Personal protective equipment-related problems experienced by healthcare workers, solutions, and recommendations: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE To understand the problems experienced by healthcare workers (HCWs) who used personal protective equipment (PPE) on their face during the COVID-19 pandemic, their interventions to prevent these problems, and their recommendations for improving the quality of PPE. METHODS This descriptive and qualitative study included HCWs (N = 29) from health institutions at different levels in Turkey. Researchers collected data using a semistructured data collection form (13 items) and in-depth individual interviews. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative inductive content analysis. RESULTS Of the 29 participants, 15 (51.7%) were women, and 18 (62.1%) were nurses. Participants' answers regarding problems related to PPE use were grouped into four main categories, answers regarding the prevention of these problems were grouped into three main categories, and answers regarding improving the quality of PPE were grouped into three main categories. Skin concerns were the most commonly reported problems related to PPE, and interventions to prevent these problems primarily related to skin protection and care. Recommendations to improve the quality of PPE focused on using materials for masks and face shields that reduce pressure and friction; participants also suggested that face shields be produced in sterile and disposable packages. CONCLUSIONS This research indicates that HCWs need support and they are able to create individual solutions for the problems with PPE that they experience. Skin-friendly PPE that ensures the safety and comfort of HCWs should be produced, and hospitals should develop policies for institutional use to prevent PPE injury

Comparison of knowledge scores of medical students in problem-based learning and traditional curriculum on public health topics

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to compare the knowledge scores of medical students in Problem-based Learning and traditional curriculum on public health topics. METHODS: We planned a cross-sectional study including the fifth and sixth year medical students of Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey. The fifth year students (PBL group, n = 56) were the pioneers educated with PBL curriculum since the 1997–1998 academic year. The sixth year students (traditional education group, n = 78) were the last students educated with traditional education methods. We prepared 25 multiple-choice questions in order to assess knowledge scores of students on selected subjects of Public Health. Our data were collected in year 2002. RESULTS: Mean test scores achieved in PBL and traditional groups were 65.0 and 60.5 respectively. PBL students were significantly more successful in the knowledge test (p = 0.01). The knowledge scores of two topics were statistically higher among PBL students. These topics were health management and chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: We found that mean total evaluation score in the PBL group was 4.5 points higher than in the traditional group in our study. Focusing only on the knowledge scores of students is the main limitation of our study. Upon the graduation of the first PBL students in the 2002–2003 academic year, we are planning additional studies regarding the other functions of a physician such as skill, behaviour and attitude

The genetic history of the Southern Arc: a bridge between West Asia and Europe

By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra–West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe

Distance restricted maximal covering model for pharmacy duty scheduling problem

Pharmacies are considered as an integral part of health care systems for supplying medicine to patients. In order to access medicine with ease, pharmacies locations in the context of distance and demand are important for patients. In the case of a few numbers of pharmacies may be on duty at nights or during holidays, pharmacies duty scheduling problem occur and can be associated with location models. In contrast to widely used p-median model which aims to minimize the demand-weighted distance, we maximize the demand covered over the distance between the patients and the pharmacies on duty. Main contribution of the proposed model is the restriction constraint for the distance between pharmacies on duty in order to ensure fairness in an organizational view of point. We propose a distance restricted maximal covering location model (DR-MCLM) in this study. This mathematical model is a mixed integer linear programming model and solved by Lingo optimization software. The distances between the pharmacies and the sites are obtained using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The model is applied for the case in Adana, one of the biggest cities in Turkey. The results are given on the maps of the city, including the pharmacies on duty and their assignments to sites in each day of the period

Comparison of cord blood and 6-month-old vitamin D levels of healthy term infants supplemented with 400 IU/day dose of vitamin D

Objectives To determine the prevalence and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and their infants at birth (cord blood) and at six months of age in Turkey, as well as to assess the compliance rates of families with vitamin D supplementation. Methods Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level was measured of the mothers before delivery and of the infants both at birth (cord blood) and at six months of age. Infants who received and did not take regular vitamin D supplements were compared in terms of 25(OH) levels. Independent risk factors were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results The study included a total of 140 pregnant women and their infants. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 95.7% of the mothers. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 87.1% in infants at birth but decreased to 5.8% at sixth month. 65.7% of infants received vitamin D supplements regularly. Despite regular vitamin D use, it was determined that 2.2% of the infants in the supplementation compliant group had vitamin D deficiency. Maternal age, maternal education level, and the number of siblings were determined to be determining factors on infants' 25(OH)D levels at six months (p < 0.05). Conclusions In Turkey, vitamin D deficiency still exists in both pregnant women and infants. Healthcare professionals and the public need to be more educated about the importance of regular supplementation. Serum 25(OH)D levels of infants should be tested periodically and personalized vitamin D supplementation planning is required based on test results

FATTY ACID COMPOSITION, TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF VARIETIES OF POPPY (Papaver somniforum) SEED OILS

Bu çalışmada, mavi ve beyaz haşhaş (Papaver somniforum) tohumlarından elde edilen sabit yağların yağ asidi kompozisyonları, biyoaktif ve antimikrobiyal özellikleri incelenmiştir. Örneklerin bileşiminde ağırlıklı olarak linoleik (%69.2-73.2), oleik (%13.5-17.4) ve palmitik asit (%8.8-8.9) olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Toplam fenolik madde miktarı mavi ve beyaz haşhaş tohumu yağında (MHTY ve BHTY) sırasıyla 659.5±2.12 ve 275.5±2.12 mg GAE/kg olarak belirlenmiştir. MHTY’nın antioksidan aktivite değeri DPPH ve ABTS+ yöntemlerine göre sırasıyla %40.35±0.14 ve 41.09±0.58, BHTY’da ise %40.86±1.25 ve 41.95±1.46 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında ilk kez yağ örneklerinin gıda mikrobiyolojisi açısından önemli bakteriler üzerinde antimikrobiyal etkileri belirlenmiştir. MHTY’na karşı en hassas mikroorganizmaların E. coli ve L. monocytogenes olduğu belirlenmiştir. BHTY, B. subtilis ve S. aureus dışındaki mikroorganizmalara karşı benzer düzeyde etki göstermiştir. Sonuçlar, haşhaş tohumu yağlarının doğal antioksidan ve antimikrobiyal ürünler olarak kullanılabilme potansiyeline sahip olduğunu göstermiştir.In the study, fatty acid compositions, bioactive and antimicrobial properties of fixed oil obtained from blue and white poppy (Papaver somniforum) seeds were examined. The major components found in the composition of samples were linoleic (69.2-73.2%), oleic (13.5-17.4%) and palmitic acid (8.8- 8.9%). The total phenolic content was determined as 659.5±2.12 and 275.5±2.12 mg GAE/kg in blue and white poppy seed oil (BPSO and WPSO), respectively. According to DPPH and ABTS+ methods, the antioxidant activities were 40.35±0.14 and 41.09±0.58% for BPSO and 40.86±1.25 and 41.95±1.46% for WPSO, respectively. In the context of this study, antimicrobial effects of oil samples were determined for the first time on bacteria, important in food microbiology. The most sensitive microorganisms to BPSO were E. coli and L. monocytogenes. WPSO was shown similar level of antimicrobial effect on microorganisms except B. subtilis and S. aureus. Results showed that poppy seed oils have the potential to be used as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial products

KABAK VE KAYISI ÇEKİRDEĞİ YAĞLARININ YAĞ ASİDİ KOMPOZİSYONU, BİYOAKTİF ÖZELLİKLERİNİN BELİRLENMESİ

Bu çalışmada, Ankara’da yetiştirilen kabak çekirdeği ve Malatya’da yetiştirilen kayısı çekirdeğinden elde edilensabit yağların yağ asidi kompozisyonları ve biyoaktif özellikleri incelenmiştir. Kabak ve kayısı çekirdeğiyağlarının bileşiminde bulunan ana bileşenler linoleik ve oleik asit olarak tespit edilmiştir. Kabak ve kayısıçekirdeği yağlarının toplam fenolik madde miktarı sırasıyla 123.60 ve 86.75 mg GAE/100 g olarakbelirlenmiştir. DPPH yöntemine göre kabak ve kayısı çekirdeği yağlarının antioksidan aktivite değerlerisırasıyla %46.53 ve %39.61 iken ABTS yöntemine göre değerler %74.73 ve %49.05 olarak tespit edilmiştir.Kabak çekirdeği yağına karşı en hassas mikroorganizma Escherichia coli O157:H7 olarak tespit edilirken,Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus feacalis ve Salmonella Typhimurium, kayısı çekirdeği yağlarına karşı en hassasmikroorganizmalar olarak belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlar, sabit yağların gıda endüstrisinde doğal antioksidan ürünlerolarak kullanılabileceğini göstermiştir

ST2 and galectin-3 as novel biomarkers for the prediction of future cardiovascular disease risk in preeclampsia

The aim of this study was to investigate known cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk biomarkers galectin-3 (Gal-3) and human stromelysin-2 (ST2) levels in preeclampsia (PE) and normotensive pregnancies. A case-control study was conducted in a teaching and research hospital. We performed data analysis involving 45 pregnant women with PE and gestational week (GW) matched 35 normotensive pregnant women. The Gal-3 and ST2 levels were determined by using ELISA kit. Gal-3 values did not differ statistically between PE and control groups (535.1 ng/mL vs. 615.2 ng/mL) (p> .05). ST2 value in the PE group was statistically significantly lower than the control group (33.3 pg/mL vs. PE, 54.5 pg/mL, p ˂ .05). >34 GW patients (late-onset PE) had statistically significantly lower Gal-3 values than the ≤34 GW patients (early-onset PE) (507.1 ng/mL vs. 769.6 ng/mL, p ˂ .05). Late-onset PE patients had significantly lower ST2 values than early-onset patients (26.4 pg/mL vs. 57.9 pg/mL, p ˂ .05). We assume that low Gal-3 values in early-onset PE show a higher risk of cardiac fibrosis although both early and late-onset PE patients had an increased CVD risk later in life. We found the superiority of ST2 levels to Gal-3 levels in PE pregnancies for CVD risk assessment.Impact Statement What is already known about this subject? Preeclampsia (PE) in pregnancy is a known risk factor for future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is also associated with increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease later in life. Studies that investigate patients with a higher risk for CVD in PE pregnancies are lacking. What do the results of this study add? We found different levels of two novel cardiac markers with PE and normotensive pregnancies, and also with early and late-onset PE pregnancies. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Different adaptive responses from patients during PE pregnancies via altered levels of cardiac markers could help clinicians to identify women with a higher risk of CVD