Beliefs and attitudes of final-year nursing students on honour crimes: a cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of nursing students about honour crimes and examine their beliefs about inquiring information from the victims of honour crimes. A questionnaire including demographic data was administered to a sample of 225 male and female final-year students in a nursing school. Among them, we found that significantly more male students than female students justify honour crimes. Although the majority of both male and female nursing students believed that asking for honour crimes is useful, significantly more male than female nursing students were against screening for honour crimes. This study supports the belief that gender has an influence on nurses' perceptions, attitudes and tolerance of honour crimes.

Catalase activity, serum trace element and heavy metal concentrations, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E levels in hydatidiform mole.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: In this study we aimed to measure the activity of catalase, which is an antioxidant enzyme, the concentrations of some trace elements and heavy metals, and vitamin A, D and E levels in serum samples of patients with hydatidiform mole, normal pregnancies and healthy non pregnant women. METHODS: Seventy-two women were enrolled in this study. Of these, 24 were healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy (HP), 24 were healthy non-pregnant women (NP) and 24 were patients with complete hydatidiform mole (CHM). RESULTS: Serum levels of catalase, Zn, Co, vitamin A, D and E were significantly lower in the CHM group when compared with the HP and NP groups (p < 0.001). Serum levels of Cu, Fe, and Cd were significantly higher in the CHM group when compared with the HP and NP groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The assessment of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in pregnant women could be useful in the early determination of molar pregnancy and supplementation with antioxidants may be useful in the treatment of CHM, and may prevent recurrent molar pregnancy.

The relationship between clinico-biochemical characteristics and psychiatric distress in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The relationship between clinico-biochemical characteristics and self reported psychological parameters in 42 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 42 age-matched healthy controls was examined. The General Health Questionnaire was used (GHQ-12) to ascertain emotional distress and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to determine depressive symptoms. Emotional distress, depressive symptoms, hirsutism score, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio, serum total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels and the insulin resistance index were significantly greater in women with PCOS than in healthy women. The BDI and GHQ-12 scores of the women with PCOS were significantly higher than those of the control group (BDI, 11.69 +/- 9.49 vs 5.80 +/- 4.58; GHQ-12, 3.38 +/- 3.38 vs 1.54 +/- 1.97, respectively), and BMI and WHR were positively correlated with the BDI and GHQ-12 scores. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of emotional distress and depression in women with PCOS, especially those who are obese, and of the need to screen these patients for such symptoms.

Catalase activity, serum trace element and heavy metal concentrations, and vitamin A, D and E levels in pre-eclampsia.

Catalase (antioxidant enzyme) activity in erythrocytes and serum levels of trace elements (copper, iron, zinc), heavy metals (cadmium, cobalt) and vitamins A (retinol), D (cholecalciferol) and E (alpha-tocopherol) were measured in 145 subjects comprising 47 pre-eclamptic pregnant women (PE), 48 healthy pregnant women (HP) and 50 healthy non-pregnant controls (NP). Catalase, vitamins A, D and E and levels of cobalt were significantly lower in the PE group compared with the HP and NP groups, whereas levels of copper, iron and cadmium were significantly higher in the PE group than in the HP and NP groups. Levels of zinc were significantly lower in both the PE and HP groups compared with the NP group. This assessment of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in pregnant women could be useful in the early identification of pre-eclampsia and antioxidant supplementation in the early weeks of gestation might be useful.