The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of skin diseases in slaughterhouse workers and personnel of two Ahwaz hospitals. The project design was based on completion of questionaires and examination of a total of 375 slaughterhouse workers as well as 92 personnel of two hospitals who were in contact with human contaminated sources in the comparison with 205 employees of two hospitals as a control group, during 8 months from 1996 to 1997. Out of 375 slaughterhouse workers, 190 workers (50.66%) were affected by various skin diseases. The detected skin diseases were callosity (19%), tinea versicolor (6%), contact dermatitis, tinea versicolor and callosity (each 3%), contact dermatitis and callosity, hand warts (each 2%), erythrasma, folliculitis, candidia paronychia and tinea pedis (each 1 %). Our survey showed no significant difference among the prevalence of skin diseases of slaughterhouse workers (50.66%) and hospital employees (40.21 %). Meanwhile there was no difference in the prevalence of skin diseases in slaughterhouse workers with control group (50.24%), Finally there was no significant difference in the prevalence of skin disases in the hospital personnel with control group. In other words, the prevalence of skin diseases among slaughterhouse workers were similar with that of hospital workers who were in contact with human contaminated sources and among other hospital employees.

Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis from different parts of flowers in some genotypes of petunia and ornamental tobacco was investigated. Also the effects of cold treatments, light, darkness and culture medium with different combinations of growth regulators were studied. After sterilization, explants were cultured aseptically. The results showed that the genotypes and different explants from the same genotype affected differently the callus and plant regeneration. Maximum regenerated plants from pedicel culture in petunia (Pc 622 genotype) and in tobacco (N. glutinosa Linn. genotype) were 16% and 179%, respectively. The best culture medium was Murashage and Skoog (MS) with 3 mg 1-1 BAP and 0.2 mg 1-1 NAA. On this medium, the two mentioned genotypes regenerated 90 and 562 % plants from pedicel culture, respectively. No regeneration was obtained from different explants without cold treatment and a period of 7 to 9 days cold treatment increased the rate of regeneration in different genotypes of petunia and tobacco. The effects of light and dark treatments on the rate of regeneration in N. glutinosa were depended to explants. In N. glutinosa regenerated plants from ovary was 10% in darkness and 2.4% in light, while for explants obtained from pedicel, adversely, there were 226% and 112.5% in light and dark, respectively.

Several experiments were conducted for selecting the optimum callus induction and growth conditions in three miniature rose cultivars ('Little Buckaroo', 'Baby Masquerade' and Sourati'). In preliminary experiments, leaflet explants were found the best among different explants and were cultured on MS medium supplemented with benzyladenine (BA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) or indolebutyric acid (IBA) or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Explants that were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l-1 BA and 2 mg l-1 NAA, had the best callus production in establishment and further subculture media. Forthy days after the first subculture, 'Baby Masquerade' and' Sourati', had the highest and lowest callus growth, respectively. Different treatments such as using casein hydrolysate, yeast extract, red light and changing the light intensity were applied which were unsuccessful for shoot and/or root regeneration in calli.

In order to evaluate induced genetic variation of Populus euphratica Oliv. through cell culture, cytological and isozyme electrophrosis analysis were carried out. To induce genetic variation, immature influences of female tree containing microspore mother cells were isolated and cultured. Significant different was observed between growth regulator hormone treatments for callus induction at 0.01 level. MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/l 2, 4-D and 0.1 mg/l kinetin produced higher callus from immature influences and showed significant differences with the other hormonal treatments at 0.01 level. The calli were subculture for8 month in MS medium to increase variation among regenerated plantlets. Higher plant regeneration (75.5 %) was observed in solidified MS medium containing 3 mg/l BA and 0.5mg/l NAA. High degree of morphological behavior (leaves and stems) was observed among regenerated plants. Cytological analysis on root tip of regenerated plantlets showed the presence of haploid, diploid, aneuploid and polyploid plantlets.

Experiments were conducted to study in vitro propagation of sweet orange using 5mm long epicotyl explants. Explants were excised from in vitro seedlings and cultured on a basic MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of benzyladenine (BA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). After 60 days, the regeneration of adventitious shoots was recorded. The maximum percentage of regeneration and maximum number of adventitious shoots were obtained in BA concentrations of 1 and 2 mg 1-1. Increasing BA concentration decreased the production of adventitious shoots. Concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg -1 NAA had not a significant effect on regeneration and number of adventitious shoots. However in low concentrations of BA, NAA increased the length of adventitious shoots, and maximum length of adventitious shoots was obtained on media containing 1 mg 1-1 BA and 1 mg 1-1 NAA. For rooting, basal medium with half strength of MS salts plus 3% sucrose, 7.5 g1-1 agar and NAA or indolebutryic acid (IBA) was used. A five-second dip of basal ends of shoots in 1000 mg1-1 NAA or IBA solutions and transferring to half strength MS salts medium were also evaluated for rooting. The maximum percentage of rooting was obtained on IBA-containing media and NAA did not affect rooting. Addicting NAA to medium resulted in callus formation in basal cut ends of shoots. The maximum percentage of rooting and root number and length were obtained in 10 mg1-1IBA. Plantlets were transferred to pots containing a mixture of 50% soil and 50% sand, and were irrigated by one-eighth strength MS salt solution for 10 days and then gradually acclimized to natural environment.

This experiment was carried out to study the effects of different carbohydrate sources (fructose, glucose and sucrose) at different concentrations (20, 30 and 40 g 1-1) on shoot multiplication of Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.). In vitro propagated shoot tips of J. regia L. cv. 'Serr' were cultured on DKW medium containing 1.0 mg -1 6- benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0.01 mg -1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) solidified with 2.2 g -1 Phytagel. No significant differences were observed among the different kinds of carbohydrates for shoot fresh weight and main shoot length. Maximum callus fresh weight at basal ends of shoots was obtained with glucose and this was significantly greater than fructose or sucrose. Explants cultured on media containing glucose produced maximum number of axillary shoots. Different concentrations of carbohydrates did not have any significant effect on shoot fresh weight and main shoot length. There was a significant difference among the three different concentrations of carbohydrates for callus fresh weight and axillary shoot numbers. The best micro shoots were obtained using 20 g -1  sucrose.

The aim of this study was to investigate different concentrations of zeatin (05, 1, 2 and 4 mg/l) and Benzyl amino purine (0.5, 1, 2 and 2 mg/l) using OMI (Olive Medium Initial) medium on shoot proliferation of one node microcuttings of Olea europaea L. cv. Dezfouly. Highest number of leaves and buds were obtained in the presence of 2 mg/l of zeatin. In all above mentioned concentrations of zeatin a compact and greenish callus was developed in the basal parts of micro cuttings, while tpicrocuttings cultured on OMI medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP did not show any shoot initiations in this cultivar. Transferred callus to the OMI medium supplemented with 2 mg/l zeatin show shoot proliferation initiation.

Peonies are commonly propagated by dividing the roots or rhizomes but a few number of plants are obtained by these methods. Peonies can also be propagated by seeds but it is not usually practiced due to having epicotyl dormancy and long (3 to 7 yr) juvenility stage. Consequently, a quick micropropagation method would overcome these problems and could also be used for the multiplication of virus-free stock materials or introducing new cultivars. Present investigation was conducted during 2000 to 2002 to find the best medium for herbaceous peony in in vitro culture. Herbaceous peony plants were purchased from Karaj city and transferred to the greenhouse of the Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Explants of different parts of peony (internode, stem, leaf, petiole and rhizome) were examined for micropropagation studies. After surface sterilization, for shoot proliferation, the internode explants were placed on Murashing and Skoog (MS) medium salts plus 20 g r1 sucrose and 8 g I-1 agar supplemented with 0 to 2 mg I-1 6-benzyladenine (BA) and kinetin (Kin). To improve the multiplication rate, 0.1 mg-1 gibberellic acid (GA3) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were also used in the medium The explants were placed under cool-white fluorescent tubes with 1.5 k lux light in a day length of 16 hr and 25°C temperature. For root formation, the explants were placed on a half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0 to 2 mg I-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) as well as 0 to I mg I-1 I-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or 2A-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2.4-D) and kept under dark or light conditions. For callus formation, the explants were placed on MS medium supplemented with a combination of 0 to 1 mg I-1 2.4-0, BA and NAA. The best treatment for shoot proliferation of nodal stems was MS medium supplemented with 1.4 mg I-1 BA and 0.1 mg I-1 GA3 Best treatment for shoot proliferation was using 1.4 mg I-1 BA and 0.1 mg r1 GA3. All stem explants produced callus on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg I-1 BA, 0.5 mg I-1  NAA and 0.1 mg I-1 2A-0. All stem explants produced callus on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg I-1 BA. 0.5 mg I-1 NAA and 0.1 mg I-1 2.4More studies are needed to establish root formation in herbaceous peony.