A locust witness of a trans-oceanic Oligocene migration between Arabia and Iran (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Fossil insects are very rarely found in sediments of deep marine origin. Nevertheless they can be of great interest to trace past events such as trans-oceanic migrations. Here we document the first fossil insects from Iran, viz. several alate ants dead during mating swarms and a migratory locust, found in the pelagic Oligocene sediments of the Zagros Mountains. This locust represents the first putative indication of insect migrations between the Arabian-African and Asiatic continents through the Parathetys, probably in relation with the development of open grassland biotas in these areas.     

Siliciclastic input and sedimentation rate as controls on paleoecological distribution of Lower Miocene benthic carbonate producers in a fan–delta: Zagros foreland basin,Iran

This paper aimed to study Lower Miocene (Burdigalian) mixed carbonate–siliciclastic deposits within an Upper Cenozoic synorogenic conglomerate–dominated succession in north of Shalamzar in the Zagros foreland basin, Iran. The deposits are composed of nine facies: foraminiferal mudstone, silty mudstone, sandy mudstone, fossiliferous sandy mudstone, fossiliferous argillaceous mudstone, fossiliferous calclithite, coral limestone, calcareous claystone and hybrid sandstone. The facies represent a mixed carbonate– siliciclastic shelf–type fan–delta. The subenvironments of the fan–delta include muddy pro–delta, sandy delta– front, clastic proximal mouth bar and a subordinate delta plain. Siliciclastic input and sedimentation rate controlled the paleoecological distribution of different benthic carbonate–producing fauna in the fan–delta during its progradation into a shelf marine environment. Input of siliciclastic deposits and sedimentation rate limited the diversity and development of corals and controlled their colonization and growth morphologies in the sandy delta–front. Siliciclastic input (including plant materials and coal debris) and sedimentation rate controlled the trophic habitats of many gastropods and their abundance and distribution in the sandy delta– front and clastic proximal mouth bar. Also, increased siliciclastic input favored abundance of larger benthic foraminifera in most parts of the fan–delta with the exception of the muddy pro–delta.     

Thoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy versus fine needle cutting biopsy. A comparative study of 40 patients

The fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy findings were compared with the results of fine needle cutting (FNC) biopsy in 40 patients. The lesions (38 pulmonary nodules, 1 mediastinal mass and one lytic rib lesion) were biopsied with 22-gauge Greene and 21-gauge E-Z-EM needles through a 19-gauge needle guide. The FNA biopsy findings were based on smears and cell blocks of material obtained with the Greene needles while the FNC biopsy findings were based on tissue cores obtained by the E-Z-EM needles. In 83% of the cases, both techniques yielded specimens with similar cellularity; in seven cases, the FNA samples were more cellular. Malignancy was diagnosed in 80% of the patients: by both techniques in 26 patients, by FNA biopsy only in 5 patients and by FNC biopsy only in 1 patient. The sensitivity of FNA biopsy was higher than that of FNC biopsy (96.8% vs. 84.3%). The specificity and predictive value of positive results were 100% for both techniques. The predictive value of negative results was higher for FNA biopsy (88.8% vs. 54.5%). The majority of FNC biopsy tissue cores consisted mostly of clotted blood, lung tissue and/or fibrous tissue and did not facilitate or improve the diagnosis. Those data suggest that the contribution of FNC biopsy to the diagnosis of thoracic neoplasms is very limited and that the performance of FNC biopsy with an E-Z-EM needle in addition to or instead of FNA biopsy is not justified.     

Effect of β-Cyclodextrin Nanoparticle on Biosynthesis of Ocimum basilicum L. Monoterpenes,Sesquiterpenes in a Concentration-Dependent Behavior

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Engineered nanoparticles can alter the metabolism pathways and the profiling of metabolites in plants. In this study, we prepared the β-cyclodextrin...     

Comparison of higher order spectra in heart rate signals during two techniques of meditation: Chi and Kundalini meditation

The human heartbeat is one of the important examples of complex physiologic fluctuations. For the first time in this study higher order spectra of heart rate signals during meditation have explored. Specifically, the aim of this study was to analysis and compares the contribution of quadratic phase coupling of human heart rate variability during two forms of meditation: (1) Chinese Chi (or Qigong) meditation and (2) Kundalini Yoga meditation. For this purpose, Bispectrum was estimated by using biased, parametric and the direct (FFT) method. The results show that the mean Bispectrum magnitude of heart rate signals increased during Kundalini Yoga meditation, but it decreased significantly during Chi meditation. However, in both meditation techniques phase-coupled harmonics are shifted to the higher frequencies during meditation. In addition, it has shown that not only there are significant differences between rest and meditation states, but also heart rate patterns appear to be influenced by different types of meditation.     

Germination and emergence of Astrodaucus orientalis (L.) Drude populations influenced by environmental factors and seed burial depth

Astrodaucus orientalis is a weed species in cropping systems and rangelands in Iran. The effects of temperature, light, NaCl concentration, water potential, seed burial depth and crop residue cover were assessed on seed germination and seedling emergence of two populations of A. orientalis from Ardabil (Meshginshahr population) and East Azarbayjan (Tabriz population) provinces of Iran. The A. orientalis populations indicated different responses to environmental factors and burial depth. In the Tabriz population the greatest germination (88.5%) was observed in 20/12°C day/night temperature but in the Meshginshahr population (83.2%) it was obtained in 24/16°C day/night temperature. Over a broad range of light period (10–24 hr light) germination was 74–83%, but it decreased (less than 37%) under 24 hr dark in both A. orientalis populations. With respect to water potential, the C₅₀ parameters were −0.62 and − 0.49 MPa for Tabriz and Meshginshahr populations, respectively. The D₅₀ parameters (the burial depth that caused 50% decrease in emergence) for Tabriz and Meshginshahr populations were 2.42 and 3.13 cm, respectively. Generally, the results showed that emergence of both populations of A. orientalis was delayed as depth of burial increased up to 4 cm and in cropping systems a shallow tillage that locates the seeds to >4 cm of depth in soil could be used in order to suppress seedling emergence. Our findings also could be useful in integrated management of A. orientalis in winter annual crops and rangelands.     

Fine needle aspiration biopsy of Ki-1-positive large-cell "anaplastic" lymphoma.

The cytopathologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of a case of Ki-1-positive lymphoma are presented and discussed. On fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy smears, the Ki-1-positive lymphoma was characterized by large isolated cells with abundant dense/vacuolated cytoplasm and large nuclei with irregular profiles. Although most cells contained one nucleus, binucleated and multilobed/multinucleated cells were also seen. The cohesion of the malignant cells in histologic sections of a biopsied lymph node suggested an anaplastic carcinoma. The discrepancy was resolved by ultrastructural and immunologic analyses. The main differential diagnoses on FNA material include Hodgkin's disease, malignant melanoma and undifferentiated carcinoma; the cytologic suspicion should be confirmed by immunocytochemical studies.