Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Size/IQ Relations in Turkish University Students

The relation of IQ (Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test) to brain size was studied in 103 right- and left-handed men and women at Ataturk University in eastern Turkey. Cerebral areas were measured on a midsagittal section of the brain using MRI. An overall correlation of 40 was found between MRI-measured total area and IQ thereby further supporting the IQ¯brain size hypothesis. Additional analyses suggested that these results may need qualification. In men, only anterior cerebral area correlated with IQ. In women, total and posterior cerebral areas were correlated with IQ. Other results varied by handedness

THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK ON THE MENTAL STATUS OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may affect the mental status of health care professionals. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the mental health effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on health care professionals in the pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Subjects and methods: Our study was conducted prospectively between 01.04.20 and 10.04.20. The created questionnaire was applied to health care professionals through online platforms. Thus it was involved in 5 different institutions that participated from different regions of Turkey. With the questionnaire, we applied; the participants\u27 age, gender, the general status of contamination and the level of COVID-19 knowledge were questioned. Besides; Beck Anxiety Scale, Acute Stress Scale (PCL-5), STAI-1 and STAI-2 (State and Trait Anxiety Inventory 1-2) scales were used to determine the anxiety levels. Results: A survey of 210 participants, 86 (41%) doctors, 124 (59%) nurses, were included in our study. When we evaluate the Beck anxiety levels, the majority of the participants (44%) were normal, while about one third had mild anxiety. When we evaluated the acute stress scale, all participants had a certain amount of stress levels. The majority (80 people each (38%)) experienced mild and moderate acute stress. Being female and having chronic disease poses a high risk for anxiety (OR, 0.330; 95% CI, 0.087-1.250, p <0.05 and OR, 0.246; 95% CI, 0.068-1.116, p<0.05), preoccupation (OR, 0.603; 95% CI 0.261-1.395, p<0.05 and OR, 0.433; 95% CI, 0.122-1.538, p<0.05) and acute stress (OR, 0.294; 95% CI, 0.033-2.649, p<0.05 and OR, 0.317; 95 % CI 0.060-1.679, p<0.05). Professional definition, marital status and having a child do not pose any risk factors. Conclusion: Our study has shown that the COVID-19 outbreak affects the mental status of health care professionals working at PICU at various levels

THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK ON THE MENTAL STATUS OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may affect the mental status of health care professionals. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the mental health effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on health care professionals in the pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Subjects and methods: Our study was conducted prospectively between 01.04.20 and 10.04.20. The created questionnaire was applied to health care professionals through online platforms. Thus it was involved in 5 different institutions that participated from different regions of Turkey. With the questionnaire, we applied; the participants\u27 age, gender, the general status of contamination and the level of COVID-19 knowledge were questioned. Besides; Beck Anxiety Scale, Acute Stress Scale (PCL-5), STAI-1 and STAI-2 (State and Trait Anxiety Inventory 1-2) scales were used to determine the anxiety levels. Results: A survey of 210 participants, 86 (41%) doctors, 124 (59%) nurses, were included in our study. When we evaluate the Beck anxiety levels, the majority of the participants (44%) were normal, while about one third had mild anxiety. When we evaluated the acute stress scale, all participants had a certain amount of stress levels. The majority (80 people each (38%)) experienced mild and moderate acute stress. Being female and having chronic disease poses a high risk for anxiety (OR, 0.330; 95% CI, 0.087-1.250, p <0.05 and OR, 0.246; 95% CI, 0.068-1.116, p<0.05), preoccupation (OR, 0.603; 95% CI 0.261-1.395, p<0.05 and OR, 0.433; 95% CI, 0.122-1.538, p<0.05) and acute stress (OR, 0.294; 95% CI, 0.033-2.649, p<0.05 and OR, 0.317; 95 % CI 0.060-1.679, p<0.05). Professional definition, marital status and having a child do not pose any risk factors. Conclusion: Our study has shown that the COVID-19 outbreak affects the mental status of health care professionals working at PICU at various levels

COL4A1-related autosomal recessive encephalopathy in 2 Turkish children.

OBJECTIVE: This study presents the neurologic phenotypes of 2 brothers with a novel homozygous COL4A1 mutation that was identified in a large Turkish consanguineous cohort of neurogenetic diseases. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of consanguineous families with children affected by early-onset, neurogenetic disorders was performed using the RD-Connect Genome-Phenome Analysis Platform. We also performed clinical, EEG, and neuroimaging analyses in unaffected siblings and parents. RESULTS: We have identified a homozygous missense mutation in COL4A1 (p.Gly1278Ser, NM_001845.5:c.3832G>T) in 2 siblings affected by small vessel brain disease with periventricular leukoencephalopathy and ocular defects. Presenting symptoms included mild weakness, hemiparetic gait, pyramidal findings, and seizures, whereas their intellectual and behavioral functions were normal. Both parents and 5 of the siblings (3 boys and 2 girls) were heterozygous for the variant. They did not show any clinical or laboratory signs of small vessel disease. CONCLUSIONS: COL4A1 has previously been associated with dominant small vessel disease of the brain and other organs, manifesting with high penetrance in heterozygous mutation carriers. Our findings provide evidence that COL4A1-related encephalopathy can be inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, which is important for counseling, prognosis, and treatment. Genotype-phenotype correlations remain to be established

A nationwide multicentre study in Turkey for establishing reference intervals of haematological parameters with novel use of a panel of whole blood

IntroductionA nationwide multicentre study was conducted to establish well-defined reference intervals (RIs) of haematological parameters for the Turkish population in consideration of sources of variation in reference values (RVs). Materials and methodsK2-EDTA whole blood samples (total of 3363) were collected from 12 laboratories. Sera were also collected for measurements of iron, UIBC, TIBC, and ferritin for use in the latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method. The blood samples were analysed within 2 hours in each laboratory using Cell Dyn and Ruby (Abbott), LH780 (Beckman Coulter), or XT-2000i (Sysmex). A panel of freshly prepared blood from 40 healthy volunteers was measured in common to assess any analyser-dependent bias in the measurements. The SD ratio (SDR) based on ANOVA was used to judge the need for partitioning RVs. RIs were computed by the parametric method with/without applying the LAVE method. ResultsAnalyser-dependent bias was found for basophils (Bas), MCHC, RDW and MPV from the panel test results and thus those RIs were derived for each manufacturer. RIs were determined from all volunteers’ results for WBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, MCV, MCH and platelets. Gender-specific RIs were required for RBC, haemoglobin, haematocrit, iron, UIBC and ferritin. Region-specific RIs were required for RBC, haemoglobin, haematocrit, UIBC, and TIBC. ConclusionsWith the novel use of a freshly prepared blood panel, manufacturer-specific RIs’ were derived for Bas, Bas%, MCHC, RDW and MPV. Regional differences in RIs were observed among the 7 regions of Turkey, which may be attributed to nutritional or environmental factors, including altitude

ANASINIFINA DEVAM EDEN ÇOCUKLAR VE ANNELERİNİN DOĞAYA YAKINLIK (BİYOFİLİ) SEVİYELERİNİN İNCELENMESİ

Biyofili olarak ifade edilen doğaya yakınlık kavramının bireyler tarafından içselleştirilmesinde erken çocukluk dönemi kritik öneme sahiptir. Çocukların doğaya karşı merak duygusundan yola çıkarak iyi bir öğrenme ortamı oluşturulabilir. Böylece çocuğa sunulan doğal öğrenme ortamları ile çocuğun doğaya yakınlığı artacaktır. Bu dönemde, nitelikli bir çevre eğitimi kapsamında çocuklara doğrudan sunulan duyusal deneyimler onların ileriki yaşantılarında çevreye karşı olumlu davranışlar geliştirmelerini sağlayacaktır. Günümüzde çocukların günlük doğa deneyimleri ile ebeveynlerinin doğaya karşı tutumları arasında bir ilişki olduğu ile ilgili kanıtlarda artmaktadır. Çocukların doğaya yakınlıkları ebeveynlerinin doğaya yakınlıkları arasındaki ilişkinin nasıl olduğu ve bu ilişkinin olumlu olması için nelerin yapılabileceği ile ilgili çalışmalar önem kazanmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarına devam eden 48-66 aylık çocukların ve annelerinin doğaya yakınlıkları (biyofili) arasında bir ilişkinin olup olmadığını belirlemektir. Çalışmanın örneklemini, Mardin ili Midyat ilçesinde yer alan resmi ve özel anasınıflarına devam eden 100 çocuk ve onların anneleri oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada veri toplama aracı olarak “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Çocuklar için Biyofili Ölçeği”, yetişkinler için “Doğaya Bağlılık Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Verilerinin analiz sonucunda, çocukların ve ebeveynlerinin biyofili seviyeleri yüksek bulunmuş olup çocukların ve annelerinin biyofili seviyesi arasında bir ilişki tespit edilememiştir. Ayrıca çocukların biyofili seviyeleri annelerin çocukken yaşadıkları yerleşim yeri, konut tipi, çocukken doğal alana çıkma sıklıkları, çocukken dışarda zaman geçirdikleri yer ve eğitim düzeyine göre farklılık göstermemiştir

YAZ ANAOKULUNDA EĞİTİM ALAN VE ALMAYAN İLKÖĞRETİM BİRİNCİ SINIF ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN SOSYAL BECERİLERİNİN İNCELENMESİ (Mardin İli Örneği)

Bu araştırmanın amacı, yaz anaokulunda eğitim alan ve almayan ilköğretim birinci sınıf öğrencilerinin sosyal becerilerinin tespiti ve öğrencilerin sosyal becerilerinin bazı değişkenler açısından incelenmesidir. Araştırmanın evreni, Mardin ilinde 2012-2013 eğitim öğretim yılında Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı’na bağlı ilköğretim okullarında birinci sınıfa devam eden öğrenciler ve bu öğrencilerin ailelerinden oluşmaktadır. Araştırmanın örneklemini, 2012-2013 eğitim öğretim yılında Mardin ili Kızıltepe ilçe Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü'ne bağlı Bahçelievler ve Dicle ilköğretim okullarında birinci sınıfa devam eden öğrencilerden yaz anaokulunda eğitim alan 99 öğrenci ile herhangi bir eğitim kurumunda okul öncesi eğitimi almayan 70 öğrenci ve aileleri oluşturmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın bağımlı değişkeni yaz anaokulu eğitimi, bağımsız değişkeni sosyal beceriler, kontrol değişkeni ise çocukla iletişimde kullanılan dildir. Araştırmada, öğrencilerin sosyal beceri düzeylerini ölçmek için Yrd. Doç. Dr. Hasan Avcıoğlu ile Prof. Dr. Gönül Akçamete tarafından geliştirilen Sosyal Becerileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği (SBDÖ) ve öğrencilerin kişisel bilgilerini tespit etmek için araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan Kişisel Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) paket programı ile yapılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Kovaryans analizi (ANCOVA) testi kullanılmıştır. Bağımsız değişkenin bağımlı değişken üzerinde ne derece etkili olduğunu tespit etmek için, etki büyüklüğünü gösteren eta-kare analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda; yaz anaokulunda eğitim alan öğrencilerin sosyal uyum, konuşma-bilişsel ve otokontrol becerileri puanlarının okul öncesi eğitim almamış çocukların puanlarına göre daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur

Mode of delivery changes oxidative and antioxidative properties of human milk: a prospective controlled clinical investigation

yoldas, zeynep rumeysa/0000-0002-5608-9003WOS: 000354606400024PubMed: 24903065Objective: To evaluate the influence of delivery mode on oxidative stress in human breast milk. Methods: Thirty-three women who delivered by vaginal birth and 55 women who underwent cesarean section (CS) were included in this study. Colostral samples were collected on the second day after delivery. Total antioxidative status (TAS), total oxidative status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were determined and compared. Results: Colostrum TAS was significantly higher in women of vaginal birth, than in women with CS (p<0.001). Milk TOS and OSI were found to be significantly increased in women with CS under general anesthesia. A marked increase in colostral GSH-Px levels after vaginal delivery was also noticed (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed that vaginal birth is associated with decreased oxidative stress in colostrum than CS, which suggest that mode of delivery plays an important role in the antioxidative production of breast milk.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [2209]This study has been funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) with a project number of 2209