Validation of an In-House-Developed GC-MS Method for 5α-Cholestanol According to ISO 15189:2012 Requirements.

Objective: The aim of this study was to validate a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the measurement of 5 alpha-cholestanol in the clinical laboratory in agreement with ISO 15189:2012

Scientific medical journals in turkey: Current state and goals

This article evaluates Turkish indexed journals and their impact factors, based on data from local and international databases. Fifty five medical journals are now indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded, with the highest 2-year Journal Impact Factor being 0.873. The medical journals with high impact factors are those published in English. Though the number of articles is increasing, the impact factors for most Turkish medical journals is still low, presumably mainly due to the language of publication. Increasing the number of articles published both in Turkish and English along with training of science editors and authors, and wider indexing of journals in international databases may improve the quality of Turkish journals

Blood Levels of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg, Ca and P in tobacco workers

WOS: 000242863800001Blood levels of cadmium and lead as well as iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus were determined in 87 workers of the tobacco industry and 35 healthy and unexposed control persons. The concentrations of cadmium and lead were measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS), whereas copper, zinc and magnesium were analyzed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). Iron, calcium and phosphorus were determined using colorimetric methods. Blood cadmium levels were significantly higher in workers than in controls, median concentrations being, 1.10 mu g/L and 0.50 mu g/L, respectively, (p=0.011). When the groups were further evaluated according to smoking habits, a significant difference was observed between the nonsmokers of the workers and the control group (p=0.05). Blood lead levels showed no significant difference between workers and controls. Serum calcium and zinc concentrations were significantly higher in the workers (p=0.002 and p=0.015, respectively), while no significant differences were observed with respect to concentrations of the other non-toxic elements

Selective Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism: A Report of Six Years Experience

Background: Tandem MS analysis of dried blood spots is a widely used method for diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism. Clinical laboratories performing this test for clinically suspected children at different ages are faced with the challenge of using appropriate reference ranges for the diagnostic markers

Effects of selenium supplementation on antioxidant defense and glucose homeostasis in experimental diabetes mellitus.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different forms of Se supplementation on the antioxidant defense and glucose bomeostasis in experimental diabetes. Sodium selenate (SS) or selenomethionine (SM) were administered (2 mu mol Se kg(-1) day(-1)) via orogastric route to streptozotocine (STZ)-induced diabetic rats in addition to basal diet for 12 weeks. Glucose levels in whole blood, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in erythrocytes, Se and fructosamine levels in plasma were evaluated monthly. Plasma Se levels increased significantly in all diabetic groups compared to basal measurements, being more prominent in SM group [p(SM3/SM0)=0.018]. The increase in GSH-Px activities was significant at the end of the second month in SS [p(SS2/SS0)=0.028], whereas at the end of the third month in SM the value was lower [p(SM3/SM0)=0.018] and the unsupplemented diabetic control (DC) groups, p(DC3/DC0)=0.012. Glucose increased significantly only in DC group. Fructosamine increased gradually in all diabetic groups, being significant in DC and SS groups. At the end of the third month, highest fructosamine levels were observed in SS group, which were significantly higher than the SM group [p(SM/SS)=0.010]. In conclusion, Se augmented the antioxidant defense by increasing GSH-Px activity and this effect was more prominent when Se was supplemented as SM, which exerted positive effects also on glucose homeostasis

The effects of pre-pregnancy obesity and gestational weight gain on maternal lipid profiles, fatty acids and insulin resistance.

© 2021 Pregnancy is associated with physiological alterations in insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism. This study investigates the associations between pregestational body mass index (pBMI) and the rate of gestational weight gain (rGWG) in the second trimester with the biomarkers of lipid, fatty acids metabolism and insulin resistance. Sixty nine pregnant women followed. The body weights of the pregnant women were measured and blood samples were obtained at 11-14th and 24-28th weeks of pregnancy. Glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, insulin levels and fatty acids were measured. Rate of GWG (kg/week) and The Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. The pregnant women were stratified according to their pBMI and the 2nd trimester rGWG. The rate of GWG was significantly higher for the group with pBMI<25, compared to the group with pBMI≥25 (p=0.024). Triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol were significantly increased in the second trimester compared with the first trimester. Palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), total omega-6 (n - 6) and omega-3 (n - 3) fatty acid levels and n - 6/n - 3 ratio were significantly higher in the second trimester. Glucose was significantly decreased and insulin was increased in the second trimester. In the overweight/obese group; HOMA-IR, insulin, AA, palmitoleic acid and stearic acid were found to be high in comparison to the group with low/normal pBMI. No parameters were associated with rGWG. The changes in lipid parameters, free fatty acids, insulin and HOMA-IR in the second trimester were compatible with the changes in lipid metabolism and the development of insulin resistance. Pregestational BMI was shown to have a stronger influence on lipid profile, insulin resistance, and fatty acids than rGWG

The effect of malnutrition on protein glycosylation in children.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of protein energy malnutrition on protein glycosylation by investigating transferrin isoform pattern and its relationship to the degree of malnutrition and the biochemical markers of nutritional status in children