New national and regional bryophyte records, 49

Peer reviewe

Biodeteriorative impacts on bridges over Zayand-e-Rood river (Iran): Role of mosses and their control measures

377-380This study presents role of mosses in biodeterioration of Zayand-e-Rood bridges as well as their elimination / control methods. Mosses provide a suitable habitat for small organisms and a base for proliferation and invasion of higher plants that accelerate deterioration due to penetration of their roots. Environmental factors in biodeterioration (pH, water, relative humidity and temperature) were determined and chemical analyses of moss specimens were carried out

A new chaotic network model for epilepsy

Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological disorder with symptoms characterized by abnormal discharge in the brain. According to the classification of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Commission, temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy accounting for the most cases of the disorder observed in patients. Electroencephalography (EEG) is the most common diagnostic tool for Epilepsy, by which abnormal electrical activity of the brain can be clearly seen. This paper uses chaos theory and proposes a new analytical mass model for temporal lobe Epilepsy. Chaotic behavior of the model indicates normal model, while its periodic behavior indicate epileptic mode of the brain. The proposed model includes a number of parameters for which a full bifurcation analysis is conducted. This fully characterizes different regimes of the model and allows studying how one can control the parameters to switch between different modes. The proposed model enables to effectively use advance chaos-based mathematical tools to get further insights on the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy

Co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive-like behaviors following adolescent social isolation in male mice; possible role of nitrergic system

Approximately more than 50 of patients with depression have the co-occurrence of anxiety, which complicates the treatment of disease. Recently, social isolation stress (SIS) paradigm has been suggested as an animal model to investigate the underlying mechanism involved in depression-anxiety co-occurrence. In this study, applying six weeks of SIS to adolescent mice, we tested whether nitrergic system plays a role in co-occurrence of depression and anxiety. In this study, comparisons between socially and isolated conditioned (SC and IC) animals showed that SIS induces behaviors relevant to depression and anxiety in IC mice and in addition, nitrergic system is involved in mediating the negative outcomes of SIS. Administration of subeffective doses of aminoguanidine (a specific inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or iNOS, 50. mg/kg) and L-NAME (non-specific inhibitor of NOS, 10. mg/kg) significantly reversed the negative effects of SIS on behavioral profile as well as nitrite levels in the cortex of IC mice, Although administration of subeffective dose of 7-nitroindazole (a specific neuronal NOS inhibitor, 25. mg/kg) decreased the nitrite levels in the hippocampus, but had no effect on depressant and anxiogenic effects of SIS. Results of this study confirmed that SIS is an appropriate animal model to investigate the potential mechanisms in depression-anxiety co-occurrence. We also showed that nitrergic system has contributed to co-occurrence of depression and anxiety in IC mice as an underlying mechanism. © 2015

Comparing Some Properties of Crusted and Uncrusted Soils in Alagol Region of Iran

Abstract: The current research was carried out to study effects of biological soil crusts (lichens and mosses) on some soil attributes. The study was carried out in rangelands of Alagol region, in north of Golestan province, Northern Iran. Survey area is located near Iran-Turkmenistan border. In this research, soil samples were taken from two crusted and adjacent uncrusted areas, at one site along 4 transects. Environmental factors, soil texture and vascular plants vegetation of two areas were similar, but due to livestock repeated trampling and wind and water erosion over the last years, there were not lichens and mosses in non-crusted points. Soil sampling was done along each of two transverse 300m transects. Laboratory analyses were done on soil samples from the upper soil layer (0-5 cm). Soil properties included organic C, K, Na, N, and P. Using t-test, above mentioned properties were compared in crusted and uncrusted soils. Results showed that P, N, and organic C were significantly different at depth 0-5 cm. Key words: Biological soil crust, crusted soil, soil characteristics, arid and semi-arid lands, rangelan

New national and regional bryophyte records, 58

The genus Asterella is widely represented in the New World, with about 18 species, from North America to Southern South America. According to Bischler et al. (2005), 10 species are found in the Neotropics. This report accounts for the presence of A. chilensis, an austral species, in Uruguay. Therefore, constituting its first record within the Neotropics boundariesFil: Ellis, L. T.. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Afonina, O.M.. Russian Academy of Sciences. Komarov Botanical Institute; RusiaFil: Doroshina, G. Ya.. Russian Academy of Sciences. Komarov Botanical Institute; RusiaFil: Agudelo, C.. Universidad del Quindio; ColombiaFil: Andriamiarisoa, R. L.. Missouri Botanical Garden Antananarivo; MadagascarFil: Asthana, A.K.. National Botanical Research Institute India; IndiaFil: Gupta, D.. National Botanical Research Institute India; IndiaFil: Gupta, R.. National Botanical Research Institute India; IndiaFil: Rawat, K. K.. National Botanical Research Institute India; IndiaFil: Sahu, V.. National Botanical Research Institute India; IndiaFil: Aymerich, P.. No especifíca;Fil: Bednarek Ochyra, H.. Polish Academy of Sciences; ArgentinaFil: Brugués, M.. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Ruiz, E.. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Sáez, L.. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Callaghan, D. A.. Bryophyte Surveys Ltd.; BulgariaFil: Caspari, S.. Ministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz; AlemaniaFil: Drapela, P.. Universidad Andrés Bello; ChileFil: Dugarova, O. D.. Institute Of General And Experimental Biology Of The Siberian Branch Of The Ras; RusiaFil: Tubanova, D. Ya.. Institute Of General And Experimental Biology Of The Siberian Branch Of The Ras; RusiaFil: Erzberger, P.. No especifíca;Fil: Flores, Jorge Rafael. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Guillermo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Fedosov, V. E.. Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Gospodinov, G.. Institute Of Biodiversity And Ecosystem Research At The Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences; BulgariaFil: Gradstein, S. R.. Université Pierre et Marie Curie; FranciaFil: Reeb, C.. Université Pierre et Marie Curie; FranciaFil: Jukonienė, I.. Vilniaus Universitetas; LituaniaFil: Subkaitė, M.. Vilniaus Universitetas; LituaniaFil: Kučera, J.. University of South Bohemia; República ChecaFil: Lee, G. E.. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu; MalasiaFil: Lombo, Y. J.. Universidad de Los Llanos; ColombiaFil: Suarez, Guillermo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Lebouvier, M.. Universite de Rennes I; Francia. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Majumdar, S.. Ministry of Environment; IndiaFil: Müller, F.. Technische Universität Dresden; AlemaniaFil: Nagy, J.. Szent István Egyetem; HungríaFil: Norhazrina, N.. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; MalasiaFil: Papp, B.. Hungarian Natural History Museum; HungríaFil: Plášek, V.. Ostravská Univerzita V Ostrave; República ChecaFil: Pócs, T.. Eszterhazy Karoly University; HungríaFil: Puglisi, M.. Università Degli Studi Di Catania; ItaliaFil: Schäfer Verwimp, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Shirzadian, S.. Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization; IránFil: Singh, D. K.. No especifíca;Fil: Stefanut, S.. Academia Română. Institutul de Biologie Bucureşti; RumaniaFil: Torzewski, K.. University of Wroclaw; PoloniaFil: van Melick, H.. No especifíca;Fil: Wolski, G. J.. University of Lodz; PoloniaFil: Zander, R. H.. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados Unido

The Iranian blood pressure measurement campaign, 2019: study protocol and preliminary results

Purpose Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for premature mortality and morbidity in Iran. The objective of the Iranian blood pressure (BP) measurement campaign was to identify individuals with raised blood pressure and providing appropriate care and increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension. Methods The campaign was conducted in two phases. The first (communication) phase started on May 17th (International Hypertension Day). The second phase started on June 8th, 2019, and lasted up to July 7th during which, blood pressures were measured. The target population was Iranians aged >= 30 years. Participants voluntarily referred to health houses in rural and health posts and comprehensive health centers in urban areas in the setting of the Primary Health Care network. Additionally, over 13,700 temporary stations were set up in highly visited places in urban areas. Volunteer healthcare staff interviewed the participants, measured their BP, and provided them with lifestyle advice and knowledge of the risks and consequences of high blood pressure. They referred participants to physicians in case their BP was high. Participants immediately received a text message containing the relevant advice based on their measured BP and their past history. Results Blood pressure was measured for a total of 26,678,394 participants in the campaign. A total of 13,722,148 participants (51.4) were female. The mean age was 46 +/- 14.1 years. Among total participants, 15,012,693 adults (56.3) with no past history of hypertension had normal BP, 7,959,288 participants had BP in the prehypertension range (29.8), and finally, 3,706,413 participants (13.9) had either past medical history of hypertension, used medications, or had high BP measured in the campaign. Conclusion The campaign was feasible with the objective to increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension in Iran