberge classification it is cold. The BSCI index is a combination of the relationships used to estimate vegetation and bare soil surface, and its mathematical relationship is the slope of the soil line. To calculate the soil line in an area, one must first separate the pixels that have bare soil and no vegetation. In order to calculate the soil line equation, in four seasons of a year, images of Landsat OLI 8 satellite related to 2018 were downloaded from the site of the US Geological Survey and 20 to 30 pixels of pure bare soil were extracted by drawing the reflection values of these pixels in the red and infrared band. Red near soil line coefficients were calculated for each season in the Segzi Plain. Based on BSCI index, lichen-dominated BIOLOGICAL soil crust are identified using at least VIS-NIR spectral reflection and the slope between the red and green bands compared to bare soil and dry vegetation. Using ENVI software, the distribution shells of BIOLOGICAL shells with lichen dominance were prepared in four seasons since 2018 in Segzi plain. Then, the prepared maps were validated based on land points and the total accuracy and kappa index were calculated in all four seasons. The collected lichen samples were identified based on their morphological characteristics and using a stereomicroscope, conventional microscope and common color reagents such as potassium hydroxide (KOH). After applying the BSCI index on the Landsat OLI 8 satellite image, using ENVI software, spectral profiles related to 4 points of Segzi plain in four seasons of the year were prepared and the spectral reflection in four seasons of the year in different points were examined. Results and Discussion: The slope of the soil line is lower in the rainy season, which coincides with the growth of herbaceous and annual plants, compared to the summer season, which has the least amount of rainfall, and the annual plants have dried up and become extinct. In May, the slope of the soil line was minimal (0. 39) and in late summer it has its maximum value (0. 78). In fact, the slope of the soil line has decreased from mid-August to May, and then has increased with the loss of annual vegetation and the increase of bare soil surface. The distribution maps of bio-shells in all four seasons of the year were validated during field visits and the year it was found that the highest accuracy of the map related to the map produced from Landsat 8 image is related to summer with 94% total accuracy and Kappa index equal to 0. 7412. Interpretation of the spectral profiles of the BSCI index shows that the reflections of the spectra related to the zephyr and strain prepared on the lichen dispersion points are very close to each other and also the spectral profiles of the mid-autumn and early spring are quite consistent. Whereas in the faults, which did not cover the BIOLOGICAL crust, the amount of reflection was higher and there was a slight difference between the reflection diagrams of autumn and spring. Although the reflectance values of a range of agricultural lands and the distribution points of BIOLOGICAL crusts are very close to each other, the spectral diagrams of all four seasons are very different from each other. But in all seasons of the year and in all places, the least reflection has occurred in the beginning of winter and the most reflection has occurred in summer. The climate of Segzi plain is Mediterranean and precipitation occurs in the cold season of the year. Simultaneously with the increase of precipitation from the middle of autumn, annual plants and mosses at the base of shrubs begin to grow and reach their peak in early winter and again at the beginning of spring. Decreases in rainfall have reduced their density. If the winter spectrum has the least reflection in all places. While in late summer, when the annuals and mosses have dried up, it has had the greatest spectral reflection. In Fasaran, which is a barren area and a landfill, it has shown its maximum reflection. Therefore, the BSCI index relative to the percentage of organic matter has a significant error in the detection of BIOLOGICAL soil crust and where the organic matter is high may not provide accurate diagnosis of soil bioshells. Of course, since the BSCI index is defined for the detection of throat compounds in lichen tissues. The error rate for organic matter is reduced to a minimum. As it has been observed in the final map, there is no cover of BIOLOGICAL soil crusts in Fasaran and only soil BIOLOGICAL crusts are observed in the areas around Fasaran in the agricultural areas. In agricultural areas, due to human intervention and cultivation, the amount of annual plants is different from the field of natural resources in different seasons of a year have become. Conclusion: Spectral similarity of the most important soil surface, including vegetation, the involvement of human factors in increasing or decreasing soil organic matter, bare soil, etc. limits the efficiency of the BSCI index and therefore in the time period of satellite images and regional conditions have a great impact on It has the accuracy of BSCI index.

Opportunistic fungal pathogens are known to increase infection in the health care workers and patients with immune deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative airborne fungal contamination load in two Sanandaj hospitals. In this cross-sectional study, 112 BIOLOGICAL samples from 15 different hospital wards were collected for 6 months by using the single stage Anderson sampler in Sabouraud’s dextrose agar. Data were analyzed for the descriptive and analytical tests using IBMSPSS V.21 software and the air fungal contamination load (AFCL) was calculated (cfu/m3). The average hospital AFCL in Besat and Tovhid was 21.13 and 14.51 cfu/m3, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between AFCL and relative humidity (RH) in the two hospital samples (p=0.495) according to independent t-test, whereas this difference in the average temperature in the hospital wards was significant (p<0.001). Highest AFCL was observed in the surgical ward for females (AFCL=35.34 cfu/m3) and the lowest was observed in the surgical and urology wards (AFCL=2.2 cfu/m3) in the two hospitals. The frequency of Penicillium was the maximum with 77.6 and 65.25% in the Besat and Tovhid hospitals, respectively. In wards such as oncology, gynecological surgery, and operating room, further studies are needed to better control environmental conditions and fungal contamination. Thus, utilizing highly efficient air purification systems and regular monitoring of the BIOLOGICAL risk for both patient and health care employees is recommended.