Reproductive biology of two sympatric species of tooth-carps: Aphanius hormuzensis and Aphanius furcatus, from south of Iran (Teleostei: Aphaniidae)

Some aspects of the reproductive biology of two endemic tooth-carps, Aphanius hormuzensis and A. furcatus, from southern Iran, were studied by regular monthly collections throughout one year. Significant differences were observed between the total number of females and males, females being more abundant. Based on the pattern of reproductive indices including the gonado-somatic index and Dobriyal Index, it was concluded that these fishes spawn in April and May. The estimated absolute fecundity of A. hormuzensis ranged from 78 (TL = 32.2 mm) to 730 (TL = 51.1 mm), with a mean value of 219.78±66.50 oocytes per fish based on 15 females. The relative fecundity ranged from 68.45 to 518.54 oocytes/g body mass (Mean±S.D: 237.67±96.87 oocytes/g). For A. furcatus, the estimated absolute fecundity ranged from 53 (TL = 26.9 mm) to 102 (TL = 32.04 mm), with a mean value of 93.73±45.37 oocytes per fish based on 15 females. The relative fecundity ranged from 22.41 to 123.65 oocytes/g body mass (Mean±S.D: 64.98±23.37 oocytes/g). Due to overlapping of spawning season in these two sympatric species, it seems that other pre- and post-zygotic factors are responsible for absence of natural hybrids in the studies tooth-carps in the Mehran River

Sijalografija u konja: postupak i normalan nalaz

The anatomy of horse salivary glands was studied on cadaver heads. The mandibular duct enters the oral cavity on the border of sublingual caruncle. The parotid gland duct enters the oral cavity on the cheek opposite the upper 4th premolar (3rd cheek tooth). Prior to applying sialography to live animals the techniques of catheterization, injection and radiography had to be carried out on cadaver heads. The techniques were subsequently applied to three live animals. The animals were anesthetized routinely and the mandibular and parotid ducts catheterized, and contrast medium was injected into each gland. Lateral radiographs were made immediately after the injection. The normal horse mandibular and parotid salivary glands as depicted on sialograms have a multilobular appearance in cadaver heads, but in live animals the outline of gland, main ducts and their smaller branches could be identifi ed. The parotid duct leaves the deep surface of the rostral end of gland and courses along the border of the masseter muscle before it enters the mouth. The mean diameter of parotid duct was 3.9 ± 0.9 mm. The mandibular duct leaves the rostral end of the gland, its mean diameter being 3.6 ± 1.2 mm. In conclusion, sialography of mandibular and parotid salivary gland in horse is practical and helpful in diagnoses of pathological conditions of these glands and their ducts.Anatomija slinovnica konja proučavana je na glavama lešina. Čeljusni slinovod ulazi u usnu šupljinu na granici podjezičnog uzdignuća, a zaušni slinovod ulazi u usnu šupljinu na obrazu suprotno od gornjeg četvrtog pretkutnjaka. Postupci kateterizacije, injekcije i radiografi je uvježbani su na glavama lešina prije primjene sijalografije na živim životinjama. Postupak je potom primijenjen na trima živim životinjama. Životinje su bile podvrgnute rutinskoj anesteziji, a zatim su čeljusni i zaušni slinovodi bili kateterizirani te je kontrastno sredstvo bilo ubrizgano u svaku žlijezdu. Lateralna radiografi ja bila je učinjena neposredno nakon ubrizgavanja. Normalan izgled čeljusnih i zaušnih slinovnica na sijalogramima lešina bio je režnjate građe. Oblik žlijezde, glavni izvodni kanali i njihove manje grane mogli su se identifi cirati na živim životinjama. Zaušni slinovod napušta duboku površinu oralnog okrajka žlijezde i pruža se uz rub velikog žvačnog mišića prije ulaska u usnu šupljinu. Srednji promjer zaušnog slinovoda bio je 3,9 ± 0,9 mm. Čeljusni slinovod napušta oralni dio okrajka žlijezde, a njegov srednji promjer iznosi 3,6 ± 1,2 mm. Zaključno se može reći da je sijalografi ja čeljusne i zaušne slinovnice u konja od praktičnog značenja i korisna je u dijagnosticiranju njihovih patoloških stanja kao i patoloških stanja njihovih izvoda

The Comparative Analysis of Sunni and Shi’ite Traditions in the First 5 Hijri Centuries about the Qur’anic Verse “But Thou Art Truly a Warner, and to Every People a Guide"

There are some traditions in Sunni and Shi’ite sources on the 7th verse of Surah al-Ra’d that are notable in terms of numerous different perspectives in this regard while there has been no comparative research on this subject yet. To this aim, the present study uses descriptive analysis to deal with the comparative study of the existing evidences in Sunni and Shi’ite traditions in the first 5 Hijri centuries. In this regard, only the traditions that introduce Imam Ali (PBUH) and then the following Imams as the guide after the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are in agreement with the stylistics of the verse, Qur’anic terminology, and comprehensiveness. However, those Sunni traditions that introduce merely Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali as the guides are true for those given ages. © Rezaii Haftadar, H;  Zahedi Far, S; Kouhi, Q. (2020) The Comparative Analysis of Sunni and Shi’ite Traditions in the First 5 Hijri Centuries about the Qur’anic Verse “But Thou Art Truly a Warner, and to Every People a Guide". Biannual Journal of Comparative Exegetical Researches, 6 (11) 115-139.  Doi: 10.22091/ptt.2020.4110.152

Stock identification of Arabian yellow fin sea bream (Acanthopagrus arabicus) using shape of otolith in the Northern Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

Otolith shape analysis is one way to identify stocks of different fish species in the marine environment. Length, width, area, perimeter, form factor, aspect ratio, roundness, circularity, ellipticity and rectangularity analyses of otoliths were undertaken to assess patterns of spatial and temporal stock structure of a wide-ranging fish, the Arabian yellow fin sea bream Acanthopagrus arabicus. Fish were sampled from 125 stations across the distribution range of the species in the Northern Persian Gulf and Oman Sea from June 2014 to May 2016. Analysis of morphometric parameters of otolith showed the minimum size in Khuzestan waters and the West Strait of Hormuz and the maximum size in the East Strait of Hormuz. In Bushehr waters, form factor showed the lowest and circular factor showed the highest frequency. These findings are in agreement with the irregularity in otolith margin of this area. The highest aspect ratio of otolith indicated higher growth in Khuzestan Waters. The thinner and longer otoliths were identified in the East Strait of Hormuz region. Further, rectangularity ratio factor in the Bushehr and West Strait of Hormuz waters was higher in comparison with other regions and this finding confirmed the quadrilateral otolith shape of this region. There are significant differences among otolith morphometric variables of the A. arabicus (p<0.05). The result of discriminant analysis on morphometric parameters indicated that 53/8 percent were in their geographic location accurately

CeO2 and La2O3 promoters in the steam reforming of polyolefinic waste plastic pyrolysis volatiles on Ni-based catalysts

[EN] Based on the promising results of La2O3 and CeO2 promoted Ni/Al2O3 catalysts in the reforming of biomass pyrolysis volatiles, the performance of these catalysts and the non-promoted one was 2 evaluated in the pyrolysis and in-line steam reforming of polypropylene (PP). The experiments were carried out in a continuous bench scale pyrolysis-reforming plant using two space times of 4.1 and 16.7 gcat min gplastic−1 and a steam/PP ratio of 4. The prepared catalysts and the deposited coke were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ni/Al2O3 catalyst showed suitable performance regarding pyrolysis product conversion and hydrogen production, and led to moderate coke deposition. It is to note that La2O3 incorporation remarkably improved catalyst performance compared to the other two catalysts in terms of conversion (> 99 %), hydrogen production (34.9 %) and coke deposition (2.24 wt%).This work was carried out with the financial support from Spain’s ministries of Economy and Competitiveness (CTQ2016-75535-R (AEI/FEDER, UE), Science, Innovation and Universities (RTI2018-101678-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE)) and, Science and Innovation PID2019-107357RB-I00 (MCI/AEI/FEDER, UE)), the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 823745, and the Basque Government (IT1218-19 and KK-2020/00107)

Estimation of pyrolysis product of LDPE degradation using different process parameters in a stirred reactor

Pyrolysis of low density polyethylene (LDPE) by equilibrium fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) was studied in a stirred reactor under different process parameters. In this work, the effect of process parameters such as degradation temperature (420-510°C), catalyst/polymer ratio (0-60%), carrier gas type (H2, N2, ethylene, propylene, Ar and He), residence time and agitator speed (0-300 rpm) on the condensate yield (liquid, gas and coke) and product composition were considered. Reaction products were determined by GC analysis and shown to contain naphthenes (cycloalkanes), paraffins (alkanes), olefins (alkenes) and aromatics. Higher temperature and more catalyst amount enhanced LDPE cracking. The maximum “fuel like” condensed product yield was attained at 450°C and 10% catalyst, respectively and gaseous products increased with increases in temperature. Hydrogen as a reactive carrier gas increased the condensed and paraffinic product yield. Appropriate heat transfer (by stirring) increased the catalyst efficiency in a stirred reactor

Effect of temperature, heating rate and zeolite-based catalysts on the pyrolysis of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) waste to produce fuel-like products

Pyrolysis of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) waste has been investigated under different process parameters, such as temperature, heating rate and types of zeolitic catalysts to produce valuable liquid products. Liquid, gas and coke as products of pyrolysis and aromatic, naphthene, olefin and paraffin as liquid components were obtained and their molecular weight distributions were studied with changing the process parameters in a stirred reactor. Aromatic-rich hydrocarbons within the gasoline range were the main pyrolysis products. Type of zeolitic catalysts, temperature and heating rate had significant effects on the products quality and quantity. Non-isothermal mass losses of high impact polystyrene were measured using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) at heating rates of 5, 15, 30, 45 and 90°C min-1 until the furnace wall temperature reached 600°C. The DTG (differential thermal gravimetric) curves showed that heating rate had no obvious effect on the degradation trends in the studied range, and by increasing heating rate, the activation energies were decreased obviously from 222.5 to183.6 kJ mol-1

Population biology of Alburnoides Jeitteles 1861 (Actinopterygii: cyprinidae) in Iran

The genus Alburnoides Jeitteles, 1861 is distributed in some geographically isolated basins viz. South Caspian Sea, Namak, Kor, Kavir, Tigris and Orumyieh in Iran. Six species of Alburnoides were reported from the basins of Iran. However, little is known about the morphogeographical variation, genetic divergence, ecological adaptation or biology of this fresh water fish species although it is a widespread taxon in Iran. This is the first report on the genus Alburnoides within the Iranian basins. In this study we investigated the taxonomy, morphometric variation, reproductive biology, feeding habits and population dynamic of the Iranian spirlin during four seasons beginning from July 2008 to June 2009. Morphometric variables analysis of 574 samples from 15 populations of four basins as well as truss network and geometric morphometric study of 802 specimens from 23 populations of five basins in Iran indicated that the populations belonged to three major groups that are shown by the consistency with their morphological features. The first clad include spirlin populations from south of Caspian Sea basin. The second clad comprised the populations found in the Namak and Kor basins and the final clad is the populations from the Kavir and Tigris basins. Details of morphological data indicated that there was a distinct morphological separation of populations of Alburnoides in Iran. The populations from the Namak, Kor, and southern Caspian Sea basins showed a closer morphological relationship than those from the Tigris and Kavir basins. A total of 115 samples of South Caspian spirlin were used for the feeding habit study. Results showed that they specifically consumed greater amount of diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) as their dominant diet. Other diets including detritus, insects and algae also recorded high frequency of occurrence but lower percentage value indicating that they are a generalized diet. Spirlin has short gut structure that generally adopted for the carnivorous style of feeding. There was no significant in changes in feeding diet of spirlin according to sampling period, however monthly variations of diets revealed that spirlin have a higher ability to select more available and diverse preys in summer and lower ability in spring. Results on the sex ratio of 471 specimens of Alburnoides sp population in the South of Caspian Sea basin from north of Iran was found in to be 1: 1.24 (female: male), which is almost close to 1: 1 (females: male). Study on the ovarian maturity of the spirlin revealed the presence of six different maturity stages. Ovaries were also evaluated to calculate the reproductive indices such as GSI, MGSI and DI. High values of the GSI were observed in the month of June and its distinct low value in the month of August indicated that the fish spawn during June–July period. The size at sexual maturity of female spirlin was observed at 56-61 mm. In this study the mean fecundity of the 32 females spirlin used in the study was 1722.92 ( 653.88) eggs per fish. The estimated maximum numbers of ova in females was 3042 and the minimum numbers of ova was 668 which were gathered from specimens ranged 82.18 – 110.47 mm in total length. Studies on age, growth, mortality and population characterization of 1019 specimens of spirlin were conducted for Kesselian stream, south of Caspian Sea. Length frequency data were analyzed by using FiSAT (FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tools) for the estimation of the population parameters. Asymptotic length (L∞), growth coefficient (K) were estimated at 104.48 mm and 1.19/yr. Growth performance index (Ø') was calculated as 4.113. Total mortality (Z) was estimated at 3.40/yr whereas fishing mortality (F) and natural mortality (M) were found to be 2.43/yr and 0.97/yr respectively. The exploitation rate (E) was calculated as 0.71. The present exploitation rate (E = 0.70) indicated that the Caspian spirlin is over exploited in the Kesselian stream