Nova Biologica Reperta

Abstract Continuous environmental monitoring is one of the important principles of management and is environmental assessment axis, and molluscs are one of the biological indicators of ecosystem quality. For this purpose, snails and slugs were collected and identified in the east of Tehran province which during it according to the availability, habitat diversity and geomorphological differences in more than 3251 samples from five microclimates were collected and identified. Specimens were gathered by hand, sweeping net and other techniques from aquatic plants, rotten underwood, shrubs and weeds, their geograical and regional properties were recorded and transfered to laboratory. Then through available morphological identification keys, specimens were identified as 19 species belonging to 13 genera and 10 families based on morphometric characteristics, including (shape and size of operculum, aperture, dextral or sinistral profile of their shell, pneumostome, keel, radula, renal ridge and reproduction system) and the comparison of photos and the identification key of these taxons were prepared and discussed:
Bithynia tentaculata (Linnaeus, 1758), Physella acuta (Draparnaud,1805), Lymnaea truncatula (Müller, 1774), , Lymnaea palusris (Müller, 1774) , Lymnaea pereger (Müller, 1774) , Lymnaea gedrosiana (Annandale and Prashad, 1919), Planorbis planorbis (Linnaeus, 1758), Gyraulus euphraticus(Mousson, 1874), Gyraulus convexiusculus (Hutton, 1849), Succinea putris (Linnaeus, 1758), Helicella krynickii (Krynicki, 1833), Helicella derbentina(Krynicki, 1836), Caucasotachea atrolabiata (Krynicki, 1833), * Monacha cartusiana (Müller, 1774), Oxychilus herzi (Boettger, 1889), Agriolimax agrestis=Deroceras reticulatum (Müller, 1774), *Theba pisana (Müller, 1774), Parmacella ibera Eichwald, 1841, Planorbis carinatus Müller, 1774.
Two species marked with an asterisk are new records for Iranian mollusc fauna. In this study, among the samples collected, the largest families in terms of species diversity are Planorbidae with four species (Planorbis planorbis, Gyraulus euphraticus, Gyraulus convexiusculus, Planorbis carinatus), Lymnaeidae with four species (Lymnaea truncatula, Lymnaea gedrosiana, Lymnaea palustris, Lymnaea pereger) and Helicidae with four species: Helicella krynickii, Helicella derbentina, Caucasotachea atrolabiata, Theba pisana. The highest and lowest species diversity among the identified species with 18 and 5 species are related to stations 4 and 5 of the investigated areas respectively. The whole collection will be kept permanently in the Zoology Museum of Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection.

Abstract Recently, milk exosomes have attracted much attention from researchers due to their availability and efficiency in cosmetic products and also as drug delivery nanocarriers. Since it is very important to find a simple and efficient method to purify these vesicles, in this research some methods of exosome isolation from bovine milk such as ultracentrifugation, using PEG polymer and several commercial kits were discussed and characterized. Detection of exosomes has been done using DLS and electron microscopy.
In ultracentrifugation, as the most common method of exosome isolation, the number of particles in the electron microscope images was estimated to be very low (5 ± 2 particles), while in the microscopic images of the Exosun kit, a large number of exosomes (150 ± 30 particles) was visible. In PEG precipitation, the average diameter of the particles in DLS results was 263 nm and more than the ultracentrifugation, Exocib and Anaexo kit, where the diameter of the particles was 176 nm, 142 nm, and 123 nm, respectively. The average diameter of the particles in the microscopic images of the Exosun kit was 30-70±10 nm, and DLS results confirmed the small size of the isolated particles. Considering the large number of small particles (≥ 30nm) in the microscopic results of the exosun kit, other methods may not have been able to isolate these small particles. Finally, although all the studied methods were able to isolate exosome from milk, more extensive studies are necessary to make a more accurate comparison and to introduce a standard method for isolating exosome from bovine's milk.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effective genes on apoptosis (BAX and Bcl₂) in liver and intestinal cells of broiler chickens fed silver nanoparticles coated on clinoptilolite under acute heat stress induction. 450 d old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were used in five treatments and six repetitions, and 15 pieces were used in each experimental unit in the form of a completely random design. Experimental diets were: 1) control or basal diet 2) basal diet supplemented by 1% clinoptilolite 3) basal diet supplemented by 1% clinoptilolite coated with 0.5% nanosilver 4) basal diet supplemented by 0.15% organic acid and 5) basal diet supplemented by 1% clinoptilolite coated with 0.5% nanosilver and 0.15% organic acid. Silver nanoparticles coated on clinoptilolite were investigated using XRF and FTIR techniques. In order to induce heat stress, the birds were affected by heat stress for one week in the last week of the breeding period, and on the last day of the stress, liver and intestine samples were obtained to check gene expression. The results of this experiment show that the treatments of clinoptilolite and silver nanoparticles coated on clinoptilolite have an increasing effect on the expression of Bcl₂ and Bax, while this effect was not seen in the organic acid treatment. In conclusion, it could be said that if silver nanoparticles are used in feeding livestock and poultry, it is better to use organic acid supplements to reduce the side effects of silver nanoparticles.

Abstract The family Verbenaceae, currently consists of Verbena and Phyla genera in different parts of Iran, especially northern provinces. The frame of this family has undergone significant changes in comparison with the previous references. For example, Vitex and Clerodendrum have been defined as the genera of this family in previous references. Accordingly, in this study, the relationship among these four genera has been evaluated using morphological and leaf anatomical characters of 20 samples. For this purpose, 67 qualitative and quantitative morphological and anatomical traits were used. The analysis of data was performed using R software ver. 4.3.1. For simultaneous analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, Factor Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD) method was applied. The results of this study indicate the high value of some quantitative traits such as main vein xylem length, seed width, style length and blade width and some qualitative traits such as blade epidermal cells shape, stomata position, two arms of blade position in relation to each other, indumentum type, main vein epidermal cells shape, petal color, blade vascular bundles number, density of indumentum, leaf margin shape and stem branches length in the clustering of the genera. Totally, Analysis of data led to the separation of these genera. In accordance with the phylogenetic studies, Vitex and Clerodendrum show more affinity to each other and are separated from the currently native members of Verbenaceae in Iran, i.e. Verbena and Phyla.

Abstract Nepeta binaludensis jamzad, as a medicinal plant, which is at risk of extinction due to irregular harvesting and damage of its habitat. Four treatments including: 1- inoculation with Azotobacter chooroccum, 2- inoculation with Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas putida, 3- inoculation with a mix of three bacteria (A. chooroccum + B. cereus + P. putida) and 4 controls (without inoculation), in the form of a completely randomized design with 3 replications in two vegetative growth stages (ten and twenty weeks after sowing). Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) improved all the evaluated morphological characteristics, including the length and dry weight of the aerial part, total leaf area and root length compared to the control. Also, the results of biochemical investigations showed that in 10 and 20 weeks old plants, the application of PGPB could increase the phenolic and flavonoid compounds and also antioxidant activity. The contain of some elements such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium also increased as a result of inoculation with PGPB. Since the PGPB improved the growth and also increased the effective compounds of N. binaludensis plants, they can be introduced as useful bio fertilizers and considered as a good alternative to chemical fertilizers.

Abstract Quinoa seed (Chenopodium quinoa) is considered a unique food source due to its rich protein content and high antioxidant activity related to polyphenols. In the present study, with the aim of selecting the quinoa seeds to send to space, the response of protein content, phenol, flavonoid, antioxidant capacity, and the germination index of its seeds to simulated vacuum conditions of space was evaluated. The results showed a significant increase in the seed germination index for the vacuum-treated group compared to the control group. Total phenolic and flavonoid content was higher in vacuum-treated seeds compared to the control group. Vacuum conditions significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of quinoa seeds. The total seed protein content in the vacuum-treated and control groups was 25 and 35 mg/ml, respectively. The seed protein profile showed 13 distinct protein bands in the molecular weight range of 15 to 70 kilodaltons. The intensity of protein bands was significantly different between vacuum treatment and control groups. Structural changes in the seed pericarp as well as water and oil exit from the seeds under vacuum conditions can be the causes of different biochemical and physiological responses of quinoa seeds in the present study.