Increased genetic diversity of BVDV strains circulating in Eastern Anatolia,Turkey: first detection of BVDV-3 in Turkey

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a pathogen associated with loss of meat, milk, and reproductive performance in cattle across the world. There have been...     

Determination of cardiac troponin I in the blood and heart of calves with foot-and-mouth disease

The current study was designed to determine the changes of the cardiac troponin I (cTnI) expression in blood and tissue during the myocardial degeneration in calves with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Seventeen crossbred calves presenting pathological signs for FMD confirmed by viral analysis were studied. A biochemistry panel and immunohistochemistry were performed on 17 diseased calves and 7 calves used as controls. Creatine kinase (CK), CK-myocardial band (CK-MB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were analyzed for both groups. Cardiac troponin I levels were measured by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Mean cTnI (14.8 +/- 1.9 ng/ml) concentration and CK (573 +/- 407 U/l), CK-MB (238 +/- 37 U/l), AST (84 +/- 7), and LDH (298 +/- 29 U/l) activities were higher in FMD cases compared with controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed loss or depletion of cTnI expression in myocardium of all cases. None of the 7 controls showed loss of cTnI expression. Increased serum cTnI concentration correlated with myocardial injury and loss of cTnI immunolabeling in cardiomyocytes of calves with FMD.     

Insecticidal and behavioral effects of some plant essential oils against Sitophilus granarius L. and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Insecticidal, repellent and fumigant activities of Rosemary [Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae)], Daphne [Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae)], Echinacea...     

A NEW STRATEGY TO ENRICH CALCIUM NUTRITION OF FRUIT: SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF POSTHARVEST FOLIAR CALCIUM AND BORON SPRAYS

The objective of the study is to investigate the role of calcium (Ca) and boron (B) synergy in higher maintenance of Ca in fruit buds during senescence. To study the hypothesis, an experiment was conducted for two years in two ‘Starking Delicious’ apple (Malus domastica Borkh.) orchards established on seedling rootstocks in Banaz, Usak, Turkey. Treatments composed of postharvest foliar sprays of Ca at rate of 15.13 kg h^?1, B at rate of 2.47 kg h^?1 and their combination (Ca+B) compared with control trees sprayed with water. Fruiting spurs, flower ovaries, young and mature fruits were sampled and analyzed for their Ca, B, potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) contents. Fruit were stored for six months and quality attributes were studied. Results put forth that Ca+B treatments significantly increase fruit Ca and B concentrations and firmness. The results displayed that postharvest B spray improves Ca nutrition of fruits through synergism of Ca+B on Ca translocation.     

Boron Toxicity Alters Nitrate Reductase Activity,Proline Accumulation,Membrane Permeability,and Mineral Constituents of Tomato and Pepper Plants

ABSTRACT

Boron (B) toxicity is an important disorder that can limit plant growth on soils of arid and semi arid environments throughout the world. Although of considerable agronomic importance, our understanding of B toxicity is rather fragmented and limited. The effects of increasing levels of B (0, 0.5, 5, 50 mg kg^{? 1}) on plant growth, proline accumulation, membrane permeability, nitrate reductase activity (NRA), and mineral nutrient interactions of tomato and pepper plants were investigated in greenhouse conditions. Increasing levels of B increased the B contents of plants. Boron toxicity symptoms occurred at 5 and 50 mg kg^{? 1} levels. Fresh and dry weights of the plants clearly decreased with the application of the 50 mg kg^{? 1} level of B. Membrane permeability and proline accumulation were significantly increased by the 50 mg kg^{? 1} level of B. Nitrate reductase activity of tomato plants was increased with increasing levels of B. With the exception of potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) in pepper and magnesium (Mg) in tomato, B treatments significantly affected nutrient concentrations of tomato and pepper. Except for sulfur (S) and Ca in tomato, the highest rate of B applied increased the N, phosphorus (P), and K concentrations of tomato and N, P, Mg, and S concentrations of pepper.     

Pharmacokinetics of Sulpiride After Intravenous,Intramuscular, and Oral Single-Dose Administration in Nurse Mares

Sulpiride (SLP) is an antipsychotic drug used in humans. Although no pharmacokinetic data are available for horses, it is commonly used to encourage ovulation in noncycling mares and to stimulate lactation in adoptive mares. The aim of this study is to assess the pharmacokinetics profile of SLP after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and oral (PO) administrations in normal horses. Animals (n = 6) were treated with 1 mg/kg SLP, administered by IV, IM, and PO routes according to a randomized crossover design (3 × 3 Latin square). Blood samples (5 mL) were collected at a programmed time and analyzed using a validated with fluorescence detection method. SLP was present at a detectable concentration up to 24 hours postadministration for all routes, except for one animal in the PO group. IV and IM administrations gave similar curves, with an IM average bioavailability of 118.0%. These high values were mainly the result of the profile generated by two horses, in which a secondary concentration peak occurred in the terminal phase of the curve. After PO administration, AUC_0-∞, and consequently bioavailability (20.4%), was low. This finding could be owing to the physicochemical features of the drug. Indeed, considering that SLP is a weak base, existing in the ionized form at gastric and physiological pH, it is unsurprising that it is poorly absorbable, especially in horses with a particularly acidic gastric pH. In conclusion, injective routes are definitely preferable to PO dosing because of the low bioavailability using this route.     

Soil Property Changes After Conversion from FOrest to Pasture in Mount Sacinka,Artvin, Turkey

Turkey's forests have been continuously facing conversion into both agriculture and pasturelands, causing not only degradation and fragmentation of forested lands but also negative changes in soil properties that have not been thoroughly investigated. In order to determine possible changes in some physical and hydrophysical soil parameters along with the dispersion ratio between natural coppice forests and the neighbouring forest‐to‐grassland converted areas, a foothill of Mount Sacinka in Artvin was chosen as a research area. Besides land use, possible effects of elevation change on soil properties due to the mountainous and moderately steep landscape of the region were also taken into consideration. The soil samples were analysed for soil texture, permeability, field capacity, bulk density, organic matter, pH and dispersion ratio. The results indicated that whereas permeability (43·05 mm h⁻¹ in forest and 18·82 mm h⁻¹ in pasture), field capacity (43·45% in forest and 38·08% in pasture) and organic matter (6·36% in forest and 5·34% in pasture) values turned out to be higher in forest soils, bulk density (0·91 g cm⁻³ in forest and 1·06 g cm⁻³ in pasture) and pH (5·89 in forest and 6·55 in pasture) values were low in grassland soils, meaning that conversion has negative effects on soil properties. Additionally, the mean dispersion ratios of 27·55% and 33·58% for forest and pastureland soils, respectively, indicated soil erosion problems in both land uses. In addition, as for elevation effect, forest soils especially showed better characteristics at higher elevations with high permeability, field capacity and organic matter and low pH and dispersion ratio. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.