Assessment of Nutritional Composition of Turkish Red Crescent Menus After the M7.8 and M7.6 Earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the nutritional content and quality of the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) menus delivered to earthquake victims after the 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye.

METHODS

The menus of general, search-rescue, diabetes, and celiac were obtained from the TRC following the magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The nutrient content of the menus was evaluated with the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF20.3) score. In addition, the menus' energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient contents were compared with the dietary reference intake values of the Türkiye Dietary Guideline-2022, European Food Safety Authority, and Food and Drug Administration.

RESULTS

The general menu was insufficient to meet the daily requirements of vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium for earthquake victims. The sodium, phosphorous, and omega-6/omega-3 ratios were much higher than the recommended intakes. The NRF20.3 score of the diabetes menu was significantly higher than the search-rescue and celiac menus (P < 0.05). The energy content of the search-rescue menu was significantly higher than that of other menus (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The several nutritional risks were determined in TRC menus for earthquake victims who suffered from the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. Several supplementation programs can be applied to the earthquake regions to obtain strength immunity and effectively challenge posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Determination of the relationship between CD34+ stem cell amount and DMSO in hematopoetic stem cell transplantation

It is important to calculate the CD34+ stem cell (SC) count at the right time in patients with hematological malignancies who will undergo Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). The amount of SC infused into the patient affects the engraftment time and healing process of the patient. In this study, we aimed to compare which of the DMSO-not removed and DMSO-removed samples showed the CD34 + SC amount more accurately as the SC amount determination method after the SC was dissolved after cryopreservation in patients who will undergo HSCT. A total of 22 patients were included in the study. All 22 patients were transplanted from frozen samples using DMSO. After the SC products were dissolved in a 37 °C water bath, they were washed 2 times and the amount of CD34+ SC was studied from the samples taken by removing DMSO and without removing DMSO. In the findings, the amounts of CD34+ SC studied with both methods were compared. The increase in the number and percentage of CD34+ SC after DMSO-removed was found to be statistically significant both in terms of difference and proportionally, and the calculated effect sizes also showed that the increase was clinically significant (Cohen's d is between 0.43 and 0.677). After thawing the frozen SCs of the patients who will undergo HSCT, the analysis of CD34+ SCs from which DMSO is removed provides a more accurate calculation of the CD34+ SC amount in the AP.

Combination of St. John’s Wort Oil and Neem Oil in Pharmaceuticals: An Effective Treatment Option for Pressure Ulcers in Intensive Care Units

Background and Objectives: Phytotherapeutically, various herbal remedies, such as St. John’s wort oil, have been introduced as wound care options. Recently, Neem oil has been considered a herbal option for the management of superficial wounds. Wound care is a complex process that involves several factors including the patient, caregiver, and medications. Herbal combinations could be an alternative to the chemical counterparts in the wound care area. This report includes an investigation of the possible supportive impacts of the St. John’s wort and Neem oil containing ointment (W Cura G Plus ®) in the management of pressure ulcers (PUs) in three intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Materials and Methods: The ointment was administered to individuals once daily for 42 consecutive days. The status of individuals was macroscopically monitored by measuring the PU area and histopathological assessment of the tissue sections taken on the first and last days of wound treatment. Results: The outcomes of the macroscopic and histopathological techniques exhibited that St. John’s wort and Neem oil containing ointment provided a remarkable supportive impact on the patients that suffered from PUs in the ICUs. Conclusions: The combination of St. John’s wort and Neem oil could be suggested as an efficient active phytoconstituent for the management of PUs. The herbal ointments may be suggested as an alternative for the patients that have PUs in the ICUs.

Patients experienced serious adverse reactions within one hour of hematopoietic stem-cell infusion

METHODS

SARs were examined occurred within 1 hour after initiating HSC product infusions in all HSCT done in Turkey's Anadolu Medical Center Hospital accredited for HSCTs between 2013 and 2015, targeting 315 patients.

RESULTS

SARs were carefully evaluated in this study based on a comparison of the amount of stem cells infused, age, frozen sample (FS) / non-frozen samples (NFS) between HSCs sources. Rate of SARs is significantly higher in FS infusions supports the hypothesis that DMSO plays an important role in the development of SAR.

CONCLUSION

The rate of SARs is significantly higher in infusions given using FSs confirms the hypothesis that the preservative agent DMSO plays an important role in the development of SAR. Our study provides guidance for future studies on the necessity of reducing the amount of DMSO in the HSCT product and using other alternative freezing agents instead of DMSO.

COMPREHENSIVE DATA CONCERNING COSMIC RADIATION DOSES AT GROUND LEVEL AND IN-FLIGHTS FOR TURKEY

Cosmic radiation doses of individuals living in 81 cities in Turkey were estimated by using CARI-6 software. Annual cosmic radiation doses of individuals were found to be between 308 and 736 µSv y^-1 at ground level. The population-weighted annual effective dose from cosmic radiation was determined to be 387 µSv y^-1 for Turkey. Cosmic radiation doses on-board for 137 (60 domestic and 77 international) flights varied from 1.2 to 83 µSv. It was estimated that six or over long-route round-trip air travels may cause cosmic radiation dose above the permissible limit for member of the public, i.e. 1 mSv y^-1 According to the assumption of flights throughout 800 h on each route, cosmic radiation doses were found to be between 1.0 and 4.8 mSv for aircrew.

Measurement of enhanced radium isotopes in oil production wastes in Turkey

Gamma dose rates of oil production equipment and wastes were measured externally by survey meter. They were found to be between 0.2 μSv h(-1) and 25.7 μSv h(-1). Activity concentrations of radium isotopes in crude oil, scale, sludge, contaminated soil and water samples were determined by gamma spectrometric method. Activity concentrations of (224)Ra, (226)Ra and (228)Ra in samples varied from MDA to 132,000 Bq kg(-1). Radium isotopes enriched up to 14,667 times in scale samples. The highest value of (226)Ra was found to be 35,122 ± 1,983 Bq kg(-1) for sludge samples. Activity concentrations of a considerable number of samples were found to be higher than the exemption level recommended by IAEA. Measurement results revealed that oil production wastes caused soil contamination up to 70,483 Bq kg(-1). They may pose a radiological risk for workers and members of the public.

Unintentional irradiation of conceptus by diagnostic imaging examinations in Turkey

Exposure of the fetus to medical radiation sources during the diagnostic procedures without intention is one of the most significant concerns in the medical community. In this study, 45 conventional X-ray and computed tomography (CT) examinations of the women who were unaware of their pregnancy were investigated. Effective doses and fetal doses were calculated for each application by using PCXMC and ImPACT CT scan software. The exposure of abdominal CT and abdominal conventional X-ray examinations was found to be over the literature for both the range and the average values. Average effective dose for abdominal CT examinations was calculated to be ∼3.1 times higher than that in the literature. For abdominal CT and conventional X-ray examinations, the mean fetal doses were found to be ∼3.5 times and ∼5.4 times higher than those in the literature, respectively.