The Quality and Reliability of Information in YouTube Videos on Occupational Health and Safety.

Background: Education is very important to prevent occupational injuries and accidents, which are almost all completely preventable. The aim of this study was to evaluate training videos on this subject on the YouTube platform. Methods: Six search terms related to occupational health and safety (OHS) were scanned on May 31, 2021. After the application of exclusion criteria, a total of 176 videos were included for final analysis using the parameters of country origin, source of the video, content, number of views, comments, likes, dislikes, and video duration. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) and modified DISCERN tools were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the videos in this analytical cross-sectional study. Results: According to the GQS score, 111 (63.1%) videos were of low quality. Statistically significant differences were found between the low-, moderate-, and high-quality groups with respect to video length, likes, dislikes, comments, likes per day, dislikes per day, comments per day, video category, and the DISCERN scores (P < 0.05). The vast majority of videos contained low-quality information. A large number of videos were uploaded on OHS content from independent users and the USA. Conclusion: There is a clear need for professionals to play a more active role in uploading and sharing high-quality information on Internet platforms on the subject of OHS.

Vaccine refusal in pregnant women in Kahramanmaras: a community-based study from Türkiye.

Background: The global health landscape is increasingly challenged by the rejection of childhood vaccines. This study investigates vaccination reservations and refusal among pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kahramanmaras, Türkiye, spanning January to March 2019, entailing face to face interviews with 938 pregnant women. The questionnaire collected sociodemographic data and probed vaccination attitudes. The decision to vaccinate the baby was treated as the dependent variable, analyzed alongside sociodemographic factors and other variables. Data underwent evaluation via descriptive analysis, the Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. Results: Participants had a mean age of 27.6 years. Among them 20 (2.1%) expressed intent to either abstain from or partially vaccinate their babies, with 70% citing apprehensions regarding potential vaccine-related harm. Statistical analysis unveiled that higher economic income, elevated parental education level, fewer than two children, reliance on the Internet for vaccination information, and a lack of trust in physicians significantly correlated with vaccine refusal among pregnant women (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study concludes that dissemination of vaccination information by the healthcare professionals, complemented by the enactment of pro-vaccine internet policies holds promise in shaping vaccination behavior.

Comprehensive Analysis of Lutein and Loroxanthin in Scenedesmus obliquus: From Quantification to Isolation.

Carotenoids are hydrophobic pigments produced exclusively by plants, fungi, and specific microbes. Microalgae are well suited for the production of valuable carotenoids due to their rapid growth, efficient isoprenoid production pathway, and ability to store these compounds within their cells. The possible markets for bio-products range from feed additives in aquaculture and agriculture to pharmaceutical uses. The production of carotenoids in microalgae is affected by several environmental conditions, which can be utilized to enhance productivity. The current study focused on optimizing the extraction parameters (time, temperature, and extraction number) to maximize the yield of carotenoids. Additionally, the impact of various nitrogen sources (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and urea) on the production of lutein and loroxanthin in Scenedesmus obliquus was examined. To isolate the carotenoids, 0.20 g of biomass was added to 0.20 g of CaCO3 and 10.0 mL of ethanol solution containing 0.01% (w/v) pyrogallol. Subsequently, the extraction was performed using an ultrasonic bath for a duration of 10 min at a temperature of 30 °C. This was followed by a four-hour saponification process using a 10% methanolic KOH solution. The concentration of lutein and loroxanthin was measured using HPLC-DAD at 446 nm, with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min using a Waters YMC C30 Carotenoid column (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 µm). The confirmation of carotenoids after their isolation using preparative chromatography was achieved using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) probe and UV-vis spectroscopy. In summary, S. obliquus shows significant promise for the large-scale extraction of lutein and loroxanthin. The findings of this study provide strong support for the application of this technology to other species.

Push and Pull Factors of Why Medical Students Want to Leave Türkiye: A Countrywide Multicenter Study.

Phenomenon: Physician immigration from other countries is increasing as developed countries continue to be desirable destinations for physicians; however, the determinants of Turkish physicians' migration decisions are still unclear. Despite its wide coverage in the media and among physicians in Türkiye, and being the subject of much debate, there is insufficient data to justify this attention. With this study, we aimed to investigate the tendency of senior medical students in Türkiye to pursue their professional careers abroad and its related factors. Approach: This cross-sectional study involved 9881 senior medical students from 39 different medical schools in Türkiye in 2022. Besides participants' migration decision, we evaluated the push and pull factors related to working, social environment and lifestyle in Türkiye and abroad, medical school education inadequacy, and personal insufficiencies, as well as the socioeconomic variables that may affect the decision to migrate abroad. The analyses were carried out with a participation rate of at least 50%. Findings: Of the medical students, 70.7% had emigration intentions. Approximately 60% of those want to stay abroad permanently, and 61.5% of them took initiatives such as learning a foreign language abroad (54.5%) and taking relevant exams (18.9%). Those who wanted to work in the field of Research & Development were 1.37 (95% CI: 1.22-1.54) times more likely to emigrate. The push factor that was related to emigration intention was the "working conditions in the country" (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.56-2.28) whereas the "social environment/lifestyle abroad" was the mere pull factor for the tendency of emigration (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.45-2.06). In addition, the quality problem in medical schools also had a significant impact on students' decisions (OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.83-2.65). Insights: Although the percentage of those who want to emigrate "definitely" was at the same level as in the other developing countries, the tendency to migrate "permanently" was higher in Türkiye. Improving working conditions in the country and increasing the quality of medical faculties seem vital in preventing the migration of physicians.

Production of secondary metabolites using tissue culture-based biotechnological applications.

Plants are the sources of many bioactive secondary metabolites which are present in plant organs including leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. Although they provide advantages to the plants in many cases, they are not necessary for metabolisms related to growth, development, and reproduction. They are specific to plant species and are precursor substances, which can be modified for generations of various compounds in different plant species. Secondary metabolites are used in many industries, including dye, food processing and cosmetic industries, and in agricultural control as well as being used as pharmaceutical raw materials by humans. For this reason, the demand is high; therefore, they are needed to be obtained in large volumes and the large productions can be achieved using biotechnological methods in addition to production, being done with classical methods. For this, plant biotechnology can be put in action through using different methods. The most important of these methods include tissue culture and gene transfer. The genetically modified plants are agriculturally more productive and are commercially more effective and are valuable tools for industrial and medical purposes as well as being the sources of many secondary metabolites of therapeutic importance. With plant tissue culture applications, which are also the first step in obtaining transgenic plants with having desirable characteristics, it is possible to produce specific secondary metabolites in large-scale through using whole plants or using specific tissues of these plants in laboratory conditions. Currently, many studies are going on this subject, and some of them receiving attention are found to be taken place in plant biotechnology and having promising applications. In this work, particularly benefits of secondary metabolites, and their productions through tissue culture-based biotechnological applications are discussed using literature with presence of current studies.

The Use of Toothpastes Containing Different Formulations of Fluoride and Bioglass on Bleached Enamel.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the application of toothpaste either containing calcium sodium phospho-silicate bioglass (NovaMin) or calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (BioMinF) on the surface mineral composition and morphology of enamel after bleaching procedure. Methods: Thirty extracted noncarious human teeth were allocated into five groups (n = 6). Group 1: Bleaching using 40% hydrogen peroxide (HP) and fluoridated toothpaste containing bioactive glass (1450 ppm fluoride). Group 2: Bleaching using 40%HP and toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (540 ppm fluoride). Group 3: Bleaching using 40%HP and fluoridated toothpaste (1450 ppm fluoride). Group 4: Bleaching alone using 40%HP. Group 5: Negative control with distilled water alone. The surface morphology was evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). The concentration of elements as atomic percentages were determined by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Results: This laboratory-based study reported that SPM and SEM detected minor changes on the surfaces of all toothpaste-treated enamel samples (Groups 1-3) after 45 days. Bioactive glass deposits were observed on enamel surfaces in Groups 1 and 2, whilst the bleaching-alone samples (Group 4) had rough enamel surfaces. XPS reported that toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (Group 2) had a high atomic% of calcium and phosphate, whilst silicon values were high in the toothpaste containing bioactive glass and 1450 ppm fluoride (Group 1) after bleaching procedure when compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In addition, EDS detected the highest %F in Groups 1, 2 and 5. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this laboratory-based study, there was no significant decrease in the Ca%, P% values and surface properties of enamel after the bleaching procedure following the use of different formulations of toothpastes for a period of 45 days. However, the Ca% and P% values were significantly high for the toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (BioMinF) on the bleached enamel. Clinical relevance: The bleaching process can provide optimum aesthetic outcomes, but the effect of peroxides on hard tissues is still in question. Toothpastes containing different formulations of fluoride and bioactive glass might have the potential to prevent mineral loss on bleached enamel. However, further laboratory-based studies and controlled double-blind randomised clinical trials are required to interpret the effects of toothpastes with different fluoride and bioactive glass formulations on enamel surfaces following bleaching procedures.

Manipulation in Culture Conditions of Nanofrustulum shiloi for Enhanced Fucoxanthin Production and Isolation by Preparative Chromatography.

Microalgae produce a variety of high-value chemicals including carotenoids. Fucoxanthin is also a carotenoid that has many physiological functions and biological properties. For this reason, the cost-effective production of fucoxanthin at an industrial scale has gained significant attention. In the proposed study, fucoxanthin production was aimed to be increased by altering the culture conditions of N. shiloi. The effect of light intensity aeration rate, different nitrogen sources, and oxidative stress on the biomass and fucoxanthin productivity have been discussed. Based on these results, the fucoxanthin increased to 97.45 ± 2.64 mg/g by adjusting the light intensity to 50 µmol/m2s, and aeration rate at 5 L/min using oxidative stress through the addition of 0.1 mM H2O2 and 0.1 mM NaOCl to the culture medium. Fucoxanthin was then purified with preparative HPLC using C30 carotenoid column (10 mm × 250 mm, 5 µm). After the purification procedure, Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and UV-vis spectroscopy were employed for the confirmation of fucoxanthin. This study presented a protocol for obtaining and purifying considerable amounts of biomass and fucoxanthin from diatom by manipulating culture conditions. With the developed methodology, N. shiloi could be evaluated as a promising source of fucoxanthin at the industrial scale for food, feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Investigation of Botanical Origin, Phenolic Compounds, Carotenoids, and Antioxidant Properties of Monofloral and Multifloral Bee Bread.

Bee bread is a unique natural product made by bees and good for human health. It has many bioactive molecules that can treat or prevent diseases. In this study, melissopalynological methods were used to examine five bee bread samples. Major plant sources found in bee bread were Lotus spp., Trifolium spp., and Xeranthemum spp., which are from the Fabaceae and Asteraceae families. Then, the amount of phenolic compounds and major carotenoids in bee bread (BB) samples were quantified. Gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found in all BB samples, with ß-carotene being the most abundant carotenoid in all but BB1. In addition, the total phenolic/flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of all BB samples were determined. Total flavonoid, total phenolic, DPPH⋅, and ABTS⋅+ values were varied between 5.6-10.00 mg GAE/g DW, 1.2-4.3 mg QE/g DW, 1.2-5.5 mg TEAC/g DW, and 2.6-15.4 mg TEAC/g DW, respectively.

Evaluation of Environmental and Nutritional Aspects of Bee Pollen Samples Collected from East Black Sea Region, Turkey, via Elemental Analysis by ICP-MS.

Honeybee pollens are good food sources in terms of their mineral contents and are specific to the regions they are collected. In addition, they may be used as bioindicators in the assessment of environmental pollution based on their potentially toxic element contents. In the present study, mineral element composition and potentially toxic element levels of honeybee pollen samples collected from various cities in East Black Sea Region of Turkey (18 samples) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave assisted acid digestion. The method validation was performed by using CRM (Certified Reference Material-BCR®279-Sea Lettuce-Ulva lactuca) to evaluate the accuracy and precision. Elemental composition of honeybee pollens were detected within the following ranges (minimum-maximum, mg kg-1 dry pollen); Mn (manganese): 11.579-117.349, Fe (Iron): 34.865-811.043, Zn (zinc): 17.707-56.223, Se (selenium): 0.422-0.722, Cr (chromium): 0.848-6.949, Cu (copper): 7.510-26.344, Mg (magnesium): 549.921-2149.716, Ca (calcium): 726.575-2201.837, Na (sodium): 36.518-120.283, Pb (lead): < 0.005-0.622, Cd (cadmium): 0.039-1.390, Ni (nickel): 2.317-21.710, and As (arsenic): 1.331-2.248. Recommended daily allowance, target hazard quotients, hazard index, and carcinogenic risk values of the pollens were calculated with the help of these results. In considering THQ values, pollens were determined to be safe for the consumption of both genders. Based on the carcinogenic risk calculation, most of the pollens examined in this study were categorized as moderately risky. Monitoring studies can be used to identify new sources of contamination or the origin and spread of a particular element. Hence, bee pollens can also be considered as potential bioindicators of toxic metal pollution. HIGHLIGHTS: • Mineral content and potentially toxic metal levels of 18 honeybee pollens were determined. • Recommended daily allowance (RDA) values were calculated. • The nutritional aspects of honeybee pollen samples were evaluated. • Hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) estimation of honeybee pollens were assessed. • The potentiality of honeybee pollens as a bioindicator for pollution was discussed.

15-year evaluation of changes in the HBsAg positivity rate in pregnant women in Turkey: the prominent effect of national vaccination.

Background: The detection of hepatitis B surface antigen positivity in pregnant women before delivery is crucial to preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the status and rate of testing for hepatitis B surface antigen, rate of hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, hepatitis B surface antigen positivity distribution rate by age, and changes in hepatitis B surface antigen positivity rate in pregnant women over the study period. Methods: We conducted a multicentre, cross-sectional, descriptive study covering the period January 2005 to June 2019 for 2 145 668 pregnant women from 27 provinces in all 7 regions of Turkey, collected using Microsoft Excel before statistical analysis. Results: We found that 1 012 593 (47.1%) pregnant women were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen over the 15-year period, out of which 11 471 (1.1%) were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive. Overall, 97% of the hepatitis B surface antigen positive women were born before 1998, the year that national HBV vaccination was launched in Turkey. The rate of hepatitis B surface antigen positivity in that group was 1.1%, compared with 0.3% among women born after 1998. Conclusion: There was a downward trend in the hepatitis B surface antigen positivity rate among pregnant women in the younger age groups, especially among those born after universal hepatitis B vaccination was inaugurated, and low rate of HBsAg testing during pregnancy.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sleep quality in healthcare workers in Turkey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious concerns and psychological distress globally. Healthcare workers remain one of the most affected groups due to life threatening risks in addition to increased working hours and labor intensity. All these factors may affect sleep quality of this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sleep behaviors of healthcare professionals working in secondary and tertiary hospitals in a large population in Turkey and to show how sleep quality is affected during the pandemic process using the easily applicable Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS). The population of this cross-sectional descriptive study consists of two pandemic hospitals determined in Kahramanmaras province. In our questionnaire, we asked subjective sleep quality, sleep time, time to fall asleep, total sleep time, and medication use. We also used JSS Turkish version (JSS-TR) to assess sleep quality and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for increased daytime sleepiness. Results: Healthcare workers who participated in our survey reported that they started to go to bed later, fell asleep later (mean: 41.75 ± 35.35 min), their total sleep time (mean: 6.67 ± 1.88 h) was shortened, and they needed medication to sleep more (5.7%) after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, bedtime behavior after 24:00 decreased from 80.1 to 43.9% of those who previously went to bed before 24:00. For those who went to bed after 24:00 before, it increased from 19.9 to 56.1%. In addition, sleep quality as assessed by subjective and JSS significantly deteriorated after the COVID-19 pandemic. Excessive daytime sleepiness increased. Those with ESS > 10 before and after COVID-19 were 3.9% and 14.1%, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly adversely affected the sleep behavior and sleep quality of healthcare professionals. The JSS is an easily applicable scale for assessing sleep quality in large population studies.

Bee pollens as biological indicators: An ecological assessment of pollution in Northern Turkey via ICP-MS and XPS analyses.

In this study, pollens were collected from 25 different locations of Northern Turkey to investigate pollution monitoring. Surface chemistry of pollen samples was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Then the concentrations of certain elements (Li, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Ba, and Pb) in pollen samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the evaluation of environmental pollution. The levels of elements were detected in the following ranges (minimum-maximum, mg/kg dry pollen): Li (0.18-0.39), Al (24.98-308.04), V (6.18-98.58), Cr (1.05-6.81), Mn (13.85-95.91), Fe (52.20-326.26), Co (0.15-0.34), Ni (1.66-10.79), Cu (8.61-19.01), Zn (20.47-70.02), As (1.22-2.65), Se (0.39-0.67), Cd (0.05-0.74), Ba (0.73-16.30), and Pb (0.00-0.26). It has been concluded that there is a correlation between the pollen samples with high heavy metal concentrations and traffic density as these regions are closer to the road in the northern region. It is exposed to pollution from various sources such as intensified urbanization and tourism activities carried out on land and sea; industrial activities are increasing rapidly due to the opportunities offered by the coastal areas, sea transportation, and agricultural, domestic, and industrial pollution coming from the inner regions through rivers and streams. In this sense, pollens can be used as potential bio-indicators for monitoring heavy metal pollution and gives an idea about how we can use them for future assessing purposes.

Induction of lutein production in Scenedesmus obliquus under different culture conditions prior to its semipreparative isolation.

Microalgae with their improved growth rates and accumulation of high-value-added products make their commercial production attractive. Among them, lutein, which is a carotenoid, plays a very important role due to its various applications in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Induction of its biosynthesis can be triggered by various stress conditions like light. In this study, three different light intensities (50,150 and 300 µmol photons/m2s) and aeration rates (1, 3, and 5 L/min) were utilized to induce the lutein biosynthesis and biomass productivity in Scenedesmus obliquus. Lutein was isolated by preparative chromatography using a semiprep C30 column (10 × 250 mm, 5µm) and its confirmation was made by LC-MS/MS. According to the results, Scenedesmus obliquus synthesized the maximum lutein (8.01 ± 0.1 mg/g) with biomass productivity of 1.698 g/L at 150 µmol photons/m2s light intensity using 3 L/min as aeration rate. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this was the first study that the lutein was isolated by preparative chromatography using semiprep C30 carotenoid column with a simple and rapid separation, which can be used as a reference methodology for the isolation of other carotenoids. Scenedesmus obliquus can be an important alternative source for commercial production of lutein, as it is indicated from the results of this study.

Restless legs syndrome and headache cause sleepiness and consequent poor school performance: a community based study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Disturbance of sleep habits leads to excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which may affect learning abilities and consequently academic performance. Therefore the main purpose of current paper was to determine the prevalence of headache and Restless legs syndrome (RLS) in school-aged adolescents and to evaluate the type of headache in adolescents, with a secondary aim to determine the effect of daytime sleepiness on academic success. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescents aged between 15 and 19 years of age, who were in high school education in the 2016-2017 academic years in Kahramanmaras province. A comprehensive interview form including questions on demographic data, RLS diagnostic criteria, headache and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was applied to a total of 4151 students. RESULTS: RLS was found in 3.2% of the participants in all age groups. The mean ESS scores in adolescents with RLS were significantly higher than in those without RLS. Headache was reported by 46.9% of the adolescents in the study, with a frequency of TTH type headache of 17.7% and migraine frequency of 5.2%. RLS frequency was determined to be significantly higher in adolescents with headache and migraine. The academic success rate was significantly lower in those with higher ESS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Migraine and RLS often coexist as comorbid conditions. EDS is an important factor affecting academic success in children. Headache and RLS should not be forgotten, among other reasons for increased daytime sleepiness and its etiology.

Investigation of Phenolic Content in Five Different Pine Barks Species Grown in Turkey by HPLC-UV and LC-MS.

Investigation of phenolic content from different pine bark species grown in Turkey was performed using a reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (RP-HPLC-UV) method. All phenolic constituents were separated in <26 min on reversed-phase C18 column with gradient mobile phase that consists of orthophosphoric acid, methanol and acetonitrile. Detections were made on an UV detector at 280 nm and at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Samples were prepared according to Masqueller's conventional sample preparation method with slight modifications. To avoid the reduction in extraction efficiency the sample preparation step was carried out under argon atmosphere. The linearity of the method was between 0.9994 and 0.9999. The detection limits for the five phenolic constituents ranged from 0122 to 0.324 mg/L. Catechin and taxifolin were found in all pine barks at a concentration of 0.065 ± 0.002-1.454 ± 0.004 and 0.015 ± 0.001-23.164 ± 0.322 mg/g, respectively. Epicatechin was determined in four pine barks between 0.027 ± 0.001 and 0.076 ± 0.002 mg/g, ferulic acid in two pine barks between 0.010 ± 0.001 and 0.022 ± 0.001 mg/g and epicatechin gallate in only one of the pine barks at 0.025 ± 0.001 mg/g. Finally, the total amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities of the pine barks were found to be very high.

Understanding the approach of family physicians in Turkey to the problem of vaccine rejection.

Vaccines not only protect individuals, but also prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in the community. Vaccine rejection in Turkey increased 125-fold between 2012 and 2019. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of family physicians about vaccination, which can be the keystone of vaccine rejection. Evaluations were also made of vaccine recommendations, practice, and confidence in vaccine safety. The study was conducted using a 41-item questionnaire, completed by 804 (3.3%) family physicians serving in Turkey. The most common reasons for vaccine rejection were found to be fear of disease from the vaccine substance at the rate of 53.7% (n = 298), religious reasons at 32.3% (n = 179), disbelief of protection at 9.9% (n = 55), and fear of infertility at 4.1% (n = 23). Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the factors affecting the power of the family physician's recommendation. The results showed that age >41 years (OR = 1.625 (1.129-2.34)), having self-efficacy (OR = 1.628 (1.183-2.24)) and belief in the usefulness of the vaccine made a positive contribution to the power to recommend vaccines (OR = 1.420 (1.996-1.012)). The results of this study demonstrated that training on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases has a positive effect on self-efficacy (p < .0001). This study can be considered of value as the first to demonstrate the beliefs and attitudes of family physicians in Turkey. Further training courses to increase knowledge of vaccines, vaccine-preventable diseases, and communication skills would be of benefit for family physicians.

Marine Anticancer Agents: An Overview with a Particular Focus on Their Chemical Classes.

The marine environment is a rich source of biologically active molecules for the treatment of human diseases, especially cancer. The adaptation to unique environmental conditions led marine organisms to evolve different pathways than their terrestrial counterparts, thus producing unique chemicals with a broad diversity and complexity. So far, more than 36,000 compounds have been isolated from marine micro- and macro-organisms including but not limited to fungi, bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, sponges, corals, mollusks and tunicates, with hundreds of new marine natural products (MNPs) being discovered every year. Marine-based pharmaceuticals have started to impact modern pharmacology and different anti-cancer drugs derived from marine compounds have been approved for clinical use, such as: cytarabine, vidarabine, nelarabine (prodrug of ara-G), fludarabine phosphate (pro-drug of ara-A), trabectedin, eribulin mesylate, brentuximab vedotin, polatuzumab vedotin, enfortumab vedotin, belantamab mafodotin, plitidepsin, and lurbinectedin. This review focuses on the bioactive molecules derived from the marine environment with anticancer activity, discussing their families, origin, structural features and therapeutic use.

Can family physicians have a role in eradication of hepatitis c infection?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is an important global public health problem. The application of screening programs is important for the elimination of HCV in addition to DAA therapies. The aim of this study was to measure the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of family physicians, who are important in screening programs for the diagnosis, natural history, and treatment of HCV infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study aimed to measure the knowledge levels in respect of HCV screening, diagnosis, natural history and treatment, of family physicians working nationwide in Turkey, through a survey. RESULTS: The most common reason to perform an anti-HCV test stated by 70.9% (n:420) of the participants was the mandatory screening program before marriage. Of the participants included in the study, 29.6% (n=175) had encountered anti-HCV test positivity at least once within the last year, and of these, 15.4% (n=27) had no knowledge of whether the patient went to a higher level center for further diagnosis, while 58.9% (n=103) did not know the disease stage. In response to questions about current drug options for hepatitis C infection, 14.5% were aware of DAA and 34.8% of participitant reported interferon+ ribavirin. CONCLUSION: Family physicians have gaps in their knowledge of the screening, natural history and treatment of HCV infection. The results of this study show that HCV training plans for family physicians should cover all aspects of the infection, and emphasize the necessity for the establishment of guideline-based screening recommendations.

Chemical Imaging of Human Fingermark by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a widely used technique to characterize the surface chemistry of materials. It plays a crucial role in accessing qualitative and quantitative information and in detecting the presence of chemical functional groups on the surface of any material. The forensic methods available to detect and identify elements and organic/inorganic compounds are often destructive, so evidence cannot be re-analyzed. However, XPS allows rapid analysis of samples without damaging them. Recently, an increasing number of forensic researchers have begun to study certain chemical information on fingermarks. In this study, the authors aimed to present the applicability and power of XPS imaging in fingermark analysis which can also provide specific information about the fingermark chemical composition. Herein, monochromated X-ray (Al Kα) spot size was fixed at 50 µm. XPS mapping resulted in the acquisition of spectra at each pixel, in an array of 41 × 30 pixels with a step size of 50 µm. Then, a simple discussion has been made about how the scanned surface spectrum and basic snapshot spectra are used to identify different components at a fingertip of a scanned surface area (~3 mm2 ). Hence, a fingermark pattern contaminated with caffeine, TiO2 , and Pb/PbO deposited on the silicon wafer can be chemically mapped and visualized by XPS using principal component analysis (PCA). Thus, the present study showed the possible applicability of XPS for the identification of illicit drugs of abuse, gunshot residue, and skin care products on latent fingermark by mimicking a crime scene evidence.