The Effect of Biochar Amendment on Physiological and Biochemical Properties and Nutrient Content of Lettuce in Saline Water Irrigation Conditions

Salinity often increases osmotic stress, reducing plant water uptake and inhibiting the absorption of nutrients and minerals. This imbalance situation causes physiological, biochemical disorders, and nutrient deficiencies in plants. In this study, the effects of biochar application on the physiological properties, nutrient contents and antioxidant enzyme activities of lettuce were investigated under saline irrigation water conditions. For this purpose, four different biochar doses and different irrigation water salinity levels were applied to the lettuce plant. In the study, biochar application under salt stress conditions decreased the Na, Fe, Zn content and antioxidant enzyme activity of the plant. Leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content (SPAD) and some nutrients (Ca, K, Mg, P, Cu and Mn) also increased. Therefore, biochar applied under salt irrigated water conditions offers good potential to reduce the severity of plant exposure to salinity stress. In addition, the biochar amendment helped the plant uptake of nutrients

Ultrasonography-Guided Injection for Quadriceps Fat Pad Edema: Preliminary Report of a Six-Month Clinical and Radiological Follow-Up

Purpose: To investigate efficacy and safety of ultrasonography-guided local corticosteroid and anesthetic injection followed by physical therapy for the management of quadriceps fat pad (QFP) edema. Materials and Methods: We prospectively evaluated 1671 knee MRI examinations in 1542 patients for QFP edema with mass effect, which was present in 109 (6.5%) knees. Participants were assigned into injection and therapy groups (both received the same physical therapy program). Injection group was first treated with ultrasonography-guided QFP injection of 1 mL corticosteroid and 1 mL local anesthetic agent. Patients were evaluated at baseline and 1-, 2-, 6-month follow-up for pain using static and dynamic visual analogue scale (VAS), suprapatellar tenderness, and QFP edema on MRI. Results: Final sample size consisted of 19 knees (injection group, 10; therapy group, 9) in 17 patients. An overall improvement was detected in both groups between baseline and final assessments. The injection group fared better than the therapy group in static VAS scores (3.33 ± 1.70 versus 0.56 ± 1.33), while there was no such difference for dynamic VAS. Incidence of suprapatellar tenderness decreased in both groups, statistically significantly in the injection group (from 100% to 0%). Pain reduction was greater in the injection group at the first month (88.9% – 90% good response versus 50% – 66.7% good response, static-dynamic VAS scoring, respectively), whereas there was no such superiority at the sixth month. No severe adverse events were identified. Conclusion: Ultrasonography-guided local injection followed by physical therapy is safe in the management of QFP edema; however, it is not superior to stand-alone physical therapy program in the long term

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV production by solid state fermentation using alternative fungal sources

WOS: 000312424500007The present work was carried out for the production of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV; EC 3.4.14.5) using Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Rhizopus strains under solid state fermentation conditions. Response surface methodology was applied for the optimization of the selected operational variables (corn flour, initial moisture content, and cultivation time) for DPP IV activity as the response. The optimal parameters of DPP IV activity for the independent variables, namely the amount of corn flour (% w/w), initial moisture content (% w/w), and cultivation time (days), were evaluated to be 2.44%, 60.85%, and 4.69 days, respectively, using Aspergillus awamori T116. The response for these results was also shown to be in very close agreement with the experimental data.TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [105T195]We thank Sevket Karacanci (PhD) for using the Design Expert software (version 7.1.6, Stat-Ease, Inc.). This study was supported by TUBITAK, project number 105T195

Statistical optimization of cell disruption techniques for releasing intracellular X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase from Lactococcus lactis spp. lactis

WOS: 000366238000017PubMed ID: 26584994X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (PepX) is an intracellular enzyme from the Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis spp. lactis NRRL B-1821, and it has commercial importance. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of several cell disruption methods on the activity of PepX. Statistical optimization methods were performed for two cavitation methods, hydrodynamic (high-pressure homogenization) and acoustic (sonication), to determine the more appropriate disruption method. Two level factorial design (2FI), with the parameters of number of cycles and pressure, and Box-Behnken design (BBD), with the parameters of cycle, sonication time, and power, were used for the optimization of the high-pressure homogenization and sonication methods, respectively. In addition, disruption methods, consisting of lysozyme, bead milling, heat treatment, freeze-thawing, liquid nitrogen, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), Triton-X, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SOS), chloroform, and antibiotics, were performed and compared with the high-pressure homogenization and sonication methods. The optimized values of high-pressure homogenization were one cycle at 130 MPa providing activity of 114.47 mU ml(-1), while sonication afforded an activity of 145.09 mU ml(-1) at 28 min with 91% power and three cycles. In conclusion, sonication was the more effective disruption method, and its optimal operation parameters were manifested for the release of intracellular enzyme from a L. lactis spp. lactis strain, which is a Gram-positive bacterium. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [113Z841]This work was supported by a Research Grant from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), project no. 113Z841. We thank Gaye Ongen for her contributions

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device versus oral progesterone for treatment of simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and effect on the menstrual pattern of the levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine device versus oral progesterone for treatment in patient having simple endometrial hyperplasia (EH) without atypia. Patients who underwent endometrial sampling with abnormal uterine bleeding history and received simple EH without atypia were included in this study between 1 December 2015 and 31 March 2016, retrospectively. Twenty-two patients were treated with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) and 47 with oral progesterone. Primary outcome measures were regression of hyperplasia after 3 months of therapy. Secondary outcome measures were effect on menstruel pattern during treatment, or rates of hysterectomy and recurrence within a 12 month period. After 3 months of treatment, regression of EH occurred in all of women in LNG-IUD group versus 93% of women in the oral progesterone group (p=0.226). Hb values were increased at the 3th month measurement in both of groups. Endometrial thickness was significantly decreased at the end of the 3th month (p< 0.001). Amenorrhea was more common in the LNG-IUD group (p [Med-Science 2018; 7(1.000): 21-24

Ultrasonography-Guided Injection For Quadriceps Fat Pad Edema: Preliminary Report Of A Six-Month Clinical And Radiological Follow-Up

Purpose: To investigate efficacy and safety of ultrasonography-guided local corticosteroid and anesthetic injection followed by physical therapy for the management of quadriceps fat pad (QFP) edema. Materials and Methods: We prospectively evaluated 1671 knee MRI examinations in 1542 patients for QFP edema with mass effect, which was present in 109 (6.5%) knees. Participants were assigned into injection and therapy groups (both received the same physical therapy program). Injection group was first treated with ultrasonography-guided QFP injection of 1 mL corticosteroid and 1 mL local anesthetic agent. Patients were evaluated at baseline and 1-, 2-, 6-month follow-up for pain using static and dynamic visual analogue scale (VAS), suprapatellar tenderness, and QFP edema on MRI. Results: Final sample size consisted of 19 knees (injection group, 10; therapy group, 9) in 17 patients. An overall improvement was detected in both groups between baseline and final assessments. The injection group fared better than the therapy group in static VAS scores (3.33 ± 1.70 versus 0.56 ± 1.33), while there was no such difference for dynamic VAS. Incidence of suprapatellar tenderness decreased in both groups, statistically significantly in the injection group (from 100% to 0%). Pain reduction was greater in the injection group at the first month (88.9% – 90% good response versus 50% – 66.7% good response, static-dynamic VAS scoring, respectively), whereas there was no such superiority at the sixth month. No severe adverse events were identified. Conclusion: Ultrasonography-guided local injection followed by physical therapy is safe in the management of QFP edema; however, it is not superior to stand-alone physical therapy program in the long term.PubMedWoSScopu

The effect of blood glucose regulation on the presence of opportunistic Demodex folliculorum mites in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objectives To measure the rate of Demodex folliculorum mite infestation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to investigate if it was related to blood glucose control