Influences of genotype and location interactions on oil, fatty acids and agronomical properties of groundnuts

An enhanced adaptation to specific environmental conditions could provide higher seed quality and quantity from groundnuts. In this investigation, nine groundnut genotypes and two controls were evaluated for morphological and oil traits in two different Mediterranean locations. The traits of shelling percentage and pod yield indicated significant differences among the genotypes. The highest pod yield was observed for ACG 154 from the subsp. hypogaea var. hypogaea and ACG 107 from the subsp. fastigiata var. vulgaris in the locations of Adana and Antalya, respectively. The genotype ACG 154 also had about 60 g of 100-seed weight, which is desirable for commercial production as a Runner commercial type. Significant differences were recorded for oil yield, palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids in both locations among the genotypes studied. The groundnut genotypes were further evaluated with allele-specific PCR markers for possible SNP mutations in the ahFAD2A and ahFAD2B genes for high-oleic mutants. ACG 14, ACG 154 and ACG 156 had the mutant ahFAD2A allele, while no ahFAD2B allele mutation was found. The statistical model GGE bi-plot was used to identify the ideal and representative location for each genotype according to pod yield performance. The genotypes ACG 107 and ACG 116 presented the highest oil yield and were relatively stable across locations. Therefore, they should be evaluated as candidates for cultivar releases in the two studied climatic areas. In addition, the selected desirable genotypes in this study can be used as parents in hybridization programs to develop populations for future releases.

Evaluation of the reproductive toxicity of naproxen sodium and meloxicam in male rats

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme inhibitors have generally been used in short-term pain management and also to treat inflammation chronically. It is known that COX enzyme and prostaglandins play important roles in the regulation of reproductive functions in females. However, there are relatively few studies for the male reproductive system, and the results of these studies are contradictory. In this study, sperm count and motility, COX-1, COX-2, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels in testis tissue, plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone levels, and histopathological examination of testis tissue were evaluated after naproxen sodium and meloxicam administration in male rats. Also, testis superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured to investigate the oxidation status. According to our results, sperm count and motility were significantly decreased in treatment groups. Plasma hormone levels did not show any statistical differences between the groups. COX-1, PGE2, and PGF2α levels were significantly decreased, while the decreases in COX-2 and PGE1 levels did not show any significance statistically. Testis SOD, catalase, GPx, and GSH levels were decreased significantly. According to the results of histopathological examination, damage in seminiferous tubules, where spermatogenesis developed, was observed. In conclusion, naproxen sodium and meloxicam decreased the sperm count and motility and also induced the damage of seminiferous tubules as a direct effect without affecting plasma hormone levels in our study. The mechanism of the reproductive toxicity induced by these agents may be based on the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis and the induction of oxidative stress can be emphasized as a secondary factor.

First Report of a 16SrIX Group (Pigeon Pea Witches'-Broom) Phytoplasma Associated with Sesame Phyllody in Turkey

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oilseed crops widely grown in the southern regions of Turkey. Sesame seeds are primarily used in production of tahini as well as a garnish on sweets and bakery products in the country. Sesame plants with phyllody disease symptoms have increasingly been observed in the fields of Antalya province since 2007. The disease incidence in these fields was found to range from 37 to 62% (2). Infected plants display a variety of the disease symptoms such as virescence, asymptomatic shoot proliferation, infertile flower formation, reduced leaf size, and thin and weak capsule development. Total genomic DNA was extracted from samples collected from symptomatic (10 plants) and asymptomatic healthy-looking plants (10 plants) using a CTAB method and amplified with universal primers P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2 in direct and nested PCR, respectively (1,3). Amplifications of the DNA from the symptomatic plants yielded a product of 1.8 kb in direct and 1.2 kb in nested PCR assays. No amplification was observed in symptomless plants of the same age and collected from the same fields. Amplicons were purified, cloned in a pTZ57R/T Vector, and sequenced using a Beckman Coulter 8000 CEQ Genetic Analysis System. Four aligned 16S rDNA sequences (1,845 bp) were found to be all identical and belonging to one species. One sequence was deposited in GenBank under the accession number KC139791. A BLAST similarity search revealed that the sequence shared 99% homology with the sequences of the members of 16SrIX group phytoplasmas, 'Brassica rapa' phyllody phytoplasma (HM559246.1) and Iranian Almond witches'-broom phytoplasma (DQ195209.1) available in GenBank. In addition, iPhyClassifier software (4) was employed to create a virtual RFLP profile. The analysis showed that the RFLP profile of the sesame phytoplasma 16S rDNA sequence is identical (a similarity coefficient of 1.00) to the profile of the 16Sr group IX phytoplasma reference sequence (Y16389). A phylogenetic tree was also constructed using the neighbor joining plot option of the Clustal X program. The sequence clustered together with 16SrIX group phytoplasmas. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a natural infection of sesame by a new phytoplasma species from the 16SrIX group in Turkey. References: (1) D. E. Gundersen and I.-M. Lee. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 35:144, 1996. (2) C. Ikten et al. Phytopathogenic Mollicutes 1:101, 2011. (3) C. D. Smart et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:2988, 1996. (4) Y. Zhao et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59:2582, 2009.

Dual phase 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography with forced diuresis in diagnostic imaging evaluation of bladder cancer

INTRODUCTION

(18)F-FDG PET has been regarded as a limited value in urooncology due to urinary excretion of the tracer. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the clinical value of dual-phase FDG PET/CT with forced diuresis protocol (iv furosemide-voiding and oral hydration) in invasive or high grade bladder cancer.

METHODS

Fifty-one patients were included in this study. All patients underwent standard staging procedures and dual-phase FDG PET/CT before planned therapy. PET/CT findings before and after furosemide were compared with each other for pelvic region. Dual phase PET/CT findings were also compared with the results of prior imaging studies and all findings were correlated with final diagnosis (histopathology or clinical follow-up for at least 12 months).

RESULTS

Intravesical FDG activity significantly decreased in 90% of the patients with forced diuresis protocol. Eighty eight percent of the bladder findings and 20% of the local lymph node metastases, and other pelvic findings (local invasion and second primary malignancy of prostate) were detected only by the additional pelvic PET/CT images. As a result, dual phase PET/CT changed the staging and/or the therapy strategy in 16 patients (31%).

CONCLUSION

Dual phase FDG PET/CT contributes staging and decision of therapy strategy by detecting local disease and pelvic metastases with high accuracy when combined with forced diuresis protocol. Thus, we recommend dual phase imaging method with forced diuresis protocol in FDG PET/CT for bladder cancer and all other urogenital system malignities.

Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) for the detection of skeletal muscle and skin metastases in uterine leiomyosarcoma: a case report

We report the clinical value of FDG PET/CT imaging in a 57-year-old woman who was diagnosed with uterine leimyosarcoma 6 years ago. In a staging procedure, whole body FDG PET/CT discloses the presence of both local recurrence and remote metastases at widespread musculocutaneous sites, liver and femur. With its advantage of scanning the whole body in a single procedure, we propose the use of PET/CT imaging for the evaluation of patients with uterine leimyosarcomas, a tumor with a propensity for widespread hematogenous spread to unusual sites.

The changes in submandibular gland size and function following chorda tympani section

To investigate the effects of chorda tympani section on submandibular gland size and function in the early (postoperative day 7) and late (postoperative month 6) postoperative period by ultrasonography, scintigraphy, and biochemical analysis of the saliva patients with unilateral chronic otitis media. One-hundred and thirty patients (46 males and 84 females) who were ≥16 years of age and diagnosed with unilateral chronic otitis media and for whom type 1 tympanoplasty was indicated in 1st Outpatient Clinic of Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital between August 2004 and February 2007 were enrolled in the study. Of 130 patients, 102 patients who were eligible and gave written approval were included in the study. However, of these patients 99 underwent type 1 tympanoplasty and 3 had a canal down mastoidectomy. In 99 patients, chorda tympani nerves of 16 were cut, but 3 patients had to be excluded due to allergic reactions. Before the operation, bilateral submandibular gland ultrasonography was performed on all patients and the anterior-posterior length, the frontal lateral-medial width (transverse), and the paramandibular depth of both submandibular glands were measured. In scintigraphic examinations, perfusion index (PI), uptake ratio and excretion fraction were measured. Then, in biochemical analysis of the saliva the levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, amylase, and the values of pH and density were assessed by the saliva collection through Wharton duct. In the statistical comparison of operated and healthy side of the patients with respect to these parameters Mann-Whitney U test, and in intragroup analysis Wilcoxon test was used. The volume of the submandibular gland of the operated side was significantly lower compared to the healthy side in postoperative month 6 (P < 0.05). According to the baseline volume of the submandibular gland of the healthy side, the increase in postoperative day 7 and month 6 were found to be statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). According to the baseline PI value, the decreases in the PI value in the postoperative day 7 and postoperative month 6 were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The uptake ratio of the patients was lower in the postoperative day 7 and month 6 than those at the baseline; however, the difference was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). The excretion fraction values in the postoperative day 7 were significantly lower than the baseline values (P < 0.05), whereas the decrease in the EF values in the postoperative month 6 were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the present study was the first in the literature in which three parameters of assessment, such as ultrasonography, scintigraphy, and biochemical analysis, were used to determine the changes in submandibular gland size and function following the chorda tympani section. After chorda tympani section, the volume of submandibular gland decreased in the late postoperative period. Moreover, chorda tympani section led to decrease in the saliva secretion and the PI value of the patients in the early and late postoperative period.

[The efficacy of preoperative local bupivacain application on postoperative pain in patients who had undergone tonsillectomy]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the efficacy of preoperative local bupivacain application on postoperative pain and complications in tonsillectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fourty-five patients (mean age 8.07+/-3.34 years; range 4 to 20 years) who had undergone tonsillectomy were included in this study and they were divided into two groups. Study group included 30 patients and were preoperatively injected with 2.5 ml 0.5% bupivacain in each peritonsillar area. Control group included 15 patients and were injected with 0.9% NaCl. Both groups were compared with respect to operation and anesthesia duration, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative pain parameters (15. minute, 1, 4, 12, 16. and 24. hours).

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in operation or anesthesia duration and intraoperative bleeding between two groups (p>0.05). Postoperative pain at the 15th minute, and 1st hour, were significantly lower in controls when compared with study group (p<0.05). While these values were significant for the postoperative 15th minute, they were not significant for the 1st hour. Postoperative pain score at the 4th hour was significantly lower in the study group when compared with the control group (p<0.05). Postoperative pain score at the 24th hour was considerably lower in the study group when compared with the control group (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative local bupivacain application reduces postoperative pain especially at the 24th hour in patients who have undergone tonsillectomy.