Browsing by Author "Gumus, A"

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    Glycoconjugate histochemistry of mucous glands in the skin of metamorphosing Bufo viridis
    Sahin, M; Gumus, A; Balcan, E
    Mucins are the major glycoprotein secretions of mucous glands and display important functions in amphibian skin such as regulation of water homeostasis and mechanical and chemical protection. In the present study, we evaluated the glycoconjugate contents of developing mucous glands on dorsal regions of metamorphosing Bufo viridis (Amphibia: Anura) tadpoles using an alcian blue-PAS panel and lectin histochemistry. All the conical cells of mucous glands showed weak positivity for alcian blue in 0.025 M MgCl2 at pH 5.7 but only a few cells were positive for 0.3 M MgCl2 at the same pH. In addition, all the conical cells of mucous glands were negative for alcian blue at pH 2.5. In lectin histochemistry, conical cells reacted strongly with Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA) and peanut agglutinin (PNA), weakly with Maackia amurensis leucoagglutinin (MAL). These results suggest that they express predominantly mannose, galactose and partially alpha(2-->3)-linked sialic acid containing glycoconjugates. We concluded that dorsal mucous glands of metamorphosing Bufo viridis tadpoles contain at least two different conical cell types and glycoconjugate heterogeneity of mucous glands may be related with different functions of mucins.
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    Determination of Glycoconjugate Residues of Erythrocytes at Different Age Groups of Rats
    Gumus, A; Balcan, E
    Aging is a time-dependent process that contains cell injury caused by molecular damages and eventually functional impairment of tissues and organs. The possible roles of cell surface carbohydrates, which are very important molecules in cell to cell and/or cell to extracellular matrix recognition, on aging process are not yet clear. In this study, glycoconjugate alterations of membrane glycoproteins of erythrocytes in aging organism were evaluated with lectin histochemistry and lectin blotting studies in 1, 4 and 7 months old rats. Lectin histochemistry results indicated that alpha(2 -> 3) and alpha(2 -> 6)-linked sialic acids are intensively found in erythrocyte membranes, but this intensity of sialic acids decreases with age. Similar evidences were obtained from lectin blotting studies which performed with same lectins. These results suggest that sialic acid reactivity alters with the age of organism. We thought that (a) sialic acid containing glycoconjugates altered not only with erythrocyte senescence, but also aging process of organism or (b) the number of sialic acid containing erythrocytes decreased by age.
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    COVID-19: vaccination vs. hospitalization
    Uzun, O; Akpolat, T; Varol, A; Turan, S; Bektas, SG; Cetinkaya, PD; Dursun, M; Bakan, N; Ketencioglu, BB; Bayrak, M; Baris, SA; Guner, R; Gunal, O; Nural, S; Deniz, PP; Toprak, OB; Ozkan, G; Gumus, A; Kerget, F; Ercelik, M; Ataoglu, O; Yuksel, A; Ates, G; Kutsoylu, OE; Kose, N; Kizilirmak, D; Keskin, S; Gultekin, O; Coskun, N; Yilmaz, ES; Uslu, S; Basyigit, I; Ergan, B; Deveci, F; Yakar, MN; Zuhur, C; Sagcan, G; Yuce, ZT; Kuluozturk, M; Sezgin, ME; Sezgin, ENA; Havlucu, Y; Cuhadaroglu, C; Kilinc, O; Boyaci, H; Altunay, H; Akti, M; Dursun, ZB; Kalem, AK; Isik, SA; Akyildiz, L; Aykac, N; Almaz, MS; Kokturk, N; Itil, O
    Objective Vaccination is the most efficient way to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but vaccination rates remain below the target level in most countries. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the vaccination status of hospitalized patients and compare two different booster vaccine protocols. Setting Inoculation in Turkey began in mid-January 2021. Sinovac was the only available vaccine until April 2021, when BioNTech was added. At the beginning of July 2021, the government offered a third booster dose to healthcare workers and people aged > 50 years who had received the two doses of Sinovac. Of the participants who received a booster, most chose BioNTech as the third dose. Methods We collected data from 25 hospitals in 16 cities. Patients hospitalized between August 1 and 10, 2021, were included and categorized into eight groups according to their vaccination status. Results We identified 1401 patients, of which 529 (37.7%) were admitted to intensive care units. Nearly half (47.8%) of the patients were not vaccinated, and those with two doses of Sinovac formed the second largest group (32.9%). Hospitalizations were lower in the group which received 2 doses of Sinovac and a booster dose of BioNTech than in the group which received 3 doses of Sinovac. Conclusion Effective vaccinations decreased COVID-19-related hospitalizations. The efficacy after two doses of Sinovac may decrease over time; however, it may be enhanced by adding a booster dose. Moreover, unvaccinated patients may be persuaded to undergo vaccination.