Social norms regarding alcohol use and associated factors among university students in Turkey

Background: Misperceptions on the higher rates of peer alcohol use are predictive of increased personal use among university students. Objectives: This study aims to assess the prevalence, perceived peers’ social norms and other predictors of alcohol use in a sample of Turkish university students. Methods: This study is established upon the baseline Turkish data on alcohol use of the project Social Norms Intervention for the prevention of Polydrug usE (SNIPE). The data was obtained by a self-reported, online questionnaire from 858 students of Marmara University who were registered to the study web page. Results: Alcohol use and drunkenness rates were 62.6%, and 40.9%, respectively. Twenty point two percent of students reported drinking alcohol at least once a week in the last two months. Majority of students (70.4%) reported that religion has an important or very important role in their lives. Perceived higher frequency of peer alcohol use (p<0.000) and drunkenness (p<0.000) were significantly associated with personal alcohol use frequency. Tobacco use rate was 60.2% and positively associated with alcohol use frequency (p<0.000). In all participants, male gender (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.07-2.28), giving less importance to religion (OR: 20.91; 95% CI: 10.95-39.95), tobacco use everyday/almost everyday (OR: 17.88; 95% CI: 9.33-34.29), perceived positive peer attitude towards alcohol use (OR: 2.192; 95% CI: 1.25-3.82) and perceived higher frequency of peer alcohol use (OR: 3.487; 95% CI: 1.66-7.31) were found to be associated risk factors for alcohol use. Age (OR: 1.186, CI 95%: 1.03-1.36) and perceived positive peer attitude towards alcohol use (OR: 3.86, CI 95%: 1.84-8.09) were the additional risk factors among female student whereas perceived positive peer alcohol use frequency (OR: 8.08, CI 95%: 2.40-27.10) among male students. Discussion: As the first study conducted in Turkey applying social norms theory, our results indicate the noticeable misperceptions of students regarding their peers’ alcohol use. Based on our results, targeting both tobacco and alcohol use, and a gender-sensitive approach employing social norms interventions may enhance the preventive strategies for risky alcohol use among university students

Trakya Bölgesinde Organik Şaraplık Üzüm Yetiştiriciliği ve Şarap Yapımı

Dünyada geniş alanlarda uygulanan klasik tarımın giderek doğal dengeyi bozması sonucu örgütlenen üreticiler doğayı tahrip etmeyen, insan sağlığında yan etki yapmayan tarımsal ürünleri tercih etmeye başlamışlardır. AB ve FAO tarafından da klasik üretime alternatif olacak tarzda ortaya çıkan bu üretim şekli ekolojik veya organik tarım olarak isimlendirilmektedir. Ülkemizde 1985 yılında başlayan organik tarım ürünleri üretimi 2000’li yıllarda Dünya organik tarım pazarlarına talep yaratma çabaları ile yen bir boyut kazanmıştır.1999 yılında 92 tarım ürünü organik olarak üretilmiş olup bu üretimde üzümün payı 7182 ton’dur. Pestisit kalıntısı bulunmayan çevre dostu ürünlere, şarap sektörü de ilgi duymuş ve ekolojik şarapçılık gündeme gelmiştir. Ülkemizde şaraplık üzüm üretiminde büyük bir paya sahip Trakya Bölgesinde ekolojik ürün sertifikasyonuna sahip bağlar ve bu bağlardan elde edilen üzümlerden uygun yöntemlerle ekolojik şarap elde edilmesi için Enstitümüz tarafından proje bazında çalışmalar başlatılmıştır. Böyle çalışmaların üretici koşullarında ve çiftlik sistemleri araştırmaları kapsamında yürütülmesinin gerçekçi sonuçlar ortaya koyacağı düşünülmektedir

Rotatory Seizures

Scientific background and OBJECTIVE: Rotatory seizures (RSs) are characterized by a rotation around the body axis during a seizure for at least 180 degrees. Here, we aim to describe a case of RSs and to discuss RSs in the classification of epilepsies and possible mechanisms of RSs. CASE: In the first admission, she had seizures of 5 to 8 rotation of body with deviation of head and eyes to right. Movement of right hand to the mouth preceded each time. Duration of episodes was in 15 to 25 sc, they repeated up to 15 times a day. She rarely had short episodes of deviation of eyes to the right and twitching of right side of mouth. Ictal EEG showed spike and wave discharges which started from left frontal region and generalized. MRI revealed possible cortical dysplasia on left superior frontal gyrus. Seizures disappeared by combination of valproic acid and levetiracetam. She does not have any seizures since six months and her psychomotor development is normal. CONCLUSION: When it was described firstly, RSs were suggested to originate from focal cerebral lesions, however, in time they were reported in partial epilepsies without lesion or idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Pathogenesis is not yet explained, however, there are studies indicating frontal lobe, basal ganglions and vestibular cortex. Prognosis of RSs in partial epilepsies without lesion or idiopathic generalized epilepsies may be favorable, whereas, in resistant symptomatic cases surgery may be an alternative approach. We did not plan surgical approach since seizures are disappeared by medical treatment and she is being followed clinically and radiologicall

Farklı Mısır (Zea mays L.) Alt Türlerinin Körpe Mısır Özelliklerinin Karşılaştırılması

Araştırma; farklı mısır alt türlerinin (atdişi, sert, cin ve şeker mısır) körpe koçan verimi, bazı körpe koçan özellikleri ve tane mineral besin içeriklerini karşılaştırmak amacıyla 2016 ve 2017 yıllarında Isparta koşullarında yürütülmüştür. Deneme; “Bora” (atdişi mısır), “Karadeniz yıldızı” (sert mısır), “Ant Cin-98” (cin mısır) ve “BATEM tatlı” (şeker mısır) mısır çeşitleri kullanılarak Tesadüf Blokları Deneme Desenine göre 3 tekerrürlü olarak yürütülmüştür. Her çeşide ait körpe mısırlar, koçan püskülünün çıkışından itibaren 3. günde hasat edilmiştir. Mısır alt türlerinin körpe koçan boyu, çapı (ikinci yıl hariç) ve verimleri arasındaki farklar istatistiksel olarak önemli olmuştur. İncelenen karakterleri bakımından atdişi mısır çeşidinin körpe koçan özellikleri diğer mısır alt türlerinden daha yüksek olmuştur. Onu sert mısır, şeker mısır ve cin mısır takip etmiştir. 2016 yılında körpe koçan boyları, çapları ve körpe koçan verimleri sırasıyla 9.10-11.80 cm, 10.10-14.40 mm ve 128.00-155.20 kg da-1, bu özellikler 2017 yılında sırasıyla, 9.56-12.16 cm, 13.66-14.93 mm ve 118.40-164.76 kg da-1 arasında değişmiştir. Mısır alt türlerinin mineral besin içerikleri arasındaki farklar istatistiksel olarak önemli olmamıştır

Seizures in patients with respiratory disease - a retrospective single center study

Objective: Seizures are a neurological condition commonly experienced during the follow-up period after systemic or metabolic disorders. The aim of the present study was to determine the etiological factors of seizures in patients at a tertiary care chest clinic. Methods: We reviewed all neurology consultations that were requested due to seizures in inpatient clinics in a tertiary care hospital specializing in respiratory disorders between January 2011 and January 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The present study included 705 of 2793 (25.2%) patients who requested consultations for seizures during the study period.The mean age of the sample was 64.05 +/- 17.19 years. Of the 705 patients,307 (43.5%) had a previous history of epilepsy (Group I) and 398 (56.5%) had a first-time seizure and were considered to have symptomatic seizures (Group II). Multiple factors played roles in the development of seizures in 54.8% of the patients.In most patients,metabolic causes, systemic infections, and drug use were identified and an intracranial metastatic mass lesion was the major cause in patients with lung cancer. Rates of hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis were significantly higher in patients with symptomatic seizures (Group II) than in patients with primary epilepsy (Group I). Conclusions: Blood gas changes such as hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis were among the factors statistically associated with the development of symptomatic seizures in patients with respiratory diseases. Additionally, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and respiratory acidosis were correlated with mortality in patients hospitalized for respiratory system diseases who requested consultations for seizures

Acrylamide Contents of Some Commercial Crackers, Biscuits and Baby Biscuits

Bu çalışmada, Türkiye'de satılan 90 adet ticari kraker, bisküvi ve bebek bisküvisi örneklerindeki akrilamid düzeyleri brom türevlendirmesi sonrasında Gaz Kromatografisi/Kütle Spektrometresi metoduyla araştırılmıştır. Kraker örnekleri (n=30) tuzlu, peynirli, baharatlı ve susamlı krakerler olmak üzere 4 gruba ayrılmıştır. Bisküvi örnekleri (n=27) ise 5 gruba ayrılarak sade, kakaolu, kepekli, tam buğday ve yulaflı bisküviler olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Bebek bisküvileri (n=33) markalarına göre gruplandırılmışlardır. Kraker, bisküvi ve bebek bisküvisi örneklerindeki ortalama akrilamid düzeyleri sırasıyla 604, 495 ve 153 µg/kg olarak belirlenmiştir. Akrilamid gıdaların kompozisyonuna ve işleme parametrelerine bağlı olarak pek çok gıdada bulunmakta ve düzeyleri farklı markalara ve gıda çeşitlerine göre değişmektedir.In present study, acrylamide levels in a total of 90 commercial samples of crackers, biscuits and baby biscuits sold in Turkey were determined by the GC/MS method with bromine derivatization. Cracker samples (n=30) were divided into 4 groups as salty crackers, crackers with cheese, crackers with spices and crackers with sesame. Biscuit samples (n=27) were divided into 5 categories as wheat based biscuits, bran based biscuits, whole wheat biscuits, oat biscuits and wheat biscuits with cocoa. Baby biscuits (n=33) were grouped depending on their brand name. Mean acrylamide levels were 604, 495 and 153 mg/kg for crackers, biscuits and baby biscuits, respectively. Acrylamide contents showed a great variation among different brands and types of food samples since acrylamide can be found in a wide range of food products at different levels depending on the composition and processing parameters