A one-year extensive molecular survey on SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals of Turkey shows a lack of evidence for viral circulation in pet dogs and cats.

Current evidence have now demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infects a wide array of mammalian animals; however, the full range of hosts and the viral circulation in companion animals remains to be clarified. In this context, as no such evidenced cases have been reported from Turkey, we aimed to screen for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in housed dogs and cats clinically evaluated for respiratory symptoms and reared in different locations of Samsun province in the black sea region of Turkey from July 2020 to July 2021. Nasal swabs were collected from a total of 415 pets (65 cats and 350 dogs) aged between 1 and 9 years old. All the specimens were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence by real-time RT-PCR targeting two genomic regions of SARS-CoV-2, but none showed positive results. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 does not circulate in local pets and is not responsible for respiratory symptoms. However, further comprehensive molecular and serological surveys are required to have a better picture of the zoonotic, reverse zoonotic and pathogenic consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

A serosurvey for bovine respirovirus 3 in Turkish domestic ruminants: The first comparison study of A and C genotypes.

Bovine parainfluenza virus-3 (BPIV-3), also known as bovine respirovirus 3, causes serious respiratory infection in ungulates, often involving other pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. In this study, we evaluated antibody titers against virus genotypes A (BPIV-3a) and C (BPIV-3c). We conducted a serological survey and comparison analysis of archived serum samples from small and large ruminants reared in four Turkish provinces. A total of 1,307 samples, consisting of sheep (n = 444), cattle (n = 402), water buffalo (n = 261) and goat (n = 200) sera, were randomly selected from stock samples collected between 2015 and 2019 and screened by standard virus neutralisation assay. We found that 49.9% (653/1307) of all samples were positive for neutralising antibody titers. Goats had the highest titer, with total seropositivity of 63% (126/200), followed in descending order by cattle, sheep and water buffalo at 56.2% (226/402), 32.2% (143/444) and 26% (68/261) total seropositivity, respectively. BPIV-3c had the highest neutralising antibody rate at 34.3% (448/1307), whereas BPIV-3a had a 24.3% (317/1307) seropositivity rate. Neutralising antibody titers for positive samples ranged between 1/4 and 1/512 per the SN50 test. Seropositivity rates ranged from a low of 8.9% to a high of 18.3%. Our study was the first to compare antibody seroprevalence for two BPIV-3 genotypes in small and large domestic ruminants, which were shown to be more commonly exposed to BPIV-3c than BPIV-3a. This finding could have significant implications as current vaccines mainly use the BPIV-3a genotype. Further research can determine if current vaccines protect against different BPIV-3 virus genotypes.

Usage of thiocyanate-based ionic liquid as new optical sensor reagent: Absorption and emission based selective determination of Fe (III) ions.

In this work, the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([BMIM][SCN]) was evaluated for the first time for its probable usage as new optical sensor reagent for the determination of several metal ions. The ionic liquid exhibited a selective and sensitive response to iron ions in acidic aqueous solutions among all of the tested metal ions. The ([BMIM][SCN]) was encapsulated in ethyl cellulose (EC) matrix in the form of continuous thin films. The effect of [BMIM][SCN] concentration and pH to iron response, the fluorescence quantum yield, the absorption, emission and excitation based characteristics of the ionic liquid in presence of Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions were investigated in both EC and [BMIM][SCN]/aqueous buffer solution mixtures. As a result, the highly sensitive, selective and rapid responding optical sensor reagent which does not need any time-consuming extraction, oxidation and reduction procedures was presented for the distinguishing determination of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in both aqueous solutions and solid thin film matrix. The ionic liquid exhibited a better emission and absorption based response for Fe3+ ions when compared with the Fe2+ ions. The molar absorptivity constant in presence of ionic liquid-based SCN- was enhanced 10 times to 1.21 × 104 L mol-1 cm-1 for Fe3+ ions in the solution phase. Linear absorption and emission-based calibration graphs were obtained for a wide concentration range of 8.0 × 10-8-6.2 × 10-4 M and 8.0 × 10-8-6.2 × 10-5 M for Fe3+, respectively. Limit of detection (LOD) values for absorption and emission-based methods were 2.48 × 10-5 and 2.4 × 10-8, respectively. The reaction is instantaneous and absorbance remains stable for over 4 months.

Risk factors affecting obesity development in high school students: a community based case-control study.

AIM: Obesity which is described as a "global epidemics" and qualified as "excessive accumulation of fat impairing health" by the World Health Organization is an important public health problem affecting children and adolescents as well as adults. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that affected obesity in high school students in a city center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 386 students including 193 subjects and 193 controls were included in this case-control study. The data were collected by applying a questionnaire which questioned sociodemographic properties, eating and physical activity behaviors and factors which were considered to have an impact on body weight. Descriptive statistics were evaluated using chi-square and logistic regression analysis. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, presence of an obese person in the family/neighborhood, way of transportation to school, thoughts and wish of best friend of the same sex related to body weight and desire for weight loss were defined as variables which were associated with obesity. In multivariate regression analysis, it was found that presence of an obese person in the family/neighborhood, transportation to school by vehicle and having a best friend of the same sex who wanted the subject to stay at the same weight could be predictors of obesity. In the obese group, regarding oneself as obese and desire to lose weight were more common. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was found that presence of an obese person in the family/neighborhood, transportation to school by vehicle and having a best friend of the same sex who wanted the subject to stay at the same weight were significant risk factors in terms of obesity. However, levels of perceiving oneself as obese and desire to lose weight were found to be higher in the obese group. Consumption of unhealthy food in the home environment should be prevented by performing awareness studies for parents. In addition, physical exercises performed together by family members will be helpful for adolescents in terms of developing healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Analysis of functional brain connections for positive-negative emotions using phase locking value.

In this study, we investigate the brain networks during positive and negative emotions for different types of stimulus (audio only, video only and audio + video) in [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] bands in terms of phase locking value, a nonlinear method to study functional connectivity. Results show notable hemispheric lateralization as phase synchronization values between channels are significant and high in right hemisphere for all emotions. Left frontal electrodes are also found to have control over emotion in terms of functional connectivity. Besides significant inter-hemisphere phase locking values are observed between left and right frontal regions, specifically between left anterior frontal and right mid-frontal, inferior-frontal and anterior frontal regions; and also between left and right mid frontal regions. ANOVA analysis for stimulus types show that stimulus types are not separable for emotions having high valence. PLV values are significantly different only for negative emotions or neutral emotions between audio only/video only and audio only/audio + video stimuli. Finding no significant difference between video only and audio + video stimuli is interesting and might be interpreted as that video content is the most effective part of a stimulus.

An unusual case of cavernous hemangioma of the rib in a young man with lung tuberculosis: a brief review and case report.

Hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors that usually involve the liver, skin, eyes and central nervous system. Hemangioma of the bone is unusual and is generally observed in the vertebrae or skull while hemangioma of the costae is extremely rare. Hemangioma of the rib and chest wall tuberculosis may be misdiagnosed as chest wall tumors. We herein report a case of hemangioma of the rib with a tuberculosis infection of the pleura.

Malignant melanoma of the stomach presenting in a woman: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Malignant melanoma is reported to metastasize to all organs of the human body. Although it is common for it to metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract, a melanoma located primarily in the gastric mucosa is an uncommon tumor. Gastrointestinal metastases are rarely diagnosed before death with radiological and endoscopic techniques. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case report the clinical course and treatment of a woman with melanoma of the stomach, without any other detectable primary lesion, is presented and discussed. A 55-year-old Turkish woman presented to our clinic with complaints of muscle pain and bone pain in the left side of her chest. During an upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy, dark cherry-colored, light elevated, round-shaped lesions were taken from her gastric fundus and from the first part of her duodenum. Biopsies from these samples were determined to be malignant melanoma by the pathologist. CONCLUSION: Metastatic malignant melanoma cases should be examined through endoscopy for gastrointestinal metastases.