Ulaş ACARÖZ

Review | 2023 | Nutrients15 ( 5 )

Bee products, including honey, have been utilized since ancient times for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. Recently, other bee products such as bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis have caught a lot of attention. Being high in antioxidants and bioactive compounds, these products have established their applications in the pharmaceutical field as supplementary or alternative medicines. This review focuses on their use against polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-related infertility. A systematic search of electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted from their inceptions up . . .to November 2022. Studies with a small sample size, studies with inconclusive data, and pre-prints have been excluded. A narrative synthesis was performed during draft preparation after the authors independently performed a literature search. A total of 47 studies were finalized for the review. It can be observed that in vivo data on the use of bee products in treating PCOS mostly deals with their use in synergism with the PCOS medicines to enhance their effect and/or curb their side effects; however, clinical trials for the same are limited. With the amount of data being limited, it is difficult to map out the mechanism by which these products act in managing PCOS inside the human body. The review gives detailed insights into the reversal and restorative properties of bee products against the aberrations in reproductive health caused by PCOS. Keywords: bee products; polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); systematic revie More less

İbrahim AKGÜN

Article | 2023 | Mathematics11 ( 21 )

In this study, we propose a novel multi-objective nonlinear mixed-integer mathematical programming model for the transit network design and frequency setting problem that aims at designing the routes and determining the frequencies of the routes to satisfy passenger demand in a transit network. The proposed model incorporates the features of real-life transit network systems and reflects the views of both passengers and the transit agency by considering the in-vehicle travel time, transfers, waiting times at the boarding and transfer stops, overcrowding and under-utilization of vehicles, and vehicle fleet size. Unlike previous studi . . .es that simplify several aspects of the transit network design and frequency setting problem, the proposed model is the first to determine routes and their frequencies simultaneously from scratch, i.e., without using line and frequency pools while considering the aforementioned issues, such as transfers and waiting. We solve the proposed model using Gurobi. We provide the results of what-if analyses conducted using a real-world public bus transport network in the city of Kayseri in Türkiye. We also present the results of computational tests implemented to validate and verify the model using Mandl benchmark instances from the literature. The results indicate that the model produces better solutions than the state-of-the-art algorithms in the literature and that the model can be used by public transit planners as a decision aid. Keyword: mathematical programming; nonlinear mixed-integer programming; public transport; real-world application; transit network route design and frequency setting problem; urban public transportation; urban transit network desig More less

Ruslan ADİL AKAY TEGİN | Camilya SMANALİYEVA | Coşkan ILICALI

Article | 2018 | Sensors18 ( 2 )

The paper deals with a functional instability of electronic nose (e-nose) units which significantly limits their real-life applications. Here we demonstrate how to approach this issue with example of an e-nose based on a metal oxide sensor array developed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany). We consider the instability of e-nose operation at different time scales ranging from minutes to many years. To test the e-nose we employ open-air and headspace sampling of analyte odors. The multivariate recognition algorithm to process the multisensor array signals is based on the linear discriminant analysis method. Accounting . . .for the received results, we argue that the stability of device operation is mostly affected by accidental changes in the ambient air composition. To overcome instabilities, we introduce the add-training procedure which is found to successfully manage both the temporal changes of ambient and the drift of multisensor array properties, even long-term. The method can be easily implemented in practical applications of e-noses and improve prospects for device marketin More less

Ulaş ACARÖZ

Article | 2023 | Life-Basel13 ( 3 )

Tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the most widespread and devastating zoonotic diseases in low-income countries, with a cosmopolitan distribution. The aim of this 10-year retrospective survey (from 2011 to 2020) was to determine the frequency of bovine, ovine, and goat tuberculosis in different local slaughterhouses across Constantine Province, Algeria. The control of livestock carcasses was systematically performed by veterinarian inspectors, after each stage of the slaughter process. The routine abattoir inspection included the detection of visible abnormalities on different organs and lymph nodes. The overall prevalence of t . . .uberculosis recorded in slaughtered animals was 0.83, with the following distribution among species: 2.73 in cattle, 0.001 in sheep, and 0.0 in goats. During the study period, there was a strong correlation (R 0.82) (p < 0.01) between tuberculosis occurrence and the number of slaughtered cattle. Fluctuations in monthly TB prevalence ranged from 2 to 24.8 between 2018 and 2020, although there were no statistically significant correlations between infection and the age or gender of the animals, except for the year 2020 when a significantly higher (p 0.017) percentage of TB cases were recorded in female cattle compared to male cattle. The average monthly weight of the confiscated livers and lungs ranged significantly (p < 0.05) from 150 kg to 350 kg. The study results provide baseline data regarding livestock tuberculosis monitoring in the area of Constantine, Algeria, indicating that the disease incidence is not highly alarming, yet remains a serious public and animal health issue in the screened region. Keywords: Algeria; Mycobacterium bovis; tuberculosis; ruminants; slaughterhouses; BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS; MYCOBACTERIUM-BOVIS; PULMONARY-LESIONS; CATTLE; COMPLEX; SHEE More less

Ayperi Aytmırza Kızı

Article | 2023 | Pathogens12 ( 8 )

Tick-borne parasitic diseases cause mild to severe infections among vertebrate hosts, including dogs. Species in the genus Babesia are important tick-borne pathogens and have worldwide distributions. Although there are data on the prevalence and distribution of Babesia species among dogs around the world, there is no information available in Kyrgyzstan, according to a literature review. In this study, 337 dogs were screened by nested PCR for the presence of the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S SSU rRNA) gene of piroplasm species. Overall prevalence was 6.23 (21/337) for Babesia/Theileria spp. DNA sequencing of positively tested . . .samples revealed that eighteen samples were infected with Babesia vogeli (B. vogeli) (5.34), two samples with B. vulpes (0.59), and one sample with Theileria ovis (T. ovis) (0.29). The phylogenetic analyses and nucleotide sequences in contrast with those present in GenBank revealed that two nucleotide substitutions (594th and 627th) were found between B. vogeli isolates, including ours, indicating that the mutation is relatively rare. The sequences of other pathogens obtained in this study confirmed 100 nucleotide identity with B. vulpes and T. ovis sequences in GenBank. To the best of our knowledge, B. vogeli, B. vulpes, and T. ovis were detected for the first time in dogs from Kyrgyzstan, and it is thought that results will contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology of canine tick-borne pathogens in the country. Keyword: B. vogeli; B. vulpes; DNA sequence; dog; Kyrgyzstan; PC More less

Emil ÖMÜRZAK

Article | 2022 | Surfaces5 ( 1 )

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by using the in-liquid pulsed plasma technique. This method is based on a low voltage, pulsed spark discharge in a dielectric liquid. We explore the effect of the protecting ligands, specifically Cetyl Trimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB), Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and Sodium n-Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), used as surfactant materials to prevent nanoparticle aggregation. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples confirm the face-centered cubic crystalline structure of Ag nanoparticles with the presence of Ag2O skin. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) reveals that . . .spherically shaped Ag nanoparticles with a diameter of 2.2 /- 0.8 nm were synthesised in aqueous solution with PVP surfactant. Similarly, silver nanoparticles with a peak diameter of 1.9 /- 0.4 nm were obtained with SDS surfactant. A broad size distribution was found in the case of CTAB surfactant. Keyword: silver nanoparticles; pulsed plasma; ligand; surfactan More less

Ulaş ACARÖZ

Article | 2023 | Biomedicines11 ( 8 )

The objective of the present study is to identify the biochemical compounds extracted from OFI flowers using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant activities and anticoccidial effects on the destruction of Eimeria oocysts isolated from naturally infected chickens. A domestic microwave was used with a refrigerant to condense the vapors generated during the extraction. The flavonoid and phenolic compound contents of the OFI flowers were determined according to standard methods. DPPH radical and H2O2 scavenging capaciti . . .es were used to assess the antioxidant activity. Regarding the anticoccidial activity, the Eimeria spp. oocysts used were isolated from the fresh feces of infected broilers and were determined in triplicate by incubation at an ambient temperature for 24 h. The results highlighted the considerable influence of the optimized acetone concentration, ratio, irradiation time, and microwave power parameters on the phenolic content and antioxidant activities. Our results revealed significant matches between the predicted and experimental values of the models. Molecular analysis revealed the presence of several biophenol classes such as quercetin, isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside. OFI flower extracts inhibited sporulation and damaged the morphology of Eimeria oocysts compared with normal sporulated Eimeria oocysts containing sporocysts. In conclusion, the optimized conditions were validated and found to fit very well with the experimental values. These findings suggest that the flowers of OFI should be considered sources of antioxidants. The results of the present study revealed that OFI flower extracts have anticoccidial activities against Eimeria-spp.-induced infection in broiler chickens. Keyword: anticoccidial activity; antioxidant activity; microwave; optimization; opuntia ficus-indica flowe More less

İsmail ERPER | Şenol YILDIZ | Sezim COLDOŞBEKOVA | Tair Esenalı Uulu

Article | 2023 | Journal of Fungi9 ( 1 )

Fungal species associated with crown and root rot diseases in wheat have been extensively studied in many parts of the world. However, no reports on the relative importance and distribution of pathogens associated with wheat crown and root rot in Kyrgyzstan have been published. Hence, fungal species associated with wheat crown/root rot were surveyed in three main wheat production regions in northern Kyrgyzstan. Fungal species were isolated on 1/5 strength potato-dextrose agar amended with streptomycin (0.1 g/L) and chloramphenicol (0.05 g/L). A total of 598 fungal isolates from symptomatic tissues were identified using morphological . . . features of the cultures and conidia, as well as sequence analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1), and the RNA polymerase II beta subunit (RPB2) genes. The percentage of fields from which each fungus was isolated and their relative percentage isolation levels were determined. Bipolaris sorokiniana, the causal agent of common root rot, was the most prevalent pathogenic species isolated, being isolated from 86.67 of the fields surveyed at a frequency of isolation of 40.64. Fusarium spp. accounted for 53.01 of all isolates and consisted of 12 different species. The most common Fusarium species identified was Fusarium acuminatum, which was isolated from 70 of the sites surveyed with an isolation frequency of 21.57, followed by Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium nygamai, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium equiseti, all of which had a field incidence of more than 23. Inoculation tests with 44 isolates representing 17 species on the susceptible Triticum aestivum cv. Seri 82 revealed that Fusarium pseudograminearum and F. culmorum isolates were equally the most virulent pathogens. The widespread distribution of moderately virulent B. sorokiniana appears to be a serious threat to wheat culture, limiting yield and quality. With the exception of F. culmorum, the remaining Fusarium species did not pose a significant threat to wheat production in the surveyed areas because common species, such as F. acuminatum, F. nygamai, F. oxysporum, and F. equiseti, were non-pathogenic but infrequent species, such as Fusarium redolens, Fusarium algeriense, and F. pseudograminearum, were highly or moderately virulent. Curvularia inaequalis, which was found in three different fields, was mildly virulent. The remaining Fusarium species, Fusarium solani, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium burgessii, and Fusarium tricinctum, as well as Microdochium bolleyi, Microdochium nivale, and Macrophomina phaseolina, were non-pathogenic and considered to be secondary colonizers. The implications of these findings are discussed More less

İsmail ERPER

Article | 2022 | Insects9 ( 13 )

Simple Summary Turkey is the world's largest producer and exporter of hazelnut. Ambrosia beetle species are the most common species of pests for hazelnut in the orchards of Turkey. These beetles cause enormous economic losses by draining hazelnut branches and trees. The techniques for managing ambrosia beetles are limited. The more effective and eco-friendly alternative control methods, including the use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), should be included in integrated pest management programs to suppress ambrosia beetle populations. The objectives of the current study were (i) to isolate EPF from individual ambrosia beetles that we . . .re obtained from Turkey's main hazelnut production areas; (ii) to characterize EPF isolates using DNA sequencing and iPBS profiling; and (iii) to assess the effectiveness of the isolates against three ambrosia beetle species under laboratory conditions. A total of 47 EPF isolates were obtained from beetle cadavers and classified into eight EPF species. For the first time, the primer binding site (PBS) marker system was used to successfully discriminate among the EPF species. Some isolates caused 100% mortality of the beetle species within 7 to 9 days, depending on the beetle species, demonstrating their effectiveness in managing the pests. The major EPF species in this study provided an important basis for developing bioproducts and a possible alternative approach in controlling these ambrosia beetles. Ambrosia beetles, Anisandrus dispar Fabricius, Xylosandrus germanus Blandford, and Xyleborinus saxesenii Ratzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are among the most significant hazelnut pests in Turkey. The control of these pests is difficult and expensive due to their biology. The present study aimed to isolate entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) from A. dispar, X. germanus, and X. saxesenii individuals that were obtained from the main hazelnut production areas of Turkey, characterize the EPF isolates using internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-DNA sequencing and iPBS profiling, and determine the efficacy of the isolates against A. dispar, X. germanus, and X. saxesenii under laboratory conditions. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS revealed that the 47 native isolates were Beauveria bassiana (11), B. pseudobassiana (8), Cordyceps fumosorosea (6), Cordyceps farinosa (1), Akanthomyces lecanii (13), Purpureocillium lilacinum (3), Clonostachys rosea (2) and Metarhizium anisopliae (3). For the first time, the primer binding site (PBS) marker system, based on retrotransposons, was used to discriminate successfully among the EPF species. Some isolates of B. bassiana, B. pseudobassiana, C. fumosorosea, A. lecanii, and M. anisopliae caused 100% mortality of the beetle species within 7 to 9 days. The findings of this study indicated that some isolated entomopathogenic fungi provide an essential basis for the development of bioproducts, as well as a promising alternative method for controlling these ambrosia beetles More less

Atilla DURSUN

Article | 2023 | Sustainability15 ( 2 )

Salinity causes yield and quality losses in agricultural production and therefore great economic losses around the world. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to play a crucial role to ease physiological and metabolic processes in plants, and also increases the tolerance of the plant against many abiotic stress conditions. In this study, we investigated the effects of H2S treatments (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mu M NaHS were applied as H2S donor) to the tomato seedlings to alleviate the harmful effects of salt stress (0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl). There was a significant decrease in plant growth and development in parallel with the increased salt l . . .evel. Visible changes in plant development were observed after the dose of 75 mM NaCl in the tomato seedling. The effects of different doses of exogenous H2S treatment were found to be significant. H2S treatment increased the stress tolerance in tomato seedlings by arranging the mineral element and hormone content. Furthermore, H2S relieved the effect of stress in plants by increasing photosynthetic activity (photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductivity (gs) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci)) of the plant. In addition, the effect of H2S on salt stress tolerance in tomato seedlings may be due to its positive effect on mineral element contents. As a result, based on the beneficial effects of H2S in tomato seedlings under salt stress, this treatment can be considered as an alternative resilience method for cultivation in saline soils or irrigation with low quality waters More less

Ali RIŞVANLI | Ruslan SALIKOV

Article | 2023 | Applied Sciences-Basel13 ( 21 )

The therapeutic potential of Angelica ternata extract was tested against biofilm-associated fungi Candida albicans. Such an extract with a 1.896 ± 0.071 per 1 mL rutin content of flavonoids can reliably suppress the formation of biofilms of pathogenic yeast-like fungi up to 76.6. The herbal medicine has a significant effect on the initiation, adhesion, and development of biofilms. If the extract is added to a developed biofilm, it has a significant effect on the matrix. As a result, the “glue” between the cells is washed out and they are more easily washed away from the well of the microplate to which they are attached. In this case . . ., the optical density of the biofilm is halved (50.5). Keywords: candida albicans; biofilms; extracellular matrix; angelica ternate; flavonoid More less

Fatih Ramazan İSTANBULLUGİL

Review | 2022 | Nutrients14 ( 17 )

Bee products have been extensively employed in traditional therapeutic practices to treat several diseases and microbial infections. Numerous bioactive components of bee products have exhibited several antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antiprotozoal, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. Apitherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses the bioactive properties of bee products to prevent and/or treat different diseases. This review aims to provide an elaborated vision of the antiviral activities of bee products with recent advances in research. Since ancient times, bee products have been well known . . .for their several medicinal properties. The antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of bee products and their bioactive components are emerging as a promising alternative therapy against several viral infections. Numerous studies have been performed, but many clinical trials should be conducted to evaluate the potential of apitherapy against pathogenic viruses. In that direction, here, we review and highlight the potential roles of bee products as apitherapeutics in combating numerous viral infections. Available studies validate the effectiveness of bee products in virus inhibition. With such significant antiviral potential, bee products and their bioactive components/extracts can be effectively employed as an alternative strategy to improve human health from individual to communal levels as well More less