The effect of the training given to the child development students about foreign body aspiration upon their knowledge levels.

OBJECTIVE: This study was semi-experimentally conducted in order to determine knowledge levels of child development students about foreign body aspiration and to explore the effect of the training given to these students about foreign body aspiration upon their knowledge levels. METHODS: The research was conducted with a total of 231 students who studied at the department of child development of two high schools and one vocational higher school in Erzincan Province located in the east of Turkiye between May 2011 and February 2012. The data were gathered using a questionnaire form of 38 questions. The training on foreign body aspiration (Power point presentation, video presentation and practice on a dummy) was provided in three phases. For the data evaluation; percentages, chi-square test and Mc Nemar test were used. RESULTS: It was found out in the study that 91.8% of the students did not take any training/course about foreign body aspiration and 55% confronted situations of foreign body aspirations (ear, nose, airway). After the training about foreign body aspiration; it was noted that the number of the students who knew risky behaviors for foreign body aspiration increased and the increase in the number of the students was at the highest level among high schools (p<0.05). It was seen that the training was most effective among the university students in terms of knowing first-aid intervention in case a foreign body would obstruct airway among the children aged<1 year (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It was noted that the training which was applied on the dummy by using visual aids about foreign body aspiration increased the knowledge level of the students. Based on this finding, it may be recommended that nurses should perform their counseling and educator roles more actively for the families and those who are responsible for the baby care about foreign body aspiration by playing a more active role in the health care team.

Can safe and long-term exposure to extremely low frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields affect apoptosis, reproduction, and oxidative stress?

PURPOSE: To determine whether 50 Hz extremely low frequency-magnetic fields (ELF-MF) affects apoptotic processes, oxidative damage, and reproductive characteristics such as sperm count and morphology in rat testes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the present study, which were divided into three groups (sham group, n = 10, and two experimental groups, n = 10 for each group). Rats in the experimental group were exposed to 100 and 500 µT ELF-MF (2 h/day, 7 days/week, for 10 months) corresponding to exposure levels that are considered safe for humans. The same experimental procedures were applied to the sham group, but the ELF generator was turned off. Tissues from the testes were immunohistochemically stained for active (cleaved) caspase-3 in order to measure the apoptotic index by a semi-quantitative scoring system. The levels of catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), total antioxidative capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were also measured. Additionally, epididymal sperm count and sperm morphology was evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the reproductive and oxidative stress parameters between the sham group and the exposed groups (p > 0.05). While no difference was observed between the final apoptosis score of the sham and the 100 µT ELF-MF group (p > 0.05), the final apoptosis score was higher in the 500 µT ELF-MF exposure group than in the sham group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure to 100 µT and 500 µT ELF-MF did not affect oxidative or antioxidative processes, lipid peroxidation, or reproductive components such as sperm count and morphology in testes tissue of rats. However, long-term exposure to 500 µT ELF-MF did affect active-caspase-3 activity, which is a well-known apoptotic indicator.

The relationship between plasma aluminum content, lymphocyte DNA damage, and oxidative status in persons using aluminum containers and utensils daily.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the in vivo effect of the plasma aluminum content on lymphocyte DNA damage, the plasma protein carbonyl (PC) content, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidative capacity (TAC) levels in aluminum exposed and non-exposed humans. DESIGN AND METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from in vivo aluminum exposed and non-exposed humans and the above parameters were measured. RESULTS: The mean values of lymphocyte DNA damage, plasma MDA, PC levels, and aluminum concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the aluminum exposed group than within the control group (p<0.01). On the other hand, plasma TAC levels were found to be significantly lower in the aluminum exposed group than in the control group (p<0.001). Significant positive correlations were found to exist between lymphocyte DNA damage and the aluminum concentration (r=0.643, p<0.001), DNA damage and MDA (r=0.491, p<0.001), and DNA damage and PC (r=0.548, p<0.01). A negative correlation was found between TAC and DNA damage (r=-0.600 p<0.001) in the aluminum exposed group. CONCLUSION: Findings from the study revealed that an increased plasma aluminum concentration was associated with increased oxidative stress and increased DNA damage in aluminum exposed humans.

Effect of melatonin on testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats: is this effect related to the proinflammatory cytokines?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the protective effect of melatonin in testicular ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is mediated by the proinflammatory molecules. DESIGN: Experimental study. SETTING: University pharmacology laboratory. ANIMAL(S): Fifty-six 8-week-old male Wistar albino rats. INTERVENTION(S): Left testicular artery and vein was occluded for 1 hour, followed by 3 hours or 24 hours of reperfusion. Melatonin (10 mg/kg IP) or vehicle (1% ethanol in saline) was given 10 minutes before ischemia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) content, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 were examined in testicular tissue after 3 hours of reperfusion. Histologic examination was made after 24 hours of reperfusion. RESULT(S): The MDA, PC, and MPO levels in testicular tissue increased significantly after IR, but the proinflammatory cytokine levels did not change. Melatonin treatment decreased lipid and protein oxidation and ameloriated histopathologic alterations induced by IR without any change in proinflammatory cytokine levels. CONCLUSION(S): The protective effect of melatonin on IR-induced testiculary injury is related to its antioxidant properties but not to proinflammatory cytokines.

Serum paraoxonase-1 activity in women with endometriosis and its relationship with the stage of the disease.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Serum paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) associated enzyme that prevents oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The aims of the study were to (i) compare the serum PON-1 activity in women with endometriosis versus controls and (ii) assess whether PON-1 activity can be used as a diagnostic test for endometriosis. METHODS: A total of 87 women who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy were divided into groups by visual diagnosis at surgery: control patients (n = 40) with no pathologic findings; endometriosis sufferers with minimal to mild (n = 24) and moderate to severe (n = 23) stage. Serum PON-1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) levels were measured by iodometric assay. Serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL and LDL levels were also determined. RESULTS: PON-1 activity was significantly lower whereas LOOH levels were significantly higher in women with moderate to severe endometriosis than in women with minimal to mild endometriosis and controls, and in women with minimal to mild endometriosis compared with control groups (P < 0.0001, for all). A significant negative correlation was found between PON-1 activity and stage of the disease (r=-0.74, P < 0.0001). PON-1 activity and HDL levels were decreased whereas LOOH, TG, TC and LDL levels increased in all women with endometriosis versus controls (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced serum PON-1 activity and increased LOOH might contribute to the increased susceptibility for the development of atherosclerosis. PON-1 activity can be used as a diagnostic test to detect endometriosis.

Oxidative stress is associated with clinical severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Our objective was (1) to evaluate total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) in women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) compared with healthy pregnant controls, and (2) to explore any possible relationship between oxidative stress and clinical severity of the disease. Fifty-three women with NVP and 35 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Of these 53 women, 25 women were classified as mild and 28 women were classified with moderate/severe NVP. The severity of the disease was assessed by Rhodes' index. Plasma levels of TOS and TAS were determined by using automated methods. TOS was significantly higher and TAS was significantly lower in women with NVP ( P < 0.0001, for both). The moderate/severe NVP group had higher levels of TOS and lower levels of TAS than the women with mild NVP ( P < 0.0001, for both). Moreover, Rhodes' index showed positive correlation with TOS (r = 0.563; P < 0.0001) and negative correlation with TAS (r = -0.595; P < 0.0001). These findings indicate that oxidative stress is increased in NVP. There was a strong relationship between oxidative stress and the clinical severity of the disease. Therefore, we suggest that the levels of TOS and TAS can be used as additional markers in the diagnosis and clinical severity of NVP.