Modeling crop yield potential of Eastern Anatolia by using geographically weighted regression

Wheat is a very important cereal crop in Eastern Anatolia in terms of acreage and production. It is a staple food and plays an important role in people's livelihood. Drought often occurs in the region and it dramatically influences wheat yield. The yield also depends upon prevailing climatic conditions, rainfall, temperature and humidity. Crop-modeling studies to forecast crop yield are important not only for people now but for planning studies and precautionary measures for the future. Traditional decision support systems based on crop simulation models are normally site-specific. In order to address the effect of spatial variability of weather variables on crop production, we modeled wheat yield potential on certain climatic conditions by using Geographically Weighted Regression and Geographical Information Systems in Eastern Anatolia in Turkey.     

Comparative assessment of antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibitory properties of the marigold extracts from Calendula arvensis L. and Calendula officinalis L.

Calendula sp. is an important medicinal and industrial plant with various bioactivities. In this study, we examined enzyme inhibitory effects of the n-hexane, dichloromethane, acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts of the leaf and flowers of Calendula arvensis L. and C. officinalis L. against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The extracts were screened for their antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric ion-chelating capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays at 250, 500, and 1000 μg mL⁻¹. Total phenol and flavonoid quantification of the extracts was achieved using Folin-Ciocalteau and AlCl₃ reagents, respectively. The ethyl acetate extract of C. arvensis flowers was the most active in AChE inhibition assay (31.24 ± 1.29%), while the n-hexane extract of C. officinalis leaves exerted the highest ferric ion-chelating capacity (74.27 ± 2.25%). Thin layer chromatographic analysis indicated presence of flavonoid and triterpene derivatives mainly in the extracts.     

Use of a hand-held meter for detecting subclinical ketosis in dairy cows

The Optium Xceed is a new hand-held meter for determining blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and glucose in human medicine. The objective of this study was to compare BHBA and glucose results obtained using the hand-held meter with those results made with a laboratory method and to evaluate its usefulness as a cowside test in the diagnosis of subclinical ketosis (SCK) in dairy cows. Seventy-eight blood samples from clinically healthy Holstein cows between 5 and 60 days post-calving were analysed. BHBA and glucose values were significantly higher with the hand-held meter versus laboratory methods. Correlation coefficients (r) for BHBA and glucose with the Optium Xceed versus laboratory methods were 0.97 and 0.63, respectively. Based on Bland–Altman plot and Passing–Bablok regression, agreement between two methods was good for BHBA but the agreement for glucose was only fair. When SCK was defined as plasma BHBA levels 1200 μmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity of the hand-held meter ketone testing in determining SCK were 85% and 94%, respectively. Raising the threshold of the laboratory method to 1400 μmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity incremented to 0.90 and 0.98, respectively.In conclusion, the blood ketone-monitoring device can be used as a rapid and reliable diagnostic test to detect SCK under field conditions.     

Effect of different dietary levels of Yucca schidigera powder on the performance,blood parameters and egg yolk cholesterol of laying quails

A total of 135 laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica), 9 weeks old, were divided into three dietary treatment groups. Three replicates were assigned to each treatment group consisting of 15 birds per cage. The diet was supplemented with 0, 100 and 200 ppm Yucca schidigera powder and given ad libitum to the quails for a period of 14 weeks. Body weight, egg production, feed consumption and feed efficiency were not different due to dietary treatments among the groups. Increased egg weight was determined in the control group. Yucca powder supplementation decreased serum glucose, cholesterol triglyceride level in laying quails. Serum total protein concentration was not changed by dietary treatments but albumin level was decreased in quails fed 100 ppm yucca powder. Egg yolk cholesterol concentration was not significantly different among the groups but tended to decline (11.5%) as a result of yucca supplementation. Red Blood Cell (RBC) and White Blood Cell (WBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were not affected by supplementation of yucca powder. However, haemoglobin (HB) concentration was slightly increased and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was significantly increased by 200 ppm yucca powder supplementation to the diet.     

Serum sialic acid and oxidative stress parameters changes in cattle with leptospirosis

This study was designed to disclose some indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation in natural cases of bovine leptospirosis. For this purpose, 12 bulls exhibiting clinical signs of leptospirosis and 10 healthy bulls were used. Animals were subjected to thorough clinical examination and the clinical signs were recorded. All animals were blood sampled in order to determine serum total sialic acid (TSA), lipid bound sialic acid (LBSA), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), uric acid (UA), total protein (TP), albumin and glucose. Urine samples were collected from each animal and examined under dark-field microscope to observe spirochetes. Diseased animals exhibited clinical signs suggesting leptospirosis and the diagnosis was supported by positive dark-field microscope examination. Mean TSA (mmol/L), LBSA (mmol/L), TP (g/dl), albumin (g/dl), glucose (mg/dl), MDA (μmol/L), GSH (mg/dl), NO (nmol/ml), and UA (mg/L) levels were 1.63 ± 0.02, 0.40 ± 0.10, 7.18 ± 0.24, 3.23 ± 0.5, 64.96 ± 1.88, 5.71 ± 0.11, 78.68 ± 0.72, 7.94 ± 0.34, and 8.75 ± 0.41 in healthy bulls, and 2.50 ± 0.05, 0.70 ± 0.2, 9.27 ± 0.17, 2.55 ± 0.62, 107.93 ± 2.52, 8.82 ± 0.14, 47.85 ± 1.85, 14.57 ± 0.63 and 15.85 ± 0.80 in leptospirosis cases, respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Increased TSA, LBSA, MDA, NO, UA, TP, glucose and decreased GSH and albumin concentrations were suggestive of inflammation and oxidative stress in diseased bulls. The results obtained may suggest that oxidative damage along with other mechanisms might have taken part in the pathogenesis of bovine leptospirosis and further detailed studies are needed to fully understand the mechanism(s) of the disease.     

Molecular and serological evidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection of farm animals in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

This study was designed to determine the presence and the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in sheep and cattle in the Middle and Eastern Black Sea Regions of Turkey in which the potential vector, Ixodes ricinus, is widespread. Blood samples were collected from 720 sheep and 720 cattle from 6 provinces of the region, and used for detecting antibodies to A. phagocytophilum by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and specific nucleic acids by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Blood smears were also prepared and examined microscopically for the presence of A. phagocytophilum-like organisms in polymorphonuclear cells. Of the animals examined, antibodies were detected in 110 (15.27%) cattle and 107 (14.86%) sheep and A. phagocytophilum-like organisms were detected in the blood of 73 (10.13%) cattle and 71 (9.86%) sheep. In addition, specific DNA was detected in the blood of 27 (14.75%) cattle and 22 (12.35%) sheep. The results obtained constitute the first molecular and serological evidence of A. phagocytophilum infection in sheep and cattle in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.     

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.     

Determination of chemical profile, antioxidant, DNA damage protection and antiamoebic activities of Teucrium polium and Stachys iberica

This work deals with the evaluation of in vitro antioxidant, DNA preventing and antiamoebic activities of the water extracts of Teucrium polium and Stachys iberica. In all systems, T. polium extract exhibited excellent activity potential than that of S. iberica. The amount of total phenolics and flavonoids were high in this extract. In the presence of 40 mg/ml T. polium extract, a significant protection was observed for native super coiled DNA of pBR322 plasmid DNA. In the presence of 32 mg/ml of T. polium extract, no trophozoite was after the 24th hour.