Evaluation of satisfaction with over-the-counter weight loss supplements

Majority of studies on satisfaction with medication examine satisfaction with a prescribed pharmaceutical agent, while exploration of satisfaction with over-The-counter drugs is limited. This study aims to examine satisfaction with non-prescribed weight loss supplements and the factors that may affect satisfaction levels, such as overall body satisfaction. The participants in this study consisted of a convenience sample of 119 subjects who have either used weight loss supplement or are still using it at the time of enrollment. Results indicate that perceived effectiveness of weight loss supplement is the ultimate predictor of global satisfaction. Overall assessment of weight loss supplement revealed low satisfaction levels with regard to effectiveness and global satisfaction, while satisfaction with side-effects and convenience were relatively high. Body dissatisfaction was found to be significantly negatively correlated to satisfaction with effectiveness, side-effects and global satisfaction with weight loss supplement. Moreover, subjects with higher body dissatisfaction have a higher expectancy from weight loss supplement

Preoperative screening for COVID-19: Results from a clinical diagnostic laboratory

Objective: The study aimed to determine what proportion of Turkiye’s preoperative patient population has tested positive for COVID-19 and to ascertain whether the increasing or decreasing trend in the numbers of positive preoperative patients resembles the general population of Turkiye during the same period. Materials and Methods: The study cohort involved of the 14,776 patients from various services between January 1-December 31, 2021 who needed preoperative COVID-19 test reports. The patient's SARS-CoV-2 RNA's were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Results: SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity was detected in 422 (2.86%) patients, of which 59.72% (n = 252) were female and 40.28% (n = 170) were male; their mean age was 40.2 years. Of the 422 positive cases, 84.12% were young adults (18-65 years), and 9% were middle-aged (66-79 years). Positive cases involving those under the age of 18 were found to account for 5.22% (n = 22) of the total. The highest positivity rate was observed in April 2021 at 8.28% of all test requests, while the lowest positivity rate was observed in June 2021, at 0.36% of all test requests. The highest positivity rate of April was followed by March (5.07%), October (4.74%), and August (3.13%). Conclusion: In conclusion, the COVID-19 RT-PCR positivity rate in the series was detected as 2.85% in preoperative patients over the one year period. Monthly positivity rates in screening results are consistent with the number of cases seen in the general population

Farede prematüre over yetmezliğinde mTERT telomeraz katalitik alt ünitesinin rolünün belirlenmesi

Memelilerde prenatal hayatta oluşan oosit rezervi, postnatal hayatta azalarak tükenmektedir. Foliküler atrezi olarak adlandırılan bu mekanizma ile ovariyal yaşlanma meydana gelmektedir. Primordiyal folikül havuzu tekrardan yenilenemediği için bu tükeniş sonucunda infertilite ya da Prematüre Over Yetmezliği (POY) ile karşı karşıya kalınmaktadır. Polisiklik aromatik hidrokarbon 7, 12-dimetilbenz (7,12-dimethylbenz-[a]anthracene (DMBA)), ovaryum da dahil olmak üzere pekçok tümörü tetikleyen ve günlük hayatta da sıklıkla maaruz kaldığımız bir çevresel karsinojendir. Telomeraz, hücrenin bölünmesi esnasında kromozomların kararlı yapılarının korunmasını sağlar ve fare telomeraz ters transkriptaz (mTERT), telomeraz kompleksinin gerekli bir bileşenidir. c-Abl protein tirozin kinaz, DNA çift sarmalında kırıkların oluşması ile aktive olan ve telomer kontrolü esnasında bu kırıkların tamir edilmesine katılan bir proteindir. Telomer kısalması, hücre bölünmesini zamanla durduran bir işlemdir. Bu nedenle çalışmamızda DMBA indüklü ovotoksisite sonucu oluşan POY’de c-Abl ve mTERT’in önemli bir role sahip olabileceğini düşünmekteyiz. Buradan yola çıkarak günlük yaşamda sürekli olarak maaruz kalınan DMBA’nın ovaryumdaki oosit rezervi, oosit kalitesi ve granuloza hücreleri üzerindeki etkisini c-Abl (Abelson Tirozin Kinaz) ve mTERT (telomeraz katalitik altünitesi) belirteçleri ile açıklamayı hedefledik. Çalışmamızda postnatal (PND) 28 günlük BalbC türü farelere 7 gün boyunca susam yağı içerisinde çözülen 1mg/kg DMBA uygulaması yapıldı. İzole edilen ovaryum dokularında Hematoksilen-Eozin boyama ile morfolojik değerlendirme ve folikül sayımı yapıldı. İmmünofloresan yöntemi ile c-Abl ve mTERT lokalizasyonları gösterildi. Ayrıca ELISA, western blot ve qRT-PCR yöntemleri kullanılarak fare ovaryumunda DMBA tedavisinin telomeraz aktivitesi üzerine olan etkisi gösterildi. Ayrıca, Transmisyon Elektron Mikroskobi yöntemi ile oosit-granuloza hücresi arasındaki ilişki ultrastrüktürel düzeyde incelendi. Çalışmamızda DMBA indüklü ovotoksisite sonucu oluşan POY’de c-Abl ve mTERT, ilk defa gösterilmiştir. Bu proje ile DMBA uygulanmış fare ovaryumunda c-Abl ve mTERT ekspresyonlarındaki değişimin gösterilmesiyle, projemizin sonuçlarının POY’de erken over yaşlanması ve kadın infertilitesine ilişkin sinyal mekanizmalarına ışık tutacağını düşünmekteyiz.(TÜBİTAK-215S867)

Could the increase in oxidative stress be the reason for the increased polyamine levels in diabetic obese and non-diabetic obese patients?

Putresin, spermine, and spermidine are important polyamines found in all living organisms. In this study, as a first in the literature, we aimed to investigate polyamines levels and their relationship with oxidative stress in obese adults. The study was carried out with 85 obese patients and 29 healthy controls. Glucose, HbA1c, urea, uric acid, CRP, Total antioxidant status and Total oxidant status putrescine, spermine and spermidine levels were analysed. The study found putrescine and spermidine levels in obesity (0.25 ±0.13) (2.29 ±0.79) were found to be significantly lower, respectively, than the control group (0.38± 0.08) (1.80 ± 0.68) (p<0.05). It was observed that both OSI and TOS values in the diabetic obese group were statistically higher than both the control group and the non-diabetic obese group. As a result; although polyamine levels are low in obesity, increased oxidative stress in the diabetic obese group caused an increase in polyamine levels

Preclinical evaluation of scorzonera sp root extracts and major compounds against acute hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride

WOS: 000419284200007Evaluation of hepatoprotective activities of Scorzonera roots and their major compounds, was aimed in current study. Scorzonera latifolia, S. tomentosa, S. mollis ssp. szowitsii, S. parviflora and S. cana var. jacquiniana roots, methanol-water (80:20) extracts together with chlorogenic acid, scorzotomentosin-4'-O-beta-glucoside, hydrangenol-8-O-beta-glucoside as major compounds isolated from S. latifolia roots were tested for their hepatoprotective activities. Sprague Dawley rats were used for experiment and hepatotoxicity was induced by carbon tetrachloride. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were measured and all results were confirmed by histopathological examination. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels of examined groups were not significant when compared to carbon tetrachloride-treated groups. However histopathological results have revealed that all tested groups have less damage when compared to carbon tetrachloride group except scorzotomentosin-4'-O-beta-glucoside and hydrangenol-8-O-beta-glucoside groups. Scorzonera species displayed moderate hepatoprotective activities against carbon tetrachloride induced acute toxicity. Chlorogenic acid, among tested compounds exhibited higher activity than all tested Scorzonera species as well as other isolated compounds. Therefore chlorogenic acid could be suggested as responsible compound

The Value of Serum Biomarkers (Bc1, Bc2, Bc3) in the Diagnosis of Early Breast Cancer

Background: Surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF) is an approach to biomarker discovery that combines chromatography and mass spectrometry. We aimed to consider the efficacy of Bc1, Bc2, and Bc3 serum biomarkers on early detection of breast cancer (BC) in this study

Welcome message

We are pleased to announce that the 3rd International Cancer and Ion Channels Congress (CANCERION-2021) will be held virtually during 16th -18th September 2021. The organization is under the auspices of the Minister of Health of Turkey, Dr. Fahrettin Koca, and Istanbul Medipol University