Erzurum Technical University

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that rapidly develops resistance to standard clinical therapies. The tumor microenvironment of GBM is highly hostile, characterized by hypoxia, elevated reactive oxygen species, and severe metabolic stress. These conditions promote protein misfolding, particularly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thereby triggering ER stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an adaptive signaling pathway that mitigates ER stress, restores proteostasis, and promotes cellular survival. Activation of UPR signaling provides a survival advantage to GBM cells under these adverse conditions. This signaling is closely associated with drug resistance and malignant progression in GBM. Furthermore, inhibition of UPR sensors exhibits anticancer effects, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets in GBM. This review describes the biological functions of UPR sensors and their roles in GBM pathogenesis and treatment response.

In August 2024, access to Instagram was restricted in Türkiye. Although social media bans have drawn increasing attention, their psychological impact on users remains largely unexplored. This study examines the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) during the ban, with a specific focus on the psychosocial profiles of Instagram users. A total of 280 participants (ages 18–45) from 55 provinces in Türkiye were categorized into high- and low-risk groups through cluster analysis based on their levels of excessive social media use, FoMO, loneliness, and well-being. Chi-square tests showed that high-risk males were significantly more likely to use VPNs. The findings suggest that male and female users responded differently to the restrictions. These differences may be linked to underlying psychological factors such as FoMO, loneliness, and well-being.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to neurological complications through multiple pathways. Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra, SN) is rich in bioactive compounds with potential neuroprotective properties. This study sought to evaluate the neural-protective potential of SN extract in STZ-diabetic rats using an integrated molecular, biochemical, and histomorphological approach. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 10/group): control (C; 0.9

The choice of metal dopant strongly influences the structural and tribomechanical performance of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings. In this study, two graded Ti-based architectures—Ti-TiC-TiZrC-a:C and Ti-TiC-TiZrC-TiZrCN-a:C—were deposited on AISI M2 tool steel by closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering with pulsed-dc biasing to clarify the effects of Zr and nitrogen incorporation. SEM observations revealed dense-graded morphologies with thicknesses of approximately 2 μm and 3 μm, respectively. XRD confirmed the formation of TiC and TiZrC phases in both coatings, with additional TiZrCN reflections in the nitrogen-containing system. Both coatings significantly increased hardness relative to the substrate, reaching 1280 ± 25 and 1300 ± 28 HK0.01, respectively; however, statistical analysis (p ≈ 0.27) indicated no significant difference between them. Tribological testing showed that the Ti-TiC-TiZrC-a:C coating exhibited superior balance, with lower friction (0.090), a lower wear rate ((1.21 ± 0.03) × 10−5 mm3/N·m), and a higher critical load (47 N). Nitrogen incorporation altered the phase constitution and stress state but did not enhance overall tribological performance. The results show that interlayer architecture and stress control are more decisive than compositional complexity in optimizing graded Ti-based DLC coatings.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy and is often difficult to distinguish from benign nodules using current diagnostic tools, resulting in unnecessary surgical interventions. This study aimed to identify robust, reliable, and non-invasive circulating biomarkers capable of accurately discriminating benign from malignant PTC nodules by elucidating the relationship between thyroid tissue and circulating microRNA/cytokine profiles. Paired arterial plasma supplying the thyroid gland and venous plasma draining the gland were collected from patients with benign thyroid nodules and malignant PTC. In addition, preoperative and postoperative peripheral plasma samples were obtained. MicroRNA profiles were compared between arterial inflow and venous outflow to assess thyroid-derived contributions to circulating biomarkers. Differentially expressed microRNAs were validated in preoperative and postoperative peripheral plasma samples and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) thyroid tissue sections. Subsequently, cytokine profiles associated with target microRNAs were investigated using cytokine arrays, and selected target proteins were further validated by ELISA. Arterial–venous comparisons revealed distinct microRNA and cytokine signatures associated with malignant PTC compared with benign nodules, reflecting tumor-specific release into the circulation. These findings were consistently validated in FFPE tissues and peripheral plasma samples. Importantly, the combined panel of hsa-miR-21-3p, sTNF-RI, IL-12p40, and CCL25 demonstrated high diagnostic performance in distinguishing malignant PTC from benign thyroid lesions. This integrated tissue-to-circulation approach provides direct evidence that the thyroid microenvironment significantly contributes to the circulating biomarker landscape. The identified biomarker panel represents a promising non-invasive diagnostic tool with the potential to improve PTC diagnosis, reduce unnecessary surgical procedures, and support clinical decision-making.