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This study was conducted to evaluate the age-specific functional response of Psyllaephagus zdeneki Noyes & Fallahzadeh (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) at different nymph densities of olive psyllid, Euphyllura pakistanica Loginova (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). Due to parasitoid behaviour of feeding and parasitizing the host, both traits were separately explored on a daily functional response. Results of logistic regression revealed a type II functional response of the wasp independent of their ages. The handling time (T_h) and searching efficiency (a) were estimated using the Rogers equation. The highest searching efficiency for both parasitism and feeding was observed in the first five days of the adult age. The handling time for parasitism and host feeding increased with the age of female wasp. The highest searching efficiency and shortest handling time for host attacked (Parasitism and feeding) were gained in day 5 and day 2 and maximum parasitism and host feeding in days 2 and 3 of adult female age, respectively. We conclude that P. zdeneki demonstrated a reasonable performance as a potential biocontrol agent by feeding and parasitism of E. pakistanica which gained its maximum efficiency within 2 to 5 days of its life.

 

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A survey was conducted in fields of cucumber and watermelon in Bengaluru, India during April 2014 for dertermination of the common parasitoids (Hym.,Braconidae, Aphidiinae) attacking melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemi., Aphididae). Three species of Aphidiinae, including Aphidius platensis Brethes, 1913; Binodoxy sacalephae (Marshall, 1896) and Lipolexis oregmae(Gahan, 1931) were collected and identified, from which Aphidius platensis is newly recorded from India. The early evidence of Aphidius colemani in India can also be contributed to A. platensis. Diagnostic characters of three species with closely related species are briefly discussed.

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In this research 52 species of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) have been reported from the northeastern Fars province, of which the species of Hylaeus punctus Förster and Hoplitis leucomelana Kirby were new records for Iran fauna. Among the material examined, there were 11 species of Apidae, 19 species of Halictidae, 1 species of Andrenidae, 4 species of Colletidae and 17 species of Megachilidae. Phoretic mites belonging to four genera Parapygmephorus, Vidia, Imparipes and Anoetus were associated with halictid and meghachilid bees. Among associated mites with collected bees Imparipes burgeri Ebermann & Jagersbacher-Baumann belonging to the family Scutacaridae was new for Iran fauna and Asia. We also collected five new mite species for science. These species were belong to the genera Parapygmephorus (1 species), Vidia (1 species), and Anoetus (3 species) of the families Neopygmephoridae, Winterschmidtiidae and Anoetidae respectively that will be described elsewhere. All specimens are deposited in the “Collection of Iranian Pollinator Insects” of Yasouj University.

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The effect of Artemia urmiana nauplii enriched with flaxseed oil on growth performance, survival and fatty acid composition of severum, Cichlasoma severum, larvae (0.3 mg initial weight) was investigated through a completely randomized block design with two treatments, viz., (1) larvae fed with plain nauplii, (2) larvae fed with nauplii enriched with flaxseed oil, in three replications. Results of the first biometry (day18^th), showed a significantly higher survival rate in treatment 1 (81.87±0.29%) than treatment 2 (68.83±1.62%) (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the specific growth rates, the average weight and length gains between treatments (P>0.05). At the end of the second period of the experiment (day36_th), significant differences in growth performance and survival rate was recorded between treatment 1 (97.82 ± 1.09%) and treatment 2 (91.16± 1.34%) (P>0.05).  The larvae was also found to convert n-3fatty acids to EPA and DHA.

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Five species of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) were found during investigations in the Kerman province in the years 2010-2016. Two of these, Xerephedromyia bipartita Mamaev, 1972 and Xerephedromyia mitroshinae Fedotova, 1992, causing galls on Ephedra major (Ephedraceae), were recorded for the first time from Iran. Both species are very rare and have not been found since the time of their original description. Rhopalomyia efremovi (Fedotova, 1999), Rhopalomyia hispanica Tavares, 1904 and Rhopalomyia navasi Tavares, 1904, causing galls on various species of Artemisia (Asteraceae), already known to occur in north-eastern and central Iran, were recorded for the first time in the Kerman provin

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The effects of dietary nucleotide at 5 levels of 0.0% (Control), 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.35% and 0.5% on the body composition and fatty acids of the grouper, Epinepheluscoioides, with initial weight of 10.70 ± 0.29 g was investigated for a period of 10 weeks. The results indicated improvedgrowth parameters uponadding nucleotide. The best value of growth parameters were observed at nucleotide level of 0.35% that statistically showed higher values for final weight, weight gain andcondition factor than other treatments (P<0.05).There was nosignificant differenceinsurvival(P>0.05). The 0.35% nucleotide level also resulted in a better fatty acids profile, including EPA, EPA+DHA and n-3 than the control. However, 0.5% nucleotide showed significantly higher saturated fatty acids, MUFA and n3/n6 than the control. No significant differences were observed in arachidonic acid and DHA among the treatments (P>0.05). Chemical analysis showed the highest muscle protein in 0.15% and the highest muscle fat in 0.15 and 0.25 treatments, which were significantly higher (P<0.05) than the control group. The results of this study showed that dietary nucleotide has positive effects on growth performance and fatty acid profile of the grouper and the 0.35% level had a better performance.

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We reared Ephedromyia debilopalpis Marikovskij (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) for the fist time on Ephedra major (Ephedraceae) in the northwest of Iran in 2016. This is the new record of the genus and species for Iran. With including this new record, the known gall midge fauna of Iran reached 62 species and 34 genera.

 

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Research subject: It is not an easy task to get a suitable model of polymerization due to complex mechanism and kinetic of such processes. Polymerization temperature, as an intermediate variable between determining final polymer properties, is a good selection to be controlled. Fuzzy logic has ability to be applied to processes with unknown or less informed dynamics.
Research approach: In this research, control of semi batch poly(ethylene terephthalate) reactor temperature was studied. To do so, error and error variation were calculated using measured reactor temperature. Error and error variation were fuzzified using triangular membership functions. Five and three fuzzy sets were introduced to fuzzify error and error variation, respectively. Hence, fifteen rules were defined. Five fuzzy sets were defined to quantify these fifteen rules. Weight average defuzzification method was applied to calculate necessary heat to the reactor. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) was synthesized in a semi batch reactor based on a two steps method. It is possible to monitor temperature, pressure, rotation speed and mixing torque in this set up.
Main results: Produced water during esterification determines reaction advancement. In polycondensation step, mixing torque determines end of the process. Linguistic based fuzzy rules were applied to both steps. Reference temperatures were 230^oC and 260^oC, respectively. Reactor temperature was controlled with 1-2^oC precision. Control logic was applied using C#.net real time programming.

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H. Zolfaghari, PhD
 
Abstract
This article seeks to examine the sources of Moses and the Shepherd and similar stories in both Iranian and foreign literature, particularly two scholastic stories influenced by that story, namely Moses and the Mason, and the Shepherd’s Party. Furthermore it takes a structural approach to investigate the story’s elements such as plot, characters, dialog, point of view, narrative, tone and setting, with a focus on Molavi’s storytelling techniques.
   The focus of this paper is the structural aspects rather than the content, as the latter deserves a separate study. However, in order to shed light on the story’s structure, certain symbolic and thematic aspects are discussed as much as necessary. A major part of the paper deals with text and source analysis to serve as an introduction to Foruzanfar’s Sources of the Masnavi Stories as well as new findings in the field of story.
 
 

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The Last Lamb of Jesus and allusion to it in contemporary Persian literature

Abstract

Stories of prophets is one of the major sources of allusions in Persian literary texts that poets employ it for creation the poetic images. One of the prophets that Persian poets have attention to various aspects of his personality and life is Jesus. Persian classic poets in allusions to the life of Jesus is often considered to Islamic sources, especially the Holy Quran but contemporary poets, especially modernist poets in addition to the Islamic tradition, mention the narratives of the Gospels.Some of these allusions are rare allusions in Persian poetry and they often need to refer to the Bible and Gospels.Awareness these allusions help to better understanding the poems and enjoying of reading them. One of these rare allusions is the last lamb or sheep of Jesus in the works of Forough Farrokhzad, Mehdi Akhavan Sales, Ali Mousavi Garmaroudi and Houshang Golshiri. The purpose of this article is analyze this allusion according to Gospels and Christian traditions.

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Collecting of terphritid fruit flies at four sites in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), resulted in the presence of eleven species. Capparimyia savastani is reported for the first time from UAE fauna. The number of UAE Tephritidae fauna is increased to 34. The first checklist of fruit flies of UAE is also provided.

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Although regular study of the story plots opened the new way into analysis in literature by the formalists’ studies, especially by Propp's findings, Structural narratologists after Propp, including Greimas, have tried to find a comprehensive pattern for the study of narration by removing some shortcomings of Propp's framework. This article tries to answer these questions by studying Joseph Story in The Quran according to Propp’s and Greimas' views: do Propp's findings conform to The Quran’s Stories? Can these three syntagmes offered by Greimas be found in The Quran’s stories? Analyzing Joseph Story as a sample of The Quran’s stories can decide which of these views is more efficient in the analysis of The Quran’s stories.  The text of the twelfth surah of The Quran has been examined with a descriptive-analytic method. The findings of this study show that: 1) in spite of the fact that Propp's view is capable of analyzing a lot of stories, analyzing The Quran’s stories according to this view requires basic changes in it. 2) Due to the fact that Greimas' syntagmes are not specified for a special kind of narration, they can be found in The Quran’s stories, too. 3) Considering the analysis of Joseph Story as a sample of The Quran’s stories, it can be said that Greimas' view is more efficient in the analysis of The Quran’s stories than Propp's view.
 

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A Study about the evolution of Vahhab's Character in the context of love in Khane-ye Edrisiha Based on Joseph Campbell's Theory of Hero's Journey Khane-ye Edrisiha, the symbolic novel by Ghazaleh Alizadeh, has good potentials for symbolic reading. One of the appropriate methods to comprehend this symbolic structure is an analysis based on "Hero's Journey" that Joseph Campbell suggests. the present research aims to show how the scheme of evolution at the context of love for Vahhab, one of the main characters of the novel, adapts with "Hero's Journey" pattern. This adaptation shows itself through analyzing the novel. This pattern doesn’t apply to the novel only in these stages: Atonement with the Father and the stages that come after the Magic Flight. The omission of the latter stages depends on the general plot of the novel and the writer's decision for the ending section, but the omission of Atonement with the Father stage and almost deletion of Vahab's father in this novel is an important and significant issue that needs another psychosocial study. Key Words Kane-ye Edrisiha, Ghazaleh Alizadeh, Joseph Campbell, Hero's Journey, Love

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The story of “Kush Pil Dandan” in “Kush Namah “has been consisted of several important parts. The story of “Kush and Darnush “ , “ Abtin and Franak “ , “ Kush – Zahak’s brother “ , “ Kush’s battles in China and India “ , “ Kush’s battles in West” and finally “ Kush’s repentance” story. Based on these sections, the stories entitled  “ Abtin and Franak “ , “ Kush – Zahak’s brother “ , “ Kush’s battles in China and India “ , “ Kush’s battles in West” have been frequently quoted in story scrolls.  This paper will only examine "Kush’s story- Zahak’s brother and “Kush Pil Dandan’s battles in the west” in eight story scrolls. However, there are some important notes in these texts. Therefore, this paper, using a descriptive analytical method and based on the resources of the library, tries to analyze this issue by analogy. It should be noted that Kush has entered a number of different names, such as Kush, Ears, Bough, Nishad, Nayriz, Qatran, as well as Pil-dandan and Bil-dandan in narrative texts.

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The toxicity of garlic is confirmed on some agricultural pests. The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the sensitivity of Podisus maculiventris (Say) to garlic extract and two insect pests: Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) and Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). LC₅₀ was calculated at 8.02% for E. kuehniella. The results showed toxic compounds in garlic extract delayed all developmental stages and reproduction parameters of L. decemlineata. In contrast, there were no considerable negative effects on many of the biological parameters of the predatory insect, P. maculiventris. The results suggest that garlic, as a green pesticide, could be considered an environmentally suitable alternative in pest management programs. 

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In recent years, different formulations such as nanoemulsions have been widely used for the target delivery, and enhanced biological functions of pesticides combinations. In this study, contact toxicity of Mentha longifolia L. essential oil compared with its nanoemulsion on Ephestia kuehniella Zeller has been investigated. The experiments were conducted and executed at 27 ± 1 °C, and 75 ± 5% relative humidity under dark conditions. Chemical composition of this plant extract was also studied. The main constituents were pulegone (28.84%), 1,8-cineol (19.6%), p-menthan-3-one-cis (8.2%), β-pinene (6.46%) and p-menthan-3-one-trans (5.86%). Results indicated that the mortality rate of 5^th instar larva of E. kuehniella increased with rising concentrations (10000-40000ppm) for oil and (8000-20000 ppm) for nanoemulsion, respectively. The essential oil LC₅₀ was 21352ppm, while this value for nanoemulsion was 14068ppm. According to the results, nanoemulsion was more effective than essential oil. M. longifolia oil had lower durability and the 50% persistent time (PT₅₀) was 2.39 day compared to the nanoemulsion (PT₅₀ = 17.13 day) in the highest concentration of essential oil. The nanoparticle size was 14-36 nanometers (nm) when the transmission electron microscope (TEM) was applied. The surface morphology of nanoemulsion was also studied by TEM. The average size of the particles was estimated 234nm by using laser light scattering apparatus. The overall results of this study show that by using nanoemulsion formulation, the effect of essential oil contact toxicity and its durability increases. Hence, the nanoemulsion slow-release formulation may represent a new category of biopesticides and this should be considered in the integrated pest management program.

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Research subject: In the present study, a number of linear and long-chain branched copolyesters, poly (butylene succinate-co-ethylene terephthalate) (PBSET), were synthesized. Hence, effect of branching agent introduction was studied. Such a copolyesters, mostly aliphatic polyesters, may be applied in biomaterial fields. Adding aromatic section and branching agent have great effects on properties.
Research approach: All polyesters were synthesized via a two-step method: esterification and polycondensation. All samples were produced in a laboratory scale set-up. First, prepolymers of two monomers were produced, separately. Then, required amount of each prepolymer were poured in the reactor and catalyst and thermal stabilizer were added and polycondensation reaction was performed. Pentaerythritol (PER) and trimellitic anhydride (TMA) were used as branching agents during synthesis. Microstructure of the copolyesters were characterized by ATR-FTIR and ¹³CNMR. Crystallinity, using XRD, and mechanical properties were studied, too.  Even small amount of branching agent has a great effect on properties. 0.4 mol% of PER and 0.4 and 0.6 mol% of TMA were incorporated.
Main results: Intrinsic viscosities of samples indicate that high molecular weight, about 38000 g/mol, were reached. ATR-FTIR spectra proves polyester synthesis. ¹³CNMR spectra shows incorporation of branching agent in polyester chain. Based on the XRD spectra, branching has no effect on the crystal type and type of crystal was unchanged. However, Crystallinity is decreased with branching. Mechanical properties are under serious effect of branching agent addition. It was observed that elongation at break and tensile strength were increased up to 400% and 200%, respectively. Hence, these branched copolyesters were synthesized and structure, crystallinity and mechanical properties were studied.

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The effect of infestation and damage by Larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus (Horns) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) on nutrient content of some dried processed root and tuber crops (cassava, yam, sweet potato and cocoyam) were investigated in the laboratory at 25-30 ºC and 70-90% R.H. Thirty five grams each of the chips from two varieties of sweet potato, cassava, cocoyam and a variety of yam were separately placed in a 950 ml sized glass jar. The Test Host Crops (THC) were artificially infested with one, two and three pairs of adult LGB. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with each treatment replicated three times and kept for 90 days. Data were taken on final population of adult LGB, weight of powder and percentage weight loss. Data on proximate analysis of LGB-infested THC after 90 days was also collected. The response of roots and tubers to infestation by LGB on the THC was significantly different. Percentage loss in quantity of root and tuber crops after 90 days of infestation showed that THC infested with two pairs of the insect had higher weight loss of the crops. The THC infested with two pairs of LGB had higher moisture content and least crude protein was recorded on the THC infested with one pair of LGB while the ones infested with three pairs of LGB had higher crude fat content. Uninfested THC had higher carbohydrate content. The findings of this study show that LGB is a serious threat to stored roots and tubers and to food security. The nutritional value of root and tuber crops was adversely affected by infestation of LGB in storage.

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New historicism refers to an approach that does not accept history as the historians convey. This approach mostly is based on the ideas of the American professor, Stephen Greenblatt, in the eighties of the twentieth century. According to Greenblatt, new historicism presents a new reading of the text, not a school of criticism. New historicism investigates the multilateral relations of the literary works with other texts including the historical ones to clarify their inter-textual and extra-textual aspects. New historicism inspects the relations of power and cultural, social, and ideological constructs. From the new historicist point of view, there is no difference between literary and non-literary texts. The present paper attempts to examine The Silence of the Sea to reveal the author’s and the history’s influence in creating the literary work. With the help of Greenblatt and Foucault views, inter-textual factors such as power relations as the main context are studied in the paper as well.