Evaluation of the Relationship Between the Level of Vitamin D in Maternal Blood and Breast Milk and Postpartum Depression

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between postpartum depression (PPD) and vitamin D levels in maternal blood and breast milk. Material and Methods: The study included women who presented to a polyclinic between December 2017 and_x000D_ August 2018, 4-6 weeks after having given live birth, who were aged between 18 and 40 years and married, gave birth after a planned single_x000D_ pregnancy, were feeding their baby with only breast milk and stated that they were taking vitamin D supplementation at the dose recommended by the Ministry of Health. The depression status of the women who agreed to participate in the study by signing the volunteer informed_x000D_ consent form was evaluated using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Two groups were formed as Group 1: EPDS score_x000D_ <13 (n=44) (without PPD) and Group 2: EPDS score ≥13 (n=31) (with PPD). The vitamin D levels in breast milk and maternal blood in both_x000D_ groups were compared. Results: 75 female patients included in the study had a mean age of 29.80±4.54 years. The mean vitamin D levels in_x000D_ breast milk and maternal blood were found to be 13.26±5.39 ng/mL and 17.14±6.79 ng/mL, respectively. In terms of depression status, no_x000D_ statistically significant difference was found between the groups regarding the serum vitamin D levels and the mean level of vitamin D in breast_x000D_ milk (p=0.463, p=0.847). Conclusion: No significant correlation was determined between the vitamin D levels in maternal blood and breast_x000D_ milk and PPD, while vitamin D was found to be low both in maternal blood and breast milk

The effect of fermentation process on bioactive properties, essential oil composition and phenolic constituents of raw fresh and fermented sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) leaves

800-804The influence of fermentation on antioxidant activity, total phenol, total flavonoid and phenolic compounds of sea fennel and also volatile compounds of sea fennel essential oil was investigated and compared with fresh samples. Antioxidant activity, total fenolic and flavonoid contents decresed from 89.79 to 63.13%; from 259.58 to 77.92 mg/100 g; from 2114.67 to 390.50 mg/100 g, respectively. Twenty-six and thirty-three components of sea fennel oils were identified in raw and fermented sea fennel, accounting to about 99.99% and 99.44% of the total oil, respectively. The raw and fermented sea fennel leaves contained 22.31 and 1.32% sabinene, 12.08% and 7.45% limonene, 10.30% and 11.61% β-phellandrene, 8.59% and 9.17% (Z)-β-ocimene, 7.08% and 3.55% α-pinene, 28.36% and 42.05% γ-terpinene, 2.57% and 8.64% terpinene-4-ol, respectively. Dominant phenolic compounds were (+)-catechin, gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and p-coumaric acid. Generally, all of the phenolic compounds reduced the effect of microorganisms during,. However, essential oil contents of sea fennel were not effected from fermentation process

Evaluation of the presence of SARS-COV-2 in the vaginal fluid of reproductive-aged women

Objectives: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is mainly transmitted through respiration and direct contact. The status of the infection in the female genital system is still unknown. The study aimed to evaluate whether SARS-CoV-2 is present in the vaginal fluid of women with COVID-19 infection in reproductive period.Material and methods: Women who were between the ages of 18–50 years and clinically confirmed to have COVID-19 infection at our hospital between 20 April–31 May 2020 were included in the study. Women who were in their menstrual cycle during the study and who had a known cervical intraepithelial lesion and/or cancer, sexually transmitted disease and history and/or symptoms of vaginitis were excluded from the study. In patients in whom no pathology was detected during the examination, a sample was taken from the vaginal fluid for PCR by using Dacron tip swab. Analysis was performed with Genesig Real-Time PCR COVID-19 kit (Primer Design, England).Results: Eighteen women who were in reproductive period and diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 38.16 ± 8.54. None of the patients were in their menopause period. The clinical symptoms of these women were similar to those of confirmed severe COVID-19 cases. SARS-CoV-2 was found to be negative in the samples taken from the vaginal fluid in all patients.Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 virus was not detected in the vaginal fluid of the patients who tested positive for COVID-19 in reproductive period

The effect of fermentation process on bioactive properties, essential oil composition and phenolic constituents of raw fresh and fermented sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) leaves

The influence of fermentation on antioxidant activity, total phenol, total flavonoid and phenolic compounds of sea fennel and also volatile compounds of sea fennel essential oil was investigated and compared with fresh samples. Antioxidant activity, total fenolic and flavonoid contents decresed from 89.79 to 63.13%; from 259.58 to 77.92 mg/100 g; from 2114.67 to 390.50 mg/100 g, respectively. Twenty-six and thirty-three components of sea fennel oils were identified in raw and fermented sea fennel, accounting to about 99.99% and 99.44% of the total oil, respectively. The raw and fermented sea fennel leaves contained 22.31 and 1.32% sabinene, 12.08% and 7.45% limonene, 10.30% and 11.61% β-phellandrene, 8.59% and 9.17% (Z)-β-ocimene, 7.08% and 3.55% α-pinene, 28.36% and 42.05% γ-terpinene, 2.57% and 8.64% terpinene-4-ol, respectively. Dominant phenolic compounds were (+)-catechin, gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and p-coumaric acid. Generally, all of the phenolic compounds reduced the effect of microorganisms during,. However, essential oil contents of sea fennel were not effected from fermentation process

Effects of different doses of <em>Prunus laurocerasus</em> L. leaf extract on oxidative stress, hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia induced by type I diabetes

430-436The fruits and leaves of the Prunus laurocerasus (PL) plant are used in traditional medicine for many purposes because of their anti-diabetic properties. This study aimed to determine the anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-hyperlipidaemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of PL leaf extract on experimental type I diabetes. Different doses PL extracts were administered orally for 25 days to rats. Biochemical and immune histochemical analyses were performed at the end of the study. Antioxidant test results showed that the PL had a very high antioxidant capacity. The study also revealed that different doses of PL increased SOD (p < 0.001) and GSH (p < 0.05 in PL500 group) levels but decreased TBARS (p < 0.001) levels in the kidney tissue. Significant increases were noted in the SOD levels of liver tissue (p < 0.01). In addition, HDL cholesterol levels (p < 0.05) significantly increased while LDL (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively) and TG levels (p < 0.05 in PL1000 and PL1500 groups) decreased when the PL groups were compared with the DC group. Eventually, the anti-hyperglycaemic effects of PL were not determined. However, PL was found to be highly effective in reducing oxidative stress and hyperlipidaemia. Based on the current study, PL leaf extract may be useful in preventing hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and oxidative stress, which are chronic complications of diabetes

The Effects of Oven Dehydration on Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, Fatty Acids and Mineral Contents of Strawberry Tree Fruit

In this study, the effects of oven dehydration on chemical and bioactive properties, fatty acids, polyphenolic compounds and minerals of sandal strawberry tree fruit were investigated. While total carotenoid contents of the sandal strawberry tree fruit are determined between 4.20 (120 °C) and 5.43 µg/g (70 °C), tannin amounts of the sandal strawberry tree fruit were recorded between 5.13 (control) and 6.37% (70 and 120 °C). While total phenolic contents of dehydrated sandal strawberry tree fruit were found between 444.16 (120 °C) and 665.13 mgGAE/100 g (control), total flavonoid amounts of dehydrated sandal strawberry tree fruit were recorded between 592.91 (control) and 788.71 mg/100 g (120 °C). Antioxidant activity values of fruit ranged from 4.10 (120 °C) to 7.30 mmol TE/kg (control). Both total phenolic amounts and antioxidant activity values of untreated (control) sandal strawberry tree fruit were found to be higher than dehydrated ones, and a linear relationship was determined between the total phenolic amounts of the samples and their antioxidant activities. The highest amounts of phenolic compounds (ferulic acid, resveratrol and kaempferol) were detected in strawberry tree fruit dehydrated at 70 °C, followed by the control group and fruit dehydrated at 120 °C in decreasing order. Gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, caffeic acid and rutin were the main constituents of the strawberry tree fruit, followed by syringic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in descending order. Palmitic, stearic and oleic acid amounts of dehydrated strawberry tree fruit oils compared to the control were observed to increase with the applied temperature, while the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic) decreased. In general, the mineral content of dehydrated strawberry tree fruit increased compared to the control. Since the oil, carotenoid, total phenol and phenolic component contents of sandalwood tree fruit are higher in the sample subjected to dehydration at 70 °C, this temperature can be considered as the ideal one for drying. In addition, considering the fatty acids, heat treatment at 120 °C can be preferred