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© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.We assessed genetic diversities among Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) field isolates collected from farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Turkey. The overall prevalence of Ich was 35.3% (634/1798). Five novel Ich genotypes (ImulTR1 and ImulTR3‒ImulTR6) were described based on mitochondrial cox-1 and nad1_b genes. The remaining genotype ImulTR2 was identical to the previously reported NY3 (or Ark9 and TW7) genotype from the United States and South Asia. Phylogenetic analysis indicated Turkish Ich isolates separated genetically into at least four distinct groups. Our study presents the first data on the genotypes of Ich in Turkey. We also provide evidence for the wide distribution of the NY3 genotype (or Ark9 and TW7) from the United States and South Asia to Turkey. Genetic diversities within the mitochondrial genes provided adequate resolution for describing novel genotypes and identifying the known genotype within Turkish Ich isolates. Description of the Ich genotypes allows for tracking of pathogen genotypes worldwide. Thus, we can better understand the connections between Ich outbreaks in the fisheries aquaculture.

The molecular prevalence and genotypes of Giardia duodenalis in cattle were investigated. A total of 450 fecal samples were collected from cattle in three provinces of Central Anatolia from August 2017 to July 2019. Genomic DNA was extracted from the fecal samples and used in molecular analysis carried out by nested PCR analyses of the β-giardin (bg) gene of G. duodenalis. Positive samples were further analyzed by nested PCR at two gene loci (triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh)) for genotyping of G. duodenalis isolates. PCR analyses of the bg gene indicated that the overall prevalence of G. duodenalis was 30.2%. However, lower rates were determined with PCR analyses for gdh and tpi loci. The sequence analyses of the bg, gdh, and tpi genes revealed the presence of zoonotic assemblage A and livestock-specific assemblage E. Combined-sequence analyses revealed that assemblage E was the most common in the study area. Our study provides the first data on the wide prevalence of livestock-specific assemblages E in cattle in Turkey. The prevalence of assemblage A in cattle also reveals the importance of cattle for zoonotic transmission of giardiasis in Turkey.

Dermanyssus gallinae, the poultry red mite is an obligatory blood-sucking ectoparasite and has been involved in the transmission of several pathogens between both animals and humans. In order to develop effective control strategies against D. gallinae, it is essential to determine their genetic compositions and investigate the potential vector roles of these mites. Therefore, we aimed to analyse the mt-COI gene regions of D. gallinae populations and investigate avian haemosporidian parasites in order to point out their risk potentials for the presence of possible transmission by these mites. In total, 1985 mites were collected from five laying hen breeding facilities in Central Anatolia Region in Turkey. The mt-COI sequence analyses of 100 individual mites identified 6 haplotypes (TD1 to TD6) in three haplogroups. Although the local lineages are common in the region, our findings also support the possibility of international transmission of D. gallinae. A total of 126 pools of D. gallinae were screened for investigation of three genera of avian haemosporidians. In total, five pools from three facilities were identified as positive for species of Plasmodium. These findings provide novel molecular data on the possible vector role of D. gallinae in the transmission of avian haemosporidians and draw attention to the risk potentials in poultry farms.

Elastocaloric cooling, which exploits superelastic transitions of shape memory alloys to pump heat, has recently emerged as a frontrunner in alternative cooling technologies. Despite its intrinsic high efficiency, elastocaloric materials exhibit hysteresis associated with input work, a common attribute of caloric cooling materials. In this study, the authors created a Ni-Ti-based elastocaloric material by additive manufacturing nanocomposite materials using a laser directed-energy- deposition system. The material exhibited exceptional stability and unusual operational efficiency derived from the unique and intricate nanocomposite structures made by additive manufacturing. This demonstration shows the potential for using additive manufacturing to optimize caloric cooling by providing a highly desirable topology flexibility into materials components that serve as both refrigerants and heat exchangers.

The protozoan Dientamoeba fragilis is one of the most common parasites in the diges-tive system of humans worldwide. The host range and transmission routes of D. fragi-lis, including the role of animals, are still ambiguous with few reports from non- human primates, sheep, rodents, pigs, a cat and a dog. In this study, we used microscopic and TaqMan qPCR analyses to investigate D. fragilisin 150 faecal samples from pet budger-igars (Melopsittacus undulatus) in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Dientamoeba fragilis DNA was detected in 32 samples, resulting in a mean prevalence of 21.3%. In microscopic examination, trophozoites/cysts of D. fragilis were detected in 13 of 32 qPCR- positive samples. SSU rRNA sequence analyses of the qPCR- positive iso-lates identified genotype 1 of D. fragilis as predominant in budgerigars. Phylogenetic analyses of the SSU rRNA gene region clustered D. fragilis genotypes, as well as other trichomonads, in separate monophyletic clusters with bootstrap values ≥79.0. Our study provides the first evidence for the natural host status of pet budgerigars for D. fragilisand contributes to the knowledge of the epidemiology of this parasite. The high prevalence of genotype 1 of D. fragilis suggests that pet budgerigars are suitable reservoirs for zoonotic transmission. Our findings contribute to an increased aware-ness and knowledge of D. fragilis infections in the context of a one- health approach.

© 2021 Elsevier B.V.Waterborne pathogens (parasites, bacteria) are serious threats to human health. Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the protozoan parasites that can contaminate drinking water and lead to diarrhea in animals and humans. Rapid and reliable detection of these kinds of waterborne pathogens is highly essential. Yet, current detection techniques are limited for waterborne pathogens and time-consuming and have some major drawbacks. Therefore, rapid screening methods would play an important role in controlling the outbreaks of these pathogens. Here, we used label-free surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) combined with multivariate analysis for the detection of C. parvum oocysts along with bacterial contaminants including, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used as SERS substrate and samples were prepared with simply mixed of concentrated AgNPs with microorganisms. Each species presented distinct SERS spectra. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering were performed to discriminate C. parvum oocysts, E. coli, and S. aureus. PCA was used to visualize the dataset and extract significant spectral features. According to score plots in 3 dimensional PCA space, species formed distinct group. Furthermore, each species formed different clusters in hierarchical clustering. Our study indicates that SERS combined with multivariate analysis techniques can be utilized for the detection of C. parvum oocysts quickly.

© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.Infections of avian haemosporidian parasites are regularly identified by molecular methods including multiplex PCR, which allows researchers to distinguish mixed infections of parasites from multiple genera. Here we extend the utility of a previously designed multiplex PCR by designing a primer set specific to parasites of the subgenus Haemoproteus (genus: Haemoproteus). The updated one-step multiplex PCR protocol we describe here allows for the detection of the genera Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon and the two subgenera (Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus) of the genus Haemoproteus. A sensitivity analysis showed that the multiplex PCR could amplify DNA of parasites in the subgenus Haemoproteus at very low levels of infection. We used this multiplex PCR to identify haemosporidian infections in 250 adult domestic pigeons (Columba livia) in Turkey. All samples were also screened by microscopy and a widely used nested PCR to compare with the results of multiplex PCR, to detect low levels of parasitemia, and to identify possible abortive infections. In total, 71 pigeons (28.4%) were found to be infected by all three methods. The multiplex PCR protocol successfully detected and discriminated both subgenera Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus infections. We compared our results with previous host species records to assess the host specificity of the parasite lineages we found. Our findings provide novel data on the prevalence of avian haemosporidians in domestic pigeons and demonstrate the utility of the new one-step multiplex PCR protocol for the determination of mixed avian haemosporidian infections. We expect that this protocol will contribute to a better understanding of the distribution, epizootiology, and ecology of avian haemosporidians.

Objective The aim of the present study was to show the morphologic and molecular characterization of Myxobolus species in grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) caught from the Black Sea coasts of Turkey. Methods A total of 104 grey mullets caught from Turkish Black Sea coasts were obtained from fish markets between November 2017 and February 2018 and were examined for the presence of Myxobolus by using morphological and advanced molecular diagnostic methods. Results Totally, three out of 104 fish specimens were found to be infected with large and white coloured plasmodia and the prevalence was determined as 2.8%. The myxospores were morphologically identified as Myxobolus episquamalis, confirmed by using sequence analyses of their 18S rRNA gene regions. The shape of myxospores was oval and they were 8.6 (7.8-9.4) μm in length, 6.7 (6.1-7.3) μm in width and 4.7 (4.1-5.3) μm in thickness. Measuremenst of two pyriform polar capsules were 4.2 (3.7-4.6) μm in length ve 2.2 (2.1-2.4) μ m in width. The length of polar filament was determined as 27-51 μm. Nucleotide sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of the ES-2018-ERU isolate (MK012069) found in our study showed 99.8% and 100% similarity with M. episquamalis isolates submitted to GenBank from Tunisia (AY129312) and South Korea (JF810537; KC733437), respectively. Pairwise genetic distance (%) between ES-2018-ERU isolate and the other Myxobolus species which were identified in mullets from various countries were determined as 9.9-14.8%. Conclusion: This study provides first molecular Conclusion This study provides first molecular data on M. episquamalis found in the scale of the grey mullets (Mugil cephalus) from Turkey.

The Mediterranean tick, Hyalomma marginatum, is the most important vector of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and several pathogens that cause animal and human diseases and economic losses to livestock production. Given the medical and veterinary importance of this tick species, we sequenced and characterized its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) for the first time. We designed two new primer sets and combined long-range PCR with next generation sequencing to generate complete mitogenomes with deep coverage from 10 H. marginatum adults. The mitogenomes contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal subunits, two control regions, and three tick-box motifs. The nucleotide composition of the H. marginatum mitogenomes were A+T biased (79.76%) and exhibited negative AT- and GC- skews across most PCGs. All PCGs were initiated by ATK codons and two truncated termination codons were seen in the COX2 and COX3 genes. All tRNAs exhibited typical cloverleaf structures, except for tRNACys and tRNASer1. A total of 62 polymorphic sites defined ten unique haplotypes. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 13 PCGs of 56 tick species revealed that four Hyalomma species (H. marginatum, H. asiaticum, H. rufipes, and H. truncatum) formed a monophyletic clade with strong support. The results of this study provide a comprehensive resource for further studies on the systematics, population genetics, molecular epidemiology, and evolution of ticks.

A total of 1340 fresh fecal samples from farm and pet animals in Central Anatolia and the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey were investigated using a PCR assay targeting the SSU rRNA of Blastocystis sp. An overall Blastocystis sp. prevalence of 19.4% (183/940) was found in farm animals, including cattle, sheep, water buffaloes, and chickens. Fecal samples of dogs, cats, and horses were negative. The highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was found in sheep (38.2%) among the farm animals. The SSU rRNA sequence analysis revealed two animal-specific subtypes, including ST10 in cattle and sheep and ST14 in water buffaloes. The zoonotic subtype ST7 was identified in chickens. Our results indicated a high prevalence of animal-specific subtypes in livestock and zoonotic subtype ST7 in chickens, highlighting the potential risk of chickens for zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis in the research area. This study is the first large-scale evaluation of Blastocystis in animal hosts in Turkey, and contributes to the molecular epidemiology and genetics of Blastocystis. Our results should be considered by authorities as an indication of the zoonotic importance of Blastocystis sp. and the need for surveillance in public health intervention programs.

*Sürsal, Neslihan ( Aksaray, Yazar ), Cryptosporidium is a common enteric parasite that primarily affects those immunocompromised susceptible individuals and newborns. Detailed investigations have revealed that Cryptosporidium (C.) oocysts contain dsRNA segments which are recently classified under the Partitiviridae family. The relationship between parasite and virus whether or not affect the clinical outcomes of newborn calf diarrhoea is not apparent. The aim of this study was the identification and characterization of Cryptosporidium parvum virus-1 (CSpV1) from newborn calves. We also aimed to understand that parasite–virus symbiont relationship role in the severity of disease cases. Parasitic screening was performed with the help of morphological examinations, immunoassay and molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. To further identification of C. parvum oocysts, confocal laser, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image analysis were used for the morphological investigations. Software-based in silico comparison and identity analyses were conducted from the CSpV1 genome for the genomic sequence characterizations. Cryptosporidium prevalence was 56.2% in newborn calf diarrhoeal cases. Virus dsRNA segments isolated from purified and clarified oocysts. Sequence results showed that we have successfully isolated CSpV1 from C. parvum oocysts. Virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) was found to be highly variable and showed a species-specific relationship with their carriers. We also identified that CSpV1 frequency was around 8.8% from diarrhoea-showing newborn calves. Cryptosporidium was strongly associated with diarrhoea at early ages of newborns, but the parasite and CSpV1 relationship is not associated with the severity of newborn calf diarrhoea. The current study provides the first report and molecular characterization of CSpV1 in Turkey.

*Sürsal, Neslihan ( Aksaray, Yazar ), Calf mortality constitutes a substantial loss for agriculture economy-based countries and is also a significant herd problem in developed countries. However, the occurrence and frequency of responsible gastro-intestinal (GI) pathogens in severe newborn diarrhea is still not well known. We aimed to determine the seasonal and age-associated pathogen distribution of severe diarrhea in newborn calves admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Erciyes University animal hospital over a year. Fecal samples were collected during the ICU admissions, and specimens were subjected to a diarrheal pathogen screening panel that included bovine coronavirus (BCoV), Cryptosporidium spp., ETEC K99+, and bovine rotavirus, using RT-PCR and conventional PCR methods. Further isolation experiments were performed with permissive cell cultures and bacterial enrichment methods to identify the clinical importance of infectious pathogen shedding in the ICU. Among the hospitalized calves aged less than 45 days old, the majority of calves originated from small farms (85.9%). The pathogen that most frequently occurred was Cryptosporidium spp. (61.5%) followed by rotavirus (56.4%). The frequency of animal admission to ICU and GI pathogen identification was higher during the winter season (44.9%) when compared to other seasons. Most calves included in the study were 1-6 days old (44.9%). Lastly, co-infection with rotavirus and Cryptosporidium spp. occurred more frequently than other dual or multi-infection events. This study was the first to define severe diarrhea-causing GI pathogens from ICU admitted newborn calves in Turkey.

Hysterothylacium fabri is commonly reported in various Mediterranean fish. However, there is no data on the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (rrnS) gene sequence of H. fabri larvae in the Mediterranean Sea waters. Therefore, we aimed to reveal molecular characterization of H. fabri based on the rrnS gene sequence in the current study. Firstly, the fourth stage of H. fabri larvae were identified at parasitological examination from Mullus barbatus in the Mediterranean Sea. Morphologically identified H. fabri larvae herein were also supported by the sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal ITS gene regions. In the next step, the rrnS gene of these larvae was molecularly analysed. Our H. fabri isolate (MK886659) showed 96.42% identity with H. fabri reported from China (MF140349) based on the rrnS gene. The nucleotide difference based on the rrnS gene between Chinese isolate (MF140349) and our H. fabri isolate (MK886659) was determined as 3.2%. Consequently, for the first time, the mitochondrial rrnS gene sequencing of H. fabri from the Mediterranean waters were performed in the current study.

Sürsal, Neslihan ( Aksaray, Yazar ), Globalization opens new market areas and affects food consumption habits, resulting in rapid and remarkable cultural change. Food habits such as consumption of raw fish meat have become popular, resulting in increased risk of emerging infectious diseases. Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s) and A. pegreffii are the most common and important fish-borne zoonotic nematodes responsible for human anisakiasis, which occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked fish as well as cooked fish due to their heat-stable allergens. Here, we investigated the prevalence, intensity, and abundance of Anisakis larvae in imported fish and ready-to-eat local fish products in Turkey. A total of 205 ready-to-eat fish products, 100 imported frozen Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets, and 100 imported frozen whole Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) were sampled from supermarkets, sushi restaurants, and fish markets. All samples were individually examined using a pepsin digestion technique. In total, 602 Anisakis type I larvae were recovered from 98/100 mackerel. No larvae were found in ready-to-eat products or frozen Atlantic salmon fillets. Overall, 8.8% of the larvae were found in the muscle tissue. The overall mean intensity and abundance of infection in mackerel were 6.14 and 6.02, respectively. The larvae were molecularly identified and their phylogenetic relationships with the relevant Anisakis sequences in GenBank were investigated. For this purpose, a subsample of randomly selected 100 Anisakis larvae were analyzed with PCR-RFLP of the ITS region. The larvae were identified as A. simplex (s.s.) (n = 87) and hybrids (n = 13). ITS and cox2 gene regions of all hybrids and randomly selected 50 A. simplex (s.s.) larvae were sequenced for species confirmation and phylogenetic analyses. No intraspecific nucleotide variation was found among the ITS sequences of either species. Seven and three haplotypes, respectively, were identified for A. simplex (s.s.) and hybrid species according to DNA polymorphism of the cox2 gene. Hybrids in our study clustered within the common A. simplex (s.s.) clade in the cox2 phylogenetic tree indicating the dominance of A. simplex (s.s) in the catching area of Atlantic mackerel. Consequently, our study indicates high occurrence of A. simplex (s.s.) larvae with an overall 98.0% prevalence in imported Atlantic mackerel, and highlights the importance of these fish as potential reservoirs for human allergic anisakiasis in Turkey and possibly in other countries.

*Sürsal, Neslihan( Aksaray, Yazar ), Giardia duodenalis is a common zoonotic protozoan parasite with a broad host distribution. The main objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence of giardiasis and to reveal the genetic and haplotype diversity of G. duodenalis in symptomatic cats in Turkey. Fecal samples were collected from cats (n = 102) with diarrhea that were admitted to different pet clinics in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. All samples were analyzed by microscopic examination (ME), rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT), and PCR targeting the β-giardin (bg) loci of the parasite. Phylogenetic, haplotype, and network analyses of G. duodenalis based on the bg gene were carried out. Overall, G. duodenalis was detected in 70/102 (68.6%) of the cats with diarrhea by ME (38/102, 37.3%), ICT (51/102, 50%), and PCR (30/102, 29.4%). According to sequence analyses of the bg gene region, all isolates were identified as G. duodenalis assemblage B. Haplotype analyses revealed 2 known and 8 novel haplotypes for G. duodenalis assemblage B. This study provides first prevalence and genetic and haplotype diversity data on G. duodenalis assemblage B from cats in Turkey.

Horses might play an important role as reservoir hosts in the epidemiology of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, which is one of the most important zoonotic microsporidian pathogens, with a wide range of hosts. Nevertheless, limited information is available on the infection rates and genotypes of E. bieneusi in horses, and no data are available on the occurrence and molecular characteristics of E. bieneusi in horses in Turkey. We determined the prevalence of E. bieneusi among horses raised on farms from two provinces of Central Anatolia Region, by amplification of the partial small subunit ribosomal RNA gene using nested PCR. We identified the genotypes of E. bieneusi isolates by analyzing the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi was 18.7% (56/300), with no significant differences in infection rates among age groups or between genders of horses. Sequence analysis revealed eight genotypes: two known genotypes (ERUSS1, BEB6) and six novel genotypes (named ERUH2 to ERUH7). The genotype ERUSS1 was the most common and was found on all farms, age groups, and genders. Phylogenetic analysis clustered all the identified genotypes in ruminant-specific group 2. Our findings contribute to the molecular epidemiology of E. bieneusi.

This work focuses on the rapid synthesis and characterization of quaternary Ce(CoFeCu)5 alloy libraries to assess their potential viability as permanent magnets. Arrays of bulk specimens with controlled compositions were synthesized via laser engineered net shaping (LENS) by feeding different ratios of alloy powders into a melt pool created by a laser. Based on the assessment of the magnetic properties of the LENS printed samples, arc-melted and cast ingots were prepared with varying Fe (5–20 at.%) and Co (60–45 at.%) compositions while maintaining constant Ce (16 at.%) and Cu (19 at.%) content. The evolution of the microstructure and phases with varying chemical compositions and their dependence on magnetic properties are analyzed in as-cast and heat-treated samples. In both the LENS printed and cast samples, we find the best magnetic properties correspond to a predominantly single-phase Ce(CoFeCu)5 microstructure in which high coercivity (Hc > 10 kOe) can be achieved without any microstructural refinement.

Alternatives to rare earth permanent magnets, such as alnico, will reduce supply instability, increase sustainability, and could decrease the cost of permanent magnets, especially for high-temperature applications, such as traction drive motors. Alnico magnets with moderate coercivity, high remanence, and relatively high-energy product are conventionally processed by directional solidification and (significant) final machining, contributing to increased costs and additional material waste. Additive manufacturing (AM) is developing as a cost effective method to build net-shape 3-D parts with minimal final machining and properties comparable to wrought parts. This paper describes initial studies of net-shape fabrication of alnico magnets by AM using a laser engineered net shaping (LENS) system. High-pressure gas atomized pre-alloyed powders of two different modified alnico “8” compositions, with high purity and sphericity, were built into cylinders using the LENS process, and followed by heat treatment. The magnetic properties showed improvement over their cast and sintered counterparts. The resulting alnico permanent magnets were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and hysteresisgraph measurements. These results display the potential for net-shape processing of alnico permanent magnets for use in next generation traction-drive motors and other applications requiring high temperatures and/or complex engineered part geometries.

Posthodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 species have worldwide distribution. Metacercariae of P. cuticola that is common in Europe causes “black spot” disease in freshwater fishes. A limited number of data on mitochondrial and ribosomal sequences of P. cuticola are available in the GenBank. In addition, there is no sequencing data on trematodes belonging to genus of Posthodiplostomum in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Posthodiplostomum metacercariae in freshwater chubs (Squalius cephalus) and to reveal the molecular characterization of mt-COI and ITS-2 gene regions of the identified isolates. Posthodiplostomum metacercariae were detected in the gills of two (1.6%) out of 123 fish. The ITS-2 gene sequences of the isolates (POSTC1-C2) (MN701652-3) found in this study showed 99.8-100% identity with P. cuticola sequences isolated from skin, muscle and fins of different fish species in Czech Republic and Hungary. In addition, the mt-COI gene sequences of the POSTC1-C2 isolates (MN700658-9) showed 99.1-98.9% identity with P. cuticola isolate (cercariae) (KX931424) from Planorbis planorbis in Lithuanian. This study provides first molecular and phylogenetic characterization of P. cuticola isolates found in chubs (Squalius cephalus) in Turkey., Posthodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 türleri dünya genelinde oldukça yaygınlık göstermektedirler. Avrupa’da yaygın olan P. cuticola türünün metaserkeri tatlı su balıklarında siyah nokta “black spot” hastalığına sebep olmaktadır. GenBank veri tabanında P. cuticola türüne ilişkin mitokondriyal ve ribozomal sekans kaydı sınırlıdır. Diğer yandan, Türkiye’de Posthodiplostomum cinsinde yer alan trematodların sekans karakterizasyonuna dair herhangi bir veri bulunmamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, tatlı su kefallerinde (Squalius cephalus) Posthodiplostomum metaserkerlerinin araştırılması ve tespit edilen izolatların mt-COI ve ITS-2 gen bölgelerinin moleküler karakterizasyonlarının yapılması amaçlanmıştır. İncelenen 123 balıktan ikisinin (%1,6) solungaçlarında Posthodiplostomum metaserkerleri saptanmıştır. Çalışmada tespit ettiğimiz izolatların (POSTC1-C2) (MN701652-3) ITS-2 gen bölgesine ait nükleotid dizilimleri, Çek Cumhuriyeti ve Macaristan’da farklı balık türlerinin deri, kas ve yüzgeçlerinden izole edilen P. cuticola izolatları ile %99,8-100 arasında identiklik göstermiştir. Yine POSTC1-C2 izolatlarının (MN700658-9) mt-COI gen bölgesine ait nükleotid dizilimleri, Litvanya’da Planorbis planorbis’te bulunan P. cuticola izolatı (serker) (KX931424) ile %99,1-98,9 oranında identik bulunmuştur. Bu çalışma ile Türkiye’de ilk kez tatlı su kefalinde (Squalius cephalus) bulunan P. cuticola izolatlarının moleküler ve filogenetik karakterizasyonları ortaya konulmuştur.

Elastocaloric cooling, which exploits the latent heat released and absorbed as stress-induced phase transformations are reversibly cycled in shape memory alloys, has recently emerged as a frontrunner in non-vapor-compression cooling technologies. The intrinsically high thermodynamic efficiency of elastocaloric materials is limited only by work hysteresis. Here, we report on creating high-performance low-hysteresis elastocaloric cooling materials via additive manufacturing of Titanium-Nickel (Ti-Ni) alloys. Contrary to established knowledge of the physical metallurgy of Ti-Ni alloys, intermetallic phases are found to be beneficial to elastocaloric performances when they are combined with the binary Ti-Ni compound in nanocomposite configurations. The resulting microstructure gives rise to quasi-linear stress-strain behaviors with extremely small hysteresis, leading to enhancement in the materials efficiency by a factor of five. Furthermore, despite being composed of more than 50% intermetallic phases, the reversible, repeatable elastocaloric performance of this material is shown to be stable over one million cycles. This result opens the door for direct implementation of additive manufacturing to elastocaloric cooling systems where versatile design strategy enables both topology optimization of heat exchangers as well as unique microstructural control of metallic refrigerants., 38 pages, 3 figures, 8 supplementary figures, 1 supplementary table

The feasibility of three-dimensional printing via the Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technique is demonstrated for the ferromagnetic AlFe2B2 (aka 1-2-2) compound, which shows promise as a working material for room-temperature magnetocaloric devices. Like many intermetallic materials, the 1-2-2 compound is brittle at room temperature; not only is it difficult to synthesize from the melt, it is challenging to form it into useful geometries necessary for effective heat transfer in magnetocaloric devices. Using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENSTM) synthesis from two powder precursors, AlB2 and Fe, samples of simple (rod) and complex (honeycomb) architectures were successfully synthesized. The phase constitution and distribution, magnetic transition temperature, and saturation magnetization determined for the LENSTM-synthesized rod sample are all similar to those obtained for 1-2-2 materials made by conventional casting. Further, the measured magnetic entropy change, as determined from Maxwell's Relations applied to magnetic data, indicates that the magnetocaloric response of the annealed LENSTM-printed rod samples are comparable to those of the 1-2-2 compounds made by conventional techniques. These results confirm that complex magnetofunctional shapes, which are needed for efficient energy conversion in magnetocaloric devices, can be rapidly fabricated from the AlFe2B2 compound.

A bulk combinatorial approach for synthesizing alloy libraries using laser engineered net shaping (LENS™; i.e., 3D printing) was utilized to rapidly assess material systems for magnetic applications. The LENS™ system feeds powders in different ratios into a melt pool created by a laser to synthesize samples with bulk (millimeters) dimensions. By analyzing these libraries with autosampler differential scanning calorimeter/thermal gravimetric analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry, we are able to rapidly characterize the thermodynamic and magnetic properties of the libraries. The Fe-Co binary alloy was used as a model system and the results were compared with data in the literature.

This study was performed to survey the incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination in fish samples which were obtained from different fish farms and retail markets. For this purpose, a total of 140 fish samples were analyzed according to ISO 16654 and screened for virulence genes by mPCR. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed with the disc diffusion method and isolates were genotyped by using Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR. Of the 140 analyzed sample, two (1.4%), from the same farm, were found to be contaminated with E. coli O157 serogroup, one of which harbored stx1 and the other eaeA gene. E. coli O157 serogroup were resistant to only ciprofloxacin and were not capable of forming biofilm and their ERIC-PCR patterns were different. In conclusion, the existence of pathogenic E. coli O157 serogroup in fish samples might be a significant threat to public health and fish could serve as a vehicle for transmission of these bacteria to consumers in Turkey.

The Beyşehir-Hoyran Nappes, including Mesozoic carbonate platform rocks, deep-sea sediments, and ophiolite-related units, crop out extensively on the western limb of the Isparta Angle in the Central Taurides, Turkey. The ophiolite-related rocks are represented by variably serpentinized harzburgitic mantle tectonites, tectonically underlain by a subophiolitic metamorphic sole and mélange. The harzburgitic mantle tectonites and metamorphic sole are intruded by undeformed isolated dikes. Protoliths of the metamorphic sole are similar to within-plate alkali basalts and associated sediments. The isolated dikes were geochemically derived mainly from tholeiitic magma and, to a lesser extent, from alkaline magma. Five isolated dike samples yielded U-Pb ages ranging from 90.8 ± 1.6 Ma to 87.6 ± 2.1 Ma (zircon) and from 102.3 ± 7.4 Ma to 87.5 ± 7.9 Ma (titanite). Seven amphibolite samples yielded U-Pb age ranges of 91.1 ± 2.1-88.85 ± 1.0 Ma (zircon) and 94.0 ± 4.8-90.0 ± 9.4 Ma (titanite) and a 40Ar-39Ar age range of 93.7 ± 0.3-91.4 ± 0.4 Ma (hornblende). U-Pb and 40Ar-39Ar ages of mineral phases with different closure temperatures (~900-500 °C) from the isolated dikes and metamorphic sole rocks are almost identical and overlapping within 1?, suggesting that both the magmatic growth of oceanic crust and formation of metamorphic sole were contemporaneous and cooled very rapidly. Hence, all the data should be interpreted as the crystallization ages of the ophiolite and metamorphic sole pair. Genesis of suprasubduction zone-type oceanic crust, genesis and exhumation of the metamorphic sole, and postmetamorphic dike emplacement within the Inner Tauride Ocean can be best explained by subduction initiation and rollback processes during the Late Cretaceous based on petrological and geochronological data obtained from the ophiolitic rocks of the Beyşehir-Hoyran Nappes. © 2019 Geological Society of America. China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 113Y412 Mersin Üniversitesi GPMR201702 National Natural Science Foundation of China: 91755213 Alastair Robertson, Benxun Su, and Associate Editor Erdin Bozkurt are thanked for their constructive and very valuable comments that improved the quality of the paper. We would like to thank Seher Kuru and Aynur G?rb?z for their help during cathodoluminescence imaging of zircons at Mersin University. G?zide ?nal is thanked for drawing the figures. This work was funded by T?BITAK (Project no. 113Y412) awarded to O. Parlak, and Chinese National Natural Science Foundation grant 91755213, awarded to T. Kusky. O. Parlak acknowledges the Open Fund (GPMR201702) of State Key Lab of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan for additional support.

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in calves and heifers with relation to diarrhea from several herds was investigated in this study. Fecal samples were collected from 135 and 120 pre-weaned calves and 79 and 130 heifers raised in the Central Anatolia (CAR) and Mediterranean Regions (MR) of Turkey, respectively. A total of 86 post-weaned calves in CAR were also included in the study. For diagnostic comparison, all samples were examined by microscopic examination, SSU rRNA nested PCR and TaqMan real-time PCR for the presence of oocyst and Cryptosporidium DNA. In total, 102 (34.0 %) and 93 (37.2 %) of the examined samples from CAR and MR were found positive for Cryptosporidium DNA with both nested PCR and real-time PCR analyses, respectively with an overall prevalence of 35.5 %. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of microscopic examination were determined as 68.7 % and 100.0 % compared to molecular tools, respectively. RFLP and sequence analyses of the SSU rRNA from the PCR products revealed that 138 (70.8 %) out of 195 positive isolates were C. parvum further confirming the species-specific real-time PCR results. Among the remaining 57 (29.2 %) positive isolates, 30 (15.4 %) and 27 (13.8 %) were characterized as C. ryanae and C. bovis, respectively. C. parvum was the dominant species in pre-weaned calves especially with diarrhea while C. bovis and C. ryanae were mostly found in post-weaned calves and heifers. The sequence analyses of the gp60 gene of C. parvum isolates revealed two subtypes (IIaA13G2R1, IIaA14G1R1) belonging to zoonotic family IIa, with IIaA13G2R1 being the most common in diarrheic calves.

Pekmezci, Gokmen Zafer/0000-0002-7791-1959; Yildirim, Alparslan/0000-0001-9868-0363; Yetismis, Gamze/0000-0001-5260-3450; Duzlu, Onder/0000-0002-6951-0901; INCI, Abdullah/0000-0003-1614-0756; CILOGLU, ARIF/0000-0003-2695-7102 WOS: 000435595600013 PubMed: 29721658 The metacercariae of Clinostomum species which known as yellow grubs have zoonotic potential by infecting humans. In the present study, a total of 403 freshwater fish specimens belonging to different genera from Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were examined for yellow grub metacercariae infections. Only three specimens belonging to Squalius cephalus were found to be infected with metacercariae with a prevalence on this host species of 2.4% and an overall prevalence of 0.7%. All the metacercariae were morphologically identified as Clinostomum complanatum. Partial fragments of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mt-COI) gene and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) were amplified for sequence and phylogenetic analyses. The sequence analyses of ITS-2 and mt-COI revealed three and nine polymorphic sites leading to detection of four and five haplotypes within the related gene regions, respectively. Moreover, the intraspecific genetic distances for C. complanatum isolates ranged from 0.0 to 0.7% for ITS-2 and 0.0 to 1.4% for mt-COI data sets. Consequently, the present study has provided first combined morphologic and molecular data on C. complanatum infecting Turkish freshwater fishes. Erciyes University Scientific and Technological Research Center, Kayseri, Turkey [TCD-2016-6795] This work was funded by the Erciyes University Scientific and Technological Research Center, Kayseri, Turkey (project number, TCD-2016-6795).

Haemonchus contortus is one of the most important gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) infecting sheep, goats, and cattle worldwide. We developed a SYBR Green real-time PCR (qPCR) assay for detection and quantification of H. contortus by using specific primers based on a conserved region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mt-COI) gene, and evaluated this technique in the detection of H. contortus infections in cattle in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The newly developed qPCR assay successfully discriminated H. contortus from other GIN species infecting cattle in the specificity evaluations, with a specific melt peak of 77.5 degrees C. Our results revealed the efficient amplification of the proposed target COI region within the range of plasmid copies, from 2 x 10 (6) to 2 x 10 (1) per mu l, with 96.9 % efficiency, R-2 value of 0.999, and a slope of -3.398. Among the 920 cattle fecal samples from the field, 58 samples (6.3 %) were positive with qPCR assay, whereas 45 samples (4.9 %) were positive, as determined by larval culture, suggesting the utility of SYBR Green qPCR. Phylogenetic characterization of the partial COI gene of H. contortus isolates was also evaluated for 100 eggs and third stage larvae recovered from positive cattle faecal samples, which were verified with the qPCR assay prior to analyses. COI sequences were classified into three haplotypes (THC1 to THC3) with intraspecific nucleotide differences of 0.50 to 0.76 %. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the haplotypes grouped with H. contortus isolates from several countries in a monophyletic cluster, with evidence of at least two main haplogroups. Overall, the SYBR Green qPCR assay was highly specific and sensitive, suggesting that it can be used for screening of H. contortus infections in livestock populations in epidemiological studies and the control of this important parasite.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum mineral levels and parasite load in Saanen (n=37) and Damascus (n=13) goats, which were all approximately 2 months pregnant and naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. METHODS To determine parasite concentration individually, fecal samples were taken from each goat, and the eggs per gram (EPG) of feces was detected via a modified McMaster technique. To investigate the possible effects of parasite concentration on serum mineral levels, blood was drawn from the goats and serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, nickel, and cadmium levels were measured via the ICP-OES technique. RESULTS In a correlation analysis of the individual EPG values and mineral levels performed on the basis of the species, it was seen that increased egg numbers did not cause a statistically significant increase or decrease in Saanens except for cadmium (significant moderate positive correlation, p

Mechanical behavior of laser micro-machined monolithic hexagonal silicon carbide (6H–SiC) diaphragms was investigated to determine the effects of laser processing. Square diaphragms with a nominal size of 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm were fabricated from bulk 6H–SiC wafers using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser operating at a wavelength of 1064 nm, an average power of 0.35W, a pulse repetition rate of 3 kHz, and a pulse width of 100 ns. These parameters were chosen, based on previous experiments, to minimize surface roughness. Analysis of laser-machined diaphragms revealed that the average thickness of a diaphragm was 151 μm which is composed of two layers. One is a soft, black layer with a thickness of about 83 μm consisting of silicon, oxygen, and carbon. The other layer was a hard, virgin SiC layer with a thickness of 68 μm. The diaphragms were subjected to micro-hardness indentation tests to obtain load versus deflection curves. The data was validated using Timoshenko’s analytical model for maximum deflection of a thin plate under concentrated loading with hinged and clamped boundary conditions. Experimental measurements of the deflection were found to be slightly higher than those predicted by the analytical model. The variations in the thickness of the diaphragms, homogeneity of the elastic properties of the laser micro-machined SiC, and possibly inappropriate boundary conditions during testing of the diaphragms chiefly account for the deviations between the experimental results and the analytical model.

Single crystalline silicon carbide (SiC) in bulk or thin film form has the potential to be a durable and reliable MEMS pressure sensor in high-temperature and harsh chemical environments. Laser micromachining can fabricate SiC diaphragms for pressure sensors much faster than electrochemical etching, photochemical etching, or deep reactive ion etching without the complicated masking procedures that hinder mass production. In this paper, we present the deflection behavior of laser micromachined 6H-SiC MEMS diaphragms under high pressures and high temperatures. For this purpose, oversized MEMS square diaphragms, 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm × 2.5 mm, were intentionally built from bulk 250 μm thick single crystal 6H-SiC wafers using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm, pulse repetition rate of 3 kHz, pulse width of 100 ns, and average power of 0.35 W. The diaphragms had an average thickness of 100 μm that included a nearly 50% thick black layer composed of a complex mixture of Si, C, SiC 2 , Si 2 C, SiO and SiO 2 . Pressure-deflection tests up to 425 K revealed that the diaphragms remained hermetically sealed under gas pressure as high as 3.0 MPa (435 psi) and that the black layer had a significant effect on the deflection behavior. An analytical model of bending thin plate under hinged boundary conditions and finite element simulations validated the experimental results.

Akşit, Hasan (Balikesir Author), Essential oil of oregano (OEO) has proven to be a potential candidate for controlling chicken coccidiosis. The aim of the current study is to determine whether OEO and an approved anticoccidial, monensin sodium (MON), as in-feed supplements could create a synergism when combined at low dosages. Day-old broiler chickens were separated into six equal groups with six replicate pens of 36 birds. One of the groups was given a basal diet and served as the control (CNT). The remaining groups received the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg MON, 50 mg/kg MON, 24 mg/kg OEO, 12 mg/kg OEO, or 50 mg/kg MON + 12 mg/kg OEO. All of the chickens were challenged with field-type mixed Eimeria species at 12 d of age. Following the infection (i.e., d 13 to 42), the greatest growth gains and lowest feed conversion ratio values were recorded for the group of birds fed 100 mg/kg MON (P < 0.05), whereas results for the CNT treatment were inferior. Dietary OEO supplementations could not support growth to a level comparable with the MON (100 mg/kg). The MON programs were more efficacious in reducing fecal oocyst numbers compared to CNT and OEO treatments (P < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde and nitric oxide concentrations were decreased (P < 0.01), whereas superoxide dismutase (P < 0.05) and total antioxidant status (P < 0.01) were increased in response to dietary medication with MON and OEO. All MON and OEO treatments conferred intestinal health benefits to chickens by improving their morphological development and enzymatic activities. The results suggest that OEO supported the intestinal absorptive capacity and antioxidant defense system during Eimeria infection; however, it displayed little direct activity on the reproductive capacity of Eimeria. This might be the reason for inferior compensatory growth potential of OEO compared to that MON following the challenge. Combination MON with OEO was not considered to show promise for controlling chicken coccidiosis because of the lack of a synergistic or additive effect., Gıda Tarım ve Hayvancılık Bakanlığı - TAGEM/HAYSUD/14/06/02/03

In this study, the presence of anisakid nematodes in the European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) was investigated. A total of 30 specimens of eels were caught by local fishermen from the Buyuk Menderes River, Turkey. Nematoda species of Raphidascaris acus was found from eels. This is the first record of R. acus from A. anguilla from Turkish waters. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS-1and ITS-2) and 5.8S of this parasitic species was amplified and sequenced. Also, all the nematodes were identified as R. acus based on nucleotide sequence comparisons. Pairwise comparison between the entire ITS regions and 5.8S of the R. acus isolates of A. anguilla (GenBank accession number: KT633862) and other R. acus isolates from Caspian Sea (KM047505), and Vistula Lagoon, Poland (AY603537) showed differences ranging from 0.0 to 1.9% intraspecific nucleotide differences, respectively. With the present study, R. acus infecting A. anguilla caught off the Aegean Region streams were characterized for the first time by sequencing of the rDNA ITS regions and 5.8S. (Less)