Reproduction and population structure of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa in the Dardanelles Strait, Turkey

In this study, Holothuria tubulosa Gmelin 1791 was investigated from April 2013 to March 2014 in the Dardanelles Strait, to outline the morphological characteristics, reproductive patterns and the relationship between population characteristics and environmental parameters. Between 15 and 30 individuals of this species were sampled monthly from three stations. There was a negative allometry between length and weight, being gutted weight the most reliable measurement for this species. Reproductive patterns of the species were identified the first time for Turkish coasts. By macroscopic examination of the gonads, smallest sizes (gutted length) were measured as 8.4 and 8.1 cm for female and male, respectively. Sex ratio was calculated as 1: 1.1 with differences between seasons. The reproduction of sea cucumbers occurred between August and September after Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) values reached their maximum in July. The species was found down to 10 m depth with a population density of 0.21 / m2, which was rather low compared to previously reported values for Mediterranean populations of this species. There was a high positive correlation between population density and GSI of the species. The highest population density was observed where the largest sea grass meadows are found

The combined effect of prostaglandin administration and ram introduction in multiparous and nulliparous sheep in anestrous period on prolificacy

In the study it was aimed to investigate and compare the combined effectiveness of ram introduction (ram effect) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2α) administration in multiparous and nulliparous Kangal White Karaman ewes during the out of breeding season. The ewes were first divided into two main groups: non-lactating multiparous (Group M, n=104) and nulliparous (Group N, n=101). The multiparous and nulliparous animals were further divided in to two subgroups. Group MRP (n=50 multiparous) and NRP (n=51 nulliparous) were injected with a single dose of PGF2α on the first day of ram introduction. And the Group MR (n= 54) and NR (n= 50) served as controls with ram introduction but no PGF2α injection. In all of the groups, adult, purebred and fertile rams stayed with the ewes for 45 days. The blood samples were collected at 3-day intervals for 18 days after ram introduction from subsets of ewes (n=17 per group) to monitor the serum progesterone concentration. The total lambing ratios in multiparous and nulliparous animals were 72.1% (75/104) and 44.6% (45/101), respectively (P<0.001). Among the PGF2α and non-PGF2α subgroups of multiparous and nulliparous ewes, the lowest lambing rate was observed in Group NR (36.0%). In multiparous ewes (Groups MR and MRP), the mean progesterone level varied significantly among the days (P<0.001). In contrast, in Group NRP, the progesterone levels varied significantly over the tested time course (P0.05). We concluded that being multiparous contributes to the success of PGF2α administration in combination with ram introduction in the anestrous period in ewes. Furthermore, PGF2α administration together with ram introduction positively affects the lambing rate in nulliparous ewes

Pulmonary hemosiderosis with normocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis in a child

urticarial vaculitis especially if normocomplementemic. An eigth year old girl presented with relapsing and remitting chronic and persistent urticarial lesions, conjunctival injection, recurrent cough and hemoptysis. Respiratory findings started at seven years of age. Physical examination revealed diffuse skin lesions mainly settled on the extremites, nonpurulent conjunctival injection, rare ronchi and fine crackles in bilateral lower zones of the lungs. Biopsy of the urticaria like skin lesions demonstrated leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Rheumatological markers were negative. Levels of complement fractions 3 and 4 were normal. Chest x-ray demonstrated diffuse alveolar infiltrative images. High Resolution Computed Tomography of the chest revealed diffuse ground-glass appearance, increased interstitial density. Diagnostic flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed hemosiderin laden alveolar macrophages. She was started on systemic corticosteroid treatment. During follow up, pulmonary symptoms disappeared, however skin lesions and conjunctival symptoms persisted and exacerbated four times in two years. CT of lungs after two years of treatment revealed rare patchy areas of ground glass appearance in bilateral lower lobes and right upper lobe as well as a few of milimetric pleural nodules. This patient is still followed up under low dose steroids and pulmonary findings regressed but low grade inflammation due to vasculitis is thought to continue as supported by the persistence of tomographic findings in the lungs despite the absence of any symptoms. This case demonstrates association of urticarial vasculitis and pulmonary hemosiderosis in the setting of normocomplementemia

Molecular gated nanoporous anodic alumina for the detection of cocaine

[EN] We present herein the use of nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) as a suitable support to implement molecular gates for sensing applications. In our design, a NAA support is loaded with a fluorescent reporter (rhodamine B) and functionalized with a short single-stranded DNA. Then pores are blocked by the subsequent hybridisation of a specific cocaine aptamer. The response of the gated material was studied in aqueous solution. In a typical experiment, the support was immersed in hybridisation buffer solution in the absence or presence of cocaine. At certain times, the release of rhodamine B from pore voids was measured by fluorescence spectroscopy. The capped NAA support showed poor cargo delivery, but presence of cocaine in the solution selectively induced rhodamine B release. By this simple procedure a limit of detection as low as 5 × 10&#8722;7 M was calculated for cocaine. 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