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     The Oriental hornet, Vespa orientalis L. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is one of the most important and serious enemies of honeybees. In this study, the annual population dynamics and daily activity rhythm of Oriental hornet were examined, based on the number of adults trapped in an apiary located in Ahvaz (southwest of Iran) during a period of two years (January 2021 to December 2022). Samplings were performed using the box traps available in the market. The bait used in the traps was fresh chicken liver, with the traps checked daily in four time periods. The results revealed that the first overwintering queens (gynes) emerged in March and two population peaks of newly emerged hornet workers occurred during the year, one in July and the other in October. In late November and early December, no adult hornet was trapped. The daily activity rhythm of adult hornets was observed mostly during 9 - 12, almost twice as much as in the afternoon period (12 - 15). The lowest activity was recorded in the evening period and night (6 pm - 9 am). During both years of sampling, the seasonal abundance of adult hornets displayed a significant positive correlation with air temperature and a significant negative correlation with relative humidity. By comparing the result of our findings with other studies performed in the same and different climate zones, it can be hoped to present effective methods to control the population of V. orientalis, especially in areas that have extensive beekeeping.

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To evaluate the effects of presence of insect pollinators on quantity and quality of seeds of two common cultivars of onion (Allium cepa L.), namely Red Azar Shahr and Yellow Sweet Spanish, an experiment in a factorial randomized complete block design was carried out at two sites. Bulbs of equal size were planted with plant to plant 35 cm and row to row 50 cm spacing. At each site, experimental groups differed only in pollination method. About a week before flowering start, at each site 3 groups of 10 individual inflorescences as block replications of each treatment combination (pollination × cultivar) were selected randomly and marked. For each onion cultivar, half of the plants were left uncovered (free pollination), whereas the other ones were isolated from insect pollinators by using wooden cages covered with cloth net. When about 10 percent of black seeds were visibly exposed in the umbels, harvest was done. After drying, the number and weight of seeds produced per inflorescence as well as 1000 seed weight was measured for each treatment combination. Four weeks after the harvesting date the germination test of seeds produced in each treatment combination was evaluated. Non availability of insect pollinators during the flowering period of onion caused substantial reduction on seed number and seed weight per umbel. Also, seeds from free pollination flowers showed higher germination capacity than those isolated from insect visitors. However, varieties as well as experimental sites did not show significant influences on seed setting of onion.

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Microcerotermes diversus Silvestri (Isoptera: Termitidae) is the most economically destructive wood pest in structures in Khuzestan province (Iran). Chemicals such as essential oils and plant extracts that are compatible with the environment and have high potential to be used in integrated pest management programs are extremely important resources. This study evaluated contact and digestive toxicity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehneh. (Myrtaceae)essential oil in no-choice and choice bioassays and feeding inhibition trials on M. diversus. Concentrations of the essential oil ranged from 0.3 to 1.6%. The results of the choice tests and feeding inhibition trial showed that the essential oil could act as a repellent at 0.7% concentration. Concentrations used in these tests resulted in mortality of termites, and a direct relationship between concentration and mortality was observed. The essential oil also increased the mortality of termites at concentrations higher than 0.7%. Termite feeding decreased with increase in concentration. Due to the ability of termites to choose the untreated filter-paper in the choice trial, values of LT and LC, were higher than in no-choice trials. The highest effects of Eucalyptus essential oil (≈100% mortality) was obtained by the concentration 1.6%. Overall, this study reveals that Eucalyptus essential oil may be suggested as an effective toxicant with suitable contact and digestive toxicity on M. diversus.  

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The toxicity of imidacloprid and pirimicarb for all stages of the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, were investigated under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 ^oC, 65 ± 5% R.H. and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h.) using a leaf dipping method. These pesticides were very toxic for first instar nymphs of A. gossypii with LC₅₀ values of 17 and 220.2 ppm for imidacloprid and pirimicarb, respectively. For other nymphal instars, values of 23.9 to 70.5 ppm and 308.8 to 781.7 ppm were recorded for imidacloprid and pirimicarb respectively. Their LC₅₀ values for adults were 90.1 and 983.1 ppm, respectively. Toxicity decreased with increasing age. Imidacloprid was more toxic than pirimicarb for all stages of development. The effect of applying sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid and pirimicarb was evaluated, also, using demographic toxicology. Longevity and population growth parameters, including intrinsic rate of increase (r_m), net reproductive rate (R₀), generation time (T_c) and finite rate of population increase (λ), were affected negatively by both insecticides. The r_m values for control, imidacloprid and pirimicarb exposed populations were 0.438, 0.150 and 0.335 female offspring per female per day, respectively. The doubling time (DT) also, was affected by imidacloprid. Overall, these results suggest that imidacloprid and pirimicarb can be effective against A. gossypii.  

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If a language makes use of a case marker to indicate the role of the object in a sentence, that marker is called “object case marker”. In some languages, only a subset of objects is marked with a case marker, which is called “differential object marking” (DOM). Definiteness and animacy of the object are among the factors for an object to be accompanied with a case marker. This article studies the effect of definiteness and animacy on the use of the object marker in Mâzandarâni, a modern North-Western Iranian language of the Southern Caspian subgroup. Studying DOM in a Mâzandarâni corpus, 148 noun-phrases as direct object of the verb were recognized, and animacy and definiteness were the influential factors on the use of object marker with an object in this corpus.

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Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosely) is one of the most important pests of the lettuce plant and it was reported for the first time in Ahvaz in 2008. In order to investigate the dominant species of its natural enemies and their population fluctuations, sample were taken arbitrarily from fifty plants twice a week during the growing season in 2010-2012. In this study, ten species of predators, three species of parasitoids and two species of hyperparasitoids were collected and identified. Hoverflies with a relative frequency of 55% were the dominant predators. Peaks of lacewings and subsequently ladybird beetles were more coincident with peaks of aphid population in mid-March in the first year of studies. But their densities in the second year were very low. Also, hoverflies and parasitoids were mainly observed in the high densities in late March-early April, in both years. Regression analysis indicated that populations of aphids were mainly affected by ladybird beetles and lacewings in the first year of study, as well as by ladybird beetles, hoverflies and parasitoids in the second year. Therefore, additional studies are required for further evaluation on the potential abilities of these natural enemies being a good candidates for the future biological control programs.  

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The present paper focuses on the effects of discourse and pragmatic factors on the determination of case system in Hawrami. Du Bois (1987) argues that dominant case systems in any language cannot be thoroughly accounted for unless pragmatic factors are taken into consideration. He further shows that certain features of narrative discourse creates a special discourse tendency, called “Preferred Argument Structure”, whose defining characteristics are exactly the same as those of “Ergative systems”. The way this pragmatic tendency competes with other pragmatic factors, which exhibit accusative-like features, ultimately determines the case system in syntax. In this paper, it is first shown that, although preferred argument structure is observed in all syntactic constructions of Hawrami, its effect in aorist constructions is more prominent than in the present constructions, and this very fact causes the former set of constructions to become Ergative. Other competing pragmatic tendencies like topic animacy and topic continuity, unlike the preferred argument structure, always motivate the accusative case pattern in syntax. The effects of each of these two factors on determination of accusative case system in the present constructions are not the same; only topic animacy has the potential to set the ultimate case system in syntax as accusative. From a theoretical point of view, the empirical findings of this research may lend more support to those functionally-oriented theories of language, which consider the syntactic properties of languages as direct results of pragmatic considerations and communicative needs of speakers.   

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Reproductive parameters and ovipositional preference of Plutella xylostella were assessed on some mutant genotypes of canola (RGS 8-1, RGS 10-2, RGS 8-13, Zar 9-9 and Talaye 8-3) and their cultivars (RGS, Zar, Talaye) under greenhouse condition (21 ± 6 °C, 65 ± 10 RH and a photoperiod of 16L: 8D h). Comparison of the reproductive parameters on RGS and its mutant genotypes revealed that mutant genotype RGS 8-1 was the most susceptible genotype to the pest, having maximum values of gross reproductive rate (182.7 female eggs/ female), net fecundity rate (248.2 eggs/ female) and mean number of fertile eggs (8.98 fertile eggs/female/day). The last parameter was the lowest on RGS 8-13 (3.05 fertile eggs/ female/day). In no-choice condition, the experiment of ovipositional preference indicated no significant difference among mean number of deposited eggs on the three cultivars compared with their mutant genotypes after 24 h. While, in choice test, mutant genotype, RGS 10-2 (151.67 eggs) was preferred over RGS and the two other mutant genotypes. This study revealed that effect of physical mutation on resistance of canola to P. xylostella may vary depending on canola cultivar and different mutant genotypes of the same cultivar. This point should be considered by plant breeders when releasing these mutant plants with appropriate cultural traits for utilizing by farmers.

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The sugarcane stem borer, Sesamia cretica Lederer, is one of the most economically important pests of sugarcane in Khuzestan province, southwest Iran. The egg parasitoid Telenomus busseolae Gahan significantly affect S. cretica population in the field. Host age is an important factor of host acceptance and suitability for egg parasitoids. We examined the ability of T. busseolae to parasitize and develop in S. cretica eggs of different ages. In a no choice laboratory experiment, we measured the effect of host age (12, 36, or 60h old) on parasitism rate and offspring fitness characteristics such as survival, development time, sex ratio, size, and progeny longevity and fecundity. Results revealed that the suitability of host eggs decreased as host age increased. Exposure of parasitoids to 12h old eggs resulted in higher percentage parasitism, higher acceptance, higher survival and larger body size of parasitoid progeny. Progeny that emerged from 12h old eggs had also higher longevity and fecundity than those emerged from other host ages tested.
 

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Academic lecturing has tuned into the major teaching method in higher education. Due to the excess of verbal and visual information presented in a lecture and the importance of some of these information in the final assessment of a course, an understanding of how unimportant information is marked in lectures is useful. The present investigation was an attempt to investigate how lecturers mark unimportant information in Persian academic lectures. More specifically, this study was aimed to investigate the discourse functions of markers of lesser importance. Based on a mixed-methods approach, markers of lesser importance were extracted from the transcripts of the 60 academic lectures of the Persian corpus of SOKHAN. The derived markers of lesser importance were then analyzed in terms of their discourse functions. Five discourse functions, including discourse organization, audience engagement, subject status, topic treatment, and relating to exam were found. In addition, topic treatment, followed by subject status, accounted for most of the discourse functions of the markers of lesser importance. Moreover, audience engagement, discourse organization, and relating to exam were found to be the least frequent discourse functions. On the whole, the findings suggested that marking lesser importance does not necessarily involves orientation to the audience or organizing the discourse into points and asides. Instead, marking lesser importance most often necessitates using expressions that explicitly or implicitly demarcate boundaries between what the lecturer wishes to talk about, does not intend to go through, or tends to cover briefly.
 
 

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Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important cucumber pest especially in greenhouse. The efficacy of simultaneous release of generalist predator, Orius albidipennis Reuter (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and a specialist parasitic wasp, Aphidius colemani Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), was evaluated in laboratory conditions against the pest. For this purpose, investigations were carried out on preference of the predator between parasitized and non-parasitized aphids. In addition, production of volatile infochemicals between the natural enemies (NEs) was studied by olfactometry trials. In another part of this research, systemic production of volatile synomone by the infested cucumber plants for attraction of each NE was examined by the olfactometry tests. Results revealed that O. albidipennis had no obvious preference to either the parasitized or non-parasitized aphids, while both NEs were significantly attracted to volatiles emitted from infested host plants. Our findings revealed that each of the NEs avoided odors which indicated the presence of another intraguild competitor. The documented facts from the entire study reveal that the NEs are good biocontrol agents against A. gossypii on cucumber, but their avoidance from each other makes simultaneous release of the predator and parasitic wasps unsuitable for biological control of this aphid.
 
 
 

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Aims: The induction of artificial over-expression of miRNAs is an appropriate approach to more effective cell differentiation. The significant role of microRNA-1(miR-1) has been reported in the development and differentiation of cardiac cells. Lentivirus is an effective vector for stable cell line production. The aim of this study was the production of recombinant HEK293T with miR-1 overexpression as a biological model for cardiac studies.
Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, HEK 293T cells were cultured in DMEM medium with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) and L-glutamine 2mM and Penicillin-Streptomycin 1X in incubator medium. After cloning of miR-1 gene, recombinant clones were selected and the recombination was confirmed by sequencing. The miR-1 carrying vector and auxiliary vectors were packaged in the HEK293T to produce the recombinant virus. The infection of HEK293T by recombinant virus was performed in order to achieve stable cell line. Then, GFP fluorescent marker evaluated the efficiency of transfection and effective virus dilution. Finally, the alteration in expression level of miR-1 was assessed by qPCR. Data analysis was performed by comparing the threshold cycle and Pfaffl method.
Findings: The most GFP expression was detected in transfected cells by 150 micromole dilution. GFP fluorescent marker facilitated optimization and purification of recombinant cells. qPCR investigation demonstrated the significant increase in expression of miR-1 in transfected cells in comparison to controls.
Conclusion: The stable recombinant HEK293T miR-1 over-expressing cell line in lentivirus can be utilized as a suitable biological model for investigation of cardiac evolution and development processes.

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Eleven species of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) belonging to Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Eriaporidae and Signiphoridae associated with the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) were collected and identified during 2017-2018 from Khuzestan province in the southwestern Iran. Prochiloneurus rex (Girault) (Encyrtidae) is new record for the fauna of Iran. Meanwhile, biological associations of Bothriothorax serratellus (Dalman), Leptomastix dactylopii Howard and L. mayri Özdikmen (Encyrtidae) as parasitoids and Marietta picta (André), P. rex and Chartocerus kurdjumovi (Nikolskaya) (Signiphoridae) as hyperparasitoids of Ph. solenopsis were new.
 

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This paper is a part of a long-term study on the Noctuidae fauna of Kerman province. Here we report the newly identified species, which were collected mostly in the South of this province during the years 2015 and 2016. Totally, here we report 30 Noctuidae taxa from 13 genera and six subfamilies namely: Acronictinae (five taxa), Amphipyrinae (three taxa), Heliothinae (two taxa), Condicinae (two taxa), Bryophilinae (six taxa) and Noctuinae (12 taxa). Among these reports there are 12 new provincial records from Kerman. Amphipyra kitti Gaal-Haszler, Lödl, Ronkay, Ronkay & Varga, is recorded here as a new species for the fauna of Iran. Material examined is listed together with provincial distribution for each taxon. Wing pattern and male and female genitalia structures of A. kitti illustrated here. The female genitalia of this species describe here for the first time. According to this data, we concluded that despite the vast area of Kerman province, its fauna has been less explored compared to some of its neighboring provinces. We suggest to explore especially higher altitudes of this province.

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Introduction: In the framework known as processing approach to grammar, it is argued that processing provides a full-fledged functional explanation for all syntactic phenomena including constituent ordering. Linguistic structure is simply built in a way that eases processing difficulty of sentences and results in efficiency of language use. It seems that the operation of that part of the linguistic representation system that leads to formulation of concepts utilizing lexical access procedure is governed by processing mechanisms. The processing mechanisms, as it has put forward by Hawkins (1994) are those that make it possible for humans to recognize (and produce) grammatical structure in a rapid and efficient manner. The formulator is also planned in a way that minimizes the processing load. Therefore, it appears that some ordering regularities and grammatical constraints in word order and syntactic phenomena such as movement are motivated by the flawless performance of this phase of human linguistic processor. According to performance theory and efficiency principles, constituent ordering is influenced by processing efficiency, i.e. the ordering of constituents is intended to facilitate processing.
Aim: The research aims to study the processing basis of relativisation and syntactic movement known as scrambling and the effects of grammatical weight in Persian by drawing upon evidence from self-paced reading. Adopting an online reading time paradigm, the research was aimed at studying the role of grammatical weight in likelihood of post-verbal movement and processing loads of pairs of corresponding sentences. Hypotheses: Questions increasing the motivation and triggering initiation of doing this research are how different structural configurations of sentences with identical truth condition modify processing level and if the increase of grammatical weight could result in likelihood of syntactic movement. The final questions are how the movement of grammatically heavy constituents including relative clause and scrambled constituents explained in terms of processing implications. Accordingly, four hypotheses were developed in the course of the research. 
Method: The aforesaid paradigm, as an efficient experimental technique to assess processing speed of syntactic structures, was designed by Open Sesame Software. Two sets of 24 sentences in three levels of weight (light, medium and heavy) and two structural levels (unmarked preverbal constituent and post-verbal one) were presented to 40 randomly selected Persian-speaking participants (between the ages 18 and 40) with university education.  The first set consisted of sentences containing relative clause in two configurations and the second set of pairs of scrambled (post-verbal) and unscrambled sentences. Sentences were followed by a yes/no question. Data was analyzed using SPSS and ANOVA test.
Findings: In light level, the mean reading time of sentences with canonical constituent ordering was less than those with post-verbal constituents. However, this trend got reversed by the increase of grammatical weight of the constituent subjected to scrutiny. In other word, the post-verbal movement of constituents resulted in reduction of mean reading time in medium-weight sentences. This decline was markedly more significant in heavy sentences.
Conclusion: The ordering of constituents and the likelihood of movement is highly weight-sensitive. As a conclusion, the end-weight principle as an incentive to optimize the processing efficiency was approved in Persian.
 

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Aims: The moral sensitivity of nurses is related to patient care. The more sensitive nurse in facing ethical challenges in care causes the better patient care he/she provides. Providing better ethical care leads to increased patient satisfaction and reduced societal burden. We investigated the relationship between nurses’ moral sensitivity and patient satisfaction in the Iraqi emergency wards.
Instrument & Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on nurses (200) and patients (400) in Iraqi emergency wards. Three questionnaires were used, including demographic, Newcastle Satisfaction, and Moral Sensitivity. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20.
Findings: There was a positive relationship between patient satisfaction and nurses’ moral sensitivity (r=0.662; p=0.001).
Conclusion: Nurses often face difficult situations when caring for patients in the emergency department. To deal with these situations and make ethical decisions, nurses must have an acceptable level of ethical sensitivity. When nurses are ethically sensitive to patient care, patients realize this, and satisfaction with receiving nursing care increases.
 

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Aims: This study compared two groups of twin pregnancies complicated by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), with and without selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR), and evaluated the survival rate at 30 days after birth treated with fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP).
Materials & Methods: The present study was a retrospective study of 164 diamniotic monochorionic twin pregnancies complicated with TTTS and treated with FLP. The sFGR was defined as an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile. The independent t-test, Chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify 30-day donor twin survival risk factors for the entire study population. The significance level was determined at p<0.05.
Findings: Of the studied cases, 45.1% had only TTTS, while 54.9% had both TTTS and sFGR. .There was a significant difference (p<0.001) in the distribution of Quintero stages and maternal age during the intervention (p=0.01) between the two groups. The sFGR before laser surgery in TTTS patients was associated with reduced donor survival. The multivariate analysis revealed that gestational age at delivery (OR=0.81, 95%CI:0.7-0.8) and sFGR (OR=0.43, 95%CI:0.2-0.8) were significantly associated with donor survival.
Conclusion: The sFGR before FLP is present in approximately 55% of TTTS cases, which is caused by normal placental abnormalities. TTTS with sFGR is associated with reduced donor embryo survival. Gestational age at delivery and sFGR are important factors affecting donor survival 30 days after birth. Performing successive ultrasounds after diagnosing monochorionic twin pregnancies is essential for timely identification, correct management, and treatment.