Objective:  This study aimed to fabricate a multi-polymeric hydrogel scaffold containing carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, and inulin (CMC/Alg/PVA/Inulin) and investigate its role in the differentiation of sheep fetal bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into oocyte-like cells, in combination with follicular fluid, granulosa cells, and retinoic acid. Methods:  The hydrogel scaffold was synthesized using freeze-drying and cross-linking with calcium chloride and characterized by FE-SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, tensile strength, swelling behavior, and enzymatic degradation assays. MSCs were isolated from sheep fetal bone marrow and confirmed at passage 3 by their differentiation potential into adipocytes and osteoblasts using Oil Red O and Alizarin Red S staining, respectively. Cells were then cultured for 21 days in three independent experiments under control conditions (2D), on the scaffold (3D), and on the scaffold with 10 µM retinoic acid. Differentiation media included follicular fluid, granulosa cells, or their combination. Viability and apoptosis were assessed by Alamar Blue and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, respectively. The expression of germ cell-specific markers (DDX4, DAZL, and ZP3) was evaluated by real-time PCR. Results:  FE-SEM images revealed a porous structure, and FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the successful formation of the hydrogel. The scaffold was biocompatible (maximum swelling at 72 hours and 63% degradation by day 21), and retinoic acid showed no significant cytotoxicity at lower concentrations. In all experiments, 3D culture on the scaffold with retinoic acid significantly increased the expression of DDX4, DAZL, and ZP3 compared to 2D and 3D cultures without retinoic acid (p<0.05). The highest expression levels were observed in the co-culture of MSCs with granulosa cells in the combined presence of follicular fluid and retinoic acid on the scaffold. Conclusion:  The CMC/Alg/PVA/Inulin hydrogel scaffold provides a biocompatible and effective 3D substrate for differentiating sheep fetal bone marrow MSCs into oocyte-like cells. The combination of this scaffold with retinoic acid and follicular factors, particularly co-culture with granulosa cells and follicular fluid, significantly enhances differentiation efficiency. This approach offers a novel perspective in reproductive biotechnology and the treatment of infertility in valuable livestock and endangered species.

   The cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a key storage pest of legumes in tropical regions such as Iran, with losses reaching up to 90% during storage. Damage includes seed weight reduction, perforation, and secondary contamination. Using chemical insecticides such as malathion and thiamethoxam in storage faces challenges, including pest resistance and environmental pollution. Therefore, integrated pest management (IPM) with entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae is proposed to reduce the use of these insecticides. These fungi control pests by penetrating the cuticle and producing degradative enzymes, but their slow action requires a combination with insecticides. This study aimed to evaluate the individual efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (selected isolate) and two commonly used insecticides, thiamethoxam (a neonicotinoid) and malathion (an organophosphate), as well as their interactions on adult C. maculatus under laboratory conditions. After determining lethal and sublethal doses and other toxicological parameters using probit models for single agents, the impact of simultaneous application of the fungus with sublethal insecticide doses was assessed. Analytical methods such as the co-toxicity coefficient (CTC) and combination analysis models were used to evaluate the type of interaction (synergistic, additive, or antagonistic). The laboratory methodology included Iranian-native fungal isolates, pest rearing on chickpea (28°C, 75% RH), bioassays at various concentrations, and statistical analysis of synergy. Results showed that the selected fungal isolates were highly virulent; B. bassiana and M. anisopliae caused 70-85% mortality at 10^6-10^7 conidia/mL concentrations. In seed treatment, insecticides were more effective with thiamethoxam, having a lower LD50. Regarding compatibility, sublethal insecticide doses (LD25) had only minor adverse effects on mycelial growth (10-15% reduction), sporulation (20% reduction), and conidial viability (80-90% retained), with malathion being more compatible than thiamethoxam. Regarding mixtures, results showed that combining the fungus with LC25 of insecticides induced synergy, raising mortality to 90-95% and reducing lethal time from 7-10 days to 4-6 days. The interaction between thiamethoxam at a sublethal dose and M. anisopliae produced the most potent synergistic effect. This indicates that a very low dose of thiamethoxam (about one-quarter of LD50) amplified the fungus's pest-killing ability by more than threefold. This synergy is likely due to neonicotinoids weakening the insect's immune system, facilitating fungal penetration. Native isolates are effective, and co-application reduces pesticide use by 50-70%, manages resistance, and preserves the environment. Synergism is due to the weakening by insecticides and easier fungal entry. Compared to similar studies, Iranian native isolates perform better. Challenges include fungal persistence at low storage humidity and the need for commercial formulations. Recommendations include field trials and integration with other IPM factors for broader application in Iranian storage systems. This study lays the groundwork for combined biological-chemical formulations to enhance food security and sustainable agriculture.    Keywords: Malathion, thiamethoxam, toxicity, mixture, synergism, antagonism, fungal fitness, integrated pest management.   

The Poaceae family plays an important role in human and animal nutrition. Oat, as a cereal and high-quality forage, has special significance. Increasing forage production is required due to livestock demand and resource limitations. This study evaluated the morphological, phenological, forage, and chemical diversity of 40 hexaploid oat genotypes with the aim of identifying genotypes possessing desirable forage and agronomic traits. The experiment was conducted during the 2022–2023 cropping season at the Research Farm of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah Province. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 40 treatments, consisting of forage-type genotypes selected from previous trials, was applied with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for all traits except plant height. The results of this study showed that there were significant differences between the studied genotypes in terms of most agronomic and qualitative traits. The RYHTI, CHINESE, HOUDAN and STORMONT IRIS genotypes were superior in quantitative traits such as fresh forage weight, harvest index and grain yield, number of spikes and straw yield, while the JARLE, VENTURA, RUBIDA and ALASKA genotypes were distinguished by qualitative traits such as ash content, crude fat percentage, crude protein percentage and crude fiber percentage. Phenologically, the KENT genotype was introduced as the earliest and the SUPPORT genotype as the latest, which are suitable for regions with short and long growing seasons, respectively. The results of cluster analysis also confirmed the findings of the mean comparison and introduced the JARLE and FORWARD genotypes as well as ACACIA and CHINESE genotypes as superior in terms of a set of agronomic and qualitative traits. The correlation study of traits showed that some quantitative traits had a negative correlation with qualitative traits, while there was a positive correlation between some qualitative traits, indicating that genotypes focused on a group of traits. Finally, using the ideal genotype selection index, the ACACIA genotype was introduced as the superior genotype for continuing breeding programs. Keywords: Principal component analysis, Cluster analysis, Crude protein, Genotype selection index, Ether extract

Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during freezing and thawing negatively impacts sperm quality and subsequent fertilization capacity. The properties of nanoparticles (with antioxidant properties) have recently gained considerable attention in livestock due to their ability to enhance sperm longevity and improve male fertility. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding quercetin, combination of copper chloride and zinc chloride, copper oxide nanoparticles doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles, and quercetin-loaded nanoparticles on doped nanoparticles, on ram sperm quality under post-thaw conditions. Doped nanoparticles were purchased and quercetin was loaded onto them in the laboratory. The characteristics of the nanoparticles were determined using EDX, FE-SEM, UV-visible, FT-IR, and zeta potential. Mixed ejaculates from four Sanjabi rams were diluted with a cryo-preservation extender. Different concentrations of treatments (1, 5, 25, and 125 µg/mL) were added to the ram sperm freezing extender. The control group was considered as the group without any treatment. The semen, diluted and enriched with the above treatments, was gradually cooled to 4°C over 4 hours, then drawn into 0.25 mL straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage. Sperm parameters, such as viability, total motility, membrane and DNA integrity, total abnormalities, and malondialdehyde levels, were assessed in the different groups. The results showed that adding 5 µg/mL copper oxide nanoparticles doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with quercetin significantly increased sperm viability, total motility, membrane and DNA integrity, and decreased malondialdehyde production compared to the control and other treatment groups (p < 0.05). The addition of 5 µg/mL copper oxide nanoparticles doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with quercetin also significantly reduced abnormalities compared to the control and other treatment groups, except for the 25 µg/mL quercetin group (p < 0.05). Therefore, adding 5 µg/mL copper oxide nanoparticles doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with quercetin as an antioxidant to the ram semen extender can improve sperm tolerance to freezing and enhance sperm stability after thawing. Keywords: Sperm, ram, Antioxidant, Quercetin, Copper oxide nanoparticles doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles.   

  

   Abstract: In water resource management, irrigation and drainage network design, and hydraulic structures, estimating reference evapotra  iration (ETo) plays a critical role. Most methods for estimating ETo start with the prediction of the reference ETo value. Although lysimeters are recommended for accurate ETo measurement, their high cost and limitations prevent widespread use. Instead, weather stations use various climatic data, such as wind speed, solar radiation, temperature, and humidity, to calculate ETo. However, the quality of available data may be insufficient or not accessible in different parts of the world, and many weather stations lack long-term data necessary for accurate ETo estimation. Satellite data can serve as a suitable alternative to weather station data, offering broader spatial coverage over shorter time periods at lower costs. This study initially used weather station data to calculate ETo employing the FAO Penman-Monteith method. Subsequently, ETo was estimated using the FAO Penman-Monteith equation with climatic data from ERA5 and ERA5-Land. Additionally, ETo values from the WaPOR dataset were also utilized. The comparison of daily ETo estimates derived from ERA5 and ERA5-Land reanalysis data with those from synoptic weather station data revealed that, despite high R² values at all 13 stations in Kermanshah province, only the stations of Kangavar, Harsin, Kermanshah, Ravansar, Islamabad-e Gharb, Javanrud, and Gilan-e Gharb (for ERA5) and Kangavar, Gilan-e Gharb, and Javanrud (for ERA5-Land) had nRMSE values below 30%. Furthermore, the comparison of ETo from the WaPOR dataset with ETo from synoptic weather stations showed that, while high R² values were present at all 13 stations, stations such as Sonqor, Tazehabad, Sarpol-e Zahab, and Gilan-e Gharb had nRMSE values exceeding 30%, indicating that WaPOR performed better in terms of the number of stations with errors above 30% compared to the other datasets. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that the WaPOR, ERA5, and ERA5-Land datasets, in that order, provide suitable performance for calculating ETo at the examined stations and can be effectively utilized as alternatives for this purpose in the study area.

   Abstract: The use of natural antioxidants of plant origin in semen extenders is taken into researchers consideration as an alternative to industrial antioxidants due to having phenolic compounds and high antioxidant capacity and not having problems related to safety and toxic compounds in recent years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 ?g/ml) of hydroalcoholic extract of mountain tea and artemisia as a sperm extender on the quality of frozen and thawed sheep semen. This experiment was conducted in completly randomized design with 4 Sanjabi rams and six replications. Semen collection was done using artificial vagina once every two weeks. The content of phenol, total flavonoid, antioxidant activity, functional groups determination and the toxicity level of different concentrations of the extracts was performed respectively using Folin-Ciocaltue colorimetric method, aluminum chloride colorimetric method, DPPH solution, FTIR spectrum and MTT test. total motility were determined with phase contrast microscope and sperm viability was done with eosin-nigrosin staining. HOS test analysis was used to determine the stability and integrity of sperm membrane. Hancock's solution was used to determine sperm abnormalities and acridine staining was used to determine sperm apoptosis rate. The amount of lipid peroxidation was determined using the amount of malondialdehyde production. Data analysis was done using    software and mean comparisons were done at the 5% level with Duncan's test. The results of GC-MS chromatogram analysis of the hydroalcoholic extracts of Artemisia and mountain tea showed 9 and 8 peaks of the compounds of the extracts of these plants, respectively. The peaks observed in the hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia and mountain tea confirmed the presence of C-H, C-C, O-H, C=O, O=C=O and O-H functional groups. The findings showed that there was no significant difference between the treatments in the amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds (p<0.05). The results showed that there was a significant difference between the treatments on scavenging of free radicals, sperm viability, percentage of sperm viability, total motility, integrity of membrane and DNA, and the amount of malondialdehyde production (p<0.05). The highest sperm viability and percentage of sperm viability were observed with the addition of 80 ?g/ml hydroalcoholic extract of mountain tea compared to other treatments, and the viability decreased with the increase in the concentration of the extracts (p<0.05). ). The total sperms motility was higher with the addition of 80 ?g/ml of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia and mountain tea compared to other treatments after freezing and thawing, and with increasing the concentration of the extracts, the total motility decreased (p<0.05). Addition of 80 ?g/ml of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia and mountain tea improved the integrity of the sperm membrane compared to other treatments and the control, and increasing the concentration of the extract caused the destruction of the integrity of the membrane (p<0.05). DNA integrity was higher in the presence of 80 ?g/ml hydroalcoholic extract of mountain tea than other treatments, and increasing the concentration of the extract caused more damage to DNA integrity (p<0.05). The addition of 80 ?g/ml of hydroalcoholic extract decreased the production of malondialdehyde compared to other treatments after freezing and thawing, and with increasing concentration, the production of malondialdehyde also increased (p<0.05). According to the obtained results, the level of 80 ?g/ml of the hydroalcoholic extract of these two plants in to extender is suitable for influencing the investigated characteristics and reducing the production of malondialdehyde. Key words:

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  Tomato paste is the main tomato product that is prepared commercially or traditionally at home. According to the definition of the World Health Organization, adding any unauthorized and harmful substances to the food basket of humans and animals is called fraud. Sometimes the profit seeker puts in food to reduce the production costs and get more profit and endangers human health. Therefore, it is necessary to use new methods with a fast and high response level to identify additives in the paste. It is completely reduced or destroyed, in this case such a food item is corrupted and it is called rotten. In this research, it is tried to be able to provide the nutritional health of the communities with the help of smelling machine, in addition to detecting corruption in tomato paste, by identifying common frauds, including the identification of unauthorized preservative additives in tomato paste. In this research, the work was carried out in two sections, examining the experiments of the fraud section and the experiments of the corruption section. In order to evaluate these changes, the physicochemical tests of the paste, which included the measurement of pH, acidity, Brix, sediment weight percentage and smell test, were performed. According to the results of the confusion matrix of LDA and C-SVM methods, both methods performed well in detecting different percentages of potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate. LDA also performed better than C-SVM with 100% recognition accuracy. C-SVM and PCA could distinguish with high accuracy the samples containing sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate in 0.1 and 0.05 percent. The PLS model was the best model for predicting acidity and the MLR model was the best model for predicting sediment weight percentage, Brix and pH. TGS2620 sensors,. MQ135, TGS2602 had the highest sensitivity in identifying adulterated tomato paste samples.

The tomato plant with the scientific name Solanum lycopersicum from the Solanaceae family is economically one of the most important agricultural products in many countries, including Iran. The tomato plant is exposed to the damage of various factors, including plant pathogens, among which viral diseases are very important. Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) from the genus Tobamovirus is one of the most destructive viruses infecting vegetables. This virus has a wide host range between agricultural and non-agricultural plants. During the years 1397 to 1399, from the farms of Kermanshah province located in the cities of Kermanshah (Kozran, Baladarband, Sarab Yaori, Halshi and the farm inside the faculty), Islamabad (Shiyan), Qasr Shirin (Shaherek Shahid Decami), Mahidasht, Sahneh (Dinor), Ravansar (Hasanabad) ), Sanghar (Sahnaleh), Kangavar (Fesh), and Harsin (Biston) of Kermanshah province were collected and some tomato greenhouses of Kermanshah province located in Kermanshah (Qzanchi), Islamabad (Shiyan Castle, Kat Kati) and Mahidasht cities were sampled. The presence of ToMV infection in the samples was investigated by DAS-ELISA method using polyclonal antibody manufactured by DSMZ (code AS-0104). The results were evaluated according to the color of the wells compared to positive and negative controls and positive samples were identified. A number of samples that were detected as infected by DAS ELISA were selected for further work The reaction of benchmark plants was investigated using mechanical inoculation in the greenhouse. The contamination of some samples was confirmed by total RNA extraction and then RT-PCR molecular test. In this test, general primers of tobamoviruses (F-3666 and R-4718) were used. The expected band with a size of about 700 bp was obtained for the infected samples. The obtained synonyms were registered in GenBank (accession number OM460705 for AE293 isolate and OM460706 for AE298 isolate). A genealogical tree was drawn using the sequences available in GenBank. The sequences of two ToMV isolates from Kermanshah province were placed in the same group with ToMV isolates and showed the highest similarity (respectively, 99.5 and 99.8% sequence identity) with a tomato mosaic virus isolate (number LC650928) reported from tomato plants in Japan. They showed that. . In total, the results of ELISA, inoculation and RT-PCR tests proved the existence and widespread distribution of tomato mosaic virus in the tomato fields of Kermanshah, Qasrshirin, Harsin, Sahne, Ravansar and Islamabad cities   

  AbstractProductionof high amounts of reactive oxygen species during the freezing-thawing processis the main factor of disorder in sperm performance. Antioxidants causeimproving mobility and preserve the quality of sperm by reducing the formationand scavenging the free radicals. Glutathione peroxidase, as an essentialprotein, is involved in sperm motility. Selenium is known as a fundamentaltrace element for spermatogenesis, and most of the selenium in the testicle isassociated with glutathione peroxidase. Selenium nanoparticles are less toxicthan selenite. Cysteine is a thiol-containing amino acid with antioxidantactivity, and thiol groups prevent hydrogen peroxide formation in sperm. Also,a thiol is the precursor of biosynthesis of the intracellular glutathione andincreases its surface. In this study, selenium nanoparticles were producedusing the streptococcus bacteria. Then, the synthesized selenium nanoparticleswere coated with cysteamine. Biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles by bacteriaand coated nanoparticles by cysteamine was confirmed by UV-visiblespectroscopy. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were determinedusing X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, andField Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) imaging. In the presentstudy, semen was prepared twice a week from four mature rams of the Sanjabibreed with an artificial vagina. After diluting the semen in an alkalinediluent, different concentrations (1, 5, 25, and 125 mg/mL) of cysteamine, nanoselenium synthesized by bacteria, nano selenium coated by cysteamine, andsodium selenite salt were added. The additive-free group was considered acontrol group. The study treatments were pulled in 0.25 mL straws and wereplaced in the refrigerator for balancing for 4 hours at 4 oC. Then,straws were put at the height of 4 cm from nitrogen vapor for 12 minutes, andat the end, they were floated in nitrogen and transferred to the nitrogen tank.After thawing (30 seconds at the temperature of 37o

Since there is an increasing interest amongst sheep farmers to use artificial insemination, finding solutions to preserve the fertility of sheep’s semen can have usage and importance. The aim of this study is to investigate the addition of laminarin, as an antioxidant supplement, to the diluter of sheep’s semen after freezing-defrosting. Semen samples from four mature sheep of the Sanjabi breed with a mean age of 3 – 4 years and confirmed fertility were collected using an artificial vagina, two times per week. The samples were transferred immediately to the lab in a diluted tris basic buffer, and laminarin with concentrations of 100, 200, 400, and 800 micrograms per milliliter was added to them. Sperm viability and motility, sperm membrane integrity, sperm abnormality, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity of the samples were assessed. Results showed that laminarin with a concentration of 800 micrograms per milliliter compared to the other treatment groups made an improvement in motility percentage, membrane integrity, and sperm viability. In addition, laminarin with a concentration of 800 micrograms per milliliter compared to the other treatment groups decreased abnormality percentage and apoptosis. Laminarin concentrations of 800 and 400 micrograms per milliliter decreased lipid peroxidation levels. Laminarin with a concentration of 800 micrograms per milliliter increased the activity of semen’s dismutase enzyme. Overall, it was shown that using laminarin with a concentration of 800 micrograms per milliliter will improve qualitative and quantitative parameters of Sanjabi sheep’s sperm after the process of freezing-defrosting.

  Cryopreservation of mouse oocyte can provide important data applicable to human oocyte cryopreservation and infertility treatment. In this manner vitrification has proven to be more effective than slow freezing methods to cryopreserve mammalian oocytes. The present study was aimed to investigate the viability and subsequent developmental ability of mouse oocytes at GV and MII stages vitrified in cryotop by single step and stepwise vitrification methods. Oocytes were collected from superovulated NMRI mice ovaries.Those oocytes with compact cumulus cells were cultured in TCM199 medium in incubator under humidified condition of 37°C and 5% CO2 for 3h. After achieving in Germinal Vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII), the GVs and MIIs with convenient morphology were vitrified by step-wise and single step methods. Afterwards, oocytes were loaded into 0.25 ml French straws and stored in liquid nitrogen. Then oocytes were thawed by rapid method and descending sucrose solutions, and then they were subjected to in vitro maturation and fertilization. Oocyte survival, development of 2-cell to blastocyst and in vitro maturation and fertilization rates of GV and MII oocytes in both step-wise and single step methods were assessed.   Collected data were analyzed by    statistical software. Viability rate of vitrified GV and MII oocytes in single-step group was significantly lower than that of the step-wise and control groups (P<0.05).Also, the maturation and fertilization rate and evolution to blastocyst in the step-wise group was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to single-step. But there wasn’t any significant difference between MII and GV oocytes for viability, fertility and evolution rates in both single step and stepwise methods.Conclusion: In comparison with unvitrified control oocytes, vitrification impaired viability, fertility and developmental competence of oocytes. The study also demonstrated that step wise vitrification was superior to single step vitrification.  Key words: GV, MII, NMRI mice, Oocyte, Viability, Vitrification.  Cryopreservation of mouse oocyte can provide important data applicable to human oocyte cryopreservation and infertility treatment. In this manner vitrification has proven to be more effective than slow freezing methods to cryopreserve mammalian oocytes. The present study was aimed to investigate the viability and subsequent developmental ability of mouse oocytes at GV and MII stages vitrified in cryotop by single step and stepwise vitrification methods. Oocytes were collected from superovulated NMRI mice ovaries.Those oocytes with compact cumulus cells were cultured in TCM199 medium in incubator under humidified condition of 37°C and 5% CO2 for 3h. After achieving in Germinal Vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII), the GVs and MIIs with convenient morphology were vitrified by step-wise and single step methods. Afterwards, oocytes were loaded into 0.25 ml French straws and stored in liquid nitrogen. Then oocytes were thawed by rapid method and descending sucrose solutions, and then they were subjected to in vitro maturation and fertilization. Oocyte survival, development of 2-cell to blastocyst and in vitro