The prevalence of nutritional anemia in pregnancy in an east Anatolian province, Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anemia is considered a severe public health problem by World Health Organization when anemia prevalence is equal to or greater than 40% in the population. The purpose of this study was to determine the anemia prevalence with the associated factors in pregnant women and to determine the serum iron, folate and B12 vitamin status in anaemic pregnants in Malatya province.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional survey. A multi-sage stratified probability-proportional-to-size cluster sampling methodology was used. A total of 823 pregnant women from sixty clusters were studied. Women were administered a questionnaire related with the subject and blood samples were drawn. Total blood count was performed within four hours and serum iron, folate and B12 vitamin were studied after storing sera at -20 C for six months.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Anemia prevalence was 27.1% (Hb < 11.0 gr/dl). Having four or more living children (OR = 2.2), being at the third trimester (OR = 2.3) and having a low family income (OR = 1.6) were determined as the independent predictors of anemia in pregnancy. Anemia was also associated with soil eating (PICA) in the univariate analysis (p < 0.05). Of anaemic women, 50.0% had a transferrin saturation less than 10% indicating iron deficiency, 34.5% were deficient in B12 vitamin and 71.7% were deficient in folate. Most of the anemias were normocytic-normochromic (56.5%) indicating mixed anemia.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In Malatya, for pregnant women anemia was a moderate public health problem. Coexisting of iron, folate and B vitamin deficiencies was observed among anaemics. To continue anemia control strategies with reasonable care and diligence was recommended.</p

Interstellar Matter and the Boundary Conditions of the Heliosphere

The interstellar cloud surrounding the solar system regulates the galactic environment of the Sun, and determines the boundary conditions of the heliosphere. Both the Sun and interstellar clouds move through space, so these boundary conditions change with time. Data and theoretical models now support densities in the cloud surrounding the solar system of n(HI)=0.22+/-0.06 cm^-3, and n(e-)~0.1 cm-3, with larger values allowed for n(HI) by radiative transfer considerations. Ulysses and Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite HeI data yield a cloud temperature of 6,400 K. Nearby interstellar gas appears to be structured and inhomogeneous. The interstellar gas in the Local Fluff cloud complex exhibits elemental abundance patterns in which refractory elements are enhanced over the depleted abundances found in cold disk gas. Within a few parsecs of the Sun, inconclusive evidence for factors of 2--5 variation in MgII and FeII gas phase abundances is found, providing evidence for variable grain destruction. Observations of the hydrogen pile-up at the nose of the heliosphere are consistent with a barely subsonic motion of the heliosphere with respect to the surrounding interstellar cloud. Uncertainties on the velocity vector of the cloud that surrounds the solar system indicate that it is uncertain as to whether the Sun and alpha Cen are or are not immersed in the same interstellar cloud.Comment: 24 pages 3 figure

Global gene expression analysis of canine osteosarcoma stem cells reveals a novel role for COX-2 in tumour initiation

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumour of both children and dogs. It is an aggressive tumour in both species with a rapid clinical course leading ultimately to metastasis. In dogs and children distant metastasis occurs in >80% of individuals treated by surgery alone. Both canine and human osteosarcoma has been shown to contain a sub-population of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which may drive tumour growth, recurrence and metastasis, suggesting that naturally occurring canine osteosarcoma could act as a preclinical model for the human disease. Here we report the successful isolation of CSCs from primary canine osteosarcoma, as well as established cell lines. We show that these cells can form tumourspheres, and demonstrate relative resistance to chemotherapy. We demonstrate similar results for the human osteosarcma cell lines, U2OS and SAOS2. Utilizing the Affymetrix canine microarray, we are able to definitively show that there are significant differences in global gene expression profiles of isolated osteosarcoma stem cells and the daughter adherent cells. We identified 13,221 significant differences (p = 0.05), and significantly, COX-2 was expressed 141-fold more in CSC spheres than daughter adherent cells. To study the role of COX-2 expression in CSCs we utilized the COX-2 inhibitors meloxicam and mavacoxib. We found that COX-2 inhibition had no effect on CSC growth, or resistance to chemotherapy. However inhibition of COX-2 in daughter cells prevented sphere formation, indicating a potential significant role for COX-2 in tumour initiation

Freqüência de aconselhamento para prevenção de câncer da pele entre as diversas especialidades médicas em Caxias do Sul Frequency of counseling for skin cancer prevention by the various specialties in Caxias do Sul

FUNDAMENTOS: O câncer da pele é a forma mais comum de câncer atualmente, apesar de ser um dos mais preveníveis. Não foram encontrados dados na literatura nacional quanto à freqüência de orientação para prevenção desse tipo de câncer de acordo com as diversas especialidades médicas. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar a freqüência de aconselhamento para prevenção de câncer da pele entre as diversas especialidades médicas em uma amostra da população de Caxias do Sul. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal. Foram entrevistadas e examinadas 499 pessoas que procuraram atendimento na área de dermatologia em ações comunitárias realizadas em Caxias do Sul de janeiro a julho de 2002. RESULTADOS: Apenas 31,9% (n=159; IC 27,8 - 36,2) das pessoas entrevistadas já haviam recebido aconselhamento pela classe médica para prevenção de câncer da pele. Os pacientes de alto risco com o maior potencial para intervenção, ou seja, pacientes com idade inferior a 20 anos, receberam orientação em freqüência menor do que os pacientes com 20 anos ou mais (26,5% versus 42,5%, respectivamente; p = 0,03). A especialidade de dermatologia foi responsável por mais da metade dos aconselhamentos para prevenção de câncer da pele na população estudada. CONCLUSÃO: A freqüência de aconselhamento para prevenção de câncer da pele pelos profissionais da saúde é baixa, mesmo para os pacientes de alto risco. A orientação também varia de acordo com a especialidade consultada, tendo apenas a especialidade de dermatologia apresentado alta freqüência de aconselhamento.<br>BACKGROUND: Nowadays, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, in spite of being one of the most preventable forms of cancer. We did not find national data about the frequency of counseling for skin cancer prevention according to the various specialties. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to verify the frequency of counseling for skin cancer prevention by the various specialties in a sample of the population of Caxias do Sul. METHODS: A transversal study was performed on 499 people who sought medical care in the dermatology sector of the community programs, each was interviewed and examined. The community programs took place in Caxias do Sul between January and July 2002. RESULTS: Only 31.9% (n = 159; CI 27.8 - 36.2) of the individuals who were interviewed had already received counseling for skin cancer prevention by physicians. The high-risk patients with the greatest potential for intervention (patients under 20 years of age) received such counseling at a lower frequency than patients aged 20 years or older (26.5% versus 42.5%, respectively; p = 0.03). The specialty of dermatology was responsible for the majority of counseling on skin cancer prevention in this population. CONCLUSION: The frequency of counseling for skin cancer prevention by physicians is low, even for high-risk patients. The counseling also varies according to the attending specialty; only the specialty of dermatology presented a high frequency of counseling

Interethnic marriage: a choice between ethnic and educational similarities

Ethnic intermarriage, Education, Immigration, I21, J12, J61,

Actionable Diagnosis of Neuroleptospirosis by Next-Generation Sequencing

A 14-year-old boy with severe combined immunodeficiency presented three times to a medical facility over a period of 4 months with fever and headache that progressed to hydrocephalus and status epilepticus necessitating a medically induced coma. Diagnostic workup including brain biopsy was unrevealing. Unbiased next-generation sequencing of the cerebrospinal fluid identified 475 of 3,063,784 sequence reads (0.016%) corresponding to leptospira infection. Clinical assays for leptospirosis were negative. Targeted antimicrobial agents were administered, and the patient was discharged home 32 days later with a status close to his premorbid condition. Polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) and serologic testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) subsequently confirmed evidence of Leptospira santarosai infection