METAL OXIDE DOPED ANTIBACTERIAL POLYMERIC COATED TEXTILE MATERIALS AND ASSESSEMENT OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY WITH ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE

Antibacterial activity of a food conveyor belt is an essential property in some cases. However, every antibacterial chemical is not suitable to contact with food materials. Many metal oxides are suitable option for this purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate antibacterial properties of zinc oxide doped PVC polymer coated with electron spin resonance technique. Therefore, optimum zinc oxide containing PVC paste was prepared and applied to textile surface. Coating construction was designed as double layered, first layer did not contain antibacterial agent, thin second layer contained zinc oxide at 10-35% concentration. Oxygen radicals released from zinc oxide containing polymeric coated surface were spin trapped with DMPO (dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide) spin trap and measured with Electron Spin Resonance (ESR). Besides conveyor belt samples, oxygen radical release from zinc oxide surface was measured with ESR under UV light and dark conditions. Oxygen radical release was determined even at dark conditions. Antibacterial properties were tested with ISO 22196 standard using Listeria innocua species. Measured antibacterial properties were related with ESR results. Higher concentration of zinc oxide resulted in higher antibacterial efficiency. DCFH-DA flourometric assay was carried out to determine oxidative stress insidebacteria. It is tought that, this technique will lead to decrease on the labour and time needed for conventional antibacterial tests

Smoking status of medical students at Ege University: A cross-sectional survey of 1040 students in 2018

Introduction We aimed to determine the smoking prevalence and related factors among 1,2,3 and 6th grade students at Ege University Faculty of Medicine. Methods This cross-sectional survey was a part of a multi-centre study throughout Turkey and the data were collected in May-June 2018. The target group of this study was 1537 medical students studying in the first, second, third and sixth grades. Questionnaires were applied to 1040 students (67.7%) who agreed to participate in the study. The coverage was 94.5%, 78.6%, 57.4%, 36.7% for the first, second, third and sixth grades, respectively. Results The overall prevalence of smoking was 18.4%, with 18.1%, 18.6%, 17.0% and 22.1% in the first, second, third and sixth grades, respectively. The mean age at starting to smoke was 16.5±2.3 yrs (min.8, max.23). Current smoking was more prevalent in males compared to females (24.3% vs. 11.7%, p<0.001). Among current smokers, 27.4% had started smoking during medical school. The most common reasons for starting to smoke were the effects of close friends (37.1%) and stress (19.2%). Current smokers spend 201±139 Turkish Liras (min.0, max.800) monthly for cigarettes. Among smokers, 60.4% have tried to quit smoking at least once, and 78% of them thought of smoking cessation. Among e-cigarette users, 93.6% were ever-smokers. According to univariate analyses; male students, students whose parents, partners or best friends were ever-smokers, students living alone and the ones who have smoked hookah at least once have significantly higher prevalence of being ever-smokers compared to their counter-parts. In multivariate analyses; having the hookah use (OR:12.4), living alone at home (OR:3.4), partner (OR:2.3) or best friend (OR:1.9) smoking, and were found to be independent risk factors related to being an ever-smoker. Conclusions The present study shows that the prevalence of smoking in especially male medical students was high (24.3%) in Turkey, and nearly one third of the students started smoking during medical faculty. Therefore, there is a need to include intensive education programs regarding smoking-related health problems and smoking cessation at an early stage in the medical curriculum

Evaluation of vitamin D binding protein and 25-hydroxy vitamin D metabolites in COVID-19 patients

INTRODUCTION: The immunomodulatory roles of vitamin D and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) are in interest with incidence or outcome of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate the association between the severity of COVID-19 with VDBP, total 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), and its metabolites free vitamin D (VDfree) and bioavailable vitamin D (VDbio).METHODS: Study group consisted of 68 COVID-19 patients and 20 healthy subjects. Patients were subgrouped as asymptotic, mild/moderately pneumonia, or severe pneumonia. Plasma total 25(OH)D was quantitated by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and serum VDBP by a polyclonal sandwich enzyme immunoassay. In addition, routinely used laboratory parameters in follow-up were recorded. VDfree and VDbio were calculated using total 25(OH)D, VDBP, and albumin levels.RESULTS: Plasma total 25(OH)D (13.3± 5.7 vs 30.3±13.3 ng/dL), VDfree [2.18 (1.52-3.44) vs 4.34 (3.74-6.48) pg/mL], and VDbio [1.86 (1.09-2.81) vs 4.28 (3.45-6.34) nmol/L)] levels were lower in COVID-19 patients (p&lt;0.001). Despite the insignificance of 25(OH)D and metabolites between COVID-19 severity subgroups, serum VDBP was highest in mild/moderately pneumonia (601.8±278.6 ng/mL) and lowest in severe pneumonia (427.9±147.2 ng/mL) (p&lt;0.001). In addition, VDBP was positively correlated with lymphocyte counts (B: 87.9, r2=0.068, p =0.031) and negatively correlated with D-Dimer levels (B: -0.024, r2=0.081, p =0.032).DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients have lower plasma 25(OH)D levels and lower 25(OH)D metabolites VDfree, VDbio which are physiologically active. Additionally, serum VDBP concentrations significantly decrease in critically ill patients which needs further studies to be associated in the etiopathogenesis of the disease severity.Keywords:&nbsp;COVID-19, vitamin D binding protein, 25(OH)D, free vitamin D, bioavailable vitamin D</p