Biological survey of Chalcalburnus chalcoides guldenstadti spawning migration in Anzati Lagoon

Different biological forms of Chalcalburnus chalcoides, which is called sharnaya in Russian and saphidcooly in Persian, are distributed in the Caspian Sea, Aral Sea and Black Sea, The saphidcooly which live in the Caspian Sea scattered in the southern and western regions and enter the Kura and Terek Rivers in the northern coast for spawning (Berg. 1965). The Anzali lagoon saphidcooly is smaller in size compared with the Kura's population, but the results of this survey indicate that after maturation. The Anzali Lagoon saphidcooly show greater growth than the Kuras population. The migration for spawning to Anzali Lagoon commences in March with slow run, and reaches the peak in May and the beginning of June

Two-sided asymmetric subduction; implications for tectonomagmatic and metallogenic evolution of the Lut Block, Eastern Iran

West directed subduction zones show common characteristics, such as low structural elevation, deep trench, steep slab and a conjugate back-arc basin that are opposite to those of the east directed subduction zones. The tectonomagmatic and metallogenic setting of the Lut Block is still a matter of debate and several hypotheses have been put forward. Despite some authors denying the influence of the operation of Benioff planes, the majority propose that it occurred beneath the Afghan Block, while others consider that oceanic lithosphere was dragged under the Lut Block. Cu-Au porphyry deposits seem to occur in an island arc geotectonic setting during the middle Eocene while Mo-bearing deposits are coincident with the crustal thickening during Oligocene. We introduce new trace element and isotope geochemical data for granitoids and structural evidences testifying the two-sided asymmetric subduction beneath both Afghan and Lut Blocks, with different rates of consumption of oceanic lithosphere

The ichthyofauna of Anzali Lagoon

The present study on the Ichthyofauna of Anzali Lagoon carried out from 1992-94 revealed that 13 families, 36 genera and 42 species and sub-species of fish inhabit the lagoon and its connected rivers their whole life, part of it or immigrate to these waterbodies for reproduction purposes. The Cyprinidae family composes 59.5% of the lagoon's ichthyofauna (21 genera and 25 species and sub-species). Species such as Cyprinus carpio and Esox lucius are the native species of the Anzali Lagoon, while other species, e.g. Rutilus frisii kutum, immigrate to the lagoon from the Caspian Sea. Carassius auratus and Hemiculter leucisculus have been introduced to this aquatic ecosystem unintentionally together with Pseudorasbora parva. A number of the observed species in the Anzali Lagoon have been introduced to this aquatic ecosystem for certain reasons, i.e. cambating Anopheles mosquito Gambusia holbrooki, reducing the aquatic plant Ctenopharyngodon idella, increasing the stocks (Silver carp and Big head carp). Both resident and anadromous population of Stizostedion luciperca, Barbus capito and Cyprinus carpio were observed in the Anzali Lagoon, while other marine species, e.g. Liza aurata and Atherina boyeri had entered the ichthyofauna of the lagoon due to the rising water level of the Caspian Sea and the increment of salinity in the lagoons connecting rivers. Appearance and abundance of Abramis brama and Stizostedion luciperca indicate that the ecological condition of the lagoon is improving

Transvaginal sonographic evaluation at different menstrual cycle phases in diagnosis of uterine lesions

Masomeh Hajishaiha1, Mohammad Ghasemi-rad2, Nazila Karimpour1, Nikol Mladkova3, Farzaneh Boromand11Department of Gynecology, 2Student Research Committee (SRC), Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran; 3Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, London, UKPurpose: Intrauterine lesions (IULs) are a common finding in women of reproductive age, particularly infertile women. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is a popular tool for IUL detection, but there are conflicting data with respect to its accuracy.Methods: Five hundred and six women were enrolled into the study. Of these, 496 underwent hysterosalpingography and subsequent TVS six different times during the course of their menstrual cycle. If a lesion was detected, it was further evaluated by sonohysterography (SHG) and hysteroscopy.Results: Of 496 women, 41 were shown to have IULs by TVS and those lesions were confirmed in 39 by SHG and hysteroscopy. All 39 lesions were detectable during the ovulatory and early luteal phase (days 16–19) of the menstrual cycle. Accuracy of TVS during different phases was largely dependent on the size of the lesion. TVS falsely detected two lesions and missed fine adhesions in two patients.Conclusion: Accuracy of TVS in detection of IULs is highly dependent on the menstrual cycle phase, with the ovulatory and early luteal phase being the optimal time for this examination.Keywords: menstrual cycle phase, space occupying lesions, transvaginal sonograph

Evaluation of physiological screening techniques for drought-resistant breeding of durum wheat genotypes in Iran

This paper summarizes the results of a project aimed to evaluate the use of physiological traits (such as canopy temperature and chlorophyll content) in determining drought tolerance of durum wheat genotypes under a variety of environmental conditions. Six durum wheat genotypes were planted in rainfed and supplementary irrigation conditions in Gachsaran of Iran for two years (2007 to 2009). Five drought tolerance indices including stress susceptibility index (SSI), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance index (TOL), mean productivity (MP) and geometric mean productivity (GMP) were calculated. Canopy temperature depression (CTD) and chlorophyll content (CHL) was used to estimate crop yield and to rank genotypes. CTD and CHL were measured at three stages from emergence of 50% of inflorescence (Zadoks Growth Scale54) to watery ripe stage (ZGS71). Genotypes G5 (OUASERL-1) and G6 (Stj//Bcr/LKS41CD94) were superior genotypes for both environments with high PC1 and low PC2 in biplot analysis. The results of genotypes CTD in ZGS69 stage and CHL in grain filling stage had high significant differences. The significant and positive correlation of MP, SSI, STI, CHL and CTD showed that these indices were more effective in identifying high yielding genotypes under both conditions and the result showed that CTD and CHL played important roles to search for the physiological basis of grain yield of wheat and CTD and CHL can successfully be used as a selection criterions in breeding programs.Key words: Canopy temperature, chlorophyll content, drought stress, durum wheat

Pegomya bicolor (Dip.: Anthomyiidae), a species new to Iran fauna

The anthomyiid fly, Pegomya bicolor (Wiedemann, 1817), is newly recorded from Iran. It was collected during surveys on biocontrol agents of Rumex spp. (Polygonaceae) in Urmia region, north west of Iran. This leaf-mining fly is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region on several species of Rumex. Voucher specimens are being held at the Natural History Museum of Urmia University

The close relationship between the Golgi trafficking machinery and protein glycosylation

La glicosilazione è la più comune modifica post-traduzionale delle proteine; media la loro corretta piegatura e stabilità, nonché il loro trasporto attraverso il trasporto secretorio. I cambiamenti nei glicani legati all'N e all'O sono stati associati a molteplici condizioni patologiche tra cui disturbi congeniti della glicosilazione, malattie infiammatorie e cancro. La glicosilazione della glicoproteina al Golgi coinvolge l'azione coordinata di centinaia di glicosiltransferasi e glicosidasi, che vengono mantenute nella posizione corretta attraverso il traffico di vescicole retrograde tra le cisterne di Golgi. In questa recensione, descriviamo il macchinario molecolare coinvolto nel traffico di vescicole e nel tethering presso l'apparato di Golgi e gli effetti delle mutazioni nel contesto della biosintesi dei glicani e delle malattie umane.Glycosylation is the most common post-translational modification of proteins; it mediates their correct folding and stability, as well as their transport through the secretory transport. Changes in N- and O-linked glycans have been associated with multiple pathological conditions including congenital disorders of glycosylation, inflammatory diseases and cancer. Glycoprotein glycosylation at the Golgi involves the coordinated action of hundreds of glycosyltransferases and glycosidases, which are maintained at the correct location through retrograde vesicle trafficking between Golgi cisternae. In this review, we describe the molecular machinery involved in vesicle trafficking and tethering at the Golgi apparatus and the effects of mutations in the context of glycan biosynthesis and human diseases

First report of Cryptus inquisitor (Hym.: Ichneumonidae) from Iran

زنبور پارازیتوئید Cryptus inquisitor Tschek (Hym.: Ichneumonidae) برای اولین‌بار از ایران گزارش می‌شود. زنبور برگ‌خوار ترشک Kokujewia ectrapela Konow (Hym.: Argidae) میزبان این پارازیتوئید در منطقه‌ی ارومیه بوده و میزبان جدیدی برای آن محسوب می‌شود. نمونه‌های C. inquisitor از شفیره‌های میزبان به‌دست آمدند

Length frequency, sex ratio and relative abundance (CPUE) of Astacus leptodactylus in Arass Reservior (1997-98)

The length frequency, sex ratio and CPUE of Arass reservoir crayfish have been studied during a one year research project in 1997-98. Comparison of Arass crayfish with the same species of crayfish dwelling in freshwater habitats of Turkey, Turkamenistan, Caspian sea region and also in Anzali lagoon, The Arass crayfish were higher in length and weight. The average length and weight were 120.50±0.96mm and 54.68±1.53 gr, respectively (n=3219, confidence interval 95%). In the samples, the smallest crayfish measured 78mm and weighted 12.3 gr and the largest crayfish had 186mmlength and 239.6 gr weight. In the crayfish traps 83.2% of catch exceeded the standard commercial size. The sex ratio during spawning period (December-May) dominated by males and in other months the females had superiority in the catch. In general consideration the sex ratio during the project life dominated by males (1:1.33, n=35454). The CPUE in August was the highest and the least in January (in order of 10.32 and 0.15 crayfish per one trap in 24 hours respectively). The catching operation occured in the depth of 2.5-17.5m in the ecosystem, and CPUE were the highest the depth of 75m. Considering the CPUE data, the desirable catch occured in the August, September and October. Positive relationship between water temperature and CPUE observed, and optimum catch were occured when the water temperature ranged between 16-26ᵒC