Evaluation of night eating syndrome in individuals with and without obesity.

INTRODUCTION: There are publications with contrasting results on the relationship between night eating syndrome and obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and relationship between night eating syndrome (NES) in obese and non-obese participants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 1 January 2018 and 1 May 2018, 420 people ages 18-65 years who applied to Izmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Family Medicine and Endocrinology outpatient clinics for any reason enrolled in this study. Body mass index (BMI = weight [kg]/height² [m²]) was calculated by measuring participants' height and weight. BMI values between 18.50 and 24.99 were normal weight, between 25.0 and 29.99 were overweight, between 30.0 and 39.99 were obese, and 40.0 and above were considered morbidly obese. Participants' sociodemographic data, the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered by face-to-face interview technique. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 42 ± 13 years and 68.6% were female. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the participants was 31.8 ± 8.2. The prevalence of NES was determined: 10% of the participants had NES. The higher frequency of NES in patients with morbid obesity was found to be statistically significant compared to those without morbid obesity (p < 0.05). The mean BDS score was 23.5 ± 10.86 (min: 0, max: 46) in the NES group and 12.18 ± 88.95 (min: 0, max: 49) in the non-NES group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of BDS scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Because obesity has an important place in primary health care services, it is important to know the relationship between NES and depression. Recognition of NES and consideration of planned follow-up and treatment in the applicants will help to treat obesity more effectively.

Effect of experimentally induced hypothyroidism during gestation period on activity dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) in newborn rat brain tissue.

Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal hypothyroidism on neonatal rats by the way of activity-dependent neuroprotective factor (ADNF) expression. Methods Twenty-one Wistar albino neonatal rats were divided into two subgroups; a control group and neonatal rats with experimental maternal hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism was induced by using propylthiouracil (PTU). Neonatal rats obtained PTU from breast milk continuously for 1 week after birth. The rats from the control group were fed only normal feed and water. After birth, body weight and blood thyroid hormone levels were tested. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Slug, Numb, Notch-1 and ADNF antibodies were used for immunohistochemical analysis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting analyses were used to evaluate ADNF gene expression levels from 1-week-old rat's brain. Results There was no difference between the two groups for birth weights. The thyroxine (T4) level from the experimental group was <0.4 ng/mL, and it was 0.8 ng/mL for the control group. It was shown that, the results from the experimental group samples had significantly lower ADNF mRNA levels than control group (p < 0.05). The increase from GFAP and Numb expression and decrease from Slug expression were shown in the experimental group. Local differences were identified for ADNF and a decrease was shown in both sides of brain. There was no difference for Notch-1 expression for both groups. Conclusion In this study, decreasing ADNF expression might contribute to developing neurological problems in congenital hypothyroidism.

Diabetes distress scale-17 implementation among patients with diabetes: Turkish validity and reliability study.

OBJECTIVE: To prove reliability and validity of the Turkish version of diabetes distress scale. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey, from July 2011 to February 2012, and comprised diabetics whose ages ranged from 25 to 86 years who voluntarily participated in the study. Descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used for reliability and validity evaluations. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 165 patients, 87(52.7%) were women and 78(47.3%) were men. Overall, 32(19.4%) patients had normal weight, 52(31.5%) were overweight, 74(44.8%) were obese and 7(4.2%) were morbid obese. Mean age was 53.69±11.39 years. Mean score was 50.87±11.53 points (range: 23 to 84). As for distress distribution, 15(9.1%) patients had no problem (0-34 points), 141(85.5%) moderate (35-68 points) and 9(5.5%) had high (>68 points).Fasting blood glucose was higher than 200 mg/dl in 22(13.2%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Turkish diabetes distress scale-17 was found to be valid and reliable and had satisfying fit-index parameters.

The Prevalence and Sociodemographic Risk Factors of Enuresis Nocturna among Elementary School-age Children.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Many etiological reasons are blamed for enuresis nocturna (EN). The aim of this study was to research prevalence and severity of EN among elementary school-age children and sociodemographic risk factors related to it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed in three elementary schools in Ankara, Turkey between January and May 2011. It was planned to have 2500 students of 6-14 ages in the study. The questionnaire, which consisted of questions, aiming to evaluate the EN condition of participants and their characteristics, were distributed to the parents. It was observed that 2314 participants' questionnaires (92.56%) were in accordance with evaluation criteria. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The relation between EN and the sociodemographic factors was evaluated through Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of 2314 participants was 9.21 ± 2.08. 48.5% (n = 1123) of the students were male and 51.5% (n = 1191) were female. While the general EN prevalence was 9.9% (n = 230); 10.7% (n = 120) for males, as 9.2% (n = 110) for females. Statistical significant difference was determined between the two groups, with EN and without EN, regarding age groups (P < 0.001), education level of parents (P < 0.001, P < 0.001), and the number of sibling (P = 0.002), income level (P < 0.001), and positive family history (P < 0.001). However, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was a significant difference only between EN and age groups (odds ratio [OR] =4.42, P < 0.001), education level of mother (OR = 2.13, P = 0.017) and family history (OR = 0.12, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: As a consequence, such factors as age groups, education level of parents, positive family history could be accepted as a risk of concerning EN. It is important to perform a detailed evaluation on population, carrying risk of having EN.

Mechanical prosthetic valve disease is related with an increase in depression and anxiety disorder.

AIM: Patients with organic disease can present with psychiatric symptoms. We hypothesized that since patients with prosthetic heart valve require frequent hospital followup and are at higher risk for complications, the incidence of depression and anxiety is higher in these patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study prospectively studied 98 consecutive patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valve. All patients fulfilled prosthetic heart valve evaluation form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS). Complete blood count, basic metabolic panel and echocardiogram results were collected for all the patients. RESULTS: Using the BDI, there were 26 patients (27%) with no depression, 20 (20%) with mild depression, 38 (39%) with moderate, 4 (4%) with severe and 10 (10%) patients with very severe depression. Avarege score was 18.3±11.4 on BDI and 19.1±11.1 on HAS. The depression level was positively associated with prothrombin time (p les than 0.001) and international normalized ratio (INR) level (p les than 0.001). Hamilton Anxiety Scale was significantly correlated with comorbidities (r: 0.344; p=0.002), blood transfusion (r: 0.370; p les than 0.001), obesity (r: 0.319; p=0.007) and Beck Depression Scale was correlated with comorbidities (r: 0.328; p=0.002), in patients with prosthetic heart valve disease. CONLUSION: Patients with prosthetic heart valve have higher prevalence of depression and higher scores of anxiety and depression. Early recognition and appropriate treatment of depression and anxiety may decrease the morbidity in prosthetic heart valve disease. Besides, use of new oral anticoagulant agents that do not need INR check, could decrease anxiety and depression in the future.

Relation between respiratory function tests and life habits of the university students.

UNLABELLED: Among the university students especially in adolescence period, smoking habits and unhealthy lifestyles are major problems in social life. In this study, it is intended to reveal smoking habits and lifestyles of the students from Suleyman Demirel University and to determine the effects of smoking and lifestyles on pulmonary functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were 94 university students who were getting formal education in the Suleyman Demirel University central campus. Data were analysed by analysis of variance and chi-square tests. For all analysis, p value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Students' mean age was 19.9 ± 0.9 years, and of all the students 74 (78.7%) were undergraduate students; remaining 20 (21.3%) were graduate students. Of all the students, 27 (28.7%), which comprised the largest group of the students, were living in state dormitory. Body mass index (BMI) was examined for the study group; according to BMI, body weight was generally within normal limits but 17.39% of girls' were found to be underweight. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory parameters can be affected by many factors. Smoking habit of university students can be prevented, and it is an important point that they have a healthy lifestyle both for their own health and for future generations.

Are primary health care workers aware of cervical cancer risk?

BACKGROUND: We here examined the awareness of female health employees (doctors, nurses, midwives) working in primary health care service about cervical cancer and its risk factors. Additionally attitude and behavior for gynecologic examination and pap smear screening were researched. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive study concerned female health employees working at primary health care services in two southern cities of Turkey, over a four month period in 2013. Participants were recently or previously sexually active research was explained and verbal informed consent was obtained face to face. The questionnaire consisted of two parts; socio-demographic characteristics and level of knowledge about cervical cancer and its risk factors. RESULTS: The average age of the participants (midwives 43.7%, n=143; nurses 40.4%, n=132; doctors 6.4%, n=21; emergency medical technicians and others, 9.5%, n=31; total, n=327) was 30.9±6.41 years. 64.2% (n=210) were working in Diyarbakir and 35.8% (n=117) in Batman. A large proportion reported low knowledge and inadequate screening practice Conclusions: Health employees should be better informed about the importance of screening for cancers, given their preventive roles for the general population.

Effects of (99m)Tc sestamibi on antioxidant defense system and lipid peroxidation in the heart of Sprague Dawley rats.

Nuclear medicine has been using radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnostic and therapeutic purposes of many diseases. Technetium-(99m) methoxyisobutylisonitrile ((99m)Tc sestamibi) is a lypophilic complex that has a positive-loaded isonitril group. Aim of the study is to investigate whether (99m)Tc sestamibi, which is one of the mostly used radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine field, causes oxidative damage or not in rats' heart after an injection. A total of 16 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: group I: (99m)Tc sestamibi group, (99m)Tc sestamibi administered intravenously with the dose of 25MBq; group II: control group, one dose of isotonic sodium chloride was administered intravenous with the same volume as (99m)Tc sestamibi group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidant status (TOS) were used as markers of oxidative stress-induced heart impairment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant status (TAS) activities were studied to evaluate the changes in the antioxidant status. In the (99m)Tc sestamibi group (group I), animals treated with (99m)Tc sestamibi produced a significant decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT), while MDA level increased when compared with control group (group II) in myocardial tissue (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the GSH-Px activities were significantly increased in the (99m)Tc sestamibi-treated rats compared with the untreated rats (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the TAS and TOS levels of plasma.

Assessment of smoking behaviors of 2509 Turkish university students and its correlates: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of our study is to determine smoking behavior and its correlates among the faculty of education students. 2509 students, out of 3200, participated in the smoking questionnaire survey in the Faculty of Education of Celal Bayar University, in Manisa, Turkey at the beginning of 2007 educational year. General smoking percentage in school was 45.9%. Regarding daily smoked packet numbers, 186 (16.2%) students smoked less than a packet per day, 330 (28.6%) students between half and one packet, and 636 (55.2%) students more than one packet per day. Monthly familial income found inversely related with smoking (p= 0.003). According to Linear Regression Analysis, drinking behavior could be guessed by smoking behavior (r= 0.081) so that all of smokers had drunk also. Our study indicates also that the starting age to smoking has decreased to as low as 10 years. In past 10 years while smoking prevalence in western countries decreased, it is increased in developing countries. In a Slovakian study, smoking prevalence was 21.6%, in French 34.6% and in Israeli 24.1%. Therefore, more education on the burdens of smoking must be given to university students.

Effects of a formal training programme on consanguineous marriages on high school students' knowledge and attitudes: an interventional study from Turkey.

Consanguineous marriage is traditionally common throughout the eastern Mediterranean region. Research has suggested that it is closely linked to the sociocultural and socioeconomical status of individuals, and education plays a critical role in decreasing the number of cases. This study aimed to determine the effects of a formal training programme on consanguineous marriages on the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, consanguineous marriage of high school students (n=804) in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Seniors from three randomly selected public high schools participated in the pre-test and post-test design study. To determine the effects of the programme, students who received the training were compared with those who did not receive any formal training about the subject. After the post-tests were administered, data were collected and analysed using chi-squared and McNemar tests. The results showed significant differences in knowledge and attitudes among the students who had received the formal training programme and those who had not. In addition, the results indicated potential peer influence between the students who received training in consanguineous marriage and those who did not.

Antioxidant enzymes and melatonin levels in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during stable and exacerbation periods.

An imbalance between oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity may play an important role in the development and progression of bronchial asthma (BA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We carried out a study to assess the systemic oxidant-antioxidant status during the exacerbation and the stable period in patients with BA and COPD. A total of 33 patients, 16 with BA and 17 with COPD were included in the study. During the exacerbation and the stable periods, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GRd), and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes and serum melatonin concentrations were investigated. Blood counts, respiratory functions, and blood gases of the patients were also performed. During an exacerbation period of BA, despite the decreases in GSH-Px, GRd and melatonin levels, MDA and CAT levels, and the white blood cell count, the percentage of eosinophils were significantly higher than in the stable period. Also, it was found that FEV(1)/L (where FEV(1) is the forced expiratory volume in 1 s), FVC/L (where FVC is forced vital capacity), PEF/L/s (where PEF is peak expiratory flow), pO(2) (where pO(2) is oxygen pressure) levels increased during the stable period in patients with BA. MDA and SOD values were higher in the exacerbation period than in the stable period although GSH-Px, GRd, melatonin, pH, and pO(2) values were lower in the exacerbation period than in the stable period. The blood counts and the respiratory function tests did not change between the exacerbation and the stable period of patients with COPD significantly. In conclusion, we observed that oxidative stress in the exacerbation period of patients with BA and COPD increased whereas the antioxidant enzymes and melatonin values reduced. The episodes of BA or COPD might be associated with elevated levels of oxidative stress.

Effects of selenium and L-carnitine on oxidative stress in blood of rat induced by 2.45-GHz radiation from wireless devices.

The levels of blood lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, and vitamin C were used to follow the level of oxidative damage caused by 2.45 GHz electromagnetic radiation in rats. The possible protective effects of selenium and L-carnitine were also tested and compared to untreated controls. Thirty male Wistar Albino rats were equally divided into five groups, namely Groups A1 and A2: controls and sham controls, respectively; Group B: EMR; Group C: EMR + selenium, Group D: EMR + L-carnitine. Groups B­D were exposed to 2.45 GHz electromagnetic radiation during 60 min/ day for 28 days. The lipid peroxidation levels in plasma and erythrocytes were significantly higher in group B than in groups A1 and A2 (p<0.05), although the reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase values were slightly lower in erythrocytes of group B compared to groups A1 and A2. The plasma lipid peroxidation level in group A2 was significantly lower than in group B (p<0.05). Erythrocyte reduced glutathione levels (p<0.01) in group B; erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity in group A2 (p<0.05), group B (p<0.001), and group C (p<0.05) were found to be lower than in group D. In conclusion, 2.45 GHz electromagnetic radiation caused oxidative stress in blood of rat. L-carnitine seems to have protective effects on the 2.45-GHz-induced blood toxicity by inhibiting free radical supporting antioxidant redox system although selenium has no effect on the investigated values.