Anti-proliferative effects of salmon calcitonin on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma in vitro

Aim: We aimed to examine the potential cytotoxic effect of salmon calcitonin, which is one of the components that regulates mineral metabolism and prevents the increase in the amount of calcium, on SH-SY5Y cells, a neuroblastoma cell line. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in DMEM medium in the presence of 37°C and 5% CO2 in conventional culture flasks. MTT assay was applied to investigate the effect of calcitonin individually on SH-SY5Y cells by treatment different concentrations for 24 h and performed. Results: In cells cultured with salmon calcitonin applied at different concentrations (0.1, 1, 3.125, 6,25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 nM/ml), anti-proliferation was statistically significant at concentrations of 50 and 100 nM/ml compared to the control group. It showed that 50 nM/ml and 100 nM/ml had the highest cytotoxic effect on SH-SY5Y for 24 h Conclusions: Considering the proliferation curve of SH-SY5Y, the results show that salmon calcitonin treatment potentiated the proliferative activities by inhibiting cell viability in SH-SY5Y cells at concentrations of 50 and 100 nM/ml. Further studies exploring salmon calcitonin’s protective effects may prove successful and maybe it is a promising agent for cancer treatment

The Burden of Premature Mortality in Turkey in 2001 and 2008

Background: Standard expected years of life lost (SEYLL) is a measure that is used to evaluate losses due to premature deaths. Aims: The present study provides an analysis of premature mortality in Turkey for the years 2001 and 2008 and supplies evidence for making policies and setting health agendas over the long term. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: This study calculated SEYLL by gender, age group and causes of death in Turkey in 2014. The SEYLL measure counts the years lost in a population as a result of premature mortality and is computed by multiplying the number of deaths and standard life expectancy at the age at which death occurs. Results: The burden of premature mortality in Turkey was calculated as 4 104 253 SEYLL and 4 472 443 SEYLL in 2001 and 2008, respectively. Among these 42.7% and 43.9% of SEYLL were in females in 2001 and 2008, respectively. The leading five causes of premature mortality in the Turkish population in 2001 were cardiovascular system diseases (34.72%), perinatal conditions (12.69%), neoplasms (12.51%), external causes of injury (7.66%), and infections and parasitic diseases (6.57%). In 2008, the major causes were cardiovascular diseases (41.17%), neoplasms (14.63%), respiratory system diseases (9.81%), perinatal conditions (5.59%), and external causes of injury (5.29%). Conclusion: The majority of the burden of premature mortality in Turkey is attributable to non-communicable diseases. While premature deaths from infections and parasitic diseases, perinatal conditions and congenital anomalies decreased between 2001 and 2008, deaths from cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms and respiratory system diseases increased dramatically. Coordinated efforts for effective national prevention programs (such as regular monitoring of adults for early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and for malignancies by family physicians) should be developed by policy makers to decrease preventable and premature deaths from non-communicable diseases

Güçlendirici Liderlik ve Öğretmen Özerkliğinin Duygusal Bağlılık Üzerindeki Etkisi: Öğretmen Öz-Yeterliğinin Aracı Rolü

Teachers' affective commitment is closely related to their performance. The present study investigated the relationship between empowering leadership, teacher autonomy, teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, and affective commitment. A questionnaire was completed by 611 teachers in Ankara. To test the proposed model, we conducted a mediation analysis of structural equation modelling. The results show that empowering leadership and autonomy predict teachers’ sense of self-efficacy. Similarly, teachers’ sense of self-efficacy is also positively and significantly correlated to affective commitment. The analysis confirms that teachers’ sense of self-efficacy is a prominent mediator in the relationship between empowering leadership, teacher autonomy, and affective commitment. This study is expected to contribute to the body of research focusing on the effects of empowering leadership, teacher autonomy and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy on teachers’ affective commitment. Implications are presented for policymakers and school leaders.Öğretmenlerin duygusal bağlılıkları onların performansları ile yakından ilişkilidir. Bu kapsamda bu çalışmada güçlendirici liderlik, öğretmen özerkliği, öğretmen öz-yeterlik inancı ve duygusal bağlılık arasındaki ilişkiler incelenmiştir. Araştırma verileri, Ankara’da görev yapan 611 öğretmenden elde edilmiştir. Önerilen modeli test etmek amacıyla yapısal eşitlik modellemesi kapsamında aracılık analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları, güçlendirici liderliğin ve öğretmen özerkliğinin, öğretmen öz-yeterlik inancını yordadığını göstermiştir. Benzer şekilde, öğretmen öz-yeterlik inancı da duygusal bağlılıkla pozitif yönlü ve anlamlı bir şekilde ilişkilidir. Analiz sonuçları, öğretmen öz-yeterlik inancının; güçlendirici liderlik ve öğretmen özerkliği ile duygusal bağlılık arasındaki ilişkide aracı bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu çalışmanın güçlendirici liderlik, öğretmen özerkliği ve öğretmenlerin öz-yeterlik inancının, öğretmenlerin duygusal bağlılığı üzerindeki etkilerine odaklanan araştırmalara katkıda bulunması beklenmektedir. Ayrıca, politika yapıcılara ve okul liderlerine yönelik çıkarımlar sunulmuştur

PULMONER TROMBOEMBOLİNİN PNÖMONİDEN AYIRICI TANISINDA VE PULMONER TROMBOEMBOLİ TAKİBİNDE D-DİMER DÜZEYLERİNİN ROLÜ

Bir fibrin yıkım ürünü olan D-dimerin kalitatif düzeyi PTE’yi dışlamada ya da ileri tanı metodlarına yönlendirmede önemli bilgiler verir. Oysa D-dimerin kantitatif düzeylerinin D-dimer pozitifliği oluşturan diğer hastalıkların ayırıcı tanısında bir yeri olup olmadığı ve hatta D-dimer kantitatif düzeylerini takip etmenin, PTE takibinde bir yeri olup olmadığı çok iyi bilinmemektedir. Bu çalışmada; D-dimer kantitatif düzeylerinin PTE’nin TKP’den ayırıcı tanısında yeri olup olmadığı ve antikoagülan tedavi altında nasıl bir değişim gösterdiği ve bu değişimin hastalığın ağırlığı ve rekürrens ile ilişkisinin olup olamayacağının gösterilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmaya toplam 80 hasta alındı. PTE tanısı alan 45 hasta çalışma grubunu, TKP tanısı konulan 35 hasta ise kontrol grubunu oluşturdu. PTE ve TKP tanısı alan hastalarda antikoagülan ya da antibiyotik tedavi almadan önceki ilk kabulde, tedavi başladıktan sonra 3.gün, 10.gün ve 1. ayda kan D-dimer düzeyleri D-dimer Plus adı verilen lateks takviyeli immunotürbidimetrik yöntemle ölçüldü. Hastaların demografik bilgileri, risk faktörleri, semptom ve fizik muayene bulguları, laboratuvar ve radyolojik inceleme sonuçları kaydedildi. Antikoagülan tedavileri tamamlanan PTE hastalarının 1.yıl sonu takiplerinde nüks görülmedi. TKP grubundaki hastalar uygun antibiyotik tedavileri sonrasında ortalama 10.5 günde klinik ve laboratuvar değerlerinin düzelmesi sonucunda taburcu edildiler. PTE grubundaki hastaların tanı anındaki (0.gün) ortalama D-dimer düzeyleri, TKP grubundaki hastalara göre anlamlı derecede yüksek bulundu. Ayrıca D-dimer düzeylerinin zamana göre yüzde değişimleri alınıp, PTE ve TKP grupları arasında değerlendirildiğinde; PTE grubu lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı saptandı. Tanı anında bakılan D-dimer düzeylerinin PTE ve TKP grupları arasında kesim değeri için ″ROC″ eğrisi analizi yapıldığında D-dimer seviyelerinin 1700 μ/L’nin üzerinde olması PTE tanısı konmasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuştur. Antikoagülan tedavi başladıktan sonra PTE grubundaki hastalarda D-dimer düzeylerinin belirgin düştüğü oysa TKP grubunda aynı oranda düşüşün izlenmediği saptandı. PTE tedavisi tamamlanan hastalarda rekürrens görülebileceğini öngörmüştük. Ancak bu çalışmada rekürrens görülmemiştir. Bu sonuçlardan yola çıkılarak, tanı anında bakılan serum D-dimer kantitatif düzeylerinin PTE ve TKP ayırıcı tanısında yararlı olabileceği, antikoagülan tedavi altında Ddimer düzeylerinin, PTE’li hastalarda TKP hastalarına göre daha hızlı düşüş gösterdiğinden ayırıcı tanı ve PTE tanısının doğrulanmasında kullanılabileceği düşünülebilinir

Cross-reacting material 197 (CRM197) affects actin cytoskeleton of endothelial cells

WOS: 000412155000003PubMed ID: 28653650CRM197, cross-reacting material 197, is a mutant of diphtheria toxin (DTx). CRM197 is used in pharmacology as a carrier protein. It has been recently shown that CRM197 causes breakdown in actin filaments. In order to show intracellular localization of CRM197 and visualize cell structure via actin cytoskeleton, endothelial cells were cultured and subjected to CRM197 in vitro. To address the interaction between CRM197 and actin both experimental and theoretical studies were carried out. Colocalization of CRM197 with actin filaments was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Following 24-hour incubation, the loss of cell-cell contact between cells was prominent. CRM197 was shown to bind to G-actin by gel filtration chromatography, and this binding was confirmed by Western blot analysis of eluted samples obtained following chromatography. Based on crystal structure, docked model of CRM197-actin complex was generated. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that Lys42, Cys218, Cys233 of CRM197 interacts with Gly197, Arg62 and Ser60 of G-actin, respectively. CRM197 binding to G-actin, colocalization of CRM197 with actin filament, and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement resulting in the loss of cell-cell contact show that actin comes into sight as target molecule for CRM197.Scientific Research Project Coordination Unit of Istanbul University [21270, 51249]This work was supported by the Scientific Research Project Coordination Unit of Istanbul University. Projects number: 21270 and 51249. We are thankful to Gamze Kilic Berkmen for her editing assistance

Examination of the Effect of the Pandemic on Physical Activity and Dysmenorrhea

Abstract Background: Dysmenorrhoea releated with body mass index -less than 20 kg/cm2, smoking, early menarche, longer menstrual cycles, irregular menstrual flow and a family history of dysmenorrhea. On the other hand, the relationship between physical activity level and dysmenorrhea is still controversial. Purpose of the study: This study aimed to examinate of the effect of the pandemic on physical activity and dysmenorrhea together. Results: Individuals’ severity of dysmenorrhea, menstrual symptoms, physical activity levels were assessed with “Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)’’, “Menstruation Symptom Questionarre (MSQ)”, “International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)”, respectively. Moreover; BMI was calculated. Assessments were carried out twice, before -during the pandemic. The VAS value was 6.23 ± 1.78 before the pandemic, it was 7.20 ± 1.63 during the pandemic. The IPAQ score was 1274.67 ± 1232.26 before the pandemic, it was 902.74 ± 892.33 during the pandemic. While the changes in VAS (t: -3.549, p: 0.001) and IPAQ (t: 2.543, p: 0.013) values before and during the pandemic were statistically significant MSQ (t: -.781, p: 0.437) and BMI (t: -.938, p: 0.351) changes were not statistically significant. Conclusion: When the severity of dysmenorrhea and physical activity levels were compared with before the pandemic, a decrease in the level of physical activity and an increase in the severity of dysmenorrhea were found statistically significant during the pandemic (p<0.05). Although there was an increase in BMI and menstrual symptoms this increase wasn’t statistically significant (p> 0.05)

COVID-19: vaccination vs. hospitalization

Objective Vaccination is the most efficient way to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but vaccination rates remain below the target level in most countries. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the vaccination status of hospitalized patients and compare two different booster vaccine protocols. Setting Inoculation in Turkey began in mid-January 2021. Sinovac was the only available vaccine until April 2021, when BioNTech was added. At the beginning of July 2021, the government offered a third booster dose to healthcare workers and people aged > 50 years who had received the two doses of Sinovac. Of the participants who received a booster, most chose BioNTech as the third dose. Methods We collected data from 25 hospitals in 16 cities. Patients hospitalized between August 1 and 10, 2021, were included and categorized into eight groups according to their vaccination status. Results We identified 1401 patients, of which 529 (37.7%) were admitted to intensive care units. Nearly half (47.8%) of the patients were not vaccinated, and those with two doses of Sinovac formed the second largest group (32.9%). Hospitalizations were lower in the group which received 2 doses of Sinovac and a booster dose of BioNTech than in the group which received 3 doses of Sinovac. Conclusion Effective vaccinations decreased COVID-19-related hospitalizations. The efficacy after two doses of Sinovac may decrease over time; however, it may be enhanced by adding a booster dose. Moreover, unvaccinated patients may be persuaded to undergo vaccination