Search

The Agamid lizard Trapelus ruderatus has a large distribution in western Asia. There is as yet neither a comprehensive molecular phylogeny nor morphological variation studies on populations of this species. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the morphology and genetic attributes of this species from populations in Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. For the morphological examination, 18 characters (nine metric, eight meristic, and one ratio characters) were examined on all specimens. The populations were divided into four Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs; three in Iran and one in Turkey). The Iraqi population was distinguished as Trapelus persicus by morphological characters. Morphological analyses confirmed that all OTUs could be considered as distinct and that the Turkey population is clearly separated from the Iranian populations. In the genetic component of the project, two mitochondrial (Cytb and ND2) gene fragments were used to reveal phylogenetic relationships among the populations. Molecular phylogenetic reconstruction showed five distinct clades (three in Iran, one in southeastern Turkey, and one in central-southern Turkey-western Syria). Iraqi populations clustered with T. persicus, with high genetic distances from all other populations, as seen using morphological data. Based on the molecular genetic analyses, southeastern Turkey and central-southern Turkey-Syrian populations are clearly distinct (8.4% mean distance) and far from the type population in Iran. This suggests that they should be considered as different taxa. Iranian populations were differentiated into three major groups, the type population in Fars Province and two others in northwest and western Iran. The morphological and molecular genetic results gave a similar output with three Iranian populations having minor divergence, but being clearly separated from the population in Turkey. We suggest each of these groups should be considered as full species. According to divergence time estimation, T. ruderatus firstly diverged at 26.5 mya and subsequently diversified due to the uplifting of the Zagros Mountains and Anatolian Diagonal 15 mya. Subsequent aridification in the Central Iranian Plateau could also have contributed to the divergence of the Fars lineage 9.6 mya.

We recovered molecular phylogenetic relationships amongst species of the genusAblepharusin Iran and Iraq. Partial sequences of three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome C oxidase subunit I – COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) were analysed. In addition, phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic evaluation ofAblepharusspecies in Cyprus, India, Greece, Turkey and Syria were performed using partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic trees and estimated genetic distances showed that theAblepharuspopulations of Iran and Iraq clustered into three distinct clades. One is found in northwest Iran (A. bivittatusin Ardabil, East and West Azerbaijan and Hamedan Provinces). The second clade, formed byA. chernovi, is found only in Uromia. The third and most heterogeneous clade is divided into two subclades, the first includes two lineages ofAblepharusin Khorasan Razavi and Semnan Provinces (A. pannonicus) and in eastern and south-eastern Iran (A. grayanus); the second subclade is distributed in the eastern part of Iraq and west and south-western Iran (Ablepharussp.). Our analyses indicated that splitting ofA. chernoviwithin the genus occurred in the early Miocene [about 22.5 million years ago (Mya)].Ablepharus bivittatusdiverged 15.2 Mya, in the middle Miocene.Ablepharus pannonicusdiverged in the late Miocene (8.4 Mya) andA. grayanusseparated in the late Miocene (6.7 Mya). The lineages of eastern Iraq and south-western Iran (Ablepharussp.) diverged also in the late Miocene (7.0 Mya).

Microglia are macrophage-like cells exerting determinant roles in neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress processes during brain regeneration. We used zebrafish as a model of brain plasticity and repair. First, by performing L-plastin (Lcp1) immunohistochemistry and using transgenic Tg(mpeg1.1:GFP) or Tg(mpeg1.1:mCherry) fish, we analyzed the distribution of microglia/immune cells in the whole brain. Specific regional differences were evidenced in terms of microglia/immune cell density and morphology (elongated, branched, highly branched, and amoeboid). Taking advantage of Tg(fli:GFP) and Tg(GFAP::GFP) enabling the detection of endothelial cells and neural stem cells (NSCs), we highlighted the association of elongated microglia/immune cells with blood vessels and rounded/amoeboid microglia with NSCs. Second, after telencephalic injury, we showed that L-plastin cells were still abundantly present at 5 days post-lesion (dpl) and were associated with regenerative neurogenesis. Finally, RNAsequencing analysis from injured telencephalon (5 dpl) confirmed the upregulation of microglia/immune cell markers and highlighted a significant increase of genes involved in oxidative stress (nox2, nrf2a, and gsr). The analysis of antioxidant activities at 5 dpl also revealed an upregulation of superoxide dismutase and persistent H2O2 generation in the injured telencephalon. Also, microglia/immune cells were shown to be a source of oxidative stress at 5 dpl. Overall, our data provide a better characterization of microglia/immune cell distribution in the healthy zebrafish brain, highlighting some evolutionarily conserved features with mammals. They also emphasize that 5 days after injury, microglia/immune cells are still activated and are associated to a persistent redox imbalance. Together, these data raise the question of the role of oxidative stress in regenerative neurogenesis in zebrafish.

Over the past century, advances in biotechnology, biochemistry, and pharmacognosy have spotlighted flavonoids, polyphenolic secondary metabolites that have the ability to modulate many pathways involved in various biological mechanisms, including those involved in neuronal plasticity, learning, and memory. Moreover, flavonoids are known to impact the biological processes involved in developing neurodegenerative diseases, namely oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, several flavonoids could be used as adjuvants to prevent and counteract neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Zebrafish is an interesting model organism that can offer new opportunities to study the beneficial effects of flavonoids on neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, the high genome homology of 70% to humans, the brain organization largely similar to the human brain as well as the similar neuroanatomical and neurochemical processes, and the high neurogenic activity maintained in the adult brain makes zebrafish a valuable model for the study of human neurodegenerative diseases and deciphering the impact of flavonoids on those disorders.

Sox transcription factors are crucial for vertebrate nervous system development. In zebrafish embryo, sox1 genes are expressed in neural progenitor cells and neurons of ventral spinal cord. Our recent study revealed that the loss of sox1a and sox1b function results in a significant decline of V2 subtype neurons (V2s). Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we analyzed the transcriptome of sox1a lineage progenitors and neurons in the zebrafish spinal cord at four time points during embryonic development, employing the Tg(sox1a:eGFP) line. In addition to previously characterized sox1a-expressing neurons, we discovered the expression of sox1a in late-developing intraspinal serotonergic neurons (ISNs). Developmental trajectory analysis suggests that ISNs arise from lateral floor plate (LFP) progenitor cells. Pharmacological inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway revealed its role in negatively regulating LFP progenitor cell differentiation into ISNs. Our findings highlight the zebrafish LFP as a progenitor domain for ISNs, alongside known Kolmer-Agduhr (KA) and V3 interneurons.

The Iranian species of the phyllodactylid geckos of the genus Asaccus are found only in the valleys of the Zagros Mountains, a region which represents an important area of endemism in western Iran. Recently, many relict species have been described from the central and southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, which were previously known as A. elisae. The recent descriptions of species within this complex suggest that diversity within the genus may be higher than expected and that its taxonomy and systematics should be revised. In the present study, phylogenetic relationships within the genus Asaccus were evaluated using two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene. Genetically, the genus shows high levels of variability. The molecular phylogeny of the genus suggests the presence of three main clades along the Zagros Mountains with the southern population (from the Hormozgan province) and one clade (A. sp8 and A. sp9) being sister taxon to A. montanus from UAE. The remaining samples are separated into two reciprocally monophyletic groups: the northern (Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Ilam provinces) and the central (Lorestan, Khuzestan, Kohgilouye-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars provinces) Zagros groups. The results of the present study suggest that populations attributed to A. elisae in Iran correspond to distinct lineages with high genetic distances. In brief, our results suggest that the genus needs a major taxonomical revision The Arabian origin of the genus has not been confirmed, because two populations from Zagros were located within the A. montanus, A. gallagheri and A. platyrhynchus clade. Further morphological analyses are needed to systematically define each genetic lineage as a new taxon.

To date, at least 72 endemic reptilian species have reported from Iran including the Spider-tailed Viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides), which has a very limited, narrow distribution, and occurs in...

Several attempts have recently been made to elucidate taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships among the species and subspecies of sand boas of the genus Eryx throughout their distribution range, with no stable consensus about their taxonomy. Here the phylogenetic relationships among the populations of Eryx in Iran and adjacent areas are studied based on two mitochondrial markers (cytb and 16S). Sixteen morphological characters were examined for evaluation of morphological differences among major populations. Ecological niche modeling was applied to demonstrate the potential distribution of the populations in Iran. ENMtools was also used to measure the degree of niche overlap among the major populations in Iran. Based on phylogenetic reconstruction and considering the genetic distances with specimens from type localities, E. tataricus is a junior synonym of E. miliaris and the subspecies rank for E. m. nogaiorum seems to be invalid. Considering the genetic distance of populations in western Iran and Iraq, and the habitat and morphological differences among the populations of Eryx in western Iran, Iraq and Egypt, the population of Eryx in western Iran is suggested as a different species from E. jaculus, named here as Eryx sp. and the ones from Iraq as Eryx cf. jaculus. Here, the evaluation and revision of taxonomic status, distribution ranges and descriptions of morphological characters of the studied species have been done.

Nutrient elements have a significant role in plant physiology and metabolism, and the concentration of nutrients in the plant depends on plants genetic makeup and their interactions with biotic and environmental factors. A large percentage of Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) orchards have been infected with witches’ broom disease of lime (WBDL) in various lime-growing regions in the Middle East. This study was conducted to assay the relationship among vegetative growth and nutrient elements in the scion of different Persian lime accessions and its effect on the activity of WBDL phytoplasma. For this purpose, 16 rootstock and scion combinations were considered including four scions of Persian lime accessions (IAC, Tahiti lime, Deperse lime and Persian lime) on four citrus rootstocks (Bakraei, Mexican lime, Volkamer lemon and sour orange). T-budding method was utilized for grafting, and some characteristics such as scion length and diameter growth and amount of nutrient elements in the leaves of the studied scions were measured. In addition, reaction of the grafted plants was assessed using inoculation with a WBDL-infected Mexican lime scion. Based on the results, detection of WBDL phytoplasma was later (116 days post-inoculation) in scions on the Volkamer lemon rootstock and earlier (40 days post-inoculation) in scions on the Mexican lime rootstock. WBDL symptoms were not observed in the grafted plants (on the Persnian lime scions) but were observed in all seedlings (non-grafted plants) except Volkamer lemon. The shortest incubation period of the disease was observed in the Mexican lime seedlings. A positive and significant correlation was observed between some nutrient elements such as zinc and manganese with vegetative growth. A significant positive correlation was observed between scion length, scion diameter and iron amount with the number of days to detect WBDL phytoplasma (NDDWP) (0.534*, 0.577* and 0.556*, respectively) as well as the significant negative correlation between sodium and chloride elements with NDDWP ( − 0.512* and − 0.632*, respectively). According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that increase in the vigor of plant growth and high amount of iron in the plant as well as reduction of negative effects of sodium and chloride may decrease concentration of WBDL phytoplasma and delay the appearance symptoms of the disease and, consequently, WBDL spreading rate.

Graphic abstract Evidence supports a role of host genetic diversity in the clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Variation in the cannabinoid CB2 receptor gene (CNR2) could affect the regulatory action of endocannabinoids on the immune system, resulting in an increased risk of various inflammatory diseases. The present study investigated the relationship between the CNR2-Q63R variant and COVID-19 severity. A total of 200 Iranian COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the study and genotyped using a TaqMan assay. The co-dominant, dominant, recessive, over-dominant, and additive inheritance models were analyzed using SNPStats software. In silico molecular docking was also performed to simulate the effects of the Q63R variation on CB2 binding with a ligand and with the G-protein. A significant difference in the Q63R allele and genotype distribution was found between expired and discharged COVID-19 patients in co-dominant, recessive, and additive inheritance models. The molecular docking results showed that the predicted structure of mutant CB2 (63R type) could not bind to the G-protein in the correct position. The data indicated that the Q63R variation in the CNR2 gene may affect the severity of COVID-19. Identification of genes related to susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 may lead to specific targets for drug repurposing or development.

α-Glucosidase is responsible for glucose release of oligosaccharides and disaccharides in the intestine and increase postprandial hyperglycemia. Inhibition of this enzyme is a beneficial therapeutic method for glycemic control in diabetes. This study deals with the design and synthesis of 4,5-diphenylimidazole-N-phenylacetamide derivatives 7a–l and the screen of these compounds for their potential for α-glucosidase inhibition. All the synthesized compounds exhibited superior α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 = 90.0–598.5 µM) as compared to standard inhibitor acarbose (IC50 = 750.0 µM). In contrast, these compounds were inactive against α-amylase. Among the synthesized compounds, compound 7h was the most potent inhibitor of this library and was a competitive inhibitor into α-glucosidase with Ki value = 86.3 μM. Docking study of the most potent compounds was performed to evaluate the binding interactions of these compounds with the active site of enzyme and to determine of binding energies of ligand–enzyme complexes. The results of this in silico study are in complete agreement with the results obtained from in vitro α-glucosidase inhibition assay. Docking study of the most potent compound demonstrated that it interacted with important residues in the active site of α-glucosidase. In vitro cytotoxic activity of the most potent compounds and in silico druglikeness/ADME/toxicity study of these compounds were evaluated.

Salivary enzymes are used as non-invasive biomarkers to assess the activity of the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system. The aim of this study was to evaluated levels of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and cathepsin salivary enzymes under psychological tension and their connection with rumination and personality traits.A total of 60 medical students, who wanted to participate in the final exam, two months before the exam, the inventory emotional control questionnaire and the neo-short form were completed. Saliva samples were taken in both the basal conditions and under exam stress.A significant difference was found between the mean of level salivary enzymes in rest and under exam stress. Also, we found a positive and significant correlation between the activity of salivary enzymes and personality traits such as neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and rumination (The results of this study show, levels of salivary enzymes may increase in individuals with traits of neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and rumination through response to psychological stressors.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a tropical fruit which is climacteric and highly perishable. Consequently, it is indispensable to address postharvest management techniques by applying eco-friendly technologies to reduce crop losses. Thus, the current study was conducted to evaluate Aloe vera gel’s influence alone and chitosan and calcium chloride (CaCl2) on mango shelf life during the storage time at the ambient temperature (25 ± 2 °C) for 21 days. The results exhibited that A. vera-chitosan coatings were able to remarkably decrease weight loss and ascorbic acid reduction throughout the storage period. Total phenol and antioxidant activity progressively diminished during the storage, and control fruits exhibited the lowest content of the phenol content and antioxidant activity during the storage. The highest correlation (R = 0.95) between antioxidant and ascorbic acid was observed in the A. vera-chitosan treated fruits. Control fruits showed the lowest catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) enzyme activity during the storage time. A. vera-chitosan coating significantly inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) during the storage period. Oppositely, the coating had no significant effect on total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) at the end of the experiment. The discoloration trend of the fruits coated with A. vera enriched with chitosan was significantly delayed compared to the control fruits. Finally, A. vera-chitosan coating could be suggested as a suitable coating to preserve the quality of mango fruit throughout storage at the ambient temperature.

Infertility affects nearly 50 million couples worldwide, with 40−50% of cases having a male factor component. It is well established that nutritional status impacts reproductive development, health and function, although the exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Genetic variation that affects nutrient metabolism may impact fertility through nutrigenetic mechanisms. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of several dietary components (vitamins A, B(12), C, D, E, folate, betaine, choline, calcium, iron, caffeine, fiber, sugar, dietary fat, and gluten) in male reproductive health. Evidence of gene-nutrient interactions and their potential effect on fertility is also examined. Understanding the relationship between genetic variation, nutrition and male fertility is key to developing personalized, DNA-based dietary recommendations to enhance the fertility of men who have difficulty conceiving.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a deadly cancer in which cancer stem cells (CSCs) sustain tumor growth and contribute to therapeutic resistance. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) has recently emerged as a promising target in GBM. Using two orthogonal-acting inhibitors of PRMT5 (GSK591 or LLY-283), we show that pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 suppresses the growth of a cohort of 46 patient-derived GBM stem cell cultures, with the proneural subtype showing greater sensitivity. We show that PRMT5 inhibition causes widespread disruption of splicing across the transcriptome, particularly affecting cell cycle gene products. We identify a GBM splicing signature that correlates with the degree of response to PRMT5 inhibition. Importantly, we demonstrate that LLY-283 is brain-penetrant and significantly prolongs the survival of mice with orthotopic patient-derived xenografts. Collectively, our findings provide a rationale for the clinical development of brain penetrant PRMT5 inhibitors as treatment for GBM., The arginine methyltransferase PRMT5 is over-expressed in cancer and has a role in the maintenance of stem cells. Here, the authors show that PRMT5 inhibitors can block the growth of patient derived glioblastoma stem cell cultures in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that PRMT5 inhibition may be a useful therapeutic strategy

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential to the initiation of spermatogenesis. Cryopreservation, long-term maintenance, and auto-transplantation of SSCs could be a new treatment for infertility. The aim of this study was to add melatonin to the basic freezing medium and to evaluate its effect on the efficiency of the thawed SSCs after transplantation into the testicles of azoospermic mice. SSCs were isolated from newborn NMRI mice, and the cells were enriched to assess morphological features. The thawed SSCs were evaluated for survival, apoptosis, and ROS level before transplantation, and the proliferation (MVH and ID4) and differentiation (c-Kit, SCP3, TP1, TP2, and Prm1) markers of SSCs were examined using immunofluorescence, western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after transplantation. It was found that the survival rate of SSCs after thawing was significantly higher in the melatonin group compared with the cryopreservation group containing basic freezing medium, and the rate of apoptosis and level of ROS production also decreased significantly in the cryopreservation group with melatonin (p

Glioblastomas harbor diverse cell populations, including rare glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) that drive tumorigenesis. To characterize functional diversity within this population, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on >69,000 GSCs cultured from the tumors of 26 patients. We observed a high degree of inter- and intra-GSC transcriptional heterogeneity that could not be fully explained by DNA somatic alterations. Instead, we found that GSCs mapped along a transcriptional gradient spanning two cellular states reminiscent of normal neural development and inflammatory wound response. Genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 dropout screens independently recapitulated this observation, with each state characterized by unique essential genes. Further single-cell RNA sequencing of >56,000 malignant cells from primary tumors found that the majority organize along an orthogonal astrocyte maturation gradient yet retain expression of founder GSC transcriptional programs. We propose that glioblastomas grow out of a fundamental GSC-based neural wound response transcriptional program, which is a promising target for new therapy development. Pugh and colleagues use single-cell RNA sequencing, CRISPR screens and functional assays to define a gradient of developmental and wound-response cell states in glioblastoma stem cells, revealing insights into glioblastoma origins and potential therapeutic targets.

Taxonomic evaluation is one of the challenges that are being faced by taxonomists. They use different criteria to evaluate taxonomic validity of a given lineage. In the present study, we evaluate different populations of Trapelus agilis in Iran by using morphoecological approach. Our morphological results confirmed separation of T. agilis khuzestanensis, southeastern Iran and Qom groups, from other central and northeastern groups. Ecological niche of T. agilis khuzestanensis and southeastern, Qom, and northeastern Iranian populations can be differentiated from other groups. Differences are due to local adaptations and the geological history of the taxa. The Central Iranian Plateau aridification, after Zagros Mountain uplifting, created constant environmental conditions, which may have affected the central Iranian groups. Other smaller groups distributed in southeastern Iran, T. agilis khuzestanensis, T. sanguinolentus, and Qom groups are isolated from central populations and adapted locally. Keywords: Adaptation, Ecological niche modeling, Iranian Plateau, Morphology, Steppe agama

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of Spirulina platensis (SP), Aloe vera (AV) and guar gum (GG) incorporated into an alginate (AL) coating on the quality properties of the mango fruit stored at 12 ± 1 °C for 4 weeks. This study showed that all coatings remarkably decreased the rate of respiration and the weight loss belonging to the mango fruits. Incorporating Aloe vera in the alginate coating (AV + AL) considerably kept the mango firmness. It was also revealed that the total phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity was considerably enhanced in the SP + AL and AV + AL coated fruits, in comparison to the AL coated and control fruits. The changes of peel color were found to be greatly reduced in the GG + AL coated fruits, as compared to other coatings as well as the control. The findings of this study, therefore, revealed that Spirulina and Aloe vera had the most positive effect on preserving the bioactive compounds of mango fruit during storage. Although the, L* value of the fruit peel was slightly decreased.

Background:Burn is still an important global public health challenge. Wound colonization of antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii can lead to high morbidity and mortality in burn patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of tazobactam on efflux pump, which can cause aminoglycoside resistant in A. baumannii isolated from burn patients.Methods:In this study, 47 aminoglycoside resistant A. baumannii spp. were obtained from burn patients, admitted to the Shahid Motahari Burns Hospital in Tehran, Iran, during June-August 2018. The inhibitory effect of tazobactam against adeB such as efflux pump was evaluated by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination of amikacin alone and in combination with tazobactam. Fractional Inhibitory Concentration index (FIC) was used to determine the efficacy of tazobactam/ amikacin combination. Further, semi-quantitative Real- Time PCR was performed to quantify the expression rates of the adeB gene before and after addition of tazobactam/amikacin.Results:The MIC values were significantly reduced when a combined amikacin and tazobactam was utilized. The most common interaction observed was synergistic (78.2%), followed by additive effects (21.8%), as per FIC results. The adeB mRNA expression levels were found to be downregulated in 60.7% of isolates treated with tazobactam.Conclusions:Tazobactam can have impact on resistance to aminoglycoside by inhibiting efflux pump. Thus, the combination of tazobactam with amikacin can be used as an alternative treatment approach in multidrug resistant A. baumannii infections.

A new species, Cephalaria kurdistanica, from Chehel-Cheshmeh mountain, west of Iran, is here described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically related to C. microcephala Boiss., C. procera Fisch. & Avé-Lall., and C. kotschyi Boiss. & Hohen., but it differs in chiefly stem size, size and shape of capitula, the number of phyllaries, shape of upper part of phyllaries, calyx shape and indumentum, and size of bristles of receptacle. As well as detailed description, distribution map, conservation status and ecology of the new species are given.

Destruction caused by plant diseases is terrible. Mexican lime witches' broom (MLWB) is a phytoplasma disease, which has caused considerable damage in Mexican lime tree in southern parts of Iran. In order to protect the plant against this pathogen, it is required to apply an appropriate treatment to induce resistance. Moreover, for better comprehension of disease mechanism, the analysis of phytohormones as one of the most critical basic components in plant cells, probably involved in resistance mechanisms, is of great importance. In this work, Mexican lime trees infected with lime witches’-broom phytoplasma (LWBP) were treated with Previcur EnergyTm (31% fosetyl-Alluminum plus 53% propamocarb) 4/000 as the resistance inducer against phytoplasma. In the next step, phytohormone levels in healthy Mexican lime were compared with those of infected and treated lime trees. For analysis of phytohormones, one-step dispersive solid phase extraction (DSPE) combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-multiple reaction monitoring (LC–MS/MS-MRM) mode was used. A total of 54 phytohormones including cytokinins, auxins, jasmonates, gibberellins, salicylic acid and abscisic acid groups were simultaneously analyzed for treated, infected, and healthy plants. Totally, 18 phytohormones from plant leave extract were detected, among which levels of 11 phytohormones including SA, JA, JA-Phe, JA-Ile, JA-Leu, OPDA, CZ, iP7G, cZ9G, TZr and 2MeStZR were significantly changed in both infected and treated plants. Result of the present study indicated that the applied treatment was able to reduce the severity score in plant. On the other hand, phytoplasma (as a biotic stress) and treatment with Previcur EnergyTm (as a resistance inducer) could affect fundamental processes in plant via regulation of phytohormone levels.

After a gap of 71 years of its original collection in Iraq, Crucianella parviflora is rediscovered from Kurdistan, Iran. A detailed morphometric treatment of the species is provided here. Its taxonomic relationships with the other related species are discussed as well. Our analyses on the conservation status of C. parviflora based on IUCN criteria and categories ranked it as Vulnerable (VU).

Although the knowledge of morphometrics and hematology of reptiles in health has grown substantially in recent years, there are still knowledge gaps in many species and from different geographical regions. The objectives of this study were to document morphometrical measurements and hematological data of clinically healthy free-ranging adult Mesopotamian spiny-tailed lizards (Saara loricata), the Iraqi Mastigure or Iraqi spiny-tailed lizard, from Khuzestan Province, Iran, and to investigate sex differences in evaluated parameters. Although we did not observe any gender differences in morphometrical measurements, the visually larger genital pores of males allowed for differentiation of study animals into females (n = 6) and males (n = 5). We obtained femoral vein blood samples for hematological analysis, including detailed red blood cell (RBC) measurements, RBC count, packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) counts, and blood film review. Gender differences were identified in some RBC measurements, notably length and width of erythrocytes and nucleus width, as well as RBC and WBC counts. Gametocytes of hemogregarines varied from absent to frequent. The information presented herein will be useful for interpretative considerations of health assessment data for this species from Iran in comparison to data from the same and closely related species from other geographical regions.

—Acer iranicum (Sapindaceae s. l., Aceroideae), from the upper limits of the lowland forests toward the midlands in the western part of the Hyrcanian forests, is described as new. Diagnostic characters for A. iranicum are sub-leathery to papery leaves, rounded, elongate sepals, oblong-ovate petals, and samara wings diverging at 55‐75°. The phylogenetic position of A. iranicum within Acer section Acer is elucidated based on analysis of the ITS data from representatives of all taxa within section Acer and morphological evidence. Acer iranicum was resolved as sister to A. opalus (Italian maple), but quite distant from all other species of maples in Iran.

Multi-view deconvolution is a powerful image-processing tool for light sheet fluorescence microscopy, providing isotropic resolution and enhancing the image content. However, performing these calculations on large datasets is computationally demanding and time-consuming even on high-end workstations. Especially in long-time measurements on developing animals, huge amounts of image data are acquired. To keep them manageable, redundancies should be removed right after image acquisition. To this end, we report a fast approximation to three-dimensional multi-view deconvolution, denoted 2D+1D multi-view deconvolution, which is able to keep up with the data flow. It first operates on the two dimensions perpendicular and subsequently on the one parallel to the rotation axis, exploiting the rotational symmetry of the point spread function along the rotation axis. We validated our algorithm and evaluated it quantitatively against two-dimensional and three-dimensional multi-view deconvolution using simulated and real image data. 2D+1D multi-view deconvolution takes similar computation time but performs markedly better than the two-dimensional approximation only. Therefore, it will be most useful for image processing in time-critical applications, where the full 3D multi-view deconvolution cannot keep up with the data flow.

In contrast to mammals, adult zebrafish display an extraordinary capacity to heal injuries and repair damage in the central nervous system. Pivotal for the regenerative capacity of the zebrafish brain at adult stages is the precise control of neural stem cell (NSC) behavior and the maintenance of the stem cell pool. The gene mdka, a member of a small family of heparin binding growth factors, was previously shown to be involved in regeneration in the zebrafish retina, heart, and fin. Here, we investigated the expression pattern of the gene mdka and its paralogue mdkb in the zebrafish adult telencephalon under constitutive and regenerative conditions. Our findings show that only mdka expression is specifically restricted to the telencephalic ventricle, a stem cell niche of the zebrafish telencephalon. In this brain region, mdka is particularly expressed in the quiescent stem cells. Interestingly, after brain injury, mdka expression remains restricted to the resting stem cell, which might suggest a role of mdka in regulating stem cell quiescence

14 pages, 8 figures, supplementary information https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-022-01089-w.-- Data availability: Raw and aligned sequencing data are available at https://danio-code.zfin.org/dataExport/. The raw sequencing data produced for this study are available on the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) under study numbers PRJNA824720, PRJNA821001, PRJNA821088, PRJNA821148 and PRJNA821034. Annotation tracks are available at http://genome.ucsc.edu/cgi-bin/hgTracks?db=danRer10&hubUrl=https://danio-code.zfin.org/trackhub/DANIO-CODE.hub.txt (danRer10) and http://genome.ucsc.edu/cgi-bin/hgTracks?db=danRer11&hubUrl=https://danio-code.zfin.org/trackhub/DANIO-CODE.hub.txt (danRer11). Code availability: The processing pipelines for the individual assays are available at https://gitlab.com/danio-code. The code used for the analysis is available at https://github.com/DANIO-CODE/DANIO-CODE_Data_analysis (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6424702). The script to generate the TrackHub is available at https://gitlab.com/danio-code/TrackHub, Zebrafish, a popular organism for studying embryonic development and for modeling human diseases, has so far lacked a systematic functional annotation program akin to those in other animal models. To address this, we formed the international DANIO-CODE consortium and created a central repository to store and process zebrafish developmental functional genomic data. Our data coordination center (https://danio-code.zfin.org) combines a total of 1,802 sets of unpublished and re-analyzed published genomic data, which we used to improve existing annotations and show its utility in experimental design. We identified over 140,000 cis-regulatory elements throughout development, including classes with distinct features dependent on their activity in time and space. We delineated the distinct distance topology and chromatin features between regulatory elements active during zygotic genome activation and those active during organogenesis. Finally, we matched regulatory elements and epigenomic landscapes between zebrafish and mouse and predicted functional relationships between them beyond sequence similarity, thus extending the utility of zebrafish developmental genomics to mammals, We thank our main funders, the Horizon 2020 MSCA-ITN project ZENCODE-ITN by the European Commission to F.M., B.L., C.O.D., J.M.V. and B.P. (GA no: 643062), BBSRC support (DanioPeaks, P61715) to B.L., F.M. and F.C.W., Wellcome Trust (Joint-Investigator award 106955/Z/15/Z) to F.M. and B.L. and AQUA-FAANG (Horizon 2020, GA 817923) to B.L., D.B. and F.M. and BBSRC (BB/R015457/1) to F.vE and Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team to Z.C. (GML2019ZD0401) and PrecisionTox project by the European Commission (GA no: 965406), With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Background: The dystonias are a heterogeneous group of hyperkinetic disorders characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions that cause abnormal movements and/or postures. Although more than 200 causal genes are known, many cases of primary dystonia have no clear genetic cause.Objectives: To identify the causal gene in a consanguineous family with three siblings affected by a complex persistent generalized dystonia, generalized epilepsy, and mild intellectual disability.Methods: We performed exome sequencing in the parents and two affected siblings and characterized the expression of the identified gene by immunohistochemistry in control human and zebrafish brains.Results: We identified a novel missense variant (c.142G>A (NM_032192); p.Glu48Lys) in the protein phosphatase 1 regulatory inhibitor subunit 1B gene (PPP1R1B) that was homozygous in all three siblings and heterozygous in the parents. This gene is also known as dopamine and cAMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein 32 (DARPP-32) and has been involved in the pathophysiology of abnormal movements. The uncovered variant is absent in public databases and modifies the conserved glutamate 48 localized close to the serine 45 phosphorylation site. The PPP1R1B protein was shown to be expressed in cells and regions involved in movement control, including projection neurons of the caudate-putamen, substantia nigra neuropil, and cerebellar Purkinje cells. The latter cells were also confirmed to be positive for PPP1R1B expression in the zebrafish brain.Conclusions: We report the association of a PPP1R1B/DARPP-32 variant with generalized dystonia in man. It might be relevant to include the sequencing of this new gene in the diagnosis of patients with otherwise unexplained movement disorders. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Immune and inflammatory responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) contribute to disease severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the utility of specific immune-based biomarkers to predict clinical outcome remains elusive. Here, we analyzed levels of 66 soluble biomarkers in 175 Italian patients with COVID-19 ranging from mild/moderate to critical severity and assessed type I IFN-, type II IFN-, and NF-κB-dependent whole-blood transcriptional signatures. A broad inflammatory signature was observed, implicating activation of various immune and nonhematopoietic cell subsets. Discordance between IFN-α2a protein and IFNA2 transcript levels in blood suggests that type I IFNs during COVID-19 may be primarily produced by tissue-resident cells. Multivariable analysis of patients' first samples revealed 12 biomarkers (CCL2, IL-15, soluble ST2 [sST2], NGAL, sTNFRSF1A, ferritin, IL-6, S100A9, MMP-9, IL-2, sVEGFR1, IL-10) that when increased were independently associated with mortality. Multivariate analyses of longitudinal biomarker trajectories identified 8 of the aforementioned biomarkers (IL-15, IL-2, NGAL, CCL2, MMP-9, sTNFRSF1A, sST2, IL-10) and 2 additional biomarkers (lactoferrin, CXCL9) that were substantially associated with mortality when increased, while IL-1α was associated with mortality when decreased. Among these, sST2, sTNFRSF1A, IL-10, and IL-15 were consistently higher throughout the hospitalization in patients who died versus those who recovered, suggesting that these biomarkers may provide an early warning of eventual disease outcome.

A new species of Dwarf Snakes, Eirenis rafsanjanicus sp. n., is described from south-central Iran. This species is well distinguished from other congeners in both molecular and morphological characters, and its description increases the number of described Eirenis species to 26. Eirenis rafsanjanicus sp. n. is genetically closest (6% in Cytb) to the recently described E. yassujicus, which inhabits high habitats in southern Iran. Morphologically, E. rafsanjanicus sp. n. is more similar to E. modestus than to other congeners. A revised key to the genus is presented.

We describe a new species of the genus Eryx Daudin, 1803 from southern Iran that is morphologically closely related to the Indian sand boa, E. johnii. The new species, Eryx sistanensis sp. nov. has a distribution range from Zabol in the Sistan Region to the southern parts of Sistan & Baluchistan, as well as Hormozgan Province of Iran. Morphologically, E. sistanensis sp. nov. differs from E. johnii by having fewer dorsal scale rows at midbody and the tail tip is not as blunt as E. johnii. The genetic distance (p-distance) between the new species and the Indian sand boa is considerable (9.1% for cytb and 11.8% for COI).

Population structuring of a species provide basic information for biological conservation. We investigated the genetic structure of seven populations of Rana pseudodalmatina, an endemic species of the Ranidae inhabiting the Hyrcanian forests in northern Iran, based on the genetic variation of two partial mitochondrial DNA sequences (16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes). Molecular genetic analyses revealed remarkable variation among populations of R. pseudodalmatina. The phylogenetic trees clearly indicated two distinct haplogroups, which largely corresponded to their geographic locations. A strong population structure was found (ΦCT = 0.559, P = 0.027) with high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.88) and low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0041). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that most of the observed genetic variation (55.92%) occurred between the two haplogroups. Also, Mantel tests revealed a significant correlation between geographic and genetic distances (R2 = 0.33, P = 0.005). Finally, the star-like topology of haplotype network and also neutrality tests provide strong evidence for population expansion in two haplogroups. All the findings of the present study, suggest a strong evidence for past expansion of isolated populations of R. pseudodalmatina, which their isolation could be largely attributed to rising level of the Caspian Sea during last glacial periods in the Pleistocene.

The Arabian sand boa, Eryx jayakari Boulenger, 1888, is a highly adapted species living mostly in sandy deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and southwestern Iran. In order to reveal the most suitable ...

The Javelin sand boa, Eryx jaculus, is one of the erycid snakes occurring in Iran. In order to investigate sexual dimorphism in this species, 12 morphological characters were examined in 22 adult specimens (10 males and 12 females) from different localities in western Iran. Results showed that the number of sub-caudal scales, the relative tail length, and snout-vent length are different between sexes. Brief comparison of sexual dimorphism among species of Eryx was presented.

Surveying the role of climate changes on the species distributions in the past, present and future, and correlating these with changes in distribution ranges have attracted considerable research interest. The leopard geckos of the genus Eublepharis Gray, 1827 (family Eublepharidae), as a vicariate group, comprises six valid species distributed from Turkey through the Iranian Plateau to India, of which E. angramainyu, E. macularius and E. turcmenicus occur in Iran. In this study, we modelled the potential distribution areas for E. angramainyu and determined the suitable habitats in the past (the last interglacial [LIG] and mid-Holocene [MH]), present (1950–2000), and also predicted four scenarios in the future (2050) by using the maximum entropy approach (MaxEnt). The obtained models indicated very good values of the area under curve (AUC): LIG = 0.996 ± 0.003, MH = 0.996 ± 0.004, contemporary period = 0.995 ± 0.004, and the future = 0.997 ± 0.002. Precipitation of the coldest quarter and precipitation of the warmest quarter were the most important factors shaping the distribution of E. angramainyu. As it seems, climatic changes have been responsible for a southward shift in distribution and suitable habitats of E. angramainyu from the LIG (~150,000–120,000 years ago) to the future. The representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6 scenario model of the future predicted a much more restricted distribution and less suitable habitats due to radiation of the forcing level which reaches a value of around 3.1 W/m² by mid-century and returns to 2.6 W/m² by 2100.

15-lipoxygenase is one of the key enzymes for the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids that its manipulation has been proposed recently as a new molecular target for regulating cancer cell growth. Aberrant expression of 15-lipoxygenase enzyme seems to play an indicative role in the pathology of different cancer types, tumor progression, metastasis, or apoptosis. Based on the fact that breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that imposes a burden of mortality in women also, on the other hand, evidence in experimental models and human studies indicate the emerging role of the 15-lipoxygenase pathway in breast cancer pathogenesis, we present a review of recent findings related to the role of 15- lipoxygenase enzyme and metabolites in breast cancer growth, apoptosis, metastasis, and invasion as well as their local and circulating expression pattern in patients with breast cancer. Our review supports the emerging role of 15- lipoxygenase in molecular and cellular processes regulating breast tumor cell fate with both positive and negative effects.

A new species, Electrogena sartorii sp. nov., is described at the larval stage using molecular and morphological data from Iran. In addition, two species; Electrogena gibedede Sroka & Godunko, 2012 and Anapos kugleri (Demoulin, 1973) are recorded from Iran for the first time. Considering the fact that many areas in Iran are not well explored an urgent and complete survey, in particular on the order Ephemeroptera, is needed to uncover the real biodiversity.

Zebrafish, a popular model for embryonic development and for modelling human diseases, has so far lacked a systematic functional annotation programme akin to those in other animal models. To address this, we formed the international DANIO-CODE consortium and created the first central repository to store and process zebrafish developmental functional genomic data. Our Data Coordination Center (https://danio-code.zfin.org) combines a total of 1,802 sets of unpublished and reanalysed published genomics data, which we used to improve existing annotations and show its utility in experimental design. We identified over 140,000 cis-regulatory elements in development, including novel classes with distinct features dependent on their activity in time and space. We delineated the distinction between regulatory elements active during zygotic genome activation and those active during organogenesis, identifying new aspects of how they relate to each other. Finally, we matched regulatory elements and epigenomic landscapes between zebrafish and mouse and predict functional relationships between them beyond sequence similarity, extending the utility of zebrafish developmental genomics to mammals.

According to a large morphological dataset of specimens from Turkey to Iran and based on several morphological analyses, the Iranian populations of the skink Heremites vittatus are separated from other populations of this taxon in Turkey. The values of most of morphological characters were higher in the Turkish populations. Morphological variation among populations of H. vittatus (Olivier, 1804) from Turkey and the western slopes of the Zagros Mountains in Kermanshah province in Iran may be the result of different dispersal and vicariance events. Comparison the current study dataset with specimens from Egypt can definite the taxonomic status of Iranian and Turkish populations.

Postharvest management of mango, as a climacteric fruit with high perishability rate, is of particular economic importance. In this study, the effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (50, 100 and 200 µmol L−1) were evaluated regarding efficacy of delaying in fruit softening and maintaining nutritional quality of mango fruit during storage at 15 ± 1 °C and 85% RH. According to the results, the total soluble solids content and titratable acidity were not influenced by the γ-aminobutyric acid significantly; while, at 200 µmol L−1 it has maintained firmness, ascorbic acid, phenols and flavonoids content of mango significantly. Also, the higher antioxidant capacity was found in treated fruits. The treated fruits had more activity of the catalase and peroxidase enzymes than the control. The γ-aminobutyric acid significantly controls the activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme during storage. The GABA treated fruits showed the higher a* value and lower b* and L* during the storage. These findings suggested that γ-aminobutyric acid treatment could be useful at a proper concentration in order to improve postharvest quality of mango.

Objective The present study evaluated the effect of aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare on fetal development in pregnant mice models. Methods A total number of 24 female BALB/c mice with a weight range of 25-30 gr divided into four groups. Each group received 0.25 ml of the aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare with different concentrations (2.5 mg, 12.5 mg, 25 mg) and distilled water as a control group. The aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare administered via oral gavage on a daily basis from day 6 to day 15 of pregnancy. On day 16, the fetuses were analyzed in terms of morphological changes, skeletal disorders, and cellular alterations. Results The result showed the dose-dependent teratogenic effect of the aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare. At 12.5 mg and 25 mg concentration, the teratogenic effect was more severe. Oral gavage administration of the aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare increased the number of dead fetuses and reduced the average weight, height, and crown-rump length. Subcutaneous hemorrhage, dorsal lesion, wrinkled skin, and considerably lower than normal fetal weight observed in gross morphological inspection at 25 mg concentration. The skeletal studies revealed fetal anomalies, reduction in ossification and reduction in the number of ribs. Internal bleeding around the liver and lungs, pulmonary fibrosis and disruption in the arrangement of hepatocytes was also observed in histological analysis. Conclusion Administration of the aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare results in embryotoxicity in mice models in morphological, skeletal and cellular levels. Keywords Foeniculum vulgare, Fennel, Teratogenicity, Embryotoxicity, Fetal Development, Mice

Crown and root rot are among the most important wheat diseases caused by Fusarium species. The aim of this study was the identification of Fusarium spp. isolates obtained from wheat with crown and root rot symptoms in Yazd province of Iran, based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The ef1/ef2 and ITS4/ITS5 primers were used for molecular identification of the isolates. The results of morphological and molecular investigations revealed that among 40 isolates, 11 isolates were identified as F. equiseti, six isolates as F. pseudograminearum, five isolates as F. culmorum, five isolates as F. flocciferum, four isolates as F. acuminatum, four isolates as F. oxysporum, three isolates as F. solani and two isolates as F. proliferatum. Pathogenicity of the isolates was evaluated on wheat cultivar Falat. Comparing pathogenicity of different Fusarium spp. isolates on wheat seedlings revealed that the highest level of disease index was observed for F. pseudograminearum, F. culmorum, F. flocciferum and F. solani and the lowest disease severity was observed for F. equiseti. This is the first report on the identification of Fusarium spp., causing wheat crown and root rot in Yazd province of Iran, and on pathogenicity of F. flocciferum on wheat.

A new series of thiosemicarbazide-1,2,3-triazole hybrids 10a-o has been synthesized, characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and screened for their in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. All of the synthesized compounds displayed excellent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values in the range of 75.0 ± 0.5 to 253.0 ± 0.5 μM, as compared to the standard drug acarbose (IC50 = 750.0 ± 1.5 μM). Among the synthesized compounds, compound 10h (IC50 = 75.0 ± 0.5) with 4-methoxy group at phenyl part of thiosemicarbazide moiety and 2,6-dichloro substituents at benzyl moiety was found to be the most potent compound. Kinetic analysis revealed that compound 10h is a competitive inhibitor for α-glucosidase. Docking study of compound 10h in the active site of α-glucosidase showed that this compound interacted with residues His239, His279, Glu304, Gly306, and Arg312.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is considered as a risk factor for the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Evidence indicates that PAE affects epigenetic mechanisms (such as DNA methylation) and alters the normal differentiation and development of neural stem cells (NSC) in the fetal brain. However, PAE effects depend on several factors such as sex and strain of the studied subjects. Here, we investigated whether murine sex and strain contribute to the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on DNA methylation machinery of differentiating NSC. Further, the effects of PAE on glial lineage (including both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) in a sex- and strain-dependent manner have not been studied yet. To examine the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on gliogenesis, we exposed differentiating NSC to glio-inductive culture conditions. Applying a standard in vitro model system, we treated male and female differentiating NSC (obtained from the forebrain of CD1 and C57BL/6 embryos at embryonic day 14.5) with chronic ethanol exposure (70 mM) for 8 days. We show that ethanol induces global DNA hypomethylation, while altering the expression of DNA methylation-related genes in a sex- and strain-specific manner. The observed change in cellular DNA methylation levels was associated with altered expression of glial markers CNPASE, GFAP, and OLIG2 in CD1 (but not C57BL/6) cells. We conclude that the impact of ethanol effect on DNA methylation is dependent on cellular sex and strain. Also, ethanol impact on neural stem cell fate commitment was only detected in cells isolated from CD1 mouse strain, but not in C57BL/6 cells. The results of the current study provide evidence that sex and strain of rodents (C57BL/6 and CD1) during gestation are important factors, which affect alcohol effects on NSC differentiation and DNA methylation. Results of this study may also help in interpreting data on the developmental toxicity of many compounds during the gestational period.

Given the increasing consumer demand for ready-to-eat products in recent years, the use of nano technology has been considered to improve the quality and increase the shelf life of fresh cuttings of fruit and vegetables. In this research, the effects of polypropylene contents of Nanoclay nanocomposites prepared by Bespar Aitec Company dishes, on quantitative and qualitative post-harvest indices of arils of pomegranate cultivars "Rabab-Neyriz" and "Milas-Neyriz" after 30 days Storage at 5 °C were investigated. For this purpose, soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), phenol, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin, flavor index, and sensory evaluation (panel test) were evaluated at a time interval of 6 days. Based on the results, the studied cultivars showed significant differences in qualitative characteristics, especially anthocyanins. In both cultivars, total phenol content, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and antioxidant capacity gradually decreased over time. Although there was no significant difference between the Nano and control samples for flavor index, other traits showed significant differences. In both cultivars, Nano- packaged arils showed higher phenol, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and antioxidant contents compared to the control samples. Nano- packaged arils of Rabab cultivar showed a better marketability. These results indicated that Nano- packaging is a promising approach in maintaining quality and increasing shelf life and marketability of pomegranate arils during 30 days storage.