Chromoplex picticollis (Hym.: Ichneumonidae) associated with Asteraceae capitulum: a genus and species new to Iran

گونه Chromoplex picticollis (Thomson) به عنوان اولین گزارش یک جنس و گونه برای فون ایران معرفی می­گردد. این گونه از گل­آذین کلاپرک گیاه Echinops sp. (Asteracea) که هم‌زمان توسط Tephritis sp. dioscurea group (Dip.: Tephritidae) آلوده شده‌بود، پرورش یافت. این مطالعه در سال­های 1392-1394 در شمال‌غرب ایران، استان آذربایجان‌شرقی، منطقه ارشدچمنی انجام شد. ویژگی­های مورفولوژیک افتراقی و پراکنش C. picticollis ارائه می­گردد

First record of the fruit fly Urophora vera (Dip.: Tephritidae) from Iran

مطالعه فونستیک گونه‌های جنس Urophora Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tephritidae)  در دو استان آذربایجان شرقی و آذربایجان غربی در طول سال‌های 1392 و 1393 انجام شد. در این تحقیق گونه Urophora vera Kurneyev & White  از روی گیاه Serratula sp. (Asteraceae) از تیره مرکبان جمع­آوری و پرورش داده شد. این گونه برای اولین بار از ایران گزارش می‌شود

Assessment of Clover Root Curculio, Sitona puncticollis Stephens (Col.: Curculionidae) Injury on Lucerne (Medicago sativa) in Pots

Alfalfa is one of the most important crops that are infested by Sitona species in Iran. Adults and larvae of Sitona spp. feed on foliage and root of legumes and cause serious damages on them. Collection of adults of this genus during 2003 -2004 years from alfalfa fields of eleven localities in East Azarbaidjan Province, Sitona puncticollis Stephens was found to be the dominant species. To estimate of damage of this species, 100 pots of common alfalfa cultivar (Ghara yonje) were sowed and after 2.5 months. Fifty pots were infested with eggs of S. puncticollis and the rests were maintained as control. After two months, length of stem and roots and their dry and fresh weights were measured in 30 infested and 30 uninfested pots. The data of infested and uninfested pots were compared by T- test. Results showed that there were significant differences (P< 0.01) between all measured traits in infested and uninfested pots

Community behavioral and perceived responses in the CoViD-19 outbreak in Afghanistan: A cross-sectional study running title: Community responses in the Covid-19 outbreak

Objective: Community responses are important for the management of early-phase outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Perceived susceptibility and severity are considered key elements that motivate people to adopt non-pharmaceutical interventions. This study aimed to i) explore perceived susceptibility and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, ii) examine the practice of non-pharmaceutical interventions, and iii) assess the potential association of perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity with the practice of non-pharmaceutical interventions among people living in Afghanistan. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, using online surveys disseminated from April to May 2020. Convenience sampling was used to recruit the participants of this study. The previously developed scales were used to assess the participants' demographic information, perceived risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and perceived severity of COVID-19. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the potential association of perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity with the practice of non-pharmaceutical interventions. Results: The internet was the main source for obtaining COVID-19 information among participants in this study. While 45.8% of the participants believed it was “very unlikely” for them to get infected with COVID-19, 76.7% perceived COVID-19 as a severe disease. Similarly, 37.5% believed the chance of being cured if infected with COVID-19 is “unlikely/very unlikely”. The majority of participants (95.6%) perceived their health to be in “good” and “very good” status. Overall, 74.2% mentioned that they stopped visiting public places, 49.7% started using gloves, and 70.4% started wearing a mask. Participants who believed they have a low probability of survival if infected with COVID-19 were more likely to wear masks and practice hand washing. Conclusions: It appears that communities' psychological and behavioral responses were affected by the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan, especially among young internet users. The findings gained from a timely behavioral assessment of the community might be useful to develop interventions and risk communication strategies in epidemics within and beyond COVID-19

Prevalence and determinants of self-medication with antibiotics among general population in Afghanistan

Objective: Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is a common cause of antibiotic resistance, a major public health problem. This research aimed to identify the prevalence of SMA and explore reasons for practicing SMA among people living in Kabul, Afghanistan. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to November 2017 in 12 community pharmacies operating across Kabul, Afghanistan. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors associated with the use of SMA. Results: Out of 385 participants, 282 (73.2%) practiced SMA during the last year. Overall, 241 (62.6%) were ‘very concerned’ about the use of SMA, and 156 (40.5%) highlighted it is bad to practice SMA. The top three antibiotics used for self-medication were penicillin (ATC class: J01C), metronidazole (ATC: P01AB01), and ceftriaxone (ATC: J01DD04). Economic problems, lack of time to visit doctors, and ease of use were cited as the main reasons for practicing SMA. Furthermore, female participants were less likely to practice SMA compared to male counterparts. Conclusion: While efforts should be directed to enforce strict drug regulations system and awareness programs, priority should be given to provide accessible, affordable, and quality health care services to increase citizen’s compliance to appropriate drug prescriptions