Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University

Background One of the wild fruit species with a natural distribution in Türkiye, and historically used for medicinal purposes due to its rich composition, is Berberis crataegina DC. Various parts of the plant, including its roots, bark, leaves, flowers, and fruits, have been utilized in traditional medicine, while its fruits are also consumed in various forms as food. This study aimed to characterize the morphological, biochemical, and molecular traits of B. crataegina genotypes naturally growing in the Kayseri region, located in central Türkiye. Results The fruit weight of the genotypes ranged from 0.047 to 0.137 g, fruit width from 3.06 to 4.64 mm, and fruit length from 5.80 to 9.05 mm. Similarly, the leaf traits of the genotypes exhibited wide variation. The total phenolic content ranged from 190.53 to 297.55 mg GAE/100 g, total flavonoid content from 82.03 to 203.89 mg QE/100 g, total anthocyanin content from 4.54 to 11.76 mg cyn-3 gluc/100 g, and total antioxidant capacity between 57.76 and 87.93%. A principal component analysis (PCA) of 11 traits identified four principal components with eigenvalues greater than 1. The first four components accounted for 71.89% of the total variation, with PCA1 explaining 23.48%, PCA2 18.68%, PCA3 16.39%, and PCA4 13.34%. ISSR molecular analysis using nine markers revealed a band count ranging from 4 to 13, polymorphic band count between 3 and 10, and polymorphism rates from 61.54 to 100%, with band lengths ranging from 200 to 1000 base pairs. According to the UPGMA dendrogram based on molecular analyses, the genetic similarity between the genotypes ranged from 0.64 to 1.00, with B2 and B13 being the most similar genotypes. Conclusions In conclusion, the Kayseri region is rich in B. crataegina genotypes with wide genetic variation. The genotypes identified in this region may serve as valuable genetic resources for future studies.

The injuries that occurred in earthquakes caused an accumulation in hospitals and the need for health services increased. The most needed human resource in the provision of health services in disasters is nurses. The aim of this study is to determine the scope of nursing services in earthquakes and to identify the service needs in hospitals during the February 6 earthquakes in Turkey. In this study, Delphi technique was used for needs analysis. The managers of health institutions in 11 provinces that experienced the earthquake were interviewed to determine how nursing services are carried out during earthquakes. As a result of this study, it was determined that there were inadequacies in triage, identification of earthquake victims, medical intervention and keeping records, identification of deceased earthquake victims, storage of personal belongings, communication with relatives of earthquake victims, and psychosocial support services in disasters such as earthquakes where many people were seriously injured. It has been observed that there is a need for disaster nurses and forensic nurses to work in these areas and it is thought that these 2 nursing fields should be taken into consideration in the planning of health professional resources in disasters.

Objectives Comparing serum and humor aqueous (HA) raftlin levels in diabetic patients and control group. Methods In this prospective study, patients were divided into two groups diabetes mellitus (DM) and a control group. The DM group was divided into three subgroups. A total of 160 patients, including 35 without diabetic retinopathy (non-DR) (Group 1), 31 non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (Group 2), 32 proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (Group 3), and 62 controls (Group 4), were included in the study. Venous blood and HA samples were taken from the patients and their raftlin levels were measured. Results Serum raftlin levels were decreased in the DM main group (p=0.046) but there was no significant difference in HA raftlin levels (p=0.838). There was no significant difference between the subgroups (Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4) in terms of serum and HA raftlin levels. Diabetic macular edema (DME), anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), and panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) application were not found to be associated with raftlin levels in Group 3. A moderate positive correlation was found between serum and HA raftlin levels (r=0.491). There was a negative correlation between serum raftlin levels and serum glucose levels (p=0.05). No correlation was found between serum and HA raftlin levels and serum leukocyte and lipid levels (p>0.05). Conclusions In our study, raftlin levels were examined for the first time in DM patients and it was observed that serum raftlin levels were negatively correlated with glucose levels. Raftlin molecule may be involved in the etiology of DM through VEGF.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening disease, with a high mortality if left untreated. In addition, the disease has unique diagnostic challenges. Therefore, despite the existing guidelines on management, current clinical practice data is informative on the course and outcome. Herein, a retrospective chart review study was conducted through the collaboration of six centers, located in central and southeastern Türkiye. The demographical data, laboratory results, and treatment outcomes were evaluated. Eighty-three patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 2 years, whereas the median age was 8 months with a range of a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 12.6 years. Consanguineous marriage, history of sibling death, and familial history of similar disease were determined in 72.2% (n:60), 34.9% (n:29), and 39.8% (n:33) of the patients, respectively. The most common presentation was fever, followed by hepatosplenomegaly on admission. Disease-causing familial HLH variants were identified in 60.2% (n:50) of the patients. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was performed in 39.7% (n:33) of the cohort. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 62.4% for the whole group. Comparing the patients who received HSCT and those who did not; the HSCT group had a 2-year OS of 84.7%, which was significantly better than patients who did not receive HSCT had a 2-year OS of 47.1% (p:0.001). Despite the improvement in HLH diagnostics and treatment options over the last decade, early death remains a leading problem for the survival of these patients. Therefore, appropriate assessment of the patients in experienced centers and HSCT are pivotal for better outcomes.

Existing literature offers some insights into the prevalence of anxiety and depression in children with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). However, the literature on anxiety sensitivity (AS) and quality of life (QoL) in these children remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate psychiatric diagnoses, anxiety and depression levels, AS, and QoL in children with CSU compared to healthy controls. The CSU group consisted of 44 children aged 8 to 17 years who were diagnosed with CSU, while the control group consisted of 44 healthy children. A child psychiatrist conducted the psychiatric assessment of the children. The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scales (RCADS), the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI), and the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) were administered. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of QoL, considering several potential factors, including the urticaria activity score, duration of urticaria, presence of a psychiatric diagnosis, scores on the RCADS major depression disorder, RCADS-total anxiety, and total CASI. A significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses and anxiety disorders was observed in the CSU group ( P < .05). In the CSU group with a psychiatric diagnosis, CASI-total (0.011), CASI-physical (0.049), CASI-social (0.022), and CDLQI scores ( P < .001) were significantly higher than those without a psychiatric diagnosis. In the multiple linear regression analysis, only the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis was found to be a significant predictor of CDLQI scores (OR, 5.918; 95% CI, 2.505–9.330; P : .001). This study indicated that children with CSU exhibited a higher prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses than controls. Additionally, children with psychopathology in the CSU group demonstrated higher AS and greater impairment of QoL than those without psychiatric diagnoses. Furthermore, the most significant predictor of a decline in QoL was the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Understanding the water use of drought-tolerant crops of the drought-prone Mediterranean regions is important for sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield and yield responses of amaranth ( Amaranthus hybridus L.) to different irrigation strategies conducted in 2019 and 2020 under Mediterranean climatic conditions using surface drip (SD) and subsurface drip (SSD) systems. Strategies investigated were: regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), conventional deficit irrigation (DI 25 , DI 50 , DI 75 ), full irrigation (FI) and rainfed treatment. The highest grain yield was observed in FI treatments; RDI treatments produced 5% lower grain yield than the FI treatments, although the RDI treatments resulted in water savings of 23 and 21% for SD and SSD systems, respectively. DI treatments resulted in lower leaf water potential (LWP) and higher crop water-stress index (CWSI) compared to FI in both systems values. The results showed that optimum irrigation conditions to obtain the highest amaranth grain yields were associated with an LWP of −1.0 MPa and an average CWSI of about 0.25. The FI treatments under SSD systems had the highest grain production, followed by FI under SD and RDI under both the drip systems. Under SD and SSD systems, RDI saved 23 and 21% water, respectively, and produced a yield statistically comparable to that of FI. The SSD methods generated higher net income than SD. From these results it can be concluded that both RDI and DI 75 could be a good alternative to FI under the conditions of water scarcity in the Mediterranean region.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disease that causes severe pain that can seriously affect the quality of life. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two different low-level laser therapies (LLLT) as alternatives to medical treatment to reduce pain and improve the quality of life in patients with TN. Methods: A total of 45 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. In the first group, a new-generation diode laser (GRR laser) was applied at predetermined points in the trigeminal nerve line. In the second group, a low-level neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser was applied along the affected nerve line. The placebo group received the same protocol with a Nd:YAG laser without the device switched on. The scores were recorded pre- and post-treatment using the Brief Pain Inventory-Facial (BPI-facial) scale. Results: A statistically significant difference was found between the pre- and post-treatment values of all four variables in the GRR laser, Nd:YAG laser, and placebo groups. When the post-treatment values were compared, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in pain frequency, pain intensity, and interference in facial-specific activities, but no differences were found in general activities. Conclusions: Both LLLTs can be considered alternative treatment modalities for TN, but the GRR laser treatment was more effective than the Nd:YAG laser treatment in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in patients with TN.

This study was aimed at evaluating the knowledge and attitudes of religious officials in Turkey about circumcision. Among the Imams, 96.7% (n = 234) were married, and 91.3% (n = 221) had male children. The place of circumcision was at home in 42.1% (n = 102), and 56.1% (n = 123) of the performers were not licensed physicians. Overall, 59.1% of the Imams believed that circumcision provided protection against HIV, 49.6% believed it reduced the risk of penile cancer, and 69.8% believed that circumcision increased sexual potency. Our research reveals that Imams in Turkey lack knowledge about circumcision.

Objective Pineal gland volume (PGV), which is associated with sleep and circadian rhythm, is known to be changed in some psychiatric disorders such as major depression, mood disorders and schizophrenia. This study aimed to compare the PGV of children with mild and moderate intellectual disability (ID) and healthy children. Methods This multicentre retrospective study included 40 children with ID (patient group), aged 6–12 years and 40 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy children (control group). The children were examined for their sociodemographic characteristics and for PGV using magnetic resonance imaging. Results The PGV of the patient group was significantly larger than that of the controls ( p = 0.023). There was no statistically significant difference in PGV between mild and moderate ID. A moderate and positive correlation was found between Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children‐revised (WISC‐R) performance score and PGV ( p = 0.049, r = 0.313) only in the patient group. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve was 0.648, and the sensitivity was 70.0%, and the specificity was 60.0%. Conclusions In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the increased PGV levels were associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and PGV could be a risk factor in the aetiology of ID. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to clarify this issue.

Foreign language teachers and textbook companies have an increasing number of missions to unfold the evolving global crises such as ethnic conflict, social inequality, terrorism, forced migration, wars and poverty. This chapter employs document analysis technique to collect data from two English language course book series (A1-C1) used at the tertiary level in Türkiye. Accordingly, this chapter follows content analysis technique to report on the global issues. The results indicate that the course books include topics dominantly on environmental and health education, socio-economic issues but scarcely on peace education. Therefore, this chapter presents methodological and pedagogical implications for language teachers, textbook authors and companies to use Language of Peace Approach (LPA) to respond to such crises since LPA intends to enhance knowledge, shape attitudes and hone skills in a multicultural and interdependent world. Finally, this chapter offers the integration of peace education into language teaching to raise learners’ awareness of peace and conflict towards refugees.

In this study, the aim of determining the reactions of different gerbera cultivars (Gerbera jamesonii L.) to the plant-parasitic nematode Aphelenchoides besseyi was investigated. The reactions of three different gerbera cultivars, Rosellin, Done, and Mor, which were infected in two different trials, were compared. Based on 100 plants, it was found that the mortality rates of the gerbera were 40%, 30%, and 20% for Rosellin, Done, and Mor respectively. The lowest mortality against Aphelenchoides besseyi was observed in the Mor variety cultivar.

On 6 February 2023, two earthquakes occurred approximately 9 h apart, with Mw 7.8 and 7.5, and epicenters located in Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaras province, respectively. As part of a national project team which was funded by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkiye (AFAD) between June 2021 and June 2023, the authors of this article had proposed a framework to assess the seismic resilience of an urban region. The pilot area of this national project was a small-scale industrial town named Turkoglu located to the south of Kahramanmaras, at the intersection of Amanos and Pazarcik segments of the East Anatolian Fault zone. The proposed framework encompasses the assessment of active faults in the region, construction of regional velocity models, ground motion simulations of potential earthquakes, structural vulnerability, and study of seismic resilience indicators. The Pazarcik earthquake occurred 4 months before the end of the project on the exact fault system, which was modeled in ground motion simulations within the project in 2022. The objective of this article is multifold: first, to present our findings before the earthquake (2021–2022) in the region, including regional velocity models, ground motion simulations, street survey-based building classifications, and vulnerability classes; and second, to compare the after-event modeling of damage distributions in comparison with the observed damages as well as resilience evaluations of the region from multiple perspectives. A third objective is to assess the seismic resilience framework used in the project, as there are multiple seismically active areas in Turkiye and the world where similar large events are anticipated. This study constitutes a significant case study in the Turkoglu region, which involves critical evaluations of seismic resilience from before and after event data.

Background Rock climbing (RC) has gained attention as a therapeutic tool in psychiatric settings that merges physical exertion with mental engagement. It has potential to enhance mental health, through improved self-efficacy and social interaction, making it a novel intervention for addressing anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues in adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of RC as a physical activity on anxiety, depression, and emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents. Methods The current study included 57 athletes aged 14.5 ± 1.7 years and 91 adolescents aged 13.6 ± 1.2 years, matched for age and gender, who were not professionally involved in sport. In addition to the socio-demographic form, a detailed psychiatric assessment was carried out by the child psychiatrist; using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) to detect psychiatric conditions. The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version (RCADS-CV) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were also administered to the adolescents in the study. Results In the comparative analysis of the RCADS-CV outcomes between the athlete and control groups, the athletes demonstrated notably lower scores for both Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), yielding p-values of < 0.001 and 0.031, respectively. Although the mean scores for social phobia, OCD, panic disorder, and MDD were lower in the athlete group, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In the correlation analysis, a moderately significant correlation was found between the duration of doing sport and the scale scores for SAD (p:0.010), OCD (p:0.014), and panic disorder (p:0.016). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of SDQ scores. Conclusion These results suggest that RC, through its unique combination of physical exertion and mental focus, may offer protective benefits against certain anxiety disorders among adolescents. Further studies should be conducted to explore the potential use of RC as a preventive program for both healthy adolescents, as well as those with psychiatric disorder.