Metin Genç

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

BackgroundAnemia 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.MethodsThis 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.ResultsAnemia 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.ConclusionsIn 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.

Comparison of plasma malondialdehyde, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, hydroxyproline and selenium levels in patients with vitiligo and healthy controls

Background: The etiology and pathophysiologic mechanism of vitiligo are still unclear. The relationship between increased oxidative stress due to the accumulation of radicals and reactive oxygen species and the associated changes in blood and epidermal component of vitiliginous skin have been reported many times. We investigated the possible changes of plasma malondialdehyde, glutathione, selenium, hydroxyproline and glutathione peroxidase activity levels in patients with vitiligo in order to evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress and etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. Materials and Methods: Plasma malondialdehyde, glutathione, hydroxyproline and glutathione peroxidase activity levels were measured by spectrophotometric methods, and HPLC was used for measurement of selenium concentrations. Results: Our results showed increased malondialdehyde, hydroxyproline and glutathione peroxidase activity levels in plasma of vitiligo group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Support of antioxidant system via nonenzymatic antioxidant compounds and antioxidant enzymes may be useful to prevent of melanocyte degeneration which occur due to oxidative damage in vitiligo.

Comparison of the chemopreventive potentials of melatonin and vitamin E plus selenium on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced inhibition of mouse liver antioxidant enzymes.

Chemoprevention is a rapidly growing area of oncology that is identifying agents with a potentially preventive role in cancer. In this study, it was our goal to compare the chemopreventive effects of vitamin E plus selenium, and melatonin. Forty female mice were divided into four equal groups. The first group served as control. The second group had i.p. injections of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) (20 mg/kg body weight) in corn oil for 21 days. The third group had the same procedure of DMBA injections as the second group and received vitamin E+selenium (90 μg+1.8 μg/day), simultaneously. The fourth group had DMBA injections and melatonin (4.2 mg/kg body weight), simultaneously. DMBA alone caused significant inhibition of hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the second group. In the third group, vitamin E+selenium restored DMBA-induced GSHPx inhibition significantly whereas CAT and SOD inhibition remained essentially unchanged. In the fourth group, melatonin not only significantly decreased DMBA-induced GSHPx inhibition but also fully reversed CAT and SOD inhibitions caused by DMBA. We speculate that melatonin alone provides better chemoprevention against DMBA-induced oxidative stress than the vitamin E+selenium combination.

Violent Discipline Behaviors in Mothers of Preschool Children in Malatya, East Anatolia

Violent parenting behavior, whether physical or psychological, give harms to child well-being. This study was conducted to describe and compare the prevalence of discipline methods used by mothers of 2- to 5-year-old children in Malatya, Turkey. This is a cross sectional study and 552 mothers were administered a face-to-face questionnaire describe the methods they use to discipline their children in the year previous the survey. It was observed that nine of 10 women used violence on their children physically and psychologically. The study showed that nine of 10 mothers used physical and/or psychological punishment toward their children in the previous year. Nonviolent discipline was less prevalent than punitive discipline, such as psychological and physical punishment. The most commonly used method was psychological punishment. Significant sociodemographic associations with discipline methods were found. Mother’s educational level, family income, child gender, and child age were the independent predictors that explained discipline methods used by mothers. Starting parenting classes and strengthening the child protection systems at national level were suggested.

Hepatic Arginase - Nitric oxide imbalance: Impact of carcinogenesis and therapeutic effect of sodium channel blockage in an in vivo rat model

Abstract Objective: Nitric oxide synthase and arginase are frequently antagonistic and interactive, although both use L-arginine as common substrate. Their balance is of potential functional importance. How the balance changes in cancer is unknown. Increasing evidence suggests that progression of carcinomas involves functional voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) activity. Methods: The present study extended this study to liver and aimed to determine whether (i) DMBA carcinogenesis would affect the activities of arginase and NOS and (ii) treatment with Na-channel blocker RS100642 would ameliorate the impact of the carcinogen on the arginase-NOS balance. Results: DMBA application significantly increased arginase activity and, correspondingly, the level of L-ornithine by 25-33%. In contrast, NOS activity decreased by 11%. Importantly, RS100642 treatment completely suppressed the effect on arginase. Conclusion: It is concluded (i) that DMBA carcinogenesis changes the hepatic arginase-NOS balance, increasing the overall dominance of arginase and (ii) that VGSC inhibition has a protective effect on liver. Özet Amaç: Arjinaz ve nitrik oksit sentaz, arjinini ortak substrat olarak kullanmalarına rağmen sıklıkla antagonist ve etkileşim halindedirler. Aralarındaki denge potansiyel olarak fonksiyonel öneme sahiptir. Bu dengenin kanserde nasıl değiştiği henuz bilinmemektedir. Artan kanıtlar fonksiyonel voltaj kapılı sodyum kanal (VGSC) aktivitesinin kanser gelişiminde yer aldığını göstermektedir. Metod: Bu calışmada, karaciğerde (i) DMBA ile oluşturulan karsinojenezin arjinaz ve NOS aktivitelerini etkileyip etkilemediğinin (ii) RS100642 Na-kanal blokeri uygulanmasının arjinaz NOS dengesi üzerine karsinojen etkisini iyileştirip iyileştirmediğinin belirlenmesi amaçlandı. Bulgular: DMBA uygulanması, arjinaz aktivitesini ve bununla bağlantılı olarak L-ornitin düzeylerini (%25-33) anlamlı şekilde artırdı. Buna karşın, NOS aktivitesi %11 oranında azaldı. Önemli bir bulgu olarak, RS100642 uygulanması arjinaz üzerine olan karsinojen etkisini tamamen baskıladı. Sonuç: Sonuç olarak; (i)DMBA ile oluşturulan karsinojenez, hepatik arjinaz-NOS balansını arjinazın tümüyle baskın hale geleceği şekilde artırarak değiştirmektedir, (ii) VGSC inhibisyonu karaciğer üzerinde koruyucu etkiye sahiptir.