Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes Related to Iron Deficiency Anemia and Serum Ferritin Status: A Multicenter Prospective Study From Eastern Marmara, Turkey

Aim:The aim was to evaluate the incidence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy in the East Marmara region of Turkey in order to determine its prevalence along with the effects and associations of iron supplementation on maternal and neonatal outcomes.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted in six centers and included a total of 1102 pregnant women. Blood samples were collected for hematological status and serum ferritin levels during pregnancy, and the adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes were determined. Iron deficiency anemia was diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria as hemoglobin level of < 11 g/dl and ferritin level of <15 μg/dL.Results:The rate of anemia was 19.8%, with 44% of them receiving iron supplementation. The maternal age was lower in the anemic group (26.5 vs. 27.7, p = 0.01). Selective iron use was more frequent in the anemic group, while routine iron use was more frequent in the non-anemic group (47.1% vs. 29.3%; p = 0.01).Conclusion:Iron deficiency anemia is a frequent problem in pregnancy. However, many anemic pregnant women do not receive iron therapy. Iron supplementation may have positive effects on maternal and perinatal outcomes. In order to combat iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, wide spread use of iron supplements should be established

The effect of the instruction based Realistic Mathematics Education on 4th graders achievement and motivation

Bu araştırmada, ilköğretim kurumlarında dördüncü sınıflarda ölçme öğrenme alanındaki uzunluk ölçme, sıvıları ölçme, zamanı ölçe ve ağırlık alt öğrenme alanlarının öğretiminde, Gerçekçi Matematik Eğitimi [Realistic Math Education (RME)] yaklaşımın öğrenci başarısı ve motivasyonuüzerine etkileri incelenmiştir. Araştırmada öntest ? sontest kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Çalışma 2012?2013 öğretim yılı ikinci döneminde 29 kişi deney, 29 kişi kontrol grubunda olmak üzere 58 dördüncü sınıf öğrencisiyle yürütülmüştür. Dersler deney grubunda RME yaklaşımı ile kontrol grubunda ise 2005 MEB ilköğretim matematik dersi öğretim programında yer alan etkinlikler doğrultusunda sürdürülmüştür. Araştırmanın verileri öğrencilere ön ve son test olarak uygulanan matematik erişi testi ve matematik motivasyon ölçeği ile toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler ilişkili örneklem t testi ve ilişkisiz örneklem t testi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda RME yaklaşımı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen matematik öğretiminin, 2005 MEB ilköğretim matematik dersi öğretim programında yer alan etkinlikler doğrultusunda yapılan öğretimden daha etkili olduğu ve öğrenci motivasyonlarını olumlu yönde geliştirdiği sonucuna varılmıştır. In this study, the effect of realistic mathematics education (RME) approach on the achievement and motivation of the student for teaching sub-learning areas of measuring length, measuring liquids, time and weight in measurement learning area of 4thgrade students was analyzed. The research was based on pre-test ? post-test quasi-experimental design with control group. This study is processed in the second semester of 2012-2013 school years. The sample of this study consists of 58 students who participated 29 students from experimental and 29 students from control groups.Lessons were carried on with RME approach in experimental group and in line with the activities included in 2005 MNE (Ministry of National Education) primary school mathematics course curriculum in control group. Data of the study were collected with test of mathematics achievement scale and mathematics motivation scale applied to the students as pre-test and post-test. Data were analyzed by dependent t test and independent sampling t test. In the end of the analysis, it was concluded that mathematics teaching with RME approach was more effective than teaching in line with the activities in 2005 MNE (Ministry of National Education)primary school mathematics curriculum and motivations of the students improved positivel

GENERATION “Y” IN TURKISH CONTEXT: MULTIPLE FOCI RESEARCH

GENERATION “Y” IN TURKISH CONTEXT: MULTIPLE FOCI RESEARC

Evaluation of Factors Affecting Treatment Success in Febrile Neutropenic Cancer Patients

Infections are the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in neutropenic cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of febrile neutropenic cancer patients who were consultated by the infectious disease team in a tertiary care university hospital between January through December, 1999 and to find predictors of treatments success in these patients. Medical charts of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. The febrile attacks were categorized as: “microbiologically” and “clinically documented” infections and “fever of unknown origin (FUO)”. The results of treatment were grouped as “success” or “success only after modification of treatment/failure”. Of the participants, 61% were male and the mean (± st. dev.) age was 48 ± 18 years. About 55% of the underlying diseases were hematological malignancies. The etiology of fever was undetected in 75 (45%) patients, the infection was clinically documented in 52 (31%) patients, and microbiologically documented in 40 (24%). Response to treatment was successful in 43% of the patients with neutropenic fever whereas modification of the treatment regimen was required for success in 14 patients (8.4%) and treatment was failed in another 81 (48.5%). Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to determine statistically significant predictors of treatment success. The infection category of “FUO” and vancomycin use were found to be significant predictors of treatment success

Influenza Vaccination Knowledge, Vaccination Status and Associated Factors Among Intern Doctors of a Medical School

Introduction: Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for healthcare workers as they are considered to be in the risk group for contracting influenza. Final year medical students (intern doctors) are a special group because they are healthcare providers and at the beginning of their professional lives. It was aimed to determine the knowledge of intern doctors at a state university about the seasonal influenza vaccine, their vaccination status and the associated factors, given that it will affect their behavior towards themselves and in consulting their patients in future years. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in March 2020 at a state university medical school. Intern doctors completed a standardized data collection form consisting of a total of 57 questions prepared for this study under supervision. The incidence of seasonal influenza vaccination in the last three years and factors associated with vaccination behavior were determined. Certain questions about seasonal influenza vaccination were asked. Results: Of the 254 students who participated in the study, 30 (11.8%) reported having received seasonal influenza vaccine in the last season and 86 (33.9%) in the last three years. Having received influenza vaccine in the last three years was 4.28 (95% CI= 1.53-11.90) times higher among those who had the intention to receive influenza vaccine if it was provided free of charge and on time compared to their counterparts. In the same model, excluding “intention”, receiving education about influenza infection and vaccination (OR= 1.84; 95% CI= 1.03-3.27), and being the people surrounding who had received influenza vaccination (OR= 3.06; 95% CI= 1.60-5.84) were positively associated with the students’ influenza vaccination status. In this model, those perceiving their own risk of influenza infection as “high” and/or “more severe than that in others” were 5.23 (95% CI= 1.11-24.45) times more likely to be vaccinated for influenza over the last three years. Responses to eight of the 12 statements questioning knowledge were more than 70% correct. At least one of every three participants approved that influenza vaccination might lead to influenza. This was the most prominent misinformation regarding influenza vaccination. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination is also low among intern doctors at the beginning of their professional life. It is recommended that education about influenza infection and influenza vaccine, influenza vaccination of surrounding people, especially leaders like faculty members, and the provision of free and timely influenza vaccine are recommended to increase influenza vaccination among intern doctors

What does the Data of 354,725 Patients from Turkey Tell Us About Cervical Smear Epithelial Cell Abnormalities? - The Epithelial Cell Abnormality Rate is Increasing - Quality Control Studies and Corrective Activity are Musts

Objective: There is no other screening program close to the success rate of PAP test. Cervical cytology constitutes a large workload so that quality control in cervical cytology is important for the quality assurance of pathology laboratories. Material and Method: In this study, we collected the cervical cytology results from all over Turkey and discussed the parameters influencing the quality of the PAP test. The study was conducted with Turkish gynaecopathology working group and 38 centers (totally 45 hospitals) agreed to contribute from 24 different cities. The study was designed to cover the cervical cytology results during 2013. The results were evaluated from the data based on an online questionnaire. Results: The total number of Epithelial Cell Abnormality was 18,020 and the global Epithelial Cell Abnormality rate was 5.08% in the total 354,725 smears and ranging between 0.3% to 16.64% among centers. The Atypical squamous cells/Squamous intraepithelial lesion ratios changed within the range of 0.21-13.94 with an average of 2.61. When the centers were asked whether they performed quality assurance studies, only 14 out of 28 centers, which shared the information, had such a control study and some quality parameters were better in these centers. Conclusion: There is an increase in the global Epithelial Cell Abnormality rate and there are great differences among centers. Quality control studies including the Atypical squamous cells/Squamous intraepithelial lesion ratio are important. Corrective and preventive action according to quality control parameters is a must. A cervical cytology subspecialist in every center can be utopic but a dedicated pathologist in the center is certainly needed