German cockroach is one of the most common pest species, and it is the carrier of different kinds of fungi, viruses, and pathogenic bacteria. In addition, it causes allergy in household environments. So, control of these insects is very important from the point of public health. One of the relatively new methods for controlling German cockroach is application of growth regulating substances, especially juvenoids. In this study, the effects of juvenoid hormone, pyriproxyfen, on German cockroach has been investigated. After studying the life cycle of the cockroach, the nymphs of the fifth instar were treated with the different concentrations of pyriproxyfen added to their meal. The concentrations of juvenoid hormones were 10, 30, 100, 300 ppm, respectively. Each experiment was repeated for three times, and for each one a group of control was set up. A total of 45 insects were used for each concentration. Pyriproxyfen was found to be effective in inducing morphogenetic wing deformation abnormalities on both sexes of the cockroach. The juvenoid effective dose (ED 50) for 50% wing twisting and 50% sterlity in German cockroaches were 56.45 and 50 ppm, respectively. In addition, the probability of twisted wing and the sterlity were increased with the addition of pyriproxifen concentration; the percentage of twisted wing and sterlity in 10ppm were, respectively, 0%, 21% (for males) and 7.7%,19.2% (for females), and in 300 ppm for males 87%, 91.3% and for females 85.7% and 85.7%. But, on those insects which fertilization and production of ootheca were occurred, no significant differences were observed between treated and control insects in the number of nymphs.    

Possible effects of a synthetic juvenoid hormone (pyriproxyfen) on larval development, metamorphosis and survival of a crustacean octapod, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, was studied. Although Pyriproxifen is well known as an effective pest control product, our knowledge about its effects on crustacean metamorphosis, especially on larval stages is yet little. Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a suitable invertebrate species in the neurobiological and endocrinological researches. The species has 11 larval stages with obvious morphological features for every stage.In this study, larvae of the species were treated with 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1ppm of Pyriproxifen against a group of control for which xylene was used. In the first day of exposure to the Pyriproxifen, all larvae were in the 1st larval stage. We studied the larval stages in samples obtained in different days and percentage of survival in the end of metamorphosis for treatment and control groups. The results showed that all concentrations of Pyriproxyfen significantly caused a delayed larval development and metamorphosis. Furthermore, the post larval survival rates of all treatment groups were less than control.These results suggest that synthetic juvenoid hormone retards the larval morphological development in Macrobrachium rosenbergii, and decreases the survival of the species.

Selection based on molecular markers is one of the new methods that may improve progress and accuracy of selection in animal breeding programs. The GHRH gene (Growth Hormone-releasing Hormone) is a candidate gene for marker-assisted selection strategies. Polymorphs of GHRH gene are reported to be significantly associated with milk production and constituent traits. In order to study the polymorphism of GHRH gene, blood samples were collected from 112 Sarabi cows. Genomic DNA was extracted and a fragment of 297 bp in size was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The amplified fragments were subjected to restriction digestion with HaeIII endonuclease enzyme and the resultant digested products were run on 2% Agarose gel. The results revealed the existence of two alleles of GHRHA and GHRHB for the examined locus with frequencies of 0.19 and 0.81 respectively. Three different genotypic variants including GHRHA GHRHA, GHRHA GHRHB and GHRHB GHRHB were identified with genotypic frequencies of 0.0357, 0.3037 and 0.6607 respectively. The  c2 test showed that population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05). These data provide evidence that sarabi cattle breed have a genetic variability, which opens interesting prospects for future selection programs, especially marker-assistant selection.

Background: Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are undifferentiated cells with special capabilities on the self-renewing and differentiation. Proliferation of SSCs is a primary requirement for the study of their characteristics and function in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on the colonization activity of ovine SSCs in a short-term in-vitro co-culture with sertoli cells.Methods: Both sertoli and spermatogonial cells were isolated from 2-3 months old lamb testes by two-steps enzymatic digestion. Afterward, isolated cells were cultured in four groups with different concentrations of FSH (0, 5, 10 and 15 IU/ml, respectively) for 10 days. Colony assay (number and surface area) was evaluated 4, 7 and 10 days after the beginning of the culture by light microscope.Findings: At the day 4, colony surfaces of groups 1 and 2 were significantly more than groups 3 and 4 (P<0.05). At the days 7 and 10, colony surfaces of groups 1 and 2 were significantly more than group 4 (P<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that treated groups with 10 and 15 IU/ml of FSH significantly decreased colony surface of ovine SSCs in comparison with co-culture system.

German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is a widespread universal pest that is found in residential houses, hospitals and commercial buildings. This insect is a carrier of different kinds of fungi, viruses and pathogen bacteria. Thus, regarding to public health, control of this insect is important. Due to increasing resistance to pesticides, high toxicity of these materials and environmental pollutions, one of the new methods for controlling this insect is application of juvenile hormone analogue, fenoxycarb. This juvenoid is a nonneurotoxic carbamate that regulates insect’s growth and reproduction. Fenoxycarb is degenerated in environment and has no poisonous property for human, so it is widely used for controlling insects. In this study, the contact effect of different concentration of fenoxycarb (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ppm) has been investigated on late fifth nymphal instar of German cockroach. For each concentration, 20 individual were treated, each experiment was repeated for three times, and for each concentration a group of control was set up. The treatment time was continuing until insects emerged into adults. In this stage, each treated insect was kept separately with untreated opposite mate until the formation of the first egg capsule. The results showed that, juvenoid application was found to be effective in inducing deformation abnormalities, such as divergent, curly wing and giant nymphs. Furthermore, in all concentrations, the melanized individuals were observed and the length of sixth nymphal instar life time was increased with increasing the concentration of fenoxycarb. The effective dose (ED50) of fenoxycarb was 0.060 ppm and 0.034 ppm for male and female, respectively. Also, the sterility dose (SD50) of this juvenoid was calculated for male and female 0.011 ppm and 0.010 ppm, respectively. With increasing the concentration of fenoxycarb the percent of insects sterility was increased. So, as in 1 and 10 ppm concentration of juvenoid all of the insects were sterilized. The results showed that there is a straight relation between twisting wing and probability of sterility. But there were not any significant differences (p£0.05) in numbers of nymph produced by oothecaes of treated and untreated insects.

German cockroach is one of the worldwide pest with high potential of reproduction, and a carrier of many pathogens and allergen factors in human. Thus, control of this insect is very important from the view point of public health. In this research, the contact effects of pyriproxyfen on histological structure of internal reproductive organs of German cockroach were investigated. The last instar nymphal stage was treated with different concentrations (10, 1, 0.1, 0.01 and 0.001 ppm) of pyriproxyfen until the adults were emerged. To investigate the effects of juvenoid on reproduction, each of the treated insects were kept with an untreated opposite sex leading to the formation of the first egg capsule. Then, for histological investigations, the reproductive organs removed. Morphological studies on treated insects and their reproductive organs compared with untreated insects showed that pyriproxyfen in high concentrations caused sterility of the insects due to incomplete development of the these organs in both sexes, and the imagoes were not emerged either. Histological investigation of testis and ovaries in infertile insects indicated degeneration of ovarian follicle cells, defective vitellogenesis, hypertrophy of testis walls, spermatogenesis disorder and a decrease in the number of spermatocyts and spermatozoa.

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is one of the most common pest species, and is a carrier of many pathogen and allergen factors in humans. Thus, regarding public health, the control of this insect is quite important. Dietary use of hormone analogues, especially juvenoids which disrupt reproductive organ development, is a relatively new method to control cockroaches. In this study, the effect of dietary juvenoid pyriproxyfen was investigated on these insects. The control groups received a regular diet with no juvenoid and each of the treatment groups received 10, 30, 50, 100, or 300 ppm of pyriproxyfen in their diets, respectively. For each dose, 15 fifth-instar nymphs were used and the experiment was replicated three times. Each of the experimental repeats had a separate control group. The treatment period was 14 days, then the insects were fed with a regular diet until they emerged into an adult. At this stage, the treated adults were kept with an untreated opposite sex until the formation of the first egg capsule. Use of pyriproxyfen was found to be effective in inducing abnormalities in wing formation such as divergent, curly wing and giant nymphs. Furthermore, dietary use of this juvenoid caused the sterility of the insects due to incomplete development of the internal reproductive organs. Various morphologic abnormalities like deformation and degeneration were observed in the ovaries and accessory glands of sterile insects. Histological investigation of testis and ovaries in infertile insects indicated a degeneration of ovarian follicle cells, defective vitellogenesis, hypertrophy of testis walls, spermatogenesis disorder and a decrease in the numbers of spermatocyts and spermatozoa. The external genitalia of the sterile insects in both sexes were not significantly altered compared with the controls.

Introduction: Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is one of the pituitary glycoproteines that it consists of two subunits; alpha and beta. The beta subunit is responsible for the biological activity of FSH. The aim of present study was isolation of the b subunit coding sequence containing its signal sequence from human genome and then cloning of the isolated sequence in pPIC9 shuttle vector under the control of AOX1 promoter and a factor signal sequence.Material and Methods: the gene sequence of interest was isolated as a 2kb DNA fragment and cloned in pTZ57R vector resulting to pTV-2019 plasmid. The construct was used as template for modification of 5' region of gene upstream to ATG codon using PCR. Finally, amplicon was cloned in pPIC9 and the new construct named pPIC9F1.Results: The sequence of FSHb gene in pTV-2019 was confirmed by restriction analysis and DNA sequencing. In addition, restriction analysis and AOX1 primer-mediated PCR showed that pPIC9F1 has correct construction.Conclusion: The new construct, pPIC9F1, contains the coding sequence of FSHb gene and its signal sequence (E2-IVS2-E3). Therefore, this construct can be used for integration of FSHb gene into yeast genome exactly downstream to AOX1 promoter. Under this condition, a fusion protein is produced that it contains two signal peptides, a factor and FSH signal peptides. Yeast expression system is able to cleavage a factor. It seems this is the first attempt for cloning of human FSHb in yeast expression system.

Background: Using ionizing radiation in diagnosis and treatment is of great importance. As early diagnosis in some diseases only can be done by using radiation, in treatment phase, radiotherapy is also the main center for healing patients with cancer. Today, one of occupational hazards is ionizing radiation which can cause serious and irreparable damages in radiation workers. This study aimed to count blood cells and evaluate liver enzymes and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in radiation workers in hospitals in Kurdistan Province, Iran.Methods: In this case-control study, blood cells, liver enzymes, and TSH levels were compared in 142 radiation staff (cases) and also 142 workers in other sections of hospitals. Matching was done for confounding factors. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software at the significance level of P<0.05.Findings: Mean number of white blood cells and the level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzyme in radiation staff were significantly different from that of the control group. But no significant difference was observed between other parameters.Conclusion: It seems that working in radiation wards can change some blood factors but cannot predict the recieved dose. In order to increase the safety of radiation workers in radiation wards, monitoring of these individuals should be done annually using cytogenetic methods.

A bivoltine silkworm hybrid, KAxNB4D2 was treated with the juvenoid R394 (Ethyl-9 cyclohexyl-3,7-dimethyl-2,4-nonadienoate) at a dose of 0.039 nl/larva at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of 5th instar for silk yield improvement.Treatment specific significant increase was observed in the cocoon and shell weight with no such marked variation in the shell percentage. Notable changes were also seen in traits such as larval duration, larval weight and silk gland weight in the treated silkworm. Total protein, total carbohydrate and total lipid were analyzed in the posterior silk gland (PSG), haemolymph and fat body of fully grown larvae. The result indicated that the content of these primary metabolites varied significantly in the selected tissues depending on the time of juvenoid application. The highest content of protein in the haemolymph and silk gland was in the larvae treated at 72 h whereas the fat body protein content was lowest in the same group. The total carbohydrate was recorded lowest in the 72 h treated larvae as against the highest in the control both in haemolymph and fat body with no significant change in PSG. The total lipid content did not show any notable variation in the concentration on juvenoid administration except in the silk gland treated up to 72 h which showed a decline. The result indicates that the juvenoid induces tissue specific responses in terms of turnover in primary metabolites.