Identification and Assessment of Hazard of Development in Gypsum Karst Regions: Examples from Turkey

This study includes natural hazards and environmental problems caused by gypsum on and near the soil, water, and structures. These are karst-specific deformations (caves, fractures, cracks) naturally occurring in gypsum areas, and the problems of salinization, corrosion, erosion, soil and water pollution that occur as a result of dissolution caused by the contact of gypsum with water. In particular, it has been determined that various transfer routes/lines that facilitate human life cause problems on substructures/superstructures resulting from their passage in gypsum areas or on substructures/superstructures (road, buried pipe, building) resulting from the spread of urbanization on this unit, and these have various risks. As a result of these events that have been proven by various studies, it has also been observed that gypsum causes natural hazards and has environmental impacts on human/plant/animal life and living environments and it has also been determined that the quality and sustainability of life/living environment decreased. Therefore, in this study, it has been put forward that gypsum areas pose a risk for the life of all kinds of living beings and that the choice of gypsum areas in the site selection for urbanization will always be risky with respect to natural hazards and environmental problems

Respiratory Health Symptoms among Students Exposed to Different Levels of Air Pollution in a Turkish City

In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of respiratory health symptoms among high school students attending schools at industrial, urban and rural areas in a Turkish city. Three schools located in different zones of the city having different pollution characteristics were chosen based on the pollutant distribution maps using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 667 high school students in the schools. Outdoor and indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations were also measured by passive samplers in the same schools to investigate possible routes of exposure. Chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.11–1.99; p = 0.008), tightness in the chest (OR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.22–2.02; p = 0.001), morning cough (OR = 1.81 95%CI: 1.19–2.75; p = 0.006) were higher among students in the industrial zone where nitrogen dioxide and ozone levels were also highest. There were no indoor sources of nitrogen dioxide and ozone exists in the schools except for the dining hall. As a conclusion, this study has noticed that air pollution and respiratory health problems among high school students are high in industrial zones and the use of passive samplers combined with GIS is an effective tool that may be used by public health researchers to identify pollutant zones and persons at risk

Prevalence and etiology of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in the city of Istanbul

Background/purpose: Molar-Incisor-Hypomineralisation (MIH) is the term used to depict a condition in which one or more of the permanent molar teeth and usually no less than one incisor tooth is hypomineralised and the prevalence rates vary from 2.4 to 40.2%. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and the risk factors of MIH in children in Istanbul, Turkey. Materials and methods: A total of 1511 (760 M, 751 F), 8- to 11-year-old children were examined who had their first permanent molar and incisors evaluated using the EAPD criteria for MIH. Hypomineralized molars and incisors were recorded based on developmental defects of enamel index. The potential aetiological factors were retrieved through personal interview and etiological questions were asked to the parents. Statistical analysis was performed with a chi-Square test. Results: MIH was observed in 215 (14.2%; 102 male, 113 female) children. The sample (1511 children) comprised 71 (9.9%) 8 year-olds with MIH and 144 (18.2%) 11 year-olds with MIH. A significant difference was found between 8 (9.9%) and 11-year-old (18.2%) children with MIH (p ≤ 0.001). Complications during the mother's pregnancy, birth prematurity, average breast feeding period, diarrhea frequency, digestive system diseases, asthma, frequent high fever, ear infection, renal failure, rubeola, chickenpox and parotitis were found to be significantly associated with MIH (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There are many events that can cause MIH which we cannot control or predict. Therefore, longitudinal studies with large sample size are needed so as to determine how various likely etiological factors described affect the etiological role. Keywords: Molar incisor hypomineralisation, Hypomineralised first permanent molars, Dental enamel defects, Developmental defects, Epidemiology, Etiolog

Investigation of Oral Candida Colonization Prevalance in Healthy Individuals

Candida cinsinden mayalar insanların ağız f lorasında bulunabilen f ırsatçı patojen mikroorganizmalardır. Kandidiazis ağız boşluğunda en sık görülen mantar inf eksiyonudur ve genellikle normal f loradaki Candida’ların bazı f aktörlerin varlığın- da aşırı çoğalmasıyla gelişmektedir. Bu çalışmada sağlıklı bireylerde oral Candida kolonizasyonu oranının ve en sık rastlanan türlerin belirlenmesinin yanı sıra kolonizasyonun konağa özgü bazı f aktörlerle ilişkisinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmaya 17 ile 67 yaşları arasında (34.0±11.49) toplam 125 kişi katılmıştır. Bu kişilerden 65’inin (% 52) oral kavitesinde Candida kolonizasyonu varlığı tespit edilmiştir. En sık izole edilen üç tür Candida albicans (% 48), Candida glabrata (% 4.8) ve Candida kef yr (% 2.4) olarak belirlenmiştir. Yedi kişiden (% 10.7) iki f arklı Candida türü birlikte izole edilmiştir. Kırk yaşın üzerindeki kişilerden albicans dışındaki Candida türlerinin izole edilme sıklığının, bu yaşın altındaki kişilere göre istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bununla birlikte Candida izolasyonu ve koloni sayısının yaş ile istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişkisinin bulunmadığı gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca Candida izolasyonu, izole edilen türler ve koloni sayısı ile cinsiyet, sigara kullanımı, diş f ırçalama alışkanlığı ve karbonhidrat ağırlıklı beslenme arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmamıştır. Oral Candida kolonizasyonu ile ilişkili olabilecek başka f aktörlerin araştırıldığı veya katılım- cıların süreli takip edilerek çok sayıda örnek alındığı ek çalışmalara ihtiyaç olduğu düşünülmektedir.Candida species are opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms which can be f ound in oral f lora of humans. Candidiasis is the most common f ungal inf ection of the oral cavity and of ten develops by abnormal prolif eration of Candida spp. in the normal f lora in presence of some f actors. The aim of this study was determination of oral Candida colonization rate in healthy individuals and most common species as well as the investigation of the relationship between colonization and some of the host-specif ic f actors. A total of 125 people between the ages of 17 and 67 (34.0&plusmn;11.49) participated in this study. Presence of Candida colonization was detected in the oral cavity of 65 people (52 %). The three species most f requently isolated were Candida albicans (48 %), Candida glabrata (4.8 %) and Candida kef yr (2.4 %). Two diff erent Candida species were isolated f rom seven subjects (10.7 %). Isolation rate of Candida species other than albicans increased in people over 40 years of age and the diff erence was statistically signif icant. However there was no statistically signif icant relation between isolation of Candida, number of colonies, Candida species, number of colonies and gender, smoking, tooth brushing habits or carbohydrate diet. There is a need f or additional studies in which the other f actors that may be associated with oral Candida colonization are investigated, or participants were f ollowed up and a large number of samples are examined