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Background: Climate change and the lack of conventional feed ingredients have made edible insects a highly nutritious alternative to feed production. The use of insects as food may help solve socio‐economic and environmental problems around the world and be in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Objective: In this study, the growth performance and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens were evaluated under the influence of adding different levels of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TM meal) to their diets. Methods: One hundred and eighty one‐day‐old broiler chickens were divided into three treatments and five replications (12 chickens/pen). The experimental diets included a control diet and treatments containing 2.5% and 5% TM meal, which were fed to birds in the starter (0–10 days) and grower (11–25 days) stages, and during the final period (26–42 days), all birds were fed a regular finisher diet. Results: The results showed that the diet containing TM meal had no remarkable effect on the mortality rate and feed intake of broilers (p > 0.05). In the starter period, the addition of 2.5% TM meal to broilers' diet increased body weight gain than the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Also, the use of 2.5% TM meal in the starter period showed a significant effect on reducing the feed conversion ratio, compared to the birds fed by the control diet (p ≤ 0.05). Besides, the height of the villus, the depth of the crypt and their ratio were not altered among the different treatments (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, it can be concluded that TM meal could improve growth performance in the starter period and had no negative effects on broilers' performance and intestinal morphology in all the periods of the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a new species Proctotydaeus hajiqanbari Darbemamieh, Ahadiyat & Farmahiny-Farahani sp. nov. is described from the galleries of two pest bark beetles Scolytus amygdali Guérin-Méneville and Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston) from Iran. Mentioned galleries collected from damaged apricot and pine trees in Tehran province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper lists all reports and descriptions of mites in the superfamily Tydeoidea previously reported in Iran, adding new data provided by new collections and studies. The distribution and habitats of each species in Iran are provided, as well. This list is composed of 63 species from 20 genera in 4 families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an agricultural important polyphagous pest of many crops that causes significant yield loss. In this study, the effect of four herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) (methyl jasmonate, methyl salicylate, indole, and 3-pentanol) with a concentration of 100 mmol/L and two plant probiotic bacteria (PBB) (Bacillus pumilus INR7 and Bacillus velezensis H3), were investigated on life table parameters of T. urticae under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% RH, and 16 L: 8D). The T. urticae cohorts were reared on attached leaves of kidney bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) treated with HIPVs and PBBs, separately. The life history data were analysed using age-stage, two-sex life table theory. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) on methyl salicylate (0.1667 ± 0.0087 day-1) and B. velezensis treatment (0.1640 ± 0.0099 day-1) was significantly lower than the control group (0.1934 ± 0.0100 day-1). The finite rate of increase (λ) ranged from 1.178 ± 0.0116 day-1 on the B. velezensis to 1.2134 ± 0.0121 day-1 on the control with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The gross reproduction rate (GRR) on the indole treatment was significantly lower than the other treatments (28.14 ± 3.66 offspring). Based on the results, methyl salicylate, B. velezensis and indole could be considered resistance inducing materials against T. urticae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-biotechnology has grown rapidly and become an integral part of modern disease diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this survey was to evaluate the anticancer activity of synthesized selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) against breast cancer cells (MCF-7). The prepared Se-NPs were examined by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Antioxidant activity of Se-NPs property was studied by radical scavenging (DPPH) assay. The in-vitro cytotoxicity of Se-NPs was evaluated by MTT assay. In addition; the biological assessment (antioxidant and cytotoxicity) of synthesized Se-NPs was examined via molecular docking simulations. Synthesis of Se-NPs was characterized by several studies such as UV-absorbance, showing peak values in the range of 268 nm. Nanoparticle sizes of the nanoparticles are confirmed by dynamic light scattering analysis, indicating that average size is about 203 nm. The quantity of selenium in Se-NPs is 90.15% by weight, as confirmed by EDX. Synthesized Se-NPs have anti-proliferative effects on MCF-7 cell lines. Cytotoxicity and apoptotic potential assays exhibited a dose-dependent effect against MCF-7 cells using an MTT assay. Like anti-cancer activity, anti-oxidant activity of Se-NPs was dose-dependent. Findings showed that the Se-NPs complexes have the highest inhibitory effect against cytotoxic and antioxidant receptors. Results of this study demonstrated that Se-NPs had strong potential to scavenge free radicals and are cytotoxic against the MCF-7 cancer cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Increasing demand for animal products, and scarcity and cost of conventional feed ingredients, drive the search for alternative energy and protein sources for poultry feed. Insects provide opportunities as a sustainable, high-quality and low-cost component of poultry feed. Aims: This study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of powdered Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm) larvae meal on productive performance, egg quality characteristics and blood parameters of laying hens. Methods: In total, 126 Bovans White laying hens, 63 weeks of age, were allocated to three dietary groups, each with seven replicate cages of six birds per cage. Treatments were: a basal diet, and two experimental diets comprising the basal diet plus T. molitor larvae meal at 2.5% or 5% inclusion rate. The duration of the study was 8 weeks. Key results: Egg production, egg mass and feed conversion ratio were all improved (P < 0.05) by inclusion of T. molitor meal in the diet. The lower rate of inclusion was more effective with respect to egg production and feed conversion ratio. Inclusion of larvae meal did not influence (P > 0.05) feed intake, egg weight or bodyweight gain. Furthermore, egg quality characteristics and blood parameters were not influenced (P > 0.05) by dietary treatment. Conclusions: The study showed that inclusion of T. molitor larvae meal in the diet of laying hens could improve productive performance, especially at the 2.5% level. Implications: Powdered meal of T. molitor larvae is an appropriate, unconventional feed ingredient for laying hens, and may have a role in improving socioeconomic and environmental outcomes, aligning with the United Nations' sustainable development goals. The rising the price of grains and predicted shortages of feed ingredients due to land and water scarcity and climate change lead to rising costs of production, which in turn drive the exploration of alternative protein sources. This study showed that yellow mealworm in the diet of laying hens improved productive performance, especially in 2.5% inclusion level. It can be considered an appropriate unconventional feed ingredient for laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TM meal) inclusion on the performance, carcass traits, caecum microbiota and blood parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 180‐day‐old chickens were allocated to three dietary groups with five replicate pens (12 birds/pen). Experimental diets were included a corn‐soybean basal diet, and two diets with 2.5% and 5% TM. TM‐included diets have been administered for periods of starter (1–10 days) and grower (11–25 days). A regular finisher diet was given to all groups during the 26–42 days of age. Diets containing TM meal did not influence feed intake and mortality percentage. Feed conversion ratio was lower with the 2.5% TM meal diet compared with the control group at starter period (p <.05). Besides, broiler chickens fed TM meal included diet had a higher body weight gain than the control group during 1–10 days of age (p <.05). The carcass characteristics and length and weight of different parts of small and large intestines were not influenced by diets. TM meal inclusion decreased the albumin‐to‐globulin ratio compared with the control group (p <.05). Additionally, lower total count of aerobic and Escherichia coli bacteria was observed in response to diet inclusion of 5% TM meal. Overall, the inclusion of TM meal in broilers' diet improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the starting period, decreased albumin‐to‐globulin ratio and E. coli bacteria content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two collections of Tydeoidea from Mazandaran province revealed 16 species from six genera in two families. Of these, Tydeus lindquisti (Marshall, 1970) is a new record for Iran and 12 species are new records for the province. Photographs and supplementary data are provided for some species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paurotyndareus Darbemamieh & Kazmierski n. gen. (Acari: Iolinidae: Tydaeolinae) is described and illustrated. The new genus can be separated from Tyndareus and near genera by reduced chaetotaxy of legs and genital region. This genus is characterized by double tip eupathidium at the end of palp, femur I with five setae, genu III with one seta, three pairs of genital and two pairs of aggenital setae. Paurotyndareus persicus Darbemamieh and Kaźmierski n. sp. collected from soil in Kermanshah, Iran is described as the type-species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Neopronematus kamalii Darbemamieh and Hajiqanbar sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Iolinidae), collected from apricot leaves in Kermanshah province, Iran, is described and illustrated. Also, the following species were collected and identified from Kermanshah province, Iran: Neopronematus rapidus (Kuznetzov, 1972), Neopronematus solani Łaniecka and Kaźmierski, 2013; Neopronematus sepasgosariani Sadeghi, Łaniecka and Kaźmierski, 2012; Neopronematus lundqvisti Sadeghi, Łaniecka and Kaźmierski, 2012; and Neopronematus neglectus (Kuznetzov, 1972). Some information about the genus, morphologically close species, remarks and a key to Neopronematus species of the world are given as well.