The health literacy level and eating behaviours of the teachers working at the city center of Eskisehir Turkey

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine the level of Health Literacy of teachers who work at the city center of Eskisehir and to evaluate the relation with eating behaviors and some of possible related variables.Methods: This cross-sectional research study was conducted between 1st of March and 28th of April 2017 with the primary, secondary and high school teachers. Study group consists of 825 teachers who agreed to participate to the study. The Questionnaire form includes the socio-demographic variables of teachers, potential factors associated with the health literacy, Turkish Health Literacy Scale 32 (THLS-32) and The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire.Results: The mean age was 41.91±8.80 years ranging from 22 to 65 years. The median score of the general index of the THLS-32 was found to be as 32.81 and 52.1% of our study population were found to be above the median score. The participants showed a negative correlation between the scores of ‘emotional eating’,‘uncontrolled eating’ scale and THLS-32, positive correlation between ‘cognitive restraint’ eating scale THLS-32.Conclusions: The health literacy level of teachers is important because of effecting both themselves and students. The teachers and the health care providers should collaborate on the topic more and they should be encouraged to participate in health related programmes

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment for Steroid Refractory Graft-versus-Host Disease in Children: A Pilot and First Study from Turkey

This study evaluated the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow of a third-party donor for refractory aGVHD. We report the first experience using MSCs to treat refractory aGVHD in 33 pediatric patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT from Turkey. Totally, 68 doses of bone marrow derived MSCs were infused. The median dose of MSC was 1.18×106 cells per kg body weight. Overall, complete response (CR) was documented in 18 patients, partial response (PR) was documented in 7 patients, and no response (NR) was documented in 8 patients. The 2-year estimated probability of overall survival (OS) for patients achieving CR and PR/NR was 63.8% and 29.4%, respectively p=0.0002. While the cumulative incidence of transplant related mortality (TRM) at day 100 after first MSC infusion was 46.6% in PR/NR patients, there was no any TRM at day 100 after first MSC infusion in CR patients p=0.001. Twelve patients developed chronic GVHD (cGVHD); eight of them were alive, with five having extensive disease and three having limited disease. In conclusion, MSCs appear to be safe and effective treatment option for pediatric patients with steroid refractory aGVHD. But the efficacy of MSCs on cGVHD in aGVHD patients treated with MSCs seems to be limited

Effect and Safety of Granulocyte Transfusions in Pediatric Patients With Febrile Neutropenia or Defective Granulocyte Functions

Background: Despite the introduction of new broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungal therapies over the past decade, infections remains the most frequent cause of death in patients with neutropenia. The aim of this study is to assess the effect and safety of granulocyte transfusions (GTX) for the treatment of severe life-threatening infections in pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia or defective granulocyte functions

A Modular Chain Bioreactor Design for Fungal Productions

Plastic bag bioreactors are single-use bioreactors, frequently used in solid culture fermentation. This study developed plastic bag bioreactors with more effective aeration conditions and particular connection elements that yield sensors, environmental control, and modular connectivity. This bioreactor system integrates the bags in a chain that circulates air and moisture through filtered connections. Within the present scope, this study also aimed to reveal that cultures in different plastic bags can be produced without affecting each other. In this direction, biomass production in the modular chain bioreactor (MCB) system developed in this study was compared to traditional bag systems. In addition, contamination experiments were carried out between the bags in the system, and it was observed that the filters in the developed system did not affect the microorganisms in different bags.<br

Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Complicated by Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) may be familial or secondary to infections, malignancies, metabolic disorders. Infectious causes are mostly viral and EBV is the mostly frequently seen etiologic agent. In this case, we report a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who had three episodes of secondary HLH, possibly due to two different viral etiologies, namely CMV and RSV together with her malignancy, during her induction-consolidation treatment. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53: 491-492. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Effects of rhG-CSF Plus Dexamethasone on Hemostatic Parameters in Healthy Granulocyte Donors: Role of u-PA and Nitric Oxide

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is widely used to reduce the risk of infection resulting from neutropenias and to mobilize and collect CD34+ hematopoetic progenitor cells (HPCs) for autologous and allogenic transplantation. The safety of recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) administration in healthy donors has been investigated in several studies. However, there are limited cumulative data about the effects of rhG-CSF on hemostasis. Hemostatic parameters, including, urokinase-type plasminogen activator antigen (u-pA:Ag) and nitric oxide in 17 healthy granulocyte apheresis donors who donated for neutropenic patients were evaluated. rhG-CSF (sing le dose, 10 mu g/kg subcutaneously) and dexamethasone (8 mg, single dose oral) were given to donors 12 hours before granulocyte apheresis. Two blood samples were drawn at time 0 (TO) before rhG-CSF and dexamethasone administration and at timne 1 (T1), immediately before the apheresis. A statistically significant rise in coagulant factor VIII (FVIII) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), and slightly rise in u-PA:Ag were observed after G-CSF plus dexamethasone administration. In addition, there were positive correlations between vWF-D-dimer and FVIII-D-dimer. A significant decrease in mean total nitric oxide (NOx), nitrite, and nitrate levels was also found after G-CSF plus dexamethasone administration. Moreover, there was a strong negative correlation between nitrite and D-dimer levels (r = -0.611; P = .009). Even if partially compensated with u-PA and protein C, increased FVIII and vWF activity, and decreased nitric oxide levels may still partially contribute to progress of thrombosis risk in rhG-CSF plus dexamethasone administered healthy granulocyte donors. Large numbers of healthy donors exposed to G-CSF Plus dexamethasone will be needed to evaluate the risk of thrombosis in this Population