Comparison of Antibacterial and Antifungal Effects of Different Varieties of Honey and Propolis Samples

Honey is the most important bee product. There are many secondary metabolites, carbohydrates, enzymes, and vitamins in honey, thus, honey has antimicrobial activity. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity of forty-two honey and eight propolis ethanolic extracts (PEE) were investigated against 16 microorganisms. Total phenolic content ranged between 20.00–124.10 mg GAE/100 g and 103–232 mg GAE/g for honey and raw propolis samples, respectively. Pine and oak honeydew honeys had higher antimicrobial activity than four different grades of Manuka Honeys up to 18 mm minimum inhibition zone diameters. The ethanolic propolis extracts showed much higher antimicrobial activity than the honey samples. Fungi species were inhibited by the propolis samples. Helicobacter pylorii (H. pylorii) was the most sensitive, whereas Streptococcus agalactiae was the most resistant bacteria among the studied microorganisms. Brazilian and Zonguldak propolis had the closest antimicrobial activity to ampicillin, streptomycin, and fluconazole. It can be concluded that both honey and propolis could be used in preservative and complementary medicine

In vaginal fluid, bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis can be suppressed with lactic acid but not hydrogen peroxide

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) produced by vaginal lactobacilli is generally believed to protect against bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV), and strains of lactobacilli that can produce H₂O₂are being developed as vaginal probiotics. However, evidence that led to this belief was based in part on non-physiological conditions, antioxidant-free aerobic conditions selected to maximize both production and microbicidal activity of H₂O₂. Here we used conditions more like those <it>in vivo </it>to compare the effects of physiologically plausible concentrations of H₂O₂and lactic acid on a broad range of BV-associated bacteria and vaginal lactobacilli.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Anaerobic cultures of seventeen species of BV-associated bacteria and four species of vaginal lactobacilli were exposed to H₂O₂, lactic acid, or acetic acid at pH 7.0 and pH 4.5. After two hours, the remaining viable bacteria were enumerated by growth on agar media plates. The effect of vaginal fluid (VF) on the microbicidal activities of H₂O₂and lactic acid was also measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Physiological concentrations of H₂O₂(< 100 μM) failed to inactivate any of the BV-associated bacteria tested, even in the presence of human myeloperoxidase (MPO) that increases the microbicidal activity of H₂O₂. At 10 mM, H₂O₂inactivated all four species of vaginal lactobacilli but only one of seventeen species of BV-associated bacteria. Moreover, the addition of just 1% vaginal fluid (VF) blocked the microbicidal activity of 1 M H₂O₂. In contrast, lactic acid at physiological concentrations (55-111 mM) and pH (4.5) inactivated all the BV-associated bacteria tested, and had no detectable effect on the vaginal lactobacilli. Also, the addition of 10% VF did not block the microbicidal activity of lactic acid.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Under optimal, anaerobic growth conditions, physiological concentrations of lactic acid inactivated BV-associated bacteria without affecting vaginal lactobacilli, whereas physiological concentrations of H₂O₂produced no detectable inactivation of either BV-associated bacteria or vaginal lactobacilli. Moreover, at very high concentrations, H₂O₂was more toxic to vaginal lactobacilli than to BV-associated bacteria. On the basis of these <it>in vitro </it>observations, we conclude that lactic acid, not H₂O₂, is likely to suppress BV-associated bacteria <it>in vivo</it>.</p

High-K volcanism in the Afyon region, western Turkey: from Si-oversaturated to Si-undersaturated volcanism

Volcanic rocks of the Afyon province (eastern part of western Anatolia) make up a multistage potassic and ultrapotassic alkaline series dated from 14 to 12 Ma. The early-stage Si-oversaturated volcanic rocks around the Afyon city and further southward are trachyandesitic volcanic activity (14.23 ± 0.09 Ma). Late-stage Si-undersaturated volcanism in the southernmost part of the Afyon volcanic province took place in three episodes inferred from their stratigraphic relationships and ages. Melilite– leucitites (11.50 ± 0.03 Ma), spotted rachyandesites, tephryphonolites and lamproites (11.91 ± 0.13 Ma) formed in the first episode; trachyandesites in the second episode and finally phonotephrites, phonolite, basaltic trachyandesites and nosean-bearing trachyandesites during the last episode. The parameter Q [normative q-(ne + lc + kls + ol)] of western Anatolia volcanism clearly decreased southward with time becoming zero in the time interval 10–15 Ma. The magmatism experienced a sudden change in the extent of Si saturation after 14 Ma, during late-stage volcanic activity of Afyon volcanic province at around 12 Ma, though there was some coexistence of Si-oversaturated and Si-undersaturated magmas during the whole life of Afyon volcanic province

Recognition and detection of objects using visual and textual cues

This thesis focuses on various aspects of image understanding, from improving matching performance of local image descriptors (low-level) to recognizing and detecting objects in a scene (high-level). We consider each research question addressed in this thesis as a piece of a complex image understanding puzzle. Solving unique challenges in each piece of the puzzle allows us to reveal the overall picture and acquire in depth image understanding

Gazi?antep i?l merkezi?nde yaşayan yaşlilarin yaşam kali?tesi? düzeyi? ve etki?leyen faktörler

Introduction: Quality of life involves being happy and being pleased with the life itself and it is a concept used to describe "being well" in general. The objective of the study is to define quality of life and the influencing factors among the elderly people living in the city center of Gaziantep. Materials and Method: A representative population of 592 inhabitants over 65 living in Gaziantep were studied. The quality of life was evaluated by using the WHOQOL-OLD Questionnaire which consists of 6 domains. Independent Sample t test, One-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Logistic Regression analysis were used in the analyses. Results: The mean age of the participants was 72.9±0.2 The mean scores for quality of life domains of the WHOQOL-OLD, namely Sensory-Abilities, Autonomy, Past Present and Future Activities, Social Participation, Death and Dying, Intimacy and the overall module score were 15.5±0.1, 13.0±0.1, 12.1±0.1, 9.9±0.1, 15.9±0.1, 13.4±0.1 and 55.8±0.5 respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the most influential variables affecting the 'high' quality of life were having received primary or higher education (OR=7.9), currently being working (OR=6.6), absence of chronic diseases (OR=4.0), having a monthly income (OR=2.3) and being 65 to 74 years old (OR=2.2). Conclusion: The average quality of life score of the elderly people living in Gaziantep city center was found to be 55 over 100. The quality of life scores are lower than developed countries, but similar to the scores reported in Turkey

Hydrogen generation performance of waste aluminum alloy chips and powders

The objective of this work is to compare and evaluate hydrogen generation performance of 1050, 6013, and 7075 series commercial aluminum machining chips and powders obtained from mechanical milling of the chips. Prior to mechanical milling 20 wt.% NaCl was added to aluminum chips to activate aluminum. NaCl salt also functioned as a process control agent and prevented excessive cold welding of aluminum particles during intense plastic deformation applied by ball milling. Morphology of chips and powders was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Hydrogen generation experiments were performed by using distilled water and 1 M NaOH solution at 70°C. The effect of temperature on the hydrogen production performance of aluminum alloys was also investigated in the range of 30–70°C. Mechanically milled powders gave higher hydrogen generation yield compared to the chips. Severe cold working by mechanical milling accelerated the corrosion and increased the hydrogen production performance of the powders. Hydrogen production efficiency of milled powders in NaOH solution was approximately 3.5–7 times higher than milled powders in distilled water. Hydrogen yield of aluminum alloys increased with increasing alloy content and the highest values were obtained from Al 7075 powders in NaOH solution. It was also verified that the hydrogen yield increases with increasing reaction temperature. © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC