A case of aspergillosis in a broiler breeder flock

A case of aspergillosis in a broiler breeder flock having respiratory and nervous system problems caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger is documented. Dyspnea, hyperpnea, blindness, torticollis, lack of equilibrium, and stunting were observed clinically. On postmortem examination of the affected birds, white to yellow caseous nodules were observed on lungs, thoracic air sacs, eyes, and cerebellum. Histopathologic examination of lungs and cerebellum revealed classic granulomatous inflammation and cerebellar lesions, necrotic meningoencephalitis, respectively. No lesions were noted in the cerebrum histopathologically. Aspergillus hyphae were observed in stained sections prepared from lesioned organs. Fungal spores and branched septate hyphae were observed in direct microscopy. Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger were isolated from the inoculations prepared from the suspensions of organs showing lesions.     

Degradation of chlorophenoxyacid herbicides in aqueous media,using a novel electrochemical method†

The degradation of five chlorophenoxyacid herbicides has been studied using an electrochemical method based on the Fenton reaction (simultaneous reduction of dioxygen and ferric ions). The method consists of electrosynthesizing OH^· radicals, which react rapidly with chlorophenoxyacids in aqueous media. HPLC and GC-MS analysis show the formation of polyhydroxyphenols and quinones in a first step, and the complete destruction of the aromatic nucleus upon exhaustive electrolysis. This offers a possible way for the depollution of natural waters containing chlorophenoxyacid pesticide residues. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Triploid Induction of Green Tiger Shrimp,Penaeus semisulcatus (De Haan, 1844) Using Temperature and Chemical Shock

Triploidy in fertilized eggs of Penaeus semisulcatus was induced by temperature and chemical shocks. The eggs, which were obtained from the shrimp broodstock maintained at 29 C, were exposed to cold temperature (8, 10, 12, and 14 C) and 6‐dimetiloaminopurine (6‐DMAP) concentrations (100, 150, 200, and 250 μM) for different durations (4, 6, and 8 min) 9 min after spawning was detected. While the highest triploidy rate of 49.7 ± 4.5% was obtained with a 200 μM 6‐DMAP concentration for a duration of 8 min, the best mean triploidy rate of 45.5 ± 2.8% for cold shock was obtained at a temperature of 10 C for a duration of 8 min. Temperature and 6‐DMAP concentration did not have significant effect on triploidy rate (P > 0.05) but shock duration had significant effect on triploidy rate for individual cold temperature shock or 6‐DMAP chemical shock (P < 0.05). Although longer durations of shock agent increased the rates of triploid induction, they generally had an adverse effect on hatching rates in the study.     

Antidiabetic,Antihypertensive and Antioxidant Properties of Grapevine Leaf Extracts Obtained by Ultrasound,Microwave Assisted,and Classical Solvent Extraction

Grapevine leaves are consumed as a food in Mediterranean countries. At the same time, it is a byproduct of the wine industry. Antioxidant, antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties of grapevine leaves after ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and classical solvent extraction (CSE) were evaluated and compared by using water and methanol as solvent. DPPH radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TEAC), metal chelating activity, ACE inhibitory activity and α?glucosidase inhibitory activity of grapevine leaves extracts were determined. The highest values of grapevine leave extracts for antioxidant properties; DPPH (61.60%), TPC (910.18?mg GAE?g^?1), TEAC (6.23?µg Trolox mg^?1) and metal chelating activity (IC50; 3.18?mg mL^?1) were obtained from UAE when the methanol was used extracting solvent. However antihypertensive activity (13.68%) and antidiabetic activity (83.00%) values obtained from MAE by using water as a solvent were relatively highest. The effectiveness of UAE, MAE and CSE methods in terms of antioxidant, antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties of grapevine leaves were significantly (p?<?0.05) different from each other. This differences depending on the solvent used.     

The effects of environmental enrichment and transport stress on the weights of lymphoid organs,cell‐mediated immune response,heterophil functions and antibody production in laying hens

The effects of environmental enrichment and transport stress on the immune system were investigated in laying hens. A total of 48 1‐day‐old chickens were used, half of the chickens were reared in conventional cages (RCC) and the rest in enriched cages (REC). Transport stress was applied in the 17th week. Liver weight decreased, spleen and bursa of Fabricius weights, white blood cell count, CD4+ and CD8+ cell proportions increased due to the transport. Environmental enrichment significantly increased antibody production and tended to increase monocyte percentage and CD8+ cell proportion. The effect of transport on, heterophil (H) and lymphocyte (L) percentages was not significant in RCC chickens. While heterophil percentage and H:L ratio increased, lymphocyte percentage decreased in REC chickens subjected to transport. Transport stress increased heterophil functions both in REC and RCC chickens, but the increase was higher in REC hens than in RCC hens. In conclusion, although environmental enrichment did not neutralize the effect of transport on lymphoid organs, it activated the non‐specific immune system, cellular and the humoral branches of the specific immune system by increasing heterophil functions, CD8+ cells and antibody production, respectively. Therefore, environmental enrichment suggested for improving animal welfare may also be beneficial to improve the immune system of birds exposed to stress.     

Titres of alloantibodies against A and B blood types in non-pedigree domestic cats in Turkey: assessing the transfusion reaction risk

The severity of a transfusion reaction depends on alloantibody titres within the recipients' blood. Determination of an agglutination titre of naturally occurring alloantibody may help to assess the risk of transfusion reactions following an unmatched transfusion in a cat population. In this group of 312 cats 227 had blood type A, 78 had blood type B, and seven had type AB blood. All type B cats tested showed gross evidence of agglutinating anti-A antibody with plasma titres ranging from 2 to 256. Among the 227 type A domestic cats tested for plasma anti-B alloantibody titres, 70% had gross agglutination with titres ranging from 2 to 16, while 17.6% had microscopic agglutination. The remaining 12.4% of the type A cats were negative for both gross and microscopic agglutination. Based on agglutinating titres, the relative risk of a transfusion reaction when type A or AB blood was given to a type B cat was 6.4% with acute severe reaction, acute mild reactions in 85.9% and premature red cell destruction in 7.7%. On the other hand, transfusion of type AB blood or type B blood to type A cats carries a potential risk of acute mild transfusion reaction in 4.4% and premature red cell destruction in 83.3%. Transfusion of type A or B blood to type AB cats results in no apparent clinical transfusion reactions.     

Screening for resistance of Turkish olive cultivars and clonal rootstocks to Verticillium wilt

Verticillium wilt resistance of 77 olive cultivars including 71 domestic and six foreign ones, and four clonal rootstocks available in the olive gene bank, were tested using a highly virulent isolate (D pathotype) of Verticillium dahliae. The pathogen was stem-inoculated into the own-rooted saplings. Most cultivars and rootstocks were found to be extremely susceptible to the disease. ‘Sinop No. 1’, ‘E?riburun Nizip’, ‘Erkence’, ‘E?riburun Tatayn’, ‘Girit Zeytini’ and ‘Marantelli’ were highly resistant, as their disease severities did not exceed 10%. Additionally, 11 domestic cultivars (‘Sar? Habe?i’, ‘Ya?l?k Çelebi’, ‘Zoncuk’, ‘Dilmit’, ‘?am’, ‘Hurma Karaca’, ‘Erdek Ya?l?k’, ‘Melkabaz?’, ‘Yün Çelebi’, ‘Kan Çelebi’ and ‘Siyah Salamural?k’), two foreign cultivars (‘Arbequina’ and ‘Frantoio’) and one wild clonal rootstock (‘D36’) were found to be resistant, with disease severities less than 30%. On the other hand, the moderately susceptible group comprised ten domestic cultivars (‘Ak Zeytin’, ‘Ya? Çelebi’, ‘Saurani’, ‘Butko’, ‘Gemlik’, ‘Otur’, ‘Ya? Zeytini’, ‘Belluti’, ‘Sinop No. 2’ and ‘Samanl?’), three foreign cultivars (‘Leccino’, ‘Chemlali’ and ‘Ascolana’) and one wild clonal rootstock (‘D9’). The number of cultivars within highly resistant and resistant groups was 17 out of the 71 domestic cultivars from all regions (four from Aegean, seven from southeastern Anatolia, two from Black Sea and three from Marmara).     

Lipid evaluation of cultivated and wild carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) seed oil growing in Turkey

Studies were carried out on the oil content, fatty acids, tocopherols and sterols in the seeds of two carobs (Ceratonia siliqua), cultivated and wild, from Turkey. The oil yields of cultivated and wild carob seeds were established as 1.73 and 1.82% on a dry weight basis, respectively. The main fatty acids in cultivated and wild carob seed oils are linoleic (49.1% and 51.0%), oleic (30.4% and 26.5%), palmitic (10.3% and 12.0%) and stearic (3.5% and 4.6%), respectively. Tocopherols and phytosterols are important constituents of the unsaponifiable fraction of several seed oils. The major tocopherol in both seed oils was γ-tocopherol. The composition (mg/100 g) was as follows α-tocopherol (69.06 and 70.39 mg/100 g), P8 (22.29 and 24.78 mg/100 g), δ-tocopherol (8.70 and 10.66 mg/100 g), β-tocopherol (2.30 and 1.85 mg/100 g). The total tocopherol contents had 208.45 and 223.14 mg/100 g, respectively. The total content of sterols of both oils were determined as 16400.94 and 30191.55 mg/kg, with β-sitosterol as the predominant sterol that accounted for more than 70% of the total amount of sterols other sterols, campesterol (5.33–5.32%), stigmasterol (0.58–11.43%) 7-avenasterol (3.45–3.03%), 7-stigmasterol (2.16–2.4%), and chlerosterol (1.33–1.0%) were detected in both carob oils. As a result, the accurate quantification of these analyses has very important applications for the nutrition sciences.     

Determining the Energy Usage Efficiency of Walnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Juglans Regia</Emphasis> L.) Cultivation in Turkey

The aim of this study is to reveal the energy balance of walnut in Central Anatolian Region in Turkey. This study has been conducted at the walnut cultivating facilities during the 2014–2015 production season in K?r?ehir, Konya, Nev?ehir and Ni?de provinces of Central Anatolian Region in Turkey, where walnut cultivation is intense. In the study, a total of 28 walnut cultivation facilities, yielding walnut, have been selected through Neyman method and surveys and observations have been performed in these facilities. The agricultural input energies and output energies used in walnut cultivation have been calculated to define the energy use efficiency. According to the study findings, the energy inputs in walnut cultivation are calculated respectively 17,851.33?MJ ha^?1 (74.40%) chemical fertilizer energy, 2229.87?MJ ha^?1 (9.29%) fuel energy, 1640.64?MJ ha^?1 (6.83%) irrigation water energy, 1539?MJ ha^?1 (6.41%) machine energy, 508.02?MJ ha^?1 (%2.11) chemical energy, 180.35?MJ ha^?1 (0.75%) human labour energy and 43.33?MJ ha^?1 (0.18%) farm manure energy. Production outputs have been calculated as 14,679.52?MJ ha^?1. Following the energy calculations, the output/input ratio, specific energy, energy efficiency and net energy calculations have been calculated respectively as 0.61, 30.20?MJ kg^?1, 0.03?kg MJ^?1 and ?9313.02?MJ ha^?1. Benefit-cost ratio was calculated as 1.88, by dividing the gross value of production by the total cost of production per hectare in walnut production.