Habitat suitability for the Caucasian frog <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rana macrocnemis</Emphasis> Boulenger, 1885 (Amphibia:Anura: Ranidae)

Modeling the distribution patterns of species is a generally efficient tool to assess their ecological characteristics. In this study, we compared ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) and maximum entropy (Maxent) techniques to predict the most suitable distribution range of Rana macrocnemis. The Maxent model predicted potential suitable habitats for R. macrocnemis with high success rates (AUC Training data = 0.877 ± 0.039). According to the map constructed, three important variables had high contribution to species presence: temperature (50.4%), land cover (24.6%) and elevation (14.4%) variables. The ENFA results were relatively similar to Maxent jackknife analysis. The results implied that R. macrocnemis prefers grassland and needle leaf deciduous forest with high elevations, and low temperature.     

Biomonitoring of unmetabolized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urine of waterpipe/cigarette café workers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Fresh tobacco or the smoke resulting from waterpipe and cigarette contains large amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which consumption...     

Effects of aerobic exercise on histopathology and toxicology of ZnO and nano ZnO in male rats

The effects of four weeks of aerobic exercise on histopathological and toxicological effects induced by nano ZnO and ZnO powders in male rats were evaluated. Tissue sections of liver and kidneys of ZnO and nano ZnO rats showed some histopathological changes, which were partly reverted by exercise. ZnO and nano ZnO treatments caused an increase in the level of tumor necrosis factor-α, while the mean of Interleukin 10 was declined. Exercise training enhanced the mean value of and declined mean level of in rats treated with ZnO and nano ZnO. The ZnO and ZnO groups demonstrated the highest means of insulin resistance, low density lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride levels and lower mean value of compared to the other groups, while exercise resulted in improvement in mean of these factors.     

Fish and shrimp waste management at household and market in Bushehr,Iran

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The aim of this study was to investigate the estimation and management of fish and shrimp wastes in Bushehr province. Two-part questionnaire...     

Iodine deficiency status in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: a systematic review

Iodine deficiency is a global public health issue because iodine plays a major role in the thyroid hormone synthesis and is essential for normal neurological development. This review summarizes the publications on iodine status in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. All related studies available in main national and international databases were systematically searched using some specific keywords to find article published between 1909 and 2015. The prevention of iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) in the WHO EMR countries is currently under control without significant side effects. Mild to severe IDDs exist in some countries of the Middle East, due to lack of effective iodine supplementation program, but the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Bahrain and Tunisia have achieved the goal of universal salt iodization. Overall, despite enormous efforts to control IDDs, still IDD remains a serious public health problem in some countries of the region, requiring urgent control and prevention measures.     

Trace element concentration levels in three bird species in Hormod Protected Area,Larestan, Iran

The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of Cd, Pb, Co, and Cu, in A. chukar, A. griseogularis, and Columba livia, in order to (1) examine the age- and gender-related variation in trace metal accumulation and (2) to determine the significance between metal concentrations in the kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle. Mean concentrations of Cd and Pb in the kidney of A. chukar, A. griseogularis, and C. livia were 3.7, 4.1, and 3.9?µg/g and 15.9, 13.6, and 15.5?µg/g, respectively. In the liver, they were 4.8, 4.3, and 3.9?µg/g and 21.4, 21.3, and 21.1?µg/g, and in the pectoral muscle, 2.3, 2.3, and 2.2?µg/g and 7.1, 7.1, and 7.8?µg/g, respectively. Metal concentrations in three bird species were decreased in the sequence of liver?>?kidney?>?pectoral muscle. Trace metal concentrations in the three species were higher in females than in males. The mean concentrations of Cd in the kidney and liver were higher than the background levels, as well as Pb concentrations in the liver were higher than the toxic level.     

Heavy metal in water and aquatic organisms from different intertidal ecosystems,Persian Gulf

Intertidal ecosystems are being damaged by anthropogenic activities, particularly in the developing countries. In this study, the load of heavy metals was determined in water, fish, shrimp, and crab collected from four intertidal ecosystems, including coral reef, rocky shore, mangrove forest, and muddy habitat along the Persian Gulf coasts. Generally, the sequence of metal accumulation in the water of coral reef and mangrove forest was Ni > Pb > V > Cd > As > Hg, whereas in muddy habitats and rocky shores, the sequence was Ni > Pb > V > Cd > Hg > As and Ni > V > Pb > As > Hg > Cd, respectively. Water of the coral reef had the highest level of Ni (97.44 μg l^?1), Pb (3.92 μg l^?1), V (10.42 μg l^?1), Cd (3.92 μg l^?1), As (1.87 μg l^?1), and Hg (0.74 μg l^?1). For the most part, the highest concentrations of the studied metals were found in the liver and the gills of Johnius belangerii and the hepatopancreas of Portunus pelagicus and Metapenaus affinis collected from the coral reef ecosystem.     

Estimating Population Size and Detection Probability of the Lorestan Newt,Neurergus kaiseri (Schmidt, 1952) using an Integrated Method

Russian Journal of Ecology - Robust estimates of species population abundance are necessary for the success of conservation plans and species management strategies. In the present study, our main...     

Preliminary Source Tracking of Male-Specific (F<Superscript>+</Superscript>) RNA Coliphage on Lettuce as a Surrogate of Enteric Viruses Using Reverse Transcription-PCR

The aim of this research was to preliminary track fecal source male-specific F⁺RNA coliphages including human and animals in lettuce. At first, two published virus extraction procedures of ultracentrifugation and PEG precipitation were compared using DAL assay for determining the recovery efficiency in lettuce spiked artificially with three concentrations (10², 10⁴, 10⁶ pfu/100 ml) of MS2 coliphage. The results showed that PEG precipitation had the highest recovery in which the recovery efficiency at the spiked level of 10⁶ pfu/100 ml was 16.63 %. Aqueous phase obtained from the final step of PEG method was applied for enumeration of coliphage and viral RNA extraction in naturally contaminated lettuce samples (N = 30) collected from two sources (market and farm). The samples were then analyzed based on (I, II, III, and IV primer sets) using RT-PCR method. Coliphages were detected in 9 (60 %) and 12 (80 %) out of 15 market and farm samples, respectively, using DAL assay, whereas male-specific F⁺RNA coliphages were detected using the RT-PCR method in 9 (60 %) and 13 (86.6 %) out of 15 samples of market and farm, respectively. Based on the results, only genotype I of male-specific F⁺RNA coliphages was detected in lettuce samples and no sample tested was positive for other genotypes (II, III, and IV).