Influence of BAP Concentrations and Nutrient Medium Composition on <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> Regeneration of ‘Öküzgözü’ and ‘Boğazkere’ (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L.) Cultivars

This study has been conducted with the aim to determine the type of nutrient medium that can be used in micropropagation studies for ‘Öküzgözü’ and ‘Bo?azkere’ and to specify BAP concentrations. In the study where ejectors with a length of 0.7–0.8?cm that are obtained with single-node culture are used, it was focused on four different nutrient media such as MS, DKW, QL and WPM and on six different concentrations such as 0.2–0.4–0.6–0.8–1.0–1.5 mg l^?1 BAP. Single-node suspension explants which will be used in initiating the culture, are taken into culture in MS nutrient medium and the nutrient medium is supported with 30?g l^?1 sucrose, 6?g l^?1 agar and 1?mg l^?1 BAP. In the trial environment, parameters such as number of shoots, shoot length (cm), number of nodes and callus ratio have been investigated. For both grape varieties, the best outcome was obtained with MS nutrient medium with respect to number of shoots, shoot length, and number of nodes. These values were found as 4.66, 1.24 and 6.39 for ‘Öküzgözü’ variety respectively, whereas they are determined as 6.28, 1.15 and 6.81 for ‘Bo?azkere’ variety respectively. In both grape varieties in DKW nutrient medium, starting from the 2nd week of culture, obscuration began to appear on the shoots and after this stage no other development has taken place.     

Effects of Bio-Bor Fertilizer Applications on Fruit Yield,Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Freeze Injury of Strawberry

Deficiency of Boron (B) is widespread in the many parts of region of Turkey. So, the effects of boron and plant growth promoting bacteria (Bio-B) on the fruit yield, antioxidant enzyme activity and plant freeze injury of strawberry cv. Fern were investigated under field conditions between 2013 and 2014. The experimental plot was a completely randomized design with 4 replicates. Control and Bio-B were used as fertilizer agent in the experiment. Bio-B fertilizer was applied in three methods as soil, foliar and soil + foliar application methods to strawberry plants. Data through 2 years showed that the use of Bio-B significantly increased fruit yield, antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased freeze injury of strawberry leaf. Soil + foliar applications of Bio-B fertilizer increased to fruit yield compared to the control by 55.91?%. However, foliar application of Bio-B fertilizer increased to catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity compared with the control treatment 41.86?%, 48.99?%, and 26.59?%, respectively and decreased freeze injury of strawberry leaves 27.41?%. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Bio-B fertilizer application have the potential to increase the yield, antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased freeze injury of strawberry plants under field conditions.     

Effects of different nutrient solution formulations on morphological and biochemical characteristics of nursery fig trees grown in substrate culture

This research was carried out to determine the effects of different nutrient solution formulations on the growth of nursery fig trees in substrate culture, which is one of the soil-less culture techniques. The hardwood cuttings of Ficus carica L. cv. “Sar?lop” (Calimyrna) were planted into pots filled with 13 L of perlite. Five different nutrient solution formulations were tested on the quality and growth progress of nursery fig trees. The trials were conducted in two different growing conditions, namely, high-tunnel and open-field conditions in substrate culture. To observe the effect of different nutrient solution formulations on nursery fig trees, some morphological and biochemical characteristics were determined. It was concluded that the use of Hewitt's and Hoagland's nutrient solution formulations led to increased growth of nursery fig trees in high-tunnel and open-field conditions, respectively.     

Effects of organic solid cattle manure application on nutritive value of winter cereal forages

Nutritive value of winter cereal forages is one of interested subjects of farmers for animal feeding. Field experiments were established in 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 growing seasons in northeast Turkey to investigate the effect of organic solid cattle manure application (0, 10 and 20 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1) on nutritive value of three annual cereals for forage. The winter cereal forages were: wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.) and rye (Secela cereale L.). ADF (acid detergent fiber), NDF (neutral detergent fiber) CP (crude protein), nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sodium, zinc and boron (N, P, K, S, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Zn and B) concentrations were researched in this study. Wheat had the highest CP, N, Ca, Cu, Na and Zn concentration, whereas oat had the lowest ADF and NDF and the highest K, Fe and Mn concentrations. The greatest Mg and P concentrations were determined in rye. Organic solid cattle manure applications had no effect on N and CP contents, but it decreased ADF and NDF contents. However, in most cases it positively affected the P, B, Cu, Fe, Mg and Na concentrations, whereas it decreased K, Ca, Mn and Zn concentrations. The results showed that wheat and oat are more nutritive species than rye in terms of animal feeding and the organic solid cattle manure, in some cases increased the nutritive values of wheat, oat and rye under organic agriculture conditions.     

Molecular typing and cdt genes prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from various sources

The genetic diversity of 168 Campylobacter jejuni isolates originating from human (n = 30), cattle (n = 36), sheep (n = 44), dog (n = 35), and poultry (n = 21) and cdt genes prevalence of the isolates were investigated. To determine the genetic diversity of these strains, random amplified polymorphic DNA–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a random primer (M13) was performed. The numbers of genotypes determined in human, cattle, sheep, dog, and poultry isolates were 19, 18, 17, 18, and 6, respectively. To find out the prevalence of cdt genes in C. jejuni isolates simultaneously, a multiplex PCR was performed. The prevalence of the separate cdt genes was found to vary from 69% to 100% for cdtA, 92% to 100% for cdtB, and 39% to 98% for cdtC. These rates without host discriminating were 95%, 98%, and 93% for cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC, respectively. The prevalence of all three cdt genes in strains originating from human, cattle, sheep, dog, and poultry were 87%, 67%, 84%, 89%, and 39%, respectively. These results showed the relatively high genetic heterogeneity and variation of cdt genes among C. jejuni isolates from various sources except for poultry isolates. This study gives baseline data on molecular characterization of C. jejuni strains from different sources.     

Methicillin and aminoglycoside resistance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> isolates from bovine mastitis and sequence analysis of their <Emphasis Type="Italic">mecA</Emphasis> genes

Although methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were generally isolated from human beings; these agents were recently isolated from various animal species. It has been shown that MRSA isolates are not only resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, but can also be resistant to the other commonly used antibiotics. In this study, 18 phenotypic methicillin resistant S. aureus isolates from bovine mastitis cases were analyzed by PCR for the presence of mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance and aac(6′)/aph(2″), aph(3′)-IIIa and ant(4′)-Ia genes encoding aminoglycoside resistance. Out of 18 S. aureus isolates (oxacillin MICs, ≥4 μg/ml), 3 were positive for mecA gene. Only one from 3 mecA positive isolates was positive for genes encoding aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes and this isolate carried aac(6′)/aph(2″) in combination with aph(3′)-IIIa gene. The aph(3′)-IIIa gene was detected in 3 isolates. These three isolates carrying the aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes were resistant to gentamicin, kanamycin and neomycin. The mecA gene of 3 MRSA isolates was sequenced. All three mecA genes of these isolates were identical to that found in human MRSA strains, except a one-base substitution at nucleotide position 757. From the data presented in this study, it can be concluded that MRSA isolated from bovine mastitis may be originated from human beings, but further studies are needed to investigate the possibility of zoonotic transfer of MRSA.     

Toxicity of Moniliformin and Fumonisin B1 Fed Singly and in Combination in Diets for Young Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract.— Growth, histological lesions, and biochemical changes were investigated in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fed various concentrations of moniliformin with or without fumonisin B₁. Channel catfish (average initial weight, 1.5 g) were fed diets formulated to contain 0, 20, 40, 60, and 120 mg moniliformin/kg; 0, 20, and 40 mg fumonisin B₁/kg, or two combinations of moniliformin and fumonisin B₁ for 10 wk. Fish fed diets with the lowest concentration of moniliformin or fumonisin B₁ (20 mg/kg diet) had significantly (P < 0.05) less weight gain than the control fish. Increasing the level of moniliformin in the diets resulted in a linear decrease in weight gain. Overall mortality of fish was 4% and not related to treatment effects. Hematocrit was significantly (P < 0.05) lowered by 60‐mg moniliformin/kg diet or 40‐mg fumonisin B₁/kg diet. Dose‐dependent increases in serum pyruvate concentration and ratio of free sphinganine to free sphingonine were obtained with increasing concentration of dietary moniliformin and fumonisin B₁, respectively. Mean serum pyruvate level was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in fish fed the diet containing 60‐mg moniliformin/kg diet. Addition of fumonisin B₁ (40 mg/kg) to the diet containing 40‐mg moniliformin/kg significantly increased the serum pyruvate level above that of the control. Also, the lowest concentration of fumonisin B₁ (20 mg/kg diet) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the ratio of sphingolipids. Combinations of moniliformin and fumonisin B₁ at levels of 20:40 and 40:40 mg/kg diet did not significantly change the effect of fumonisin B₁ on the ratio of sphingolipids. The only tissue lesions observed in liver and heart were smaller nuclei of cells in livers of fish fed diets containing the two highest levels of moniliformin and the combinations of the two toxins.     

Prevalence and molecular characterization of bovine coenurosis from Eastern Anatolian region of Turkey

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Coenurus cerebralis, the metacestode of Taenia multiceps in cattle from Erzurum province located in eastern region of Turkey between November 2009 and April 2010. Five of 1045 brains of cattle (0.47%) were found to be infected with Coenurus cysts. The characteristics and morphology of C. cerebralis were seen in all the cysts. The cyts from three infected cattle were genetically analyzed and confirmed to be T. multiceps metacestodes by NAD1 and COX1 mitochondrial gene sequence analysis. Pairwise comparison between the NAD1 sequences of the T. multiceps isolates from Erzurum and other T. multiceps isolates available in GenBank showed differences ranging from 0.6 to 2.9%, while COX1 sequences showed differences ranging from 0.2 to 2.6%. Considering the two genes, it was seen that all of the three isolates from Erzurum province were in the same group according to phylogenetic analyses. The present findings could provide a stimulus for future studies on the systematic relationships and epidemiology of lesser-known taeniid cestodes in the region, employing mitochondrial sequence data sets.     

Aedes vexans and Culex pipiens as the potential vectors of Dirofilaria immitis in Central Turkey

This study was carried out to investigate the potential vectors and relative mosquito infection rates of Dirofilaria immitis throughout two mosquito seasons (2008-2009) in Kayseri province where is located in Central Anatolian part of Turkey. For this aim, totally 1198 genomic DNA pools, extracted and grouped according to the species and collection site (1-17 specimens/pool) from 6153 mosquito specimens, were examined by PCR using species-specific primers for D. immitis. The captured mosquitoes from 46 focuses were survived under in vitro conditions for 7 days to allow the development of larval stages of D. immitis. DNA extraction was performed individually to both thorax-head and abdomens in order to determine infective and infected mosquito specimens, respectively. The most abundant mosquito species in the study area was determined as Ae. vexans (51.7%) and this was followed by Cx. pipiens (42.1%), Cx. theileri (3.1%), Cs. annulata (1.5%), An. maculipennis (1.0%) and Cx. hortensis (0.6%). The PCR results indicated that 9/312 and 12/312 pools from Ae. vexans abdomens and thorax-heads were positive for filarial DNAs, respectively where as 3/241 pools of each abdomens and thorax-heads from Cx. pipiens were positive for D. immitis DNAs. The minimum infection rates (MIRs) for Ae. vexans and Cx. pipiens were calculated as 0.41 and 0.12, respectively. Although D. immitis DNA's were found in both pools from Ae. vexans and Cx. pipiens, the calculated MIRs provide evidence that Ae. vexans could be the main potential vector of D. immitis in Kayseri.     

Stereological and histological analysis of the developing rat heart

We studied with quantitative and microscopical methods the heart of rats divided into five age groups: embryos at the age of 11 days, fetuses at the age of 16 days and 20 days and also heart samples of 3-day-old pups and young adults (5 weeks of age) were used (n = 10 samples in each group). At the end of the study; heart samples were obtained from all animals. Stereological estimations were performed on heart volume, volume of heart lumen (ventricles and atria), volume of myocardium, numerical density of the myocyte nuclei and mean nuclear diameter of myocytes. Volumetric values and numerical data were estimated via Cavalieri method and physical dissector, respectively. In this study, histological examination was performed at light and electron microscopic levels. The numerical density of the myocyte nuclei increased from fetuses to young adults. Differences between embryos and fetuses, between fetuses and 3-day-old pups, and between 3-day-old pups and young adults were statistically significant. These results indicate that myogenesis continued in the rat myocardium during prenatal life and after birth.