Cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of Turkish version of Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire for children with congenital talipes equinovarus.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire (OxAFQ) to provide cultural adaptation. METHODS: This study involved translation, back translation, and cross-cultural adaptation. Forty-nine patients with congenital talipes equinovarus were evaluated using the Turkish version of OxAFQ. Turkish version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) was used as a gold standard to validate the Turkish version of the OxAFQ. The validation was assessed with Spearman correlation analysis by using CHAQ. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed with Cronbach alpha (internal consistency) and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: High validity was found between OxAFQ and CHAQ (r = -0.422-0.292) (p < 0.01). Reliability analysis showed that OxAFQ had a high level of Cronbach alpha (α = 0.88-0.96) and internal consistency (ICC = 0.90-0.96). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of OxAFQ is a valid, reliable and useful quality of life questionnaire in patients with congenital talipes equinovarus and it is proper for use by health professionals and researchers.

GC/MS Analysis of Alkaloids in Galanthus fosteri Baker and Determination of Its Anticholinesterase Activity.

OBJECTIVES: Amaryllidaceae alkaloids are well known for their wide range of pharmacological activities. Galanthamine, an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid, is an effective, selective, reversible, and competitive cholinesterase inhibitor marketed under different commercial names in several countries for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this work was to study the alkaloid profiles of the aerial parts and bulbs of both flowering and fruiting periods of Galanthus fosteri Baker (Amaryllidaceae), as well as analyzing their inhibitory activities on both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The alkaloid profiles of the four samples were determined by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and AChE and BuChE inhibition assays were performed by the modified Ellman method. RESULTS: Totally, 22 compounds with mass spectral characteristics of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids were detected in the extracts. Significant AChE and BuChE inhibitory activities were observed in the tested samples (IC50 between 0.189 and 91.23 µg/mL). CONCLUSION: This study shows that G. fosteri, collected from Akdag, Amasya (Turkey), is a potential source of diverse chemical structures of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids with cholinesterase inhibitory properties.

Characterization of phenolic profile by LC-ESI-MS/MS and enzyme inhibitory activities of two wild edible garlic: Allium nigrum L. and Allium subhirsutum L.

In our study, Allium nigrum L. and Allium subhirsutum L. were investigated in terms of phenolic profile, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and tyrosinase inhibitory potentials. The colorimetric analysis revealed that the highest levels of total phenol (45.6, 15.8 mg GAE/g extract, respectively) and total flavonoid contents (8.2, 5.7 mg QE/g extract, respectively) were found in the bulbs of both plants. About 30 compounds were determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS with validated method and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (2,188.4 µg/g extract) and p-coumaric acid (1,700.8 µg/g extract) were major phenolic acids. (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (998.3 µg/g extract) and genistein (159.3 µg/g extract) which are neuroprotective compounds were the predominant flavonoids for A. nigrum and A. subhirsutum, respectively. Enzyme inhibitory activities of samples were performed by spectrophotometrically with 96-well microplate reader. All samples showed anti-AChE, anti-BuChE, and anti-tyrosinase activities and the aerial part of A. nigrum was the most potent (IC50 6.1, 3.27, 22.31 µg/ml, respectively). PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Many Allium species, especially those cultivated, are consumed in different countries as food in different ways. In the literature, studies on these species have generally focused on organosulfur compounds of the species. In our present study, phenolic compounds having a wide range of biological activities were determined in different parts of the two Allium species consumed as food. We also investigated in vitro cholinesterases and tyrosinase inhibition activities of these species. A correlation was observed between phenolic compounds and enzyme inhibition activities. These results were further explored and confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). PCA revealed that samples were discriminated from each other according to phenolic compounds and enzyme inhibitory potencies. Conclusively, this study determines that the chemical profiles and biological activities of A. nigrum and A. subhirsutum.

The effect of perceived organisational justice on job satisfaction and burnout levels of haemodialysis nurses.

BACKGROUND: Organisational justice influences job satisfaction, the performance of individuals and the functioning of institutions. The lack of evidence-based studies investigating the relationship between hemodialysis nurses' perceptions of organisational justice, job satisfaction and burnout has created a research gap in this area. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of perceived organisational justice on professional satisfaction and burnout levels of haemodialysis nurses and to identify any relation ship with individual and organisational factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was designed as a multi-centre descriptive study. The data were collected using the 'personal information form', the Organisational Justice Scale', the 'Maslach Burnout Inventory' and the 'Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire'. RESULTS: The distributive justice scores decreased as the depersonalisation scores of the nurses increased. As the personal accomplishment scores of the nurses increased, the interactional justice scores also increased. It was observed that the job satisfaction scores increased as the sub-dimensional scores of the organisational justice scale increased and exhaustion decreased. CONCLUSION: It was detected that there was a significant relationship between the organisational justice perception of nurses and their job satisfaction and level of burnout. Institutions are encouraged to adopt a fair policy towards nurses and promote personal development.

Application of HPLC-DAD for the quantification of Lycorine in Galanthus elwesii Hook

ABSTRACT In the present study, a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been used for the quantitative determination of lycorine in the aerial parts and bulbs of G. elwesii Hook. A simple method for the extraction of lycorine in low mass plant samples was employed utilizing pre-packed columns with diatomaceous earth (Extrelut(r)). The chromatographic separation was performed using an isocratic system with a mobile phase of trifluoroacetic acid-water-acetonitrile (0.01:92.5:7.5, v/v/v) applied at a flow rate 1 mL min-1 using diode array detector. The content of lycorine in the bulbs and aerial parts of G. elwesii collected from Demirci (Manisa) was found as 0.130 and 0.162 %, respectively. Additionally, in the bulbs of the specimens collected from Sogucak (Balikesir), lycorine was quantified as 0.055 %, whereas in the aerial parts, it was determined as 0.006 %. The method was validated partially with respect to system specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ). Validation procedures displayed that the method was specific, accurate and precise.