Erciyes University
  • Kayseri, Turkey
Recent publications
The complex relationships between social and environmental systems create challenges for environmental sustainability. In this study, we used the fuzzy cognitive mapping approach to investigate human–aquifer interactions at the Palas Basin (Kayseri, Türkiye). Cognitive maps are casual maps that reflect the perceptions and understandings of different people/groups. With this approach, we aimed to reveal how goals, perceptions, and understandings of water users/managers affect the groundwater system in the Palas Basin. The cognitive maps were drawn with farmers and state officials and transformed into adjacency matrices for further analyses. Graph theory indices (indegree, outdegree, centrality, density, complexity, hierarchy index) were calculated to characterize maps. The maps of farmers and state officials were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. Social cognitive maps were prepared by combining individual cognitive maps. Neural network computational method was used to reveal the response of the system to different management scenarios. This study pointed to the importance of irrigation/irrigated agriculture is for the Palas Basin. Increasing agricultural yields and profits by expanding the cultivation of high water consuming crops and irrigation/fertilization was found to be the priority of people. Both farmers and state officials think that groundwater levels go down due to extensive pumping in the basin. However, farmers are still more focused on short-term economic gains rather than the sustainability of the agricultural system. Fuzzy cognitive mapping approach provided an effective tool for revealing the understandings of water users/managers about the groundwater system. The information obtained in this study could be used in the future for groundwater management in the Palas Basin.
Number of studies on the hydrophobic and antibacterial membranes has shown significant growth recently, particularly in masks created in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In this study, the supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) annealing, a promising green alternative post‐processing method to traditional solvents for polymers, polymer blends, and composites, has been focused. And polymeric membranes were also improved with silver (inorganic) or limestone (organic) particles as antibacterial additives to the polypropylene/polyethylene glycol (PP/PEG) blend. The effect on the structure and properties of the synthesized membranes were examined including the antibacterial and topographical properties before and after CO 2 annealing. With increasing contact angle by scCO 2 annealing, it was possible to create superhydrophobic surfaces and antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), especially for silver‐loaded PP–PEG membranes based on the collected results. This study is thought to boost the effectiveness of masks against bacteria, the main causes of today's hygiene related epidemics. Finally, scCO 2 can be safely applied in mask and membrane production as well as biomedical applications.
Magnesium-doped cobalt ferrite nanopowders (Co(1–x)Mg(x)Fe2O4, x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) were successfully prepared via gel process then annealed at 700 °C. In this study, the gel process used polyethylene glycol as a non-ionic surfactant to decrease the surface tension of ferrite nanoparticles. The structural, morphological, and magnetic properties and electrochemical behavior were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), vibrating sample micrometer (VSM), and cyclic voltammograms (CV). The XRD analysis showed that along with the formation of the single-spinel phase (Fd3m space group) with the amount of α-Fe2O3 phase. The crystalline size (D), X-ray density (ρX-ray), experimental and theoretical lattice parameter (aexp, ath), ionic radius (r), and the bond length (d) of both tetrahedral (A) sites, and octahedral [B] sites, tetrahedral edge (dAxE), and shared and unshared octahedral edge (dBxE, dBxEU) have been calculated. The crystalline size (D) of the samples evaluated using Scherrer’s formula found variation in the range of 15–17 nm. The structural parameters of the prepared samples decreased with the increase in Mg content. FT-IR absorption spectra have shown two fundamental absorption bands υ1 and υ2 around 600 and 380 cm⁻¹ characteristics of ferrite samples. The tetrahedral and octahedral force constants KA and KB were estimated using FT-IR band frequencies and compared to the trend of FeO bond lengths for both sites. FE-SEM analysis shows almost a spherical shape and an inhomogeneous distribution with sizes varying from < 19 to > 23 nm. The saturation magnetization (Ms) and remnant magnetization (Mr) decreased with increasing Mg substitution. At lower Mg substitutions (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.4), coercivity (Hc) increases, while it decreases at higher Mg substitutions (x ≥ 0.6). The change in VSM behavior from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic was observed due to the redistribution of magnetism ions in Co ferrites. The study of CV of synthesized Co–Mg ferrite has been examined to assay the semiconductor’s behavior of Co–Mg ferrite concerning its electromagnetic properties. A CV study indicated that the specific capacitance of magnesium-substituted cobalt ferrite was higher than that of pure cobalt ferrite nanoparticles. The specific capacitance of the pure cobalt ferrite and the magnesium-doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were obtained as 15.58 and 99.45 F/g, respectively. The specific capacitances and magnetic measurements suggested that these nano-materials are potential candidates for pseudo capacitors, semiconductors, energy storage devices, and sensor applications.
Although scaffold materials serve as effective bone substitutes for mandibular reconstruction, their high resorption and biodegradation rates decrease the success of the therapeutic effect. This study aims to explore the bone regenerative potential of bovine-derived osteoid matrix xenografts coupled with cell-free treatments. The study was conducted as a randomized in vivo experiment to repair critical-sized defects in rabbit mandibles. Two treatment groups were established with 10 rabbits: the right hemimandibles were reconstructed with xenograft (control), and the left hemimandibles were reconstructed with dental pulp stem cell (DPSCs)-derived exosomes soaked xenograft (experimental group) within the same rabbit. Micro-computed tomography and histologic analysis were performed at 4 weeks postoperatively. The histopathologic analysis revealed a significant difference in new bone formation scores between the experimental group (4.87±0.78) and the control group (2.87±0.41). Although the micro-computer tomography analysis did not show a statistically significant difference in new bone volume and surface between the groups, it did reveal that the experimental group had greater bone mineral density, trabecular thickness, and separation. The combination of DPSCs-derived exosomes and xenografts proved to be a promising strategy for enhancing new bone formation and regenerative scores in repairing critical-size defects in rabbit mandibles.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a widespread highly malignant type of lung cancer. Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs may be accompanied by both drug resistance and serious side effects in patients. Therefore, safer and more effective medications are urgently needed for the treatment of NSCLC. This study investigates the mode of action of 21 phytoconstituents previously isolated from the Amaryllidaceous plants Crinum bulbispermum (Burm.f.), Pancratium maritimum L., and Hippeastrum vittatum Herbert alongside the Asteraceous plant Centaurea scoparia Sieb. for therapy of NSCLC via in vitro cytotoxic, network pharmacology, and molecular docking analyses. Despite the in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic studies carried out on phytoconstituents from these plants in treating numerous cancer types, scarce information documenting their cytotoxic activity towards NSCLC cells is available. First, the compounds were tested for their in vitro cytotoxic activities and selectivity on human non-small cell lung cancer cells using disk diffusion assay. Compounds having significant potencies were promoted for network pharmacology analysis. Pharm mapper, Genecards, STRING, and KEGG databases were utilized for surfing target genes and pathways for these compounds, while for construction of compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) network, Cytoscape 3.7.1. freeware was used. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation were run for the top hit constituents against the most enriched molecular targets followed by in silico ADMET studies using Schrodinger® suite and Gromacs. In vitro cytotoxicity testing demonstrated that crinamine was the most potent compound followed by lycorine, hemanthidine, and haemanthamine. The network pharmacology approach revealed the enrichment of acetyllycoramine, pluviine, 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-methylchromone, and ismine. Whereas, androgen receptor (AR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and estrogen-sensitive receptor alpha (ESR1) were the most enriched target genes. Pathway analysis revealed that central carbon metabolism, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor endocrine resistance, and non-small cell lung cancer were the most enriched cancer-related pathways. Ismine possessed the most stable ligand-protein interactions when docked to the three proteins, with MD simulations further confirming its strong and consistent binding to AR, moderate stability with ESR-1, and lower stability with EGFR over the 100 ns trajectory. ADMET study conducted on the above compounds confirmed their excellent drug-likeness properties, oral bioavailability, and safety profiles highlighting the need for some structural modifications to pluviine to enhance its oral bioavailability. These integrated approaches showed that some constituents from the investigated plants interact synergistically against non-small cell lung cancer-related genes and pathways.
Purpose To evaluate the effect of topical citicoline, vitamin B12 and hyaluronic acid (OMK2 eye drops; Omikron Italia Srl, Italy) on the healing of corneal nerve after corneal cross-linking (CXL) treatment in patients with keratoconus (KC). Methods A total of 44 eyes of 22 patients with KC who underwent CXL were included in this prospective study. After CXL, one eye of these patients received OMK2 eye drop and standard post-CXL treatment (OMK2 group), while the fellow eye received only standard post-CXL treatment (control group). The following parameters were analyzed in the pre- and post-CXL procedure periods (1st, 3rd and 6th months): corneal sensitivity, tear film stability, central corneal thickness (CCT), and the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus (sbNP) parameters (including corneal nerve fiber density [CNFD], corneal nerve branch density [CNBD], corneal nerve fiber length [CNFL], corneal total branch density [CTBD], corneal nerve fiber area [CNFA], corneal nerve fiber width [CNFW]). Results Following CXL, a comparison of the baseline and month 6 data revealed that CNFA decreased in the control group (p < 0.001) and did not differ in the OMK2 group (p = 0.283). Other corneal sbNP parameters exhibited a decrease when comparing baseline and 6 months in each group (all p < 0.05). In addition, CCT in the OMK2 group was not significantly different between baseline and month 6 (p = 0.052). However, a decline in CCT of the control groups was observed during this specified time interval (p = 0.009). Corneal sensitivity or tear film stability parameters did not differ significantly between groups at any time point or over time within each group (all p > 0.05). Conclusion The use of OMK2 eye drop after CXL may provide more stable CNFA. In addition, it may also provide faster recovery in CCT.
A comprehensive study of high-order QCD cross-section for the Higgs boson that is simultaneously produced with a vector boson is presented at s=13,14,27\sqrt{s} = 13, 14, 27 s = 13 , 14 , 27 and 100 TeV in this manuscript. The simultaneous Higgs production with a vector boson facilitates the investigation of the Higgs signal. In the calculations, three different branching states of the Higgs ( ττ+\tau ^{-}\tau ^{+} τ - τ + , bbˉb{\bar{b}} b b ¯ , γγ\gamma \gamma γ γ ) and vector bosons [ W±(e±ν(νˉ)),Z(ee+W^{\pm }(e^{\pm }\nu ({\bar{\nu }})), Z(e^{-}e^{+} W ± ( e ± ν ( ν ¯ ) ) , Z ( e - e + )] were taken into account. Here, leading order (LO), next-to-leading order (NLO), and next-to-NLO (NNLO) QCD cross-sections were calculated for these branching states. A simulation framework was built for the calculations at the TRUBA high-performance grid computing center. Then, the threshold values (selection cuts) close to the values used by the CMS and ATLAS Collaborations were selected and used on several parameters such as invariant mass, transverse momentum ( pTp_{T} p T ), pseudorapidity ( η\eta η ), etc. In addition, NNPDF3.1 parton distribution functions (PDF) were used during the calculation. The results showed that the numerical value of the QCD prediction increases at NLO and NNLO as compared to the LO predictions. In addition to the higher-orders, the cross-section value increases as the center-of-mass energy increases. In addition to the QCD predictions, PDF, scale, and αS\alpha _{S} α S uncertainties of the QCD predictions were also calculated to test the reliability of the high-order QCDs. The results showed that total and scale uncertainties decrease as the QCD order increases. In addition, it was found that LO total and scale uncertainties increase significantly as the center-of-mass energy increases, while NLO and NNLO scale and total uncertainties remain almost constant or show a negligible increase as the center-of-mass energy increases. This indicates that high-order QCDs not only provide more accurate results by the addition of extra partonic diagrams but also provide lower uncertainties in the relevant production channels. Furthermore, the required data that provides the exact statistics for physics measurements of simultaneously produced Higgs and vector bosons as the data at 13 TeV were predicted at s\sqrt{s} s = 14, 27, and 100 TeV. As a result, we found that the same statistics for accurate physics measurements can be obtained at s\sqrt{s} s = 14, 27, and 100 TeV with approximately 1.1, 2.0, and 6.5 times less data than the amount of data at s\sqrt{s} s = 13 TeV, respectively. In the last section of this study, W boson charge asymmetry was computed at NNLO QCD. The lowest charge asymmetry between W+W^{+} W + and WW^{-} W - was obtained at the WH( ττ+\tau ^{-}\tau ^{+} τ - τ + ) decay channel and the highest charge asymmetry results were obtained at the WH( bbˉb{\bar{b}} b b ¯ ) decay channel.
Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a widespread and persistent infectious disease affecting the middle ear and mastoid cavity, leading to significant morbidity. The condition often follows protracted acute otitis media (AOM) and is characterized by chronic purulent ear discharge through a perforated eardrum and varying degrees of hearing loss. Globally, CSOM affects between 65 and 330 million people and accounts for approximately 28,000 deaths annually. The prevalence varies significantly by region, influenced by factors such as hygiene, nutrition, healthcare access, and socioeconomic status. Pathophysiology involves persistent infection and inflammation, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and a disrupted balance of middle ear microbiota. Common pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with recent studies highlighting the presence of a diverse microbiome in both healthy and diseased ears. Clinical manifestations include ear discharge and hearing loss, with potential complications like mastoiditis and intracranial infections. Diagnosis relies on patient history, otoscopic examination, audiological tests, and imaging. Treatment focuses on controlling infection and preventing complications, using topical and systemic antibiotics, and surgery. Advancements in diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies, including AI and novel non-surgical treatments, promise to improve CSOM management in the future.
Background Asthma is one of the most common causes of chronic respiratory disease, and countries with low socioeconomic status have both a high prevalence of asthma and asthma‐related death. Objective In this study, we aimed to determine socioeconomic levels of asthmatic patients according to a national database and investigate the effects of social markers on disease control in our region. Methods This is an analysis of data from 2053 adult asthma patients from a multicentre chart study in Turkey. Socioeconomic status (SES) data were collected from questionnaires and this form was sent to the patients via e‐mail. Parameters related to social status and poor disease control were analyzed. Results Illiteracy (OR:2.687 [95% CI: 1.235–5.848]; p = 0.013) and lower household income (OR:1,76 [95% CI: 1.002–3.09]; p = 0.049) were found as independent risk factors for hospitalization in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Therewithal, being aged between 40 and 60 (OR: 1.435 [95% CI: 1.074–1.917]; p = 0.015), illiteracy (OR: 2.188 [95% CI: 1.262–3.795]; p = 0.005) and being employed (OR: 1.466 [95% CI: 1.085–1.847]; p = 0.011) were considered as independent risk factors for systemic corticosteroid use at least 3 days within last 1 year. Conclusion As a result of our national database, education level, household income and working status briefly socioeconomic status have impacts on asthma control. Identification of social markers in asthma and better recognition of risk factors based on the population gives us clues to provide better asthma control in the future.
We aimed to investigate the frequency of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and neuropathic pain (NeP) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK), and their relationship with disease activity, and quality of life (QoL). In this prospective case-control study, we evaluated 30 patients with TAK and 28 healthy subjects. Demographic, clinical, and current treatment-related data were also recorded. RLS diagnosis was confirmed in both groups according to the International Restless Legs Study Group criteria. The Douleur neuropathic-4 questionnaire (DN4) confirmed the frequency of neuropathic pain, and the quality of life was confirmed by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire. Univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for factors associated with NeP in patients with TAK. There was no statistically significant difference in the diagnosis of RLS between the TAK group and the control group (p = 0.195). The prevalence of NeP was significantly higher in TAK patients than in healthy controls (p = 0.011). The SF-36 subscale scores for physical functioning (p = 0.01) and general health (p = 0.002) were significantly lower in the TAK group than in the control group. Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) scores were considerably higher in patients with NeP (p = 0.004). In univariate analyses, VDI decreased unbound iron-binding capacity, and SF36 mental component summary were predictors associated with NeP. This study revealed that the frequency of NeP was higher in patients with TAK than in the healthy population, and the patients with TAK were negatively affected in terms of NeP and QoL rather than RLS.
Sheehan syndrome (SS) is postpartum pituitary necrosis leading to severe hypopituitarism. Severe bleeding during delivery and postpartum period results in ischemic necrosis of the enlarged pituitary gland during pregnancy. The improved obstetrical care decreased the incidence of SS significantly, however SS should always be kept in mind in the etiologies of hypopitutarism in women which can be easily recognized by medical history of the patient. The nonspecific signs and symptoms of hypopituitarism result in significant delay in diagnosis and treatment. The diagnostic delay makes the patients to expose hypopituitarism without essential replacement therapies leading to increased morbidity and mortality of the patients. Awareness of physicians about SS is critical for the diagnosis of the disease. In this review, the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and treatment of SS are discussed in the light of recent studies.
Understanding the genetic factors that influence meat yield is crucial due to the economic importance of average daily live weight gain (ADWG) in livestock. This study investigates the relationship between the c.*188G>A SNP in the 3′‐UTR region of the akirin 2 gene and growth traits in Zavot cattle, focusing on the gene's role in muscle development. Genotyping of the c.*188G>A SNP was conducted using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, revealing frequencies of 0.09 for AA, 0.75 for AG and 0.16 for GG genotypes, respectively. Our findings demonstrate a significant association between this SNP and ADWG, as well as percentage. These results suggest that the c.*188G>A SNP within akirin 2 could serve as a valuable DNA marker for predicting ADWG and percentage traits in Zavot cattle.
The cytoskeleton, composed of microtubules, intermediate filaments and actin filaments is vital for various cellular functions, particularly within the nervous system, where microtubules play a key role in intracellular transport, cell morphology, and synaptic plasticity. Tubulin-specific chaperones, including tubulin folding cofactors (TBCA, TBCB, TBCC, TBCD, TBCE), assist in the proper formation of α/β-tubulin heterodimers, essential for microtubule stability. Pathogenic variants in these chaperone-encoding genes, especially TBCD, have been linked to Progressive Encephalopathy with Brain Atrophy and Thin Corpus Callosum (PEBAT, OMIM #604,649), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. We report three cases from two consanguineous families with varying clinical presentations of PEBAT syndrome due to homozygous pathogenic variants in the TBCD. In Family 1, two siblings (F1C1 and F1C2) harboring the homozygous c.2314C > T, p.(Arg772Cys) variant exhibited severe neurodevelopmental regression, spastic tetraplegia, seizures, and brain atrophy. In contrast, Family 2, Case 3 (F2C3), with the homozygous c.230A > G, p.(His77Arg) variant, presented a milder phenotype, including absence seizures, slight developmental delay, and less pronounced neuroanatomical abnormalities. These findings contribute to the expanding phenotypic spectrum of PEBAT and suggesting that modifier genes or epigenetic factors may influence disease severity.
Purpose Encephalitozoon intestinalis is an obligate intracellular microsporidian fungus that causes severe gastrointestinal infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Propolis (PROP), a resinous substance derived from bees, has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while royal jelly (RJ) has immunomodulatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of PROP and RJ against E. intestinalis. Methods The phenolic composition of PROP was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection, and the chemical components of RJ were evaluated according to ISO12824 standards. The cytotoxicity of PROP and RJ on HEK-293 cells was evaluated using the XTT assay. The three highest non-cytotoxic concentrations of each sample were tested for their effects on E. intestinalis spores by qRT-PCR. Trichrome-stained photomicrographs were used to assess spore density in HEK-293 cells treated with PROP and RJ. Results PROP analysis revealed flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, pinocembrin and galangin, as well as phenolic acids such as caffeic and cinnamic acids, known for their bioactive properties. RJ contained mainly proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and sugars, reflecting its role as a nutritionally and biologically active substance. According to the results of this first study evaluating the effect of PROP and RJ on E. intestinalis, all concentrations evaluated in the study showed a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of E. intestinalis spores compared to the control group. Conclusion In conclusion, we believe that PROP and RJ should be considered as an alternative option in the development of antimicrosporidial drugs due to their potential medicinal and pharmaceutical properties.
In this study, hydrogels based on [2‐(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (MOEAMCl) and methacrylamide (MAAm) were synthesized for the removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solutions. Following detailed characterization, the use of hydrogels for methyl orange (MO) adsorption was investigated. Hydrogels prepared at MOEAMCl‐MAAm monomer feed ratios of 75:25 and 50:50 (HD‐2 and HD‐3) were found to be effective in MO removal. The optimal pH for MO adsorption was determined to be 9, the adsorption time 6 h, and the amount of adsorbent 0.1 g. Under optimal adsorption conditions, dye removal at an MO concentration of 1000 ppm was 89.4% and 90.9% for HD‐2 and HD‐3 hydrogels, respectively, with adsorption capacities of 950 and 994 mg/g. It was observed that MO adsorption on both hydrogels decreased with increasing adsorbent amount and temperature, but was almost unaffected by the medium matrix. Additionally, the Freundlich isotherm was found to be the appropriate isotherm model, and kinetic results indicated that the HD‐3 hydrogel fit all examined kinetic models better than HD‐2. In conclusion, it was determined that these adsorbents could be efficiently used for anionic dye removal.
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5,663 members
Sureyya Burcu Gorkem
  • Department of Radiology
ibrahim Sözdutmaz
  • Department of Virology (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)
Mustafa Yavuz Köker
  • Department of Immunology
Mahmut DOĞAN
  • Department of Food Engineering
Osman Sonmez
  • Toprak Bilimi ve Bitki Besleme
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Address
Kayseri, Turkey
Head of institution
Prof. Dr. Mustafa ÇALIŞ