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A group of aquatic Coleoptera specimens was collected from Güvenç Village in the Kahramankazan region of Ankara. Among these specimens was Dryops rufipes (Krynicki, 1832) (Coleoptera: Dryopidae), which is recorded from the Middle Anatolian Region of Turkey for the first time. The egg morphology of D. rufipes is described based on light and scanning electron microscope micrographs. Copulation and oviposition are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the power of the parameters obtained from different sustained vowels used in acoustic and electroglottographic (EGG) voice evaluation protocols to discriminate between dysphonic and non-dysphonic voice quality. Sixty non-dysphonic participants and 30 dysphonic participants were included in the study. In addition to the time domain amplitude and frequency perturbation parameters obtained from the sustained phonation of /ʌ/-/ɛ/-/i/-/u/ vowels, several frequency-domain spectral/cepstral parameters and EGG parameters were evaluated. The classification performance of the acoustic and electroglottographic measures was quantified using analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. As a result of ROC analysis, the discriminative diagnostic performance (area under the curve, AUC) of the test for low-vowel (/ʌ/-/ɛ/) phonation was higher than values obtained from high-vowel (/i/-/u/) phonation. For /ʌ/ and /ɛ/ sustained vowels, the parameters exhibiting the highest discrimination were fundamental frequency standard deviation (fo/STD), cepstral peak prominence (CPP), relative average perturbation (RAP), pitch perturbation quotient (PPQ), and jitter percent (JITT). In the EGG parameters, on the other hand, average jitter and periodicity parameters obtained from front vowels (/ɛ/-/i/) were found to have higher AUC values compared to back vowels (/ʌ/-/u/). In acoustic analyses, /ʌ/ and /ɛ/ sustained vowels give the highest diagnostic performance. In the electroglottographic evaluation, on the other hand, /ɛ/ and /i/ vowels, when the position of the tongue is forward, have better classification performance compared to /ʌ/ and /u/ vowels, when the position of the tongue is back. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In the presence of food allergies, especially egg allergies, primary physicians in Turkey avoid vaccine administration and refer children to a hospital setting. We aimed to evaluate children who had allergies or suspected allergies and were referred to our Well Child Clinic in a university hospital for vaccination. Material and Methods: Charts of all children referred to our clinic due to concerns for allergies in the last two years, were reviewed. Demographic data, laboratory evaluation and reactions after immunization were recorded. Results: A total of 122 children with or without a confirmed diagnosis of allergies were referred by primary physicians. In the history, 50 children (43.5%) had reactions with egg, 42 (36.5%) had reactions with multiple foods, nine (7.8%) had reactions with milk and seven (6.1%) had reactions with a previous vaccination. The most common reaction was rash (n=89, 86.4%). Nine children reported anaphylaxis. Skin testing or serum allergen specific IgE measurement revealed that 66 (54.1%) children had sensitization to egg white and 25 (20.5%) had sensitization to egg yolk. Most children (n=87, 71.9%) were referred for all the 12th-month vaccines, and 21 children were referred only for the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (n=21, 17.4%). The median delay time in the administration of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine was 20.0 (interquartile range: 8.7-41.2) days. No reaction was observed except for one child reporting a slight rash several hours after vaccination. Conclusion: Egg allergy was the most common barrier of vaccine administration in children referred from family physicians. Given the absence of any reactions, we support the administration of the measles- mumps-rubella vaccine in primary care settings to prevent delays in national vaccine schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micronucleus (MN) technique is commonly used for genotoxicity testing. The hen's egg test (HET) for analysis of MN induction (HET-MN) is an inexpensive, rapid and simple genotoxicity assay that is compatible with animal protection and ethical considerations. Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst is known also as reishi mushroom and mushroom of immortality. It has long been used to treat disorders including fungal infections, influenza, common cold, hepatitis, diabetes, high cholesterol and cancer in many countries including China and Japan. G. lucidum strengthens the immune system and reduces the side effects of chemo- and radiotherapy. We investigated the possible genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of the aqueous extract of wild-grown G. lucidum from Turkey using the HET-MN test. Three different doses of aqueous extract of G. lucidum, 50 µg/egg vitamin C as an antigenotoxic agent and 50 µg/egg cyclophosphamide as a genotoxic compound were injected separately or together into fertilized chicken eggs at incubation day 8. Embryonic peripheral blood smears were prepared and stained with a modified May-Grünwald-Giemsa method on incubation day 11. The frequencies of MN and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes were determined using light microscopy. Although the aqueous extract G. lucidum exhibited no genotoxic effect, it did exhibit an antigenotoxic effect. Our findings suggest that G. lucidum extract is a valuable natural antigenotoxic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We analysed PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, ind-PCBs in egg, pasteurized egg, egg yolk powder. [•] All results are below the values imposed in Turkish Regulation. [•] 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, PCB126 are the most dominants. [•] Daily exposure to PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs is 0.011pgWHO-TEQ(2005) d−1 kgbw−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid (FA) composition of eggs from nine poultry species was determined chromatographically. Twenty six FAs were determined in the lipid composition of eggs. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were found in higher amounts than saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in egg yolks. Oleic acid (C18:1 n9) was the major MUFA in egg yolk and, palmitic acid (C16:0) was the major SFA in nine of all different originated eggs. Linoleic acid (C18:2 n6), arachidonic acid (C20:4 n6) and linolenic acid (C18:3 n3), reached the highest levels among the PUFAs. SFA/PUFA ratios were found to be 0.97, 2.51, 2.20, 1.46, 1.67, 1.40, 1.96, 1.27, and 1.34 in chicken, goose, duck, turkey, peacock, guinea fowl, pheasant, quail and partridge, respectively. Eggs of all nine species were found valuable for human consumption as fatty acids source, but the chicken's egg occured to be the most beneficial to human health according to its highest omega 6 fatty acid (29.8%), highest PUFA / MUFA ratio (0.80) and lowest of SFA / PUFA ratio (0.97). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine egg consumption habits in Turkey. Questionnaires prepared to determine habits regarding egg consumption were supplied to 2241 families. Sampling sizes and sample addresses were provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute. Data obtained through the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. Of the families that participated in the study, 98% consume eggs and the number of eggs consumed per person was 158 per year. In addition, 67.82% of the eggs consumed were purchased from supermarkets and 62.40% of the consumers pay most of their attention to the production date. The eggs were most oft en consumed in the morning, at a percentage of 85.52%, and 70.28% of all of the eggs were boiled for consumption. Egg packaging has an impact on consumer choice at a rate of 67.46%, and eggs packaged in egg trays covered with plastic wrap are preferred at a rate of 58.26%. Eggs with deep yellow yolks were preferred by 81.20% of the families. It was also found that 72.42% of the families were not knowledgeable about organic eggs. It is generally believed that egg consumption will decrease at a rate of 36% in the event of an avian influenza epidemic, as was the case with a previous epidemic in Turkey and around the world. Moreover, 67.11% of consumers believe that government supervision of egg production is inadequate. Egg consumption is low in society. Effective promotion and advertising campaigns about the nutritional value of eggs for a healthy society should be organized to create well-informed consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A sampling and analysis program were conducted to determine the PCDD/F levels in various food samples collected in Kocaeli, one of the highly polluted areas in Turkey. Several food samples including animal (egg, chicken, meat and cow’s milk) and plant (fruits, leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables, rooty vegetables and flour) products were collected from both local and non-local (commercial) sources. The local food samples were taken from 20 sampling points selected by taking into account the location of the possible PCDD/F sources, dominant wind directions and representing the major part of the Turkish daily diet The PCDD/F concentrations in local eggs and milk samples were ranged from <1.16 to 10.94pgTEQg−1 fat and from <0.43 to 3.29pgTEQg−1 fat, respectively. On the other hand, the PCDD/F concentrations were measured between 0.28–1.81 pgTEQg−1 fat in local meat samples and 0.15–2.92pgTEQg−1 fat in local chicken samples. The PCDD/F concentrations in the plant products were relatively low and most of the congeners were measured below the detection limits except for the leafy vegetables. In addition, several commercial samples were analyzed in order to evaluate the differences of PCDD/F levels in samples collected from both the local and non-local sources. The results showed that the local animal products have higher PCDD/F concentrations than the non-local ones. Moreover, the commercial plant products showed undetectable concentrations for most of the congeners. Finally, the PCDD/F levels in some animal products were found to be higher than the national limit values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In all, 160 Japanese quail (80 male and 80 female) were divided into 4 groups (3 test groups and 1 control group). The test groups were fed a diet containing aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) of Senecio vernalis(SV group), Heliotropium dolosum (HD group), or Heliotropium circinatum (HC group) at the level of 30% for 6 weeks, and the control group was fed 0% in order to evaluate parental and progenial toxicity, along with the transference of alkaloid residues to their eggs. The pyrrolizidine alkaloid content in the feed was 390 mg/kg in the HD group, 450 mg/kg in the HC group, and 420 mg/kg in the SV group. No clinical signs or death occurred in the test groups; however, egg production and hatchability significantly decreased in all test groups, as compared to the control group. In spite of the occurrence of specific biochemical and histopathological changes in parental quail, no remarkable changes were observed in their progeny on post-hatching days 0, 10, 20, 30, or 40. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the eggs indicated the presence of 8.66 ig/g of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid europine in the HD group, 19.05 ig/g of europine and 1.46 ig/g of heliotrine in the HC group, and 3.21 ig/g of senecionine in the SV group at the end of study. In conclusion, the results of the present study provide experimental evidence that the alkaloids transferred to the eggs of quail fed high doses of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plant material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Put. has a wide distribution in the Palearctic region. It is the most important pest problem of wheat in Turkey. The objective of this study was to attain better knowledge of the development of the sunn pest eggs. The lower temperature threshold and development rate of eggs were determined at 17, 20, 23, 26 and 32°C ± 1°C in the laboratory. A linear model was used to describe the developmental rate and temperature. The egg development required 90.9 degree-days above the theoretical threshold of 11.7°C. The development time was 17.6 ± 0.1 days at 17°C, and 4.5 ± 0.01 days at 32°C. Incubation time was inversely related to temperature. The study showed that the eggs of E. integriceps needed shorter periods of time to complete their development than immature stages of their parasitoids Trissolcus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical factors affecting the infestation of individual loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests by Muscidae and Pimelia sp. were determined in the 2002 and 2003 hatching seasons on Dalaman Beach, Turkey. The data were collected from the middle of July to the middle of September in both years. The most significant factor, by t-test, for Pimelia sp., was the distance of the nest from vegetation (P<0.001), and the most significant factor for Muscidae was the depth from the surface to the egg chamber (P<0.001). The distances of nests from vegetation were found to be significant factors for both Pimelia sp. and Muscidae. For conservation, it should be noted that the relocation of nests from the water's edge to further inland or to a hatchery site closer to vegetation may increase insect infestation and reduce hatching success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead, cadmium, copper, zinc and iron levels were determined in organically and conventionally produced wheat, green lentils, flower honey and eggs that are supplied on different markets in Ankara, Turkey. Their toxicological and nutritional values were compared with national and international limits and literature data. The levels of cadmium and lead in conventionally and organically produced wheat, green lentils, honey and egg were below the limit of detection (LOD), whereas the level of copper was only below LOD in honey and eggs. The levels of Zn and Cu were found to be higher in conventionally produced wheat samples than organically produced ones; whereas the level of Fe in organic products was found to be higher than the conventional products.