فصلنامه محیط زیست جانوری
سال چهاردهم شماره 1 (بهار 1401)

Paralemmin, novel lipid-anchored membrane protein, involved in cell process formation. In this study nucleotide and amino acid sequences of PALM gene in sheep and several other species, were obtained from the NCBI and BLAST databases. MotifScan software and Conserved Domain Database (CDD) to identify domains; PANTHER and ProDom servers to recognize motifs and potential performance of the Paralemmin protein and STRING software were applied to detect protein interactions with other proteins. Prediction of three-dimensional structure of protein was performed via I-TASSER and 2PHYRE software, and comparing the sequences and drawing phylogenetic tree, MEGA6 software was used. This protein has 3 motifs, which is involved in the regulation of cell shape, cytoskeleton organization and binding to protein kinase A and D3 Dopamine receptor. Prediction results of secondary and tertiary structures revealed the existence of coiled helix structure and its interaction with other proteins. Also phylogenetic results showed that under high selection pressure during the evolutionary process, PALM3 isoforms in all species have been isolated early rather than the other isoforms. Considering to existence of three motifs in sequence of Paralemmin protein and its structural similarity with A chain of Tropomyosin protein in sheep, this protein plays key role in interaction with other proteins in the level of cell membrane.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the trend of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the milk production process in 25 dairy farms. The required information was obtained through a specialized questionnaire with unit managers and operators in 1399 in Ivan city. The total input and output energies per head were estimated to be 536.79 and 599418.37 MJ per each head. Energy indices including efficiency, productivity and energy intensity for cattle were 1.11, 0.15 kg/mJ and 6.45 MJ/kg per cow, respectively. The results of Cobb Douglas function showed the effect of manpower energy inputs, machinery and animal feed equipment with regression coefficients of 0.18, 0.02 and 1.01, respectively, on milk yield per positive livestock. And the effect of fossil fuel and electricity inputs on negative performance were calculated with -0.04 and -0.05 regression coefficients, respectively. The total emissions from greenhouse gas emissions of dairy farming breeding units were 601.32 kg of carbon dioxide per cow, the highest amount was related to diesel fuel input with 66.5%.

The objective of this study was predicting breeding values for sires and cows at an early stage of cows’ first lactation, to enable early selection of sires. Accuracy of predicted breeding values were investigated using cross validation method. Data consisted of 2,166,925 test-day records from 456,712 cows calving between 1990 and 2015. (Co)-variance components and breeding values were estimated using a random regression test-day model and the average information Restricted Maximum Likelihood method. Legendre polynomial functions of order 3 were chosen to fit the additive genetic and permanent environmental effects and homogeneous residual variance was assumed throughout lactation. The lowest heritability of daily milk yield was estimated to be 0.14 in early lactation, and the highest heritability of daily milk yield was estimated to be 0.18 in mid lactation. Cross validation showed high positive correlation of predicted breeding values between consecutive yearly evaluations for both cows and sires. Correlation between predicted breeding values in early lactation (5-90 days) and late lactation (181-305 days) were 0.77-0.87 for cows and 0.81-0.94 for sires. These results show that we can select sires according to their daughters’ early lactation before they finish first lactation. This can be used to decline generation interval and increase genetic gain in Iranian Holstein population.

Hematological and biochemical parameters, as livestock response indicator, can be used as a basis for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of diseases.  Blood samples were collected from 20 Holstein cows to investigate the effect of daily temperature fluctuation on hematological, biochemical, coagulation and hormonal parameters. Sampling was done three times per day that is in the morning, at noon and in the evening on a summer day in Nazarabad, Alborz province. RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts, AST, GGT, glucose, urea, total protein, albumin, fibrinogen, cortisol concentration, PT and APTT and platelet were measured.  Rectal temperature was measured at the same time of blood sampling. According to the results, there was an insignificant increase in RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, urea and cortisol in the second time of blood sampling (39Cº) compared to the other two times (The first time: 25Cº, the third time: 32Cº). Also, a significant increase in the total number of white blood cells, neutrophils, monocytes, total protein, albumin, AST, GGT and rectal temperature and a decrease in the number of eosinophils were observed in second sampling. No significant changes were observed in APTT, PT and platelet count. The evaluation of clinical indicators under heat stress showed a significant increase in rectal temperature. According to the results of this study, daily temperature fluctuation and mild heat stress can affect hematological and biochemical factors and should be considered for the evaluation and interpretation of hematological and biochemical profiles.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) during dry period and calving season on the incidence of metabolic disorders in Holstein cows in Isfahan province.  About 5138 birth records were extracted from different births since 1395. Data included animal number, year of calving, month of calving, length of dry period, length of gestation period, calf birth weight, calf sex, number of calves born per calving, retained placenta, dystocia, stillbirth and metritis. Data were classified into different classes, for uniformity and were analyzed by SAS software using GLIMMIX procedure. The results showed that effect of BCS changes on the incidence of metabolic disorders (retained placenta, dystocia, stillbirth and metritis) was not significant (P>0.05). The effect of parity on retained placenta, dystocia, stillbirth and metritis was significant (P<0.01). Calf birth weight had significant effect on retained placenta (birth weight less than 35 kg and more than 46 Kg), dystocia and stillbirth (calves with birth weight 46 kg) and metritis (P<0.01). Effect of dry period on the incidence of retained placenta (dry period: less than 45 days, 61-100 days and 46-60 days) and dystocia (increasing dry period from 61to 100 days) and metritis (dry period: less than 45 days, 61-100 days and 46-60 days) was significant (P<0.01). The effect of gestation length on the incidence of retained placenta was significant (P<0.01) but had no significant effect on the stillbirth (P>0.05). The effect of calving season on the incidence of retained placenta and metritis was significant (P<0.01).

Leptospirosis is one of the most common diseases between animal and human around the world. Regarding to the death report of a farmer in Gorgan because of leptospirosis and abnormal mortalities in forest mice in Aliabad-e-Katul,it had seemed to be necessary to investigate Leptospirosis Golestan province. Therefore, this study was considered the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans in serum samples of Golestan province camels. Blood samples were collected from 235 camels of different ages in Golestan slaughterhouse and were examined by microagglutination method. The incidence of leptospirosis was investigated at different ages, sex, and seasons using chi-square method and SPSS. The results showed that from the total samples, 44 (% 18.72) samples had positive serologic response, of which 36 (% 81.82), 5 (% 11.37), and 3 (% 6.81) of samples had one, two and three positive reaction serotype, respectively. Among samples with positive serologic response, % 42.60, % 31.49, % 11.11, % 5.55 and % 3.70 showed a positive reaction on automnalis, icterohaemorrajiae, canicola serjerohardjo and gripotyphosa, and finally Pomona, respectively. The highest frequency (% 38.88) was observed in the 1: 800 Titration. The highest frequency was observed at age of 0 to 2 years old (%18.80), male (%19.46), which was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The highest frequency was observed in autumn (26.82%). Leptospirosis infection is actively present at the province. And it is widely circulated between humans and livestock. This issue is very important in the prevention of disease in livestock and ultimately the health of human society.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of slow release urea and molasses on eating behavior and feed intake rate in fattening lambs. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments (experimental diets) including, control (without sources of non-protein nitrogen), two sources of non-protein nitrogen (common urea and SRU) with or without molasses and 7 replicates and with using 35 Arabian lambs. Forage to concentrate ratio of diets was 30 to 70. During the fattening period, the lambs were fed the total mixed ration, individually and ad libitum, twice daily at 8 am and 4 pm. At the end of the fattening period, eating behavior was measured visually every 5 minutes over a 24-hour period and feed intake rate over a 8-hour period. The results showed that the addition of molasses reduced the ruminant duration (P<0.001) and increased the feed intake rate (P<0.05), but the duration of chewing activity was not affected by the nitrogen source and the addition of molasses. Diets containing non-protein nitrogen sources reduced the eating duration compared to the control diet (P=0.02). Compared to the control diet, using common urea, reduced the feed intake rate (P<0.05). The results of this experiment showed that the replacement of common urea with slow-release urea and the association of molasses with it, did not have adverse effects on eating behavior and feed intake rate.

One of the freezing semen disadvantages is increasing of free radicals leading to enhanced sperm membrane peroxidation then consequently causes lowered semen fertility after thawing. Some plants bearing high level of natural antioxidants can help to decrease semen peroxidation. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the ability of rosemary extract to protect ram sperm from freeze-thaw damages. In this study, ejaculates were collected from 4 Zandi rams. Semen samples were pooled after each sampling. Experimental treatment included five levels of rosemary aqueous extract (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 percent). Then samples were frozen and transferred to liquid nitrogen tanks for three weeks. After thawing sperm quality parameters including total and progressive motility, abnormalities, sperm membrane integrity and MDA production were evaluated. The results showed that rosemary extract significantly improved total and progressive motility, sperm membrane integrity and viability, and decreased sperm abnormalities and MDA production at levels of 5 and 7.5 percent (p<0.05). According to the obtained data, adding specific levels of rosemary extract in the diluent will have a protective effect in the freezing-thawing process of Zandi rams sperm.

Sesbania is a perennial legume that grows mostly in the tropics of Asia, Africa and Australia. This plant tolerates different type of soils, especially saline soils. Due to appropriate protein percentage and relatively low fiber, this plant can be used in ruminant diets. This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition and digestibility of sesbania (Sesbania sesban) using gas production technique and to evaluate the trend of changes in these parameters from the third week to ninth week of growth. The samples from whole plant, leaves and stems were collected separately at third, fifth, seventh and ninth week of planting, to measure chemical composition (dry matter, protein, ash, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber) and also in vitro digestibility by gas production technique. The results of this experiment showed that the percentage of NDF and ADF increased significantly with the growth in the whole plant, leaves and stems, so that in the whole plant the amount of NDF increased from 35.66% in the third week to 46.08% in ninth week, and ADF ranged from 22.90 in the third week to 35.43 in the ninth week. Protein concentration decreased with aging in all parts of the plant. The amount of protein in the ninth week of growth was approximately 17.38% and 21.01% in the whole plant and leaves, respectively. With increasing plant age, along with increasing the concentration of structural carbohydrates and protein reduction in all three samples (whole plant, leaves and stems), the production of cumulative gas after 48 hours, total gas production, metabolisable energy, short chain fatty acids and organic matter digestibility decreased. The results of this study showed that according to the amount of dry matter and other measured compounds, the most appropriate time to harvest this plant as a whole plant is the seventh week of cultivation and the whole sesbania or its leaves can be a good source of livestock fodder after about two months of cultivation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutual effects of genotype and environment and also to estimate genetic parameters for fertility traits (age of first calving and interval between two calvings) in Holstein cows in different climates of Iran. The required information was collected at Karaj Livestock Breeding Center between 2001 and 2017. This information was divided into three moderate, semi-cold and cold environments based on climatic conditions. Covariance components and genetic correlation were estimated based on the three-trait model and the restricted maximum likelihood method. Each attribute in each climate was considered as independent attributes. The heritability of fertility traits was higher in cold climate and the age of the first birth and the interval between two births were 0.217 and 0.058, respectively. Also, these traits performed better in cold climates. The genetic correlation for the age of the first birth trait was in the range of 0.857 to 0.897, and for the trait of the interval between two births, it was between 0.487 and 0.859. The estimation of genetic correlation in this research showed that the mutual effects of genotype and environment, especially for the trait of interval between two births, caused different genetic expression of animals in different climates. These results showed that the mutual effects of genotype and environment between different climates can change the performance of male cattle and not considering these effects may cause errors in breeding programs.

Considering the important role of mineral elements in the reproductive activities of ruminants, it can be important to study the status of abortion due to mineral deficiency in this group of animals. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between possible mineral deficiency and the incidence of abortion in small ruminants. Samples taken from 24 herds (1379 ewes and 734 goats pregnant) in four regions of Ilam province were provided from May to October. The present study was conducted in a completely randomized design. The means were compared using Duncan's multi-domain method at a significance level of 5%.  The prevalence of abortion in ewes and pregnant goats was 22.43% and 14.03%, respectively. Serum selenium concentrations in aborted ewes in two regions were 94.61-11.43 and 82.04-6.38 μg/dl, respectively, which was significant compared to the control group (P≤0.05). Serum concentrations of selenium and copper Aborted goats also showed a significant decrease (P≤0.05) in some areas. According to the findings of this study, small ruminants in Ilam province seem to suffer from a lack of minerals in the blood. This situation can challenge the future of the livestock industry in this region in terms of reproductive and economic problems.

Identifying the genetic capacity of native sheep ecotypes and using that in crossbreeding for higher performance in Iran can be effective in increasing sheep profitability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of crossbreeding on pre- and post weaning and carcass composition of purebred and crossbred lambs. Thus, three genetical groups such as purebred Kurdi (KK), Baluchi*Kurdi (BK) and Karakul*Kordi (GK) were used. Data were analyzed with GLM procedure using SAS 9.2. Results showed that Kordi ewes mated with Kurdi rams had the highest fertility percentage (90%). GK crossbred lambs had the highest and BK crossbred lambs had the lowest birth weight (4.89 vs. 4.15 kg, respectively). Dry matter intake of BK lambs (1360 g/d) and GK crossbred lambs (1150 g/d). The highest daily gain weight was obtained in BK genetic group and the lowest in KK genetic group was 202.6 and 164.8 g / day, respectively. The fattening lambs of GK had the highest hot and cold carcasses weight and carcass efficiency (25.9, 25.2 and 59.8, respectively). The effect of crossbreeding on fat thickness, tail and rump weight was significant and the BK lambs had the lowest fat thickness (7.2) and the highest rump weight (3.2).Based on the average performance before and after weaning as well as the appropriate carcass characteristics in lambs obtained from Karakul rams, it seems that the use of Karakul rams for the production of commercial crossbreed lambs is more appropriate.

Zataria multiflora is one of the plants that has become popular due to its suitable compounds. Pregnancy is a high-risk period in which the consumption of substances that affect the number and sex of the neonate can cause disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thyme consumption during pregnancy on the number and sex of births of Wistar rats. This study was performed on 32 female Wister rats weighing 210±10g and 6 month’s y/o who were randomly divided into 4 equal groups. Zataria multiflora Hydro alcoholic extract was prepared by distillation and different concentrations (400, 800, 1000 mg / kg / day) were administered by gavage during pregnancy. The control group, only received normal food and water. After birth, the number and sex of newborns were calculated. Findings were analyzed by SPSS software using one-way analysis of variance. The results showed a significant decrease in the total number of births and the number of births of male infants in the study groups. There was no significant difference in the number of live and dead infants and the number of female infants in the study groups. Consumption of thyme during pregnancy reduces the number of births and births of male rats, so precautions should be taken when using it during pregnancy.

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) genes and to investigate the protective role of N-acetylcysteine ​​(NAC) on cadmium toxicity in the liver tissue of rats. In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (G1), single dose of cadmium (80 mg/kg) (G2), continuous dose of cadmium (2.5 mg/kg) (G3), Single dose of cadmium (80 mg/kg) and continuous dose of NAC (50 mg/kg) (G4) and continuous dose of cadmium (2.5 mg/kg) and continuous dose of NAC (50 mg/kg) (G5). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to study histopathological changes. Cadmium concentration was measured by graphite furnace spectroscopy in the liver samples. The expression of MMP9 and TIMP2 genes was evaluated using RT-PCR. Cadmium exposure, especially at continuous dose, was associated with severe tissue damage and increased inflammatory cells in the liver. The mean tissue of cadmium concentration was significantly increased by 27% (P<0.05) in the G2 group and 60% (P<0.01) in G3 group. NAC treatment in G4 group (P<0.01) and G5 group (P<0.01) significantly reduced the tissue concentration of cadmium. Cadmium also increased the expression of MMP9 gene (P<0.001) and TIMP2 gene (P<0.01) in G2 and G3 groups. NAC treatment significantly reversed these effects. Our results suggested that NAC protects liver cells by decreasing the accumulation of cadmium and reducing the expression of TIMP2 and MMP9 genes.

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) genes and to investigate the protective role of N-acetylcysteine ​​(NAC) on cadmium toxicity in the liver tissue of rats. In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (G1), single dose of cadmium (80 mg/kg) (G2), continuous dose of cadmium (2.5 mg/kg) (G3), Single dose of cadmium (80 mg/kg) and continuous dose of NAC (50 mg/kg) (G4) and continuous dose of cadmium (2.5 mg/kg) and continuous dose of NAC (50 mg/kg) (G5). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to study histopathological changes. Cadmium concentration was measured by graphite furnace spectroscopy in the liver samples. The expression of MMP9 and TIMP2 genes was evaluated using RT-PCR. Cadmium exposure, especially at continuous dose, was associated with severe tissue damage and increased inflammatory cells in the liver. The mean tissue of cadmium concentration was significantly increased by 27% (P<0.05) in the G2 group and 60% (P<0.01) in G3 group. NAC treatment in G4 group (P<0.01) and G5 group (P<0.01) significantly reduced the tissue concentration of cadmium. Cadmium also increased the expression of MMP9 gene (P<0.001) and TIMP2 gene (P<0.01) in G2 and G3 groups. NAC treatment significantly reversed these effects. Our results suggested that NAC protects liver cells by decreasing the accumulation of cadmium and reducing the expression of TIMP2 and MMP9 genes.

The lymphatic system as a key component in the organism's body can be affected by used drugs. Methylphenidate or Ritalin is widely used to treat behavioral disorders and in some people with depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of such drugs by evaluating various parameters on the ECG in dogs. In this study, 12 native dogs were randomly selected and after clinical study and animal health assessment and ECG, all of them were prescribed Ritalin or methylphenidate at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 7 days and immediately after the last dose. Prescriptions were taken again from those ECGs. Data were expressed analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for data analysis. The results showed that following the use of Ritalin in dogs,significant changes were observed in increasing heart rate, increasing p-wave height, and increasing P-wavelength (p≤0.05). Therefore, taking Ritalin can have an effect on heart rate.

Copper is one of the most important trace elements in broiler diets so this experiment was performed to compare the effect of three different sources of copper on ileal digestibility of nutrients, biochemical indices of blood, liver and bone on 600 one-day-old broilers of Ross 308 strain up to 42 days of age in a completely randomized design with 10 treatments and 5 replications and 12 chicks for each replication. Environmental conditions were the same for all groups. Experimental treatments include 1- control treatment at the rate of zero mg/kg of copper supplement; Treatments 2, 3 and 4 contain copper Nano-oxide at 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, treatments 5, 6 and 7 contain copper oxide at 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg and treatments 8, 9 and 10 contain copper sulfate at 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg. At the end of the experiment, the data were compared with the GLM procedure of SAS software (SAS, 2004) and Duncan's multiple range tests at a significance level of 5% were used. The results showed that the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract and crude ash of the experimental diets were not significantly affected by the treatments and the type and source of copper in the diets. It was shown that the amount of copper in the tibia of experimental chickens was significantly affected by the treatments (P<0.001). So that the highest amount of copper in the tibia was observed in the sulfate 30 treatment, which was significantly different from other treatments (P<0.05). In general, it can be concluded that the amount of copper in the diet can affect the accumulation of copper in the tibia and it seems that the use of cheap copper sources such as copper sulfate compared to new and expensive copper sources such as copper nanoparticles have no different on the performance of the birds.

This experiment was performed to evaluate the different levels of Echinacea extract in drinking water on performance traits, blood metabolites and immune system in Japanese quail over a period of 35 days. 400 quail chicks were used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 4 replications with 20 chicks per replication. Experimental treatments include 1- control diet without any additives of antibiotics and or herbs (negative control); 2- control diet plus antibiotic flavophospholipol 500 mg/kg (positive control); 3- control diet plus one ml of Echinacea extract in one liter of water; 4- control diet plus 2 ml of Echinacea extract in one liter of water; 5- control diet plus 3 ml of Echinacea extract in one liter of water. The traits tested included performance traits, blood metabolites, cortisol secretion, and immune system indices. The results showed that food intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the treatments. Among blood metabolites, only serum albumin was significantly affected by treatments (P<0.05). Cortisol and SRBC levels as well as IgG titer were significantly affected by experimental treatments (P<0.05). In general, it was shown that the addition of Echinacea extract to the water consumed by Japanese quails significantly stimulated the immune system and altered cortisol secretion; thus it seems this extract can be used to enhance the immunity of these birds.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of using different levels of portulaca oleracea extract on growth performance, blood lipids and expression of genes affecting appetite control in broilers. A total of 250 one-day-old male Ross-308 broilers were randomly divided into five food treatments with five replications and 10 chickens per replication. Dietary treatments included 5 control treatments: (base diet without portulaca oleracea extract), base diet with 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg of portulaca oleracea extract per g of feed from 1 to 42 days. Feed intake, body weight, feed conversion ratio and mortality percentage were measured during the experimental period. The effect of dietary treatments on feed intake, body weight and feed conversion ratio from 1 to 42 days was not significant, although the highest feed intake was observed at the levels of 150 and 200 mg of portulaca oleracea extract. At 42 days of age, the effect of treatments on LDL and triglyceride levels was significant (P<0.05). The expression of NPY gene in treatments containing portulaca oleracea extract was not statistically significant compared to the control treatment, although it was higher in the treatment containing 200 mg of portulaca oleracea extract. PNOC gene expression in the treatment containing 200 mg of portulaca oleracea was higher than the control (P<0.01). Therefore, portulaca oleracea extract can be considered effective on some blood lipids and increasing the expression of appetite-enhancing neuropeptide genes.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of nutrients and organic acids supplementation (Biotronic) on performance, ileum microbial populations and blood parameters of broiler chickens. Three hundred broiler chicks (Cobb500 strain, of both sex) were allotted to 6 treatments and 5 replications in completely randomized design with factorial arrangement of 2×3 and 30 experimental units. Factors included two levels of organic acid supplementation (diets containing 0.1% organic acid supplementation and diets without organic acid supplementation) and three levels of nutrients (standard levels of Cobb recommendation, 2.5% and 5% below than that). The interaction between organic acid and different dietary nutrient levels was not significant in any of the traits. Using organic acids supplementation increased growth performance at first 21 days (P<0.05). Different levels of nutrients in diet had no significant effects on growth performance. Feed intake was not affected by dietary treatments. Organic acids supplementation improved feed conversion ratio (P<0.05), whereas this trait was not affected by different levels of dietary nutrients. Organic acids decreased total bacteria counts of ileum (P<0.05). Microbial population was similar in different levels of nutrients group. Organic acids supplementation had no effects on blood metabolites and carcass composition of the broiler chicks. To sum up, feed formulation up to 5% less than Cobb500 broiler chicken nutrients recommendation had no negative significant effect on production performance of the chickens. Also, the use of dietary organic acid supplement resulted in an improvement in some productive traits especially in starter phase of growth period.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of early nutrition on performance, humoral and cellular immunity in broilers. This experiment was conducted by use of 480 male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated in a completely randomized balanced design with eight treatments and four replicates and 15 birds in each replicate for 42 days. The experimental treatments were included: Normal Water + Base Diet for first 72 Hours, Normal Water + Corn Powder first 48 Hours, Water Sugar 5% + Corn Powder first 48 Hours, Water Sugar 5% + Corn Powder first 72 Hours, Water Sugar 5% + Base Diet first 48 Hours, Water Sugar 5% + basic diet for the first 72 hours, gluplus + corn meal for the first 48 hours and gluplus + basal diet for the first 48 hours. The results showed that nutritional treatments had no significant effect on antibody response against sheep red blood cells on days 21 and 42 (P>0.05). The highest average weights of 6- and 7-week old obtained in gluplus+basal diets by 2699.3 and 2827.9 grams, respectively, which did not have a significant difference with normal water + basal diet (2508.5 and 2693.2 grams) (P>0.05). According to the results of this study, nutritional treatment of water with 5% sugar and base diet is recommended due to higher daily gain, lower mortality and better production index in the first 48 hours of feeding broiler chicks.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Chromochloris zofingiensis and Spirulina platensis extract on productive performance, blood parameters and antioxidant status in broiler chicken. A total of 400 male broiler chickens (Ross 308 strain) were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments with four replicates and 20 chicks per each. The broilers were fed a standard diet supplemented with Chromochloris zofingiensis and Spirulina platensis extract (0, 0.2, and 0.4 percent) from 1 to 42 days. Results showed that adding of Spirulina platensis extract (0.4 percent) in broiler's diet significantly increased production index from 1 to 14 days old (P<0.05). Supplementing with Chromochloris zofingiensis extract (0.2 percent) resulted in significant increases in the production index from 29 to 42 days old (P<0.05). The highest content of production index was observed in group supplemented with Spirulina platensis (0.4 percent) from 1 to 21 days old (P<0.05). The highest content of breast meat was observed in group supplemented with Chromochloris zofingiensis extract (0.2 percent) (P<0.05). The serum concentration of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine, urea and HDL were not influenced by dietary levels of Chromochloris zofingiensis and Spirulina platensis extract. Supplementation of Chromochloris zofingiensis extract significantly decreased the serum concentrations of LDL (P<0.05). Dietary levels of Chromochloris zofingiensis and Spirulina platensis extract showed no effect on serum malondialdehyde level. In conclusion, diet supplementation with Chromochloris zofingiensis (0.2%) and Spirulina platensis (0.4%) extract improved production index and carcass quality in broilers.

Identification, species diversity and abundance of Albernoeid fish in the rivers of Tehran province from autumn 2018 to autumn 2019 were carried out for twelve months. For this purpose, 24 sampling stations were selected. The samples were fixed with alcohol after capture by electroshock and transferred to the laboratory for bioassays. The results of this study showed that two types of Alburnoides namaki and Alburnoides eichwaldi were identified in the rivers of Tehran province. In this study, Alburnoides namaki were identified in Jajroud, Nimrud and Hablehrood rivers and Alburnoides eichwaldi in Lar river. The frequency of Alburnoides namaki species is more than Alburnoides eichwaldi species, so that the Alburnoides namaki species has 60 pieces in Jajrud river and in Fasham, Saeedabad, Khojir and Pakdasht stations and 48 pieces in Nimrud. And in Andrey Asour stations, downstream and upstream of Arjmand and Nimrud dam and 27 pieces were caught in Hablehrood and in Zarrin-Dasht, Simindasht, Khamdeh and Anzar stations. But only 12 pieces of Caspian tailoring were caught in the Lar River and at the Lar Dam station. Of course, it should be noted that Albernoeid fish was not caught at any of the Kan and Shur river stations. Alburnoides eichwaldi species was caught in spring and summer and was not observed in autumn and winter. Alburnoides namaki species was observed in all seasons

To purpose fish meal reduaction in Huso huso diet, a combinaton of plant and animal proteins (corn gluten: 35%, wheat gluten: 19.34%, processed soy meal: 3%, poultry by product: 20%, meat and bone meal: 8%, blood meal: 4.3%) similar in chemical composition and amino acid profile was subsutsted Anchovy fish meal at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% and named of treatment 1 (FM), treatment 2 (MPP20), treatment 3 (MPP40), Treatment 4 (MPP60) and treatment 5 (MPP80). All diets had the same protein and energy levels (44% and 4365 kcal / kg). Huso huso (average weight, 167 ± 6.5 gr) were fed saturarated and growth indices, hematology and enzyme liver were studied. The results showed that growth indices were not affected by different diets (P> 0.05). There was no significant difference in white blood cell count, red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), monocyte and eosinophil in fish compared to fish fed on fish meal (FM) diet (P>0.05), but mean erythrocyte volume (MCV) in diets fed with diets (MPP20, MPP40, MPP60 and MPP80) and mean hemoglobin weight in one erythrocyte (MCH) of MPP60 and MPP80 compared to (FM) were significantly Decreased (P<0.05). Increasing mixture of animal protein instead of fish meal significantly increased the activity of liver AST and ALT enzymes compared to fish fed a diet based on fish meal (P<0.05). The results of this experiment showed that there was possibility of replace 40% fish meal by mixture of animal and plant proteins without adversely affect on hematological parameters and and liver enzym in growing Huso huso.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency and salinity on blood factors, immunity and stress indices of farmed stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) in 1399. For this purpose, 810 juvenile stellate sturgeon (average weight 12.24 g) in 9 treatments and each with three replications with three salinity levels and three feeding frequency levels were considered. Treatments included: Treatment 1: Twice daily feeding and zero salinity, Treatment 2: Four times daily feeding and zero salinity, Treatment 3: 6 times daily feeding and zero salinity, Treatment 4: Twice daily feeding and 6 g salinity Per thousand, treatment 5: four times a day feeding and salinity 6 grams per thousand, treatment 6: six times a day feeding and salinity 6 grams per thousand, treatment 7: twice daily feeding and salinity 12 grams per thousand, treatment 8: Four times feeding load 12 grams per day and salinity per thousand and treatment 9: 6 times per day and salinity 12 grams per thousand. The fish were reared for eight weeks. Blood samples were then taken from the fish. The results showed that in most cases, the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, blood indices in treatments 4 and 6 were higher than other treatments (P<0.05). Also, the amount of IgM, lysozyme and total immunoglobulin in treatments 3 and 4 were higher than other treatments (P<0.05). The results of stress indicators showed that the serum glucose and cortisol levels of fish had a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). According to the results, it can be said that it is possible to breed stellate sturgeon in different salinities and increasing the number of feedings helps this fish to withstand different environmental conditions. However, due to economic issues and labor costs, it is recommended to feed the fish 4 times a day.

Striped piggy fish (Pomadasys stridens) is one of numerous species in the Persian Gulf Ecosystem and Marine Food Chain. This study was carried out to determine Length-Length and Length-Weight Relationships of striped piggy fish. Sampling was performed for 8 months from January 2020 to May 2021 in the waters of Hormozgan province.  During this period some morphometric relationships of 366 specimens were measured The minimum and maximum Fork length and Total weight were recorded at 43 mm, 198 mm, 1.35 g and  139.27 g respectively. Linear regression relationships between lengths (Total length, Standard Length and Fork Length) for this fish showed that there were positive correlations between these characteristics. R2   parameter for Total Length-Fork Length, Total Length-Standard Length and Fork Length-Standard Length Relationships are 0.9978, 0.9956 and 0.9968 respectively. The analysis of the b value for length-weight relationships indicated that the growth pattern in this species is negative allometric. The parameters a, b, and R2 for length-weight relationships were 0.00002, 2.9761 and 0.9943 respectively.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary XTRACT on hematological parameters, blood biochemical parameters, and safety factors of goldfish (Carassius auratus). For this purpose, goldfish children with a mean weight of 7.53 ± 0.17 grams and a length of 8.34 ± 0.26 cm in 6 treatments and three replicates were distributed randomly in 18 aquariums with 80 liters watering capacity. The commercial XTRACT diet was added to diets at levels 100 (X100), 200 (X200), 300 (X300), 400 (X400), 500 (X500) mg / kg of diet and control diet without XTRACT. The breeding period was considered to be 12 weeks. The results showed a significant difference between plasma biochemical factors such as glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol in 200 mg of XTRACT commercial substance per kg (P<0.05). The highest amount of total protein, albumin, and globulin was observed in this treatment, which significantly differs from the control treatment (P<0.05). The highest amount of C4 was observed in the 300 mg/kg of XTRACT commercial substance (P<0.05). No significant differences were revealed in Hematological parameters such as red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit MCV, MCH, and MCHC (P>0.05). The highest white blood cell count and percentage of monocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils were observed in the t500 mg of XTRACT commercial substance per kg (P<0.05). As a general conclusion, it can be stated that the use of 200 mg / kg of commercial XTRACT in the goldfish diet can stimulate the immune system and thus improve the health and physiological status of goldfish.

Fish sterilization methods are normally used aiming increase growth rate and avoiding early and undesirable breeding. Sex reversal and sterilization due to steroid hormones are some of the most common methods in culture of ornamental fish. Also, the difference in the sensitivity of livebearers and oviparous fish to hormone treatments has been well discussed previously. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the sterilization due to oral treatment of 17-alpha-methyl testosterone (MT) in the livebearer, Poecilia reticulata and the oviparous, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. Guppy and Cichlid fries were divided into seven groups and were fed at the first external feeding by commercial diet contains 30, 60, 100, 150, 200, 300 and 0 (control) mg of hormone 17 alpha-methyl Testosterone per kilogram of food respectively, 6 times a day for 40 days. Each treatment was performed with three replications and 40 fish. The hormone was added to the food by the alcohol dry method. After the hormonal treatment period, the gonads of the fish were examined histologically. The results of present study showed that 300 MT hormone per kg of food caused in 97.6% of sterilized individuals in cichlid, which had a significant difference with other treatments (P<0.05). Also, 300 mg of the hormone per kg of food caused 37.7% of sterilized individuals in guppy, which had a significant difference with other treatments (P<0.05). The results showed that there is a direct and significant relationship between increasing the concentration of hormones and the production of sterility. Also, the results showed that cichlid is more sensitivity to the hormone than a guppy. In conclusion, it can be argued that the oral treatment of MT causes sterilized populations, which can avoid early and undesirable breeding. As a result, reducing the fish culture period is useful in terms of time and economic efficiency for fish culture.

Diazinon organophosphate toxin by affecting on non-target organisms, cause changes in blood indicator count. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) on the hematological indicators of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the treatment of diazinon toxicity. A total of 120 fish (75.31±0.24 g) were fed on a basal diet for 2 weeks to acclimatize the laboratory condition, then they were fed with diet containing B6 in 2 treatments of 5 and 10 mg B6 per kg of food and a control treatment (with commercial diet) for 3 weeks. Treatments of vitamin B6 were exposed to 0.12 mg/l diazinon toxic for 10 days. The hematological indicator was measured at the end of days 1, 5 and 10. The lowest RBC and MCH were observed in 5 mg B6-diazinon treatment compared to control (p<0.05). The effect of time on reduction of RBC was significant in all days (p<0.05). Indicators of RBC, HB, HCT, MCH and MCV and lymphocyte percentage on day 10 showed a higher amount compared to the fifth day (p<0.05). The fifth day showed the highest WBC relative to the first day (p<0.05). The results showed that vitamin B6 at the level of 10 mg was able to prevent the negative effects of diazinon on fish and show improved hematologic function, especially red blood cells, leukocytes and lymphocytes, by treating the toxin with increasing time during the tenth day.

Argyrosomus hololepidotus is one of the most valuable fish in Persian Gulf, Oman Sea, and coastal waters of Khuzestan province in the southwest of Iran. The skin, especially in fish, is the first defense line against the external environment and facilitates normal physiological functions in the body. In fish, the epidermal cells of the skin are mainly formed by the division and differentiation of the epidermal epithelial cells. In the present study, for the first time, the surface cell structure of A. hololepidotus was studied using by histology and ESM methods. This study was carried on six A. hololepidotus. For SEM photography, tissue samples of fish skin were fixed by glutaraldehyde 3 % and washed in PBS and post-fixed with osmium tetroxide for 1 h. The specimens were then dehydrated through a graded ethanol series and embedded in resin after primary and post-fixation. The samples were prepared from 5 µm cuts from the fish dorsum and later they were stained by H&E method. The result of the light microscopic and SEM analysis showed that the fish epidermis was composed from goblet, epithelial, and chloride cells. The results of SEM showed that the goblet cells contained mucus droplets. Superficial squamous cells had microridge which chloride cells were accommodated in them. Finally, it can be concluded that the structure of the skin surface cells in Argyrosomus hololepidotus is very similar to the skin of fish of the same family (Sciaenidae).

In this study aimed to determine behavioral and histopathological changes of Zinc in Roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) in acute toxicity tests for 96 h. The experiments were done by 200 Rutilus sp. fish with avrage weight 2.5±0.27g.To determinate behavioral and histopathological changes, 13 fish were distributed in groups of 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, 80 and 90 mg/l of Zinc. A group of fish was considered as control. Sulphate zinc salt was used as source of zinc. Thanks were aerated for 24 hours, so dissolved oxygen was maintained at range saturation by aeration. Test temperature, pH  value and dissolved oxygen were measured using portable multiparameter meter Hack (Model 2000).  Kidneys, livers, and gills were collected for evaluation. There was total mortality of 90 mg/l. Observations of behavioral response of  fish fingerlings expoused to zinc were such as vertical and downward swimming patterns, loss of equilibrium, convulsion, and spending more time at the bottom. Following this, the fish died with their mouth and operculum open. Gills presented vascular congestion, complete fusion of secondary lamellae, and epithelial cell hypertrophy. In the kidneys, changes such as Bowman’s capsule clearance, tubular degeneration, and glomerular capillary dilatation were common. Liver samples showed cytoplasmic vacuolization and cellular degeneration. Zinc induces a clinical condition of liver, gill and kidney damage in Roach. The results revealed, the use of Zinc in water can be harmful to increase fish mortality rate acute exposure to Zinc.

This study aimed to determine the effect of different levels of ethanolic extract of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl on the growth and nutritional indexes of (Cyprinus carpio) juveniles. The fish (30.36±1.12 g) in 4 treatments fed for 45 days; control (without extract), and three groups were fed with different levels of extract (4, 8, and 16 mg/kg-1). In start, 10 every day at the end of the experimental period, biometric tests were done. Growth factors (final weight, total length, weight gain, weight gain percentage, daily growth rate, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency percentage) were calculated. The results showed that the growth factors in treatments fed with ethanolic extract of Stachys lavandulifolia were significantly increased in comparison to control (P<0.05). Among the growth indicators the highest growth performance was observed in fish fed by 16 mg/kg-1 of Stachys lavandulifolia extract (P<0.05). Due to the chemical compounds of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl extract in improves growth, it acts as a natural antioxidant. The feed conversion ratio showed the lowest performance in the treatment containing 16 mg/kg-1 compared to the control and the percentage of feed efficiency showed the highest performance in the treatment containing 16 mg/kg-1 than the control. According to the results, the addition of 16 mg/kg-1 of Stachys lavandulifolia extract to the Common carp diet has a significant effect on the growth indexes of this fish.

This study was conducted to screen 7 species of the broodstocks silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) digestive tracts bacterial flora including Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacteriaceae, Corynebacterium jijicum, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus luteus, Aeromonas, and Unidentified. Antibacterial activities of these candidates bacterial flora were conducted under disc diffusion, well diffusion, and cross streak methods. The tree probiotics candidates (Bacillus, Corynebacterium, and Micrococcus) were shown antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. Candidate Bacillus showed a significant inhibition zone (20 ml) against the pathogen in the disk diffusion method. On the other hand, the addition of 10 ml of Bacillus supernatant to Aeromonas pathogenic species leads to killing them completely at 12 hours. The pH 8 and temperature 30 o was found optimum to grow candidates bacteria and produce antibacterial bio-components. There are significant differences between 8 treatments under different dosages of candidates bacteria and control (without bacteria of beaker included silver carp larva) in fish survival (P<0.05). From this, we can conclude that the candidate Bacillus subtilis maybe can be probiotics for silver carp culture.

Indian white shrimp (Penaeus indicus) is the dominant species of shrimp with a high economic value in the coastal waters of Oman Sea. 

Materials & Methods:

 Biological data of gillnets fisheries were collected in two fishing grounds in the east (Pasabandar and Gwadar) and west (Pozim and Konarak) during the year 2018-2020.

By recording biological data on 2671 specimen of P. indicus, male to female sex ratio was obtained 1:1.17, which shows the predominance of female in the catch composition. The carapace length range (CL) was recorded at 14-58 mm for male, and 17-67 mm for female, with a mean length of larger female (40.1±1.22 mm) than male (38.4±1.26 mm). Data on CL and TL (Total length) by sex showed a significant linear relationship (p<0.05), which in general TL was 4.67 times larger than CL in females and 4.64 times larger than CL in males. The growth pattern was statistically negative allometric between CL and body weight (p<0.05), wherase it was isometric between TL and body weight )p<0.05). Spawning of P. indicus occurs throughout the year with two peaks; a major spawning in spring and a minor one in autumn. The smallest mature female was 31 mm CL, with a mean length at first maturity (Lm50%) of 37.7 mm.

Time closure on shrimp fishing during the main spawning season, and also catching shrimp with a mean length (CL) larger than Lm50% during the opening fishing season is necessary for optimal harvesting the stocks.

The body's antioxidant defense system acts as a neutralizer of the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced under adverse conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in sediment and soft tissue of Saccostrea cucullata and to measure the levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes as biomarkers of heavy metal pollutants in the Oman Sea coasts. 180 rocky oysters and 18 sediment samples were collected from 6 stations on the shores of the Oman Sea and transferred to the laboratory. The total length and weight of the samples were measured and the soft tissue of the oyster was separated. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer and the level of enzymes was measured by an enzyme assay kit. The mean concentrations of cadmium, nickel and lead in ocky oyster soft tissue were 14.9±4.04, 3.9±1.62 and 6.75±2.01, respectively, and in sediment 2.63±0.81, 19.8± 2.8 and 22.95±7.77 micrograms per gram of dry weight. Mean levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase were recorded 11.44±4.88 and 22.07±7.94 nmol/min/mgprotein, respectively. The pattern of heavy metal accumulation in soft tissue and sediment was Ni<PbSo that Ramin station, enzymes showed the highest levels. The concentration of heavy metals in sediment was higher than the soft tissue of rocky oysters. However, compression of heavy metals concentration in the sediment with the sediment quality standards showed that the amount of metals studied in the sediments of the study area does not threat to organisms in this area.

Many marine fishery stocks are deprived of continuous research survey due to cost and facilities limitations, which are known as poor-data. Thus, management methods have also been developed through simulation in which shrimp stocks were managed under future simulation and modeling conditions in the face of data limitation. The aim of this study was to simulate the storage of banana shrimp in Hormozgan province using total allowable catch (TAC) models. Data were collected through shrimp fishing vessels in shrimp fishery grounds of Hormozgan in2018. Future simulation for 50-years was done by closed loop with 5000 replications, of which 200 lines of the simulation process were randomly selected. According to the results, the ITe model with 76.9% had the highest probability of yield in the MSY range among the models. In simulating the trend of biomass index (B/BMSY) it was found that ITe, DDe, LstepCE and EtargetLopt models with probability percentages of 76.7%, 54.7%, 38.6% and 13.3% from the highest to the lowest, respectively. The 50-year forecast trend showed that in the DDe model, the mortality rate (F/FMSY) decreased sharply, and the results of this model had the highest range of uncertainty, ranging from 0 to 2.5. The results of the present study can provide valuable information about the stock of banana shrimp in Hormozgan province in the future to decision makers, managers and researchers.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of extracted chloroform from sea cucumber (Holothuria Parva) on the survival of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exposed to Vibrio harveyi and to evaluate changes in immune factors during the experimental period. Sea cucumber samples were collected from the tidal zone of Dayyer county in Bushehr province. Shrimps with an average weight of 10±1 g were collected from culture ponds and kept in 33 aquariums containing 100 liters of water with a salinity of 40 ppt. The results showed that the survival rate in treatments 1, 2, and 3 with consumption of the extracted chloroform was 100%. PO had a significant difference in treatments 1, 2, and 3 with negative and positive control groups. POD had a significant difference in treatments 1, 2, and 3 with the positive control group. THC was significantly different in treatments 1 and 2 with the positive control group and treatment 3 with the negative control group. TPP was significantly different in treatment 1 with positive and negative control groups, in treatment 2 with the negative control group, and treatment 3 with negative and positive control groups. SOD was significantly different in treatment 1 with positive and negative control groups, and in treatments 2 and 3 with negative control groups. According to the results, the survival rate and safety factors were higher in shrimp fed with extracted chloroform compared to shrimp fed with commercial food.

Leishmaniasis are parasitic diseases with widely spread in world. Leishmania major and L. tropica cause cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Clinically, lesions caused by L. major last longer. This study was designed to evaluate the leishmanicidal activity of fenchone as a plant extract on L. major stages. Various concentrations of fenchone against Lmajor stages by MTT assay and macrophage model were used and the inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) was calculated by counting of the parasites. For intramacrophage amastigotes, the leishmanicidal activity was evaluated by the mean number of amastigotes and IC50 values. The findings showed that extract of fenchone inhibited the proliferation rate of Promastigotes and amastigotes (P<0.001). The mean IC50 values of amastigotes for fenchone were 82 vs. 175.1 (μg/ml) glucantime. Also, the mean IC50 values of promastigotes for fenchone were 180 vs. 613 (μg/ml) glucantime. The SI index for Fenchone was 9.6, while that for glucantime was 8.24. This study revealed that extract of fenchone prevented the development of the promastigotes and amastigotes. Also, toxicity of fenchone are less than standard drug (glucantime).

The aim of this study was to investigate the prebiotic effects of Spirulina platensis on the survival of two species of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei in the process of encapsulation in sour cherry juice. For this purpose, two types of probiotics were prepared in stock. The encapsulation process was performed using spray drying method and production of calcium-linked cross-linked alginate capsules. The viability of the probiotics was measured in encapsulated with and without Spirulina at 28-day storage at 4 °C. Survival rates were also measured at 60, 70 and 80 °C at 0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 minutes. In addition, simulations of gastric and intestinal juice environment were performed for two bacterial species in different states of encapsulation. The results showed that bacteria encapsulated with Spirulina had the highest survival and temperature resistance. Also, the highest efficiency of encapsulated probiotics in the presence of Spirulina was 81.9 and 83% for L. acidophilus and L. casei, respectively. In addition, Spirulina-encapsulated probiotic bacteria showed greater resistance than other bacterial forms in gastric and intestinal juice conditions. In summary, the results of this study showed that capsules containing Spirulina and Lactobacillus casei had higher survival and heat resistance than capsules containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Spirulina. Also, the results of bacterial resistance test in the conditions of simulating gastric and intestinal juice showed that encapsulated bacteria showed more resistance in the presence of Spirulina compared to the free form, which ultimately increases the efficiency and health of food products and humans.

The Shemshak Group contains a rich and diversified flora in the Abyek and Jirande areas (western Alborz). This paper considers the description of ferns and horsetails from this flora and their ecological significance. The study revealed the occurrence of five species of Equisetales, seven species of Filicales, and two species of Marattiales; among these, two genera and five species are recorded for the first time from Iran. Moreover, two species are recorded as new to the western Alborz. The studied horizon in the Abyek area represents a Rhaetic delta lowland. Monospecific thickets of Equisetites muensteri, Clathropteris meniscioides, and Dictyophyllum nathorsti were extended across large regions of the lowland, providing an accessible source of food for sauropods. The studied horizon in the Jirande area is Liassic in age, well developing in parts of delta lowland and delta upland sub-environments; the different parts of these sub-environments were covered by monospecific thickets of Equisetites laevis, Schizoneura paradoxa, Neocalamites hoerensis, N. ishpushtensis, Clathropteris obovata, Dictyophyllum exile, D. nathorsti, and Thaumatopteris brauniana, forming a significant food source for sauropods, while drier habitats within the delta were occupied by Symopteris pseudolobifolia and Marattiopsis barnardii , which had a less important role in sauropod’s diet.

The use of bivalves as bioindicator species to assess marine environmental pollution has always been of interest to researchers. In this study, the accumulation of heavy metals of copper, nickel and cadmium in the soft tissue of rocky oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) during the two seasons of autumn 2020 and spring 2021 in 4 stations of Gowatr, Beris, Ramin and Tis on the northern shores of Makoran Sea was investigated. After sampling and separating of soft tissue, according to standard instructions, it was dried, weighed and chemically digested, and the concentration of metals was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. According to the results, in both autumn and spring, the accumulation pattern was copper Conclusion Compared to international standard FAO, nickel metal had a higher concentration, which due to the lack of related industries in the study area, the natural origin can be the main reason for its existence

Wetlands, as one of the most important natural habitats in the world, play an important role in supplying fresh water and maintaining biological balance. The aim of this study was evaluating the spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations of lead, zinc and cadmium in the sediments of Astara's Steel wetland. Data were obtained through sediment sampling with Van Veen grab sampler and analyzed through laboratory and statistical analysis. Sampling was done in autumn and winter of 2019-2020 monthly and randomly from wetland sediments in 4 stations in north, south, east and west of Steel Wetland. The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals in the sediments of the northern and western parts, especially the northwestern part of the wetland is higher than the southern and eastern parts. Experimental data indicated that the metals zinc, cadmium and lead with concentrations of 1.2, 1.2 and 0.99 ppm, respectively, had the highest concentration in the western station and the lowest concentration (zero ppm) at the Southern Station. The results of statistical analysis showed that the difference between the concentrations of heavy metals lead, cadmium and zinc in wetland sediments at different stations was significant (p<0.05). Pearson correlation method was used to investigate the correlation between heavy metals in the wetland. The results showed that the correlation between cadmium and zinc concentrations was not significant (p>0.01). Also, the correlation between lead and zinc concentrations was not significant (p>0.01). The correlation between cadmium and lead concentrations was significant (p<0.01).

Ants include more than 12000 species that belong to Formicidae family and Hymenoptera order. They are one of the most successful sociable insects, due to their ability to move a huge amount of soil, called them soil engineers. The members of this family have ecological, biological, and economical significant roles in the environment, thereby being applied as the biological indicators by researchers. Ants have special importance in biological pest control, disinfection, environmental indicators, etc. Sampling was performed during three seasons of spring‚ summer, and autumn from 10 stations in the eastern half of Kurdistan Province. The samples were detected in crawl tubes containing 70% alcohol in Shahid Beheshti laboratory by stereomicroscope and valid identification keys up to gender and species. The results of this study led us to identify five new species from two subfamilies Myrmicinae and Formicinae that are reported for the first time from Kurdistan Province in Iran.

As a tool that can help diagnose diseases or identify disorders, aquatic hematology has made significant advances over the past two decades, providing information on maturation, blood cell function, physiological responses, and standard hematological techniques. have given. In fish, like other animals, physiological and pathological conditions have an effect on the blood panel and can be evaluated. In some cases, obtaining even a small blood sample may provide valuable information in the selection of treatment options and effectively help to assess the progress of the disease or response to treatment. Among the various aquatic species, sturgeons are among the most valuable aquatic organisms that have biological and economic importance, and most of them are endangered due to their large size, late sexual maturity, long time interval between spawning, long life, overfishing, and various types of water pollution. are extinct in order to preserve, maintain, multiply and breed these rare and valuable species, knowing their hematological characteristics and blood specialties can be very effective. In this review article, some of the usual hematologic methods to check the properties of sturgeon blood cells, measuring hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell (RBC), total and differential white blood cell count. Blood (WBC, white blood cell) is examined along with the interpretation of results caused by blood disorders.

The hypopharyngeal glands (HPGs) are a major member of protein synthesis in worker bees, which is involved in larval growth. In this experiment, the effect of season (summer, winter and spring) on the development of HPGs and its morphological characteristics under brood rearing conditions in honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) was investigated. To carry out this experiment, 10 honey bee colonies with the same conditions in all seasons were used. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the different seasons in the acini area of the HPGs of worker bees (at the ages of 3, 6, 9 and 15 days). During the winter, spring and summer, the HPGs fully developed under brood conditions but had morphological differences. Also, the level of unsealed/uncapped brood rearing (including: eggs and larvae) was significantly different between different seasons. According to the results obtained from the development of HPGs in summer and winter, an upward and downward trend in glands growth was observed, which is known, but in the spring we saw a steady trend in the growth of glands, which could be a new theory of the development of HPGs in the spring according to the level of brood rearing.