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During investigations into the causes of oak decline in six Regional Forestry Directories of the Black Sea Region of Turkey, Phytophthora spp. were obtained from one region and Pythium spp. were collected from three regions. The most frequently isolated Pythium species, Pythium anandrum, when inoculated on stem bases, caused longer cankers than two isolates of both Phytophthora plurivora and 2 of the P. quercina. This is the first report of Pythium anandrum causing disease on sessile oak. P. anandrum may contribute oak decline in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut blight caused by Cryphonectria parasitica is a serious disease of Castanea sativa in the Black Sea region of Turkey. During disease surveys, dieback and decline symptoms were observed on trees without apparent blight and ink disease symptoms. Black necroses, similar to those caused by Phytophthora infections, were noted on some of the chestnut coppices and saplings in one nursery in Ordu and led to an investigation into this disease complex. Only symptomatic plants showing dieback symptoms were investigated. Soil samples together with fine roots were collected from two directions, north and north-east, approximately 150 cm away from the main stems. Phytophthora spp. were baited with young chestnut leaves. Three Phytophthora spp., P. cambivora, P. cinnamomi and P. plurivora, were identified from 12 soil samples collected from 73 locations, while from the nurseries, only P. cinnamomi was obtained. Phytophthora cinnamomi was the most common species, obtained from seven locations in five provinces and from four nurseries having similar symptoms mentioned above in different locations. Phytophthora cambivora and P. plurivora were less frequently obtained, from three to two stands, respectively. Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. cambivora were the most aggressive species when inoculated at the stem base on 3-year-old chestnut saplings, killing six saplings of eight inoculated in 2 months. The three Phytophthora species were first recorded on chestnut in Black sea region of Turkey with the limited samples investigated in a large area about 150 000 ha chestnut forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dieback symptoms were observed on horse chestnut trees planted approximately 40 years ago in Ankara, Turkey. Lesions at the stem bases of the affected trees were similar to those of ink disease on sweet chestnut. A Phytophthora sp. was isolated from the fine roots and soil samples collected around the stem bases by baiting using chestnut leaves. The pathogen was identified as Phytophthora citrophthora based on several morphological features and DNA sequences of the ITS region. Pathogenicity of P. citrophthora was tested by stem inoculation on 3-year-old horse chestnut saplings. P. citrophthora produced large cankers in 20 days and killed 40% of the saplings. This is the first report of P. citrophthora causing dieback on horse chestnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetative compatibility types (vc types) of 296 isolates of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, were determined. The isolates had been obtained from 32 localities in 11 provinces in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Five vc types were detected: EU-1, EU-12, EU-14, EU-2 and EU-5. The number of vc types found in single provinces varied between one and five. All of the five vc types were present only in the Kastamonu province. Vc type EU-1 was detected in all the provinces. EU-1 accounted for 90.8% of all isolates. Vc type EU-12 was present in eight provinces and accounted for 6.8% of the isolates, whereas one or two isolates each of EU-14, EU-2 and EU-5 were found in one or two provinces. Isolates possessing the white colony phenotype were considered to be hypovirulent. Hypovirulent isolates of each vc type were found, and they were detected in nine of 11 provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variation among the isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, the causal agent of chickpea wilt worldwide, was analysed using pathogenicity tests and molecular markers – random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphism. Hundred and eight isolates were obtained from diseased chickpea plants in 13 different provinces of Turkey, out of which 74 isolates were assessed using 30 arbitrary decamer primers and 20 ISSR primers. Unweighted pair-grouped method by arithmetic average cluster analysis of RAPD, ISSR and RAPD + ISSR datasets provided a substantially similar discrimination among Turkish isolates and divided into three major groups. Group 1, 2 and 3 consisted of 41, 18 and 15 isolates, respectively. These methods revealed a considerable genetic variation among Turkish isolates, but no correlation with regard to the clustering of isolates from different geographic regions. Analysis of molecular variance confirmed that most genetic variability resulted from the differences among isolates within regions. Our results also indicated that the low-genetic differentiation (FST) and high gene flow (Nm) among populations had a significant effect on the emergence and evolutionary development of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. This is the first report on genetic diversity and population structure of F. oxysporum isolates on chickpea in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etiology of a new soft rot disease of tulips, causing leaf spots, leaf blight, neck and bulb rot in Konya, Turkey, was investigated. This disease occurred in tulip fields grown for seed bulbs of various varieties in 2002. Bacteria were isolated from the lesions on leaf, bud neck and bulbs and the causal bacterium was identified as Pectobacterium carotovorum on the basis of biochemical and physiological tests. Cells were Gram-negative, rod-shaped, fermentative, potato-rot positive. Colonies were capable of growth at 37°C. On nutrient agar the colonies were creamy-white. The isolates were non-fluorescent on King’s B medium, positive for acetoin production, gelatin liquefaction, acid-production-from-lactose, and catalase; and negative for gas from glucose, reducing substances from sucrose, and phosphatase activity. Additionally, tests for egg yolk (lecithin), sensitivity to erythromycin, and pigmentation on yeast dextrose carbonate agar were negative; growth on 5% sodium chloride was positive. All the bacterial isolates obtained from the leaf, bud neck and bulbs produced the original symptoms following inoculation to the susceptible tulip variety ‘Gander’. The rate of damage caused by this bacterium was evaluated on several tulip varieties under field and storage conditions. Gander was the most susceptible variety in the field whereas ‘Salmon Parrot’ exhibited the highest rate of bulb rot in storage. Disease severity was lower in 2003 than 2002. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the persistence of 14C-trifluralin residues in soil and their uptake by the melon plant in Turkey which found that the movement of the herbicide residues in soil changed with time. The study found that 82.3% of the applied radioactivity of the chemical was present in the soil after one month. It revealed that there were bound 14C-residues in soil and melon samples which were greater than extractable C-residues. It also indicated that most of the residues were seen in the root of the melon plant and that the root crops grown in soil treated with trifluralin contained herbicide residues on the surface. The study also discovered that the metabolites formed in the soil were approximately 3% of the initial herbicide applied.

Background Isotretinoin therapy is a commonly prescribed medication by dermatologists for the treatment of acne. Regular laboratory assessments are recommended throughout the treatment period to detect any potential complications. Objectives This study aims to present the alterations in laboratory parameters throughout the course of isotretinoin therapy and identify required diagnostic testing. Methods This study involved 136 patients undergoing isotretinoin treatment at doses of 0.3-0.5 mg/kg/day, with ages ranging from 18 to 41 years. A retrospective evaluation was conducted on biomarkers including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK), triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hemoglobin, white blood cells, and thrombocytes. Levels of these parameters were analyzed prior to treatment and at the third month of treatment from the records of patients and the data were compared statistically. Moreover, the parameters of ALT, AST, CK, and GGT were graded objectively, and any alterations were noted in the patients. Results The levels of ALT, AST and GGT, along with triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and thrombocyte levels showed significant elevation (p=0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.003, respectively). A significant decrease in HDL-C with hemoglobin was also noted (p=0.022, p=0.006, respectively). One patient (0.73%) exhibited grade 1 elevations in ALT, AST, and CK. One patient (0.73%) displayed grade 1 elevations in ALT and AST. One patient (0.73%) exhibited grade 1 elevations in AST and CK, while another patient (0.73%) had grade 1 elevation in AST and grade 3 elevation in CK. Furthermore, one patient (0.73%) had a grade 1 elevation exclusively in ALT, two patients (1.47%) had a grade 1 elevation exclusively in AST, and six patients (4.41%) exhibited a grade 1 elevation in CK only. No grade changes were observed in the GGT levels in the patients. Conclusion During isotretinoin treatment, changes in ALT and AST levels were more frequently associated with the muscle enzyme CK, while GGT levels remained unaffected. Therefore, GGT can be considered a reliable parameter for evaluating liver function in patients undergoing isotretinoin treatment., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Maden et al.)

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that chronic hand eczema (CHE) causes negative effects on psychological status of patients. However, presence of social anxiety and avoidance has not been investigated in CHE patients. In this descriptive and prospective study, we aimed to examine the psychosocial dimensions of CHE in a more detailed manner., Methods: 70 patients with CHE and 70 controls were participated in the study. The quality of life (QoL) was assessed with the World Health Organization QoL Questionnaire-Short Form (WHOQoL-BREF); anxiety and depression were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and social anxiety and avoidance were evaluated with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS)., Results: The physical and environmental subscale scores of the WHOQoL-BREF were significantly lower (P<0.001, P=0.041); whereas HADS-total (P=0.019), HADS-anxiety (P=0.014), LSAS-total (P=0.025), LSAS-anxiety (P=0.037) and LSAS-avoidance (P=0.029) scores were significantly higher in CHE patients compared to controls. The physical (r=-0.260, P=0.002) and social (r=0.204, P=0.016) domains of the WHOQoL-BREF scale negatively correlated with the severity of eczema, while the psychological (r=-0.363, P=0.002) and environmental (r=-0.456, P<0.001) domains negatively correlated with the extent of eczema. HADS-total (r=0.284, P=0.017) and HADS-depression (r=0.311, P=0.009) also showed positive correlations with the extent of the CHE., Conclusions: Considering that impairment in QoL may be associated with psychosocial morbidity, it is important to develop strategies to recognize and treat those psychiatric comorbidities in patients with CHE.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

During 2015-2017 growing seasons, seventy-one isolates of Rhizoctonia spp. were obtained from the samples collected from the sugar beet fields of Konya province, which is one of the most important sugar beet growing areas of Turkey. Anastomosis groups (AGs) of Rhizoctonia spp. isolates were determined by hyphal conjugation with the tester strains and sequence analysis of the rDNA ITS region. The obtained data confirmed the species identity of 61 isolates out of 71 as R. solani (AG-2-2-IIIB, AG-4-(HGI, HGII, HGIII), AG-5, AG-11) and the remaining 10 isolates as binucleate Rhizoctonia (AG-K, AG-A). Pathogenicity tests revealed that AG-2-2-IIIB, AG-4-(HGI, HGII, HGIII) and AG-K isolates were highly virulent on sugar beet. The disease severity of 71 isolates varied between 13 and 100%. Based on the virulence, the isolates formed four categories; (i) 11 isolates: non-pathogenic, (ii) 15 isolates: low virulent, (iii) 6 isolates: moderately virulent and (iv) 39 isolates: highly virulent. To our knowledge, the AGs of AG-4-(HGI, HGII, HGIII), AG-11, AG-A are first reports on sugar beet in Turkey and the AG-5, AG-11 and AG-K are first AG groups for Konya region.

Background: Inter-hospital communication frequently requires mediation via a switchboard. Identifying and eliminating switchboard inefficiencies may improve patient care., Methods: All 175 acute hospital switchboards in England were contacted six times. Call contents and duration were recorded. No clinician calls or bleeps were connected., Results: The mean delay before contacting a switchboard operative was 55±46 seconds. 115 hospitals (66%) used automated switchboards; 34 of these (30%) had infection control messages. Robot operators introduced an additional 40 second delay versus humans (mean 70.3±28 versus 29.8±23 seconds, p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified robot operators (HR 5.1, p<0.0001) and infection control messages (HR 2.9, p=0.003) as predictors of delays over 60 seconds., Conclusions: There are significant avoidable delays in contacting switchboard operatives across England. Quality improvement is underway.