The subfamily Cremastinae Forster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was studied in Fars and Hormozgan provinces (southern Iran). The specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping nets. Nine species were identified of which two species including Temelucha afghana Sedivy, 1968 and Temelucha confluens (Gravenhorst, 1829) are new records for the fauna of Iran. With result of this study, the number of Cremastinae species known from Iran has increased to 24 species in six genera. An identification key to Iranian Cremastinae is provided, as well as a morphological diagnosis for the newly recorded species.

The discourse of leftist historiography, alongside nationalist historiography, was an effort towards the modernization of Afghanistan in continuation of the Constitutionalist Movement. Ghulam Mohammad Ghobar (1897-1978 AD) is considered one of the most renowned left-leaning historians of Afghanistan. Despite the authoritarian environment, he published his historical works with a critical and analytical perspective, among which his book Afghanistan in the Course of History is a notable resource for scholars of Afghan history.The present study, seeking to answer the question of what the components and characteristics of Ghobar's historical perspective and historiography are and how they are reflected in his work, has employed a qualitative method using thematic analysis as the technique for data analysis. Therefore, explaining the dominant discourses in Ghobar's historiography is an objective of this research.The findings indicate the profound depth of the influence of the socialist discourse on his intellectual framework, though nationalism has also cast a shadow on his thoughts and writings. The logic of Ghobar's historiography has an anti-class and anti-aristocratic nature. He endeavored to bring marginalized groups into the text of history and to establish a connection between contemporary Afghanistan and its historical past. Thus, if contemporary historians sought out events within royal courts, Ghobar's gaze was focused on the life and sufferings of the subaltern.

Introduction: Homeodomain transcription factor 1 (PDX-1) is necessary for proper pancreatic development and β-cell function. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) system, in conjunction with CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), facilitates modifications, particularly deletions, within the genome. The use of lentiviral vectors for gene transfer to somatic stem cells has increased significantly. They harbor advantageous features, including a relatively high gene loading capacity, a diminished likelihood of gene expression silencing following integration into the genome, and high efficiency in delivering genes to a variety of target cells. Furthermore, they elicit no undesirable immune reactions and offer a broad selection of alternative envelope proteins.Aim: This study aims to introduce a mutation in the chicken PDX-1 gene. A guide RNA (gRNA) will be designed to complement a specific region of the PDX-1 gene. This approach aims to create targeted mutations with potential therapeutic applications in gene therapy. Materials and Methods: The PDX-1 gene was cloned using the LentiCRISPRv2GFP vector. To delete and modify the PDX-1 gene, a specific single guide RNA (sgRNA) sequence is designed. This sgRNA sequence is approximately 100 base pairs (bp) in length, with about 76 bp derived from the scaffold segment already integrated into the LentiCRISPRv2GFP vector.The region responsible for binding the sgRNA to the target genomic sequence is 20 nucleotides long and is complementary to 20 nucleotides in exon one of the PDX-1 gene. The CRISPR Design Tool (http://crispr.mit.edu) was used to design a specific sgRNA sequence targeting the PDX1 locus (sgPDX1).The double-stranded oligonucleotide fragment and the LentiCRISPRv2GFP vector were subjected to enzymatic digestion using the BsmbI restriction enzyme. To create the LentiCRISPRv2GFP-sgPDX1 vector, the cleaved sgPDX1 sequence was joined with the cleaved vector. This was accomplished by mixing the vector and nucleotide fragment and subjecting them to a ligation reaction using the T4 ligase enzyme. The resulting vector contains a transcript of the sgRNA, specifically sgPDX1. The heat shock method was employed to transform Escherichia coli Top10 host cells with the cloned LentiCRISPRv2GFP-sgPDX1 vector. To confirm the presence of the sgPDX-1 gene in the vector, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted using primers targeted at a portion of the U6 promoter sequence (forward primer) and a segment downstream of the sgRNA gene region (reverse primer). Additionally, each PCR product was analyzed using enzymatic digestion with EcoRV and BsmBI enzymes. To confirm the successful cloning, the PCR product was sequenced.Results: The PCR results showed an amplified fragment measuring 267 base pairs (bp), which indicated the presence of the sgPDX-1 gene. This was visualized on an agarose gel. Additionally, the reverse digestion with two restriction enzymes produced a 2000 bp fragment isolated from the vector. The sequencing results confirmed that the cloning process was successful.Discussion: Genome editing technology has been highlighted in bird species due to their significant potential for economic production and creating models for biological research. The application of CRISPR gene editing technology in avian research has yielded promising advancements, particularly in the modification of somatic cells and tissues in birds. By precisely targeting primordial germ cells (PGCs), researchers can implement specific genetic modifications within the chick genome, thereby facilitating the development of genetically edited chicks. Numerous studies have investigated the role of the PDX-1 gene in gene therapy using the CRISPR/Cas9 system across various organisms. However, this study is the first to design and produce a recombinant construct containing the chicken PDX1 gene using a lentiviral vector with the CRISPR/Cas9 construct. This advancement aims to create a practical research platform for future studies by enabling the direct transfer of this recombinant construct into chick embryos and cells. Conclusion: The chicken PDX-1 gene was cloned into a lentiviral vector containing the CRISPR/Cas9 construct. The recombinant vector LentiCRISPRv2GFP-sgPDX1 was successfully obtained. The gene construct developed in this study has significant potential for investigating gene function and for use in gene therapy. Consequently, utilizing this construct may enable the creation of an animal model in chicken embryos featuring defects, including an empty organ or tissue cavity. Such a model will allow for the investigation and treatment of the defects using specific drugs and cell lines.

Extended abstractIntroduction: The Zagros forests, one of the largest and most significant vegetation zones in Iran, play a vital role in sustaining natural resources and environmental stability. These forests provide critical ecosystem services, including groundwater recharge, soil erosion reduction, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic benefits. Among the dominant species, Quercus brantii (Persian oak) holds a crucial position, widely distributed across the Zagros forests. However, this species has become highly vulnerable and is at risk of extinction due to threats such as overexploitation, habitat destruction, and climate change. This study aims to model the distribution of Quercus brantii using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method, evaluate the influence of various environmental factors on its distribution, and produce an optimal distribution map for the species in Holilan County, Ilam Province. The findings will support targeted conservation strategies and sustainable management of Zagros forests.  Materials and Methods: To model the distribution of Quercus brantii in the forests of Holilan County, Ilam Province, the MaxEnt method was employed. For model development, 75%  of the data (89 pints) were randomly selected as training data, and the remaining 25% (30 points) were used as test data for independent model evaluation. The maximum number of background points was set to 10, 000 with 15 repetitions. Nineteen climatic variables, three physiographic variables (elevation, slope, aspect), and snow cover data were utilized. Initially, the desired environmental layers were prepared using ArcGIS software, and then the MaxEnt model was used to assess the species’ current and future (2050-2070) distribution. Model performance was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and the Area Under the Curve (AUC) metric.  Results and Discussion: The evaluation of the modeling accuracy based on the ROC curve showed that the model's accuracy was at an excellent level (AUC = 0. 947). The model identified annual temperature, mean monthly temperature, isothermality, annual precipitation, and elevation as the most influential variables, collectively explaining 58% of the distribution variance. Suitable habitats for Quercus brantii covered 7, 067 hectares (excellent potential) and 10, 779 hectares (good potential), while 54, 750 hectares showed low-to-moderate suitability. The species primarily occurred at elevations between 1, 000–2, 339 meters, with higher prevalence on southern, eastern, and southeastern slopes. Presence peaked at slopes up to 25%, beyond which habitat suitability declined.  Conclusion: The overall findings of this study highlight the significant role of variables such as annual mean temperature, mean monthly temperature, isothermality, annual precipitation, and elevation in modeling the distribution of Quercus brantii. The species is predominantly distributed in southern aspects and at elevations ranging from 1, 000 to 2, 339 meters above sea level. This research provides valuable insights into the ecological tolerance range of Quercus brantii in relation to environmental variables, which can serve as a scientific basis for management decisions. The information obtained is not only effective for prioritizing protected areas and implementing conservation and restoration measures but also enhances the success rate of plantation and rehabilitation projects, aiding in the preservation and development of this species in vulnerable regions.

The study of cultural contexts and the analytic results gained from the emotional structures as well as textual references have always drawn the attention of researchers, literary critics and the scholars of humanities to themselves. The selected prose and poems of these western and eastern writers are mostly emotional, full of love and a constant inspiration to their deep feelings. They are similar to lyrical poems in their common themes while they are written in different styles. Indeed, the concepts such as "Injustice", "Inferiority Complex", "The Oppressor", "The Oppressed", "Sympathy", and "Hatred", "Self and Other" are closely connected with the writers' sublimed feelings of justice and patriotism which are duly reflected in their writings. The study shows that culture and the cultural contexts have a very important role in justifying injustice or at the same time, spreading justice in the world. The researchers have used the comparative method of study based on the materials available in the libraries and the internet.