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Evaluation of the effect of caffeine consumption on cognitive functions by electroencephalography
Objective: To evaluate cognitive performance and neurophysiological changes after caffeine consumption in individuals who regularly consume different amounts of caffeine. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven people aged 18-25 were divided into two groups according to their caffeine consumption as less than 3 mg/kg/day (low consumption group; LC) and more than 3 mg/kg/ day (high-consumption group; HC). Electroencephalography (EEG) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment test (MoCA) were performed in both groups (baseline records). One week later, caffeinated (Caff) and decaffeinated (Decaff) coffee were randomly given to LC and HC. Thus, four groups were formed (LC+Caff, LC+Decaff, HC+Caff and HC+Decaff). EEG was repeated one hour after coffee, and MoCA was performed within 20 minutes. Results: In baseline eyes-opened EEG, the power of beta2 and delta were higher in the LC group than in the HC. After coffee consumption in the eyes-opened EEG, alpha1 and alpha2 power were significantly reduced in the HC+Caff. Following coffee consumption, the MoCA score increased significantly in the HC+Decaff and LC+Caff groups compared with the baseline. Conclusion: Our study showed that low caffeine consumers had increased brain activity and cognitive performance post consumption high amounts of caffeine. However, this effect was less in high caffeine consumers. Therefore, caffeine habituation may alter the brain's response to caffeine
The role of Immature granulocytes in predicting complicated appendicitis: A retrospective observational study
AIM: Differentiating complicated appendicitis (CA) from uncomplicated appendicitis (UA) is a critical aspect of preoperative evaluation that influences surgical planning and patient outcomes. This study explored the role of the immature granulocyte count (IG#) and percentage (IG%) as accessible and reliable biomarkers to enhance the diagnostic precision of CA. METHODS: This retrospective observational study analyzed 482 emergency appendectomies performed at a single tertiary hospital between January 2020 and June 2023. After excluding 23 cases due to haematological disorders, malignancies, additional procedures, or incomplete data, 459 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients were categorized into the UA and CA groups based on histopathological examination. CA was defined as a perforation or gangrene. Laboratory parameters, including IG#, IG%, and inflammatory markers, were compared between groups. RESULTS: Among the 459 patients, 386 (84.1%) had UA and 73 (15.9%) had CA. The median age of CA patients was significantly higher than that of UA patients (36 vs. 33 years, p = 0.016). CA patients also demonstrated significantly elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), direct bilirubin, white blood cell count (WBC), IG#, IG%, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) compared to UA patients (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis identified an IG# cut-off of 0.06 (area under the ROC curve [AUROC] = 0.699, sensitivity = 68.5%, specificity = 65.2%) and an IG% cut-off of 0.35 (AUROC = 0.663, sensitivity = 75.3%, specificity = 49.6%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, none of the evaluated laboratory parameters, including WBC count (Odds ratio (OR): 1.133, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.979-1.313, p = 0.095), IG# (OR: 0.000, 95% CI: 0.000-1.595, p = 0.056), IG% (OR: 6.740, 95% CI: 0.873-52.064, p = 0.067), and NLR (OR: 1.070, 95% CI: 0.980-1.169, p = 0.131), remained significant independent predictors of CA. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated IG# and IG% levels were associated with CA in univariate analysis; however, they did not remain significant independent predictors in the multivariable model. Although the potential of these markers may still provide complementary information in certain clinical scenarios, further large-scale prospective studies are needed to better define their role in clinical practice
Self-esteem and self-compassion status of migraine patients in Turkey: A multi-center study by Turkish Headache Study Group
Introduction Migraine, characterized by recurrent attacks, often necessitates a holistic approach for effective management. Treatment strategies aimed at enhancing self-esteem and self-compassion have been shown to reduce pain intensity in patients with chronic pain. This study aimed to investigate self-esteem and self-compassion in individuals with migraine.Materials and methods This multicentre, cross-sectional, case-control study included migraine patients evaluated at headache-specialized outpatient clinics across 22 centers in different regions of Turkey. 901 migraine patients and 901 healthy, matched controls were included. Neurologists specializing in headache disorders administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory to all participants. Data were compiled at a central site and subjected to statistical analysis.Results Migraine patients exhibited significantly lower self-esteem scores compared to healthy controls (p = 0.001 for both). Additionally, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory scores were significantly higher in migraine patients (p = 0.001 for both). Although the mean self-compassion scores of migraine patients and healthy controls were comparable, a significant decline in self-compassion was observed among patients with higher migraine attack frequency.Discussion In conclusion, our findings indicate that migraine patients exhibit significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to healthy controls. Self-esteem scores were also found to be lower in the migraine group. Although self-compassion scores were similar between the two groups, a noteworthy decline in self-compassion was observed in patients with higher migraine attack frequency. These results suggest that increased migraine severity may negatively impact patients' emotional resilience, highlighting the potential value of integrating psychological support into migraine management, particularly for those with frequent attacks
Acute muscle excitation response across various bench press ranges of motion
This study examined muscle excitation using surface electromyography (sEMG) during different ranges of motion (ROM) in the bench press. Given the limited research on upper-body muscle excitation across ROMs, this study aimed to establish reference values for muscle excitation in distinct bench press ROMs. Nineteen male participants performed a 10-repetition maximum (10RM) bench press across three ROMs: full ROM, upper-half ROM, and lower-half ROM. sEMG measurements were taken on the pectoralis major (PM), triceps brachii (TB), and anterior deltoid (AD). Mean and peak EMG amplitudes were analyzed. Significant differences in mean muscle excitation were observed across all muscles (p < 0.001-0.002). The upper-half ROM elicited the highest mean excitation for the TB, while both partial ROMs resulted in greater excitation for the PM and AD compared to the full ROM. Peak muscle excitation was significantly greater in the PM sternocostal 15% region during the upper-half ROM. Additionally, the TB long and lateral heads showed significantly higher peak EMG values in the upper-half ROM than in the other conditions. These results suggest that ROM variations in the bench press lead to distinct muscle excitation patterns. This insight may inform future research on ROM's effects on muscle hypertrophy and strength development
7-11 yaş arası çocukların bilişsel gelişim aşamaları ve bilimsel muhakeme özellikleri üzerine bir araştırma
Many countries have structured their educational systems based on Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. However, Piaget also emphasized that development is influenced by culture and that the age ranges for cognitive stages may vary across different cultural contexts. Therefore, it is essential to understand the developmental stages of children within a specific country before designing educational levels, developing instructional materials, or implementing teacher training programs. Otherwise, the quality and effectiveness of a country's educational system may be compromised. This study investigated the cognitive development stages and scientific reasoning characteristics of children aged 7 to 11. The sample consisted of 45 students, divided into five age groups. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation forms. The interview questions were based on two thought experiments from the social sciences. A total of 90 interviews were conducted, and 765 responses were analyzed using a qualitative data analysis program. The results indicated that all age groups exhibited the four types of scientific reasoning—abductive, inductive, deductive, and hypothetico-deductive—in varying frequencies and proportions. Additionally, the preoperational stage was found to persist until age 9, and the absence of clear indicators of the concrete operational stage suggests that it may begin around that age. Based on these results, recommendations are provided for the structuring of educational practices.Birçok ülke eğitim sistemlerini Jean Piaget tarafından geliştirilen bilişsel gelişim aşamalarına dayandırmıştır. Ancak Piaget, gelişimin kültürden etkilendiğini ve bilişsel gelişim yaş aralıklarının kültürler arasında farklılık gösterebileceğini de savunmaktadır. Bu nedenle, eğitim seviyelerini belirlemeden, eğitim materyallerini ve öğretmen eğitimi programlarını geliştirmeden önce bir ülkedeki çocukların gelişim aşamalarını bilmenin önemli olduğu düşünülmektedir. Aksi takdirde, o ülkenin eğitim sistemi olumsuz etkilenebilir. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada 7-11 yaş arası çocukların bilimsel akıl yürütme ve bilişsel gelişim aşamalarına ilişkin özellikleri araştırılmıştır. Çalışma grubu, 7-11 yaşları arasında her yaş grubunda alt, orta ve yüksek sosyo-ekonomik düzeylerde bulunan üçer öğrenci olmak üzere toplam 45 öğrenciden oluşmaktadır. Veriler yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme ve gözlem formu kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu, sosyal bilimlerde hazırlanan iki düşünce deneyine bağlı sorulardan oluşmuştur. Toplam 90 görüşme yapılmış ve 765 yanıt nitel veri analizi programı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, her yaş grubunun dört bilimsel akıl yürütme yöntemi (abdüktif, tümevarım, tümdengelim ve hipotetik-tümdengelim) özelliklerini değişen sayı ve oranlarda sergilediğini göstermiştir. Ayrıca, çalışma grubunda işlem öncesi dönemin 9 yaşına kadar devam ettiği ve somut işlemler dönemi özelliklerinin gözlenmediği, somut işlemler döneminin 9 yaş civarında başladığı görülmüştür. Çalışma grubundaki öğrenciler 11 yaşına kadar halen orta ve düşük düzeyde somut işlemler dönemi özellikleri gösterdikleri için soyut işlemler dönemi özelliklerinin başladığı yaşa ilişkin bilgi sağlanamamıştır
Retraction Note: Lead-induced endothelial cell dysfunction: protective effect of sulfated non-anticoagulant low molecular weight heparin (Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences, (2021), 13, 2, (123-131), 10.1007/s13530-021-00089-3)
Retraction to: Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences (2021) 13:123-131 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-021-00089-3 The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article. An investigation by Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has concluded that the providence of the images for Pb (30 uM) 2h and Pb (100 uM) 2h, 4h and 6h in Fig. 3a in the original article and in the correction to this article [1] could not be confirmed. The Editor-in-Chief therefore no longer has confidence in the validity of the data and the conclusions presented. The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction
Drug repositioning: Examining antipsychotic drugs and their anticancer effects
Cancer leads the list of causes of death worldwide, and the search for new and rapid treatment options for this disease has accelerated. New chemotherapeutic agents that inhibit tumor growth and proliferation are being introduced to the market; however, it presents various challenges, including the lengthy effectiveness of clinical trials, difficulty transitioning to phase 3 clinical stages, and high financial costs. A drug that had previously gained popularity in the market, has recently been repositioned for a different purpose, making it an excellent target for the treatment of several diseases. This review specifically focuses on the anti-cancer effects of repositioned antipsychotic medications that were studied for cancer treatment as well as their combination studies with other chemotherapeutic agents, using a literature search. A literature review covering the last 15 years was conducted using the PubMed (MEDLINE), Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, with the keywords 'anticancer,' 'antipsychotic drugs,' and 'drug repurposing' used in combination. Studies that yielded productive results across broad historical ranges were included in the review. Initially, the correlation between schizophrenia patients and cancer was explored. Next, antipsychotic drugs with reported anticancer activities were identified, and their in vitro and in vivo anticancer mechanisms were revealed. Finally, the potential contributions and significance of these drugs in future therapeutic approaches were highlighted. In conclusion our literature search has revealed that antipsychotic medications can be useful in treating cancer.Bursa Uludag University Molecular Cancer Research Laborator
Lc-ms/ms analysis of red and green türkiye propolis and determination of correlations between certain phenolic compounds
The honey bees (Apis mellifera) collect propolis from the resins of the plants around the hives for various purposes. The chemical structure of propolis contains many active ingredients, including phenolic compounds. Plants, altitude, season, or climatic zone are the most important factors influencing these components. The active ingredients in propolis influence the color of the propolis as well as the composition of the propolis. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the content of 28 phenolic compounds of red and green propolis collected from T & uuml;rkiye utilizing LC-MS/MS analysis. For this purpose, 318 propolis samples were collected from apiaries. Twenty-nine red and green samples were separated and analyzed for phenolic compounds. It was found that the seasons significantly affected the color changes of propolis. While most of the red propolis was detected in the spring, most of the green propolis was detected in the autumn. Furthermore, it was determined that the color changes of propolis produced statistically significant differences in terms of phenolic components, even in the colors within themselves. In addition, the availability and amount of phenolic compounds in propolis were found to have statistically significant negative and positive relationships among themselves. In conclusion, it was noticed that the change in color of propolis can significantly alter its phenolic composition, which can affect its average chemical structure
Predictive modeling of bacteria-based nanonetwork performance using simulation-driven machine learning and genetic algorithm optimization
Bacteria-based nanonetwork (BN) offers a biologically inspired solution for enabling information exchange between nanomachines (NMs) in environments where traditional communication methods are ineffective. This study presents a 2D simulation model of a BN system that captures the chemotactic behavior of a single Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterium navigating from a transmitter (TX) toward a receiver (RX) under varying environmental conditions. Key parameters, which are chemoattractant release rate (Q), TX-RX distance (d), and bacterial lifespan (), are systematically varied to evaluate their impact on communication performance, measured in terms of reach time and success rate. To enable accurate performance prediction without the need for computationally expensive repeated simulations, an analytical model is constructed using various machine learning (ML) techniques, including Linear Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). Hyperparameters of MLP are optimized using a Genetic Algorithm (GA), significantly enhancing predictive accuracy and training stability. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating dynamic simulation with data-driven modeling and hyperparameter optimization to represent complex system behavior. This framework offers valuable design insights for BN system development and supports the creation of efficient, scalable nanonetworks
Estimation of solöz river water balance components and rainfall runoff pattern with weap model 1
In this study, in order to draw a road map for lake water budget modeling, model calibration was performed with statistical results by modeling in a stream that feeds the lake basin and has flow observation results. The aim was to make a preliminary estimation and evaluation for calibration of the model result to be obtained in streams without flow observation results in the lake basin. The WEAP ("Water Evaluation and Planning" System) model was used for this purpose. With WEAP, Soloz Stream was selected to determine the amount of flow in streams with no flow. Soloz Stream was selected to determine the amount of flow in streams that do not flow with WEAP. Climate data, flow values obtained from Princeton University climate data, and flow observation results from the data obtained by including the spring flows of DSI (General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works) were modeled comparatively. Studies on the hydrology part of the model are limited in the literature, and this study contributes to the literature with a hydrological evaluation. In this context, the total annual water budget was extracted together with the water budget components, and an estimation was made with the model result for the main flow in the stream from the flow continuity curve. As a result of this study, the findings obtained from the modeling research with WEAP indicate that the model results and the observed results are compatible based on statistical calibration parameters. However, the consistent results observed include the source measurements, so the flow results obtained from precipitation alone are not consistent enough, and it is observed that the model gives reasonable results when climate and source flows are modeled together