Celal Bayar University

About: Celal Bayar University is a education organization based out in Magnesia ad Sipylum, Turkey. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Heat transfer. The organization has 2960 authors who have published 6024 publications receiving 100646 citations.

Prevalence and risk factors of allergies in Turkey: Results of a multicentric cross-sectional study in children.

Abstract: The Prevalence And Risk Factors of Allergies in Turkey (PARFAIT) study was planned to evaluate prevalence and risk factors of asthma and allergic diseases and also to find out which geographical variables and/or climatic conditions play a role determining the prevalence of allergic diseases in Turkish school children. Study was planned as cross-sectional questionnaire-based. About 25,843 questionnaires from 14 centers were appropriate for analysis. Parental history of allergy, having an atopic sibling and other atopic disease in index case was significant risk factors for all allergic diseases. Breast feeding decreased the risk of current asthma (OR: 0.92, CI: 0.86-0.99) and wheezing (OR: 0.93, CI: 0.87-0.99) but not allergic rhinitis and eczema. Respiratory infection in the past was an important risk factor for the occurrence of allergic diseases especially for asthma which was increased 4.53-fold. Children exposed to household smoke were significantly at higher risk of asthma, wheezing, and allergic rhinitis (OR: 1.20, CI: 1.08-1.33; OR: 1.21, CI: 1.09-1.34; and OR: 1.32, CI: 1.21-1.43, respectively). All allergic diseases were increased in those children living in areas which have altitude of below 1000 m and mean yearly atmospheric pressure above 1000 mb. The study has suggested that household and country-specific environmental factors are associated with asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and eczema risk during childhood in Turkey.

Serum and urinary nitric oxide in Type 2 diabetes with or without microalbuminuria: relation to glomerular hyperfiltration.

Abstract: Background Glomerular hyperfiltration is considered as one of the pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of diabetic nephropathy. Oxidative stress is enhanced in patients with diabetes mellitus. Reportedly, nitric oxide (NO) might be involved in the pathogenesis of hyperfiltration. We investigated the relationship between hyperfiltration and NO system, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in Type 2 diabetics with/without microalbuminuria. Methods In 39 microalbuminuric, 29 normoalbuminuric Type 2 diabetic patients and 32 healthy controls, serum creatinine, nitrite, nitrate, urinary microalbumin, nitrite, nitrate, plasma MDA and estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR) values, calculated according to the Cockcroft and Gault formula, were recorded. Results Serum and urine NO levels were higher in both microalbuminurics and normoalbuminurics than controls. There were no significant differences in EGFR between groups. However, hyperfiltration was determined in 31% of normoalbuminurics and 20% of microalbuminurics. Serum and urine NO levels were higher in patients with hyperfiltration. Plasma MDA levels were significantly elevated in both microalbuminurics and normoalbuminurics when compared with controls. Serum glucose and microalbuminuria were positively correlated in microalbuminuric diabetics. Serum NO levels were also positively correlated with EGFR in both normoalbuminurics and microalbuminurics. HbA1c levels were positively correlated with both urinary albumin excretion and plasma MDA levels in normoalbuminuric diabetics. Conclusion Hyperglycemia is associated with an increased NO biosynthesis and lipid peroxidation. Increased oxidative stress may contribute to the high NO levels in Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the high NO levels may lead to hyperfiltration and hyperperfusion, which in turn leads to an increase in urinary albumin excretion and thus causes progression of nephropathy in early Type 2 diabetes.

Thermoactive cellulase-free xylanase production from alkaliphilic Bacillus strains using various agro-residues and their potential in biobleaching of kraft pulp

Abstract: The four bacterial strains were isolated on media containing xylan and screened for xylanase activity. The bacterial strains (Ag12, Ag13, Ag20 and Ag32) were characterized based on morphological, biochemical and physiological characters and identified as belonging to the genus Bacillus. The effects of different factors such as pH (7.0 – 10.0), temperature (25.0 – 50.0°C) and inexpensive agro-residues (wheat straw, wheat bran and corncob) on xylanase production of strains were studied under shake flask conditions. Maximal enzyme activities were obtained by cultivation in birch-wood xylan, but high enzyme production was also obtained on wheat straw and corncob when cultivated at pH 8.5. Under optimized fermentation conditions, no cellulolytic activity were detected on the crude extracts. The effects of temperature (40.0 – 80.0°C), pH (6.0 – 10.0) and salt concentration (1.0, 5.0 and 10.0%) on the xylanases activity were determined. The maximum activity was obtained temperature 60.0°C and pH at 9.0. The enzyme was stable at 60.0°C for more than 60 min, suggesting that the xylanases of Bacillus strains are thermoactive and being of interests for biobleaching processes. The effectiveness of crude xylanases from the strains Ag12, Ag20 and Ag32 on kraft pulp were carried out at pH 9.0 at 60.0°C. Biobleaching studies of kraft pulp with xylanases and its subsequent treatment with 1.0% EDTA (30 min at 50.0°C) and peroxide (80 min at 70.0°C), showed that the enzymes reduced the kappa number by 27.4, 61.7 and 75.3% and enhanced the brightness by 1.0, 1.5 and 3.0% from xylanases produced by strains Ag12, Ag20 and Ag32, respectively. These results suggest that the application of this xylanases to the paper and pulp industry may be very promising.