Aksaray University

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a regenerative surgical procedure in dentistry and orthopedics. The aim of this study is to fabricate a novel nano‐textured, hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)‐based barrier membrane containing unsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid (OLE) to assist GBR. First, TPU copolymer containing OLE in different ratios was synthesized, and GBR membranes were fabricated by the solvent casting method, and then, the surface properties were improved by alkali treatment. Thus, a TPU‐OLE structure was obtained with improved surface wettability, the ability to prevent bacterial adhesion, and the capability to promote cell adhesion. The contact angle reduced from 73.3° ± 1° to 30.7° ± 0.3° at TPU‐OLE3, while at TPU it decreased from 121.2° ± 2.5° to 63.6° ± 0.8° after treatment with 3 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. Furthermore, plate counting assays showed that TPU‐OLE membranes displayed excellent bacterial inhibition (against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus ); the control group showed 6 × 10 ⁷ CFU/mL of E. coli bacterial colonies, while on the plates interacting with TPU‐OLE1, TPU‐OLE2, and TPU‐OLE3 membranes, colonies of 12 × 10 ⁵ , 12 × 10 ⁵ , and 24 × 10 ⁵ CFU/mL were observed, respectively. The bacterial count on TPU‐OLE1, TPU‐OLE2, and TPU‐OLE3 membranes decreased by 109, 164, and 12 × 10 ⁵ CFU/mL at 24 h, while the control group and TPU membranes showed 1300 × 10 ⁵ and 600 × 10 ⁵ CFU/mL, respectively. The obtained results indicated that either alkali treatment or OLE‐modified TPU produced a more hydrophilic and promotive surface for cell attachment. Therefore, we anticipate that alkali‐treated TPU‐OLE membranes have a great potential in GBR in future applications.

Listeriosis is an infectious and fatal disease affecting domestic mammals, poultry, and humans worldwide. The effectiveness of local tissue expression of acute phase proteins in listeriosis in domestic mammals is not yet clear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the local expression of acute phase proteins in 26 brainstem tissue samples according to the distribution and severity of infl ammation due to natural Listeriosis disease in sheep. The study material consisted of 26 brainstem paraffi n blocks, including 20 from listeriosis-infected cases and 6 from healthy controls. Sections obtained from the paraffi n blocks were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Histopathological examination revealed normal histological structures in the brainstems of the control group. In contrast, brainstem sections from listeriosis cases exhibited histopathological fi ndings such as micro abscesses composed of neutrophil granulocytes and microglial cells, gliosis, meningitis, congestion, perivascular cuffs, neuronal degeneration, and neuronophagia. Based on the distribution and severity of inflammation, listeriosis cases were categorized into three groups: 5 mild cases (Group I), 8 moderate cases (Group II), and 7 severe cases (Group III). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated signifi cantly increased expression levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), Haptoglobin (Hp), and Serum Amyloid A (SAA) in listeriosis groups compared to the control group, with the highest statistical scores observed in Group II and Group III (p<0.001). The fi ndings of this study suggest that acute-phase proteins may play crucial roles in the pathophysiological processes of naturally infected listeriosis and could express locally. Particularly, the increased expression of these proteins with the progression of infl ammation may provide valuable insights into disease severity and the infection process.

Background In recent years, expectant and breastfeeding mothers commonly use various breastfeeding-related social media applications and websites to seek breastfeeding-related information. At the same time, AI-based chatbots-such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot-have become increasingly prevalent on these platforms (or on dedicated websites), providing automated, user-oriented breastfeeding guidance. Aim The goal of our study is to understand the relative performance of three AI-based chatbots: ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, by evaluating the quality, reliability, readability, and similarity of the breastfeeding information they provide. Methods Two researchers evaluated the information provided by three different AI-based breastfeeding chatbots: ChatGPT version 3.5, Gemini, and Copilot. A total of 50 frequently asked questions about breastfeeding were identified and used in the study, divided into two categories (Baby-Centered Questions and Mother-Centered Questions), and evaluated using five scoring criteria, including the Quality Information Provision for Patients (EQIP) scale, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) scale, the Similarity Index (SI), the Modified Dependability Scoring System (mDISCERN), and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Results The evaluation of AI chatbots’ answers showed statistically significant differences across all criteria (p < 0.05). Copilot scored highest on the EQIP, SMOG, and SI scales, while Gemini excelled in mDISCERN and GQS evaluations. No significant difference was found between Copilot and Gemini for mDISCERN and GQS scores. All three chatbots demonstrated high reliability and quality, though their readability required university-level education. Notably, ChatGPT displayed high originality, while Copilot exhibited the greatest similarity in responses. Conclusion AI chatbots provide reliable answers to breastfeeding questions, but the information can be hard to understand. While more reliable than other online sources, their accuracy and usability are still in question. Further research is necessary to facilitate the integration of advanced AI in healthcare.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) play important roles in seedling growth, yield, growth, and other parameters in plants. These PGRs include kinetin (K) and salicylic acid (SA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PGRs (K and SA) and their different application methods (foliar spray and seed priming) on safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius L.) in field conditions. The present study was conducted in both 2022 and 2023 years as four independent experiments (seed priming with K, foliar application with K, seed priming with SA, foliar application with SA). In the study, four different doses of K (0, 50, 75, and 100 mg L ⁻¹ ) and SA (0, 50, 75, and 100 mg L ⁻¹ ) were used. The experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. In this study, days to emergence, plant height, branch number, head number, number of seeds per head, head diameter, 1000‐seed weight, seed yield, oil content, oil yield, and fatty acid composition parameters were investigated. The study's findings indicate that the PGR applications had a significantly improved seed yield, oil content, oil yield, and the examined fatty acids. The oleic acid content, which is a very important parameter for oilseed crops, was positively affected by seed priming with kinetin. In this study, all applications were compared with each other, and it was concluded that seed priming was more effective than the foliar application method. In addition, it was observed that salicylic acid improved the analyzed characters more positively than kinetin.

In this study, the structural, elastic, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of Ba2Zn5X6 (X = As, Sb) compounds within the orthorhombic space group Pmna (No. 53) are investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The analysis of phonon dispersion and elastic constants confirms that the compounds are both dynamically and mechanically stable. These results indicate that the Ba2Zn5X6 (X = As, Sb) compounds have relatively low mechanical properties, indicating that they are likely to have low thermal conductivity. The vibrations of Ba atoms play an important role in the phonon thermal conductivity. In terms of electronic properties, the band structure analysis indicates that the compounds possess an indirect band gap (Γ‐Y). The calculation of optical properties in the energy range 0–12 eV reveals important information about dielectric functions, refractive index, reflection, optical conductivity, and absorption coefficient. These calculations have shown that the compounds exhibit good optical efficiency. Furthermore, a detailed investigation and discussion of their thermoelectric properties, such as Seebeck coefficient, electronic thermal conductivity, and power factor, indicate that these compounds can be candidates for thermoelectric devices. These calculations provide valuable insights into enhancing the thermoelectric performance of these compounds.

Purpose The present study aimed to investigate the effect of planned ilohypogastric neurectomy (IHPN) in preventing chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) after anterior herniorrhaphy (AH). Materials and methods This prospective, randomized study was conducted between 2016 and 2023. Emergency and incarcerated hernia cases, bilateral inguinal hernias, cases with complications such as postoperative hematoma infection, cases in which the neuroanatomy of the inguinal region was unintentionally damaged, femoral hernias, and paraplegic patients with loss of sensation who underwent anterior inguinal herniorrhaphy with prolene mesh were excluded, and the remaining 1375 patients were included in this study. The patients were randomized into preoperative control and study groups. After further excluding 247 patients (18%) in whom the IHN could not be identified during the operation, 82% of the 1375 patients (n = 1128) were included in this study. In the control group, the RCA segment of the IHN that would remain under the mesh was preserved (control group = G1 = 534). The second group in which this segment of the RCA was excised comprised the study group (G2 = 594). Two groups were prospectively followed and pain scores (PS) were recorded regularly with a 4-point scale. The average follow-up period was 15 months (range 11–19 months) in G1 and 14 months (range 10–18 months) in G2. Results The number of patients with CPIP was 68 in G1 and 19 in G2, this difference was found to be statistically significant (p: < 0.001). There were 19 patients in G1 and 41 patients in G2 with loss of sensation in the operation area, and a significant difference was detected in this respect (p = 0.012). Conclusion The rate of developing CPIP was significantly lower in patients who underwent IHPN during anterior herniorrhaphy than in those who did not undergo IHPN. The subjective nature of the pain sensation complicates measuring and scoring this sensation and methodologically limits the study.

The effects of lasers on testicular tissue have not yet been investigated in detail. In this experimental ex vivo study, we aimed to demonstrate and compare the effects of the holmium:yttrium–aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) and thulium fiber laser (TFL) lasers on testicular tissue. An ex vivo experiment was performed using calf testes. A 100W Ho:YAG laser and a 60W TFL devices with a setting spectrum at 10–60W, a frequency of 20–40 Hz, energy levels at 0.5–1–1.5 J, and medium pulse duration were tested. Histopathological parameters such as Incision depth (ID), vaporization area (VA), coagulation area (CA), and total laser area (TLA = VA + CA) were evaluated. In testicular tissue without a tunica layer, a statistically significant difference was found in the mean VA and TLA values between the Ho:YAG and TFL, in favor of Ho:YAG (p = 0.003, p = 0.003, respectively). In testicular tissue with a tunica layer, there was a statistically significant difference in mean VA, CA, TLA, ID values between Ho:YAG and TFL, in favor of Ho:YAG (all p < 0.001). At 1.5 J–20 Hz and 1.5 J–40 Hz, we observed that the features indicating tissue dissection, such as VA and ID, were lower in the TFL than those in Ho:YAG, while CA values were higher. VA, CA, TLA, ID values were significantly increased in tissue with tunica compared to non-tunicated tissue in both the Ho:YAG and TFL applications. At 30W and 60W, the penetrative effect of the TFL on tissue was less than that of the Ho:YAG, but its coagulation property was superior. What is Known: • Ho:YAG and TFL lasers are widely used in urology, primarily for stone and prostate surgeries, with established tissue effects in these contexts. What is New: • This study is the first to examine and compare the histopathological effects of these lasers on testicular tissue, providing insights into their potential applications in testicular surgery.

Objective: This study aims to develop and characterize electroactive hydrogels based on reduced bacterial cellulose (BC) and Ti3C2Tx-MXene for their potential application in wound healing and real-time monitoring. Impact Statement: The integration of Ti3C2Tx-MXene into BC matrices represents a novel approach to creating multifunctional hydrogels that combine biocompatibility, electrical conductivity, and mechanical durability. These properties make the hydrogels promising candidates for advanced wound care and real-time monitoring applications. Introduction: Wound healing requires materials that support cell growth, promote tissue regeneration, and enable real-time monitoring. MXenes, a class of 2-dimensional materials, offer unique electrical and mechanical properties, making them suitable for biomedical applications. This study explores the integration of Ti3C2Tx-MXene with BC, a biopolymer known for its excellent biocompatibility and mechanical strength, to create electroactive composite hydrogel films for advanced wound care. Methods: Ti3C2Tx-MXene was synthesized by etching Ti3AlC2 with hydrofluoric acid and integrated into BC pellicles produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinum. The composite hydrogel films underwent characterization through x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to determine structural, chemical, and thermal properties. Mechanical testing assessed tensile and compressive strengths. Biological assessments, including cell viability, hemolysis rate, and protein expression, evaluated biocompatibility and regenerative potential. Results: XRD confirmed the crystallographic structure of MXene and BC composite film. XPS and FTIR validated the successful incorporation of MXene into the film matrix. Composite hydrogel films demonstrated a tensile strength of 3.5 MPa and a compressive strength of 4.2 MPa. TGA showed stability up to 350 °C, and the electrical conductivity reached 9.14 × 10⁻⁴ S/m, enabling real-time monitoring capabilities. Cell viability exceeded 95%, with a hemolysis rate below 2%. Protein expression studies revealed the ability to promote skin regeneration through collagen I, K10, K5, and filaggrin expression. Conclusion: The BC/MXene composite hydrogel films exhibit important potential as electronic-skin patches for accelerating wound healing and enabling real-time monitoring. Their unique combination of mechanical durability, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility highlights their promise for advanced wound care applications.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is an important factor in the etiology of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Permanent kidney damage may develop in children with high-grade VUR in the long term. This damage may progress with the development of scar tissue in some patients. The TLR4 gene is an important resistance mechanism, especially against UTIs. TL R4 gene polymorphism is associated with recurrent UTIs and kidney scar development in the long term. This study aimed to examine the relationship between scar development and TLR4 gene polymorphism in children with VUR. This cross-sectional study included 49 patients with recurrent UTIs and primary vesicoureteral reflux. Patients were divided into two groups (26 patients with the scar, and 23 patients without scar) according to the presence of scar tissue. TLR4 gene polymorphisms of the patients were evaluated by Next Generation Sequencing. The TLR4 gene polymorphism was significantly higher in the compound heterozygous group with scarring than in the group without scarring (p=0.03). Gene polymorphisms, c.958T>C, c.942A>G, c.776A>G, c.1076C>T, c.896A<G, c.1196C>T, c.1078C>T were presented more commonly in the group with scarring. Moreover, gene polymorphisms c.942A>G and c.776A>G were defined for the first time in this study among patients with scar tissue. The higher incidence of some TLR4 gene polymorphisms in patients with scarring suggested that these variations might cause permanent kidney damage. In addition to genetic predisposition, environmental factors such as untreated UTIs might also contribute to scar formation.

Plantago ovata L., also known as psyllium, is a plant native to the Mediterranean that is commercially cultivated and utilized for its polysaccharides, which have an arabinoxylan structure. Psyllium seeds possess various functional characteristics due to strong hydrophilic and gelling properties, as well as stabilizing and emulsifying capabilities. This study evaluated the use of psyllium (P. ovata L.) husk powder (PHP) as a stabilizer in the production of probiotic plant‐based yogurt from coconut milk. The physicochemical, microbiological, textural, rheological, microstructural, and sensory properties of yogurt samples produced by adding different amounts of PHP (control, 0.125%, 0.25%, and 0.5%) during the storage period were analyzed. The produced plant‐based yogurts contained 72.80%–76.03% moisture, 18.30%–18.89% fat, 1.81%–2.03% protein, and 0.41%–0.44% ash. As the proportion of PHP and storage time increased, pH, and syneresis generally decreased and titratable acidity increased. The sample containing 0.5% PHP exhibited the highest microbiological counts. The addition of PHP to samples decreased L*, b*, C*, and h values and increased a* values. As the proportion of PHP increased, a significant increase in particle size parameters was detected. A more stable, homogeneous, and dense gel structure appeared in products with 0.25% PHP addition. The addition of PHP decreased hardness and adhesiveness while increasing cohesiveness. All samples exhibited a weak viscoelastic gel property (G′>G″). As the proportion of added PHP increased, the storage modulus decreased. Samples containing 0.25% PHP were rated higher in terms of sensory attributes, including taste, texture, and overall acceptability. Hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses were employed to categorize the yogurts, revealing that the control sample exhibited distinct characteristics compared to the psyllium‐added yogurts in terms of the aforementioned properties. The results show that, when added in the right amounts, PHP can stabilize the production of probiotic yogurt‐like products from coconut milk.

Studies connecting oral history and value education as a method of learning and teaching are a few, and most are based on theoretical knowledge. There are limited studies that practically apply value education, using oral history as an example for researchers and readers. We designed this research to fill the gap between theory and practice. The current study aims to integrate oral history practices into value education and provide a practice-based example. Our problem statement: "Can the oral history method contribute to students' learning of the values?" To answer this question, we conducted collaborative action research with 20 students studying in a public secondary school over nine weeks to teach them the values of attaching importance to family unity, solidarity, respect, and responsibility, which we determined to be within the scope of the social studies course. At all stages, we collaborated with the social studies teacher, students, and family members of the students. We used various data collection tools, including knowledge assessment forms (pre and post), implementation assessment forms, and semi-structured interview forms with the students. After the data collection, we used the content analysis method. The study results showed that implementing value education through oral history effectively taught the objectives' values. In addition, thanks to the practice, students could perceive the change and continuity of values and develop their skills. Based on the research results, we can say that oral history should be used more as an innovative method in value education.

The nasopalatine canal (NPC) is an anatomical formation with varying morphology. NPC can be visualized using the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Also, CBCT has been used in many studies on artificial intelligence (AI). The “You only look once” (YOLO) is an AI framework that stands out with its speed. This study compared the observer and AI regarding the NPC segmentation and assessment of the NPC furcation status in CBCT images. In this study, axial sections of 200 CBCT images were used. These images were labeled and evaluated for the absence or presence of the NPC furcation. These images were then divided into three; 160 images were used as the training dataset, 20 as the validation dataset, and 20 as the test dataset. The training was performed by making 800 epochs using the YOLOv5x-seg model. Sensitivity, Precision, F1 score, IoU, mAP, and AUC values were determined for NPC detection, segmentation, and classification of the YOLOv5x-seg model. The values were found to be 0.9680, 0.9953, 0.9815, 0.9636, 0.7930, and 0.8841, respectively, for the group with the absence of the NPC furcation; and 0.9827, 0.9975, 0.9900, 0.9803, 0.9637, and 0.9510, for the group with the presence of the NPC furcation. Our results showed that even when the YOLOv5x-seg model is trained with the NPC furcation and fewer datasets, it achieves sufficient prediction accuracy. The segmentation feature of the YOLOv5 algorithm, which is based on an object detection algorithm, has achieved quite successful results despite its recent development.

This study investigates the effects of red cabbage waste (RCW) as a dietary supplement on the performance, egg quality, and oxidative stability of yolk in laying Japanese quails. Given its rich phenolic content, RCW has been investigated as a natural feed additive to reduce food waste and enhance poultry diets. In a six-week trial, 120 quails were divided into 4 groups with 5 replicates and fed diets with 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% RCW. Performance parameters, internal and external egg quality, and antioxidant status were measured. RCW supplementation had no significant impact on overall quail performance. Quails fed with 0.5% RCW showed notable improvements in internal egg quality, especially in the albumen index, Haugh unit, and eggshell thickness. Additionally, incorporating 0.5% RCW into the diet improved the yolk’s antioxidant activity, as evidenced by reduced MDA levels. However, other egg quality traits, including the antioxidant capacity of the yolk, had deteriorated with concentrations above 0.5%, indicating that a moderate inclusion of 0.5% RCW is the most favourable option. The findings underscore that RCW could be sustainably used to improve egg quality without compromising performance, while managing food waste, presenting a potential circular economy solution. Nevertheless, further research is encouraged to optimize RCW levels and fully understand its benefits in poultry feed.

In mathematics education, representations are used in place of mathematical structures, ideas, or relationships to concretize, transform, and represent them. When students interact with these representations, they engage in various cognitive activities such as thinking, reasoning, understanding, remembering, problem-solving, attention, and decision-making, which are difficult to observe. Therefore, uncovering these cognitive activities is very significant for mathematics education. However, they are not easy to uncover as they cannot be directly observed. Eye tracking is an important approach that can be used to reveal cognitive activities that cannot be directly observed. This study investigated how middle school students examine representations by examining their eye movements. Eighty-five (40 girls and 45 boys) 7th-grade middle school students participated in the study. In the study, gaze durations, fixation count, and fixation duration on four different representation types: verbal representation, symbolic representation, number line representation, and counters representation were compared. The findings showed that students fixated more on the verbal representation and gazed at it for longer. However, fixation durations on the verbal representation were quite short compared to the other representations. In contrast, when examining the counters, there were fewer fixations and shorter gaze durations, but fixation durations were longer. Gazes on the number line and symbolic representation did not differ across all three variables. The findings indicated that gaze on verbal and non-verbal representations differed to some extent, but not entirely. Finally, the findings are discussed in the context of mathematical representation and eye-tracking literature.

The double perovskite class of materials is highly significant due to its optoelectronic properties and structural stability, making it ideal for applications in electronics, photovoltaics, and catalysis. We present a first principles study of the elastic, anisotropic mechanical, electronic, and optical properties of the newly synthesized double perovskite Na2ZrTeO6 compound. The calculated elastic constants confirm the mechanical stability of the compound. Na2ZrTeO6 exhibits high mechanical durability, a wide band gap, and significant anisotropic mechanical properties. The observed anisotropy suggests that Na2ZrTeO6 may exhibit direction‐dependent mechanical and electronic behavior, making it a versatile material for advanced technological applications. The high Debye and melting temperature indicate that Na2ZrTeO6 may be very suitable for high‐temperature processes, refractory materials, and high‐temperature equipment. This compound is a semiconductor with a wide band gap and the electrons are mobile carriers because they have smaller effective masses. The optical properties, including the real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric function, energy loss, real and imaginary parts of the refractive index, and absorption coefficient, are analyzed for photon energies up to 20 eV to evaluate the optical response.

This study evaluated growth and reproductive traits in two sheep breeds in Türkiye, Akkaraman (AKK) and Central Anatolian Merino (CAM), with a focus on the impact of non‐genetic factors. Data were analysed from 21,414 AKK and 20,099 CAM lambs for birth weight (BW) and 27,528 AKK and 24,639 CAM lambs for weaning weight (WW), average daily weight gain (ADWG) and Kleiber ratio (KR) using a linear mixed model. AKK lambs showed a significantly higher mean BW (4.19 ± 0.01 kg) than CAM lambs (4.02 ± 0.01 kg) (p < 0.001), whereas CAM lambs had significantly higher WW, ADWG and KR (p < 0.001 for each trait). Fixed effects of sex, birth type, dam age, birth year, herd size and season significantly influenced all growth traits (p < 0.05). Male lambs demonstrated higher BW, WW, ADWG and KR than females (p < 0.001), and single‐born lambs had significantly higher BW and WW than twins (p < 0.001). Dam age also influenced all growth traits, with lambs from younger dams tending to be heavier (p < 0.001). In terms of survival, AKK lambs exhibited a significantly higher survival rate (93.85%) than CAM lambs (89.50%) (p < 0.001). Conception rates were similar for both breeds (92.9% for AKK and 92.3% for CAM), whereas CAM lambs showed higher fecundity and litter size. These findings underscore the breed differences in growth and reproductive traits and highlight the importance of considering non‐genetic factors to inform breed‐specific management practices aimed at optimizing productivity.

Several adverse health impacts have been attributed to particulate matter-PM2.5, defined as having a diameter of less than 2.5 µm. The World Health Organization has determined that 5 µg m⁻³ is the 24-h limit threshold. PM2.5 comes from various primary sources and is also created by secondary atmospheric processes. Finding responsible sources can help regulate by focusing on the biological processes that underlie the observed health impacts. Determining the chemical composition of PM2.5 is the first phase in allocating PM2.5 to various sources. This study outlines the procedure for organic speciation of PM2.5—solvent-extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, and levoglucosan. Daily PM2.5 aerosol samples were collected between July 2014 and September 2015 in Ankara, Turkey. Seasonal average concentrations of measured species ranged from 13.51 to 65.04 ng m⁻³ for PAHs, 36 to 150 ng m⁻³ for n-alkanes, 24 to 47 ng m⁻³ for n-alkanoic acids, 0.44 to 3.6 ng m⁻³ for levoglucosan. n-Alkanes are the most abundant group at both urban and suburban sites. Concentrations of all groups were higher during winter, which is associated with emissions from space heating and lower mixing height in winter months. The diagnostic ratios between specific atmospheric concentrations of tracers depicted that the particulate organic compounds are mainly from anthropogenic sources like vehicular emission, biogenic combustion, and food cooking.