A study on the morphological structure of syrinx in ostriches (Struthio camelus)

The aim of this study was to investigate the topographical, anatomical and histological characteristics of syrinx in five ostriches. It was observed that the syrinx in the ostrich was tracheobronchial type and was composed of three different cartilage groups, namely tympanum, cartilagines (cartt.) tracheosyringeales and cartt. bronchosyringeales. Tympanum and cartt. tracheosyringeales were formed from three and four cartilage rings, respectively, while cartt. bronchosyringeales was formed from three C-shaped cartilage rings. The pessulus did not contain any ossified or cartilaginous tissues and was made up of a double folded mucous membrane extending dorsoventrally from median walls of bronchus primarius into the cavum syringis.     

Clinical and immunological effects of Newcastle disease virus vaccine on bovine papillomatosis

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has antineoplastic and immunostimulatory properties, and it is currently being clinically tested in anticancer therapy. In order to analyze the immunostimulatory effects of NDV on bovine papillomatosis, we inoculated 14 cows subcutaneously with an attenuated vaccine containing the LaSota strain of NDV (LS-NDV). Four cows with papillomatosis served as controls. Serum samples were collected from each animal 1 h before and, 7 and 21 days after inoculation. In inoculated cows, on days 7 and 21 the mean antibody titers were log2 2.43 +/- 0.92 and log2 5.57 +/- 0.72 by haemagglutination inhibition (HI), and the mean levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were 5.80 +/- 4.19 and 5.39 +/- 2.66 ng/ml by WEHI-164 cytotoxicity assay. Significant differences between inoculated and control animals were evident for antibody titers on day 21 and clinical scores on day 60. A correlation was evident between the TNF-alpha activities and clinical scores on day 21. The clinical observations at day 60 showed that the papillomas in five cows were completely resolved (36%), one animal had no alterations on clinical appearance of the tumor (7%), and papillomas in eight cows were regressed (57%). In conclusion, these results demonstrated that inoculation of LS-NDV vaccine stimulates an antibody response and limited increase in TNF-alpha activity and may enhance clinical recovery in bovine papillomatosis.     

Massive cystic tetrathyridiosis in a dog

This report describes a case of massive cystic tetrathyridiosis in a four-year-old female dobermann. The larvae were distributed in both the peritoneal and pleural cavities, as well as in the lumen of the small intestine along with adult Mesocestoides species. These parasites were identified as tetrathyridia. Numerous cysts were dispersed on the peritoneal, pleural and mesenteric surfaces. The same cysts were seen both on subcapsular surfaces and within sections of the spleen, liver, kidneys and lungs. Histopathological examination also revealed characteristics of tetrathyridium of Mesocestoides species.     

Effects of palm oil on lipid peroxidation,reduced glutathione,glutathione peroxidase,and vitamin A levels in the corpus uteri,cornu uteri and corpus luteum of young and adult female sheep

The aim of the current study was to determine whether a rumen protected palm oil based diet affect malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduced glutathione (rGSH) and vitamin A levels in the tissues of cornu uteri, corpus uteri and corpus luteum over the barley based isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diet, and whether the response is different between ewes and ewe-lambs. During the breeding season, half of Morkaraman ewes (2-4-year-old, n = 10) and ewe-lambs (7-8-months-old, n = 10) was offered a barley based diet and the other half was offered a protected palm oil based diet for 42 +/- 0.7 days. At the end of the experiment all animals were slaughtered and measurements carried out in the tissues collected. In all animals tested, cornu uteri had the highest MDA levels followed by corpus uteri and corpus luteum (P < 0.01) but no differences were between the tissues observed in GSH-Px and rGSH levels (P > 0.05). Vitamin A levels were, however, higher in corpus luteum than in cornu uteri and corpus uteri (P < 0.05). Corpus uteri MDA levels were not different (P > 0.05) but rGSH levels were higher for the palm oil fed groups (P < 0.05). GSH-Px and rGSH levels were higher for ewe-lambs than ewes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, it appears that MDA, rGSH, GSH-Px, and vitamin A work in a different fashion for corpus uteri, cornu uteri and corpus luteum, and for ewes and ewe-lambs. Dietary palm oil did not significantly affect the parameters studied except higher rGSH levels in corpus uteri. Levels of antioxidatively active substances, such as rGSH and GSH-Px were lower in ewes compared with those in ewe-lambs.     

Biological characteristics and life tables of Neoseiulus umbraticusChant (Acari, Phytoseiidae) at three constant temperatures

The development time, survival and fecundity of the generalist predatory mite, Neoseiulus umbraticusChant, were determined at 20, 25, and 30°C and 65±10% RH. N. umbraticus females completed development in 9.7, 8.0 and 5.9 days, respectively, using a diet of all life stages of Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval. Total developmental times of males were relatively shorter at 25 and 30°C than at 20°C. In general, preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods of N. umbraticus shortened as temperature increased. The longest survival rate of N. umbraticus of 80.5 days occurred at 20°C, followed by 67.0 and 57.6 days at 25 and 30°C, respectively. Mated females laid an average 0.9, 1.3 and 1.4 eggs per female per day and 33.1, 44.0 and 43.6 eggs over their entire lives at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The sex ratios of this species were 0.57, 0.57 and 0.54 female (female+male) at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) became greater with rising temperatures from 0.123 at 20°C to 0.180 at 30°C. The net reproduction rate (R_o) was highest at 25°C (25.0 females/female) and lowest at 20°C (18.8 females/female), while T_o decreased with increasing temperatures, from 23.8 days at 20°C to 17.5 days at 30°C.     

Yield and quality response of drip irrigated green beans under full and deficit irrigation

The effects of different irrigation regimes on yield and quality of green beans (Phaselous vulgaris L.) irrigated with a drip irrigation system under field conditions in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were evaluated along two years. Irrigation regimes consisted of four irrigation intervals based on four levels of cumulative pan evaporation (Epan) values (I₁: 15; I₂: 30; I₃: 45 and I₄: 60 mm); irrigations occurred on the respective treatments when Epan reached target values, and three plant–pan coefficients as for irrigation levels (Kcp₁ = 0.50, Kcp₂ = 0.75 and Kcp₃ = 1.00). Irrigation intervals varied from 2 to 4 days in I₁, 5 to 7 days in I₂, 8 to 10 days in I₃ and 10 to 12 days in I₄ treatments in 2004 and 2005 growing seasons Both irrigation levels and intervals significantly affected the green bean yields. Maximum and minimum yields were obtained from the I₁Kcp₃ and I₄Kcp₁ treatments as 24,320 and 14,200 kg ha⁻¹ in the first, and 23,850 and 13,210 kg ha⁻¹ in the second experimental year, respectively. As the Kcp value decreased the total yields in each irrigation interval also decreased. However, with the longer irrigation interval (I₄), lower yields were obtained with all Kcp coefficients. Seasonal water use (ET) values in the treatments varied from 276 mm in I₄Kcp₁ to 400 mm in I₁Kcp₃ in the first experimental year, and from 365 mm in I₄Kcp₁ to 472 mm in I₁Kcp₃ in the second experimental year. Significant linear relations were found between green bean yield and seasonal ET for each experimental year. Irrigation intervals resulted in similar water use in the treatments with the same Kcp value. Water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) values were significantly influenced by the irrigation intervals and plant–pan coefficients. WUE ranged from 4.33 kg m⁻³ in I₄Kcp₃ to 6.08 kg m⁻³ in I₁Kcp₃ in 2004, and varied from 3.62 kg m⁻³ in I₄Kcp₁ to 5.43 kg m⁻³ in I₂Kcp₂ in the 2005 growing season. Maximum IWUE was observed in I₂Kcp₁ (6.16 kg m⁻³), and minimum IWUE was in I₄Kcp₃ treatment (3.83 kg m⁻³) in the experimental years. Both irrigation levels and irrigation frequencies had significantly different effects on quality parameters such as fresh bean length, width, number of seed per pod and 100 fresh bean weights. In conclusion, I₁Kcp₃ irrigation regime is recommended for field grown green beans under the Mediterranean conditions in order to attain higher yields with improved quality.     

Weed hosts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis> in cotton fields in Turkey and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">V. dahliae</Emphasis> isolates from weeds

A weed survey conducted in 2004 and 2005 in Aydin province of Turkey showed that Solanum nigrum, Xanthium strumarium, Amaranthus retroflexus, Portulaca oleracea, Sonchus oleraceus and Datura stramonium were the most prevalent weeds in the cotton fields exhibiting Verticillium wilt. Verticillium dahliae Kleb. was recovered from A. retroflexus and X. strumarium in those cotton fields. This is the first report of V. dahliae occurring naturally in A. retroflexus in Turkey. Pathogenicity tests on cotton and weeds showed that the virulence of V. dahliae isolates from weeds was higher on cotton plants than on weeds, with the disease severity ranging from 31.7% to 98.0%. Disease severity of V. dahliae isolates was 54.7–93.9% on eggplant, 23.7–51.6% on cucumber and 11.0–16.4% on tomato, whereas it did not cause any disease symptoms, or only low levels, on pepper and bell pepper. Two vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) were identified among seven tested weed isolates: VCG2A (two isolates) and VCG2B (three isolates) using international reference strains.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the swelling and surface roughness of common alder and wych elm wood

Wood heat treatment has increased significantly in recent years and is still growing as an industrial process to improve some wood properties. We studied the change of swellingand surface roughness of common alder(Alnus glutinosa(L.) Gaertn. ssp.glutinosa) and wych elm(Ulmus glabra Huds.) woods after heat treatment at two different temperatures and durations. The temperatures were 180 and 200 C and the durations were 2 and 4 h. A stylus method was employed to evaluate the surface characteristics of the samples. Roughness measurements by the stylus method were made in the direction perpendicular to the fiber on the wood surface. Four main roughness parameters, mean arithmetic deviation of profile(Ra), mean peak-to-valley height(Rz), root mean square roughness(Rq), and maximum roughness(Ry) were used to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on the surface characteristics of the specimens. Swelling and surface roughness parameters(Ra, Rz, Ry, and Rq) differed significantly for two temperatures and two durations of heat treatment. Swelling and surface roughness values decreased with increasing treatment temperature and treatment times.     

Effect of different plant oils on growth performance,fatty acid composition and flesh quality of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This experiment intended to assess the effect of sesame (SO), sunflower (SFO) and linseed (LO) oils on growth performance, fatty acid composition of fillet and liver or flesh quality traits of rainbow trout. Fish fed different four iso‐nitrogenous and iso‐lipidic experimental feeds. The control feed contained only fish oil as the primary lipid source. The fillet eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid levels were the highest in fish fed control feed. In contrast, the liver eicosapentaenoic acid level was the highest in fish fed LO feed. Fish fed SFO feed had the highest level of total n?6 fatty acids in fillet and liver. Fish fed SO feed had the highest level of 18:1 n?9 fatty acid in fillet and liver. During the 12 days refrigerated storage period at 1°C, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and pH values gradually increased in all dietary groups. However, trimethylamin nitrogen (TMA‐N) values increased in all dietary groups between days 0 and 9 during the storage period. Generally, pH value in fillets of control group was slightly higher than the other fish groups during 12 days refrigerated storage. Nevertheless, the chemical indicators of spoilage, TBA, TMA‐N and pH values were in the limit of acceptability for human consumption. Results of growth performance and chemical tests in the present study showed that sesame, linseed and sunflower oils could be used in feeds for rainbow trout. Moreover, we concluded that further researches should be carried out on the partial replacement of fish oil by sesame oil in rainbow trout nutrition.