Risk factors for occupational brucellosis among veterinary personnel in Turkey

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are at risk for occupational brucellosis. We described the risk factors of occupational brucellosis among veterinary personnel in Turkey. A multicenter retrospective survey was performed among veterinary personnel who were actively working in the field. Of 712 veterinary personnel, 84 (11.8%) had occupational brucellosis. The median number of years since graduation was 7 (interquartile ranges [IQR], 4–11) years in the occupational brucellosis group, whereas this number was 9 (IQR, 4–16) years in the non-brucellosis group (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, working in the private sector (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.55–5.28, p = 0.001), being male (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.05–18.84, p = 0.041), number of performed deliveries (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.002–1.02, p = 0.014), and injury during Brucella vaccine administration (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 3.16–9.3, p < 0.001) were found to be risk factors for occupational brucellosis. We suggest that all veterinary personnel should be trained on brucellosis and the importance of using personal protective equipment in order to avoid this infection.     

Effects of Short-Term High Carbohydrate or Fat Intakes on Leptin, Growth Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone Secretions in Prepubertal Fat-Tailed Tuj Lambs

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of high carbohydrate or fat diets, fed for 15 days at the end of breeding season, on leptin, GH and LH secretions in prepubertal fat‐tailed Tuj lambs. For that purpose, 9‐month‐old ram‐lambs were divided into three groups as control group (fed with basal ration, n = 4), high carbohydrate (HC) group, basal ration plus barley, n = 4), or high fat (HF) group (basal ration plus by‐pass fat, n = 4). For the measurement of leptin and GH, blood plasma samples were collected on days 1, 4, 9 and 14 of the experiment. For the measurement of LH pulse frequency, serial blood samples were collected every 15 min for 6 h on day 14. Lambs were weighed and body condition scored (BCS) on days 1 and 15. Body weight and BCS increased towards the end of the study (p < 0.05). The BCS was higher in high energy groups at the end of the experiment (p < 0.05). Diet affected plasma leptin concentrations (p = 0.002) but time did not. The GH concentrations were not affected by diet or time. The LH pulse frequency appeared to be higher in HC and HF groups but there were no statistical difference between the groups. There was a significant positive relationship between overall BCS and corresponding leptin concentrations (R² = 0.263; p = 0.010) and between LH pulse frequency and leptin concentrations (R² = 0.594; p = 0.003). In conclusion, the present study suggests that rather than type of energy, amount of energy intake and body energy reserves are much important regulators of plasma leptin concentrations and LH pulse frequency in fat‐tailed Tuj lambs.     

Molecular and pathological investigations of EHV-1 and EHV-4 infections in horses in Turkey

The aim of the present study was to investigate abortion storms that occurred in the Marmara region of Turkey in 2008-2009 using a real-time PCR. Two aborted foetuses were necropsied and histo-pathological findings reported herein. Ten lungs, 3 brains and one nasal swab from 10 aborted foetuses, 6 nasal swabs and 3 vaginal swabs from aborting mares were included in this study. EHV-1 was isolated from the lung, liver and brain of 1 aborted foetus. EHV-1 DNA was detected in the lungs, livers and spleens of 2 necropsied foetuses and in 3 lungs from 10 foetuses submitted for diagnosis. A brain from one of the aborted foetuses was also positive for EHV-1 DNA. EHV-4 DNA was detected only in a nasal swab of one of the tested foetuses. Neither EHV-1 nor EHV-4 DNA was detected in the swabs of aborting mares. Sequence analysis of the glycoprotein B of the strains was performed and a phylogenetic tree was generated. The results indicated that 4 of the 5 Turkish EHV-1 strains (TR02, TR03, TR04 and TR05) clustered together; the fifth strain (TR01) was slightly removed from the group and clustered with other EHV-1 from various origins. Single nucleotide polyporphism (SNP in ORF30) associated with neuropathogenesis was not detected in any of the strains. At necropsy, sub-milier focal necrosis in the liver and spleen was observed. Microscopically, focal coagulation necrosis and marked eosinophilic intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the hepatocytes localised around the necrotic areas in the liver. Severe coagulation necrosis in white pulp of the spleen was also observed.     

First Report on the Frequency and Molecular Detection of Neuropathogenic EHV-1 in Turkey

There has been an increase in outbreaks of neuropathogenic equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the United States and Europe. However, the presence and frequency of neuropathogenic EHV-1 in Turkish horses are not known at present. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of EHV-1 and neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 in the Marmara Region of Turkey. Samples were analyzed for the presence of EHV-1 and neuropathogenic EHV-1 by real-time PCR TaqMan probe assays. Overall detection rate of EHV-1 was 45.5% (51 of 112). The detection rates were 70.5% (24 of 34) in aborted fetuses, 53.3% (8 of 15) in neonatal deads, 66.6% (4 of 6) in foals, 40% (2 of 5) in dead mares, and 25% (13 of 52) in living mares. Overall detection rate of neuropathogenic EHV-1 was 7.8% (4 of 51), and the real-time PCR results were confirmed by sequencing. Neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 were detected in the brain and lung of two mares with neurological disease but without a history of abortion, in the brain of a foal that died of respiratory disorder, and in the nasal swab from a mare with a history of abortion. On histopathology, nonpurulent meningoencephalitis, hemorrhages, and vasculitis were seen in the brain. In conclusion, results of this study indicated, for the first time, that the neuropathogenic EHV-1 is circulating in the Marmara Region of Turkey. The results of this study also show that the current risk for non-neuropathogenic strains is high, whereas risk for the neuropathogenic EHV-1-G₂₂₅₄ strain seems to be low. As outbreaks of EHV-1 continue in the Marmara region of Turkey, surveillance for neuropathogenic EHV-1 genotype should be maintained.     

The first serological evidence for Rift Valley fever infection in the camel,goitered gazelle and Anatolian water buffaloes in Turkey

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Rift valley fever (RVF), a vector-borne zoonotic disease, is caused by a phlebovirus (family Bunyaviridae). The virus was initially characterized...     

Genetic diversity assessments of brown rot pathogen Monilinia fructicola based on the six simple sequence repeat loci

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Monilinia fructicola, causal agent of brown rot of stone fruits, is an economically important problem worldwide. Six of the sequence tagged microsatellite...     

Effect of dietary n-3 series fatty acids on sperm production in the freshwater crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz) (Astacidae)

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of three different rates of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC n-3 PUFA) on the sperm number of Astacus leptodactylus. The experiment was carried out with the four following treatments: control group (not supplemented LC n-3 PUFA), D1 (1 %), D2 (2 %) and D3 (3 %). The sperm number of A. leptodactylus was counted; the reproductive system was weighted; and the macroscopical analysis of the testes and vasa deferentia (DVD) were conducted. In addition, gonado-somatic index (GI) and testes index (TI) were also calculated. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the crayfish fed LC n-3 PUFA supplemented diets (D1, D2, D3) and control in mean sperm number (P < 0.05). The highest sperm number was found for the crayfish fed D3 (6.27 ± 0.14 × 10⁸ sperm/distal vas deferens section). The results also showed that the reproductive system of the crayfish fed D3 and D2 was significantly heavier than that of the crayfish fed the control and D1 (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there was not a significant difference in the testes weight and vasa deferentia weight between the crayfish fed the control and D1, and between the crayfish fed D2 and D3 (P < 0.05). GI of the crayfish fed D3 and D2 was significantly higher than that of the crayfish fed control and D1 (P > 0.05), but there was not a significant difference in the TI of the crayfish fed control, D1, D2 and D3 (P > 0.05). In conclusion, diets containing different levels of LC n-3 PUFA significantly increase the sperm number of A. leptodactylus, and they are crucial for the production of higher number of sperm in this species.     

Effect of Different Nitrogen Doses on Dry Matter Ratio,Chlorophyll and Macro/Micro Nutrient Content in Sweet Herb (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)

With this study, the effect of different nitrogen (N) doses applied to sweet herb (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 N kg ha^?1) on the macro/micro nutrient element content, dry matter ratio and on the chlorophyll amount in the plant leaves is examined. The research was carried out in the research and trial field of Faculty of Agriculture Agronomy department, Akdeniz University, during the 2012–2013 growing season under field conditions for 2 years with four replications according to the randomized block trial design. Chlorophyll amounts were determined and the average was obtained with three readings from each leaf by a chlorophyll meter when the plants were in the beginning of flowering. Post-harvest macro and micro nutrient elements of the sweet herb were also investigated. According to the obtained data, while the highest chlorophyll and N amounts in the leaf for both the first and second years were determined as 46.97 SPAD (Minolta Corp, NJ, USA) and 1.34 N% 44.9 SPAD, 1.42 N%, respectively, under 200 kg ha^?1 N application, the lowest chlorophyll and N amounts were determined in the control group. In addition, N application in different doses for both years increased the phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents and increased the microelement contents, especially in the second year. At the same time, a correlation between the chlorophyll content in the plant leaves and the N amount was determined and a linear increase was observed in the chlorophyll amount with the increased green part.     

Land use types with different fertilization management affected isotope ratios of bulk and water-extractable C and N of soils in an intensive agricultural area

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study was conducted to investigate variations in the stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) of agricultural soils under different...     

Daily pan evaporation modeling using linear genetic programming technique

This paper investigates the ability of linear genetic programming (LGP), which is an extension to genetic programming (GP) technique, in daily pan evaporation modeling. The daily climatic data, air temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, pressure and humidity of three automated weather stations, Fresno, Los Angeles and San Diego in California, are used as inputs to the LGP to estimate pan evaporation. The LGP estimates are compared with those of the Gene-expression programming (GEP), which is another branch of GP, multilayer perceptrons (MLP), radial basis neural networks (RBNN), generalized regression neural networks (GRNN) and Stephens–Stewart (SS) models. The performances of the models are evaluated using root mean square errors (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and determination coefficient (R ²) statistics. Based on the comparisons, it was found that the LGP technique could be employed successfully in modeling evaporation process from the available climatic data.