Necmettin Erbakan University
Recent publications
In this study, it was aimed to improve couscous chemical and functional properties by replacing wheat flour used in traditional couscous production with pea and mung bean flours as different protein sources at the rate of 20% and with ginger and turmeric powders as antioxidant sources at the rate of 1%, 2%, and 3%. Sixteen different couscous formulations were produced. In those couscous samples, some chemical contents (moisture, ash, protein, fat, and phytic acid), bioactive contents (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay and ion reducing antioxidant capacity antioxidant activities and total phenolic content), color (L*, a*, and b*), firmness and cooking properties were determined. The use of pea and mung bean flour decreased the L* value of the samples, while turmeric increased the yellowness values. In addition, the weight increase and firmness values of couscous decreased with the use of leguminous flours and antioxidant sources. The use of peas and mung beans significantly increased the amount of ash, protein, and phytic acid values compared to the control. The antioxidant activity value of ion-reducing antioxidant activity capacity increased by 7 and 5 times, and the total phenolic contents increased approximately 2 times, respectively, in the samples with the substitution of 3% turmeric and pea and mung bean flour. Pea flour and mung bean flour provided a significant increase in the amounts of Ca, Mg, K, and Zn. The combination of pea flour with 3% turmeric powder resulted in couscous with superior nutritional and functional properties.
This descriptive and correlational study aimed to determine the levels of spiritual caregiving and compassion among Turkish Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses and evaluate the relationship between these two variables. This study included 135 ICU nurses working in a university hospital in Turkey. Descriptive information forms, the Compassion Scale (CS), and the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale (SCGS) were used for data collection. The participants’ mean CS score was high, with the separation and common humanity subscales yielding the lowest and highest scores, respectively. The mean SCGS score was high, with the lowest and highest scores obtained from the spiritual care attitudes and spirituality perspectives, respectively. There is a positive correlation between CS and SCGS scores. This study concluded that Turkish ICU nurses demonstrated high levels of compassion and spiritual care and that there is a positive relationship between them. Cultural factors can affect compassion and spiritual care; therefore, future studies in different cultures are necessary to provide more valid evidence, possibly through experimental studies.
Purpose The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of tidal volume during mechanical ventilation (MV) on pediatric retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) outcomes. Methods The data of patients who underwent RIRS between January 2018 and January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients under the age of 18 who underwent RIRS and whose data were available were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups, ≤ 7 ml/kg (Group 1) and > 7 ml/kg (Group 2), according to the tidal volume during MV. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and perioperative and postoperative data of the patients were statistically compared in both groups. Results A total of 83 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 6.9 ± 4.5 (1–17) years and a mean stone size of 11.7 ± 5.4 (5–33) mm. There were 31 patients in Group 1 and 52 patients in Group 2. The demographic data and clinical characteristics of the patients in both groups were comparable. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding stone-related (side, size, density, number, and location) and surgical (access sheath and basket use, operation time, fluoroscopy time, or postoperative stenting rates, complication rates) parameters. In the first month, the stone-free rate was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (90.3% vs. 71.1%, p = 0.03). No high-grade or anesthesia-related complications were observed in any of the patients. Conclusion Reducing tidal volume in pediatric RIRS may improve the stone-free rate by facilitating laser targeting and increasing operative field stability and surgical comfort.
The primary objective of this study is to assess the environmental impact of various factors, including export diversification and GDP, as well as elements believed to facilitate this assessment process, such as green innovation and environmental taxes. The study aims to identify factors that contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. It analyzes data from 21 European Union (EU) member states for the period from 1995 to 2020, employing the FFFFF panel cointegration test. The findings indicate that export diversification (EXD), environmental taxes (ET), and economic growth (GDP) have a positive effect on CO2 emissions, whereas green innovation (GI) and GDP squared (GDP2) exert a negative influence. These results indicate that export diversification is detrimental to environmental quality. Another significant finding of the study is the validation of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Finally, one of the most critical conclusions of the study is the negative impact of green innovation on the volume of CO2 emissions.
This study explored an innovative technique for improving the thermal characteristics of foam concrete by incorporating soy wax phase change material (PCM) encapsulated within pumice. The core of this research is the development of PCM-pumice aggregates through the macro encapsulation of soy wax. This process involves direct impregnation, where melted soy wax is uniformly distributed within the porous structure of lightweight pumice aggregates. The thermal properties of the resulting foam concrete, notably its thermal conductivity, were rigorously evaluated. This evaluation entailed measuring the conductivity using a heat flow meter and subjecting the concrete samples to controlled temperature cycles, with a focus on the 25 °C and 55 °C marks. These specific temperatures were chosen to assess the impact of the PCM phase change on the thermal behavior of the concrete. Key findings indicate that the incorporation of PCM-pumice aggregates markedly improves thermal conductivity and heat retention in the solid state while simultaneously reducing fluidity, density, and compressive strength as a result of increased cohesion and porosity. Thermal conductivity significantly increased by up to 37% in the solid state relative to the control mix, due to the phase change material occupying air gaps within the concrete. Conversely, the thermal conductivity decreased in the liquid state, utilizing the PCM’s latent heat capacity to lower heat transfer rates. Graphical Abstract
Objectives This study evaluates and compares the performance of ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4 Omni (4o), Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot in responding to text-based multiple-choice questions related to oral radiology, as featured in the Dental Specialty Admission Exam conducted in Türkiye. Materials and methods A collection of text-based multiple-choice questions was sourced from the open-access question bank of the Turkish Dental Specialty Admission Exam, covering the years 2012 to 2021. The study included 123 questions, each with five options and one correct answer. The accuracy levels of ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4o, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot were compared using descriptive statistics, the Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn’s post hoc test, and Cochran’s Q test. Results and discussion The accuracy of the responses generated by the four chatbots exhibited statistically significant differences (p = 0.000). ChatGPT-4o achieved the highest accuracy at 86.1%, followed by Google Bard at 61.8%. ChatGPT-3.5 demonstrated an accuracy rate of 43.9%, while Microsoft Copilot recorded a rate of 41.5%. Conclusion ChatGPT-4o showcases superior accuracy and advanced reasoning capabilities, positioning it as a promising educational tool. With regular updates, it has the potential to serve as a reliable source of information for both healthcare professionals and the general public. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
BACKGROUND Encapsulation technology has been extensively employed in recent years to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of probiotics. Nevertheless, existing studies have primarily concentrated on product efficacy, with inadequate scrutiny concerning potential effects on living organisms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various encapsulated probiotic strains on inflammatory responses in healthy mice, alongside their in vitro viability. Nissle (EcN) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were microencapsulated for the study. RESULTS The differences in serum levels of Total Oxidant Status, Total Antioxidant Status, and C‐reactive protein among the groups were statistically significant (LGG, P = 0.039, P = 0.024, and P < 0.001; EcN, P = 0.019, P = 0.012, and P = 0.037, respectively). The highest levels were found in the control group, while the lowest levels were observed in the microencapsulated group. There were no significant differences in tissue tumor necrosis factor or interleukin‐6 levels for either LGG or EcN. CONCLUSION Probiotics reduced inflammation‐related parameters in serum of healthy mice. Microencapsulation preserved viability in vitro, but in vivo no significant differences were observed in anti‐inflammatory parameters or body weight between microencapsulated and free probiotics. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Sustainable dolomitic limestone (DL) and surkhi (SK) powders replace cement in lightweight foam concrete (LFC) for the first time. A total of fifteen LFC mixes were produced, which included reference mixtures. DL was used as a partial substitute for cement, with varying proportions ranging from 0 to 20% by weight. SK was employed as a partial replacement for cement, with weight fractions of 0, 15, and 30%. DL and SK were analyzed to determine how their integration affected slump flow, j-ring, oven-dry density, setting times, compressive strength (fc) and flexural strength (ff), modulus of elasticity (ME), ultrasonic pulse velocity (ν), water absorption (WA), apparent porosity (AP), air permeability (ko), microstructure, and pore distributions. In this investigation, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to predict the compressive strength of LFC with help of K-fold cross validation. The assessment techniques are coefficient of correlation (R), coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean square error (MSE) metrics on training and testing datasets. All the LFC’s aspects were considerably improved by adding 10% DL and 15% SK. While replacing cement with them reduced the LFC’s density, it enhanced its workability, mechanical characteristics, and pore properties. Adding 10% DL and 15% SK at 28 days improved fc, ff, ME, ν, AP, WA, and ko. fc, ff, ME, and ko increased 2.5, 19, 6, and 4.3%, respectively. When LFC incorporated with 10% DL and 15% SK at 28 days, AP dropped 8.5%, WA reduced 8.6%, and ko rose 20%. The regression analysis utilizing the ANN method for K = 4 yielded the prediction accuracy (R² = 0.94) of fc. The scanning electron microscopy revealed that the inclusion of a small quantity of DL and SK improved the microstructure of cement paste and accelerated the process of hydration. Overall, replacing 25% cement with DL and SK enhanced all evaluated qualities and reduced carbonation pollution, which will be contributing to the sustainability in the construction.
Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of restoration type and material on stress distribution in molar teeth with furcal perforations, as well as to evaluate the prognosis of cracks originating from the perforation site. Methods: The molar tooth with a furcal perforation was restored using post-core restorations containing 1, 2, and 3 posts, as well as two different endocrown designs with and without a ferrule. Lithium disilicate (LDS) and polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) materials were used as the restoration materials. After modeling, von Mises values generated in the components were recorded using XFEM, and the progression of cracks originating from the perforation site was also examined. Fatigue values for dentin and crown were predicted. Results: The investigations revealed that the LDS material exhibited better fatigue performance in all groups. Increasing the number of posts showed positive results for the perforation prognosis. Additionally, the presence of a ferrule in endocrown restorations improved the restoration's success. Conclusion: In the presence of perforation, increasing the number of posts in post-core applications, when combined with ceramic restorations, is likely to result in a more successful prognosis in terms of survival. If endocrown restorations are to be chosen, the presence of a ferrule positively influences the success.
Background Different educational methods play an important role in oral hygiene education programs. This study aims to evaluate the impact of various educational methods on the oral hygiene knowledge of primary school children. Methods A total of 490 primary school students participated in this cross-sectional study. The students were assigned to one of three groups: a verbal explanation group, an animation group, or a peer-led reels group. Before and after the intervention, the students completed questionnaires assessing their oral hygiene knowledge. Results A significant increase was observed in the post-educational knowledge levels of the children in three educational methods (p < 0.001). The study found that the main effect of educational methods was statistically significant (p < 0.001). However, effects of gender, and tablet/mobile phone use, respectively, were not statistically significant (p = 0.694, p = 0.641). The animation group (6.73) and the verbal expression group (6.57) had the highest post-training knowledge levels, respectively, while the peer-led reels group had the lowest (5.95) (p < 0.001). Conclusions All three educational methods are effective in promoting oral hygiene, but due to the accessibility and consumption of information in the current technological era, animation videos may be more useful and suitable for modern education. Trial registration ID: NCT06569745; Date: 21.08.2024; ‘retrospectively registered’.
This study investigates the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and phytochemical properties of ethanol and methanol extracts derived from Bellardia trixago flowers alongside molecular docking and pharmacokinetic assessments of stigmasterol, a key bioactive compound. The antioxidant activities of the ethanol and methanol extracts were determined, with the methanol extract demonstrating higher activity, 0.370 ± 0.002 mg/mL, compared to the ethanol extract, 0.95 ± 0.09 mg/mL. The total phenolic content of the ethanol extract was 79.14 ± 2.30 mg GAE/g extract DW, and its flavonoid content was 244.31 ± 12.51 mg QE/g extract DW. The methanol extract contained a lower phenolic content of 51.50 ± 1.43 mg GAE/g extract DW but a higher flavonoid content of 251.67 ± 6.68 mg QE/g extract DW. The ethanol extract exhibited a superior iron chelation capacity of 8.21 ± 0.09 mg/mL relative to the methanol extract of 6.68 ± 0.28 mg/mL. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated that both extracts exhibited strong bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects, with MIC values ranging from < 0.39 mg/mL to > 125 mg/mL. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against Bacillus cereus NRRL B-3711. Phytochemical analysis identified 25 compounds in the methanol extract and 20 in the ethanol extract. Stigmasterol was the major constituent in both extracts, accounting for 26.51% in ethanol and 12.65% in methanol. Molecular docking studies of stigmasterol revealed strong binding affinities with several protein targets, including Candida albicans Complex III2 (-8.7 kcal/mol), Escherichia coli HipBST (-7.2 kcal/mol), and the ribosomal subunit of Staphylococcus aureus (-7.0 kcal/mol). These interactions highlight stigmasterol’s potential role in modulating bacterial and fungal protein functions, emphasising the potential therapeutic applications of B. trixago, particularly in antimicrobial and antioxidant contexts.
This mixed-methods study examines the impact of childhood trauma and family dynamics on mental health and the development of social media use disorder (SMUD) among university students. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, this research offers a comprehensive investigation into how early life experiences influence social media addiction and the mediating role of mental health. The independent variable is childhood experiences, the dependent variable is social media use disorder, and mental health serves as the mediating variable. The study, conducted in 2024 with a sample of 330 university students, employs correlation analysis and mediation testing, with bootstrapping used to evaluate the significance of indirect effects. The results demonstrate that mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, mediate the relationship between childhood experiences and social media use disorder. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) further reveals that adverse childhood experiences contribute to mental health challenges in adulthood, which in turn exacerbate social media addiction. Qualitative findings offer rich insights into how social media affects daily routines, family interactions, and psychological well-being, revealing its central role in the participants’ lives. Moreover, this study highlights how childhood experiences shape social media use patterns. These findings significantly advance the understanding of the complex interplay between early life trauma, mental health, and social media use, addressing critical gaps in the literature on digital addiction.
This study aims to examine the structures that affect the teaching motivation of in‐service teachers. In this context, self‐efficacy in teaching computational thinking and professional identity have been focused on. To that end, the relational screening model has been used. A demographic information form and three different scales were used to collect the data. The Teacher Professional Identity Scale has been adapted to Turkish culture for teachers in the context of this study. The Structural Equation Model was used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the research, teachers with a solid commitment to subject knowledge and academic standards are more likely to prioritise specific teaching orientations. However, no significant relationships were found between Instructor Identity Orientation (IIO) and T‐STEM Computational Thinking Self‐efficacy (SE), T‐STEM Computational Thinking Outcome Expectation (OE), Intrinsic Motivation (IM) and Extrinsic Motivation (EM). SE, in teaching computational thinking, displayed positive associations with Teacher‐centered Orientation (TCO), OE, and IM. This implies that teachers who feel confident in their ability to teach computational thinking tend to adopt a more teacher‐centered approach, have positive outcome expectations, and experience intrinsic motivation. Teaching motivation was positively associated with teachers' self‐efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs for teaching computational thinking. The fact that teachers have the necessary equipment for their professional identities, examining the variables related to this competence, and developing suggestions is an essential reason for the importance of the current research and shedding light on future studies.
Background Type 1 Diabetes is important chronic health problem that incidence increasing between the ages of 4–6 and 10–15, has multi-dimensional etiological factors. Cardiovascular diseases may develop due to diabetes and cause significant morbidity and mortality. Diabetes cause deterioration of vascular structure, and sudden onset of heart disease through various pathophysiological mechanisms. Controlling factors, especially diabetes management, is very important in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Objective The study aimed to investigate the relationship between heart health attitudes, socioeconomic factors, and HbA1c levels in adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. Methods The study included 10–15-year-old adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes treated in pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic provided they met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Adolescents’ heart health attitudes were evaluated with the cardiovascular health promotion attitude scale for children. HbA1c levels and socioeconomic characteristics of the adolescents were recorded. Results The independent predictors of the group with favorable heart health attitudes were exercise duration, meal frequency, low economic status, and HbA1c levels. HbA1c levels were positively associated with nutrition, exercise, sedentary life, and smoking subscale scores as well as total scale scores. However, it was not associated with the scores of self-love and stress subscales. Low self-love and stress subscale scores were independent predictors of low economic status and explain why low economic status is a predictor of favorable heart health attitudes. Conclusions The cardiovascular health promotion attitude scale scores are associated with HbA1c levels, which is a predictor of increased cardiovascular diseases. This predictive ability of the scale makes its use meaningful.
Purpose Vestibular neuritis (VN) is a common cause of vertigo with significant impact on patients’ quality of life. This study aimed to analyze global research trends in VN using bibliometric methods to identify key themes, influential authors, institutions, and countries contributing to the field. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection database for publications related to VN from 1980 to 2024. Bibliometric data including publication year, keywords, citations, authors, journals, institutions, and countries were extracted and analyzed using VOSviewer software. Results A total of 624 publications were identified, showing a steady increase in VN research output, particularly after 2003. South Korea and the USA were the most prolific countries, while Acta Oto-Laryngologica and Otology & Neurotology were the leading journals in terms of publication count. Michael Strupp emerged as the most productive author. Keyword analysis revealed prominent research themes including diagnosis, treatment (vestibular rehabilitation, pharmacological interventions), pathophysiology, and the impact of VN on vestibular function. Conclusions This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of global VN research. The findings highlight the growing research interest in VN, with a focus on improving diagnostic accuracy, optimizing treatment strategies, and understanding the underlying mechanisms. This study can serve as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers interested in the field of VN.
Background Innovation in crop establishment is crucial for wheat productivity in drought-prone climates. Seedling establishment, the first stage of crop productivity, relies heavily on root and coleoptile system architecture for effective soil water and nutrient acquisition, particularly in regions practicing deep planting. Root phenotyping methods that quickly determine coleoptile lengths are vital for breeding studies. Traditionally, direct selection for root and coleoptile traits has been limited by the lack of suitable phenotyping methods, genetic and phenotypic complexity, and poor repeatability in sampling. In this study, we innovated a method utilizing 3D printing technology to measure root angle and coleoptile length in wheat seedlings. We evaluated seedlings from eight different wheat genotypes across varying temperatures and validated our findings through image processing techniques. Results The analysis of variance in root architecture revealed significant differences among genotypes for root angle. Temperature treatments also significantly influenced shoot length, number of roots and total root length. The Tosunbey genotypes exhibited the highest root angle and the lowest root angle was observed in Altindane genotypes. Additionally, we observed that increasing the temperature led to an increase in seedling root length. Similarly, the coleoptile architecture analysis showed significant differences among genotypes in coleoptile length, leaf length, number of roots, and total root length. Temperature treatments and deep sowing applications significantly affected these traits as well. The Tosunbey and Müfitbey genotypes exhibited the longest coleoptile length, whereas the Nevzatbey genotype showed the shortest. Conclusion Selecting for a narrow root angle and a high number of seminal roots can result in deeper, more branched root systems. Furthermore, developing wheat genotypes with longer coleoptiles can enhance plant production and early vigor, particularly with deep sowing. Our method, using the eqiupments producing by 3D printing technology enables high-throughput phenotyping of wheat roots and coleoptiles, offering new insights into root and coleoptile system regulation at different temperature conditions. This method can be seamlessly integrated into breeding programs to enhance drought tolerance, rapidly phenotyping populations for root and coleoptile characteristics.
Alternative flours can reveal beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of dietary fibers (DFs) of coconut and carob flours on colonic microbiota compositions and function. Coconut flour DFs were found to be dominated by mannose‐containing polysaccharides by gas chromatography (GC)/MS and spectrophotometer, whereas glucose and uronic acid were the main monosaccharide moieties in carob flour DFs. In vitro fecal fermentation analysis revealed that coconut flour DFs result in the generation of microbial butyrate as much as inulin does, which is known to be a butyrogenic prebiotic, but at a slower rate. Supportingly, coconut flour DFs promoted butyrate‐producing bacteria including Roseburia and Coprococcus, whereas carob flour DFs stimulated Prevotella‐related OTUs. In addition, higher microbial diversity was achieved at the end of the fermentation of coconut flour DFs by the fecal microbiota. This study clearly shows that alternative flours have distinct functionalities in terms of colonic microbiota composition and function, and coconut flour could be used as an alternative flour for the development of functional food products targeting colonic health.
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2,554 members
Derya Arslan
  • Food Engineering
Serdar Toker
  • Meram Faculty of Medicine
Tuğba Horzum
  • Department of Mathematics Education
Kemal Cetin
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering
Zerrin Defne Dundar
  • Meram Faculty of Medicine, Emergency Medicine Department
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Konya, Turkey