Antioxidant properties of blackberry and blueberry fruits grown in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

Seven wild and ten cultivated blackberries (Arapaho, Bartin, Black Satin, Bursa 1, Bursa 2, Cherokee, Chester, Jumbo, Navaho, and Ness), and six lowbush (Vaccinium arctostaphylos) and four highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) blueberries fruits (Ivanhoe, Jersey, Northland, and Rekord) were analyzed for total anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in this study. The respective ranges of total anthocyanin and total phenolic contents of the tested samples were: blackberries, 0.95–1.97 and 1.73–3.79 mg g⁻¹ and blueberries, 0.18–2.94 and 0.77–5.42 mg g⁻¹. FRAP values varied from 35.05 to 70.41 μmol g⁻¹ for blackberries, 7.41 to 57.92 μmol g⁻¹ for blueberries. Wild blackberries had the highest FRAP values while wild blueberries had the highest total phenolic and total anthocyanin contents. A linear relationship was observed between FRAP values and total phenolics for blueberries (r = 0.981). The anthocyanin pigments in samples were isolated and characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV–visible detection. Cyn-3-glu was the predominant anthocyanin in all blackberry fruits.     

Investigations on the Behaviour of Fenpropimorph and its Metabolite Fenpropimorphic Acid in Soils

The fate of fenpropimorph and its metabolite fenpropimorphic acid was investigated in a silty sand soil and in a clayey silt soil. In laboratory and field experiments fenpropimorph disappeared without a lag phase. A few days after application fenpropimorphic acid was detected. Additional laboratory experiments with [¹⁴C]fenpropimorph emphasized the significance of mineralization and the formation of non-extractable residues. The determination of soil/water distribution coefficients of parent compound and metabolite yielded a higher leaching potential for fenpropimorphic acid due to its higher polarity. This was confirmed by performing a laboratory column test under worst-case conditions. Under field conditions, however, fenpropimorphic acid was detected only in the superficial soil layers (0–5 cm) of both investigation sites at very low concentrations.     

Effects of Surgical Wound Infiltration with Bupivacaine on Postoperative Analgesia in Cats Undergoing Bilateral Mastectomy

The analgesic effect of wound infiltration with bupivacaine was evaluated in cats undergoing bilateral mastectomy. Twenty-one female cats with mammary gland tumors were anesthetized with propofol and oxygen-isoflurane anesthesia following premedication with atropine. In the trial group (Group I; n=11), 30 ml of saline containing 2 mg/kg of bupivacaine was infiltrated topically into the surgical wound right after removal of the mammary glands, whereas only saline solution was infiltrated in the control group (Group II; n=10). At the same time, carprofen (4 mg/kg) was also administered subcutaneously in both groups. Behavioral signs of pain were monitored during the recovery period after general anesthesia. In order to examine the behavioral changes associated with acute pain, a questionnaire was prepared and given to the owners to be completed 4 hr and then 10 hr after the operation. According to the owners’ anwers to the questionnaire, a pain score was specified using a “numerical rating scale” for each cat. Although some cats showed mild to moderate pain, the pain score recorded at 4 hr after the operation was significantly lower in Group I (P<0.001). No significant difference was found at 10 hr after the operation between the groups. The incidence of vocalization, aggression and convulsion within 2 hr after the operation was also lower in Group I. In conclusion, wound infiltration with bupivacaine before incisional closure provided reliable analgesia at least 4 hr after bilateral radical mastectomy in cats.     

Changing Genotoxic Effects of a Filter Dust by Elutriation with Different Geologically Relevant Elutriation Media

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution - A filter dust of a waste incineration plant provided for underground disposal was elutriated with three different elutriation media possibly be found in...     

First genetic characterization of equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) in Turkey

Equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) is a cause of repiratory tract infection in equids. In present study for the first time in Turkey, the prevalence of EAdV-1 in nasal swab samples obtained from horses showing respiratory symptoms was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and molecular characterization of the hexon gene detected in the Turkish (TR) strain was performed. Overall, the prevalence of EAdV-1 was found low (1.4%) as indicated by a positive PCR reaction from the nasal swab extracts tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequences of the hexon gene of a TR-EAdV-1 strain with those of previously isolated AdVs from different mammals and an EAdV-1 M1 strain showed that the EAdV-1 strains were placed into a unique cluster. Although the TR-EAdV-1 strain was closely related to CAV-1, CAV-2 and bat adenovirus reference strains, larger-scale studies are necessary to better understand the molecular epidemiology and population structure of EAdV-1 in Turkey.     

Investigations on the metabolic fate of prochloraz in soil under field and laboratory conditions

The degradation of prochloraz in different soils was investigated in field and laboratory experiments. In laboratory degradation experiments in the dark, initial prochloraz concentrations decreased to 30–64% within 56 days, depending on temperature and soil pH. In neutral to basic soils, formation of up to 3.7% of the metabolite prochloraz-urea was observed. The rate of mineralization was strongly pH-dependent, not exceeding 3.2% in the acidic and 18.3% in the neutral to basic soils. Amounts of non-extractable residues ranged from 14 to 31%. Under field conditions, prochloraz disappeared much more rapidly with DT₅₀ values of 11–43 days. The metabolites prochloraz-formylurea and prochloraz-urea were found in significant concentrations. Laboratory experiments with fresh and sterilized soils under UV irradiation confirmed the enhancing effect of light on the formation of the primary metabolite, prochloraz-formylurea. The latter is hydrolysed to prochloraz-urea predominantly by microbial degradation. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Molecular and antigenic characterization of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) strains from cattle with diverse clinical cases in Turkey

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The present study reports the molecular and antigenic characterization of 13 bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) field viruses obtained from cattle with...     

The effects of seasonal,sex and size on the digestive enzyme activities in freshwater crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823)

The effects of seasonal, sex and size on digestive enzyme activities of Astacus leptodactylus in natural habitat were investigated in the present study. The freshwater crayfish were sampled 584 individual as seasonally from Egirdir Lake. Ten male and 10 female individuals were sampled randomly from caught crayfish in each two different size ranges (4.5–7.0, 7.1–9.9 cm) and each season. The gastrointestinal tract, gastric, intestine and midgut gland were individually dissected on ice for enzyme analysis and stomach contents. At the end of the study, amylase activities were affected by interaction of season × sex × size in intestinal, season × sex in midgut gland. However, any interaction was not determined in amylase activities of the gastric. Lipase activities were affected by interaction of season × sex × size in intestinal and gastric, season × sex in midgut gland. The protease activities in each organ were affected by interaction of season, sex and size (p ? .05). In all organs, amylase and lipase activities were similar. However, the highest protease activity was in stomach while the lowest protease activity was the intestine. The protease activities were higher than amylase and lipase activities. There is a positive correlation between protease enzyme activities in gastric with gonad maturation and active feeding period. It can be said based on data of digestive system and high protease activity that A. leptodactylus is an omnivore species in need high protein. In addition, the reason for the low levels of lipase activity may be A. leptodactylus not prefer high fat foods or not fed high fat foods.     

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.