Scorpions of Gaziantep Province, Turkey (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

This study includes the results of the field studies in Gaziantep Province, which is located in the south-southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. In 1998–2005, 112 scorpion specimens were collected in this area. They belong to five species of the family Buthidae (Androctonus crassicauda, Compsobuthus matthiesseni, Leiurus quinquestriatus, Mesobuthus eupeus nordmanni), and one species of Scorpionidae (Scorpio maurus fuscus). Information about these species is provided; ecological notes are included

Shape of burrows built by \u3cem\u3eScorpio maurus\u3c/em\u3e L., 1758 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae) from Turkey, with description of capture methods

Shapes of burrows built by Scorpio maurus in southern and south-eastern Turkey were investigated. S. maurus were observed to build burrows with average 20 cm depth and 30 cm length. The burrows were concentrated in agricultural fields, farms, near gardens, and in areas with 5–10% slope. 116 specimens were captured, 77.5% from underground burrows, and 22.5% from their burrows under stones. A new method was tried in order to drive Scorpio maurus, an obligate digger type of scorpions, out of their burrows. Water was poured into a burrow, and the scorpion, which came out near the entrance of the burrow, was captured by placing a shovelful of soil 10 cm behind the entrance. Habitats of Scorpio maurus were observed, and shapes of underground burrows and burrows built under stones were documented

The effects of lycopene on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

There is a very little information about the protective effect of lycopene (LYC) against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. The present study was designed to examine the possible protective effect of the strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, LYC, on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. For this purpose, rats were subjected to 45 min of hepatic ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion period. LYC at the doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg body weight (bw) were injected intraperitoneally, 60 min prior to ischemia. Upon sacrification, hepatic tissue samples were used for the measurement of catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Also, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed in serum samples. As a result of the use of LYC at the doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg bw; while improvements of the ALT, AST, LDH and MDA values were partial and dose-dependent, the improvement of CAT activity was total and dose-independent (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that LYC has a protective effect against ischemia/reperfusion injury on the liver

The hepatoprotective effects of Hypericum perforatum L. on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

Little is known about the effective role of Hypericum perforatum on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Hence, albino rats were subjected to 45 min of hepatic ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion period. Hypericum perforatum extract (HPE) at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight (HPE50) was intraperitonally injected as a single dose, 15 min prior to ischemia. Rats were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion period and then, biochemical investigations were made in serum and liver tissue. Liver tissue homogenates were used for the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels. At the same time alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed in serum samples and compared statistically. While the ALT, AST, LDH activities and MDA levels were significantly increased, CAT and GPx activities significantly decreased in only I/R-induced control rats compared to normal control rats (p < 0.05). Treatment with HPE50 significantly decreased the ALT, AST, LDH activities and MDA levels, and markedly increased activities of CAT and GPx in tissue homogenates compared to I/R-induced rats without treatment-control group (p < 0.05). In oxidative stress generated by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion, H. perforatum L. as an antioxidant agent contributes an alteration in the delicate balance between the scavenging capacity of antioxidant defence systems and free radicals in favour of the antioxidant defence systems in the body

Is there any genetic predisposition of MMP-9 gene C1562T and MTHFR gene C677T polymorphisms with essential hypertension?

The current study was conducted to determine whether there is a relation between hypertension and two different polymorphisms, including C1562T of the Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) gene and C677T of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. Genomic DNA obtained from 224 persons (125 patients with hypertension and 99 healthy controls) were used in the study. Polymorphisms were determined by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and electrophoresis. The results were statistically analyzed and were found to be statistically significant. The frequencies of the C1562T genotypes were found to be, in controls CC 75.8 % and CT 24.2 % and in patients CC 71.2 %, and CT 28.8 %. The frequencies of C677T genotype were found to be, in controls CC 56.6 %, CT 38.4 and TT 5.1 % in controls and in patients CC 52 %, CT 30.4 % and TT 17.6 %. In conclusion, we may suggest that there is no relation between the essential hypertension and C1562T polymorphism of MMP-9 gene; on the other hand C677T polymorphism (genotype TT) of MTHFR gene can be regarded as a genetic indicator for the development of essential hypertension.Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI): 2450132

Determination of fuel properties of wood pellet’s made from poplar wood resudies

Günümüzde iklim değişikliği küresel ölçekte ciddi bir tehdit olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Fosil yakıtların kullanımı sera gazı salınımlarını arttırmakta, bu da küresel ısınmaya neden olmaktadır. Her geçen gün enerjiye olan talebin artmasına karşın; fosil yakıt rezervlerinin hızla tükenmesi, fosil yakıtlar bakımından dışarıya bağımlı olmamız ve döviz kurlarındaki ani değişiklikler, fosil yakıtların çevresel olarak ciddi hasarlara sebep olması yenilenebilir enerji kaynaklarına olan ihtiyacı daha da önemli kılmaktadır. Orman atıkları, zirai atıklar ve bunun yanı sıra ülkemiz şartlarında kolaylıkla yetiştirilebilen ve hızlı büyüyen türlerden olan kavak odun artıklarının biyoyakıt olarak kullanılması büyük öneme sahiptir. Bu çalışmada; Bayburt yöresinden temin edilen karakavak (Populus nigra) atıkları KTÜ Orman Endüstri Mühendisliği pilot tesislerinde yongalanarak uygun boyuta getirildikten sonra, Karadeniz Tarımsal Araştırma Enstitüsü Müdürlüğü (KTAEM) biyokütle ünitesinde pelet üretimi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Üretilen peletlerin; ısıl değer, kül içeriği, nem oranının belirlenmesi, baca gazı emisyonlarının ölçülmesi ve elementel analizleri KTAEM. laboratuvarlarında yapılmıştır. Kavak odun atıklarından elde edilen peletlerinin ısıl değeri ve kül yüzdesi sırasıyla 18.91 MJ/kg (4515 cal/g) ve %2.59 dur. N, C, H, O miktarları sırasıyla %0.52, %47.44, %5.92 ve %46.11 olarak bulunmuştur. Baca gazı emisyon değerleri; O2, CO2, CO, NO, NOx, SO2 sırasıyla %15.70, %5.06, 1279 ppm, 64 ppm, 66.67 ppm ve 23 ppm olarak tespit edilmiştir. Kavak odun atıklarından yapılan odun peleti; EN 14961-2’ye göre; nem içeriği, kül içeriği, ısıl değer, S (%) ve N (%) parametreleri bakımından EN-B kategorisinde yer almaktadır.Today, climate change is a serious threat on the global scale. The use of fossil fuels is one of the most important causes of global warming. Despite the increasing demand for energy every day; rapid depletion of fossil fuel reserves, in terms of its reliance on foreign fossil fuels and the need for renewable energy sources becomes even more important as fossil fuels cause serious environmental damage are making the need for renewable energy sources even more important. The use of poplar wood residues, which are easily grown in our own conditions and fast growing species, as biofuels has great importance. In this study; Poplar wood resudies were obtained from Bayburt. These materials chipped in the appropriate size at pilot plant of KTU Faculty of Forestry, Forest Industry Engineering. Pellets were produced in the biomass pellet production unit of the Black Sea Agriculture Research Institute Directorate. The produced pellets; calorific value, ash content, to determine the moisture content of the flue gas emission measurement and elemental analysis will be made in the Black Sea Institute of Agricultural Waste Management laboratory. The thermal value and ash content of the pellets obtained from poplar wood waste were 18.91 MJ/kg (4515 cal/g) and 2.59%respectively. The amounts of N, C, H, O were 0.52%, 47.44%, 5.92%and 46.11%, respectively. The thermal value and ash content of the pellets obtained from poplar wood waste were 18.91 MJ/kg (4515 cal/g) and 2.59%respectively. The amounts of N, C, H, O were 0.52%, 47.44%, 5.92%and 46.11%, respectively. The emission values of the flue gas (O2, CO2, CO, NO, NOx, SO2) were also determined 15.70%, 5.06%, 1279 ppm, 64 ppm, 66.67 ppm and 23 ppm respectively. Wood pellets made of poplar wood waste; According to EN 14961-2; moisture content, ash content, thermal value, S (%) and N (%) in terms of parameters are in the EN-B category

Frequency of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism in Turkish acute stroke patients

This study was performed in acute stroke patients in the Turkish population to determine the frequency of the A1166C polymorphism in the AT1 gene and to examine the role of this polymorphism in acute stroke development. In this study, 257 genomic DNA samples were analysed (from 206 acute stroke patients and 51 healthy individuals). Genomic DNA was prepared from peripheral blood using the salt-extraction method. The presence of the A1166C polymorphism in the AT1 gene was determined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. PCR products were separated by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and visualized by a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. In this study, the allele frequency at the A1166C position was 92% A and 8% C for control and 97% A and 3% C for patients. This difference in allele frequency between the control group and the patient group was not statistically significant. However, genotype and allele frequencies showed a significant difference (P<0.001) in the control and the patient groups. The results of this study show no relationship between the A1166C polymorphism in the AT1 gene and acute stroke in the Turkish population

Doğu Akdeniz Bölgesi’nde Örtü Altı Organik Domates Üretiminde Hastalık, Zararlı ve Yabancı Otların Mücadelesinin Yönetimi

Bu çalışma, 2004-2007 yılları arasında Alata Bahçe Kültürleri Araştırma Enstitüsü’ne ait organik-topraklı, topraksız kültür (organik-inorganik yetiştirme ortamları) ve kontrol seralarında yürütülmüş olup, örtü altı organik domates yetiştiriciliğinde karşılaşılan hastalık, zararlı ve yabancı otlara karşı organik tarıma uygun mücadele yöntemlerinin uygulanabilirliği, en uygun sulama programı araştırılmıştır. Organik-topraklı sera ve organik-inorganik kökenli dört farklı yetiştirme ortamlarından oluşan topraksız kültür seralarında her türlü girdiler ve yapılacak işlemler Tarım Bakanlığınca yayımlanan organik tarım yönetmeliğe uygun olarak seçilmiştir. Organik-topraklı seradan elde edilen ürüne ‘organik ürün’ sertifikası alımına yönelik gerekli denetlemeler danışman kuruluş tarafından yapılarak ürün sertifikalandırılmıştır. Örtü altı organik domates yetiştiriciliğinde kültürel önlemlerden solarizasyonun yanı sıra yararlı mikrorganizmalardan da yararlanılması ile hastalık, zararlı ve yabancı ot kontrollerinde mücadele sayısının azaltıldığı ve verimde geleneksel yetiştiriciliğe oranla ekonomik anlamda bir azalma görülmediği sonucuna varılmıştır. Organik topraklı, kontrol serası ve farklı yetiştirme ortamlarında organik domates yetiştiriciliğinde su kullanım etkinliği değerleri her üç deneme yılında da artan sulama suyuna bağlı olarak azalma göstermiştir. Organik-inorganik kökenli farklı yetiştirme ortamlarından oluşan topraksız kültür yetiştiriciliğinin ise gerek topraktan kaynaklanan hastalık, nematod ve yabancı ot çıkışının olmaması gerekse erkenci olması açısından dolayı özellikle toprağın bulaşık olduğu alanlarda organik-topraklı tarıma alternatif bir yetiştiricilik olabileceği kanısına varılmıştır

Prevalence of fusarium oxysporum formae speciales and races in protected tomato growing areas of eastern mediterranean region of Turkey, their molecular differentiation and integrated disease menagement of crown and root rot (f. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycoersici jarvis & shoomaker).

TEZ9227Tez (Doktora) -- Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana, 2011.Kaynakça (s. 143-165) var.xv, 176 s. : res. (bzs. rnk.), tablo ; 29 cm.Doğu Akdeniz Bölgesi’nde Fusarium oxysporum’un formlarının neden olduğu domates kök ve kök boğazı çürüklüğü (FORL) ve domates Fusarium solgunluğu (FOL) örtü altı domates yetiştiriciliği yapılan alanlarda ekonomik kayıplara neden olan en önemli patojenlerdendir. Adana ve Mersin il ve beldelerinde Kasım 2007- Nisan 2008 ayları arasında örtü altı domates seralarından Fusarium oxysporum hastalığının ortalama hastalık oluşumu ve şiddeti Adana ilinde yıllar itibariyle % 35,0 ve % 18,1, Mersin ilinde % 43,2 ve % 20,4 olarak saptanmıştır. Adana ilinde hastalık yaygınlığı hastalıklı sera sayısı açısından % 56.1, hastalıklı sera alanı açısından ise % 68.1’ dur. Mersin ilinde hastalık yaygınlığı hastalıklı sera sayısı açısında % 59.7, hastalıklı sera alanı % 56.4’dür. PCR çalışmasında farklı bölgelere ait, 87 izolatın % 60’ı FORL olarak belirlenirken, % 40’ı FOL olarak tespit edilmiştir. İzolatların klasik yöntemlerle yapılan tanılama ile PCR sonuçları arasında farklılık tespit edilmiştir. FORL ile entegre mücadelede, solarizasyon (S) + Metham sodium (MS) uygulamaların patojenin canlılığına etkisi 5,15,25 ve 35 cm toprak derinliğinde topraktan ve gömülü inokulum üzerinde azaltıcı yönde etkili olurken, yalnız solarizasyon uygulamasında 35 cm’de patojeni öldürücü sıcaklığa ulaşılamamıştır. Her iki yıl sera denemelerinde hastalık oluşumu en az S+MS uygulamanmış toprakta birinci yıl % 21,3 ile BS uygulamasında, ikinci yıl ise % 20,0 ile TH-T uygulamasında saptanmıştır. Biyolojik ajanlar içerisinde FORL mücadelesinde en ümit var sonuçlar Basillus subtilis QST-713 (BS) ve Thricoderma harzianum (TH-T) uygulamalarından elde edilmiştir.Fusarium crown and root rot and Fusarium wilt are the most important diseases of tomato grown under protected conditions in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. The diseases cause important economic losses in the region. Survey studies were conducted in tomato growing greenhouses of Adana and Mersin provinces to determine disease incidence and severity of Fusarium crown and root rot (FORL) and Fusarium wilt (FOL) during November 2007-April 2008. Disease incidence and disease severity values were 35.0% and 18.1% in Adana province and 43.2% and 20.4% in Mersin province, respectively. Disease prevalence in terms of number of diseased greenhouses and diseased area were 56:1% and 68:1 in Adana province and, 59.1% and 56.4% in Mersin province, respectively.Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies characterized 87 isolates, representative of different locations, as FORL (60%) and FOL (40%). Differentiation in diagnosis was detected between conventional methods and PCR analyses. In the case of integrated management of FORL, Solarisation (S) and Metham Sodium (MS) application was effective on pathogen vigour at 5, 15, 25, and 35 cm soil depth. Solarisation alone did not result the lethal soil temperature for the pathogen at 35 cm soil depth. In greenhouse experiments conducted for two years, the least disease incidence in soils that S+MS was not applied occurred in BS and TH-T applications with 21.3% and 20.0%, respectively. Bacillus subtilis QST-713 (BS) and Thricoderma harzianum (TH-T) applications among biological agents in FORL control yielded promising results.Bu çalışma Ç.Ü. Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Birimi tarafından desteklenmiştir. Proje No: ZF2008D5

PCR detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici and races of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici of tomato in protected tomato-growing areas of the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Fusarium crown and root rot (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, FORL) and Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, FOL) are the most important diseases to affect tomatoes in protected growing conditions in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. These diseases cause significant yield losses in this region. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies were used to characterize 87 isolates from Adana and Mersin provinces, representative of different locations. Among them, 60% and 40% of the plants were determined to have FORL and FOL, respectively. FORL and FOL race 3 are the dominant pathogens in this region. Some differences between morphological identification and molecular detection (PCR) were observed.Fusarium crown and root rot (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, FORL) and Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, FOL) are the most important diseases to affect tomatoes in protected growing conditions in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. These diseases cause significant yield losses in this region. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies were used to characterize 87 isolates from Adana and Mersin provinces, representative of different locations. Among them, 60% and 40% of the plants were determined to have FORL and FOL, respectively. FORL and FOL race 3 are the dominant pathogens in this region. Some differences between morphological identification and molecular detection (PCR) were observed