Aydın, Muhammet Raşit; Karahan, Harun

The monocyte/HDL cholesterol ratio (MHR) is increasingly recognized as a potential marker of inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, despite the lack of standardized reference values. This study investigates the association between air pollution and MHR and its relationship with chronic diseases. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 600 patients admitted to Igdir State Hospital. Patients were grouped by Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) exposure levels (≥50 μg/m³ vs <50 μg/m³). Laboratory data and disease diagnoses were recorded and analyzed. MHR was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) (p<0.003) and lower in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (p<0.003) on days with PM10≥50 μg/m³. Similar trends were observed on low-pollution days (PM10<50 μg/m³), with a significant positive association between MHR and ASCVD (p<0.012) and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (p<0.027). A significant correlation was also found between MHR and HbA1c levels (p<0.001). MHR is positively associated with cardiovascular risk and may serve as a low-cost, accessible marker of inflammation in clinical practice.

Bulut, Hacer Kobya; Calik, Kiymet Yesilcicek; Daştan Yılmaz, Ayşe

The study aimed to assess whether mothers’ perceptions of social support influence the quality of maternal–infant bonding after childbirth. A descriptive and correlational design was employed. The study was conducted between June and December 2024 with mothers of infants aged 1–4 months who attended the obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics outpatient clinics of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University (EBYU) Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital. The sample size was calculated as 471 using Epi Info with a 5% margin of error and 97% confidence level; the study was completed with 505 mothers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Information Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI). The participants’ mean age was 30.04 ± 5.67 years, and 60.4% were between 26 and 34 years old. Nearly half had completed high school (49.5%), most lived in nuclear families (88.3%), the majority were housewives (81.8%), and most perceived their income level as moderate (81.6%). A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between total MSPSS and MAI scores (r=0.289, p<0.001). At the subscale level, the strongest correlation was observed between “significant other” support and bonding (r=0.311, p<0.001), followed by family (r=0.242, p<0.001) and friends (r=0.187, p<0.001). However, regression analyses including each subscale and the total MSPSS score independently revealed no significant predictive power for maternal bonding (t=0.777– 1.101, all p>0.05). Perceived social support has a positive relationship with maternal–infant bonding in the postpartum phase. However, in univariate models, its explanatory power is limited. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening partner and family support and integrating systematic social support screening into postpartum care practices.

Gürsoy, Ersan; Gürsoy, Nurcan; Yağız, Mercan; Vatansever, Mehmet

This study aims to investigate the awareness of medical students, who are educated in regions that have experienced significant destruction from disasters such as earthquakes, towards disasters, the roles they can assume during disaster situations, and their attitudes towards disaster medicine. This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and January 2024 at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Medicine, involving medical students aged 18 years and older. A structured, 20-item questionnaire was administered to collect demographic information, previous disaster experiences, levels of disaster awareness, and attitudes toward disaster medicine. Descriptive statistics were used for data presentation, and the Chi-square test was applied for categorical comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. A total of 172 students participated in the study. Among these participants, 80.2% (n=138) stated that they lacked sufficient knowledge regarding the appropriate actions to take during a disaster, and 30.2% (n=52) reported not having received adequate training in disaster preparedness. Among students with previous natural disaster experience, it was observed that such experiences did not significantly impact their knowledge and attitudes towards disaster management (p=0.434). Students who had received training were observed to have greater confidence in providing medical support during disasters (p=0.006). In conclusion, medical students remain a highly motivated but underprepared group in terms of disaster readiness. It is therefore imperative to strengthen their knowledge and skills in disaster management and intervention. Increasing the emphasis on disaster preparedness within medical education programs can better equip students for future disasters and ultimately enhance the overall resilience of the community.

Gürsoy, Ersan; Gürsoy, Nurcan; Vatansever, Mehmet; Nas, Mehmet Akif

This study aimed to evaluate family physicians’ knowledge and practices in primary healthcare settings. It focused specifically on their approaches to eye screening, early diagnosis, and management of eye diseases. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among family physicians working in the provinces of Erzincan, Trabzon, and Erzurum. Data were collected between September and December 2024 using a 37-item questionnaire developed through a literature review and pilot testing. The questionnaire, delivered via Google Forms, included Likert-scale items covering demographic information, eye screening practices, and knowledge levels. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann Whitney U, and Spearman correlation analysis. A total of 124 family physicians participated in the study. While 40.3% reported performing red reflex screening only for infants aged 0–3 months, 29.8% stated they did not perform it at all. Additionally, 21.8% indicated that a direct ophthalmoscope was either unavailable or its availability was unknown at their centers. The mean knowledge score was 58.15, with male physicians scoring significantly higher than female physicians (p=0.023). No significant associations were found between knowledge scores and age, total professional experience, or job title. However, a positive and significant correlation was identified between the duration of family medicine practice and knowledge level (r=0.240, p=0.007). The findings revealed notable deficiencies in the knowledge and practices of family physicians concerning eye health screening and early diagnosis. To enhance the quality of primary eye care, it is essential to implement regular training programs, ensure the availability of ophthalmic examination tools, and establish national screening protocols. This study contributes foundational insights to strengthen the role of family physicians in the early detection and management of eye conditions.

Bulut, Hüseyin; Göçer, Şemsinnur; Polat, Tuncay; Özer, Mustafa

This research investigates the influence of tobacco use and air pollution on the mortality rates associated with lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in OECD member states. Employing a retrospective design, the study explores correlations and regression outcomes to assess the association between smoking, environmental pollution, and cause-specific mortality. The analysis incorporates air pollution metrics and smoking prevalence from 2019 OECD data, alongside mortality statistics obtained from the World Health Organization for the same year. Statistical evaluations were carried out using SPSS v25.0 and Microsoft Excel, with significance set at p<0.05. The results revealed a statistically significant and moderately positive correlation between smoking and mortality from lung cancer and stroke (p<0.05). However, air pollution did not exhibit a significant correlation with any of the selected mortality outcomes (p>0.05). According to simple regression analysis, smoking substantially influenced mortality rates for lung cancer and stroke, whereas air pollution showed no notable impact. Combined, smoking and air pollution accounted for 44.9% of lung cancer mortality variation and 25.7% for stroke (p<0.05). The findings underscore the prominent role of smoking in increasing the risk of lung cancer and stroke, while also highlighting the necessity of incorporating environmental determinants like air pollution into public health frameworks.

Dinc, Kemal; Naykı, Cenk

The aim of our study is to determine whether the first trimester systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and other hematological markers can be useful as new markers of isolated oligohydramnios that may develop later. Two main groups were formed in this retrospective study. In the first group, 57 pregnant women with isolated oligohydramnios in their third trimester (between 28-40 weeks) were included. The control group consisted of 137 healthy pregnant women with a normal amniotic index (AFI) in the third trimester. First trimester and delivery hemogram values and newborn results of all pregnant women in both groups included in the study were noted for statistical comparison. Platelet (261.895+8.04), which is the hematological marker that best predicts IO in the first trimester, was found to be higher than the healthy group (244.390±4.79) (p=0.03). PLR was the best predictor of oligohydramnios in the third trimester. The PLR level was determined as 113,288, and the cut-off value was 64.91%, the upper limit was 95% CI, the specificity was 51.09%, the positive predictive value was 35.58%, and the negative predictive value was 77.78%. The platelet count in the first trimester and the progressive increase in the number of PLR in the third trimester are significantly related in the prediction of oligohydromnus. SII, NLR and PLR measured in the first trimester are useless in predicting isolated oligohydramnios that may develop in the future.

Melikoglu, Mehmet; Ozdemir, Sevki; Uslu, Hakan

The aim of our study was to investigate the features and agents in patients with dermatophytosis and to evaluate the dermatophyte flora changes in our area in recent years. Patients and Methods: Patients with dermatophytosis were included in our study. The age, gender, social life area, animal contact history of the patients and the clinical types of dermatophytosis were recorded. 443 native preparation positive species were cultured and their pathogens were investigated. There were 367 cases with an age range between 1-79 years. The animal contact history was present in 23,7% and rural area living anamnesis was present in 21.2% of the species having dermatophytosis diagnosis. The ratio of clinical type distributions were determined as follows; T.pedis %41.5, T.unguium on foot+hand %29.2, T.capitis %9.9, T.inguinalis %7.2, T.corporis %6.1, T.manum %3.6, T.facialis %2.0 and T.barba %0.5. The agent could be identified in 76.5% of the species with the rates of T.rubrum 62.5%, T.mentagrophytes 16.8%, T.verrucosum 9.4%, M.canis 4.7%, E.floccosum 3.2%, T.violaceum 1.8%, T.tonsurans 0.9%, M.nanum 0.3 % and T.schonlein 0.3 %. T.rubrum was the most frequent agent causing T.pedis, T.unguium, T.inguinalis. Also T.verrucosum was the most frequent agent in T.capitis, T.corporis and T.barba and it was considered that this could be arised from our animal husbandry region. There have been differentiations in dermatophytosis and their agents today versus their status in 20 years ago in our region. Although they were decreased in comparison to the past, cases with T. capitis have remained their importance at present.

Ozdemir, Gokhan; Demirdöğen, Filiz; Akcay, Guven; İyigün, İbrahim

Stroke has a major impact worldwide in terms of mortality and morbidity. The aim of our research was to determine the effect of serum Vaspin level on acute ischemic stroke and to investigate the relationship between serum Vaspin level, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and infarct volume. This study was carried out in 100 patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke diagnosis in the Neurology Department of Yakutiye Research Hospital of Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine and 80 healthy controls. The age and sex of the patient and control groups were consistent. Patients who met the following criteria were selected to be included in the study. Exclusion criteria: patients with ischemic stroke presenting after the first 24 hours to overcome the potential bias associated with inflammatory conditions, patients diagnosed with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, diseases that cause hypoxia and coronary artery disease. Vaspin levels were measured and compared in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and in the control group. NIHSS calculated. Infarct volume was also measured with Cavalieri's principle. The correlation between them was calculated statistically. Vaspin level was higher in patients with ischemic stroke compared to the control group (825 vs. 939; p<0.001). Vaspin levels were significantly higher in patients who had acute ischemic stroke. Since examination of Vaspin levels in patients presented with acute ischemic stroke suggested the severity of the stroke, it was found to be important in terms of mortality and morbidity affiliated with it.

Gürsul, Cebrail; Akdemir, Fazile Nur Ekinci

Methotrexate (MTX) inhibits mitosis by antagonizing the folic acid required for DNA synthesis. Since it is metabolized in the liver, it may cause toxic effects. In this study, the effect of barbaloin (BAR), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance, against MTX-induced liver damage was investigated. Totally 18 animals were divided into control, MTX, and MTX+BAR groups. The study was terminated after liver and blood samples were taken. While liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels raised in the MTX group compared to the control group, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities decreased. While MDA and MPO levels decreased in the MTX+BAR group compared to the MTX group, SOD, CAT, and GPx activities increased. The levels of blood aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase increased in the MTX group but decreased in the MTX+BAR group. MTX has toxic effects on the liver and this toxicity diminished with the application of BAR.

Arslan, Yusuf Kemal; Mertoglu, Cuma; Ozcicek, Adalet; Ozcicek, Fatih; Soylu, Yasin Emrah; Çoşkun, Reşit

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) surrounds the heart surface and creates local and systemic effects secreting the hormones, cytokines, inflammatory mediators. Previous studies demonstrated that both smoking and EAT have a strong association with inflammation and atherosclerosis.Our study aimed to determine the relationship of smoking with EAT thickness and inflammation by evaluating smokers and non-smokers. A total of 259 healthy male and female participants between the ages of 18-65, without a history of chronic disease and with a body mass index within normal limits, were included in a study. EAT thickness measurements were made by transthoracic echocardiography and EAT thicknesses of smokers and non-smokers were compared. In addition, the effects of smoking and EAT thickness on different inflammatory parameters were evaluated. When the EAT thicknesses were compared between smokers and non-smokers (2.60±1.2), a statistically significant difference was found in favor of smokers (3.84±1.84) (p<0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found among age, body mass index, smoking duration in years, pack/year and EAT thickness. The difference among waist circumference, the number of cigarettes smoked daily, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, ALT, AST, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, CRP, uric acid, platelet count, MPV values, platelet/lymphocyte ratio and EAT thickness were found meaningful, but the weak correlation in different ratios were determined. Smoking was found to be the most important determinant of EAT thickness. Other determinants of EAT thickness were age, body mass index, CRP and female gender. The significant statistical relationship between smoking and EAT thickness suggests that smoking increases EAT thickness and inflammatory parameters. Co-assessment of the EAT and blood inflammatory parameters in smokers may guide the initiation of medical treatment in primary prevention or other therapies.