فهرست مطالب asghar abdoli

Quantitative assessment of fish abundance is the basis of scientific research andmanagement of their population. Demographic studies of stream-dwelling salmonids haveshown that variation in their abundance on a spatio-temporal scale is common, and troutpopulations are no exception. Understanding this variation is crucial for several reasons,including designing and interpreting environmental impact assessment studies and monitoringfishery management strategies. The present study aimed to estimate the spatial and temporalvariations in the density of Caspian Sea trout in some of the Lar National Park streams andinvestigate the relationship between the density of fish in these streams and the density ofbenthic invertebrates as their primary food sources.

Fish densities were calculated using the Le Cren depletion method toachieve reliable population estimates. After two removal steps, the total number of fish caughtwas standardized and expressed as density per 100 m2 of the river channel. To investigate thetemporal changes of fish abundance, the study results in 2009 were qualitatively compared withthe results of another study in 2017.

According to the 2009 results, the highest Caspian Sea trout densitywas recorded in the Delichay (44 per 100 m2), Lar (43.2 per 100 m2), and Siah Palas sites (33.4per 100 m2), respectively, and the lowest densities were recorded in the Lar (Kharsang, 10.5per 100 m2) and Lar (Sorkhak, 11.5 per 100 m2). In 2017, the highest density of trout wasdocumented in Siah Palas (175 per 100 m2), Delichay (Vararo, 118 per 100 m2), and Elam (112per 100 m2) streams, and the lowest density was recorded in the Delichay (downstream, 48 per100 m2) and Absefid (49 per 100 m2) streams.The distribution and abundance of stream-dwelling salmons are primarily regulated by food andspace. The abundance of Caspian Sea trout on a local scale indicates variety in quality and habitataccess for Caspian Sea trout in the Lar National Park. We speculated that habitat diversity hasinfluenced the density of Caspian Sea trout in various streams in the region by affecting theabundance of aquatic invertebrates, which are the main prey source. However, the results ofregression (R2= 0.02, p value = 0.72) and correlation (Spearman, r = 0.24) analyses showed nosignificant relationship between the density of fish and benthic invertebrates in the Lar National Parkstreams. Despite the enough abundance of prey in Lar streams, the fish were low in density. Thecause of this incongruence is probably related to the salmon fishing in Lar National Park in the past.Comparing fish densities in 2009 and 2017 showed that the trout density in 2017 was higherthan the trout density in 2009.

Considering that in 2014, the Department of Environment stopped issuing fishinglicenses in this area, one of the reasons for the increase in fish density is probably a positiveeffect of the fishing prohibition on this species. Since Caspian Sea trout abundances in the LarNational Park streams are spatio-temporally variable, it is necessary to provide reasonablemanagement strategies and continuous monitoring to prevent them from global warming andconserve them in the streams of the Lar National Park. Furthermore, due to climate change andbeing at risk of other populations of Caspian Sea trout in different habitats in Iran, thispopulation should be protected as a support population.

Lythrum salicaria L., commonly referred to as Purple Loosestrife, is a medicinal plant that has been valued for its therapeutic properties for centuries. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of using activated charcoal on establishing the in vitro propagation of L. Salicaria L. In this study, shoot explants (1.5 cm) were excised from buds that were 30 days old with a sterile scalpel blade and then cultured on full‐strength MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of activated charcoal to multiply and increase the length of shoots. Additionally, to investigate the in vitro rooting response, shoot tip explants were cut from elongated shoots and cultured on an MS medium containing different concentrations of NAA with or without activated charcoal with three replicates in each experiment. MS medium with 0.5 g/L activated charcoal had the highest mean shoot length (7.1 cm ± 0.15) and mean number of shoots per explant (2.4±0.11). The results show that 0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.2 g/L activated charcoal provide the best response for rooting. The improved protocol can be utilized to grow roots in micro shoots of L. salicaria, which is an important stage in the micro propagation of L. salicaria.

According to the increasing evidence, abnormal expression of microRNAs is associated with tumorigenesis, tumor spread, and relapse in leukemias, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The present study aimed to investigate the effect of miR-155 overexpression in K562 cells on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction.

The pLenti-III-pre miR-155-GFP vector was used to increase miR-155 expression in the K562 cell line through nucleofection compared to the pLenti-III-Backbone-GFP vector as a control group (Backbone). The flow cytometry method was employed to confirm the expression of the vector containing miR-155 in damaged cells. After transfection, the expression levels of miR-155, BAX, BCL2, CASP3, and TP53 were measured by the RT-qPCR method. The propidium iodide (PI) dye was used to study the cell cycle, and the stained cells were read by flow cytometry. The statistical significance was also defined as a P-value less than 0.05.

After confirming the increase in miR-155 expression when cells transfected with miR-155 were compared with cells transfected with Backbone, cell cycle arrest was observed in the miR-155 group. In the cells with increased expression of miR-155, the change in G0/S and G1/S ratios compared to Backbone was shown to be 7.5 and 4.5, respectively (P<0.05). Moreover, 48 hours after transfection and in the group expressing miR-155, the expression of TP53, BAX, and CASP3 genes increased, and the expression of BCL2 decreased (P<0.05).

The increase in the level of miR-155 caused cell cycle arrest and increased pro-apoptotic gene expression, which indicates that miR-155 inhibits tumor growth in CML.

Benthic macroinvertebrates are commonly used for assessment of water quality. Usually, these insects in rivers are present, easily collected, not moving much and it is easy to detect kinship. Benthic macroinvertebrates can also show changes in water quality and as sensitive indicators of environmental change are used. Jajrud River originated from the Elburz Mountains in northern Tehran. A sampling of Jajrud River benthic macroinvertebrate organisms from a Surber sampler device with an area of 900 cm2 and mesh size of 250-micron was repeated three times at each station. Physicochemical parameters including Elevation, Depth, Flow Velocity (WatFlow), Water Temperature (WatTem), Turbidity, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Electrical conductivity (EC), Fecal Coliform, Phosphate, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonium, Dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) were measured. Habitat parameters such as Epifaunal Substrate (EFAC), Embeddedness (Embed), Velocity and Depth Regimes (Vel), sediment deposition (Sedimen), Channel Flow Status (Channelf), Channel Alteration (Channelt), Frequency of Riffles (Freq), Bank Stability (Bankstu), Vegetative Protection (Veg) and Riparian Vegetative Zone Width (RipaVeg) were reviewed. Then according to bioassessment protocols and ratings based on a zero to 20, for relationship between physicochemical and habitat parameters with an abundance of benthos grouping and assessment of water quality, from CANOCO software and principal component analysis (PCA) was used. The results showed that the water quality in the downstream Jajrud is unfavorable and appropriate management measures should be taken to improve the river's water quality.

The introduction of non-native species causes a variety of negative ecological and economic-social impacts on aquatic ecosystems. One of the first studies conducted on these species was the study of their composition and abundance in recipient ecosystems. The present study aimed to investigate the distribution, composition, and abundance of non-native fishes in the lower Tigris basin in a fishing year from fall 2014 to summer 2015. To update and compare the information, the latest fishing situation in the fishing year 2022-2023 was also examined. In total, 31 species from 15 families, including eight non-native species were caught from the studied water bodies. According to the results, non-native species are widely spread to the most aquatic ecosystems of the studied area, among which tilapia, including the redbelly tilapia Coptodon zillii (Gervais, 1848) and the blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner, 1864) were the most abundant species. The redbelly tilapia showed the most distribution in the studied area. According to the local fishermen, the amount of catch in many areas of inland waters of Khuzestan province has decreased compared to 2014-2015, and their statements indicate that they are not satisfied with the state of fishing.

Today's world is confronted with many environmental concerns, including the extinction of plant species. Plants are harvested indiscriminately due to their usefulness in medicine, the economy, and agriculture. The need to preserve biodiversity, particularly in the case of plants, necessitates the use of ethnobiological knowledge. Ethnobiological knowledge is traditional knowledge based on indigenous peoples' use of nature and the environment, which they have gained over the years through numerous trials and errors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of indigenous knowledge in the use and conservation of plants by local people.  This study was performed in three villages in Lar National Park: Polour, Ab-e-ask, and Niak, which have the highest population in the Lar region. The primary research method used was qualitative methods such as direct observation, interviews, and questionnaires, as well as instruments such as a voice recorder, Excel software, Arc GIS, and SPSS 25. Our results indicate that indigenous knowledge of local experts in Lar National Park is about the causes of plant decay in this area, germination, flowering time, experts' knowledge about the time and method of harvesting to reduce damage, and valuable therapeutic information about plants. Indigenous knowledge offers significant potential in plant conservation, especially for medicinal plants, exposed to a high risk of extinction due to widespread use. Our results highlight the importance of including local knowledge holders as active partners in biodiversity protection in the Lar region.

With the increase of global environmental concerns, the importance of emerging pollutants is increasing daily. Endotoxin is one of the emerging pollutants whose presence in water sources causes serious risks to human health. This review article aims to investigate the amount of endotoxin in aquatic ecosystems and the potential dangers of endotoxin in these sources. In this study, the general characteristics of endotoxin have been investigated along with practical methods for removing this pollutant from water sources. At first, an overview of endotoxins and their importance in water pollution was given, and the importance of studying endotoxin contamination in water sources and the objectives of this study were determined. Then, the sources of endotoxin contamination in water, the effect of endotoxin on human health, its associated risks, and the relationship between endotoxin levels and its adverse consequences on human health were discussed. The following examined the methods used to measure and detect endotoxin in water samples and the advantages and limitations of each of these methods. Also, different strategies were proposed to control and reduce endotoxin contamination in water sources. Finally, existing regulations and guidelines for endotoxin levels in drinking water and other water sources are explained, and regulatory gaps and frameworks are discussed. The results of this study emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring and management of endotoxin contamination in water sources and the need to increase information about this emerging pollutant to provide practical strategies to maintain water quality and public health.

 Despite the development of anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, cervical cancer is still a common disease in women, especially in developing countries. The presence of a hypoxic microenvironment causes traditional treatments to fail. In this study, we presented a combined treatment method based on the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin and Clostridium novyi-NT spores to treat normoxic and hypoxic areas of the tumor.

 TC-1 Cell line capable of expressing HPV-16 E6/7 oncoproteins was subcutaneously transplanted into female 6-8 week old C57/BL6 mice. The tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into four groups and treated with different methods after selecting a control group. Group 1: Control without treatment (0.1 mL sterile PBS intratumorally), Group: C. novyi-NT (107 C. novyi- NT). Group 3: Receives cisplatin intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg). Fourth group: Intratumoral administration of C. novyi-NT spores+intraperitoneal cisplatin. Western blot analysis was used to examine the effects of anti-hypoxia treatment and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins.

 The results clearly showed that combined treatment based on C. novyi-NT and cisplatin significantly reduced the expression of HIF-1 alpha and VEGF proteins compared to cisplatin alone. At the same time, the amount of necrosis of tumor cells in the combined treatment increased significantly compared to the single treatment and the control. At the same time, the mitotic count decreased significantly.

 Our research showed that developing a combined treatment method based on C. novyi-NT and cisplatin against HPV-positive cervical cancer could overcome the treatment limitations caused by the existence of hypoxic areas of the tumor.

The status of non-native tilapia species was evaluated by sampling campaigns in fishing grounds in the central part of the Shadegan Wetland, southwest Iran in 2014–15 (with follow-up in 2019). Considering a high percentage of relative species abundance, the tilapia species (Coptodon zillii and Oreochromis aureus) are well established in the wetland. As the management plans of such species are difficult and expensive, prevention of the introduction of these species to other water bodies is highly recommended.

Finding habitat requirements for fish in fluvial water ecosystems is a key factor in conservation and decision making for their management, which unfortunately does not have enough scientific information in this field. The purpose of this study is to identify the optimal range of habitat variables for Alburnus atropatenae in the Jajroud protected river and compare different composite approaches in the modeling of this species.

In this study, the habitat of A. atropatenae sampled in the form of 71 points in the Jajroud river. Physical variables of habitat measured including depth, water velocity and substrate type. After sampling the fish by electrofishing, the total length of the fish measured. Habitat suitability curves developed by univariate method then combined habitat suitability calculated by multiplication, minimum, arithmetic mean and geometric mean methods. To validate the results, two statistical metrics of mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) used.

Overall, 235 individual of A. atropatenae caught including 221 adults and 14 juveniles whose total body length varied from 23 mm to 148 mm. Physical habitat variables included a depth of 6-56 cm, a flow velocity of 4-29 cm / s, and a riverbed with a particle size of "very fine gravel" to "small cobble". The preferred and optimal range habitat for this species included a depth of 16-25 cm, a flow velocity of 5-10 cm / s and a bed with small cobble structure. Among univariate models, the riverbed-based model had the lowest error. Among the models of combined habitat suitability, multiplication method had the lowest values ​​of MAE and RMSE measures, and was low-error model. The arithmetic mean method had the highest values ​​of these measures and had detected as the high-error model.

This is the first study related to the ecology of A. atropatenae in Iran, which has identified the optimal habitat of this species. The variable of bed structure is determinative more than two variables of depth and flow velocity in habitat selection by this species. Also in combined habitat suitability modeling, the multiplication method has priority and importance.

The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of rivers are gradually changed from upstream to downstream of the river, and one of the obvious consequences of these changes is the creation of limited and specific reaches along the river for fish species. In the present survey, the Jajroud river was sampled and surveyed from the upstream tributaries to downstream using the Huet classification method. In this study, 783 specimens of fish belonging to 3 families, 8 genus and 10 species were caught. The cyprinidae with 54.4% and salmonidae with 4.3% were the highest and the lowest percentages of native species, respectively. The results showed three major zones from four zones of the Huet's classification including trout, barbel, and bream. In addition, four distinct local zones were recognized along the river based on the presence of fish species. The trout zone with a length of less than 10 km and is of important conservation and management measures. This research addresses the longitudinal reaches of the Jajroud river that helps to conduct future ecological research in this river and also could  be an onset of using this method in other rivers in Iran to identify the longitudinal zones and the distribution pattern of fish fauna.

The presence of toxic compounds, including phenol, due to industrial development, poses a threat to the environment. Utilizing hairy roots has emerged as a potential method to remove these toxins. This review aims to explore the efficacy of hairy roots in absorbing phenol pollutants and the influencing parameters.

This study was conducted using a descriptive-review method based on existing literature gathered from databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The focus of the study was on the purification of phenol using hairy roots. Keywords such as Phytoremediation, Hairy root, Phenol, and Transgenic roots were used for data collection.

Results show successful phenol removal by hairy roots, potentially attributed to abundant production of peroxidase enzymes. Various factors, such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), incubation time, pH, plant species, and pollutant concentration, impact phenol removal efficiency. Notably, plants like Brassica napus, rich in peroxidase enzymes, exhibit high efficiency in removing phenol pollution up to 500 mg/L, with H2O2 and within a pH range of 4-9.

In conclusion, hair roots possess significant adsorption capacity for phenol. However, phenol concentration, contact time, pH, and temperature influence their performance. Therefore, further research is required to explore optimal conditions for phenol removal.

Hypoxia context is highly specific for tumors and represents a unique niche which is not found elsewhere in the body. Clostridium novyi is an obligate anaerobic bacterium. It has a potential to treat tumors. The aim of this study was to produce the C. novyi nontoxic spores and to investigate its oncolytic effect on breast cancer in mice model.

Primarily, the lethal toxin gene in C. novyi type B was removed. Colonies were isolated using PCR testing. To assure the removal of alpha-toxin, plasmid extraction and in vivo assay were conducted. Next, to treat breast cancer model in different sizes of tumors, a single dose of spores of C. novyi nontoxic was tested.

The results denoted that C. novyi nontoxic lost lethal toxin and a ppeared to be safe. For smaller than 1000 mm3 tumors, a single dose of C. novyi nontoxic was able to cure 100% of mice bearing breast tumors. Hence the mice remained free of tumor relapse. Tumors larger than 1000 mm3 were not cured by a single dose of C. novyi nontoxic treatment.

The experiment concluded that the C. novyi nontoxic might be a suitable and safe candidate, a novel therapeutic approach to encounter such hypoxic regions in the center of tumors. Research also showed that bacteriolytic therapy by C. novyi nontoxic could lead to regression in small tumor.

The introduction of invasive fish species into aquatic ecosystems causes various adverse ecological and socio-economic impacts. The first step in analyzing the effects of these species is to identify the risk. Then, different tools have been developed to identify potential invasive species and evaluate potential degree of their invasiveness to support decision-makers in analyzing the invasive risk of these species. This study aimed to assess the invasive potential of the non-native species redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii, Gervais 1848) in the Shadegan wetland basin (the Karun and Jarahi catchments) using some of these tools.

The level of risk for C. zillii in the Trinational risk assessment protocol was determined based on the results of the two components "Probability of Establishment" and "Consequences of Establishment". In the German-Austrian Blacklist Information System (GABLIS), the invasive potential of the species was evaluated according to the distribution in the study area. The non-native species was screened by the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK) model according to the threshold of the assessment area; and the rank of species invasion was calculated based on the probability of species establishment, expansion and environmental effects, using the Harmonia+ method. Also, the climate matching between introduced and native range of the species was carrying out with the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system.

The results of trinational risk assessment indicated that the species posed high potential rank of placing at each step of, introduction, establishment and expansion potential and the possibility of economic and environmental impacts in the study area. The results of the GABLIS protocol showed that the non-native species C. zillii has been widely distributed in the risk assessment area and it placed in blacklist and the subset management list (b3). In the AS-ISK risk assessment, the risk score of the species was 44, that was higher than the tool threshold (22.5) for the study area. This score indicates that this species has a high invasive risk in the wetland. The overall risk score in the Harmonia+ method, which is a function of invasiveness and species impacts, was assessed as high for the redbelly tilapia; based on the results, the risk of establishment and dispersal of this species in the study area is high, and its environmental impacts are significant. Also, there was a high climate match between risk assessment area and the native range of the species in the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system.

The trinational risk assessment methods, GABLIS, AS-ISK and Harmonia+ models were able to show the invasiveness of the non-native C. zillii in Shadegan wetland basin as literature and field evidence demonstrate that the species has exerted strong and adverse impacts on native fishes and local people livelihood in risk assessment area. Given the results of risk assessment methods and the risks posed by this species, it is highly recommended that large-scale control and management measures should be seriously implemented.

This research was carried out with the aim of investigating the biological reproduction of fish retrieval in the Caspian Sea. Each Month catches were carried from Golestan province from December 2015 to September 2016. In total, 200 pieces of fish were caught to study reproductive production in the study area. In this research, the total length of the fish was 16.6 ± 1.5 mm and the frequency of weight was 89.7 ± 33.6 g. The maximum mean diameter of the egg was at the age of 4 years with the diameter of 1.17 ± 0.1 mm and the minimum diameter of the oocytes was 2 years old at 0.91 ± 0.15 mm. The GSI sexual health index varies from 0.09 to 0.19 for the female fish, and from the beginning of March and during the month of April we ham still the decrease. However, the spawning time began in late March and continued until mid-spring. Also, the mean absolute fecundity of the fish was 11,911.71 egg.The average maturity of 50% of the fish population was 138 mm and the mean age of puberty was 50% of the word of the word was equal to 125 mm. By examining the relationship between length and weight with Fecundity, there was a linear relationship between fork length and total weight with the Fecundity. The results of the Fecundity test with length and weight factors were found to be significant in Pearson test (P <0.05

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood malignancy which has remained incurable with current therapies. However, gene therapy using suicide viral vectors such as adenoviral vectors appear more promising than other treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an adenoviral vector vaccine candidate containing HSV-TK gene on tumor reduction and autophagy mechanism in animal model.

Myeloma tumor was created in mouse models using myeloma SP2/0 cell line. Three groups of negative control, positive control and target group of BALB/c mice were formed. Candidates for the Ad-HSV-tk /GCV vaccine at high titer (108) were then injected three times every 72 hours at target mice and metformin was injected into the control group for 12 consecutive days. Tumor size was measured in all 15 mice studied every three days, and finally, three days after the last dose of the vaccine, the tumors were removed for Western blotting and LC3B expression.

Examination of tumor size showed that injection of the vaccine and autophagy-inducing drug reduced tumor size compared to the negative control group. Western blotting indicated that LC3B expression was significantly higher in the target and positive control groups than in the negative control group. (Mean Diff: -0.4921; P value < 0.05; q: 7.911).

The results suggest that Ad-HSV-tk/GCV vaccine candidate was able to induce autophagy and reduce the growth of tumor cells in the animal model studied due to the ability of adenovirus to induce the immune system response, the anti-myeloma nature of adenovirus and the function of HSV-tk suicide gene

According to the official statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women after breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says all women have the chance to get the disease, and women over the age of 30 are more likely to get it. However, this cancer is a types of cancer that can be prevented through vaccination. This study aimed to investigate the role of vaccines in the prevention of cervical cancer. In this review study, articles published between 2016-2022 from PubMed, SID, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were examined. Keywords Papilloma vaccine and cervical cancer in Persian sources and HPV vaccine and Cervical Cancer in English sources were used. The subject search was also performed using MeSH medical subject headings and through the Pubmed database. Vaccination against human papillomavirus is the most cost-effective public health measure against cervical cancer. In many developed and developing countries, serious programs are underway for HPV vaccination and screening for cervical cancer. In most countries, HPV vaccination has been added to their mandatory immunization programs, effectively reducing the incidence of cervical infections and cancers. In countries where vaccination is not complete, health education and screening programs such as PAP smears every 2 years for all women and every year for those with high cancer risk or abnormal smears, have been consolidated. HPV vaccination is highly effective and has been added to immunization programs in many countries. Nowadays, three types of vaccines have been presented, of which the 9-valent Gardasil vaccine is more effective than the other two types, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, the 4-valent Gardasil vaccine is more suggested. Due to the high prevalence of cervical cancer in Iran, it is suggested that the HPV vaccine be used, screening tests be optimized and performed on a regular basis, and ways to prevent cervical cancer be taught.

Individualistic mathematical models based on bioenergy theory are the latest research in modeling river habitats. This study explains the principles and method of individualistic population modeling based on bioenergy theory. Moreover, it presents the application of the model in the evaluation of red-trout habitats of the Red River in the National Park. Investigating the capabilities of the individualistic inSTREAM model as well as the results of bioenergy modeling presented in the present study showed that modeling presented in this study can make changes in different types of growth and habitat quality, as well as areas for biomonths with respect to both Biological and non-biological factors were used to distribute energy in the management and engineering of river ecosystems and to estimate ecological flows. This model is also applicable in the field of fisheries and aquaculture in order to provide more fish production and sustainable use of these resources assessment.

Mechanistic, individual-based simulation models (IBMs) have been developed to overcome well-known limitations of “habitat suitability” models such as PHABSIM (Bovee et al., 1998). InSTREAM is an individual-based stream salmonid population model designed to support river management decisions; it predicts how stream trout populations respond to habitat alteration, including altered flow, temperature, turbidity regimes, and changes in channel morphology. The model represents individual trout, with population responses emerging from how individuals are affected by their habitat and each other (especially via competition for food). Since its initial release in 2001 (Railsback and Harvey, 2001), its capabilities have been steadily developing. InSTREAM has been shown to reproduce a variety of observed patterns in salmonid behavior (e.g., Harvey and Railsback, 2014; Penaluna et al. 2015, Bjørnås et al. 2020, Hajiesmaeili, 2019). This study represents pioneering work that applies inSTREAM as an IBM in Iran for river habitat assessment of trout populations.

The process overview and the schedule executed in inSTREAM are represented by introducing the four main action groups, including habitat, fish, redd (the nests laid by spawning trout), and observer. We use an example application of the model for brown trout populations in Elarm River, Lar National Park of Iran to illustrate how inSTREAM can provide a more comprehensive understanding of river habitat assessment and management actions. To investigate the temporal variations of fish growth and how different parameters such as flow, velocity, and water temperature affect the growth variations, the monthly time series of the average specific growth rate is evaluated in terms of both length and weight. In addition, the quality of the Elarm River habitats is also assessed by examining the temporal variations in the net rate of energy intake (NREI) against mean monthly discharge per unit width that indicates the combined effects of both depth and velocity for both juvenile and adult life stages of the target species. We also develop the flow-bioenergetics (Q-NREI) curve for Elarm River to assess the range of optimal energy flow and energy variation in the actual existing condition of the river.

Our results indicated that in spring, especially during the two months of May and June, the growth rate of the fish decreased due to an increase in the flow rate and consequently the flow velocity and the increase in temperature during this time period also in the summer. Increasing discharge, flow velocity, and temperature will increase energy consumption of fish metabolism, which will lead to a decrease in growth. The growth of the juvenile life stage was more than adult. It is likely because the fish are growing at younger ages, and they need more energy to meet their physical energy demands, so they feed more. The decline in fish growth at older ages is presumably because they need less food which reduces their energy requirement to the extent that it is only required for vital functions and reproduction. During the two months of May and June NREI also decreased, and this value is negative for the adult life stage. In other words, energy consumed for metabolism used for fish respiration and swimming was more than the energy intake from food. Because this parameter depends on the length and weight of the fish and with increasing fish weight at older ages, the energy consumed will increase, thus making NREI negative. Moreover, our results showed that the flow range of 0.22-0.31 m3/s can be considered the optimal energy flow for Elarm River to maintain the sustainability of the river ecosystem.

Considering the key habitat variables affecting individuals and the mechanisms through which those variables affect individual fitness (growth, survival and reproduction), an IBM like inSTREAM can predict population responses by aggregating the fates of simulated individuals over time. A key feature of IBMs is representing adaptive behavior: how individuals trade off the conflicting demands of growth, survival, and reproduction through behaviors such as selecting where to feed and when to hide instead of feeding. IBMs using this approach can predict population responses to realistically varying habitat conditions, making results directly applicable to management decisions and testable against field observations.

Increased anthropogenic disturbances in river ecosystems has led to a reduction in the biodiversity of rivers. The purpose of this study was to develop a multimetric index based on benthic macroinvertebrate for water quality assessment of Jajrood River. Biological and physicochemical sampling from seven stations was performed in the upstream basin of the river, located in the northeast of Tehran. Therefore, for the development of the MMIJ (Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Jajrood upstream) index, as a complementary tool in analyzing the physicochemical parameters, the data and indices calculated in the first two years (2011 & 2012) were used and validated with the data of the third year (2013). So, 24 biological indices were selected. Range, stability, sensitivity, responsiveness (to the anthropogenic impact gradient), and redundancy were tested on indices. Finally, the five indices including FBI, MMIF, NJIS, Shannon-Wiener, and Margalef from four tests were performed for the development of the MMIJ multimetric index. Each index was given a values of 1, 3, and 5 about its score, and then this index was obtained with a sum of calculated scores. As a result, the calculated indices in the third year were valued according to the calibration of the five biological indices, and the water quality of the seven stations was determined. This study showed that MMIJ multimetric index had a high sensitivity to organic pollutants and was suitable for use in national monitoring and assessment programs in the Jajrood River basin.

The study of diversity and abundance of fish species in the study of aquatic ecosystems is of particular importance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the abundance and changes of heterogeneity and uniformity indices of fish species in the Shadegan International Wetland in different seasons from October 2015 to September 2016. In this study, a total of 3735 fish from 16 species and 6 families were caught from five stations. Among the families, the highest abundance belonged to the family of carp (Cyprinidae) and then the cichlids (Cichlidae), with 48% and 42%, respectively, and among the fish species, Coptodon zillii, Carasobarbus luteus and Mesopotamichthys sharpeyi with a large difference of relative abundance, 40.91, 10.25, and 12 respectively, had the highest presence abundance. The highest heterogeneity index of Shannon-Wiener (1.85) and the species richness of Margalef (2.32) were in the Sarrakhieh station and the highest uniformity of Hill was in the Hadbeh station (0.85). The study of biodiversity indices in the different seasons also showed that the highest species diversity of Shannon-Wiener (2.01) was obtained in spring and the results of the T-test revealed that these indices were significantly higher in spring than other seasons (P<0.05). In short, the results of this research showed that it seems that the best way to restore the wetland is its integrated management, taking into account the water needs of the wetland, controlling non-native species and managing fishing.

Oncolytic reoviruses can infect and kill malignant cells while sparing their normal counterparts. Reoviral infection can induce or activate autophagy, even though metformin can induce autophagy. Identifying and regulating the cellular pathways important for reovirus replication and oncolysis can improve targeted-biological therapies for cancer. Here, the autophagic process was triggered via metformin, and we investigated the effect of autophagy activation on oncolytic reovirus replication in mesenchymal stem cells as primary cells and L929 cell lines.

Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and L929 cells were treated with metformin and reovirus type-3 strain Dearing (T3D). Twenty-four hours after infection, the viability of AD-MSCs and L929 cells were examined by MTT assay. Also, the effect of metformin-induced autophagy in the reovirus replication in these cells was determined by real-time polymerasechain-reaction.

Our results show that treatment with metformin and reovirus reduced the viability of the cells compared to treatment with metformin or reovirus alone in both cells. Also, coadministration of metformin and reovirus significantly decreased the relative expression level of the Beclin-1 gene compared to treatment with metformin in both cells. However, the expression level of the reovirus L3 gene after treatment with metformin and reovirus in L929 cells increased significantly compared to AD-MSCs.

Our data suggest that metformin-induced autophagy enhances reoviral replication in AD-MSCs and L929 cells. These findings represent the role of autophagy induction in facilitating reovirus replication and contribute to a better understanding of reovirus-host interactions.

Although substantial studies are available as regards the abundance, richness and composition of freshwater fish along altitudinal slops, the impact of human factors such as dam construction are rarely considered. In this study, the effects of the environmental and human factors on longitudinal patterns of fish faunal changes, species richness and fish abundance from upstream to downstream in the southern profile of the central Alborz Protected Area were examined using Redundancy Analysis (RDA) and Generalized Linear Models (GLM). The Karaj River was divided into three zones based on habitat structure, physicochemical variables and species composition. The results indicate that chemical variables can be more effective in some conditions including small changes in habitat structure and physical variables along the altitudinal slope and can be a justification for the abundance, richness and composition of species. Typically, in highly polluted rivers, chemical agents can be a good explanation for the presence or absence of species. Human disturbances, such as dams, change the expected distribution patterns of fish along the altitudinal slope by decreasing outlet water temperature and also creating homogeneous and simple habitats. Therefore, the implementation of conservation programs should be a priority for the Karaj River fishes, especially in the middle areas which are affected by these threats.

Generally, oligochaetes as a well-known group of earthworm invertebrates with global distribution have been considered from two Ecological and taxonomical point of view. Species diversity of oligochaetes was investigated in Jajrood River, Caspian Southern basin, Iran. This research began in autumn and winter and specimens were collected from 7 collecting stations using a kick sampling approach across the river. Today, the use of modern methods, including genetic markers, provides a more accurate understanding of the species To evaluate the diversity and facilitate identification of the oligochaete species, both DNA barcoding, using the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and morphological identification keys were utilized. As a result, five species including Tubifex tubifex, Tubifex sp., Eiseniella tetraedra, Eisenia fetida, and Eisenia sp. belonging to the families Lumbricidae and Naididae were identified. The results showed E. tetraedra to be the most abundant species, which consists of four divergent lineages in this river system.

Iran is located in the region of important animal geographical exchanges in terms of climate and therefore it has a diverse and interesting fauna of fish. This study investigates the faunistic of exotic fish species in the rivers of Tehran province (Jajrood, Hablehrood, Namrood and Lar). During this study, which was conducted in autumn and winter of 2016 and spring and summer of 2017, seasonal sampling of fish was performed using electroshock device and manual and waiting nets in twelve stations in the rivers of Tehran province. After catching, the samples were fixed with formalin and transferred to the laboratory for biometry and were identified by valid identification keysThis study showed that 7 species belonging to 6 genera and 3 families from 3 orders belonging to the classification of bony fish were identified. In terms of number of species, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was in the first place and the carp or pond carp (Carassius carassius) was in the second place. The species Salvelinus fontinalis, Alburnoides eichwaldii, Capoeta aculeate, Carassius auratus and xynemacheilus angorae were also caught in the studied rivers. The largest number of exotic species in the rivers were: Lar > Jajrood > Hablehrood = Namrood. No non-natives were found at Fasham, Khamdeh and Pleur stations. No exotic was found at Fasham, Khomedeh and Polour stationsThe results indicate the spread of exotic fish species in the rivers of Tehran province intentionally and unintentionally. The fish may compete with endemic fish for food and spawning sites. Some of them are even able to produce hybrids with endemic fish, they may hunt native fish or affect the native fish population as a source of disease, and in this regard it is very important to identify them and study their effects on water resources.

  Lar National Park is the best habitat of Salmo caspius in Iran. In other habitats located in Iran, the species has been threatened by different factors including habitat destruction, pollution, sand removal from the river bed, dam construction, introduction of exotic species, over-fishing, and other human mediated changes. Dalicahy River, as one of the major habitats of S. caspius, is ecologically different from other rivers in the Lar National Park. In this study, we assessed genetic differences (applying next-generation sequencing) of S. caspius in Dalichay River and Lar Lake; considering an impassable barrier in the mouth of Dalichay River.

in this study fin clips from fish electrofished in the river and fin clips collected via angling in the lake were used. DNA extraction was performed using salt extraction method with an additional treatment with RNAse to degrade RNA molecules. To compare fish from Dalichay River and the Lar Lake, next generation sequencing was used. Analyses including principal components analysis (PCA) and Admixture, plus calculation of genetic differentiation (Fst) were used to compare the studied populations.

according to the results of principal components analysis (PCA) fish from the Dalichay River and the Lake were separated clearly along the first PC (25.11% of variation). But they were overlapped along other PCs. The results of Admixture analysis showed that Dalichay and Lake fish were always represented with different admixture clusters with little contribution from one another. Additionally, the genetic differentiation between the Dalichay and the Lake was significant. The reason for this differentiation can be the existence of a physical barrier in the moth of Dalichay that blocks the path for migration from Dalichay to the Lake and vice versa. On the other hand, it is possible that the fish in Dalichay are resident and do not show any preference for migration to the Lake. The residency behavior forms in result of low density of fish and satisfaction of biological and habitat related needs of the fish and hence no need for migration.

overall, the results of this study showed that the fish in Dalichay River and in the Lake differ in their genetic composition and were significantly differentiated from one another. In any case, high differentiation of the fish in the Dalichay River and their isolation in addition to inability of fish from the Lake and other rivers in the Lar National Park to Dalichay, necessitates revision and taking better management approaches.