Comparison of Cryoprotective Effects of Lycopene and Cysteamine in Different Cryoprotectants on Bull Semen and Fertility Results

The objectives of this study were to compare glycerol and ethylene glycol at different concentrations as cryoprotectants and lycopene or cysteamine (with/without) as antioxidants in Tris extender for bull semen. Twenty‐four ejaculates were obtained from three bulls. Each ejaculate was split into four equal aliquots and diluted using both of the Tris extenders with glycerol (5% or 7%) or ethylene glycol (3% or 5%). After that, each extenders were split into three equal aliquots and added using both of the cysteamine 5 mm or lycopene 500 μg/ml, and control (without additives). The addition of 7% glycerol with cysteamine, 5% ethylene glycol with cysteamine and 3% ethylene glycol with cysteamine groups gave the lowest CASA motility than the other groups. However, 7% glycerol and 7% glycerol with lycopene resulted in a better rate of CASA progressive motility compared with that of other groups. Generally, all the lycopene groups signed better protective effects on acrosome and total morphology than the other groups. Glycerol 7% and 3% ethylene glycol with lycopene groups yielded to slight higher percentages of membrane integrity assessed by HOST than that of the other groups, but 7% glycerol with cysteamine and 3% ethylene glycol with cysteamine showed the worst percentages of membrane integrity. Glycerol 7% and 5% glycerol with lycopene gave rise to a higher value of VAP, VSL and VCL compared with that of the other groups. On the contrary, adding to 5% glycerol with cysteamine showed negative effect for VAP, VSL, VCL and ALH values. All cryoprotectant groups with lycopene decreased chromatin damage than the other groups. Ethylene glycol 3% led to lower non‐return rates of inseminated cows. However, this result was not considered to be statistically important.     

Chemical Investigation of Water Resources Around the Yatagan Thermal Power Plant of Turkey

In this work, trace metals such as Hg, Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in underground water samples obtained from three wells, an ash-pond and drinking water located near the Yatagan Thermal Power Plant were measured. As, Hg, Cu and Zn contents of the underground water were lower than those reported in the EEC (European Economic Community) and WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines. In contrast, the levels of Fe, Pb, Cd and Mn in some groundwater samples were higher than EEC and WHO guideline values. The trace metal concentrations in coal ash-pond water were observed to be lower than water quality standards with the exception of Pb. The obtained results indicated that the trace metal concentration in the sampled drinking water site did not exceed WHO limits.     

Removal of Phosphate from Waste Waters by Adsorption

In this study, the adsorption of phosphate on gas concrete from aqueous solutions has been studied as functions of temperature, mixing rates and suspension pH. Over 99% of phosphate removal was found. The chemical composition of the gas concrete has been defined by X-ray analysis. Experimental data was fitted to the Langmuir equation in order to Langmuir coefficients. After calculating Langmuir coefficients, adsorption free energy (Δ G ⁰ _ads.) has been determined. In order to gather information about adsorption mechanism, electrophoretic mobilites of particles were measured at various pHs by using Zeta meter 3.0+. It has been found that the adsorption is driven by the interactions between the ionizations of CaO and Al₂O₃ and the formation of AlPO₄. According to the BET (N₂) measurements, the specific surface area of gas concrete was found as 22 m²g^-1. The surface area after adsorption has been found as 17 m²g^-1. The surface area covered by adsorbate has been found as 5.23 m²g^-1 by usinga_s = n^s _m. a_m. N_A. These two areas determined by BET and Langmuir model were close to each other (BET: 22 m²g^-1–17 m²g^-1).     

Antimicrobial screening of Mentha piperita essential oils

Essential oils of peppermint Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae), which are used in flavors, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals, were investigated for their antimicrobial properties against 21 human and plant pathogenic microorganisms. The bioactivity of the oils menthol and menthone was compared using the combination of in vitro techniques such as microdilution, agar diffusion, and bioautography. It was shown that all of the peppermint oils screened strongly inhibited plant pathogenic microorganisms, whereas human pathogens were only moderately inhibited. Chemical compositions of the oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Using the bioautography assay, menthol was found to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of these oils.     

The role of impulse on the initiation of particle movement under turbulent flow conditions

Fundamental to our understanding of erosional and transport phenomena in earth-surface dynamics and engineering is knowledge of the conditions under which sediment motion will begin when subjected to turbulent flow. The onset criterion currently in use emphasizes the time-averaged boundary shear stress and therefore is incapable of accounting for the fluctuating forces encountered in turbulent flows. We have validated through laboratory experiments and analytical formulation of the problem a criterion based upon the impulse imparted to a sediment grain. We demonstrate that in addition to the magnitude of the instantaneous turbulent forces applied on a sediment grain, the duration of these turbulent forces is also important in determining the sediment grain's threshold of motion, and that their product, or impulse, is better suited for specifying such conditions.     

Phytochemical and antioxidant properties of selected fig (Ficus carica L.) accessions from the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Fig has been a typical fruit component of the health-promoting Mediterranean diet for a very long time. Phytochemical characters and antioxidant capacity of green-, yellow-, brown-, purple-, and black-fruited fig (Ficus carica L.) accessions were investigated. In this study, total phenolics (TP), total anthocyanins (TA), fructose (FRUC), glucose (GLUC), sucrose (SUC), and variables (such as L*, a*, C*, and hue°) describing fruit skin colors were examined. Also, the antioxidant capacity (TAC) of fig fruits was determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Antioxidant capacity was significantly correlated with the polyphenol and anthocyanin (r = 0.74 and 0.63, respectively) contents of fruits. Black fig accessions had the highest TAC (range of 7.9–16.1, mean 12.4 Fe²⁺ mmol/kg FW), TA (range of 32.3–356.0, mean 128.4 μg cy-3-rutinoside/g FW), and TP content (range of 69.1–220.0, mean 118.9 mg GAE/100 g FW). These black-fruited accessions had 2-fold greater TAC, 15-fold greater TA, and 2.5-fold greater TP than green and yellow fig accessions. However, the FRUC, GLUC, and SUC content of brown and purple fig accessions were higher than those of other color groups. The predominant sugars present were fructose (∼56%) and glucose (∼43%), as determined by HPLC.     

The efficacy of selected biological and chemical control agents against Heterobasidion abietinum on Abies cilicica

The efficacy of 30% aqueous urea solution, borax powder and spore suspensions of Phlebiopsis gigantea and Trichoderma harzianum against establishment of artificially inoculated Heterobasidion abietinum on Abies cilicica was tested both in the field and in a simulated stump treatment experiment carried out in a growth chamber. In the field, in each of the four selected stands 20 fresh stumps per control agent were treated and 20 stumps were left as untreated controls. In two of the stands, the treatments were applied in June and in the two others in November. Stumps were sampled twice, at 6‐ and 12‐months after treatment. In the growth chamber, 10 log pieces per treatment and control were used, and sampling performed after 6‐week incubation. Results of the urea and borax treatments were consistent between the experiments; the mean efficacies were 98.8 and 99.4% in the growth chamber, and 80.2–91.3 and 89.4–90.1% in the two samplings of the field experiment, respectively. Despite the high efficacies of the P. gigantea (85.9%) and T. harzianum (97.5%) treatments in the growth chamber, efficacies of these biological control agents in the field were 47.1–49.2 and 61.3–65.5%, respectively.