Intravenous pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin following simultaneous administration with flunixin meglumine or diclofenac in sheep

In this study, the pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin (5 mg/kg) was determined following a single intravenous administration of moxifloxacin alone and co-administration with diclofenac (2.5 mg/kg) or flunixin meglumine (2.2 mg/kg) in sheep. Six healthy Akkaraman sheep (2 ± 0.3 years and 53.5 ± 5 kg of body weight) were used. A longitudinal design with a 15-day washout period was used in three periods. In the first period, moxifloxacin was administered by an intravenous (IV) injection. In the second and third periods, moxifloxacin was co-administered with IV administration of diclofenac and flunixin meglumine, respectively. The plasma concentration of moxifloxacin was assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a two-compartment open pharmacokinetic model. Following IV administration of moxifloxacin alone, the mean elimination half-life (t_1/2β), total body clearance (Cl_T), volume of distribution at steady state (V_dss) and area under the curve (AUC) of moxifloxacin were 2.27 hr, 0.56 L h⁻¹ kg⁻¹, 1.66 L/kg and 8.91 hr*µg/ml, respectively. While diclofenac and flunixin meglumine significantly increased the t_1/2β and AUC of moxifloxacin, they significantly reduced the Cl_T and V_dss. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory drugs could increase the therapeutic efficacy of moxifloxacin by altering its pharmacokinetics.     

Antagonistic effects of natural Pseudomonas putida biotypes on Polymyxa betae Keskin,the vector of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus in sugar beet

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - This in vivo study investigated the ability of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. to suppress Polymyxa betae, a vector of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus...     

Revealing of resistant sources in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer</Emphasis> species to chickpea leaf miner, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liriomyza cicerina</Emphasis> (Rondani)

The chickpea leaf miner, Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an important pest of cultivated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). A 2-year field study was carried out to screen a total of 126 Cicer germplasm for resistance to the leaf miner during the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons. Resistance was evaluated using a visual scale of 1–9, where 1?=?highly resistant and 9?=?very highly susceptible under natural infestation conditions. The results showed that two C. arietinum accessions, ILC 3397 and Sierra, had a score of 9 on the scale, being very highly susceptible. Three germplasm, one mutant (3304) and two breeding lines (LMR 140 and LMR 160) of C. arietinum, were found to be highly resistant with the scores ranging from 1.5 to 2 for resistance to the leaf miner. The mutant, 3304, was detected for the first time in this study as a highly leaf miner-resistant mutant of the cultivated chickpeas while the other two breeding lines had been previously reported as highly resistant against the leaf miner. In addition, two mutants and 14 breeding lines of C. arietinum and two mutants and one germplasm of C. reticulatum were identified as resistant having the scores from 2.1 to 3 on the 1–9 scale. The results suggest that these resistant germplasm may add a new dimension to chickpea breeding programs because they possess valuable traits for resistance against the pest. The resistant chickpeas that can be grown without using pesticides are important as environmental protection and reliable food source for human health.     

Assessment of Arsenic and Selenium Concentration with Chlorophyll Contents of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris var.saccharifera) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Exposed to Municipal Sewage Sludge Doses

The present study was conducted to assess the suitability of sewage sludge amendment in soil for Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera (sugar beet) and Triticum aestivum (wheat) by evaluating the arsenic and selenium accumulation and physiological responses of plants grown at 10%, 25%, and 50% sewage sludge amendment rate. Sewage sludge amendment was modified by the physicochemical properties of soil, thus increasing the availability of heavy metals in the soil and consequently with higher accumulation in plant parts. The chlorophyll contents increased after the sewage sludge treatments except for 50%. The sewage sludge amendment led to a significant increase in arsenic and selenium concentrations of the soil. The heavy metal accumulation in the soil after the treatments did not exceed the limits for the land application of sewage sludge recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The increased concentration of heavy metals in the soil due to the sewage sludge amendment led to increases in heavy metal uptake in the leaves and root concentrations of arsenic and selenium in plants as compared to those grown on unamended soil. Accumulation was more in roots than shoots and leaves for most of the heavy metals. Concentrations of arsenic and selenium were more than the permissible limits of national standards in the edible portion of sugar beet and wheat grown on different sewage sludge amendments ratios. The study concludes that the sewage sludge amendment in the soil for growing sugar beet and wheat may not be a good option due to risk of contamination of arsenic and selenium.     

Development of flexible antimicrobial packaging materials against Campylobacter jejuni by incorporation of gallic acid into zein-based films

In this study, antimicrobial films were developed against Campylobacter jejuni by incorporation of gallic acid (GA) into zein-based films. The zein and zein-wax composite films containing GA between 2.5 and 10 mg/cm(2) were effective on different C. jejuni strains in a concentration-dependent manner. Zein and zein-wax composite films showed different release profiles in distilled water but quite similar release profiles at solid agar medium. Depending on incorporated GA concentration, 60-80% of GA released from the films, while the remaining GA was bound or trapped by film matrix. The GA at 2.5 and 5 mg/cm(2) caused a considerable increase in elongation (57-280%) of all zein films and eliminated their classical flexibility problems. The zein-wax composite films were less flexible than zein films, but the films showed similar tensile strengths and Young's modulus. Scanning electron microscopy indicated different morphologies of zein and zein-wax composite films. This study clearly showed the good potential of zein and GA to develop flexible antimicrobial films against C. jejuni.     

Genetic and pathogenic characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis> isolates from eggplant in Turkey

During 2005 to 2007, eggplant fields in 19 provinces from three different regions (western, southern and southeastern Anatolia regions) of Turkey were surveyed for Verticillium wilt. Sixty-seven isolates of Verticillium dahliae from wilted eggplants were collected and used for vegetative compatibility analysis using nitrate non-utilizing mutants and reference tester strains of vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) 1A, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A and 4B. Among all isolates, 33 (12 from western, 15 from southern and six from southeastern Anatolia) were assigned to VCG2B, 23 (four from western, eight from southern and 11 from southeastern Anatolia) to VCG2A, six (four from southern, one from western, and one from southeastern Anatolia) to VCG4B and five (one from western, one from southern and three from southeastern Anatolia) to VCG1A, whereas VCG3 and VCG4A were not defined among isolates. In order to test if there is a correlation between VCG and pathogenicity in V. dahliae, pathogenicity of 30 isolates, representing the four multimember VCGs, were tested on Solanum melongena cvs. ‘Kemer’ and ‘Aydın Siyahı’ in an unheated greenhouse. All isolates were found to be pathogenic on both cultivars and there was no difference in susceptibility between the two cultivars. VCG4B isolates collectively led to higher vascular discoloration index (VDI) on both cultivars and higher disease severity index (DSI) on ‘Kemer’ compared with other VCGs. Similarly, VCG1A caused lower VDI on both cultivars and lower DSI on ‘Kemer’. Isolates within each of VCGs 1A, 2A and 4B caused similar VDI on both cultivars. Isolates of VCG2B were found to vary in their VDI values on both cultivars. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report of natural infections of eggplant by VCG1A.     

Characterisation and toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis strains from hazelnut pests and fields

BACKGROUND: In order to find and identify more toxic insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) strains, a survey was carried out of B. thuringiensis isolate pests belonging to Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera and from soils in hazelnut fields. Of 16 isolates having Bacillus cereus‐B. thuringiensis morphology, eight were classified as B. thuringiensis because of the production of parasporal δ‐endotoxin crystals. RESULTS: In this study, eight isolates of B. thuringiensis from hazelnut pests (isolates Bn1, Mm2, Mnd and Xd3) and from hazelnut soils (isolates 6, 27, 40 and 46) have been characterised in detail. These isolates were compared with reference strains by electron microscopy, SDS‐PAGE analysis, cry gene content, serological test and insecticidal activity. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that Bn1 and MnD are B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, and Mm2 and Xd3 are B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis. In addition, isolate 6 is B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, isolates 27 and 46 are B. thuringiensis subsp. kumamotoensis and isolate 40 is B. thuringiensis subsp. indiana. The four B. thuringiensis isolates from hazelnut pests may be valuable as biological control agents against coleopteran and lepidopteran insects. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Alternative α* Parameter Estimation for Simplified Beerkan Infiltration Method to Assess Soil Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Eurasian Soil Science - In situ characterization of the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) requires a large number of experiments, sampling, and laboratory measurements that are time-consuming...     

Nylon 66/polyester hybrid cords: 1. Design and investigation of properties

In this study, Nylon 66/Polyester (Ny 66/PET) hybrid cord design and production was investigated to obtain new cord with better performance than conventional cord. The factors affecting cord properties and cord production process were examined. Taguchi design of experiment method was implemented in order to minimize the required number of experiments. Different sets of 4 reference cords conventionally used in tyre industry were prepared and resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex (RFL) treated in order to make a comparison of performance. Mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid cords were measured and compared with the values of reference cords. It was found that the twist level of high modulus PET component in the hybrid cords should be the same or above of the nylon in order to obtain maximum tensile strength. It was observed that shrinkage values of hybrid cords varied between PET and Ny 66 reference cords. Moreover, for all treated hybrid cords, satisfactory cord-rubber adhesion values were obtained by using double dip adhesion system.