Isolation,characterization and virulence of bacteria from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ostrinia nubilalis</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Isolation, characterization and virulence of the culturable bacteria from entire tissues of larval Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were studied to obtain new microbes for biological control. A total of 16 bacteria were isolated from living and dead larvae collected from different maize fields in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The bacterial microbiota of O. nubilalis were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (On1), Brevundimonas aurantiaca (On2), Chryseobacterium formosense (On3), Acinetobacter sp. (On4), Microbacterium thalassium (On5), Bacillus megaterium (On6), Serratia sp. (On7), Ochrobactrum sp. (On8), Variovorax paradoxus (On9), Corynebacterium glutamicum (On10), Paenibacillus sp. (On11), Alcaligenes faecalis (On12), Microbacterium testaceum (On13), Leucobacter sp. (On14), Leucobacter sp. (On15) and Serratia marcescens (On16) based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics. A partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene was also determined to confirm strain identification. The highest insecticidal activities were obtained from P. aeruginosa On1 (80%), Serratia sp. On7 (60%), V. paradoxus On9 (50%) and S. marcescens On16 (50%) against larvae 14 days after treatment (p < 0.05). Also, the highest activity from previously isolated Bacillus species was observed from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis Xd3 with 80% mortality within the same period (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that P. aeruginosa On1, Serratia sp. On7, V. paradoxus On9, S. marcescens On16 and B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis Xd3 show potential for biocontrol of O. nubilalis.     

Computational and Pharmacological Studies on the Antioxidant,Thrombolytic, Anti-Inflammatory,and Analgesic Activity of Molineria capitulata

Molineria capitulata is an ornamental plant that has traditionally been used to treat several chronic diseases. The present study was designed to examine the antioxidant, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities of a methanolic extract of M. capitulata leaves (MEMC) using both experimental and computational models. Previously established protocols were used to perform qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening in MEMC. A computational study, including molecular docking and ADME/T analyses, was performed. The quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the total phenolic and flavonoid contents as 148.67 and 24 mg/g, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed by examining the reducing power of MEMC, resulting in absorbance of 1.87 at 400 µg/mL, demonstrating a strong reduction capacity. The extract exhibited significant protection against blood clotting and showed the highest protein denaturation inhibition at 500 µg/mL. In both the acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced paw-licking models, MEMC resulted in significant potential pain inhibition in mice. In the computational analysis, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, orcinol glucoside, curcapital, crassifogenin C, and 2,6-dimethoxy-benzoic acid displayed a strong predictive binding affinity against the respective receptors. These findings indicated that M. capitulata possesses significant pharmacological activities to an extent supported by computational studies.     

EFFECTS OF YEAST,FERMENTATION TIME,AND PRESERVATION METHODS ON TARHANA

The physicochemical properties of tarhana soup produced with different dough treatments, fermentation times, and preservation methods were examined. Tarhana doughs were prepared with yogurt (control) or baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fermented for 3 days. Samples were taken at 24, 48, and 72 hr. Samples were then preserved via one of four methods: sun dried, dried in the shade, vacumn dried, and frozen. Frozen samples produced lower organic acid levels after 72 hr of fermentation in both control (0.68 g/100 g) and yeast (0.61 g/100 g) applications than samples that were dried (0.94 g/100 g control samples; 0.81 g/100 g samples with yeast). Increasing fermentation time resulted in a significant effect on the formation of organic acid in the tarhana (p < .01). At 72 hr of fermentation, total acidity increased 11%, 17%, and 23% for tarhana samples vacumn-dried, sun-dried, and dried in the shade, respectively. Preservation methods also affected the moisture, ash, crude protein, total acidity, pH, salt, fat, reducing sugar levels, and the sensory assestment of tarhana soup (p < .01). Sensory characteristics were not significantly affected by baker's yeast in any of the preservation methods used (p > .01). However, sensory scores for tarhana prepared from the samples dried in a sheltered area showed a reduction in color desireablilty as the fermentation time increased. The soup prepared from frozen tarhana (72 hr fermentation, with yeast) had the highest scores with respect to color, mouth feel, flavor, and overall acceptability. Vacuum-dried samples' scores in these areas were also high in comparison to the two other drying methods.     

Association mapping of loci linked to copper,phosphorus, and potassium concentrations in the seeds of C. arietinum and C. reticulatum

Due to its high nutritional value, chickpea is one of the most important and cost-effective legumes for human diet. Nutrient elements, such as Cu, P, K have numerous essential functions for the human metabolism. In this study, association mapping of loci linked to the seed Cu, P and K concentrations were performed on a population consisting of 107 Cicer reticulatum and 73 Cicer arietinum individuals in four environments (two locations x two years). A total of 121,840 SNPs were genotyped across 180 individuals by GBS analysis. The association mapping between the SNP markers and the seed Cu, P, K concentrations were identified and eight SNPs were found to be significantly associated with variations in three nutrient elements in more than two environments This research suggests that association mapping is a useful methodology for the identification of loci controlling the Cu, P and K uptake in chickpea seeds for further association mapping, molecular breeding, and marker-assisted selection and plant breeding studies and provides a broader understanding of the relationship between the investigated Cicer species and the effects of environmental conditions.     

Investigation of extracellular medium osmolality depending on zinc application and incubation time on A549 cancer cells

Changes in the osmolality of the extracellular medium (ECM) affect cell volume and cellular processes such as cell migration and proliferation. Not only may high concentrations of zinc (Zn) lead to cell death by apoptosis, but Zn is also a physiological suppressor of apoptosis. The aim of our study was to examine whether Zn and regulation of extracellular osmolality had an effect on the lung cancer cell line (A549) and how to be changed in ECM according to elements and osmolality depending on incubation time and Zn application. Our study consisted of four groups: cell-free medium, ECM of cancer cell after 24 h incubation (24hECM), ECM of cancer cell after 48 h incubation (48hECM), and ECM of cancer cell after 48 h incubation with ZnCl₂ (48hECM?+?Zn). ECM osmolality was measured by using osmometer, and the levels of chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) elements were analyzed using ICP-OES device for all groups. According to the result of the analysis, a statistically significant difference was found when osmolality and element values of ECM of 24hECM and 48hECM groups were compared with the values of the 48hECM?+?Zn group. It was observed that there was a decrease in the levels of Cr, Fe, and Mg with Zn application and incubation period in ECM. The regulation of ECM osmolality is a promising method due to biophysical effects on cancer cells. In our study, we speculated that the understanding of the effects of Zn and osmolality with the relationship between ECM and cancer cell might lead to the discovery of biophysical approaches as a novel therapeutic strategy.