Evaluation of sericin from silk removed/obtained in textile sector

Bilim ve teknolojinin gelişmesi, insanların yaşam standartlarını önemli ölçüde geliştirmiş ve tekstil ürünleri üzerindeki kalite, konfor, sağlık ve çevre koruması konusundaki farkındalıklarını güçlendirmiştir. Çevrede hemen her yerde bulunabilen mikroorganizmalar nem, besin ve sıcaklık gibi temel gereksinimlerini karşılayabileceği ortam bulduklarında hızla çoğalabilmektedir. Tekstil ürünleri de yapıları ve kullanıldıkları yerler açısından mikroorganizmaların yaşaması ve çoğalması için uygun nem, sıcaklık ve besin maddesi sağlayan ortamlardır. Mikroorganizmaların tekstil materyalleri üzerindeki büyümesi ve çoğalması, kumaşta hoş olmayan koku, leke ve renk değişimi ve kumaşın mekanik mukavemetinde azalma istenmeyen etkiler oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, antimikrobiyal ürünlere karşı artan talep karşısında toksik kimyasallara alternatif olarak çevre dostu doğal bir protein olan serisin kullanılmıştır. İpekten sökülen serisinin insan ve çevreye karşı herhangi bir toksik etkisinin bulunmaması ve geri elde edilmesi de avantajlar arasında yer almaktadır. Pamuklu kumaşlara bu maddenin uygulanarak, antibakteriyel özellik kazandırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada geri kazanılmış serisinden üretilen serisin/gümüş nanopartikül, serisin/titanyum dioksit nanopartikül, ticari serisin, geri kazanılmış serisin ve ipekten sökülen serisin maddeleri pamuklu kumaşlara aplike edildikten sonra kumaşların antibakteriyel aktiviteleri araştırılmıştır. Sonuçlar antibakteriyel testlerinin yanı sıra, ham pamuk ile beyazlık indeksi, yırtılma mukavemeti, eğilme rijitliği, UV koruyuculuk, kopma mukavameti ve uzaması bakımından karşılaştırılmıştır. Antibakteriyellik sonuçlarına bakılacak olursa bitim işlemi sonrasında yapılan testlerde tüm kumaşların antibakteriyel aktiviteye sahip olduğu görülmektedir. 10 ve 20 evsel yıkama sonrasında bu etkide azalmalar olmuştur. FTIR analizi sonucunda serisin maddesinin kumaşlara başarılı bir şekilde aplike edildiği sonucuna varılmaktadır. UV koruyuculuk testlerinde serisin uygulamasının kumaşların UV koruma faktörünü bir miktar arttırdığı görülmektedir. Mukavemet testleri bitim işlemi uygulanmış kumaşların mekaniksel ve performans özelliklerinde olumsuz herhangi bir etkinin olmadığını göstermektedir.The development of science and technology has significantly improved the living standards of people and strengthened their awareness of quality, comfort, health and environmental protection on textile products. These microorganisms, which can be found almost everywhere in the environment, can rapidly multiply when they find the environment where they can meet their basic requirements such as moisture, nutrients and temperature. Textile products are suitable for moisture, temperature and nutrients for the survival and growth of microorganisms. Growth and proliferation of microorganisms on textile materials, unpleasant odor, stain and color change in fabric and decrease in mechanical strength of the fabric are undesirable effects. In this study, sericin, an environmentally friendly natural protein, was used as an alternative to toxic chemicals in response to the increasing demand for antimicrobial products. The benefits of sericin, which has been removed from the silk and which have no toxic effect on human and environment, are also among the advantages. It is aimed to give antibacterial properties by applying this material to cotton fabrics. In this study, sericin/silver nanoparticle, sericin/titanium dioxide nanoparticle, commercial sericin, recovered sericin and silk-extracted sericin materials were applied to cotton fabrics and the antibacterial activities of the fabrics were investigated. The results were compared with antibacterial tests in terms of whiteness index, tear strength, bending stiffness, uv absorbancy, breaking strength and maximum elongation values with raw cotton. When the antibacterial results are considered, it is seen that all fabrics have antibacterial activity in the tests performed after finishing. This effect was reduced after 10 and 20 household washes. As a result of FTIR analysis, it was concluded that sericin material was applied to fabrics successfully. In the UV protection tests, it was seen that the application of sericin increases the UV protection factor of the fabrics. The strength tests show that there is no negative effect on the mechanical and performance properties of the finished fabrics

Evaluation of the relationship of picoplankton and viruses to environmental variables in a lagoon system (Çakalburnu Lagoon, Turkey)

Lagoons are defined as wetlands separated from the sea coasts on which they are located and sit between continental and marine aquatic ecosystems. Cakalburnu Lagoon is a coastal wetland on the southern side of the Bay of zmir. Microorganisms, which are quite sensitive to changes occurring in environmental factors, are commonly used to determine the impact of environmental effects on the functioning of the ecosystem. In this study, variations in the abundance and biomass of picoplankton (Synechococcus spp. and bacteria) and the abundance of viruses, which identify the ecological productivity of the food chain, were seasonally examined by epifluorescence microscopy. Moreover, the microbial abundance and biomass relation over time between the physical and chemical parameters was evaluated. According to our results, the maximum abundance of Synechococcus spp. and viruses was 6.7x10(4) cell/ml and 9.9x10(8)cell/ml in the summer, respectively. Otherwise, the highest level of bacteria was measured at 3.6x10(7) cell/ml in the spring. Based on the principal component analysis and Pearson correlation analysis results, we concluded that total suspended solids, Chl-a, particulate organic carbon and particulate organic nitrogen were the major parameters influencing the observed variability of the lagoon system. Overall, to protect and improve the ecological and microbiological quality of aquatic systems such as lagoons, the necessary monitoring and measurement studies should be conducted in these sensitive areas

Multisystemic Long-Term Sequelae of Covid-19: A Review Based on the Current Literature Over a Year of Pandemic Experience

On January 7, 2020, it was announced that the Chinese Government isolated a new variant of Coronavirus (SARS CoV-2). Officials reported that populations were not equally affected in terms of the number of cases, severe illness, and death. As of 28 December 2020, 81,000,000 cases have been confirmed globally, and approximately 1,770,000 total deaths have been reported for COVID-19. Besides difficulties of COVID-19 management in the acute stage, long-term consequences of the infection could cause widespread public health problems across the World. This review article aims to examine current literature regarding COVID-19, identify post-illness sequelae, detect patients at risk for sequelae, and provide guidance to management strategies. In the report, long-term pulmonary sequels and systemic problems including cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, endocrinologic, nephrological, hematologic, gastrointestinal, dermatologic, etc. of COVID-19 are discussed in accordance with recent scientific publications