Electrocoagulation (EC) and Electrocoagulation/flotation (ECF) processes are simple and efficient in water and wastewater treatment. In recent years, many investigations have focused on the use of these processes for treating of polluted water. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of EC and ECF processes in removal of high turbidity water using different electrodes in different circumstances. In present study an electrocoagulation and electrocoagulation/ flotation reactor in a lab scale to an approximate volume of 6 liters which is equipped with four Al-AL and Fe-Fe electrodes (200 * 20 * 2 mm) was used for removing of highturbidity water. The effects of operating parameters such as type of electrodes, initial water turbidity, applied voltage (10 to 30 v), initial pH of the solution (3 to 12) and reaction times (5 to 30 minutes) were evaluated. The batch experimental results showed that initial turbidity water, initial pH of the solution, different applied voltagesup to %88 turbidity as initial turbidity of 1200 NTU have been removed when using Al-Al and Fe-Fe electrodes and reaction times highly effective on the turbidity removal efficiency in these processes. In ECF process, 84%in optimum condition. However, in EC process the maximum removal was found up to 68% of initial turbidity when using Al-Al and Fe-Fe electrodes in same operation. Based on the result obtained in this study, the type of electrodes in EC and ECF processes significantly affect the removal rate of high turbid water. Also, it was found that much higher turbidity removal could be achieved by ECF process than that by EC process in the same condition.

Nowadays, synthetic azo compounds as environmental pollutants are widely used in different application. In this research the treatability of effluent polluted with reactive black 5 azo dye using electrocoagulation (EC) and electrocoagulation/ flotation (ECF) processes with aluminum electrodes investigated in a lab scale batch experimental reactor.
In present study an electrocoagulation flotation reactor in a lab scale to an approximate volume of 1 liter which is equipped with four Al0Al electrodes with dimensions of 200*20*2 mm was proposed. The effects of operational parameters such as initial pH, current density, contact time, initial dye concentrations and flotation were evaluated.
Findings: The results indicated that the highest dye removal rates in the EC process were observed in natural pH of solutions, 12.71 mA/Cm2 current density and 100 mg/l initial dye concentration at 30 min contact time. In these conditions up to 81% of dye was removed in the EC process. Based on the result obtained in this study, it was found that much higher dyes removal could be achieved by ECF (86%) process than that by EC process in the same conditions.
EC and ECF processes using aluminum electrodes for dye removal could be a promising process.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a common abnormality of the urinary tract in childhood. As urine enters the ureters and renal pelvis during voiding in vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), we hypothesized that change in body water composition before and after voiding may be less different in children with VUR. Patients and Patients were grouped as those with VUR (Group 1) and without VUR (Group 2). Bioelectric impedance analysis was performed before and after voiding, and third space fluid (TSF) (L), percent of total body fluid (TBF%), extracellular fluid (ECF%), and intracellular fluid (ICF%) were recorded. After change of TSF, TBF, ECF, ICF (ΔTSF, ΔTBF%, ΔECF%, ΔICF%), urine volume (mL), and urine volume/body weight (mL/kg) were calculated. Groups 1 and 2 were compared for these parameters. In addition, pre- and post-voiding body fluid values were compared in each group. TBF%, ECF%, ICF%, and TSF in both pre- and post-voiding states and ΔTBF%, ΔECF%, ΔICF%, and ΔTSF after voiding were not different between groups. However, while post-voiding TBF%, ECF% was significantly decreased in Group 1 (64.5 ± 8.1 vs 63.7 ± 7.2, P = 0.013 for TBF%), there was not post-voiding change in TSF in the same group. On the other hand, there was also a significant TSF decrease in Group 2. Bladder and ureter can be considered as the third space. Thus, we think that BIA has been useful in discriminating children with VUR as there was no decreased in patients with VUR, although there was decreased TSF in patients without VUR. However, further studies are needed to increase the accuracy of this hypothesis.

In this study, the applicability of the Electrocoagulation/Flotation (ECF) process in batch operation was investigated for the simultaneous removal of turbidity and Humic acid (HA) using Fe and Al electrodes. The effects of solution pH (3 - 12), electrical potentials (10 - 30 V), initial turbidity concentration (300 - 1200 NTU), and reaction time (10 - 30 minutes) with or without HA were investigated in an attempt to achieve higher turbidity removal efficiency. The batch experimental results revealed that with initial turbidity of 300 NTU, at voltage of 30 V, after 30 minutes reaction times, and at pH values of 6 and 8, the ECF process for Fe and Al electrodes removed over 97% and 88% of turbidity, respectively. The percentage of turbidity removal from solution dropped with a decrease in voltages for both electrodes. The results displayed that the Fe-Fe electrode arrangement attained the highest performance for turbidity removal rate. As a result, ECF process was shown to be a very efficient, cost-effective, and promising process for efficient treatment of high turbid water. Regarding HA, the results showed that in ECF process over 67% and 43% of UV254 has been removed for Al and Fe electrodes, respectively at the optimum pH, 30 minutes reaction time and 30 V applied voltage. Thus, it can be considered that Fe and Al are the best electrodes for removing turbidity and HA, respectively.

Background and Diazinon is an organophosphorus insecticide, which is classified as a relatively dangerous product by the World Health Organization. Entrance of this pollutant into water resources can have detrimental effects on human health and environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of pulsed alternative current and the electrocoagulation-flotation (ECF) processes in removal of diazinon from aqueous solutions.
An applied laboratory-scale experiment was designed. Diazinon removal was performed using ECF and pulsed alternative current in a 750 ml borosilicate glass intermittent flow reactor, equipped with a magnetic stirrer, an electrical source, a pulsar, and four aluminum electrodes. The optimized operating conditions were also assessed using 10-500 mg/L of diazinon.
According to the results, the removal efficiency of diazinon was found to range between 5% to 85%. Investigation of ­the operational parameters demonstrated significance of the initial concentration of diazinon, current density, the number of pulses, and electrical conductivity in efficiency of ECF process. The maximum removal efficiency of diazinon was found to be 85% (213 mg of diazinon), which was achieved in an operating condition with pH=7, current density of 46.7 A/m2, electrical conductivity of 600 μS/cm, and process time of 45 min.
According to this study, ECF method could be used along with pulsed alternative current for removal of high concentrations of diazinon from wastewater.Additional processes are needed to meet the standards of drinking water.

The objective of this research was accomplished on the effects of total chlorine free (TCF) and elemental chlorine free (ECF) bleaching on optical and mechanical properties of bagasse soda pulps. For this purpose, some unbleached bagasse soda pulps were randomly selected from Ahvaz Pars industry. Then these pulps were bleached with one, two and three P, OP, OPY, O(Ep)P, EHP and O(Ep)H bleaching stages by using oxygen(O) hydrogen peroxide(P), alkali extraction with hydrogen peroxide(Ep), sodium hypochlorite(H) and sodium dithionite(Y). The hand sheets with 70 gr/m2 were prepared from above-mentioned of pulps, and then the optical and mechanical properties were measured and compared according by using TAPPI standard test methods. The results showed that brightness, greenness, tear (except EHP stages), tensile, burst, breaking length strengths and folds were increased and opacity and a* factor were decreased by ECF and TCF bleaching stages. The effects of TCF bleaching stages were more sensible than ECF bleaching stages in improve of bagasse soda properties, too. In general, role of three OPY and O(Ep)H stages and two OP bleaching stages were better than EH(control) stage and unbleached bagasse soda pulps mill in improve of brightness and its paper strengths, too.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and toxicity of perioperative chemotherapy regimens including epirubicin, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (ECF), docetaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (DCF), leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), and 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) to identify the most effective chemotherapy regimen with less toxicity.

Experimental approach:

 This retrospective cohort study (2014-2021) was based on 152 eligible resectable gastric cancer patients who had received one of the perioperative mentioned chemotherapy regimens and followed for at least two years. The primary endpoint of this study was overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and R0 resection.

Of included patients, 21%, 33.7%, 24.3%, and 21% had received ECF, DCF, FOLFOX and FLOT, respectively. After the median 30-month follow-ups, OS was higher with the FLOT regimen in comparison with other regimens (hazard ratio = 0. 276). The median OS of the FLOT regimen was 39 months. Besides, the median OS was 28, 25, and 21 months for DCF, FOLOFX, and ECF regimens, respectively. Moreover, a median PFS of 24, 18, 17, and 14 months was observed for FLOT, DCF, FOLFOX, and ECF regimens, respectively (Log-rank < 0.001). FLOT regimen showed 84. 4% ORR which was notably higher than other groups.

Conclusions and implications:

 For resectable gastric cancer patients, the perioperative FLOT regimen led to a significant improvement in patients’ OS and PFS versus ECF, DCF, and FOLFOX regimens. As such, the FLOT regimen could be considered the optimal option for managing resectable gastric cancer patients.

Although various investigations of Atkinson cycle have been carried out, distinct output power and thermal efficiencies of the engine have been achieved. In this regard, thermal efficiency, Ecological Coefficient of Performance (ECOP), and Ecological function (ECF) are optimized with the help of NSGA-II method and thermodynamic study.  The Pareto optimal frontier which provides an ultimate optimum solution is chosen utilizing various decision-making approaches, containing fuzzy Bellman-Zadeh, LINMAP, and TOPSIS. With the help of the results, interpreting the performances of Atkinson cycles and their optimization is enhanced. Error analysis has also been performed for verification of optimization and determining the deviation in the study.

The aim of this study was to solve the environmental problems caused after the bleaching of bagasse pulp by hypochlorite sodium in Pars paper mill. For this purpose, ECF bleaching method was used by performing OQPDEP sequence. The properties of bleached paper were compared to the bagasse unbleached paper as control and some paper properties that made from bagasse bleached pulp by EH sequence in Pars paper mill. The results showed that increasing the bleaching time of bagasse pulp from 30 to 120 minutes by oxygen had no significant effect on paper brightness, but paper density, burst and tear indices decreased. Pulp bleaching by O1QP3D(EP) sequence compared to bagasse unbleached paper led to the paper brightness of about 75% ISO that is about 5% ISO more than the Pars commercial bleached paper. Paper strengths were similar to Pars commercial paper made of soda bagasse and the national standard of Iran (ISIRI 4120). Soda pulp bleaching using O1QP3D(EP) sequence has led to acceptable physical, optical and mechanical properties in addition to environmental benefits such as reduce pollution. So, it is recommended to replace the current bleaching method of Pars paper mill by the mentioned sequence.

Information asymmetry between business owners and investors is a common problem in all investments, but this problem becomes more apparent in equity crowdfunding because potential investors in equity crowdfunding are generally non-professional investors and do not have enough time and experience to scrutinize the investment plan. Therefore, based on the received signals, they decide on the quality of the designs and ultimately their participation / non-participation. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively identify these signals and their sources and also to measure their effectiveness.This is a mixed research in which, qualitative data were gathered through semi structured interviews and analyzed with thematic analyze method. Quantitative part of the research forms the main part of it and contains a descriptive survey which its data were analyzed by second order confirmatory factor analysis. Based on the results, three sources of signals, respectively including: ECF platform, third parties and business owners and are involved in motivating investors to participate, and for each source, four effective signals were identified.