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Background:  Aeromonas spp. can cause diarrhea and various infections in humans. Access to rapid techniques with a high sensitivity and specificity is strongly needed for the identification of Aeromonas species. The aim of this study was to evaluate two different methods including API 20E bacterial identification tests and the molecular detection using PCR primers specific for 16s-rRNA and 23S-rRNA genes sequences for identification of Aeromonas spp. in stool samples from patients with diarrhea. Materials and Methods: One hundred stool samples from diarrheal patients were collected. All isolates were subjected toAPI 20 E strip tests and PCR using specific primers for identification of Aeromonas spp. Results: The API 20E analysis identified 2 (2.2%) isolates as Aeromonas spp. Molecular identification by aero-23S-rRNA gene confirmed the same 2 isolates as identified by the API 20E strips. Conclusion: Both API 20E system and PCR method using Aero 23S-rRNA primer were found to be accurate in identification of Aeromonas spp. isolates with highconfidence.

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This paper is an attempt to analyze the ergative constructions in Hawrami. Like other Kurdish dialects, Hawrami utilizes split ergativity only in the aorist constructions. Along with the process of Clitic Doubling, this dialect uses another mechanism for manifesting the ergative pattern. This rare mechanism is only found in Hawrami and not elsewhere in Kurdish. In the constructions, which are derived according to the second mechanism, the direct object and the subject undergo the processes of toplicalization and focusing, respectively. Hence, comparing to the other ergative constructions, which are derived on the basis of Clitic Doubling; these specific constructions bear a more marked semantic interpretation. The constituents of these marked ergative constructions follow a rigid order: the direct object appears at the beginning, the subject, which is always accompanied by Oblique case marker, gets the second position, and the final position is occupied by the past transitive verb. Making any slight change in this order would result in the ungrammaticality of the construction. The present paper, on the one hand, tries to describe the main characteristics of both marked and unmarked ergative constructions in Hawrami, and seeks to provide a theoretical account for the derivation of marked ergative constructions and their characteristics on the other. The proposed account is mainly based on the theoretical apparatus of Minimalist Program; especially the recently introduced notions of Split CP Hypothesis, Focus Phrase, and Topic Phrase.

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Vibrio cholerae O1 are classified into two biotypes, classical and El Tor based on susceptibility to bacteriophages and some biochemical properties, each encoding a biotype-specific genetic determinants. Before 1961, most epidemics had been caused by the classical biotype. However, with the passage of time, the classical biotype missed from the scenario and the El Tor emerged as the major biotype causing the cholera in humans. The present cholera global pandemic is attributed to a change among seventh pandemic strains and emergence of V. cholerae O139, V. cholerae O1 El Tor hybrid, and V. cholera O1 El Tor with altered cholera toxin subunit B. The V. cholerae  biotypes are not only different in phenotype but also human infections caused by them are different clinically. Infection with classical V. cholerae O1 more frequently produces severe infection than does El Tor, suggesting that the genetic and phenotypic differences between the two biotypes may also be reflected in their pathogenic potential. Considering the recent emergence of “hybrid biotype” and “El Tor variant” in different areas and in our country, we reviewed differences in genetic structure of V. cholerae biotypes.

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Background: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tet genes and Class I and 2 integrons in Enterobacter cloacae strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Materials & Method: A total of 50 E. cloacae isolates were collected. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and tetracycline MIC were determined. The presence of tet genes (tetA, tetB, tetC, tetD) and Class 1 and 2 integrons and the content of Class 1 integron were determined.
Findings: Tetracycline MIC pattern classified 36 % of the E. cloacae isolates as resistant. The most common tet gene was tetC (22%), followed by tetD, tetA, and tetB.  Class 1 integron was detected in 64% of the isolates. Class 1 integron content analysis showed two variable gene cassettes (aadA1 and aadA5/dfrA17 genes). The frequency of aadA5/dfrA17 was 18.75%, which was more common than aadA1 gene (6.25%).
Conclusion: The most important genetic markers for tetracycline resistance in E. cloacae isolates were tetC and Class 1 integron. Harboring Class 1 integron and resistance to streptomycin and ciprofloxacin were significantly correlated.

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Regional impact studies of the future climate change effects are necessary because projected changes in meteorological variables differ from one region to another, and different climate systems can react in varied ways to the same changes. In this study, the effects of climate change on bioclimatic deficiency were compared in two cultivation methods (irrigated and rainfed) in a semi-arid region, Ahar (East Azarbaijan, IRAN). The agricultural land uses selected for evaluation were wheat (Triticum aestivum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and maize (Zea mays). In this way, Terraza model included in the land evaluation decision support system, called MicroLEIS DSS, was used. Terraza gives a quantitative prediction of a site bioclimatic deficiency. Soil morphological and analytical data were obtained from 44 sampling points based on a grid survey. Agro-climatic data, referred to temperature and precipitation, were collected from weather stations located in Ahar region, which benefits from more than 20 consecutive years of weather data. A future scenario of climate change was calculated according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on regions of Asia under scenario A1FI (highest future emission) for 2080s. Although, increasing of precipitation being available by climate change in the future scenario, humidity index will be reduced because of high temperature. The results showed that climate change is likely to cause severe water stress in irrigated cultivation of alfalfa, sugar beet, potato, and maize, the use of irrigation methods being essential to maintain agricultural productivity. Although irrigation is indicated as very important in this regime of semi-arid agriculture, cultivation of rainfed wheat can be possible instead of the irrigated one. Also, it is revealed that climate perturbation effects on rainfed conditions are more serious than those on the irrigated conditions in the area.

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The potassium pools of five major physiographic units of Urmia region in Western Azarbaijan Province were studied to investigate the distribution of K forms as a function of clay mineralogy and physiographic units. For this, soil samples from different horizons of ten pedons were selected and analyzed for physiochemical properties, mineralogy of clay fraction, and forms of K. Analyses of XRD revealed that the soils are similar in their clay mineralogy, consisting of illite, smectite, chlorite, and kaolinite, but with different in contents. Illite was higher in the Piedmont Plains (PP) followed by Plateaux (Pl), River Alluvial Plains (RAP), Colluvial Alluvial Plains (CAP), and Lowlands (LL) units, whereas a higher content of smectite was observed available in the Pl followed by PP, LL, RAP, and CAP units. Several such simultaneous processes as mineral weathering and soil forming, biocycling processes, and geomorphologic conditions had resulted in significant difference in K forms in the soils studied. A wide variation in total K (HF-extractable K) (0.54-1.1%), non-exchangeable K (280-450 mg kg-1), and exchangeable K (217-330 mg kg-1) were recorded among different physiographic units. Statistically significant differences (P≤ 0.05) were observed in the levels of mineral K, HNO3-extractable K, and non-exchangeable K in soils of high illite (30-50%) as compared with those of low illite contents (10-30%). A highly significant positive relationship was recorded between total K and illite content (r2= 0.85, P 0.001) and as well between non-exchangeable K and illite contents (r2= 0.84, P 0.001) suggesting that these pools of K are mainly released from the frayed edges and wedge zones of illite. The soils were categorized into two major groups based on the physiographic unit's assertion and soil solution K content: first group comprised of Pl and PP units while the second group of RAP, CAP, and LL units.

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In recent years, sexed semen has been commercially available. Due to its lower fertility and higher price compared to conventional semen, economic evaluation should be undertaken before recommending the technology to dairy producers in each country. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the sexed semen usage at farm level in economic conditions of Iran based on total net present value (TNPV) and to estimate the impact of sexed semen on the rate of genetic improvement in dairy cattle population with and without using genomic information. Three relative conception rates (RCR) of sexed semen compared to the conventional semen were assumed i.e. 0.80, 0.75, and 0.70. Visual basic 6 and Excel software were used for calculations. The results showed that greater numbers of sexed semen services in heifers resulted in higher TNPV for all assumed RCRs, but for cows in parities 1 and 2, use of two sexed semen services for RCR, 0.80 and 0.75 resulted in the highest TNPV; while, for RCR= 0.70, the results indicated that using sexed semen was not economical. By using traditional evaluation, genomic evaluation with 3k chip, and genomic evaluation with 50k chip, the additional genetic gains in 305-day milk yield were, respectively, approximately 25, 34, and 38% higher than the current annual genetic progress for this trait in Iran (that is, about 53 kg per year).

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Converting feedstock into biochar is a popular approach to overcome the disposal problem, yet the role of waste type and pyrolysis temperature on biochar properties is not understood well. In this study, biochars were produced from various feedstock such as tea waste, apple wood, wheat straw and walnut shell at 300, 400, 500 and 600°C with 1-hour residence time. The results showed that increase in pyrolysis temperature significantly decreased biochar mass yield. The maximum and minimum mass yields were observed in walnut shell at 300˚C and apple-wood-derived biochars at 600˚C by 69 and 20%, respectively. The produced biochar had pH range between 5.3 to 9.7, and its pH value and ash content increased significantly with increasing pyrolysis temperature, except for walnut shell. Total concentrations of P, Ca, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn and available concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, and P increased with pyrolysis temperature increasing in all samples, except at walnut shell-derived biochar. According to CHN analysis, by increasing pyrolysis temperature, the total carbon concentration increased but total nitrogen and hydrogen concentrations decreased. The pH value decreased with time until 72 hours, beyond which a near steady-state condition was attained. Relationships between pH and CaCO₃-eq content of biochars were close and linear. The FT-IR spectra showed that aromatic C increased by increment in heating. Also, by increasing pyrolysis temperature, the mean pore diameter decreased but micropores volume increased and led to increase in the specific surface area of biochars. The results of this study suggest that biochars produced at 300 and 400˚C may have potential as fertilizer in calcareous soils because of low pH and EC, with high mass yield.
 

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This study aimed to assess the effect of incubation time and sewage sludge on peppermint biomass, essential oil yield, and Zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and Cadmium (Cd) concentrations in the plant tissues as well as assessing phytoremediation potential of peppermint grown in contaminated calcareous soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted by growing peppermint (Mentha pipertia L.) in two contaminated soils treated with three levels of sewage sludge (0, 10, and 30 g kg^-1) over two incubation times (30 and 120 days). Results revealed an increase in plant biomass and essential oil yield with an increase in incubation time and the sewage sludge amount. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cd in plant tissues increased significantly in all treatments, except Cd concentration in plants growing on 10 g kg^-1 of sewage sludge and incubated for 120 days. No traces of Zn, Pb, and Cd were found in essential oil of plants treated with 10 g kg^-1 of sewage sludge. In other treatments, the concentrations of these metals in the essential oil were found within the limits recommended for medicinal plants. Unlike the bioaccumulation factor, the translocation factor of the studied metals decreased with an increase in the sewage sludge amount and incubation time. Although peppermint was not a sustainable plant to lower the pollution load, as the biomass production increased significantly and metals concentrations in essential oil remained within the recommended limits in all treatments, it can be concluded that peppermint can be used for cultivation in contaminated soils treated with sewage sludge.

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Original Walkley-Black (OWB) method has been extensively used for measuring Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), mainly because of its convenience. However, the reliability of this method is still under speculation. In recent years, Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC) has been suggested to be more useful than the total SOC. In the present study, SOC contents of the 20 non-calcareous soil samples (0-20 cm) were determined by the OWB method and its modified versions (WB with external heating and WB using colorimetric determination) to understand their relationships with easy-to-find Soil Organic Matter (SOM) determined by the method of Loss-On-Ignition (LOI) at two temperatures (400 and 550°C). The POXC was also determined in the sampled soils and applicable relationships were specified between these methods. Eight of the 20 soils were selected to determine the accuracy of different WB methods using total organic carbon by CHN elemental analysis. Results showed strong power relationships between LOI and OWB methods. The WB method with external heating exhibited the highest recovery (95.3%) among the tested methods. This could be attributed to the finer soil particles used in the proposed method (less than 0.15 mm) than what has been used in the conventional method (less than 0.5 mm). The POXC method showed a high correlation with OWB method and, on average, accounted for only 4.1% of the Total Organic Carbon (TOC). This would likely reduce the value of POXC as an independent parameter to derive the labile fraction of SOC.