Distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes among HBV carriers in Isparta

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Isparta, Southwest of Turkey, as well as the clinical features and transmission route for patients with HBV infections. METHODS: Patients (n = 135) with HBV infection were included in the study. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained. HBV genotypes were determined with a preS2 epitope ELISA kit. RESULTS: Although the HBV transmission route remained unidentified in 51.1% of the patients, blood contact was determined as the most common probable transmission route (38.5%). One hundred twenty-four (91.8%) of 135 samples, could be genotyped. One hundred fifteen (85.1%) were genotyped as type D/E, six (4.4%) were genotyped as type A, two (1.4%) were genotyped as type C, and one (0.7%) were genotyped as type F. CONCLUSION: Genotype D/E is determined as the predominant HBV genotype circulating in Isparta, Southwest of Turkey. No relationship between genotypes and disease severity and transmission route has been detected.     

Tolerance of two Bifora radians Bieb populations to ALS inhibitors in winter wheat

BACKGROUND: Bifora radians, an annual weed in winter wheat, is distributed mainly in the Mediterranean area, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It infests winter-sown crops of the Central Anatolia and Middle Black Sea regions of Turkey. Field experiments in heavily B. radians-infested fields were conducted over 3 years in Samsun, Turkey, to determine the response of B. radians to ALS-inhibiting herbicides, because growers had complained of a decrease in herbicide effect. RESULTS: The efficacy of ALS inhibitors on a putatively tolerant population sprayed annually with ALS inhibitors and an adjacent allegedly sensitive population was estimated at the ED₅₀ and ED₉₀ response levels. The recommended rates of herbicides controlled 90% of the weed (ED₉₀) in the sensitive population at the early stage of B. radians development, but not in the tolerant population. The relative potencies (ED_x(tolerant)/ED_x(sensitive)) of herbicides on the two populations were estimated by assuming years as being random effects. The relative potency was on average about 1.7, irrespective of the ED_x levels. CONCLUSION: Although the relative potencies were not large, they were large enough to be noted by growers. In field experiments it would be important to establish tools demonstrating when farmers recognise loss of herbicide efficacy. There has been no indication of evolution of resistant biotypes so far, but continuous spraying favours biotypes with increased levels of tolerance. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Development and reproduction of Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae) feeding on entomopathogenic nematodes and tissues of insect larvae

We studied the effect of different food sources, infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae), and tissues from the insect larva, Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) or Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), on the development, reproduction and longevity of Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae). We showed that the immature mite stages - protonymph and tritonymph - could develop to the next developmental stage on living or sonicated (i.e., ruptured) S. feltiae or H. bacteriophora. However, the mite larval stage could only develop to the next developmental stage on sonicated infective juveniles of the nematodes. Subsequently, we demonstrated that S. polyphyllae completed development from protonymph to adult on live S. feltiae or H. bacteriophora, whereas all immature stages of S. polyphyllae completed their development from larva to adult on insect tissues. The total developmental period of S. polyphyllae that fed on insect tissues was significantly shorter than those that fed on live infective juveniles. The pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post-oviposition periods and female longevity were not significantly different among the food sources. The total and daily fecundity of S. polyphyllae feeding on P. fullo and G. mellonella was significantly higher than those feeding on S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora, although there was no significant difference observed between P. fullo and G. mellonella or between S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora. The net reproductive rate (R₀) was highest (588.3♀/♀) when S. polyphyllae fed on P. fullo. The longest mean generation time (T₀) occurred on H. bacteriophora (12.6 days) and the shortest occurred on P. fullo (10.5 days). S. polyphyllae, which fed on P. fullo (r_m=0.61) and G. mellonella (r_m=0.55) had the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) compared to mites that fed on S .feltiae (r_m=0.45) and H. bacteriophora (r_m=0.41).     

The effects of aflatoxin on the reproductive system of roosters

This study was conducted to determine the pathological changes in testes and epididymides and plasma testosterone levels of adult roosters during experimentally induced aflatoxicosis. In the study, 24 months of age, 32 Babcock breeder males were used, and they were divided into four groups each containing 8 animals. The groups were designed as follows; group 1: Control, no aflatoxin (AF), group 2: 5 ppm (parts per million) total aflatoxin (AF; B1, B2, G1, G2), group 3: 10 ppm AF and group 4: 20 ppm AF in the diet, and the birds were fed for 8 weeks. Grossly, it was seen that the testes of all AF-treatment groups birds were significantly (P < 0.001) atrophied when compared with those of control birds. Histopathologically, there was no spermatogenesis in the testes of 4, 5 and 6 cocks fed on a diet containing AF 5, 10 and 20 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, abnormal spermatozoa were observed in some of AF-treatment groups (in 2 cases in each of 5 and 10 ppm AF-treated groups, and in one case in 20 ppm AF-treated group). There were also mononuclear cell infiltration and/or focal lymphoid cell accumulation in the intertubular areas of the testes and epididymides in all AF-treatment groups. In conclusion, it has been shown that AF might totally or partially (dose related) suppress spermatogenesis, cause abnormality in spermatozoa and atrophy in testes. Furthermore, there was degeneration and desquamation in the epithelium and decrease in the size and thickness of the germinative layer of the seminiferous tubules, and lowered plasma testosterone levels in adult roosters.     

Supplementary phosphorus can alleviate boron toxicity in tomato

The effect of supplementary phosphorus on growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Target F1) plants grown at high boron was investigated. The results showed that high B reduced dry matter, fruit yield and chlorophyll content. High B plus 0.5 or 1 mM P increased plant dry matter, fruit yield and chlorophyll concentrations as compared to high B treatments only. Membrane permeability was not increased significantly due to high B application. In the leaves of plants grown at high boron treatments, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) levels were increased. However, supplementary P to nutrient solution containing high B reduced the activities of the earlier mentioned enzymes in leaves but their levels were still higher than those at the control treatments. The study revealed that B status affects the activities of some antioxidant enzymes examined. Boron (B) concentrations increased in leaves and roots in the highest external B treatment as compared to the control treatment. Concentrations of Ca, P and K were significantly lower in the leaves of plants grown at high B than those in the control plants. Supplemented nutrient solution containing high B with 0.5 or 1 mM P increased the tissue concentrations of nutrients. These results indicate that supplementary P can mitigate the adverse effects of high B on fruit yield and growth in tomato plants.     

Proximate Chemical Composition of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840) Roe

This research investigated the proximate chemical composition of whiting roe from October to April. The highest water content (83.99%) was found in March, while the lowest (72.40%) was found in December. The highest protein (14.54%) and lipid contents (9.71%) were found in December, while the lowest protein content (7.35%) was found in January and the lowest lipid content (0.38%) in April. Crude ash content of whiting roe changed from 0.86 to 1.49%. The highest (154 kcal/100 g) and lowest energy values (64 kcal/100 g) were determined in December and April, respectively. Whiting roe can be used as a source of valuable nutrients for human nutrition.     

Hemagglutination, hydrophobicity, enterotoxigenicity, and drug-resistance characteristics of avian Escherichia coli

A total of 35 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from necropsy materials of hens with septicemia in the Konya region of Turkey were examined for hemagglutination (HA), cell-surface hydrophobicity, enterotoxigenicity, and drug resistance. HA tests were performed on live cultures with human (group A), bovine, avian (chicken), and guinea pig erythrocytes with and without mannose. Nine HA patterns were observed. Of the 35 isolates, 62.8% exhibited mannose sensitive hemagglutination (MSHA), 8.6% exhibited mannose resistant hemagglutination (MRHA), and 28.6% did not hemagglutinate. Of the isolates, 85.7% were hydrophobic by a salt aggregation test (SAT). Only three isolates were enterotoxigenic by a suckling mouse assay. The majority of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole but were highly sensitive to gentamicin and nalidixic acid.     

Evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes and their combined application against Curculio elephas and Polyphylla fullo larvae

Journal of Pest Science - The larvae of Curculio elephas (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are major agricultural pests of chestnut and roots of cultivated...     

Promising apricot genetic resources from the Lake Van Region

This study was conducted in order to select valuable genetic resources(Prunus armeniaca L.) of apricot in Geva situatedon Lake Van Region (East Anatolia) of Turkey during 1998 and 1999. Allpopulation consisted of native apricot genotypes were examined with respect tofruit and tree characteristics for two years, and twenty-eight genotypes wereselected for future breeding efforts. Their flowering habit and desirable fruitcharacteristics were determined in comparison withHachalilolu. All selected apricots grown at 1700m in the region were not affected by late spring frosts. In themajority of genotypes, bud break, first flowering, full flowering and end offlowering occurred a few days earlier than the cultivarHachalilolu in both years, whereas, harvest waslater than that. Some selections produced larger fruits thanHachalilolu. All genotypes showed a range of25–48 g for fruit weight, 11–21% for soluble solids and0.19–2.90% for acidity. Soluble solids content was more than 20% in threeselections (G12, G29 and G33), and the acidity was lower than 1% in fivegenotypes (G2, G12, G27, G29 and G33). Selections with attractive fruit colorshad small to medium-sized fruits. Many genotypes were evaluated as promising forfurther breeding efforts.