Lung toxicity of nitrogen mustard may be mediated by nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in rats

Nitric oxide (NO) has previously been shown to be responsible for nitrogen mustard (NM)-induced tissue toxicity. Excessive amounts of NO are known to be able to produce peroxynitrite, an important reactive nitrogen compound, by reacting with superoxide. Previous studies reported that NO synthase inhibitors are able to prevent NM toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether peroxynitrite is also responsible for NM-induced lung tissue damage in rats. Wistar rats were divided into four groups. NM was injected intratracheally and was treated with the selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) (intraperitoneal) or the peroxynitrite scavenger ebselen (intragastric). Control animals were exposed to saline only. NM injection caused both oxidative and nitrosative stress, reflected by dramatically increased levels of the lipid peroxidation end product malondialdehyde (MDA), iNOS activation and urine nitrite-nitrate (NOx) values. Histopathological evaluation demonstrated lung damage with NM exposure. AG blocked iNOS activation and decreased urine NOx levels, and resulted in less histopathological changes in the lung. Although the histopathological outcome was found to be similar to AG, ebselen did not change urinary NOx or lung iNOS levels. Furthermore, ebselen was more able than AG to protect against MDA accumulation. In conclusion, the ability of ebselen to prevent against lung damage without blocking NO synthesis suggests that peroxynitrites may have an important role in the pathogenesis of NM toxicity in addition to NO.     

Mirza (Hacızade) Gökgöl (1897–1981): the great explorer of wheat genetic resources in Turkey

Mirza (Hac?zade) Gökgöl (1897–1981) was a leading agro-ecological plant scientist, agronomist and breeder in Turkey. Gökgöl carried out extensive breeding programmes extensively selecting from local plant genetic resources from across Turkey from 1925 till the 1950s. He collected and evaluated cultivars, landraces and wild relatives, predominantly of wheat, but also of barley, lentil and other crops in Turkey during 1929–1955. He published books on wheat and other cereals, potatoes, castor bean, sweet clover, poppy, and other crops. He was a hardworking pioneer utilizing wheat genetic resources for crop improvement. Since his ample work has hardly been accessible by the English-speaking scientific community today, we are providing an overview of his major work, mainly on wheat. The books he published can still be found in libraries, although with difficulties. However, his articles, leaflets etc., are hardly accessible. Some of them are: Turkish Wheats, vols. 1 and 2, Plant Breeding through Scientific Methods (1928, translation of a book by E. Baur), The Basics of Wheat Breeding (1954), and Agriculture and Breeding of Cool Season Cereals–Wheat, Rye, Barley, and Oats (1969). In addition to the summary of his books, we reviewed his views and discussions about the centres of origin and diversity, and compared with those of Vavilov.     

The Relationship Between Indoor, Outdoor and Personal VOC Concentrations in Homes, Offices and Schools in the Metropolitan Region of Kocaeli, Turkey

Human exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and residential indoor and outdoor VOC levels had hitherto not been investigated in Turkey. This study details investigations of indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure to VOCs conducted simultaneously in 15 homes, 10 offices and 3 schools in Kocaeli during the summer of 2006 and the winter of 2006–2007. All VOC concentrations were collected by passive sampling over a 24-h period and analyzed using thermal desorption (TD) and a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID). Fifteen target VOCs were investigated and included benzene, toluene, m/p-xylene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, cyclohexane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, n-heptane, n-hexane, n-decane, n-nonane, n-octane and n-undecane. Toluene levels were the highest in terms of indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure, followed by m/p-xylene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, benzene and n-hexane. In general, personal exposure concentrations appeared to be slightly higher than indoor air concentrations. Both personal exposure and indoor concentrations were generally markedly higher than those observed outdoors. Indoor target compound concentrations were generally more strongly correlated with outdoor concentrations in the summer than in winter. Indoor/outdoor ratios of target compounds were generally greater than unity, and ranged from 0.42 to 3.03 and 0.93 to 6.12 in the summer and winter, respectively. Factor analysis, correlation analyses, indoor/outdoor ratios, microenvironment characteristics, responses to questionnaires and time activity information suggested that industry, and smoking represent the main emission sources of the VOCs investigated. Compared with the findings of earlier studies, the level of target analytes in indoor air were higher for several target VOCs, indicating a possible trend toward increased inhalation exposure to these chemicals in residential environments.     

Modified Colostomy Technique for Colonic Atresia in Calves

Objective: To report a modified colostomy technique for permanent fecal diversion in calves with colonic atresia. Study Design: Prospective study. Animals: Calves (n=19) with colonic atresia. Methods: Clinical findings, white blood cell counts, radiologic, ultrasonographic, and intraoperative findings were recorded. Calves were randomly divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n=9) had conventional colostomy and group 2 (n=10) had a modified colostomy. Technique efficacy was evaluated by postoperative observation, owner satisfaction, and calf survival. Results: Fifteen (79%) calves were discharged from the hospital; 4 (21%) group 1 calves died within 24 hours after surgery. Two (40%) group 1 calves died 18 and 30 days after surgery and 5 (50%) group 2 calves died 2–60 days after surgery. Eight calves reached slaughter weight (120±10 kg); 5 group 2 calves grew normally but the 3 group 1 calves had lower weight gain. Owners of the calves with conventional colostomy reported that the evacuation of feces was continuous whereas owners of calves with the modified colostomy reported that feces were released through the stoma in intervals. Conclusion: Modification of conventional colostomy by forming an hourglass shaped stoma lessens fecal incontinence but there was no difference in survival rate. Clinical Relevance: Modified colostomy was considered advantageous because of intermittent fecal discharge from the stoma compared with continuous fecal release in conventional colostomy. The modified technique seemingly has a beneficial effect on growth of the calf.     

Comparative Nile tilapia and silver carp filtration rates of Partitioned Aquaculture System phytoplankton

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) held in timed-pulse feeding chambers were provided water dominated either by green algae (Scenedesmus, Ankistrodesmus and Tetraedron) or by cyanobacteria (Microcystis) to compare filtration rates (FRs). FRs were expressed as suspended particulate organic carbon (POC)/kg wet fish weight/h and as phytoplankton units filtered based on counts. Nile tilapia and silver carp filtration significantly reduced phytoplankton number of both taxonomic groups with the larger phytoplankton being filtered proportionally more than the smaller phytoplankton. Nile tilapia FR of green algae was significantly higher than silver carp; however, silver carp FR of cyanobacteria was higher than Nile tilapia. Ivlev's 90% saturation FRs (FR₉₀) in green-algal and cyanobacterial water sources were 702 and 812 mgC/kg/h for Nile tilapia and 414 and 1028 mgC/kg/h for silver carp, respectively. Silver carp were observed to reach these FR₉₀ values at lower POC concentrations than Nile tilapia with both green algae and cyanobacteria.     

Response of sunflower to potassium and magnesium fertilizers in calcerous soils in central Anatolia of Turkey

This research was carried out to determine the effects of potassium [0, 40, 80, 120 kg potassium oxide (K₂O) ha^?1] and magnesium (0, 20, 40, 60 kg magnesium oxide (MgO) ha^?1) applied into soil separately and together on the grain yield and yield components of sunflower for oil grown in two farmer fields in the semi-arid Central Anatolia in 2009 and 2010. The experiments were set as factorial experiment design in randomized blocks and 4 replicates. Potassium and Mg-fertilizers were used in the single time into base in the sowing. According to the results, K application in the increasing doses increased yield components more than that of Mg. Together giving of the K and Mg in certain combinations took the yield components to maximum levels. The highest grain yields were obtained by the K₄₀Mg₄₀ in the first year (7313 kg ha^?1) and by the Mg₆₀ in the second year (6510 kg ha^?1).     

An Application of Landsat-5TM Image Data for Water Quality Mapping in Lake Beysehir, Turkey

The main goal of this study was to investigate spatial patterns in water quality in Lake Beysehir, which is the largest freshwater reservoir in Turkey, by using Landsat-5TM (Thematic Mapper) data and ground surveys. Suspended sediment (SS), turbidity, Secchi disk depth (SDD), and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) data were collected from 40 sampling stations in August, 2006. Spatial patterns in these parameters were estimated using bivariate and multiple regression (MR) techniques based on Landsat-5TM multispectral data and water quality sampling data. Single TM bands, band ratios, and combinations of TM bands were estimated and correlated with the measured water quality parameters. The best regression models showed that the measured and estimated values of water quality parameters were in good agreement (0.60 < R ² < 0.71). TM3 provided a significant relationship (R ²?=?0.67, p?<?0.0001) with SS concentration. MR between chl-a and various combinations of TM bands showed that TM1, TM2, and TM4 are strongly correlated with measured chl-a concentrations (R ²?=?0.60, p?<?0.0001). MR of turbidity showed that TM1, TM2, and TM3 explain 60% (p?<?0.0001) of the variance in turbidity. MR of SDD showed a strong relationship with measured SDD, with R ²?=?0.71 (p?<?0.0001) for the ratio TM1/TM3 and TM1 band combinations. The spatial distribution maps present apparent spatial variations of selected parameters for the study area covering the largest freshwater lake and drinking water reservoir in Turkey. Interpretation of thematic water quality maps indicated similar spatial distributions for SS, turbidity, and SDD. A large area in the middle portion of the lake showed very low chl-a concentrations as it is far from point and nonpoint sources of incoming nutrients. The trophic state index values were calculated from chl-a and SDD measurements. Lake Beysehir was classified as a mesotrophic or eutrophic lake according to chl-a or SDD parameters, respectively.     

Effect of continuous 0.3 μL/L gaseous ozone exposure on fungicide residues on table grape berries

The persistence of residues of some fungicides, commonly applied in table grape vineyards to reduce bunch rot, was investigated during the cold storage of ‘Thompson Seedless’ table grape stemmed berries in atmospheres of air or 0.3 μL/L ozone enriched air. Grape berries were sprayed with a mixture of boscalid, iprodione, fenhexamid, cyprodinil, and pyrimethanil solutions, dried in air for 24 h, and packed in plastic clamshell containers in expanded polystyrene boxes. The boxes were stored either in ozone or in ambient air atmosphere (2 °C, 95% RH) for 36 d. Residue analyses were done initially and at 12-d intervals using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Residues of boscalid, iprodione, fenhexamid, and pyrimethanil declined during storage in air, but cyprodinil residues did not change significantly during 36-d storage. Storage in the ozone atmosphere markedly accelerated the rates of decline of fenhexamid, cyprodinil, and pyrimethanil, but not those of boscalid or iprodione. At the end of storage, degradation of fenhexamid, cyprodinil, or pyrimethanil was 1.6-, 2.8-, or 3.6-fold higher, respectively, in the ozone atmosphere compared that in air. Despite their structural similarity, pyrimethanil declined more rapidly in an ozone atmosphere than cyprodinil. Fenhexamid declined in both air and ozone more rapidly than the other fungicides; at the end of storage period, only 59.2% or 35.5% of the initial residue remained after air or ozone storage, respectively. Our results have shown that gaseous ozone treatment during storage has a great potential for degrading contemporary fungicides related to table grape production.     

A parasitological, molecular and serological survey of Hepatozoon canis infection in dogs around the Aegean coast of Turkey

Canine hepatozoonosis is caused by the tick-borne protozoon Hepatozoon spp. The prevalence of the infection in the Aegean coast of Turkey was investigated by examination of blood smear parasitology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using blood samples from 349 dogs collected from Central Aydin, Kusadasi, Selcuk, Central Manisa, Bodrum and Marmaris within the Aegean coast of Turkey. The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of Hepatozoon canis antibodies was also used to detect the exposure rate to H. canis. PCR amplifying a 666bp fragment of 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. was used in the epidemiological survey. The prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. infection was 10.6% by blood smear parasitology and 25.8% by PCR. IFAT revealed that 36.8% of serum samples were positive for antibodies reactive with Hepatozoon spp. The PCR products of 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. isolated from six infected dogs, one isolate originating from each of the six different locations, were sequenced. The results of sequence analysis indicate that they are closely related to Indian and Japanese isolates of H. canis. This is the first epidemiological study on the prevalence of H. canis infection in the dog, in Turkey.