Effects of Short-Term High Carbohydrate or Fat Intakes on Leptin, Growth Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone Secretions in Prepubertal Fat-Tailed Tuj Lambs

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of high carbohydrate or fat diets, fed for 15 days at the end of breeding season, on leptin, GH and LH secretions in prepubertal fat‐tailed Tuj lambs. For that purpose, 9‐month‐old ram‐lambs were divided into three groups as control group (fed with basal ration, n = 4), high carbohydrate (HC) group, basal ration plus barley, n = 4), or high fat (HF) group (basal ration plus by‐pass fat, n = 4). For the measurement of leptin and GH, blood plasma samples were collected on days 1, 4, 9 and 14 of the experiment. For the measurement of LH pulse frequency, serial blood samples were collected every 15 min for 6 h on day 14. Lambs were weighed and body condition scored (BCS) on days 1 and 15. Body weight and BCS increased towards the end of the study (p < 0.05). The BCS was higher in high energy groups at the end of the experiment (p < 0.05). Diet affected plasma leptin concentrations (p = 0.002) but time did not. The GH concentrations were not affected by diet or time. The LH pulse frequency appeared to be higher in HC and HF groups but there were no statistical difference between the groups. There was a significant positive relationship between overall BCS and corresponding leptin concentrations (R² = 0.263; p = 0.010) and between LH pulse frequency and leptin concentrations (R² = 0.594; p = 0.003). In conclusion, the present study suggests that rather than type of energy, amount of energy intake and body energy reserves are much important regulators of plasma leptin concentrations and LH pulse frequency in fat‐tailed Tuj lambs.     

Resistance of potato to cucumber mosaic virus appears related to localization in inoculated leaves

Although CMV can cause extensive damage to solanaceous crops like tomato, tobacco and pepper, it has little if any impact on the related crop, potato. To better understand this phenomenon, we have tested 32 potato genotypes for susceptibility or resistance to local and systemic Fny-CMV infection. Using ELISA, all genotypes appeared to show virus replication in leaves that were mechanically inoculated. In contrast, only ten genotypes exhibited systemic spread as expressed by significant CMV titers in new growth. These data suggest that, although CMV can replicate in potato cells and appears to spread short distances cell-to-cell, long distance movement appears to be blocked in most potato genotypes. Therefore, the general resistance of potato crops to CMV infection may be related to virus localization at points of entry.     

The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application on herbage yield of natural pastures

This study was carried out in a natural pasture in Van province of Turkey between the years of 2004 and 2005 to determine the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on herbage yield. The study was performed in randomized block with three replications. 0, 4, 8, 16 kg da(-1) nitrogen and 0, 6, 12 kg da(-1) phosphorus applications were examined. The effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer applications on plant height, green herbage and crude protein yield were significant for both years. Depending on the increasing nitrogen and phosphorus applications, significant increases were in green herbage, hay and crude protein yields. According to results, differences between 8 and 16 kg da(-1) doses of nitrogen and 6 and 12 kg da(-1) doses of phosphorus applications were insignificant. In the first year, in terms of nitrogen applications, the highest green herbage, hay and crude protein yield (1423.1, 263.3 and 29.2 kg da(-1)) were obtained from 8 kg N da(-1), in the second year, the highest values (1426.1, 602.7 and 67.8 kg da(-1)) were obtained from 16 kg N da(-1) application. As for the phosphorus applications, in the first year, the highest green herbage yield was 1142.2 kg da(-1) at the 6 kg P2O5/da application, hay and crude protein yields (218.2, 23.1 kg da(-1)) were recorded from 12 kg P2O5/da application. In the second year, the highest green herbage, hay and crude protein yields were (1335.8, 549.6 and 66.1 kg da(-1)) determined at the 12 kg P2O5/da application.     

Seroepidemiological investigation of brucellosis in sheep abortions in Kars,Turkey

This study was undertaken to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in unvaccinated sheep from the flocks having previous abortion cases in Kars and around, Turkey and to compare the efficacy of each serological test used. Four hundred serum samples collected from 16 different flocks of sheep having a history of abortions in Kars and its surrounding area in Turkey were examined for the presence of antibodies raised against Brucella using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Serum Agglutination Test (SAT), Rivanol Agglutination Test (RAT) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT). All animals were unvaccinated against Brucella. Of the serum samples tested, 147 (%36.7), 142 (%35.5), 139 (%34.75) and 135 (%33.75) were found positive by SAT, RAT, RBPT and CFT, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the serological tests used (p > 0.05). It is concluded from this study that brucellosis continues to be an important problem for ovine abortions and poses a risk both for human and other animals in this area. Therefore, adequate intervention measures should be implemented to control and eradicate brucellosis. In addition, if conventional serological tests are used at least two tests, RPBT for screening and CFT for the confirmation of the positive samples are preferable, should be used in parallel for detection of brucellosis effectively. This study was summarized from M.Sc. thesis of Ozgur CELEBI.     

Using caesium-137 measurements to investigate soil erosion rates in western Istanbul (NW Turkey)

Buyukcekmece Reservoir, located in the western outskirts of Istanbul, is one of the major water resources of Istanbul, and supplies drinking water to about 4 million people. Erosion in the catchment of the reservoir is an important problem in terms of its longer-term sustainability for water supply. There is an urgent need to obtain reliable quantitative data regarding erosion and deposition rates within the catchment to assess the magnitude of the problem and to plan catchment management strategies. In the absence of existing data, attention has focussed on the potential for using ¹³⁷Cs measurements to provide retrospective estimates of medium-term soil erosion rates within the catchment over the past ca. 40 years. To date, the ¹³⁷Cs approach has not been used to document soil redistribution rates in Turkey and this contribution reports an attempt to confirm the viability of the approach and the results of a preliminary investigation of rates of soil loss from uncultivated areas within the catchment. The soil redistribution rates estimated using the profile distribution conversion model varied from − 16.11 (erosion) to 4.59 (deposition) t/ha/year.     

Investigation of Bartonella henselae in cats in Ankara, Turkey

The purpose of this study was to determine Bartonella henselae prevalance in cats in Ankara. Whole bloods and sera collected from 256 cats were investigated for the presence feline Bartonella species by culture and sera were tested for the presence of antibodies against B. henselae IgG using immunofluorescence assay. Bartonella species were isolated by blood culture from 24 (9.4%) cats. Bartonella isolates were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by using TaqI and HhaI endonucleases to identify species. Twenty-one isolates were determined as B. henselae and three of 24 isolates were determined as Bartonella clarridgeiae with RFLP. The bacteraemia prevalence and seroprevalence of B. henselae IgG antibodies in cats was detected as 8.2% and 18.6% respectively. This is the first report on B. henselea and B. clarridgeiae in cats in Turkey.     

A comparative study of detecting Chlamydophila psittaci in pet birds using isolation in embryonated egg and polymerase chain reaction

This study, for the first time in Turkey, investigated the existence of Chlamydophila psittaci and determined the prevalence of its disease, chlamydiosis, in pet birds. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was compared with other testing methods that have been typically used in the diagnosis of C. psittaci. Fecal specimens (n =96) of avian origin were tested by PCR and two identification methods, modified Gimenez staining (mGS) and direct fluorescein-conjugated monoclonal antibody staining (FA). The identification methods were implemented by staining the yolk sacs of embryonated chicken eggs inoculated at 6 days of age and harvested between 3 and 10 days after inoculation. Fecal specimens from pet birds were randomly collected from pet shops and homes. These specimens were then used to isolate C. psittaci and to detect its specific DNA. The inocula that were prepared from fecal specimens were then inoculated into yolks of 6-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. The preparations from egg yolk sacs were examined with mGS and direct FA after three blind passages. The PCR method was used to detect specific DNA in feces. In 96 fecal specimens, 33 (34.4%) were positive with PCR, 21 (21.9%) were positive with mGS, and 29 (30.2%) were positive with FA. Among 33 positive specimens with PCR, 28 specimens were positive with FA, and 20 specimens were positive with mGS. The sensitivity and specificity were 59% and 94% between FA and mGS, and 97% and 93% between FA and PCR, respectively.     

Determination of Heavy Metals and Comparison to Gross Radioactivity Concentration in Soil and Sediment Samples of the Bendimahi River Basin (Van, Turkey)

An investigation of radioactivity and some heavy metal distribution in soil and sediment of the river basin (Bendimahi River, Van-Turkey) was conducted in two seasons of 2005. The samples of soil and sediment were collected from the basin and investigated for concentrations of some heavy metal and natural radioactivity. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn and Cd have been determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), gross-alpha and gross-beta activity concentrations have been obtained by using gas-flow proportional counter in nuclear spectroscopic system. Correlation analysis was made for radioactivity and heavy metal concentrations and the Pearson correlation coefficients between gross-alpha and gross-beta radioactivity and heavy metal were determined.     

A serological investigation of Bartonella henselae infection in cats in Turkey

Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease (CSD) in humans. Cats are the main reservoir of this bacterium and may infect humans through scratches and bites. The purpose of this study was to determine the B. henselae seroprevalence in cats in Turkey. A total of 298 cats blood samples were collected from six different provinces of Turkey. Sera were tested for the presence of anti-B. henselae IgG antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA). The seroprevalence of B. henselae was 27.9% (83/298) for the cats examined in this study. The seroprevalence of cats by province was significantly higher in Bursa (41.3%), Adana (33.9%), Aydin (27.5%) and Burdur (32.3%) than in Kayseri (17.9%) and Istanbul (12.5%). Statistically significant differences were not observed between cat sexes and living conditions of cats. The results revealed that B. henselae is an important zoonotic pathogen in Turkey.