Antimicrobial activity of ten Lycoperdaceae

The 60% methanolic extracts of ten Lycoperdaceae exhibited antimicrobial activity.     

Antibacterial activity of the endemic Hypericum kazdaghensis

The antibacterial activity of the chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts of endemic Hypericum kazdaghensis leaves were evaluated by disc diffusion method. All extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria.     

Haploidy in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.): a critical review

Results on the induction of haploidy in tomato via both gynogenesis and microspore embryogenesis in vitro are far from satisfactory. The number of reports available on the gynogenic induction via in vitro non-fertilized ovary culture, wide hybridization and the use of irradiated pollen are limited. The main reason for this may be the difficulty experienced in working with this species. Therefore, many failed attempts have not been reported. Non-fertilized ovary culture and wide hybridization using Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. as the male parent seem to be promising (Bal and Abak, Pak J Biol Sci 6:745–749, 2003a, b). Further efforts in this line may improve results obtained earlier. Several reports (Gresshoff and Doy, Planta 107:161–170, 1972; Sharp et al., Planta 104:357–361, 1972; Zamir et al., Plant Sci Lett 17:353–361, 1980; Chlyah and Taarji, Proc. Int. Symp. Plant tissue and cell culture application to crop improvement. 24–29 Sept. 1984; Jaramillo and Summers, J Amer Soc Hort Sci 115:1047–1050, 1990, HortScience 26:915–916, 1991; Summers et al., HortScience 27:838–840, 1992) are available on anther culture of tomato but a working protocol is yet to be developed. For the induction of anther callus, anthers carrying microspores at the meiotic stages appear to be the most responsive. However, the callus and the regenerants obtained were mainly of somatic origin. Somatic tissues of tomato anthers carrying the meiotic stages are highly responsive to tissue culture manipulations in comparison to anther tissues of the later stages. Therefore, reports on the induction of callus from anthers carrying early microspore stages should be met with caution. If culturing young anthers is of any help then it may be that the anther tissues are nursing the microspores and bringing them to the responsive uninucleate stage. Following the first report by Sharp et al. (Planta 104:357–361, 1972) on the induction of microspore embryogenesis, using a modified version of the microspore culture, reports concentrated only on anther culture (reviewed by Chlyah et al., Haploids in crop improvement I. Biotechnology in agriculture and forestry 12. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1990). Based on findings reported by Yinnan et al. (J Agric Biotechnol, , 1999) and Bal and Abak (Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 19:35–42, 2005) on the induction of symmetrical division of microspore nuclei from uninucleate microspores, the formation of multicellular structures and globular embryos, it is likely that the future of tomato haploidy lies in the technique of isolated microspore culture.     

Effects of 2-phenoxyethanol on survival of normal juveniles and malformed juveniles having lordosis or nonfunctional swimbladders of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758)

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of 2‐phenoxyethanol (2‐PE), which is an anaesthetic, on survival rates of normal juveniles and malformed juveniles having lordosis or nonfunctional swim bladders of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758) and to establish the LC₅₀ (the concentration lethal to 50% of test animals at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4 and 4.5 mL L⁻¹) and LT₅₀ (the time lethal to 50% of test animals after 10‐, 20‐, 30‐, 40‐, 50‐ and 60‐min time periods) of 2‐PE at 19±0.5°C, salinity 38 g L⁻¹, pH 7.4–7.8 and dissolved oxygen >8 mg L⁻¹. Between concentrations of 0.05 and 0.25 mL L⁻¹, 2‐PE did not cause any mortality or toxicity on normal, lordosis and nonfunctional swimbladder juveniles of sea bass during the 60‐min exposure period. On the other hand, significance in each group fish in their mortality rates between concentrations of 0.30 and 0.45 mL L⁻¹ was observed (P<0.05). The nonfunctional swimbladder juveniles showed lower LC₅₀ than normal and lordosis juveniles respectively. Also, nonfunctional swimbladders juveniles showed lower LT₅₀ than normal and lordosis juveniles respectively. At concentrations of 0.30, 0.35, 0.40 and 0.45 mL L⁻¹, induction times were found to be significantly different among the three groups (P<0.05). Recovery times were not found to be significantly different in two groups at concentrations of 0.30 and 0.40 mL L⁻¹ (P>0.05). The toxic effect of 2‐PE on sea bass juveniles increased depending on the exposure times (P<0.05). The most suitable concentrations of 2‐PE were 0.30–0.35 mL L⁻¹ between minutes 10 and 30, although the normal juveniles can resist to 0.45 mL L⁻¹ of 2‐PE concentration for 20 min. The 2‐PE showed toxicity in relation to the concentrations and exposure time combinations among the three groups in the order; nonfunctional swimbladder fish >lordosis fish >normal fish.     

Modulating effects of thyme and its major ingredients on oxidative DNA damage in human lymphocytes

The present study was carried out to investigate the modulating effects of thyme and its major components against the oxidative DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2). The human lymphocytes with thymol, carvacrol, and gamma-terpinene incubated with or without 0.1 mM H(2)O(2) for 30 min at 37 degrees C and the DNA damage were evaluated by singe cell gel electropheresis (comet assay). Concentrations above 0.1 mM thymol and gamma-terpinene and 0.05 mM carvacrol significantly induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes, but at the smaller concentrations no additional DNA strand breakage has been observed. At the all concentrations studied, gamma-terpinene did not show any protective effect against H(2)O(2) induced oxidative DNA damage, but the phenolic compounds thymol and carvacrol at concentrations below 0.2 and 0.1 mM, respectively, significantly reduced the oxidative DNA damage (p < 0.001). The n-hexane and ethyl acetate fractions prepared from the methanolic extracts of Thymus spicata also were found to inhibit DNA damage.     

Babesia ovis infections: Detailed clinical and laboratory observations in the pre- and post-treatment periods of 97 field cases

Ovine babesiosis, caused by Babesia ovis, is of major economic importance in Turkey. The changes in the blood profile of infected animals are informative about the course of infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical changes in the pre- and post-treatment periods of the natural B. ovis infections. The presence of the parasites was confirmed by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. On the basis of the clinical and laboratory findings, the infections were categorized into different groups according to the degree of anemia and the level of parasitemia. All infected sheep were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (IMDP). The blood pictures in the pre- and post-treatment periods were compared.Pancytopenia occurred in animals with severe anemia and very high parasitemia, and bicytopenia in the other groups. The platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) returned to the normal ranges after treatment, except those in the group with severe anemia. In the biochemical profile, B. ovis infection caused an increase in blood urea nitrogen and total bilirubin, and these parameters returned to normal levels after treatment.The indirect fluorescein antibody test (IFAT) results showed that 38.1% of the cases raised specific antibodies during the period of infection, with titers ranging from 1/160 to 1/640. All of 45 animals re-examined after treatment were seropositive, with high titers that rose up to 1/5120.