Assessment of physical violence against research assistants and nurses in an university hospital / Evaluación de la violencia física contra investigadores asociados y enfermeras en un hospital universitario / Avaliação da violência física contra assistentes de pesquisa e enfermeiros em um hospital universitário

Abstract: 14. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of physical violence and related factors among assistants and nurses. This cross-sectional study was included 166 research assistants and 209 nurses who worked at the University Hospital. The data was collected with a self-administered questionnaire. As 12.0% participants had a history of physical violence at workplace within the last 6 months. The perpetrator was a patient relative in 41 (78.8%) and the patient himself/herself in 18 (34.6%).The most common place of violence was emergency unit for the assistants and in-patient unit for the nurses. The emergency unit was observed to have a higher incidence of violence than other departments. One of every ten health care workers appears to be a victim of physical workplace violence. Between health care workers with patient/the relatives of the patient of the impact on relations the close of violence to be examined separately according to occupational groups. As a result, professional differences between nurses and doctors should be taken into consideration while investigating health violence. Each professions of healthcare have different professional practice and ethical obligations on the relationship between health care provider and patient /relatives.

Resumen: 18. El objetivo de este estudio consiste en determinar la prevalencia de la violencia física y otros factores relacionados contra investigadores asociados y enfermeras. Este estudio transversal incluyó 166 investigadores asociados y 209 enfermeras trabajadores del hospital universitario. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante un cuestionario autoadministrado. 12% de los participantes informaron de violencia física en su lugar de trabajo en los últimos seis meses. El perpetrador fue un familiar de un paciente en 41 de los casos (78,8%) y pacientes en 18 casos (34,6%). La unidad de emergencia fue el lugar más común donde ocurrió la violencia para los investigadores asociados y la unidad de pacientes para las enfermeras. Se observó que la unidad de emergencia tuvo una mayor incidencia de violencia que otras unidades. Uno de cada 10 trabajadores de la salud es víctima de violencia física en el trabajo. Se examinó separadamente, según grupos de trabajo, el impacto en las relaciones de la violencia contra trabajadores de la salud por parte de pacientes o familiares de estos. Como resultado, se aconseja tener en consideración diferencias profesionales entre médicos y enfermeras cuando se investiga la violencia en el cuidado de la salud. Cada profesión del cuidado de la salud tiene diferentes prácticas profesionales y obligaciones éticas entre el proveedor de salud y el paciente y familiares.

Resumo: 22. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência de violência física e fatores relacionados entre assistentes e enfermeiros/as. Este estudo transversal incluiu 166 assistentes de pesquisa e 209 enfermeiras que trabalhavam no Hospital Universitário. Os dados foram coletados através de um questionário autoaplicável. Como resultado, 12,0% participantes apresentaram um histórico de violência física no local de trabalho nos últimos 6 meses. Como autores da violência foram identificados: os familiares dos pacientes em 41 questionários (78,8%) e o paciente em si em 18 (34,6%). O local mais comum de violência foi a unidade de emergência para os assistentes de pesquisa e a unidade de internação hospitalar para os enfermeiros/as. Na unidade de emergência, observou-se que há uma maior incidência de violência do que em outros departamentos. Um de cada dez trabalhadores na área de saúde demonstra ser vítima de violência física no local de trabalho. O impacto das relações de violência entre profissionais de saúde e pacientes/familiares deve ser examinado separadamente, de acordo com cada grupo ocupacional. Como resultado, diferenças profissionais entre médicos e enfermeiros/as devem ser consideradas ao investigar violência na área da saúde. Cada profissional de saúde possui diferentes práticas profissionais e obrigações éticas na relação entre médico e paciente / familiares.

A Classical Wooden Vaginal Speculum Mentioned in Old Medical Manuscripts.

The subject of this paper is the story of an ancient medical instrument. This instrument is a wooden vaginal speculum used in classical and Islamic medicine. Its drawings can be found in Abulcasis al-Zahrawi's and Serefeddin Sabuncuoglu's illustrated books of surgery.

Low-exposure cadmium is more toxic on osteoporotic rat femoral bone: mechanical, biochemical, and histopathological evaluation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-exposure Cd on normal and osteoporotic bone. For this purpose, 12-week-old Sprague-Dawley female rats were assigned randomly to a control group, a Cd group, and an ovariectomy (OVX)+Cd group. OVX+Cd rats underwent bilateral ovariectomy via ventral incision. Twelve weeks after ovariectomy, cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)) was given to rats (Cd and OVX+Cd groups) as intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 0.5mg/kg three times a week for 18 weeks and distilled water was given to control group via ip route for 18 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at mid-diaphysis femoral region by dual-energy X-ray absorbsiometry. Cross-sectional area of the femoral shaft was evaluated by computerized tomography. Biomechanical measurements were performed at the mid-diaphysis of the left femur. Collagen fibers were evaluated at light microscopic level. BMD, cortical thickness, cortical area, and femur length were not changed in Cd and OVX+Cd groups in comparision to controls. In the OVX+Cd group, strength, displacement, energy, stress, strain, and toughness were significantly lower than those of the control group. The Cd concentration of bone was significantly increased in the OVX+Cd group compared to that in the control group. Collagen fiber intensity was decreased in all groups except control group. The results of the present study indicate that the administration of low-dose Cd does not affect normal bone biomechanical parameters, but it has a significant effect on osteoporotic bone.

Two stage EDTA anti-calcification method for bioprosthetic heart valve materials.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two-stage EDTA treatment in diminishing calcific degeneration in bovine pericardial bioprosthetic heart valve material. MATERIAL/METHODS: Conventionally preserved pericardium specimens were divided into two groups. Group I (controls, n=18) pieces were first fixed in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS)+0.6% glutaraldehyde at +4 degrees C for 24 hours, then stored in PBS+0.2% glutaraldehyde at room temperature for 6 days. Group II (study group, n=18) pieces were treated with PBS containing 100 microg/ml ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at +4 degrees C for 24 hours, then fixed in PBS+0.6% glutaraldehyde as was group I at +4 degrees C for 24 hours. After a second exposure to PBS containing 100 microg/ml EDTA at room temperature for 24 hours, they were stored in PBS+0.2% glutaraldehyde at room temperature for 4 days. Pericardial patches were inserted into the dorsal pouches of 18 juvenile male Wistar rats. After 7 weeks of implantation, all the pericardium pieces were harvested from sacrificed rats. The calcium content and biomechanical properties of the explanted tissues were evaluated and also examined histopathologically. RESULTS: The difference in the calcium content of the control and study groups was statistically significant. Biomechanical and histopathologic assessment also supported these findings. CONCLUSIONS: Application of two-stage EDTA was found to be useful in the attenuation of calcification in bioprosthetic heart valve materials with mildly increased durability. As calcification was reduced by approximately 50%, it can be considered for use with other agents as an adjuvant treatment.

Acute effect of single-dose cadmium treatment on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in ovariectomized rats.

We investigated the acute effect of single-dose cadmium (Cd) treatment on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidney of rats following an ovariectomy operation. Twenty-eight female Wistar albino rats were used and were divided into four groups: I, control (n=7); II, cadmium (Cd, n=7); III, ovariectomized (Ovx, n=7); and IV, ovariectomized+cadmium (Ovx-Cd, n=7). Fourteen of the rats were ovariectomized. Twelve weeks later, cadmium chloride (CdCl(2), 5 mg/kg) was administered i.p. as a single dose to the Cd and Ovx-Cd groups. Twenty-four hours after the injection, all rats were sacrificed and had their liver and kidney tissues removed for the measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. SOD activity showed a significant decrease (P<0.001) in both organs of Ovx and Cd rats in comparison to controls. CAT activity was significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the liver of Ovx and Cd groups but not in the kidneys of both groups compared to control values. MDA concentrations were higher (P<0.05) in both organs of Ovx and Cd rats than those values observed in the control group. Similar patterns of changes were observed in the Ovx-Cd rats, but the increase in the MDA levels and the decrease in the antioxidant enzymes for the Ovx-Cd group were higher than those of the Ovx and Cd groups. Based on the data, it can be stated that cadmium increases the effect of ovariectomy on lipid peroxidation, impairs the antioxidant defense system, and induces oxidative stress.

The evaluation of micronucleus frequency by acridine orange fluorescent staining in peripheral blood of rats treated with lead acetate.

The data concerning the mutagenic, clastogenic and carcinogenic properties of inorganic lead compounds have been conflicting. Here, we evaluated the frequency of micronuclei in the peripheral blood of female rats treated with three different lead acetate doses. Outbred female Wistar rats were treated by gavage once per week for 10 weeks with cumulative doses of 140, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (body wt) of lead acetate. Mitomycin C (MMC) 2 mg/kg body wt was used as a positive control. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of lead acetate on peripheral blood reticulocytes using the micronucleus test following chronic exposure. The results show the effects of lead acetate in peripheral blood reticulocytes. These effects are both cytotoxic and genotoxic because of a decrease in the number of polychromatic erythrocytes in the peripheral blood and an increase in frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes, respectively.