Psoriasis and 5HT-R2C Gene Polymorphism: Association between Clinical, Demographic and Therapeutic Parameters in the Turkish Population

We aimed to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region of the 5-HT-R2C gene and stress-related disease psoriasis in the Turkish population. The putative association between the 5-HTR2C variant (rs6318 Cys23Ser allele) and patients with psoriasis was investigated. 100 patients with psoriasis and 100 age-sex matched, unrelated healthy subjects representing the control group were included in the study. The PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping the 5-HTR2C variation. There was no statistically difference in terms of genotype distributions and allele frequencies between the control subjects and patients with psoriasis (P=0.360 and P=0.439, respectively). The comparison between the presence and absence of the 5-HTR2C gene rs6318 G allele within the determined clinical subsets resulted in a significant difference with regard to treatment methodology only when conventional therapy and one or more medical therapy was compared (P=0.021). This study is the first clinical study to investigate the association between 5-HTR2C polymorphism and psoriasis. The role of the 5-HTR2C gene should be examined with more parameters in a larger case series

Štetni učinci pušenja tijekom trudnoće na DNA i razine reaktivnih oblika kisika (ROS) u krvi majke i novorođenčeta

Some of the genotoxic/carcinogenic substances or metabolites in cigarette smoke are capable of passing through the placenta and harming a newborn’s health. Smoking is also known as a factor in the formation of oxidative damage and the main mechanism involved in the carcinogenic process. Predetermining this genotoxic risk can be successfully achieved by measuring certain parameters of oxidative stress. The comet assay is considered an important biomarker for the evaluation of genotoxic substances and is effective for detecting DNA damage caused by smoking. This study examined third trimester bloods and the cord blood of 28 actively smoking and 22 non-smoking mothers in terms of DNA damage and oxidative stress parameters. Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), plasma nitrite/nitrates (NO2•/NO3•), selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx), Cu, and Zn levels were measured as indicators of oxidative damage. There were no significant increases in DNA damage of the actively smoking pregnant group in comparison with the non-smoking pregnant group, either in the third trimester or cord blood. Oxidative stress parameters of smoker and non-smoker groups were statistically different for MDA (p<0.05), CuZn-SOD (p<0.01), Se-GPx (p<0.05) values while the difference was not significant for NO2•/NO3•, CAT, Zn, and Cu values. The same values were also investigated in cord blood, and only NO2•/NO3• (p<0.01), Se-GPx (p<0.01 and CAT (p<0.001) values were found statistically different. Smoking mothers may have been exposed to more oxidative stress than non-smoking mothers.Pojedine genotoksične/kancerogene supstancije ili metaboliti u cigaretnom dimu mogu proći kroz posteljicu i naštetiti zdravlju novorođenčeta. Pušenje je također poznato kao čimbenik pri nastanku oksidacijskog oštećenja DNA i u procesu kancerogeneze. Ovaj genotoksični rizik može se uspješno odrediti mjerenjem određenih parametara oksidacijskog stresa. Komet-test smatra se važnim biološkim biljegom pri evaluaciji genotoksičnih supstancija i iznimno učinkovitim sredstvom pronalaženja oštećenja DNA uzrokovanih pušenjem. Ova studija proučava krv trudnica u trećem tromjesečju trudnoće i fetalnu krv 28 majki aktivnih pušačica te 22-ju majki nepušačica vezano za oksidacijska oštećenja DNA i parametre oksidacijskog stresa. Razine Cu/Zn superoksidne dismutaze (CuZn-SOD), malondialdehida (MDA), katalaze (CAT), nitrita/nitrata u plazmi (NO2-/NO3-), selenijeve glutation peroksidaze (Se-GPx), Cu i Zn mjerene su kao pokazatelji oksidacijskog oštećenja. Nije bilo značajnih povećanja oštećenja DNA u skupini trudnica aktivnih pušačica u usporedbi sa skupinom trudnica nepušačica, ni u krvi iz trećeg tromjesečja ni u fetalnoj krvi. Parametri oksidacijskog stresa pušačke i nepušačke skupine bili su statistički različiti za vrijednosti MDA (p<0,05), CuZn-SOD (p<0,01), Se-GPx (P<0,05), dok razlika nije bila značajna za vrijednosti NO2-/NO3-, CAT, Zn i Cu. Iste su vrijednosti ispitane i u fetalnoj krvi, a jedino su vrijednosti NO2-/NO3- (p<0,01), Se-GPx (p<0,01) i CAT (p<0,001) bile statistički različite. Vjerojatno je da su majke pušačice bile izložene većem oksidacijskom stresu od majki nepušačica

Coping Attitudes of Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers and Quality of Life of Caregivers.

Cancer process is a traumatic period for both patients and their caregivers. Caregivers of the patients use various coping methods to minimize the effects of anxiety-creating negativities in their daily lives. The present study aimed to examine the coping attitudes adopted by the patients and caregivers and the effects of this process upon the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers

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

Tularemia Associated to Drinking Mountain Water Presenting with Lymphadenopathy: a Case Report

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease that can be passed to humans via the consumption of wild animal meat or inadequately cooked contaminated drinking water. There has been an increase in the number of observed cases in recent years. The clinical picture may vary from asymptomatic disease to septic shock. Oropharyngeal type of the disease is the most common clinical form and is associated with pharyngitis, fever and cervical lymphadenopathy (LAP). Here we present a 22-year-old female patient who developed cervical LAP after tonsillopharyngitis and was diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularemia that was determined to be related to drinking mountain water. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2012; 11(2.000): 245-247