Çukurova University

Aim This study was conducted to examine the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between perceived stress and sleep disturbances in mothers of children with food allergies. Method This study was conducted as a descriptive-cross-sectional study. “DASS-21 Scale,” “Basic Scale of Insomnia Complaints and Sleep Quality,” and “Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support” were used to collect the research data. The study included 89 mothers. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was established, and the mediating model was analyzed by using the PROCESS macro (Model 3). Results The results demonstrated that maternal perceived stress significantly and negatively predicted perceived social support scores (β = −0.258, p = 0.012), while it positively predicted insomnia complaints and significantly worsened sleep quality (β = 0.813, p < 0.001). It was found that mothers' perceived levels of social support negatively predicted insomnia and sleep quality (β1 = −0.205; p < 0.001). According to the results of the model, mothers' perceived social support scores explained 36.6% of the variance in their stress scores (R2 = 0.366). Conclusion It was found that social support plays a mediating role in the relationship between the stress perceived by mothers and insomnia and sleep quality. Practice implications During routine clinical check-ups for children diagnosed with food allergies, not only the child's physical health but also the mother's psychological state should be assessed. Considering that perceived stress in mothers directly and strongly affects sleep quality, pediatric nurses and physicians should be encouraged to use brief stress and sleep screening tools.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a globally important oilseed crop, but its production is constrained by charcoal rot, caused by the soil-borne fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. The pathogen’s exceptionally broad host range, long-term soil persistence through microsclerotia, and increased aggressiveness under high temperature and drought make charcoal rot a major destructive constraint in sesame-growing regions. This review integrates current knowledge on the biology, epidemiology, infection processes, and genetic population variability of Macrophomina spp. in relation to charcoal rot development in sesame. We also summarize key host resistance mechanism including pathogen perception, cell wall reinforcement, phenylpropanoid-mediated defense, antioxidant responses, and associated physiological and molecular adaptations. Particular attention is given to the challenges of resistance screening under variable environmental conditions, including heat- and drought-associated disease expression and pathogen diversity, which complicate the identification of stable resistance sources. The review further examines progress in sesame improvement through germplasm characterization, mutation breeding, interspecific introgression, high-throughput phenotyping, and genomic-assisted approaches such as QTL mapping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and functional validation. Integrating these tools with multi-omics and gene-editing strategies offers a promising route for accelerating the development of durable, climate-resilient charcoal rot resistance cultivars. Broader use of diverse germplasm, standardized multi-environment phenotyping, and international collaboration will be essential for sustainable resistance breeding and future sesame production.

In this study, a wild-type alkaline protease–producing Bacillus strain isolated from soil was biochemically and molecularly characterized. The strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis PTK56 based on 16 S rRNA analysis. Random mutagenesis using EMS (Ethyl methanesulfonate) generated multiple variants, and the mutant with the highest protease productivity was selected. Enzyme production conditions for both strains were optimized, and the partially purified enzymes were comparatively characterized. The mutant protease exhibited a 1.34-fold higher activity than the wild type. Zymogram analysis confirmed the functional impact of the mutation through the appearance of an additional activity band. Both enzymes displayed an optimal pH of 9.0 and an optimal temperature of 55 °C. They retained ≥ 97

Medicinal plants are widely used worldwide for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders and have a long history of traditional application. This review aims to summarize current experimental and clinical evidence on medicinal plants used for ENT conditions such as otitis externa/media, tinnitus, vertigo, allergic rhinitis, pharyngitis, and laryngitis, and to support the identification of new plant species with antimicrobial potential against ENT pathogens. This review thoroughly summarizes recent developments from 2020 to 2025 and was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, with predefined ENT and medicinal plants-related keywords. Frequently used species include Lavandula angustifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Origanum vulgare, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Mentha piperita, Matricaria chamomilla, and Syzygium aromaticum, many of which show In vitro antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral activity relevant to upper airway and oral/ENT infections. Evidence indicates that selected medicinal plants and their extracts or essential oils inhibit key ENT-related pathogens, including multidrug-resistant respiratory and pharyngeal bacteria. The compiled data, structured in comparative tables, highlight promising taxa and preparation types, and underscore gaps in clinical validation, standardization, and safety assessment. Overall, this review provides an evidence-based overview of ENT-related phytotherapy and a framework for future pharmacological and phytochemical studies aimed at developing novel plant-derived antimicrobials for ear, nose, and throat diseases.

The Tut region of Adıyaman in southeastern Türkiye experienced destructive debris flow events on 15 March 2023, following a period of intense rainfall under post-seismic conditions. These flows were spatially and temporally associated with the destabilizing effects of the Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence, which had earlier weakened slope materials generating extensive coseismic landslide debris and initiating destructive debris flows in a region where these processes had not previously been documented. Subsequent high-intensity precipitation rapidly mobilized saturated colluvial materials along steep terrain, causing severe socio-economic damage and two confirmed fatalities. Field observations and remote sensing analysis revealed that 396 debris flows were initiated on slopes composed predominantly of weathered marl, shale, and clayey limestone lithologies that are particularly susceptible to failure under elevated pore water pressure conditions. Initially, a susceptibility analysis was conducted using a machine learning-based logistic regression model, incorporating relevant independent variables primarily derived from digital elevation models. The model achieved high predictive performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.90. To complement susceptibility mapping and capture initiation and propagation of debris flow dynamics, physically based numerical simulations were conducted using the RAMMS model, calibrated through back-analyses of three catastrophic debris flow events. Back-analyses of the events provided estimates of flow intensity parameters, showing strong agreement with observed characteristics, thereby validating its application in cascading earthquake-rainfall hazard assessments. This study presents the first integrated debris flow susceptibility and numerical modelling framework by combining data-driven and physics-based approaches, it advances understanding of cascading earthquake-rainfall hazards and provides a robust foundation for debris flow hazard assessment. The generated susceptibility and hazard maps are expected to enhance awareness, preparedness, and planning efforts among local communities, engineers, and land-use decision-makers.