NobleBlocks

Eskişehir City Hospital

Hospital / health systemEskişehir, Turkey

Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from Eskişehir City Hospital (Türkiye). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
13.9K
Citations
535.1K
h-index
216
i10-index
10.8K
Also known as
EskişehirEskişehir City HospitalEskişehir Şehir Hastanesi

Top-cited papers from Eskişehir City Hospital

What if the devil is my guardian angel: ChatGPT as a case study of using chatbots in education
Ahmed Tlili, Boulus Shehata, Michael Agyemang Adarkwah, Aras Bozkurt +3 more
2023· Smart Learning Environments1.6Kdoi:10.1186/s40561-023-00237-x

Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have been progressing constantly and being more visible in different aspects of our lives. One recent phenomenon is ChatGPT, a chatbot with a conversational artificial intelligence interface that was developed by OpenAI. As one of the most advanced artificial intelligence applications, ChatGPT has drawn much public attention across the globe. In this regard, this study examines ChatGPT in education, among early adopters, through a qualitative instrumental case study. Conducted in three stages, the first stage of the study reveals that the public discourse in social media is generally positive and there is enthusiasm regarding its use in educational settings. However, there are also voices who are approaching cautiously using ChatGPT in educational settings. The second stage of the study examines the case of ChatGPT through lenses of educational transformation, response quality, usefulness, personality and emotion, and ethics. In the third and final stage of the study, the investigation of user experiences through ten educational scenarios revealed various issues, including cheating, honesty and truthfulness of ChatGPT, privacy misleading, and manipulation. The findings of this study provide several research directions that should be considered to ensure a safe and responsible adoption of chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, in education.

Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cancer Progression: Molecular Mechanisms and Recent Advancements
Vaishali Aggarwal, Hardeep Singh Tuli, Ayşegül Varol, Falak Thakral +4 more
2019· Biomolecules1.2Kdoi:10.3390/biom9110735

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in biological processes and continuous ROS production in normal cells is controlled by the appropriate regulation between the silver lining of low and high ROS concentration mediated effects. Interestingly, ROS also dynamically influences the tumor microenvironment and is known to initiate cancer angiogenesis, metastasis, and survival at different concentrations. At moderate concentration, ROS activates the cancer cell survival signaling cascade involving mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2 (MAPK/ERK1/2), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and phosphoinositide-3-kinase/ protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), which in turn activate the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). At high concentrations, ROS can cause cancer cell apoptosis. Hence, it critically depends upon the ROS levels, to either augment tumorigenesis or lead to apoptosis. The major issue is targeting the dual actions of ROS effectively with respect to the concentration bias, which needs to be monitored carefully to impede tumor angiogenesis and metastasis for ROS to serve as potential therapeutic targets exogenously/endogenously. Overall, additional research is required to comprehend the potential of ROS as an effective anti-tumor modality and therapeutic target for treating malignancies.

Algorithm for Automated Mapping of Land Surface Temperature Using LANDSAT 8 Satellite Data
Uğur Avdan, Gordana JOVANOVSKA
2016· Journal of Sensors767doi:10.1155/2016/1480307

Land surface temperature is an important factor in many areas, such as global climate change, hydrological, geo-/biophysical, and urban land use/land cover. As the latest launched satellite from the LANDSAT family, LANDSAT 8 has opened new possibilities for understanding the events on the Earth with remote sensing. This study presents an algorithm for the automatic mapping of land surface temperature from LANDSAT 8 data. The tool was developed using the LANDSAT 8 thermal infrared sensor Band 10 data. Different methods and formulas were used in the algorithm that successfully retrieves the land surface temperature to help us study the thermal environment of the ground surface. To verify the algorithm, the land surface temperature and the near-air temperature were compared. The results showed that, for the first case, the standard deviation was 2.4°C, and for the second case, it was 2.7°C. For future studies, the tool should be refined with in situ measurements of land surface temperature.

An empirical investigation of the Turkish consumers’ acceptance of Internet banking services
Vichuda Nui Polatoglu, Serap Ekin
2001· International Journal of Bank Marketing698doi:10.1108/02652320110392527

An exploratory study of consumer acceptance of Internet banking (IB) services is conducted in a Turkish bank. Examines both consumer‐related factors that may affect the adoption of an innovation or a product (such as complexity, perceived risk, and relative advantage) as well as organizational factors such as marketing effort. The results suggest that IB not only reduces operational cost to the bank, but also leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and retention. Accordingly, it is argued that IB is strategically important to the banking sector in an emerging economy, such as in Turkey.

A Theory of Network Localization
James Aspnes, Tolga Eren, David K. Goldenberg, A. Stephen Morse +4 more
2006· IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing648doi:10.1109/tmc.2006.174

In this paper, we provide a theoretical foundation for the problem of network localization in which some nodes know their locations and other nodes determine their locations by measuring the distances to their neighbors. We construct grounded graphs to model network localization and apply graph rigidity theory to test the conditions for unique localizability and to construct uniquely localizable networks. We further study the computational complexity of network localization and investigate a subclass of grounded graphs where localization can be computed efficiently. We conclude with a discussion of localization in sensor networks where the sensors are placed randomly.

Is Metaverse in education a blessing or a curse: a combined content and bibliometric analysis
Ahmed Tlili, Ronghuai Huang, Boulus Shehata, Dejian Liu +4 more
2022· Smart Learning Environments587doi:10.1186/s40561-022-00205-x

Abstract The Metaverse has been the centre of attraction for educationists for quite some time. This field got renewed interest with the announcement of social media giant Facebook as it rebranding and positioning it as Meta. While several studies conducted literature reviews to summarize the findings related to the Metaverse in general, no study to the best of our knowledge focused on systematically summarizing the finding related to the Metaverse in education. To cover this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review of the Metaverse in education. It then applies both content and bibliometric analysis to reveal the research trends, focus, and limitations of this research topic. The obtained findings reveal the research gap in lifelogging applications in educational Metaverse. The findings also show that the design of Metaverse in education has evolved over generations, where generation Z is more targeted with artificial intelligence technologies compared to generation X or Y. In terms of learning scenarios, there have been very few studies focusing on mobile learning, hybrid learning, and micro learning. Additionally, no study focused on using the Metaverse in education for students with disabilities. The findings of this study provide a roadmap of future research directions to be taken into consideration and investigated to enhance the adoption of the Metaverse in education worldwide, as well as to enhance the learning and teaching experiences in the Metaverse.

Antimicrobial Screening of <i>Mentha piperita</i> Essential Oils
Gökalp İşcan, N. Kırımer, Mine Kürkçüoğlu, Hüsnü Can Başer +1 more
2002· Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry583doi:10.1021/jf011476k

Essential oils of peppermint Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae), which are used in flavors, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals, were investigated for their antimicrobial properties against 21 human and plant pathogenic microorganisms. The bioactivity of the oils menthol and menthone was compared using the combination of in vitro techniques such as microdilution, agar diffusion, and bioautography. It was shown that all of the peppermint oils screened strongly inhibited plant pathogenic microorganisms, whereas human pathogens were only moderately inhibited. Chemical compositions of the oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Using the bioautography assay, menthol was found to be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of these oils.

How to design bibliometric research: an overview and a framework proposal
Oğuzhan Öztürk, Rıdvan Kocaman, Dominik K. Kanbach
2024· Review of Managerial Science582doi:10.1007/s11846-024-00738-0

Abstract Bibliometric analysis has recently become a popular and rigorous technique used for exploring and analyzing the literature in business and management. Prior studies principally focused on ‘how to do bibliometric analysis’, presenting an overview of the bibliometric methodology along with various techniques and step-by-step guidelines that can be relied on to rigorously conduct bibliometric analysis. However, the current body of evidence is limited in its ability to provide practical knowledge that can enhance the design and performance of bibliometric research. This claim is supported even by the fact that relevant studies refer to their work as ‘bibliometric analysis’ rather than ‘bibliometric research’. Accordingly, we endeavor to offer a more functional framework for researchers who wish to design/conduct bibliometric research on any field of research, especially business and management. To do this, we followed a twofold way. We first outlined the main stages and steps of typical bibliometric research. Then, we proposed a comprehensive framework for specifying how to design/conduct the research and under what headings the relevant stages (step-by-step) will be used and/or presented. Thus, the current paper is expected to be a useful source to gain insights into the available techniques and guide researchers in designing/conducting bibliometric research.

Biofortification and Localization of Zinc in Wheat Grain
İsmail Çakmak, M. Kalaycı, Yağmur Kaya, Ayfer Alkan Torun +4 more
2010· Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry570doi:10.1021/jf101197h

Zinc (Zn) deficiency associated with low dietary intake is a well-documented public health problem, resulting in serious health and socioeconomic problems. Field experiments were conducted with wheat to test the role of both soil and foliar application of ZnSO4 in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions (e.g., bran, embryo and endosperm) in 3 locations. Foliar application of ZnSO4 was realized at different growth stages (e.g., stem elongation, boot, milk, dough stages) to study the effect of timing of foliar Zn application on grain Zn concentration. The rate of foliar Zn application at each growth stage was 4 kg of ZnSO4·7H2O ha(-1). Laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS was used to follow the localization of Zn within grain. Soil Zn application at a rate of 50 kg of ZnSO4·7H2O ha(-1) was effective in increasing grain Zn concentration in the Zn-deficient location, but not in the locations without soil Zn deficiency. In all locations, foliar application of Zn significantly increased Zn concentration in whole grain and in each grain fraction, particularly in the case of high soil N fertilization. In Zn-deficient location, grain Zn concentration increased from 11 mg kg(-1) to 22 mg kg(-1) with foliar Zn application and to 27 mg kg(-1) with a combined application of ZnSO4 to soil and foliar. In locations without soil Zn deficiency, combination of high N application with two times foliar Zn application (e.g., at the booting and milk stages) increased grain Zn concentration, on average, from 28 mg kg(-1) to 58 mg kg(-1). Both ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS data showed that the increase in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions was pronounced when Zn was sprayed at the late growth stage (e.g., milk and dough). LA-ICP-MS data also indicated that Zn was transported into endosperm through the crease phloem. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that the timing of foliar Zn application is of great importance in increasing grain Zn in wheat, especially in the endosperm part that is the predominant grain fraction consumed in many countries. Providing a large pool of Zn in vegetative tissues during the grain filling (e.g., via foliar Zn spray) is an important practice to increase grain Zn and contribute to human nutrition.

Thermal conductivity of BN-C nanostructures
Alper Kınacı, Justin B. Haskins, Cem Sevik, Tahir Çağın
2012· Physical Review B562doi:10.1103/physrevb.86.115410

Chemical and structural diversity present in hexagonal boron nitride ($h$-BN) and graphene hybrid nanostructures provide avenues for tuning various properties for their technological applications. In this paper we investigate the variation of thermal conductivity ($\ensuremath{\kappa}$) of hybrid graphene/$h$-BN nanostructures: stripe superlattices and BN (graphene) dots embedded in graphene (BN) are investigated using equilibrium molecular dynamics. To simulate these systems, we have parametrized a Tersoff type interaction potential to reproduce the ab initio energetics of the B-C and N-C bonds for studying the various interfaces that emerge in these hybrid nanostructures. We demonstrate that both the details of the interface, including energetic stability and shape, as well as the spacing of the interfaces in the material, exert strong control on the thermal conductivity of these systems. For stripe superlattices, we find that zigzag configured interfaces produce a higher $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ in the direction parallel to the interface than the armchair configuration, while the perpendicular conductivity is less prone to the details of the interface and is limited by the $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ of $h$-BN. Additionally, the embedded dot structures, having mixed zigzag and armchair interfaces, affect the thermal transport properties more strongly than superlattices. The largest reduction in thermal conductivity is observed at 50$%$ dot concentration, but the dot radius appears to have little effect on the magnitude of reduction around this concentration.

Observation of the rare Bs0 →µ+µ− decay from the combined analysis of CMS and LHCb data
V. Khachatryan, A.M. Sirunyan, A. Tumasyan, W. Adam +4 more
2015· Nature508doi:10.1038/nature14474

Combined analysis of proton-proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN by the CMS and LHCb collaborations leads to the observation of the extremely rare decay of the strange B meson into muons; the result is compatible with the standard model of particle physics, and does not show any signs of new physics, such as supersymmetry. When searching for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics, one promising route is to consider processes at very high energies that can be produced in particle colliders. Here, the CMS and LHCb collaborations working at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the largest particle accelerator in the world, report the observation of the extremely rare decay of a B meson into muons. In this decay, discrepancies from the standard model predictions might point towards supersymmetry which is thought to be a plausible candidate for a theory beyond the standard model. The combined results from the CMS and LHCb collaborations, however, confirm the standard model and do not show any signs of supersymmetry. The restart of the Large Hadron Collider this spring with higher operation energies will increase the production rate of B mesons and might bring new surprises and constraints for theories beyond the standard model of particle physics. The standard model of particle physics describes the fundamental particles and their interactions via the strong, electromagnetic and weak forces. It provides precise predictions for measurable quantities that can be tested experimentally. The probabilities, or branching fractions, of the strange B meson ( ) and the B0 meson decaying into two oppositely charged muons (μ+ and μ−) are especially interesting because of their sensitivity to theories that extend the standard model. The standard model predicts that the and decays are very rare, with about four of the former occurring for every billion mesons produced, and one of the latter occurring for every ten billion B0 mesons1. A difference in the observed branching fractions with respect to the predictions of the standard model would provide a direction in which the standard model should be extended. Before the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN2 started operating, no evidence for either decay mode had been found. Upper limits on the branching fractions were an order of magnitude above the standard model predictions. The CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) and LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) collaborations have performed a joint analysis of the data from proton–proton collisions that they collected in 2011 at a centre-of-mass energy of seven teraelectronvolts and in 2012 at eight teraelectronvolts. Here we report the first observation of the µ+µ− decay, with a statistical significance exceeding six standard deviations, and the best measurement so far of its branching fraction. Furthermore, we obtained evidence for the µ+µ− decay with a statistical significance of three standard deviations. Both measurements are statistically compatible with standard model predictions and allow stringent constraints to be placed on theories beyond the standard model. The LHC experiments will resume taking data in 2015, recording proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 teraelectronvolts, which will approximately double the production rates of and B0 mesons and lead to further improvements in the precision of these crucial tests of the standard model.

Augmented Reality in Education: Current Technologies and the Potential for Education
Mehmet Kesım, Yasin Özarslan
2012· Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences506doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.654

Although the physical world is three-dimensional, mostly we prefer to use two-dimensional media in education. The combination of AR technology with the educational content creates new type of automated applications and acts to enhance the effectiveness and attractiveness of teaching and learning for students in real life scenarios. Augmented Reality is a new medium, combining aspects from ubiquitous computing, tangible computing, and social computing. This medium offers unique affordances, combining physical and virtual worlds, with continuous and implicit user control of the point of view and interactivity. This paper provides an introduction to the technology of augmented reality (AR) and its possibilities for education. Key technologies and methods are discussed within the context of education.

Prevalence of dysmenorrhea and its effect on quality of life among a group of female university students
Alaettin Ünsal, Ünal Ayrancı, Mustafa Tözün, Gül Arslan +1 more
2010· Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences430doi:10.3109/03009730903457218

The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and determine its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among a group of female university students. This cross-sectional study was conducted between 15 March and 15 April 2009 at Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Health High School, Western Turkey. The study group included 623 female students. The severity of dysmenorrhea was determined with a 10-point visual analog scale. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) form was used to determinate HRQoL. Chi-square test, Student's t test, and logistic regression and variance analyses (ANOVA) were used for statistical analyses. The average age of the study group was 20.8 +/- 1.8 years (range 17-30). Prevalence of dysmenorrhea was found to be 72.7% and was significantly higher in coffee consumers, females with menstrual bleeding duration > or =7 days, and those who had a positive family history of dysmenorrhea when compared to the others (P < 0.05, for each one). By multivariate analysis, coffee consumption (OR 2.084), menstrual bleeding duration > or =7 days (OR 1.590), and positive family history of dysmenorrhea (OR 3.043) were important risk factors for dysmenorrhea. Except for social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health domains, the SF-36 points received from the other domains were higher in females with dysmenorrhea (for each one P < 0.05). With the exception of the scores received from physical functioning and role-emotional domains, the scores received from the other domains of the SF-36 scale showed a decrease with increasing severity of dysmenorrhea (P < 0.05, for each one). Dysmenorrhea is a common health problem, having negative effects on the HRQoL among university female students.

Electrochemical Treatment of the Antibiotic Sulfachloropyridazine: Kinetics, Reaction Pathways, and Toxicity Evolution
Ahmad Dirany, Ignasi Sirés, Nihal Oturan, Ali Özcan +1 more
2012· Environmental Science & Technology423doi:10.1021/es204621q

The electro-Fenton treatment of sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), a model for sulfonamide antibiotics that are widespread in waters, was performed using cells with a carbon-felt cathode and Pt or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode, aiming to present an integral assessment of the kinetics, electrodegradation byproducts, and toxicity evolution. H(2)O(2) electrogeneration in the presence of Fe(2+) yielded (•)OH in the solution bulk, which acted concomitantly with (•)OH adsorbed at the anode (BDD((•)OH)) to promote the oxidative degradation of SCP (k(abs,SCP) = (1.58 ± 0.02) × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) and its byproducts. A detailed scheme for the complete mineralization was elucidated. On the basis of the action of (•)OH onto four different SCP sites, the pathways leading to total decontamination includes fifteen cyclic byproducts identified by HPLC and GC-MS, five aliphatic carboxylic acids, and a mixture of Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), NH(4)(+), and NO(3)(-) that accounted for 90-100% of initial Cl, S, and N. The time course of byproducts was satisfactorily correlated with the toxicity profiles determined from inhibition of Vibrio fischeri luminescence. 3-Amino-6-chloropyridazine and p-benzoquinone were responsible for the increased toxicity during the first stages. Independent electrolyses revealed that their toxicity trends were close to those of SCP. The formation of the carboxylic acids involved a sharp toxicity decrease, thus ensuring overall detoxification.

CheckList for EvaluAtion of Radiomics research (CLEAR): a step-by-step reporting guideline for authors and reviewers endorsed by ESR and EuSoMII
Burak Koçak, Bettina Baeßler, Spyridon Bakas, Renato Cuocolo +4 more
2023· Insights into Imaging414doi:10.1186/s13244-023-01415-8

Even though radiomics can hold great potential for supporting clinical decision-making, its current use is mostly limited to academic research, without applications in routine clinical practice. The workflow of radiomics is complex due to several methodological steps and nuances, which often leads to inadequate reporting and evaluation, and poor reproducibility. Available reporting guidelines and checklists for artificial intelligence and predictive modeling include relevant good practices, but they are not tailored to radiomic research. There is a clear need for a complete radiomics checklist for study planning, manuscript writing, and evaluation during the review process to facilitate the repeatability and reproducibility of studies. We here present a documentation standard for radiomic research that can guide authors and reviewers. Our motivation is to improve the quality and reliability and, in turn, the reproducibility of radiomic research. We name the checklist CLEAR (CheckList for EvaluAtion of Radiomics research), to convey the idea of being more transparent. With its 58 items, the CLEAR checklist should be considered a standardization tool providing the minimum requirements for presenting clinical radiomics research. In addition to a dynamic online version of the checklist, a public repository has also been set up to allow the radiomics community to comment on the checklist items and adapt the checklist for future versions. Prepared and revised by an international group of experts using a modified Delphi method, we hope the CLEAR checklist will serve well as a single and complete scientific documentation tool for authors and reviewers to improve the radiomics literature.

Intellectual capital and financial performance: A study of the Turkish Banking Sector
Nasıf ÖZKAN, Sinan Çakan, Murad Kayacan
2016· Borsa Istanbul Review414doi:10.1016/j.bir.2016.03.001

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the intellectual capital performance and financial performance of 44 banks operating in Turkey between 2005 and 2014. The intellectual capital performance of banks is measured through the value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) methodology. The intellectual capital performance of the Turkish banking sector is generally affected by human capital efficiency (HCE). In terms of bank types, development and investment banks have the highest average VAIC. When VAIC is divided into its components, it can be observed that capital employed efficiency (CEE) and human capital efficiency (HCE) positively affect the financial performance of banks. However, CEE has more influence on the financial performance of banks compared to HCE. Therefore, banks operating in the Turkish banking sector should use their financial and physical capitals if they wish to reach a higher profitability level.

The Relation Between Atherosclerosis and the Neutrophil–Lymphocyte Ratio
Şevket Balta, Turgay Celık, Dimitri P. Mikhailidis, Cengiz Öztürk +3 more
2015· Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis414doi:10.1177/1076029615569568

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of vascular disease. In this review, we consider the associations between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR; an indicator of inflammation) and vascular disease and its associated risk factors. The NLR has received attention due to its role as an independent prognostic factor for coronary artery disease. The NLR can also be affected by atherosclerotic risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and hypertension. Importantly, it can predict mortality in cardiovascular diseases. There are also reports of a positive correlation between the NLR and commonly used inflammatory markers. Inflammation is important not only in pathophysiology but also clinical outcomes of many diseases. The NLR is a widely available, easily derived, and reproducible marker of inflammation. Unlike many other inflammatory markers, the NLR is inexpensive and readily available and it provides additional risk stratification beyond conventional risk scores.

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature
David L. Hawksworth, P.W. Crous, Scott A. Redhead, Don R. Reynolds +4 more
2011· IMA Fungus409doi:10.5598/imafungus.2011.02.01.14

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature was agreed at an international symposium convened in Amsterdam on 19-20 April 2011 under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). The purpose of the symposium was to address the issue of whether or how the current system of naming pleomorphic fungi should be maintained or changed now that molecular data are routinely available. The issue is urgent as mycologists currently follow different practices, and no consensus was achieved by a Special Committee appointed in 2005 by the International Botanical Congress to advise on the problem. The Declaration recognizes the need for an orderly transitition to a single-name nomenclatural system for all fungi, and to provide mechanisms to protect names that otherwise then become endangered. That is, meaning that priority should be given to the first described name, except where that is a younger name in general use when the first author to select a name of a pleomorphic monophyletic genus is to be followed, and suggests controversial cases are referred to a body, such as the ICTF, which will report to the Committee for Fungi. If appropriate, the ICTF could be mandated to promote the implementation of the Declaration. In addition, but not forming part of the Declaration, are reports of discussions held during the symposium on the governance of the nomenclature of fungi, and the naming of fungi known only from an environmental nucleic acid sequence in particular. Possible amendments to the Draft BioCode (2011) to allow for the needs of mycologists are suggested for further consideration, and a possible example of how a fungus only known from the environment might be described is presented.

Concentration and localization of zinc during seed development and germination in wheat
Levent Öztürk, Mustafa Atilla Yazıcı, Cemal Yücel, Ayfer Alkan Torun +4 more
2006· Physiologia Plantarum400doi:10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00737.x

In a field experiment, the effect of foliar Zn applications on the concentration of Zn in seeds of a bread wheat cultivar ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Balatilla) was studied during different stages of seed development. In addition, a staining method using dithizone (DTZ: diphenyl thiocarbazone) was applied to (1) study the localization of Zn in seeds, (2) follow the remobilization of Zn during germination, and (3) develop a rapid visual Zn screening method for seed and flour samples. In all seed development stages, foliar Zn treatments were effective in increasing seed Zn concentration. The highest Zn concentration in the seeds was found in the first stage of seed development (around the early milk stage); after this, seed Zn concentration gradually decreased until maturity. When reacting with Zn, DTZ forms a redcolored complex. The DTZ staining of seed samples revealed that Zn is predominantly located in the embryo and aleurone parts of the seeds. After 36 h of germination, the coleoptile and roots that emerged from seeds showed very intensive red color formation and had Zn concentrations up to 200 mg kg −1 , indicating a substantial remobilization of Zn from seed pools into the developing roots (radicle) and coleoptile. The DTZ staining method seems to be useful in ranking flour samples for their Zn concentrations. There was a close relationship between the seed Zn concentrations and spectral absorbance of the methanol extracts of the flour samples stained with DTZ. The results suggest that (1) accumulation of Zn in seeds is particularly high during early seed development, (2) Zn is concentrated in the embryo and aleurone parts, and (3) the DTZ staining method can be used as a rapid, semiquantitative method to estimate Zn concentrations of flour and seed samples and to screen genotypes for their Zn concentrations in seeds.

Epithelial barrier hypothesis: Effect of the external exposome on the microbiome and epithelial barriers in allergic disease
Zeynep Çelebi Sözener, Betül Özdel Öztürk, Pamir Çerçi, Murat Türk +4 more
2022· Allergy396doi:10.1111/all.15240

Environmental exposure plays a major role in the development of allergic diseases. The exposome can be classified into internal (e.g., aging, hormones, and metabolic processes), specific external (e.g., chemical pollutants or lifestyle factors), and general external (e.g., broader socioeconomic and psychological contexts) domains, all of which are interrelated. All the factors we are exposed to, from the moment of conception to death, are part of the external exposome. Several hundreds of thousands of new chemicals have been introduced in modern life without our having a full understanding of their toxic health effects and ways to mitigate these effects. Climate change, air pollution, microplastics, tobacco smoke, changes and loss of biodiversity, alterations in dietary habits, and the microbiome due to modernization, urbanization, and globalization constitute our surrounding environment and external exposome. Some of these factors disrupt the epithelial barriers of the skin and mucosal surfaces, and these disruptions have been linked in the last few decades to the increasing prevalence and severity of allergic and inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis, food allergy, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, and asthma. The epithelial barrier hypothesis provides a mechanistic explanation of how these factors can explain the rapid increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases. In this review, we discuss factors affecting the planet's health in the context of the 'epithelial barrier hypothesis,' including climate change, pollution, changes and loss of biodiversity, and emphasize the changes in the external exposome in the last few decades and their effects on allergic diseases. In addition, the roles of increased dietary fatty acid consumption and environmental substances (detergents, airborne pollen, ozone, microplastics, nanoparticles, and tobacco) affecting epithelial barriers are discussed. Considering the emerging data from recent studies, we suggest stringent governmental regulations, global policy adjustments, patient education, and the establishment of individualized control measures to mitigate environmental threats and decrease allergic disease.