Sahin, Hilal; Sahin, Habibe

Objective: The study aimed to examine the effect of adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet on the cognitive function, frailty, and physical activity levels in elderly individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centers between November 2020 and October 2021. The Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE), the Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of weight (FRAIL) scale, and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) were used to examine the cognitive function, frailty, and physical activity levels of participants, respectively. Adherence to the MIND diet score was calculated based on a food consumption record, and a semi-quantitative food consumption frequency questionnaire. Results: The study sample included 150 elderly, with a mean age of 71.31 +/- 5.15 years. The mean MIND diet, SMMSE, FRAIL, and PASE scores were 9.5(7.5-11.0), 22.54 +/- 3.98, 2.00 +/- 1.64, and 191.3 +/- 62.65, respectively. A weak positive correlation (p<.05) was found between the MIND diet score and SMMSE and FRAIL scales; however, no correlation was found with the PASE total score. A one-point increase in the MIND diet score resulted in a 0.002 increase in the mean SMMSE scale score and a 0.450 increase in the mean FRAIL scale score (p<.05). Conclusions: Adherence to the MIND diet was positively correlated with cognitive functions and frailty in elderly individuals. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to further investigate the effects of the MIND diet on cognitive functions and frailty.

Ayran, Gulsun; Köse, Semra

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Exclusive Breastfeeding Social Support Scale, which was designed to determine the social support perceived by mothers of infants aged 0-6 months who use any method of exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: This methodological research involved 290 mothers and their infants aged 0-6 months. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and breastfeeding-related information form and the Exclusive Breastfeeding Social Support Scale. Thereafter, content and construct validities were assessed; item and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted; and internal consistency was evaluated. The study adhered to the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies. Results: The Turkish version of the Exclusive Breastfeeding Social Support Scale achieved a content validity index of 0.94. The correlations between the item scores and total scale scores ranged from 0.56 to 0.87. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the scale's 16-item, three-factor structure, with factor loadings exceeding 0.30 and fit indices above 0.80. The scale demonstrated a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.95. Conclusions: The Turkish version of the Exclusive Breastfeeding Social Support Scale is proven to be a valid and reliable measurement tool. This scale facilitates the assessment of perceived social support levels among mothers who exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first 6 months after birth.

Firat, Meryem; Gökmen, Burcu Demir

Objective: Today, there is a growing interest in mindfulness-based therapies. Such practices can be beneficial by contributing to the personal and professional development of nursing students. In this study, the effect of mindfulness-based psychoeducation applied to Turkish nursing students on defense mechanisms and mindfulness was evaluated. Methods: The research was designed as a quasi-experimental study with a control group. Psychoeducation was delivered online between 08.03.2021 and 17.05.2021 in 16 sessions over 8 weeks. Data were collected using the Defense Style Questionnaire and the Awareness Scale. Percentage distributions, t-test, chi-square test, and paired samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: It was found that the students’ use of mature defenses and mindful awareness increased after the mindfulness-based psychoeducation, and the differences between the experimental-control groups and the mean scores of the pretest-posttest data were significant (p<.05). Conclusions: If mindfulness-based psychoeducation can be integrated into the curriculum of nursing students, it may help them to better understand themselves and their environment and to cope with the difficulties they encounter in their professional practice by supporting their personal development.

Manav, Vildan; Karaali, Muge Gore

Objective: Sensitive skin is a dermatological condition that is frequently observed and causes discomfort in individuals. Therefore, individuals with sensitive skin must carefully choose skin care and makeup habits. Our aims in this study were to conduct the first sensitive skin prevalence study in Turkey and to identify skin care and makeup habits. Methods: An online prospective controlled survey study was conducted among 1037 women. Participants with and without sensitive skin aged >18 years were included in the 3-month study. Results: Of the participating women, 82.73% were found to have sensitive skin. The most sensitive part of the face was the cheek (p < 0.001). Therefore, blush was the least frequently used by individuals with sensitive skin (p = 0.008) Conclusion: Sensitive skin is an important social and medical problem. The skin care and makeup habits of individuals with sensitive skin should be examined in detail and more help should be provided by dermatologists to these individuals.

Selçuk, Ezgi Demirturk; Demirbag, Birsel Canan

Objective: This research was carried out to determine the attitudes of individuals who applied to primary care during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the factors affecting the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: The descriptive study was conducted with individuals (n=190) who applied to five family health centers in Erzincan city center between March-June 2021. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form and the Scale of Attitudes towards the COVID-19 Vaccine by paying attention to the pandemic rules by face-to-face interview method. Results: It was determined that 75.3% of the individuals were women, 41.1% were primary school graduates, 59.5% lived in a nuclear family and 74.2% had no chronic disease. Individuals Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine Scale mean score was 3.26 +/- 0.78 out of 5, positive attitude sub-dimension mean score was 3.32 +/- 0.99, and negative attitude sub-dimension mean score was 3.21 +/- 0.71. There is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine Scale and the status of individuals thinking that COVID-19 vaccine is necessary for public health, worrying about getting COVID-19 infection, having COVID-19 vaccine, and following information about COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: It was determined that the attitudes of these individuals towards the COVID-19 vaccine were at a positive level. The reasons for participants' concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine are fear of side effects of the vaccine and the production of the vaccine in a very short period of time.

Üstündag, Hilal; Sentürk, Esra; Yildirim, Serkan; Çelebi, Fikret; Gül, Mustafa

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the effect of in vivo melatonin (MEL) administration on isolated thoracic aorta in rats with thyroxine treatment and its duty in aortic response to contractile agents, such as potassium chloride (KCl) and phenylephrine (PE). In addition, immunohistological alterations were also examined. Methods: Experimental groups were as follows: control group (n= 5), thyroxine group (n= 5), melatonin group (n= 6), and thyroxine + melatonin group (n= 6). L-thyroxine was given by intraperitoneal (i.p) administration at 0.3 mg/kg/day for 14 days. MEL was administered i.p., at 3 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The thoracic aorta was isolated from rats euthanized by cervical dislocation. Then, vascular rings were prepared. Concentration-response curves for KCl and PE applications were recorded in an isolated organ bath. Tissue samples were fixed in 10% formalin for histopathological and immunohistological evaluation. Results: KCl and PE-induced contractions were reduced significantly in the thoracic aortic rings of the thyroxine-treated rats. MEL administration partially attenuated the reduction in the contraction responses due to thyroxine treatment. Immunohistological findings showed that MEL inhibits the thickening of the vessel wall by probably suppressing collagen formation due to thyroxine treatment in the aortic tissue. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MEL may attenuate the decrease in vascular resistance caused by thyroxine treatment.

Gülnahar, Yakup; Küpeli, Ilke

Objective: The aim of the study is to observe the level of anxiety and its relationship with cardiovascular changes in each implant in the patients with a high number of implants applied in a single session. Methods: In the prospective observational study, 100 patients, who had undergone 4 or more implant surgeries in the same session electively, were included in the study. Demographic data of each patient were recorded. After Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (C-DAS) was applied to the patients 10 minutes before the surgery, standard heart rate (HR), saturation, systolic (SAP), and diastolic (DAP) blood pressure monitorization were performed and the measured values were recorded during surgery and 30 minutes after the end of the procedure, and the surgery period were recorded. Results: It was determined that the mean age of the cases was 52.0 +/- 11.7 and the number of implants was 5.8 +/- 1.5, and the surgery periodwas 53.7 +/- 18 minutes. There was a positive correlation between HR and CDAS at all times and as the number of implants increased, SAP and DAP were added to this correlation (p <0.05). As the number of implants increased, HR, SAP and DAP also increased (p <0.05). As the surgery period increased, postoperative anxiety increased (p <0.05). Conclusion: It was found that anxiety levels of patients and accordingly the HR, SAP and DAP increased as the number of implants increased in the patients who underwent 4 or more implant surgeries in the same session.

Akar, Turker; Akin, Hakan

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the different surface treatments on fracture strength of the zirconia-based ceramic restorations. Methods: Each of 120 dental implant abutments and analogs were used in the present study. Zirconia core materials were manufactured on dental implants by using CAD/CAM device and they were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=20) according to surface pretreatments; control group (Group C), airborne-particle abrasion (Group AA), silica-coating (Group SC), Nd:YAG laser (Group N), bur-cut from cervical region (Group BC), and bur-cut on the functional tubercule (Group BT). Cementation was succeeded with two different types of cements including a dual-cure resin-cement and a glass ionomer cement. The obtained data were evaluated statistically using one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p=0.05). Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the groups (p>0.05). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was found between the resin cement and glass ionomer groups with respect to fracture strength values (p>0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, surface treatments and cement have no effect on the flexural strength of zirconia ceramic crowns.

Kupeli, Ilke; Kuyrukluyildiz, Ufuk; Tas, Sara; Bedir, Zehra; Selcan, Aysin

Objective: Peripheral nerve blocks are now used widely for postoperative analgesia and peripheral nerve catheters are widely utilized. Objective of this study was to investigate effect of perineural infusion of dexmedetomidine on the duration of postoperative analgesia retrospectively. Material & Methods: A total of 60 patients aged between 18 and 65 years were included in the study. Group 1 received infraclavicular patient-controlled perineural bupivacaine (0.1 %). Group 2 received infraclavicular patient-controlled perineural bupivacaine (0.1 %) + dexmedetomidine (200 mic/100 cc). Blood pressure, pulse, peripheral oxygen saturation modified ramsay sedation scale, visual pain scores, total amount of analgesics were recorded at the 0, 30, 60, 90 minutes and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 hours. Results: Systolic blood pressure was higher in Group 1 at the hour 6 (p: 0.007). Whereas, diastolic blood pressure was higher in Group 1 at the hours 4 and 6 (p: 0.000, p: 0.003). Heart rate was found to be higher in Group 2 at the hours 8, 12 and 24 (p: 0.004, p: 0.002, p: 0.002). Patients in Group 1 were found to significantly feel pain and need analgesics at the hours 4 and 6 (p: 0.002, p<0.05). The mean number of patient requests for analgesia was 5.8 +/- 1.4 times in Group 1 and 2.2 +/- 0.4 in Group 2 (p<0,05). None of the patients developed sedation/neurological deficits. Conclusion: Perineural infusion of dexmedetomidine combined with bupivacaine was found to increase the duration of postoperative analgesia, reduce 24-hour need for analgesia and have not any adverse effect at low doses.