Purpose: Ready to eat arils can be a value-added product as an alternative use for the whole pomegranate fruit by offering more convenience to the consumer. Recently, the diffusion of local cultivars with typical and unique quality characteristics will offer new opportunities for the fresh international market. Research method: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of arils from five cultivars, namely Gabsi (GB), Jebali (JB), Khalledi (KH), Tounsi (TN), and Zehri (ZH) to be used for ready to eat market, as well as to provide a form of valorization for these cultivars. Findings: Significant differences found between cultivars for most of the evaluated quality parameters. KH, GB, and JB were the cultivars with the best initial quality. PCA separated the investigated cultivars based on the storage period. Among the studied cultivars, the main changes in color and sensory quality attributes during storage have been registered for the cultivars JB and KH. TN showed slight color difference during storage. GB had right color intensity, maintained high content of anthocyanins, and the best sensory evaluation at the end of storage. Limitations: Based on their nutritional quality, cultivars GB and KH were the best cultivars for ready to eat arils processing. However, a proper selection of initial quality should be considered. Originality/Value: The richness of local Tunisian pomegranate cultivars with its typical and unique quality traits. They could be used as a ready to eat form to valorize the whole fruit thereby, will enhance marketing demand.

Influenza viruses can multiply in quails and be transmitted to other animal species. As vaccination reduces virus shedding in chickens, the effect of the killed H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) on tissue distribution and virus shedding was evaluated in quails. One hundred 20-day-old quails were divided into six equal groups, kept in separate pens, and fed ad libitum. Before vaccination, blood samples were randomly collected from the wing veins. Four groups were vaccinated with the inactivated H9N2 Razi Institute vaccine at 21 days subcutaneously at the back of neck. Three weeks later, two groups were re-vaccinated. Two weeks later, at the age of 56 days, three groups were challenged with 100 μL of allantoic fluid containing 105 EID50 H9N2 through the oculonasal route. Blood samples were collected from quails at 42, 56, 63, and 70 days from each group to determine AIV antibodies by the hemagglutination inhibition test. Three quails were randomly selected and euthanized from each group on days 1, 3, and 6 post-inoculation (PI). Tissue samples were collected, and the RT-PCR test was performed. No clinical signs or gross lesions existed in any of the groups during the experiment. However, the virus was detected in different tissues on the first, third, and sixth days after the challenge in unvaccinated challenged birds. Virus detection was significantly more frequent in the quails vaccinated once and challenged than in the twice-vaccinated challenged group (P≤0.05). On the third day of PI, the virus was detected in some organs of the challenged groups. On the sixth day of PI, the virus was detected only in the lungs of two unvaccinated and once-vaccinated challenged birds. It was concluded that the vaccination of quails against AIV H9 is necessary to protect them from clinical signs, as well as respiratory tract and intestine replication. Two-time vaccination significantly protects the respiratory and intestine tracts, compared to one-time vaccination (P≤0.05).

newcastle disease (ND) is an economically significant and extremely spreadable viral illness affecting a wide variety of avian species. ND can rapidly spread within poultry farms and result in considerable economic losses for the global poultry industry. This disease is endemic in Iran, and despite intensive vaccination efforts in the poultry industry, outbreaks of ND occur unexpectedly. This study aimed to isolate the newcastle disease virus (NDV) from poultry farms with breathing problems in Markazi province, Iran, and investigate the evolutionary relationship and molecular characteristics of the isolates during 2017-2019. To this end, tissue samples (lung, brain, and trachea) were taken from 42 broiler farms exhibiting respiratory symptoms. The samples were inoculated into 9-11-day-old embryonated eggs, and the virus was isolated from 20 (47.6%) of the 42 farms. Subsequently, RT-PCR was used to amplify partial fusion gene sequences from the new isolates. The amplified products were sequenced and compared phylogenetically to the standard pilot dataset (125 selected sequences) generated by the NDV consortium. As determined by phylogenetic analysis, all nine isolates belonged to subgenotype VII.1.1 of genotype VII and were highly similar to isolates from other parts of Iran and China. Moreover, all isolates possessed a polybasic cleavage site motif (112RRQKRF117), characteristic of virulent strains. Furthermore, the present isolates shared a high nucleotide identity (96%) with viruses previously isolated from other provinces of Iran, as determined by BLAST searches and multiple alignments. In addition, they shared a high degree of sequence similarity but were distinct from the existing NDV vaccines. Therefore, the genetic dissimilarity between current vaccine strains and circulating NDVs must be considered in vaccination programs.

The present reserach aimed to detect and isolate the genes involved in the staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) production in strains isolated from unprocessed cow’s milk and to examine the impact of Bifidobacterium bifidum probiotic cell-free supernatant (CFS) on their expression. Standard techniques were used for isolation and identification of Staphylococci strains in unprocessed milk. The PCR was used to identify strains carrying enterotoxin genes. The B. bifidum CFS was applied to strains containing the target genes, and the genes expression levels were quantified using Real-time PCR. Using 16SrDNA sequencing, the phylogenic relationship of the isolated strains was determined. Analysis revealed that bacteria such as Staphylococcus species were found in the 72% of the samples. The PCR test showed the presence of various SE superantigens, including SEA (16.7%), SEC (11.7%), SED (8.3%), SEE (6.7%), and SEB (1.7%) in isolated strains. The B. bifidum CFS had obvious antimicrobial activity against strains 24, 51, 54, and 35 of Staphylococcus species, and the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values for these strains treated with B. bifidum CFS were in the range of 31.25-125 μg/ml. Strains 51 and 24 were clustered with S.aureus ATCC 25923, and strains 54 and 35 were clustered with S.aureus ATCC 12600, respectively. The RT-PCR exhibited that probiotics CFS suppressed the expression of SEA, SEB, SEC, and SEE genes (P<0.05). The average fold change for SEA, SEB, SEC, and SED genes was -1.681, -1.28, -1.52, and -0.84, respectively. The research demonstrated that probiotic bacteria can lower enterotoxin production by downregulating the expression of SEs genes.

The Surmeh deposit is a rare case of metallic mineralization in the Zagros FT-Belt. The regional structures with geological conditions from Paleozoic sequences to Late Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic extensional faulting, Cenozoic continental convergence and collision, thrust tectonic, reactivation of inherited and basement faults, basinal-atmospheric fluids interactions and salt diapirism have crucial role in MVT-type Surmeh deposit formation. The Surmeh anticline is double plunging and its southern limb is cut by thrust faults, which formed at the southern termination of the Mengharak segment of the Karehbas fault. new field data highlights three fault trends. The first trend is thrust faults parallel to the Zagros trend cutting the southern limb of Surmeh anticline and pushed the older units over the younger units from NE to SW. The second is normal faults mainly in the Permian and Triassic rocks and their strike varies from NW-SE to N_S. The third trend is ~N-S surface manifestations of the Karehbas basement strike-slip fault. Some of them can be easily mapped in satellite images. Small strike-slip faults have caused displacement and destruction of mineralized zones. Normal faults were important structures in ore-formation process. These findings can be utilized as an exploratory sign for similar ore deposits in the Zagros Range, where the Paleozoic rocks are intensely folded, faulted and uplifted within the cores of anticlines near the intersection of salt domes and basement faults. This case is an interesting metallic mineralization in a foreland area, where is affected by basement and thrust faults, folding and salt tectonics.

Testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury during testicular torsion is strongly influenced by oxidative stress caused by excessive accumulation of unscavenged reactive oxygen species. This study aimed to investigate the effects of intra-peritoneal administration of Mito-TEMPO (MT) on I/R injury in testicular torsion/detorsion (T/D) in mice. Forty-two male mice were divided into seven groups including 1 control and 6 treatment groups (360° T/D, 720° T/D, 360° T/D + 0.70 mg kg-1 MT, 360° T/D + 1.00 mg kg-1 MT, 720° T/D + 0.70 mg kg-1 MT, and 720° T/D + 1.00 mg kg-1 MT). After inducing 360° and 720° clockwise testicular torsions for 2 hr, sperm parameters, apoptosis-related genes expression, and in vivo fertility index were evaluated. The results showed that 720° T/D can lead to increased abnormal sperm morphology, sperm DNA damage, and Bax expression, while the Bcl-2 expression was reduced compared to the other groups. In addition, it also had negative effects on sperm total and progressive motilities as well as viability and plasma membrane functionality (PMF). The results also showed that administration of MT to T/D mice can result in a reduction in abnormal sperm morphology, DNA damage, and Bax expression. It could also increase sperm total and progressive motilities, viability and PMF, Bcl-2 expression, and in vivo fertility index. Based on our results, it is concluded that MT, when administered after spermatic cord torsion in mice, provides significant protection against acute testicular T/D injury.

Fungal contamination in drinking water has garnered considerable attention over the past few decades, especially considering the detrimental consequences of pathogenic fungal species on both human and animal health. The formation of biofilms by certain species is a considerable factor contributing to the emergence of severe fungal infections. This research was designed to isolate and identify fungi, particularly those capable of forming biofilms from 150 samples of drinking water sourced from various locations. The isolated fungal species were tested for them in vitro biofilm formation using a microtitration plate method and the crystal violet assay was applied to quantify the established biofilms. The effectiveness of three disinfectants, namely ozone, chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide, in preventing the formation of biofilms by the most isolated fungal species was monitored. The findings indicated that Aspergillus species were the most prevalent in drinking water, comprising 63.33% (95/150) of the total number of fungal species identified. Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus were identified as the primary contributors to biofilm formation in drinking water distribution systems with prevalence rates of 41.00 and 34.00%, respectively, among all Aspergillus species. The outcomes of the in vitro studies demonstrated that the ozone disinfectant exhibited promising results in inhibiting fungal biofilms compared to chlorine and hydrogen peroxide. In conclusion, these findings provided valuable insights for water distribution authorities to develop effective regimens for controlling biofilm-forming fungal species using suitable antifungal biofilm disinfectants.