Relation of age and sex with carotid intima media thickness in healthy children

Background/aim: To investigate the age- and sex-associated carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) changes in healthy children to determine the age- and sex-specific normal range of values for childhood. Materials and methods: This study examined 91 healthy school-age children aged 7-15 years prospectively. Standardized sonographic cIMT measurements and analyses were performed. Body mass index and blood pressure were obtained, and atherosclerotic risk factors were investigated. Age- and sex-specific cIMT measurements for different age groups were calculated and the relation with sex was investigated. Results: Regarding the total study group, mean cIMT measurements for age groups 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15 years were 4.1 ± 0.5 mm, 4.4 ± 0.6 mm, and 4.6 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. cIMT did not differ between boys and girls in the same age group. Age related analyses showed significant variations among the age groups with positive correlation between cIMT and age. Conclusion: Our results suggest that age-related physiologic thickening of the carotid artery intima-media occurs not only in adults but also in children and that sex is not a factor for cIMT differences in childhood. © TÜBİTAK

Parental anxiety and affecting factors in acute paediatric blunt head injury

Objective: This study is designed to investigate the factors affecting parental anxiety regarding their children with head injury in the emergency department (ED). Materials and methods: This prospective observational study enrolled all consecutive paediatric patients admitted to the university-based ED with the presenting chief complaint of paediatric blunt head injury (PBHI). The parents were asked to respond to the 10- item questionnaire during both presentation and discharge. Anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents were calculated and magnitudes of the decreases in anxiety and persuasion scores were analysed with respect to sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results: The study sample included 341 patients admitted to the ED. The anxiety and persuasion scores of mothers and fathers were not significantly different from each other on presentation while the extent of decrease in anxiety scores of mothers were significantly smaller than that of the fathers (p=0.003). The parents' education levels had significant impact on anxiety and persuasion scores recorded on presentation. The anxiety and persuasion scores were inversely related to education levels of the parents on presentation (p=0.002 and p=0.000, respectively). In addition, lower education levels were found to be associated with a greater decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores. Neurosurgical consultation also affected the magnitude of the decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents. The changes in the scores were affected negatively by the parents' age. Conclusions: Radiological investigations had no significant impact on the decrease in anxiety and persuasion scores of the parents by themselves, while neurosurgical consultation had significant impact on them. Emergency physicians should tailor their strategy to institute effective communication with the parents of children to cut down unnecessary investigations in PBHI

Transport and distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll-a by mesoscale eddies in the northeastern Mediterranean

The distribution of nutrient elements and chlorophyll-a in the Northern Levantine Basin (NLB) were investigated in some detail and are discussed together with the physical aspects of the region in the present study. The surface circulation pattern of the NLB was studied and the structure of the relatively large-scale Rhodes cyclonic gyre, which is located between Rhodes and Cyprus, was investigated for the same time period. The most important characteristics of this cyclonic gyre are the upwelling of nutrient-rich deep waters within the gyre and the reverse phenomenon at the peripheries. Anticyclonic circulation systems generally surround the Rhodes cyclonic gyre; the permanent ones are located in the southern part of the Rhodes gyre, in the Cilician Basin, and off İskenderun Bay. The vertical distribution of nutrients in the water column shows completely reversed trends and the nutrient gradient ranges between 300–400 m in the central parts of the anticyclonic systems. Thus downwelling processes also occur in the NLB and the formation of Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) observed in the NLB matches the chemical data presented here. This special vertical and spatial distribution of nutrients affects the distribution of the phytoplankton population, as the patches of primary producers are aggregated in the central parts of the Rhodes gyre. This is confirmed by the chlorophyll-a data and the unexpected content of neuston net collection in the same region. The concentration of chlorophyll-a was relatively high at offshore stations, such as in the central parts of the cyclonic gyres, where zooplankton, small shrimp and fish larvae, etc., were observed in large quantities

Compliance status of product labels to the international code on marketing of breast milk substitutes

The aim of this study was to determine the compliance status of product labels regarding Article 9 of the International Code on Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) in Denizli province, Turkey. A cross-sectional study design was employed to determine the compliance status. The product labels were obtained from a convenience sample of five supermarkets, one store and 5 pharmacies in the City centre and district of Honaz. Using a data collection form prepared by previously published studies, data were collected between July 26, 2010 and August 06, 2010. Data collection form included 13 criteria. In addition, we checked the boxes for the availability of a Turkish written label. Forty product labels of 7 companies were reached and evaluated. These products consisted of 83.0%of the productsmarketed by these companies in Turkey. Thirty seven (92.5%) of the labels violated Article 9 of the Code in terms of one ormore criteria. Thirty four (85.0%) of the labels had photos or pictures idealizing the use of infant formula. Nine (22.5%) had a photo, a picture or any representation of an infant, and five (12.5%) had text which idealize the use of infant formula or discouraging breastfeeding. Eight (20%) did not state that breastfeeding is the best. Four (10%) had a termsuch as 'similar to breastmilk or human milk'. In conclusion, the majority of the product labels of breast milk substitutes marketed in our country violate the Code. It is appropriate that the Turkish Ministry of Health, medical organizations, companies, and NGOs work more actively to increase awareness of this issue. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012