Burhanettin Işıklı

Nickel exposure and its effects.

The aim of the study was to determine the nickel concentrations of soil and plant specimens taken from a rural area exposed to cement factory emissions and also to determine the blood concentrations and sensitivity conditions observed in humans residing in this rural area. The study was carried out in Çukurhisar, a town in Eskişehir-Turkey, between May 2000 and March 2001. Beside the 108 soil (36 for control) and plant specimens, which were taken from 8 directions from the cement factory, blood samples of the individuals residing in this area were taken from 258 subjects (258 for control) following a physical examination, and patch tests were also applied. The nickel concentrations of the soil and plant specimens taken from different places in different directions of the factory were higher than in the control areas. The physical examination of subjects did not reveal results different from those of the control group except for the diagnosis of contact dermatitis. The analyses of venous blood samples showed that nickel concentrations were found to be within the reference values given for both groups, but higher in the subjects (p<0.001). According to the results of patch tests, sensitivity to nickel was found to be more frequent for the subject group than the control group (p<0.05). According to these results, clinical tools revealed no toxic effects for the subjects, except contact dermatitis. However, sensitivity to patch tests showed that this subject group has been affected compared to the control group and that this effect increased with age.

Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale (HK-LS): A Study on Development, Validity and Reliability

This study was conducted to develop a scale to measure knowledge about hypertension among Turkish adults. The Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale (HK-LS) was generated based on content, face, and construct validity, internal consistency, test re-test reliability, and discriminative validity procedures. The final scale had 22 items with six sub-dimensions. The scale was applied to 457 individuals aged ≥18 years, and 414 of them were re-evaluated for test-retest reliability. The six sub-dimensions encompassed 60.3% of the total variance. Cronbach alpha coefficients were 0.82 for the entire scale and 0.92, 0.59, 0.67, 0.77, 0.72, and 0.76 for the sub-dimensions of definition, medical treatment, drug compliance, lifestyle, diet, and complications, respectively. The scale ensured internal consistency in reliability and construct validity, as well as stability over time. Significant relationships were found between knowledge score and age, gender, educational level, and history of hypertension of the participants. No correlation was found between knowledge score and working at an income-generating job. The present scale, developed to measure the knowledge level of hypertension among Turkish adults, was found to be valid and reliable.

Antioxidant effects of melatonin and coenzyme Q10 on oxidative damage caused by single-dose ochratoxin A in rat kidney.

In the study, the effects of relatively high single-dose of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and the antioxidant effects of Melatonin (Mel) and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on OTA-induced oxidative damages in rats were investigated. A total of 28 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of 7 rats each: Control, OTA, Mel+OTA and CoQ10+OTA groups. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the plasma and glutathione (GSH) levels in whole blood were measured; kidneys (for histological inspection and for apoptosis detection by TUNEL method) and bone marrow samples (for chromosome aberration and mitotic index) were taken. The rats in the OTA group showed limited degeneration of tubular cells. In some tubules karyomegaly, desquamated cells and vacuolization were observed by light microscopy. Mel and CoQ10 treatment significantly reduced the severity of the lesions. MDA levels of the OTA group were significantly higher than the control, OTA+Mel and OTA+CoQ10 groups, while GSH levels were significantly lower than the control, OTA+Mel and OTA+CoQ10 groups. Higher incidences of apoptotic bodies were observed in the kidneys of the OTA group although OTA administration did not significantly change the incidence of apoptotic bodies when compared to the control and antioxidant administrated groups. Although the percentage of the mitotic index was lowest in the OTA group, no statistical difference was found among the groups. Additionally, OTA had no numerical and structural significant effects on chromosomes. It was observed that single-dose OTA administration caused oxidative damages in rat kidney and Mel or CoQ10 treatment appeared to ameliorate the OTA-induced tissue injuries.

Protective Effects of Leptin on Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat Bladder

The aim of the study was to evaluate protective effects of exogenous leptin on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injuries to the urinary bladder tissue and to investigate the effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels and apoptotic cells during I/R injury. Bladder I/R injury was induced by abdominal aorta occlusion by ischemia for 45 min, followed by 60 min of reperfusion in rats. The rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 8 + 8), I/R (n = 8 + 8) and I/R+leptin group (n = 8 + 8). The rats in the I/R+leptin group were treated intraperitoneally with leptin (10 microg/kg) 60 min prior to ischemia induction. At the end of the reperfusion period, urinary bladders of the first eight rats from each group were removed for TUNEL staining processing while the others were removed for biochemical analyses for MDA and TNF-alpha levels. In the I/R group, the ratios of TUNEL-positive nuclei were higher than the control and the I/R+leptin groups. The MDA and TNF-alpha levels of the bladder tissue in the I/R group were higher than the control and leptin-treated groups. TUNEL-staining and biochemical studies revealed that leptin has a protective effect on urinary bladder I/R injury.

Prevalence of osteoporosis in middle anatolian population using calcaneal ultrasonography method

BACKGROUND There are a few studies on the prevalence of osteoporosis in Turkey. Most of such studies have been performed using classical diagnostic methods. Quantitative calcaneal ultrasonography is a contemporary procedure used in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of the osteoporosis and risk factors in middle Anatolian population aged more than 40, using quantitative calcaneal ultrasonography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The present study was carried out in rural and urban areas of primary health care units. Evaluation of skeletal status was based on calcaneal quantitative ultrasound measurement, carried out by the Sahara Clinical Bone Sonometer (Hologic Waltham, MA, USA). RESULTS There were 1437 individuals, 866 were females (60.3%) and 571 were males (39.7%), aged in between 40 and 89 years. Standardized prevalence rates using Segis population were found to be 14.0% in total, 17.1% in female and 9.2% in male. Osteoporosis prevalence increased with increasing ages. The highest prevalence value was determined in the individuals older than 70 years of age. Osteoporosis was more common among women compared to men. Osteoporosis prevalence increased in consistent with a decrease in the amount of milk, yoghurt and cheese consumption. CONCLUSION Based on current study, it is concluded that osteoporosis is an important health problem. Requiring health education about life styles (activity and nutrition) to avoid and even control osteoporosis.

Preventive Effects of Ginkgo biloba Extract on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rat Bladder

Aims: The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) on ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in the rat bladder. Methods: A bladder I-R injury was induced by abdominal aorta occlusion by ischemia for 30 min, followed by 45 min reperfusion in rats. The rats were divided into four groups of 7 rats each; the control, I-R, and I-R groups were pretreated intraperitoneally with 50 or 100 mg/kg G. biloba 60 min before ischemia induction. Contractile responses to carbachol through isolated organ bath studies were recorded, histological sections were evaluated by light microscopy, and TUNEL staining was performed for the evaluation of apoptosis. Results: In the I-R group, the contractile responses of the bladder strips were lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01–0.001) and were restored by pretreatment with 100 mg/kg G. biloba (p < 0.05–0.001). Decreased polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration was detected in the G. biloba pretreatment groups when compared to the I-R group during histological evaluation. The ratio of TUNEL-positive nuclei was 1.84% in the I-R group, whereas it was decreased in both of the G. biloba pretreatment groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our data indicated that G. biloba has a preventive effect on I-R injury in rat urinary bladder.

Mevsimlik Tarım İşçileri ve Ailelerinin Sağlık Kuruluşlarına Başvuru Tercihleri-Application Preferences of Seasonal Farm Workers And Their Families for Health Care Institutions

Oz: Calismada Eskisehir’deki mevsimlik tarim iscileri ve ailelerinin saglik kuruluslarina basvuru tercihlerinin ve etkileyen faktorlerin belirlenmesi amaclandi. Calisma, 2014 yaz mevsimi suresince Eskisehir Osmangazi Universitesi Egitim Arastirma Bolgesinde bulunan cadir bolgelerinde calismanin oldugu gunlerde bulunan ve arastirmaya katilmayi kabul eden 1041 mevsimlik tarim iscisi uzerinde yapilan kesitsel bir arastirmadir. Calismada mevsimlik tarim iscilerinin cadir bolgesi, yasi, cinsiyeti ve icinde bulunduklari sezon icerisinde basvuru yaptiklari saglik kuruluslari ve basvuru sayilari, basvuru nedenleri, basvuru sonucu aldiklari tani ve mudahaleleri sorgulayan sorulardan olusan bir anket kullanildi. Birinci basamak saglik kurulusuna basvuru sikligi ikinci basamak saglik kurulusuna basvurudan daha dusuk idi. Coklu lojistik regresyon analizi sonuclarina gore birinci basamak saglik kuruluslarina basvuruda yas gruplari ve cadir bolgesinin merkeze uzakligi etkili bagimsiz degiskenler olarak bulundu. Ikinci basamak saglik kuruluslarina basvurmada 0-5 yas grubuna gore 6-14 yas grubunda basvuru sikligi azalmaktaydi. Kadinlarda ikinci basamak saglik kurulusuna basvurma sikligi erkeklere gore daha fazla idi. Merkeze yakin cadir bolgesinde oturanlar ikinci basamak saglik hizmetlerini tercih etmekteydiler. Mevsimlik tarim iscilerinden %46.6’sinin acil durumlarda (kaza, yaralanma), %38.5’inin hasta oldugunda, %12.6’sinin asi yapilacagi zaman birinci basamak saglik kuruluslarina basvurdugu bulundu. Mevsimlik tarim iscilerinin calismak uzere gittikleri ve yilin buyuk bir kismini gecirdikleri bolgelerde karsilastiklari pek cok sorundan biri de saglik konusundaki sorunlaridir. Saglik ile ilgili sorunlarinin cozumunde en onemli mudahale mevsimlik tarim iscisi koruyucu saglik hizmetlerinin on planda oldugu birinci basamak saglik hizmetlerine yonlendirilmesi olacaktir.

Characteristics of community health centers from the perspective of the centers’ leading physicians

Amac: Calismada, Toplum Sagligi Merkezi (TSM) sorumlu hekimlerinin gorusleriyle TSM’lerin genel ozelliklerinin belirlenmesi amaclandi. Gerec ve Yontem: Calisma, Turkiye’deki TSM sorumlu hekimleri (n=971) ile yapilan kesitsel tipte bir arastirmadir. Sorumlu hekimlerin Turkiye’deki dagilimi NUTS bolgeleri esas alinarak yapildi. Hazirlanan anket formu, hekimlerin sosyo-demografik ve mesleki ozelliklerini, TSM’lerin fiziksel olanaklarini ve TSM hekimligi ile ilgili dusuncelerini sorgulamaktaydi. Bulgular: Toplam 611 (%62.9) TSM sorumlu hekimine ulasildi. Calismaya katilan hekimlerin %66.6’si erkekti; %81.3’u ilce merkezlerinde gorev yapmakta iken %37.8’inin ilk gorev yeri TSM’lerdi. Calisma grubunda ortalama hekimlik suresi 8.1±7.7 yil, TSM hekimligi calisma suresi ise ortalama 2.2±1.9 yildi. TSM sorumlu hekimlerinin %63.8’i TSM hekimliginin sayginligi, %43.9’u gelecegi, %76.6’si sorumluluklarina gore yetkileri ve %64.2’si gorevinde kalici olmak konularinda olumsuz bir degerlendirme icindedir. Hekimlerin %43.7’si TSM personelini sayica, %57.3’u nitelik acisindan yeterli gormezken, %68.9’u TSM’nin fiziksel olanaklarini yeterli bulmamaktadir. Sonuc: TSM’lerle ilgili politikalarin gelistirilmesi gereklidir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Toplum Sagligi Merkezleri, saglik hizmetleri, sorumlu hekim

Participation of people living in rural areas of Eskisehir province in field researches, and factors affecting their rates of participation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine participation rates of people living in the rural area of Eskisehir in field researches, and the factors influencing this. METHODS: This descriptive study was performed with 1,482 people aged 18 and above in two districts of Eskisehir. Data were collected with a 16 question questionnaire using the face-to-face interview technique. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, chi- square test, logistic regression analysis, and factors affecting rates of participation in field researches. RESULTS: The most important reason (46.9%) given by participating for participant in field researches was the intention of “helping the interviewer”. The other reasons were; believing in the usefulness of the researches (35.0%), contribution to public improvement (14.9%) and taking pleasure in talking with various people (3.2%). The most important reason (34.6%) for not participating in field researches was “considering field researches a waste of time”. The other important reasons for non-participation were unnecessarily long questions in the research questionnaire forms (32.7%) and being uninformed of the research results (31.9%). In logistic regression analysis, age was found to be an influential factor in participation rates. CONCLUSION: Lower rates of participation in field researches cause bias. As far as possible high participation in field researches is important. For the achievement of higher participation rates in field researches, training courses must be provided to both research workers and the public.