Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Huyut, Zübeyir; Ilkbahar, Fatih; Mertoğlu, Cuma

The authors regretted writing the ethical approval number of the article incorrectly. This study was approved by Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Reference No: 28.05.2021, 13–15) The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Bolat, Merve; Yilmaz, Tuğçe Ertek; Çeğindir, Murat; Atasever, Aslıhan; Doğan, Tuba; Yildirim, Serkan; Sağlam, Yavuz Selim; Çomakli, Selim; Bolat, İsmail

Cadmium (Cd) is a metal found widely in nature that negatively affects brain health by affecting the DNA repair mechanisms of the cell through the effect it creates on various reactive oxygen species in the body. Antioxidants provide the potential to reduce the neurotoxic effects of cadmium. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the protective properties of syringic acid (SA) in cadmium-induced neurotoxicity. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were used in the study. The rats were divided into 5 groups: Control, SA100, Cd, SA50 + Cd and SA100 + Cd. Cd (6.5 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally, and SA (50–100 mg/kg) intragastrically for seven days. Our results showed that SA significantly mitigated Cd-induced brain damage. The up-regulation of MDA and down-regulation of GSH, SOD, and CAT in brain tissues induced by Cd was significantly reversed by SA treatment. Additionally, the decreased expression of Nrf2/HO-1/SIRT1, impaired by ROS induced by Cd, was enhanced by SA. While Cd caused inflammation by triggering proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α via TLR4/NF-κB and suppressing IL-10, SA reduced inflammation in the tissue. This study demonstrated that SA treatment significantly reversed Beclin-1 and LC3A/B expression. Finally, it was revealed that SA treatment inhibited Cd-induced apoptosis by decreasing Bax, Caspase3 levels, and increasing Bcl2 levels. Collectively, our data revealed that SA exerts its neuroprotective effects by regulating various Cd-induced cellular signaling pathways in rat brains.

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Huyut, Zübeyir

The author regrets that the following ethical approval number is missing from the article: 27/06/2021, Ref. No. 11-13. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Gezer, Arzu; Özkaraca, Mustafa; Üstündağ, Hilal; Soydan, Menekşe; Alkanoğlu, Ömer; Bedir, Gürsel

Diabetic keratopathy, characterized by corneal structural changes, is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, has shown potential therapeutic benefits in various diabetic complications. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of DHA on corneal tissue in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 DM in rats. Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10 per group): Control, DHA, DM, and DM + DHA. The DHA group received DHA by oral gavage at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily for 10 days. In the DM group, diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 50 mg/kg. Confirmation of diabetes induction was based on monitoring fasting blood glucose levels on the third day post-injection. The DM + DHA group underwent the same diabetes induction protocol with STZ and received DHA at 100 mg/kg daily via oral gavage for 10 consecutive days. Corneal tissue samples were collected at the end of the study period for histopathological, immunohistochemical, qRT-PCR, and ELISA analyses. Histopathological analysis showed significant edema, angiogenesis, and degeneration in the DM group compared to the control (p < 0.001). DHA treatment significantly mitigated these changes, approaching control levels (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry showed increased VEGFR2 and iNOS expression in the DM group, which was significantly reduced in the DM + DHA group (p < 0.01). qRT-PCR results indicated a significant decrease in Bcl-2 expression (p < 0.001) and an increase in ATF-6, IRE1, NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, NLRP3, Bax, and Caspase-3 expressions in the DM group (p < 0.001). ELISA analyses revealed significantly elevated levels of inflammatory markers NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the DM group compared to the control (p < 0.001). DHA treatment significantly upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated apoptotic and inflammatory markers (p < 0.01). DHA demonstrated significant protective effects against STZ-induced corneal damage in diabetic rats by modulating apoptotic and inflammatory pathways. These findings suggest that DHA may be a promising therapeutic agent for preventing diabetic keratopathy.

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; İlkbahar, Fatih

The authors inadvertently forgot to indicate some application steps regarding the CHAID analysis method applied in the statistical analysis (Section 2.8) section of the original article. Also, in Tables 4 and 6, there were misspelled numbers in the OR (odds-ratio) and confidence intervals of some variables. These corrections do not affect the interpretation of the data or the conclusions drawn. The authors apologize to the journal and readers for these unintentional errors. The significance levels for the significant p values (p = 0.000,) given in all tables were accepted as *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. These importance levels are specified in the table explanations in the original article. We felt the need to reiterate. The following statistical model specifications and stopping criteria were applied in the CHAID decision tree analysis: (1) Significant level for separation nodes was determined as p < 0.05.(2) The Bonferroni method was used to obtain significant correction values.(3) The minimum change in expected cell frequencies was 0.001.(4) Pearson χ2 independence test was used to determine the relationships between independent (explanatory) variables.(5) Model depth is set to maximum.(6) A 10-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the tree structure and(7) Misclassification risk was calculated as a measure of model reliability. Table 4.[Table presented] Table 6.[Table presented]

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Huyut, Zübeyir; Ilkbahar, Fatih; Mertoğlu, Cuma

The authors express their apologies for the minor errors mentioned below. First, the authors misidentified the significant p-values they show in Tables 1–8. Second, they miscalculated the 95% CI breakpoints of the PT value in Table 7. The authors report that the level of significance for p = 0.000 in Tables 1–8 is p < 0.001. They also state that the 95% CI values of the PT parameter specified in Table 7 are 1.63-2.56. These corrections do not affect the interpretation of the data or the conclusions drawn. The authors apologize to the journal and readers for these unintentional errors.

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Huyut, Zubeyir; Ilkbahar, Fatih; Mertoglu, Cuma

It remains important to investigate the changing and impact of routine blood values (RBVs) in order to predict mortality and follow an appropriate treatment in COVID-19 patients. In the study, the importance of RBVs in the mortality of patients with COVID-19 was investigated. The changes in the biochemical, hematological, and immunological parameters of patients who recovered (n = 4364) and died (n = 233) from COVID-19 over time and their relationship with the mortality of the disease were evaluated retrospectively. Odds ratios of the parameters affecting one-month mortality were calculated by running multiple-logistic-regression analysis. The cut off values and diagnostic efficiencies of the parameters that posed a risk for mortality were obtained via receiver operating curve analysis. It was determined that the C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, procalcitonin, erythrocyte-sedimentation-rate (ESR), troponin values were at abnormal levels until death occurred in the patients who died. In addition, the procalcitonin levels were consistently high in patients who died. The patients who died generally had a sustained increase in their leukocyte and neutrophil levels and biochemical variables, and an ongoing decrease in lymphopenia and eosinopenia levels. Although significant changes were observed in liver function tests, cardiac troponin, hemogram values, kidney function tests and parameters related to inflammation in deceased patients, high ESR, international-normalized-ratio (INR), prothrombin-time (PT), CRP, D-dimer, ferritin and red-cell-distribution width (RDW) values, respectively, were the most effective predictive mortality risk biomarkers of COVID-19. In addition, neutrophilia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, erythrocytopenia were other risk predictors of mortality. Indicators was found in this study can be successfully used to predict mortality from COVID-19.

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Huyut, Zübeyir

In this article, we noticed some errors in the calculations for R2 and error metrics in Table 3. For this reason, these calculations were re-done in detail and new results are presented in the table below. We apologize for the inaccuracy in the previous calculations.

Huyut, Mehmet Tahir; Ilkbahar, Fatih

Since February-2020, the world has been battling a tragic public-health crisis with the emergence and spread of 2019-nCoV. Due to the lack of information about the pathogenesis-specific treatment of Covid-19, early diagnosis and timely treatment are important. However, there is still a lack of information about routine-blood-parameteres (RBP) findings and effects in the disease process. Although the literature includes various interventions, existing studies need to be generalized and their reliability improved. In this study, the efficacy of routine blood values used in the diagnosis and prognosis of Covid-19 and independent biomarkers obtained from them were evaluated retrospectively in a large patient group. Low lymphocyte (LYM) and white-blood-cell (WBC), high CRP and Ferritin were effective in the diagnosis of the disease. The (d-CWL) = CRP/WBC*LYM and (d-CFL) = CRP*Ferritin/LYM biomarkers derived from them were the most important risk factors in diagnosing the disease and were more successful than direct RBP values. High d-CWL and d-CFL values largely confirmed the Covid-19 diagnosis. The most effective RBP in the prognosis of the disease was CRP. (d-CIT) = CRP*INR*Troponin; (d-CT) = CRP*Troponin; (d-PPT) = PT*Troponin*Procalcitonin biomarkers were found to be more successful than direct RBP values and biomarkers used in previous studies in the prognosis of the disease. In this study, biomarkers derived from RBP were found to be more successful in both diagnosis and prognosis of Covid-19 than previously used direct RBP and biomarkers.

HUYUT, Mehmet Tahir; HUYUT, Zübeyir

Background: Early detection of oxidant-antioxidant levels and special care in severe patients are important in combating the COVID-19 epidemic. However, this process is costly and time consuming. Therefore, there is a need for faster, reliable and economical methods. Methods: In this study, antioxidant/oxidant levels of patients were estimated by Expert-models using biomarkers, which are effective in the diagnosis/prognosis of COVID-19 disease. For this purpose, Expert-models were trained and created between the white-blood-cell-count (WBC), lymphocyte-count (LYM), C-reactive-protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin values of 35 patients with COVID-19 and antioxidant/oxidant parameter values of the same patients. Error criteria and R2 ratio were taken into account for the performance of the models. The validity of the all models was checked by the Box-Jenkis-method. Results: Antioxidant/Oxidant levels were estimated with 95% confidence-coefficient using the values of WBC, LYM, CRP, D-dimer, ferritin of different 500 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 with the trained models. The error rate of all models was low and the coefficients of determination were sufficient. In the first data set, there was no significant difference between measured antioxidant/oxidant levels and predicted antioxidant/oxidant levels. This result showed that the models are accurate and reliable. In determining antioxidant/oxidant levels, LYM and ferritin biomarkers had the most effect on models, while WBC and CRP biomarkers had the least effect. The antioxidant/oxidant parameter estimated with the highest accuracy was Native-Thiol divided by Total-Thiol. Conclusions: The results showed that the antioxidant/oxidant levels of infected patients can be estimated accurately and reliably with LYM, ferritin, D-dimer, WBC, CRP biomarkers in the COVID-19 outbreak.