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Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Among the most important factors influencing plant nutrient uptake and water access are soil fraction and root architecture. However, little is known about how soil fraction × root architecture interaction affects woody plants. This study considered the differentiation of soil fertility parameters on layers through the root zone of two different soils and the quality and nutrient responses of three newly bred pomegranate varieties to soil fractions based on root architecture in clay and clay loam orchards. According to the findings, increasing clay content in the deeper layers has a negative impact on soil fertility, organic matter, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). In clayey conditions, pomegranate varieties yielded lower in a range of 2.74% to 6.10% and significantly lower macro and micronutrient insertion. Conversely, the shallow‐rooted variety accumulated significantly more boron (B) and P and set 50% more fruits in the clayey orchards. Soil fractions × root architecture significantly altered fruit quality characteristics, nutrient ingredients, and their relationships supported by a relatively low linear relationship in the Mantel test (r = 0.42). This study suggests that pomegranate tree responses to soil fractions are determined by root architecture. A proper approach to obtaining high‐quality and nutritionally fortified pomegranates will incorporate appropriate cultivation techniques, such as suitable fertigation regime regulation, harvest date optimization, and soil organic matter enrichment, to provide uniform nutrient uptake based on the soil type and variety's root architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pregnant woman was diagnosed with Rubella re-infection in Northern Cyprus. The patient was unaware of her pregnancy when she sought medical attention for the pain, stiffness, and numbness in the fingers and hand joints without the presence of a rash. Following the confirmation of pregnancy as part of a routine check, Rubella IgM and Rubella IgG antibodies were assessed. Her Rubella IgM was in the grey zone reference units of the tests performed with the presence of Rubella IgG supporting and reinfection. Thus, further Rubella IgG avidity and Western blot were performed. Rubella IgG avidity was borderline. Hence, abortion was advised following the test results. Post-abortion, the Rubella IgM antibodies remained persistent for over 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tularemia is a zoonotic disease (reservoir is usually rodents) caused by Francisella tularensis, especially seen in the northern hemisphere. Hunters are in the risk group for this disease. In this study, it was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of tularemia among hunters and determine the risk factors of tularemia in our country. Methods: The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is divided into four regions (Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta/Trikomo, and Morphou/Lefka) and 100 volunteer hunters randomly selected from these regions were included in our study. Tube agglutination test (TAT) and F. tularensis IgG and IgM (ELISA method) were applied in all sera. All hunters were filled with a pre-prepared questionnaire to determine risk factors for tularemia. Results: TAT positivity was found in 11%. While F. tularensis ELISA IgG positivity was 17%, IgM positivity was not found in any hunters. Hunters with positive F. tularensis ELISA IgG test (17%) were accepted as seropositive in terms of tularemia. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean age of IgG-positive and negative hunters (p= 0.915). Of the 86 hunters who kept at least one hunting dog in their garden, 15 (17.4%) were IgG-positive. There was no significant relationship between feeding hunting dogs and tularemia (p= 0.561). Conclusion: Our study showed that the seroprevalence of tularemia was high (17%) among hunters, who are considered a risk group, in our country. We think that more epidemiological research should be done on tularemia infection and it should not be overlooked in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was carried out during 2015-2016 in the Sakarya area. Strawberry trees were selected by including naturally growing trees. In this selection study, each tree was considered as a tree species and 50 species of strawberry trees were examined. In the study of phenological observation, pomological analysis and Weighted Grading method were applied on Strawberry tree genotypes. 100 fruit samples were collected during the research years of 2015 and 2016 and 10 fruits were studied because of the importance of each species. The fruit weight ranged between 1.70 g and 9.03 g, width from 11.42 mm to 30.52 mm, length 10,15 mm to 14.09 mm, and the handle thickness was 1.13 mm to 3.29 mm, the number of fruits in a bundle wass 3 to 8, the amount of soluble dry matter 15 to 32%, fruit juice pH 3,09 to 3.51. At the end of the study, 5 genotypes with superior characteristics were selected.

In Turkey, the predominant method of walnut breeding is selection breeding which is the selection of elite genotypes as practiced worldwide. Due to this reason, the method of selecting elite genotypes with the desired agronomic characteristics is a short span and easily practicable. In countries, where the population of walnut is at low scale, hybridization practices are not attempted to acquire desired agronomic characteristics. The hybridization practices are time consuming to get the target genotypes. The walnut varieties improvement programs should include the priority issues such as: late leaf foliage, fruiting in lateral branches, shortening of the vegetation period, early maturity and harvesting, good fruit quality, high yield and resistance to diseases.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a common illness that causes skin lesions, principally ulcerations, on exposed regions of the body. Although neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are typically found in tropical areas, they have recently become more common along Africa's northern coast, particularly in Libya. The devastation of healthcare infrastructure during the 2011 war and the following conflicts, as well as governmental apathy, may be causal factors associated with this catastrophic event. The main objective of this study is to evaluate alternative diagnostic strategies for recognizing amastigotes of cutaneous leishmaniasis parasites at various stages using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The research is additionally aimed at testing different classification models employing a dataset of ultra-thin skin smear images of Leishmania parasite-infected people with cutaneous leishmaniasis. The pre-trained deep learning models including EfficientNetB0, DenseNet201, ResNet101, MobileNetv2, and Xception are used for the cutaneous leishmania parasite diagnosis task. To assess the models' effectiveness, we employed a five-fold cross-validation approach to guarantee the consistency of the models' outputs when applied to different portions of the full dataset. Following a thorough assessment and contrast of the various models, DenseNet-201 proved to be the most suitable choice. It attained a mean accuracy of 0.9914 along with outstanding results for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, F1-score, Matthew's correlation coefficient, and Cohen's Kappa coefficient. The DenseNet-201 model surpassed the other models based on a comprehensive evaluation of these key classification performance metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Bulletin of Hygiene & Experimental Biology / Türk Hijyen ve Deneysel Biyoloji is the property of Refik Saydam National Public Health Agency and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The grape is one of the most produced and processed horticultural crops. This study evaluated the grape genetic resource belonging to the Vitis labrusca species. The diversity was assessed according to morphometric, antioxidant, physicochemical, and colorimetric characteristics. The diversity was evaluated using a variation index and multivariate analyses. The bunch weight of the vines exhibited a range from 21.05 g to 162.46 g, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 38.97%. The average bunch weight was 64.74 g. In terms of the berry properties, the highest CV was observed for the berry weight (21.95%). The peel thickness displayed a CV of 36.40%, and an average of 0.23 mm. The CVs for the juice characteristics in the berries of the studied vines were 7.11%, 16.61%, 19.41%, and 28.10% for the pH, TSS, must yield, and TA, respectively. The TPC of the accessions exhibited a notably low variation (CV = 4.63%). The color properties of the accessions displayed an immense variation, except for the L* values. The hierarchical clustering analysis divided the accessions into two main clusters, which both had two subclusters. The multivariate approaches separated individuals into different groups, and they were considered useful tools for utilization in the genetic diversity assessments. Further studies on the cultivation technique and crossbreeding with Vitis vinifera will provide more insights into the population, and this study will be a source for upcoming studies on V. labrusca in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raisins are a significant grape product with an annual trade volume of approximately USD 2 billion. There are various methods employed for drying grapes into raisins. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different drying methods on raisins, specifically, without pretreatment (SD), treatment with potassium carbonate (5%) containing 2% olive oil (POT), and treatment with ashy water with 2.5% olive oil (AOW). The study examined the changes in raisin weight, physicochemical characteristics, total phenolics, antioxidant and anthocyanin contents, color properties, and protein content in three grape varieties: Deyvani, Haseni, and Reşek. The results indicated that POT treatment resulted in the lightest raisins in Deyvani (0.48 g) and Reşek (0.58 g), while Haseni exhibited the heaviest raisins (0.64 g) under the same treatment. The variations in physicochemical characteristics were relatively limited compared to the changes observed in phenolic and antioxidant properties. Nontreated raisins had the lowest anthocyanin content across all varieties. Protein content was significantly affected by the POT treatment, while the effects of the AOW and SD treatments were comparatively minor. SD drying resulted in slightly brighter raisins, but lower phenolic content and significantly lower color properties. The findings of this study highlight the differential effects of drying methods on different grape varieties, emphasizing the importance of considering a variety-specific approach when selecting the drying method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey is the leading producer and exporter of hazelnuts, producing approximately 64% of global hazelnut production. This research investigated the effects of cultivars and altitude on the phenolic, antioxidant, and fatty acid compositions of five hazelnut cultivars grown at three different altitudes, 100 m, 350 m, and 800 m, in Ordu province, one of the territories that produce the most hazelnuts. The results showed that the cultivar and location significantly affected phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid (FA) content. The lowest (2.30 mg/kg-Yağlı) and highest (21.11 mg/kg-Kara) gallic acids were obtained at 100 m. The highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were found in the nuts grown at 350 m in the Kara and Palaz cultivars, at 100 m in the Yağlı and Sivri cultivars, and at 800 m in the Çakıldak cultivar. Oleic acid was the predominant FA in the cultivars and possessed a diverse trend according to the altitude and cultivar, ranging from 76.04% to 84.80%, increasing with altitude in all cultivars except Çakıldak. Palmitic acid was the predominant saturated FA followed by stearic acid, which significantly varied according to the elevations. This study suggests that the responses of hazelnuts to altitude depend on the cultivar; hence, a proper approach to producing nuts containing more phenolic, fatty acids, and antioxidant activity includes choosing a suitable cultivar for a specific elevation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of Brucella canis (B. canis) in humans is unknown in Northern Cyprus. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of B. canis and Brucella abortus (B. abortus) infection in human sera and evaluated the results obtained by agglutination-based techniques using standardized antigens made from B. canis comparatively. All of the subjects were negative in terms of Rose-Bengal plate test. Undiluted serum samples were initially screened by rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT), and those which were found positive were retested in the dilution of 1/25-1/200. Confirmation of the positive results was performed by using 2-mercaptoethanol standard agglutination test (SAT). The test antigen was prepared from the less mucoid M (-) variant of B. canis, and 1/1,048 titered dog antiserum was used as positive control. In 225 serum samples, 3.6% (8/225) was positive by B. canis M (-) RSAT, 4.4 % (10/225) was positive by B. canis M (-) indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). 5.3% (12/225) was positive by B. abortus S99 RSAT and 9.8% (22/225) was positive by B. abortus S99 iELISA. Nine samples were positive by both B. abortus S99 RSAT and B. abortus S99 iELISA. Seven samples were positive by both B. canis M (-) RSAT and B. canis M (-) iELISA. One patient was positive by all methods. It is important to evaluate patient samples with RSAT and iELISA. Until the notification system gives better results to the Ministry of Health, in order to reach the real data for Northern Cyprus, multicenter prevalence determination studies should be done for future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA markers help detect the intraspecific genetic diversity of yeast strains. Eight ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) primers were used to assess the intraspecific diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (n = 96) from different populations (n = 3), evaluate the technological characteristics, and investigate trait-loci associations. The primers amplified 154 reproducible and scorable bands, of which 79.87% were polymorphic. The UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) dendrogram clustered 96 isolates into two main clusters, supported by STRUCTURE HARVESTER results (ΔK = 2). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated significant genetic differences between (15%) and within the populations (85%) (p < 0.001). Twenty-nine genetically distinct strains were selected for the technological characterization. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that five strains with high fermentation capacity, leavening activity, high growth index at 37 °C, and harsh growth conditions were technologically relevant. Trait-loci association analyses indicated that the highest correlation (r = 0.60) was recorded for the fermentation capacity on the 8th and 113th loci, amplified by ISSR-1 and ISSR-6 primers, respectively (p < 0.05). The strains yielding high performances and the associated loci amplified by ISSR markers possess a high potential to generate locus-specific primers to target the strains with high fermentation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the outstanding abiotic stress conditions that a significant part of the world faces. In recent years, beneficial microorganisms started to be utilized in plants to overcome several abiotic factors, including salinity. The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) mixture on growth and enzymatic responses in basil under salt stress were investigated using saline doses of 0 mM (Control), 150 mM, and 300 mM. Results showed that AMF enhanced all growth parameters, but only the leaf number was statistically significant. However, antioxidant enzymes, such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX) by 25%, catalase (CAT) by 25%, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 5%, significantly enhanced. At the same time, the accumulation of oxidative enzymes, like hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA), was reduced, from 12.05 μmol g−1 fw (control) to 11.17 μmol g−1 fw (AMF) and from 14.29 μmol g−1 fw to 10.74 μmol g−1 fw, respectively. AMF also significantly alleviated the chlorophyll loss caused by increasing saline doses. Multivariate analyses revealed the co-occurrence of stress metabolism enzymes as well as the proximate effect of AMF inoculation on basil yield and enzymatic activity. As a result, AMF was considered an appropriate tool for increasing growth and reducing salt stress under both stress-free and saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), can produce biofilm leading to increased morbidity and mortality in hospital infections. Antibiotic resistance is an inherent feature of bacterial biofilms, and the formation of biofilms is more widespread in MRSA. This study aimed to reveal the phenotypic biofilm-forming abilities of S. aureus isolates and to investigate the relationship of antibiotic resistance of biofilm-forming S. aureus with biofilm formation. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the microbiology laboratory at the Near East University Hospital in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. A total of 67 non-duplicative samples (wound/pus, sputum, aspirate, blood and urine) for the study were collected between January 2020 and April 2021 from samples of inpatients and outpatients from various hospital departments. VITEK 2 system was used for bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing, biofilm formation was evaluated using Congo red agar (CRA). Results: It was observed that 56 (84.3%) of 67 S. aureus isolates cultured on CRA produced biofilm, while the remaining 11 (15.7%) were not biofilm producers. A statistically significant relationship was found between methicillin resistance and biofilm formation in S. aureus isolates. Accordingly, a significantly higher biofilm formation was observed in MRSAs compared to those with negative methicillin resistance (92.1% vs. 72.4%, p=0.034). A high proportion of isolates of S. aureus showed susceptibility towards tigecycline (100%) and gentamycin (100%). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that methicillin-resistant strains produced more biofilms and exhibited a high degree of resistance to most antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is a serious infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that still affects worldwide. The most common species in the world is Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax). Vivax malaria is characterized by hypnozoides forms that remain latent in the liver and cause relapses months or even years later. In addition, prolonged incubation periods are mentioned in P. vivax infection. In this study, two malaria cases who applied to our hospital with an interval of eight days and diagnosed with P. vivax were examined. One of our patients come to our country 7 months ago and the other 12 months ago from Pakistan and they did not go abroad again during this time. Neither had a previous history of malaria. In our country, malaria infection has been eradicated as a result of the destruction of Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit Plasmodium spp. since 1950, and no endemic malaria cases have been encountered since then. Despite this, it is thought that the increase in import malaria cases together with the changing mosquito fauna in recent years poses a risk in terms of endemic malaria cases. As a result, more accurate and precise data will be obtained by conducting up-to-date research and surveillance studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted from mothers to their babies during pregnancy, delivery through vaginal fluids or breastfeeding. As false positivity anti-HIV results due to pregnancy could be detected and no relevant study have been reported in Northern Cyprus so far, we aimed to estimate the false anti-HIV positivity rate in pregnant women.Methods: A total of 11.977 women admitted to Near East University Hospital between 2015 and 2018 were involved. The fourth generation anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA test was carried out by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. Positive results were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR). SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Demo Ver 22 program was used for statistical analysis and significance (p<0.05) was measured by Person Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact tests.Results: Anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA test was positive in 7 (0.3%) of pregnant and 11 (0.1%) of non-pregnant women. HIV RNA was not detected in any pregnant however, was detected in 2 (0.02%) of non pregnant. S/Co titer of pregnant and non pregnant who have positive anti-HIV-test without viral load was x̄=2.68±1.64 (1.34-5.20) and x̄=8.63±7.68 (1.56-20.98) respectively. False positivity was significantly higher in pregnants compared to non-pregnants (p=0.033).Conclusion: False positivity can be encountered during pregnancy therefore, positive anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA results should be confirmed with molecular techniques before initiating antiretroviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Yuzuncu Yil Universitesi Journal of Agricultural Sciences (YYU J Agr Sci) is the property of Yuzuncu Yil University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the distribution of three-year carbapenem resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) in hospital infections isolated from the intensive care unit in the last three years. Materials and Methods: The patients who had ABC infection in the Intensive Care Unit of Near East University Hospital between 2016-2018 were included in this study. The data of the patients were investigated retrospectively from the digital records and the Infection Control Committee data. The initial infection report of the patients who had multiple ABC infections was included in the study. SPSS Statistics 23.0 program was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 92 patients were diagnosed with ABC infection during the study period, including 22 (23.9%) in 2016, 31 (33.7%) in 2017 and 39 (42.4%) in 2018. Fifty-six patients (60.9%) were male and 36 (39.1%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 61.61±17.43 years (range, 22-89 years). The most common isolates were from tracheal aspirate (28.3%, 26 patients), sputum (27.2%, 25 patients) and urine samples (23.9%, 22 patients). Carbapenem-resistant ABC infection was detected in 65 patients (70.7%) and carbapenem-sensitive ABC infection was found in 27 patients (29.3%). There was a statistically significant increase in carbapenem-resistant ABC strains over the years (p<0.05, p=0.012). Thirty-one of the 38 carbapenem-resistant patients were dead. Conclusion: ABC strains that cause high mortality infections can develop resistance to many antibiotic groups very quickly. Therefore, fatality due to multiple antibiotic-resistant ABC strains is increasing all over the world. It was seen that ABC infections had increased in our hospital over years. In parallel, there was a statistically significant increase in carbapenem-resistant ABC strains. Nowadays, it is essential to ensure proper application of isolation rules, to provide relevant personnel training and to prevent ABC infections with rational antibiotic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosehip (Rosa spp.) is one of the most used non-wood forest products. It is an essential source of antioxidants and vitamin C besides having a wide range of uses in folk medicine and the marmalade industry. Therefore, for many years, researchers have made efforts to find the superior genotypes of this fruit. In previous studies, classical breeding methods were used in the evaluation of the data and more modernist approaches were given little attention. In this study, fruit characteristics and their relationships of rosehip genotypes growing in Bolu city center were determined by using more modernist analysis methods (Clustering, PCA) and correlation analysis. As a result of the study, while fruit weight was positively correlated with fruit size, it had a negative correlation with the fruit flesh ratio. In cluster analysis, genotypes were collected in two different groups, and PCA analysis supported this result. Results of the study proved that multivariate analysis has come to the fore as a highly effective method for evaluating genetic resources. Furthermore, the G-5 genotype stood out with its fruit weight and size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the most common nosocomial opportunistic pathogens capable of acquiring multi-drug resistance. Recent data on antibiotic resistance in Northern Cyprus is limited. We aimed evaluate antibiotic susceptibility profiles of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical samples and contribute to the update of antibiotic use policies in the country. Methods: Total of 504 P. aeruginosa strains sent to Microbiology Laboratory from various clinics from September 2016 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical samples were cultured on %5 sheep blood agar and eosin-methylene blue agar. BD Phoenix™ 100 (Becton Dickinson Co., Sparks, Maryland, USA) automated bacterial identification system and conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing was used. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined in accordance with the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines. The distribution of P. aeruginosa isolates according to hospital services, sample types, admission types, age group, and antibiotic resistance rates were investigated. Results: P. aeruginosa was mostly isolated from urine (37.3%), deep tracheal aspirate (17.9%) and abscess/wound material (17.9%) samples. Strains were most commonly obtained from the intensive care clinics (35.9%). Infections were observed mainly in >65 age group (49.6%) and in-patients (70.8%) group. Antibiotic resistance rates were detected as 47.7% for aztreonam, 32% for cefepime, 26.3% for ceftazidime, 26.4% for imipenem, 25.6% for ciprofloxacin, 24.6% for meropenem, 19.7% for piperacillin-tazobactam, 13.5% for gentamicin, 12.2% for colistin and 5.3% for amikacin. Multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa rate was 19.2%. When compared with 2010-2014, a substantial increase in rates of cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenem resistance was detected within the last three years. Conclusions: In this study, the highest resistance rates were detected against aztreonam and cefepime, and the highest susceptibility was observed for colistin and amikacin. These results may be used for empirical treatments, establishment of rational antibiotic use policies and prevention of emerging antibiotic resistance problem in Cyprus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high rate of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii Complex (ABC) is indicated as a threat to public health. We aimed to determine the ABC isolated from Near East University hospital from 2016 to 2019 based on seasonality and climate changes. A total of 218 patients were examined between 2016 and 2019. All isolates were healthcare-acquired isolates, which are defined as those obtained after 48 hours of admission. All isolates were identified by a Phoenix 100 System. Antibiotic susceptibility analysis was reported based on EUCAST guidelines. Isolates were grouped according to seasons as follows: December through February as Quarter 1 (Q1); March through May as Quarter 2 (Q2); June through August as Quarter 3 (Q3); and September through November as Quarter 4 (Q4). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS Ver 13.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, ABD) program. There were significant differences between the number of patients with ABC infections according to years (p=0.000). The rate of carbapenem resistance of ABC was 86.2 % (n = 188). The resistance rates of the ABC isolates as well as carbapenem resistance peaked in October. The infection increased in the summer and decreased gradually in the autumn, winter and spring (p = 0.009). No significant difference was found between the carbapenem resistance of ABC infection and seasonality (p = 0.202). We have found that ABC infections and the carbapenem resistance of ABC increases in the summer months. However, more studies should focus on the epidemiological aspect of ABC infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniasis is vector-borne disease caused by a protozoan endo-parasite species belonging to the genus Leishmania that live in the blood and tissues of the host. Basically the animals are infected. However, human population who live in the same environment are under risk. Destructive results on the skin, mucous membranes, and visceral organs are clinical manifestations mostly observed. Overall annual prevalence of theLeishmaniasis is approximately 12 million people and the size of the populationat risk is approximately 350 million. On the other hand, it is expected that global warming will cause to increase in the number of vectors of the disease and probablyin the number of countries. Many plant extracts and the natural compounds isolated from the terrestrial plants and marine organisms have been evaluated for their antileismanial activities. The genus Cyclamen is one of the flowering plants that belongs to the family Primulaceae, and comprises numerous species, many of which are well-known for their ornamental value. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, some of the Cyclamen speciesare used traditionally for their potential biological activities. Triterpene-type saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids are the major groups among the phytochemical constituents reported. This study focused on the chemical constituents and antileismanial activities of the tubers of C. rohlfsianum which is an endemic plant in the flora of Libya. It grows especially in limestone cracks, up to 450 m altitude, and the tuber extracts aretraditionally used against Leishmania infections. The ethanolic extract of the tubers has been fractionated using reversed-phase silica gel (LiChroprep-C18). The antileishmanial activities of the fractions and as well as pure compounds isolated fromthe fractions have been studied. The structures of the isolated potent leishmanicidal compounds were established using 1D (1H, and 13CNMR, DEPT-135) and 2D-NMR (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) experiments and HR-MS measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Epidemiological investigation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cause of high morbidity and mortalite, is important to define the spread and the protection of the viruses. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalance of HBV, HCV and HIV in North Cyprus and investigate the demographic information of the cases. Materials and Methods: The study group included the civillian-soldiers-public people, blood donors, tourists and people coming for education and/or work to North Cyprus and have to do these tests juridically and applied to do all and/or any two and/or any one of HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV tests between 2010-2014 in Near East University Hospital Microbiology Laboratory. HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV tests were determined chemiluminesans immunoassay (CEIA) (Architect i2000 SR, Abbott, USA) according to the manufactures. The cut off values of the tests were accepted (S/CO) ≤1 as positive. Results: Twenty-five thousond four hundred and forty-two people with 113 different nationality were analyzed in this study. Seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty-nine (68.9%) were male, 7.913 (31.1%) were women and the mean age was 34.32±14.24 (separation: 0-102). Out of 25.068 HBV cases, 339 (1.35%) were positive, this ratio was 31/24.973 (0.1%) and 9/24.044 (0.04%) for HCV and HIV respectively. Seroprevalances of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizens were obtained as HBsAg 0.8%, anti-HCV 0.014% and anti-HIV 0.03%. There is no statistically significant differences in terms of sex in HBsAg and HCV seropositive but, all anti-HIV positive individuals were male (100%, n=9). Conclusion: The study results showed that Northern Cyprus with 300.000 population is in low endemicity countries according to HBV, HCV and HIV seroprevalance. This is because of widespreading hepatitis B vaccination programs, conscious society and legal obligation of outlanding of Turkish/foreign national HBV, HCV and HIV positive persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes & Antimicrobials is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Giriş: Çoklu ilaç dirençli bakteriyel enfeksiyonlarda kolistin kullanımına duyulan ihtiyaç arttıkça kolistin duyarlılık testleri de önem kazanmıştır. Bu çalışma ile A. baumannii, izolatlarında kolistin minimal inhibitör konsantrasyon değerlerinin sıvı mikrodilüsyon ile saptanan MİK değerleriyle araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvarı’na gönderilen klinik örneklerden üreyen A. baumannii (50 izolat) izolatı dahil edilmiştir. İzolatların identifikasyonu BD Phoenix 100 (BectonDickinson, A.B.D) otomatize sistemi ile çalışılmıştır. Sıvı mikrodilüsyon yöntemi ile kolistin duyarlılığı çalışılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya dahil edilen 50 izolatın 30’u trakealaspirat, 8’i balgam, 5’i idrar, 3’ü kan, 1’i kateter, 1’i BOS ve 1’i yara örneklerinden izole edilmiştir. Toplam 50 izolatın 1 tanesinde (%2) kolistine direnç saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Özellikle hastanede oluşan karbapenem dirençli Gram-olumsuz bakteri enfeksiyonlarında kolistin tedavide tercih edilmektedir. Bu nedenle kolistin duyarlılığının doğru tespit edilmesi önemlidir. Bu amaçla EUCAST’nin önerileri sıvı mikrodilüsyon yöntemidir. Bizim çalışmamız Kuzey Kıbrıs için kolistin direncinin sıvı mikrodilüsyon yöntemi ile çalışılan ilk veri olması nedeni ile önem taşımaktadır. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Klimik Journal / Klimik Dergisi is the property of DOC Design & Informatics Co. Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Giriş: Klebsiella pneumoniae, insanlarda üst solunum yolu ve dışkı florasında bulunan bir bakteri olduğu için uygunsuz koşullar karşısında fırsatçı patojen olarak açığa çıkmaktadır. Bu nedenle hastane enfeksiyonlarından sorumlu bir bakteridir. Karbapenem dirençli Klebsiella pneumonaie (KDKP) enfeksiyonlarının önlenmesinde rektal sürüntü örneklerinin taranarak pozitif hastaların izole edilmesi önerilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, yoğun bakım ünitelerinde 72 saat ve üzeri yatışlarda hastaların laboratuvara gönderilen rutin rektal sürüntü örneklerinde KDKP suşlarının araştırılması ve elde edilen sonuçlar ile alınması gereken tedbirler konusunda yol gösterici olunacağı düşünülmüştür. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmada Ocak 2022-Mart 2022 tarihleri arasında Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi Yoğun Bakım Ünitelerinde, 72 saat ve üzeri süre ile yatan ve yatışları devam eden hastalardan alınan rektal sürüntü örnekleri prospektif olarak incelenmiştir. Mikrobiyoloji laboratuvarına rutin olarak gönderilen 87 hastadan rektal sürüntü örneği, Eosine Methylen Blue (EMB) agar ve %5 koyun kanlı agara ekildikten sonra 35 °C’de inkübe edilmiştir. Besiyerinde üreyen Gram-olumsuz bakterilerin identifikasyonu konvansiyonel yöntemler ile yapılmıştır. Klebsiella pneumoniae olarak saptanan suşların imipenem, meropenem ve ertapenem duyarlılığı disk diffüzyon yöntemi ile incelenerek dirençli suşlar EUCAST kriterlerine göre değerlendirilmiştir. Hastalara ait veriler, hastane otomasyon sistemi ile tespit edilmiştir. Bulgular: Çalışmamızda yoğun bakım servislerinde yatan toplam 87 hastadan rektal sürüntü örnekleri alınarak karbapenem dirençli Klebsiella pneumoniae suşları açısından inceleme yapılmıştır. Hastalarımızın 57’si (%65,5) erkek, 30’u kadın (%34,5) ve yaş ortalaması 70,98±14,11 (26-93 yaş arasında) idi. Bu hastaların 38’inde (%43,7) Klebsiella pneumoniae izole edilmiştir. Bu suşların ise tümünün (%100) karbapenem dirençli suşlar olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Buna göre, K. pneumoniae suşlarının imipeneme (IPM) %100 (38/38), meropeneme (MEM) %71,1 (27/38) ve ertapeneme (ETP) %86,8 (33/38) oranında direnç gösterdiği saptanmıştır. IPM, MEM veETP zon çapları ortalaması sırasıyla 16,87±7,42, 16,11±10,05, 7,74±12,10 idi. Sonuç: Hastaya uygulanan birçok girişimsel işlem ve antibiyotik kullanımı birçok çalışmada KDKP kolonizasyonu için risk olarak bulunmuştur. Antibiyotik kullanımında uygun kullanım politikaları oluşturulmasının, endikasyon ve kullanım sürelerine uyum gösterilmesinin kolonizasyon ve enfeksiyon oluşumunu sınırlandırabileceği düşünülmektedir. Aktif sürveyans kültürlerinin alınması KDKP ile kolonize hastaların erken tespit edilerek izolasyonlarının sağlanması konusunda yol gösterici olacaktır. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by Leishmania parasites, transmitted by sand flies and common in the Mediterranean region. Cyprus is located in the east of Mediterranean Sea and is considered endemic for Leishmaniasis. In our study, it was aimed to investigate Leishmania infantum IgG seropositivity in healthy volunteers living in different regions of Northern Cyprus and to determine the risk factors for Leishmaniasis and measure the level of public knowledge about the disease. A total of 300 healthy volunteers (farmer/livestock: 100, hunter: 100, control group: 100) from five different regions of Northern Cyprus were included in the study, including Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta, Morphou/Lefka, and Trikomo/Karpasia. The participants' blood was drawn and prepared questionnaire forms were filled out. Collected blood was centrifuged and the serum samples were separated and stored at -80ºC until the day of the test. All serum samples were tested for L.infantum IgG specific antibodies using the ELISA method (NovaTec, Immundiagnostica GmbH, Germany) in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. L.infantum IgG positivity was found to be 4.7% (14/300). The mean ages of L.infantum IgG positive and negative participants were 43.64 ± 11.74 and 42.17 ± 14.32 respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between seropositivity and age (p= 0.706). The positivity rate was found to be significantly higher in hunters and farmers/livestocks compared with the control group (p= 0.020). In addition, it was determined that having a dog and the number of dogs owned were significantly associated with Leishmaniasis (p= 0.017, p= 0.020, respectively). On the other hand, 77% (231/300) of the volunteers included in our study had no prior knowledge about the disease. When compared to the other study groups, it was determined that hunters had the most knowledge of the Leishmaniasis infection (p= 0.001). Moreover, it was observed that as the education level of the participants increased, the level of knowledge about the disease also increased in parallel (p≤ 0.001). According to the results in our study, L.infantum IgG seropositivity was undeniably high in the healthy population living in Northern Cyprus. It is clear that outdoor activities such as hunting or dealing with farming/livestock are risk factors for the disease. In this context, it is apparent that more clear results will be obtained about the prevalence of the disease with the conduction of large-scale epidemiological studies. As a result, we concluded that especially risk groups should be informed about the current status of Leishmaniasis infection and necessary precautions should be taken.

Objective: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) are considered as one of the most important public health problems that cause morbidity and mortality. For this reason, to determine their prevalence it is critical for prevention. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites., Methods: In our study, a total of 4.957 patients registered to our hospital with gastrointestinal symptoms between January 2016 and December 2019 were retrospectively analysed. Their stool samples were examined macroscopically and microscopically. In the microscopy, native-lugol and formol ethyl acetate concentration methods were used. Crypto-Giardia-Entamoeba antigen test was applied. All cases were evaluated in terms of age, gender, year and season., Results: In our study group, 239 (4.8%) patients were detected as positive for intestinal parasites. Among these patients, 129 (54%) were male and 110 (46%) were female. No statistically significant difference was found between IPI and gender (p=0.228). Blastocystis hominis (76.2%) and Giardia intestinalis (12.1%) were the most common parasites. According to age groups, most intestinal parasites are found in 16-45 years old and least in 0-15-years-old (p=0.0001). A significant increase was found in positive intestinal parasite cases especially after 2018 (p=0.0001). Our study determined that intestinal parasites were observed most frequently in autumn (p=0.033)., Conclusion: The prevalence of IPI in our country is low. However, due to the increasing trend of IPI since 2018, necessary measures must be implemented to prevent further increase in the number of cases. In addition, reasons behind the rising cases of intestinal parasites during the autumn months in which rainfall begins require further investigation.

Objective: Natural plant products are considered as a source of novel and effective compounds for the treatment of leishmaniasis. In this study, the in vitro activities of essential oils obtained from Origanum dubium (OD), Origanum majorana (OM), Salvia fruticosa (SF) and Laurus nobilis (LN) plants in Northern Cyprus were investigated against Leishmania tropica ., Methods: Leishmania tropica strain (MHOM/TR/2012/CBCL-LT) was obtained. RPMI-1640 was added to 96-well plates in 100 μL aliquots, 100 μg/mL essential oil was added to the first well of each row and serial 2-fold dilutions were performed. A promastigote suspension was pipetted into all wells, and the plates were incubated. The promastigotes were enumerated using a haemocytometer., Results: OD essential oil was effective at killing all promastigotes at a minimum inhibitor height (MIC)=0.2 μg/mL and had high activity at the lowest concentrations. Both SF and LN oils had MIC=1.56 μg/mL and LD 50 =0.78 μg/mL. SF was observed to impair promastigote morphology at the lowest concentrations, while LN did not exert any effect at concentrations <0.2 μg/mL. OM essential oil was found to have a MIC=3.13 μg/mL and a LD 50 =1.56 μg/mL., Conclusion: All tested essential oils inhibited promastigotes of Leishmania tropica . OD essential oil demonstrated the highest anti-leishmanial activity., Amaç: Bitkilerden elde edilen doğal ürünlerin leishmaniasis tedavisi için yeni ve etkili bileşiklerin üretilmesine öncülük edeceği düşünülmektedir. Çalışmamızda, Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta yetişen Origanum dubium (OD), Origanum majorana (OM), Salvia fruticosa (SF) ve Laurus nobilis (LN) bitkilerinden elde edilen uçucu yağların Leishmania tropica ’ya karşı in vitro etkinlikleri araştırılmıştır., Yöntemler: Çalışmamızda, Leishmania tropica suşu (MHOM/TR/2012/CBCL-LT) kullanıldı. Düz tabanlı 96’lık plaklarda, tüm kuyucuklara 100 μL RPMI-1640 ve ilk kuyucuklara 100 μg/mL uçucu yağlar eklenerek, seri dilüsyonları yapıldı. Ardından tüm kuyucuklara Leishmania tropica promastigot süspansiyonundan pipetlendi ve inkübe edildi. Hemositometre yöntemiyle promastigotların sayısı incelendi., Bulgular: OD yağının minimum inhibitör konsantrasyonu (MİK)=0,2 μg/mL’de tüm promastigotları öldürürken, en düşük konsantrasyonlarda bile etkili olduğu görülmüştür. SF ve LN uçucu yağlarının ikisinde de MİK=1,56 μg/mL, LD 50 =0,78 μg/mL olarak saptanmıştır. SF’nin en düşük konsantrasyonlarının bile promastigot morfolojisini bozduğu görülürken, Laurus nobilis ’in ise 0,2 μg/mL’den sonraki konsantrasyonlarda etkisini kaybettiği belirlenmiştir. OM uçucu yağının MİK=3,13 μg/mL, LD 50 =1,56 μg/mL olduğu görülmüştür., Sonuç: Kullanılan tüm uçucu yağların Leishmania tropica promastigotlarını inhibe ettiği görülürken, en yüksek anti-leishmanial etkinlik Origanum dubium uçucu yağında bulunmuştur.

Objective: In present times, malaria remains an infectious disease with a high mortality rate in some regions of the world. It is predicted to preserve its importance as a disease in the future because of the traveling human populations from malaria-endemic African countries into the regions where malaria has been eradicated. The objective of this study is to evaluate the increasing imported malaria cases in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus., Methods: In this study, we investigated 13 patients who were diagnosed with malaria between 2016 and 2019. We clinically evaluated all the cases. More importantly, we made the diagnosis of these patients by Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood smears, rapid malaria antigen tests, and genotyping (only for five patients) by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, we evaluated patients with malaria in terms of age, gender, and seasons., Results: In the diagnosed malaria cases, 11 (84.4%) of them were male and 2 (15.6%) were female. There was no significance between malaria infection and gender (p=0.358). Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax , and Plasmodium ovale infection were detected in ten patients (76.9%), two (15.4%) patients, and one (7.7%) patient, respectively. There was a significant increase (p=0.003) in the malaria cases in 2019 (n=9). The seasonal comparison revealed that malaria infections are most common in autumn (8/13, 61.5%)., Conclusion: Despite the eradication of malaria in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the rising number of recently imported cases increases the risk of emerging local cases. Malaria infection should be immediately suspected, particularly, in foreign patients who travel from the malaria-endemic region and present with symptoms such as fever and shivering if the laboratory findings especially detect thrombocytopenia.

Malaria still remains to be a public health threat and one of the most important infectious diseases to get attention from World Health Organization. No domestic malaria cases have been reported on the island of Cyprus since 1948, as a result of successful elimination process. All of the malaria cases detected in recent years are imported cases. As known, hundreds of medicines are obtained from plants and traditional medicine are used in endemic places of malaria. The cause of malaria - Plasmodium parasites, are developing resistance to antimalarial drugs. Hence, research on plant extracts and essential oils have gained great interest in recent years to obtain new and safe agents/substances. In our study, it was aimed to investigate the in vivo antimalarial activities of essential oils obtained from Origanum dubium, Origanum majorana, Salvia fruticosa and Laurus nobilis plants which grows in Northern Cyprus against Plasmodium berghei - the rodent malaria agent. Plants were collected in appropriate seasons and were dried to obtain and analyze essential oils via Clevenger Apparatus system. L929 mouse fibroblast cell line and MTT [3-(4.5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl) -2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] kit were used to determine the cytotoxic activities of the essential oils obtained. In our study, total of 36 mice (Balb/c) of 6 groups (6 mice in each group) were formed: chloroquine group (CG) (50 mg/kg) as malaria reference group, untreated control group (UTCG), O.dubium (OD) (20 mg/kg), O.majorana (OM) (20 mg/kg), S.fruticosa (SF) (20 mg/kg) and L.nobilis (LN) (20 mg/kg). The essential oils were given to mice infected with P.berghei strain orally on 0, 1, 2 and 3rd days (4 times in total). Blood was taken from the tail end of each mouse 24 hours after the last treatment and blood collection was continued every two days until the mice died. Withdrawn blood taken from the mice were prepared as a thin smear and stained with Giemsa. Then, parasitemia percentages in each smear were calculated. As a result of the cytotoxicity tests, cytotoxic activity was not found at 100 µg/ml (20 mg/kg) in all oils except OD essential oil. While the mice receiving chloroquine continued their lives with the disappearance of the parasite on the 6thday, the mice in the UTCG died on the 9th day. The parasitemia rate reached 35% in the OM group on the 23rd day, in the OD group on the 21st day and in the other groups (SF and LN) on the 14th day and the mice have died. In our study, the difference between the life span in all groups was found statistically significant (p≤ 0.001). As a result, the essential oils O.majorana (14 days increase according to UTCG) an endemic plant of Cyprus and O.dubium (12 days increase according to UTCG) which had an antimalarial effect, decreased parasitemia and increased the life span of mice more than two times, indicated that they could be a source for the acquisition of new antimalarial molecules.

Identification of hepatitis B virus (HBV) strains and understanding of molecular epidemiological characteristics are important for the effective surveillance of HBV infections. Genotype D is dominant in studies performed in Turkey but it is known that cases infected with genotypes A, E, G and H also exists. In contrast, there are no data regarding the molecular epidemiologic characteristics of the HBV in Northern Cyprus. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of genotypes and subgenotypes of HBV among the people living, educating and working in Northern Cyprus. A total of 160 cases (1.2%) who were HBsAg seropositive out of 13.892 subjects admitted to Nicosia, Near East University Hospital microbiology laboratory for the routine control and to blood center for donor screening tests between November 2011 to September 2014, were included in the study. HBV-DNA levels in the HBsAg positive cases were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and genotypes/subgenotypes were determined by sequence analysis of the viral pol gene (reverse transcriptase [rt] region, between 80-250. aminoacids). Sixty samples (60/160, 37.5%) were excluded from sequencing analysis due to negative and/or very low (< 30 IU/ml) HBV-DNA levels, so 100 samples were included in sequence analysis. Ninety-six of those cases (13 female, 87 male; mean age: 35.51 ± 12.88 years) were anti-HBc IgG, 95 were anti-HBe and five were HBeAg positive, with a mean HBV-DNA level of 5.36 x 10(6) ± 3.58 x 10(7) IU/ml. As 32 (32%) samples yielded HBV-DNA level below the threshold of 1000 IU/ml, sequence analyses were unsuccesful, eventually 68 (68/160, 42.5%) samples could be phylogenetically analyzed. The distribution of HBV genotypes/subgenotypes were found as follows: 48 were (70.6%) D/D1; four were (5.9%) D/D2; one was (1.5%) D/D3, five were (7.4%) A/A1, two were (2.9%) A/A2 and eight were (11.8%) genotype E. Among the most frequent D1 strains, 60.4% (29/48) cases were from Turkish; single D/D3 strain from Benguela (Angola) and all eight genotype E strains were from Nigerian national cases. According to the data of this first study performed in TRNC on this subject, genotype D is dominant (53/68, 78%) in Northern Cyprus and consistent with the subgenotype distribution that is similar to Turkey and mediterranean basin. The prevalences of genotype A (7/68, 10.3%) and E (8/68, 11.8%) were also remarkable. In conclusion, although Northern Cyprus is an island country the heterogeneous distribution of HBV genotype/subgenotype may be contributed to the cosmopolitan characteristics of various populations from different countries who have come here for education, work or touristic purposes.