Two heterostigmatic mite species (Acari: Dolichocybidae, Podapolipidae) associated with Scarabaeus pius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Iran

During a study on insect-associated heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata) in southern Isfahan Province, Central Iran, two colonies of mites were found on Scarabaeus pius (Illiger, 1803) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): Pavania lanceolata sp. n. Bahramian et Hajiqanbar (Dolichocybidae) that is easily discernible by some modified foliate setae on tarsi I–III; and Tarsopolipus massai Husband, 1989 (Podapolipidae) for which Scarabaeus pius is a new host recor

Psychosocial determinants of dental service utilization among adults: Results from a population-based survey (Urban HEART-2) in Tehran, Iran

Objectives: To evaluate the association between dental service utilization and mental health in an adult population in the context of the socioeconomic status of the participants. Subjects and Methods: Multi-stage cluster random sampling was performed in Tehran, Iran, in 2011. Data were collected on dental service utilization, barriers of dental visit, self-perceived oral health, mental health, age, gender, education, and wealth status. The complex sample analysis method in SPSS and the survey data analysis menu in STATA were employed for statistical evaluation. Results: Of 20,320 participants, 25-36 suffered from disorders in at least one of the domains of somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression. Only 56 of the participants visited a dentist at least once during the last year. The main barriers to a dental visit were "no perceived need" and "high costs." Females, the richest participants, subjects aged 25-64-year-old, and those with poor self-perceived oral health, mental health disorders, and higher education had more visits. The participants who perceived the need but did not visit a dentist due to some reasons mostly comprised females, those aged 25-44-year-old, those with a poor perceived oral health, disordered people in all domains of mental health, and poorer participants. Conclusion: Dental service utilization was influenced by socioeconomic factors and the mental health status of the adult population after controlling for multiple confounders. Reducing financial hardship and providing health education on the importance of preventive visits may decrease barriers to regular visits in countries with developing oral health systems. © 2015 European Journal of Dentistry

Distances to Galactic X-ray binaries with Gaia DR2

Precise and accurate measurements of distances to Galactic X-ray binaries (XRBs) reduce uncertainties in the determination of XRB physical parameters. We have cross-matched the XRB catalogues of Liu, van Paradijs & van den Heuvel to the results of Gaia Data Release 2. We identify 86 XRBs with a Gaia candidate counterpart, of which 32 are low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and 54 are high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Distances to Gaia candidate counterparts are, on average, consistent with those measured by Hipparcos and radio parallaxes. When compared to distances measured by Gaia candidate counterparts, distances measured using Type I X-ray bursts are systematically larger, suggesting that these bursts reach only 50 per cent of the Eddington limit. However, these results are strongly dependent on the prior assumptions used for estimating distance from the Gaia parallax measurements. Comparing positions of Gaia candidate counterparts for XRBs in our sample to positions of spiral arms in the Milky Way, we find that HMXBs exhibit mild preference for being closer to spiral arms; LMXBs exhibit mild preference for being closer to interarm regions. LMXBs do not exhibit any preference for leading or trailing their closest spiral arm. HMXBs exhibit a mild preference for trailing their closest spiral arm. The lack of a strong correlation between HMXBs and spiral arms may be explained by star formation occurring closer to the mid-point of the arms, or a time delay between star formation and HMXB formation manifesting as a spatial separation between HMXBs and the spiral arm where they formed

Conservation and restoration of Caspian salmon (Salmo trutta caspius) stocks in the southern Caspian

The project is funded by the CASPECO Project which is the Third Phase of the GEF supported project in the Caspian Sea region titled “The Caspian Sea: Restoring Depleted Fisheries and Consolidation of a Permanent Regional Environmental Governance Framework”, and implemented by the Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO) in partnership with four Coastal Research Centers affiliated to IFRO, Coldwater Fishes Research Centre (CFRC).The project's objective is to improve the conservation and restoration of Caspian Salmon (Salmo trutta caspius) stocks. In accordance with IUCN criteria Caspian Salmon is placed in the red list of endangered fish. In the recent decades the destruction of habitats for juveniles, reduction of genetic diversity and fish immune system were main causes of the Caspian salmon decline. Numbers of public meetings were held with participation of fishing communities’ representatives, experts, relevant local authorities and experts of the IFRO and Iranian Fisheries Organization (IFO), Iran Environment Protection Organization (IEPO), Water Resource Management (Ministry of Energy) and University senior professors, in order to create interaction and understanding of the project objectives. Educational awareness and extension program were conducted with the involvement of fisheries communities, private sector and NGO associations. The results of the project suggests that cross-sectoral coordination for sustainable fisheries can be achieved through building partnerships and enhancing communication between the environment, private, fisheries sectors and academia. Cross-sectoral cooperation through this project improved public awareness on growing risks facing Caspian Salmon from different sources including local sources (illegal fishing and over-fishing, urban wastewater, environment destruction, industrial pollutants, pollution of air and water resources), new emerging and invasive organisms, climate change, implications of the Caspian salmon population decline on economic and social affairs of the people who depend on them for their livelihood and food security and their role in fish stock protection. The project, through its capacity building, extension and educational programs and efforts to link science to management, could translate scientific findings into an action agenda for managers and policy makers that can bring an improvement in the future of the Caspian Sea salmon stock

Constraining the nature of the 18-min periodic radio transient GLEAM-X J162759.5-523504.3 via multi-wavelength observations and magneto-thermal simulations

We observed the periodic radio transient GLEAM-X J162759.5-523504.3 (GLEAM-X J1627) using the Chandra X-ray Observatory for about 30-ks on January 22-23, 2022, simultaneously with radio observations from MWA, MeerKAT and ATCA. Its radio emission and 18-min periodicity led the source to be tentatively interpreted as an extreme magnetar or a peculiar highly magnetic white dwarf. The source was not detected in the 0.3-8 keV energy range with a 3-sigma upper-limit on the count rate of 3x10^{-4} counts/s. No radio emission was detected during our X-ray observations either. Furthermore, we studied the field around GLEAM-X J1627 using archival ESO and DECam data, as well as recent SALT observations. Many sources are present close to the position of GLEAM-X J1627, but only two within the 2" radio position uncertainty. Depending on the assumed spectral distribution, the upper limits converted to an X-ray luminosity of L_{X}<6.5x10^{29} erg/s for a blackbody with temperature kT=0.3 keV, or L_{X}<9x10^{29} erg/s for a power-law with photon index Gamma = 2 (assuming a 1.3 kpc distance). Furthermore, we performed magneto-thermal simulations for neutron stars considering crust- and core-dominated field configurations. Based on our multi-band limits, we conclude that: i) in the magnetar scenario, the X-ray upper limits suggest that GLEAM-X J1627 should be older than ~1 Myr, unless it has a core-dominated magnetic field or has experienced fast-cooling; ii) in the white dwarf scenario, we can rule out most binary systems, a hot sub-dwarf and a hot magnetic isolated white dwarf (T>10.000 K), while a cold isolated white dwarf is still compatible with our limits.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures; ApJ accepte

Providing brood stocks of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) from Mazandaran Rivers and production of one hundred thousand fries

Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) is one of valuable fishes of the Caspian sea for people living in the Northern coastal area of Iran. Since fish stock and natural resources protection is one the Iranian fisheries research objectives, the most activity on Caspian trout rehabilitation was focused on releasing thousands of smolts in the rivers discharge to Caspian Sea. Catch statistics of this species has declined over last decades thus this study on quality of provided brood stocks and producing fries with suitable quality can help rehabilitation and rearing of this valuable species. Several rivers were considered for providing brooders to keep genetic resources variety of sea stocks. In spawning season 25 (9 male, 16 female) and 30 (5 male, 25 female) brooders were collected from fishermen in Mazandaran rivers and Gyilan coasts provinces respectively. After propagation and larvae rearing, 11500 (10-15 g.) and 50000 (less than 10 g.) juveniles were released in Gyilan and Mazandaran rivers respectively

Study of tagging effects on surviving rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat

Study of tagging effects on survival rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat was a part of a large research plan on conservation and restoration of Caspian trout stocks in the Southern Caspian by Coldwater Fishes Research Center. Catching brooders, propagation, larvae and juvenile rearing were carried out in Southern coasts and rivers of Caspian sea and in shahid Bahonar propagation center in Kelardasht, Mazandaran (North of Iran) in autumn 2012. 150 fries for each treatment (5, 10 and 20 g fries and Plastic T tag, elastomer tag and control treatments) anesthetized, weighed (g), measured (mm), tagged, disinfected and introduced to cement ponds. Fries were kept and fed for 5 days and their behavior and responses to food, infection of wound and mortality were recorded. No mortality were observed in all treatments, fries were shocked for few hours after handling and did not take food but they started to feed from the first day after tagging and there was no infection in macroscopic observation of wound