فصلنامه زیست شناسی جانوری تجربی
سال دهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 40، بهار 1401)

Diabetes disrupts processes related to learning, memory, and cognition. Considering the potential anti-diabetic effect of the medicinal plant turmeric (curcumin) and its enhancing effect on memory and learning, in this research, the effect of inter peritoneal administration of the curcumin on learning and memory in diabetic rats was investigated. In this study, the male rats were divided into five groups: control, control treated with curcumin 50 mg / kg, diabetic and diabetic treated with curcumin 10 and 50 mg/kg. Curcumin was administered for five weeks after seven days of streptozotocin 60mg/kg interparietal injection and the passive avoidance task was assessed through the operation. Streptozotocin injection significantly increased blood glucose and markedly decreased both STL1 (the short memory) and STL2 (the long memory) in the avoidance learning test. Chronic administration of curcumin as an active ingredient in turmeric significantly increased short-term and long-term memory in the diabetic groups. Therefore, chronic use of cinacurcumin reduced memory and learning impairment and enhanced the capability of memory and recall in diabetic rats.

Biodiversity and sustainable development are important goals in environmental protection that in order to have high biodiversity, it is necessary to identify and preserve ecosystems and all species of animals and plants as well as microorganisms in it. Predator bugs (Heteroptera) are efficient predators in most agroecosystems, which have powerful role for control of agricultural pests. These beneficial insects were evaluated under four categories a/ species diversity, b/ percentage of relative abundance and structure of species composition, c/ habitat similarity index, and d/ population fluctuation in sugar beet fields of six provinces (Isfahan, Hamadan, Golestan, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, West Azarbaijan and Khuzestan) during 2009-2013. In this research, in total of 24 species under six families, Anthocoridae (eight species, two genera), Geocoridae (three species, single genus), Miridae (three species, single genus), Nabidae (three species, single genus) and Reduviidae (seven species, seven genera) were collected and identified. Additionally, totally 216 specimens of predator bugs were collected from sugar beet fields, which Orius albidipennis, O. laevigatus and O. laticollis with 11.1%, 10.6% and 9.7% of percentage of relative abundance, respectively have the highest abundance among all the species and are dominant species. The highest habitat similarity was obtained between Myandoab (West Azarbaijan province) and Dezful (Khuzestan province) (57.1%). The maximum population density (3.92) was obtained in July.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common types of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality. Delay in diagnosis and lack of screening are the main causes of high mortality from this disease. Finding an accurate and effective diagnostic biomarker seems to be essential for effective treatment of GC. In this regard, using a gastroscope, we collected tissue samples from patients with GC and healthy individuals. The obtained samples were used to extract their RNA using Trizol solution kit. RNA samples were used for qRT-PCR using specific primers designed for BTG1 and GAPDH genes. QRT-PCR results were analyzed using 2-ΔCt method and various statistical tests using SPSS software. In total, 40 samples of GC and healthy controls were collected and their demographic information was recorded. RNA extraction produced the amount of RNA required for qRT-PCR. The qRT-PCR results showed that BTG1 expression was significantly decreased in GC samples. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that the reduction of BTG1 expression can act as an accurate biomarker for GC. This gene can also be an indicator of GC pathogenicity. These results could indicate possible diagnostic and therapeutic applications of BTG1 for GC.

Bufotes surdus annulatus as a subspecies of B. sardus; endemic in the very limited area in Fars province with a specific reproductive strategy that has recently been reported to be threatened by extinction. Histological studies on gonads in adults as well as studies on gonadal differentiation aimed to explore their reproductive strategy in more detail. In the reproductive season, fourteen males and females in adult stage were collected from Aliabad Niriz (Fars province). The gonads of the toads before and after mating (spawning and sperm releasing) were dissected and a histological study was carried out. To study gonadal differentiation, larvae at Gosner stage 40, 42, 43, 44 and 46 were selected and appropriate histological slides were prepared. Histology of the gonads in adults when they were in the amplexus situation and just before spawning and releasing sperm, showed a histologically similar image to Bufotes viridis that is a common toad that exist widely in the region. While the number of mature oocytes and spermatozoa were shown to be significantly reduced, some active oocytes as well as the bundles of spermatids were still observed in the ovary and testis respectively. The study on the gross anatomy of gonads at early stages of development showed there is no externally morphological difference between gonads in male and female. The semi differentiated pattern was recognized. The gonads in genetically male toads showed that they transformed into testes after degeneration of the oocytes.

The economic value of the sport fishing valuable species such as Caspian brown trout (Salmo caspius, Kessler, 1877), is estimated based on the determination of the amount of money that fishermen tends to pay for fish catching. The aim of this research was to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of anglers to the conservation of the endangered Caspian brown trout, in order to determine the conservation value of Caspian brown trout. In order to do this research, from 2018 to 2020, 444 anglers were selected by random sampling method. Data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire comprising items about the angling demographic characteristics as well as their WTP for the protection of the endangered species of Caspian trout. Eventually, analysis of gathering data was carried out with applying a Logit model under maximum likelihood procedure by using SPSS (version 21) and Eviews (10) Software. The result showed that 75 percent of the anglers had a positive WTP for the protection of the endangered species of Caspian trout. The average payment of WTP for the monthly and annual protection value of Caspian trout was estimated 1979.2 and 23750.4 million RLs respectively, which is much higher than that of the penalty for illegal fishing (120.5 million RLs). According to the results of this research, the variables of the literacy level, income, job, membership in the environmental organization, species recognition and bid have positive effects on the WTP for the protection of endangered species of Caspian trout.

Escherichiacoli is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that causes numerous diseases in humans and animals.Because of increased resistance to antibiotics, this bacterium has raised many concerns in the livestock industry as well as in medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the resistance to fluoroquinolones, to identify plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes and to determine the biofilm formation ability of E. coli strains isolated from human and bovine samples in Hamadan.In this descriptive study, 40 isolates of E. coli(20 human isolates, 20 bovine isolates) were studied. First, the resistance of the isolates to ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin was measured by microdilution broth method, and then the identification of fluoroquinolone resistance genes (qnrA, qnrB, qnrC, qnrD, qnrS and acc) was performed by PCR method. In the following, the ability of E. coli isolates to produce biofilm was evaluated by microtiter plate method and the results were analyzed by chi-square test using SPSS software (version 19). Microdilution results showed of 40 E.coli isolates, 26 (65%) were resistant to ciprofloxacin and 23 (57.5%) were found to be resistant to levofloxacin.In PMQR genes frequency analysis by PCR,the qnrA, qnrB, qnrC,qnrD, qnrS and aac genes were detected in 45%, 47.5%, 67.5%, 27.5%, 60% and 55% of the isolates, respectively. Also microtiter plate test results showed that 40% of the isolates were capable of forming strong biofilm and only 4% did not form biofilm.The results of the present study showed that the main mechanism of resistance to fluoroquinolones is related to PMQR genes and possibly excessive use of fluoroquinolones in human infections leads to the development of resistance to these drugs.Biofilm formation has also been shown to be effective in creating fluoroquinolone resistance.

Diabetes and liver diseases are serious problems and threaten the health of communities. Nettle has been introduced in traditional Iranian medicine as a blood glucose lowering drug. There are conflicting scientific reports about the effects of reducing the blood sugar of nettle, but this plant has good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce liver damage. Current study, examines the anti-diabetic and liver protective effects of the aqueous extract of urtica dioica in vistar male rats. The mice were divided into five groups and in order to investigation of anti-diabetic and liver protective effects, test groups obtained daily 2.5 and 5 ml/kg of the aqueous extract of urtica dioica orally for 14 and 32 days, respectively. Blood glucose was measured with a glucometer and liver enzyme activity was measured with ParsAzmoon kits. The results were analyzed using Student's T–Test and ANOVA using SPSS software version 21. Blood sugar levels in first and second test groups (170 and 122 mg/dl) showed a significant decrease compared to the negative control group (446 mg/dl). The activity of liver enzymes in the first and second test groups also showed a significant decrease compared to the negative control group. The aqueous extract of urtica dioica has beneficial effects in managing diabetes and maintaining the health of liver cells against toxic compounds.