The opinions of adults about the ban on cigarette sales to minors

BACKGROUND

Selling of tobacco products to minors has been banned since 1996 by the tobacco control law in Turkey. However, it is also important for the public to support practices that prevent the access of tobacco products to minors. In addition, every individual has the responsibility of carrying out society based programs that restrict access to tobacco products especially to children and the youths. Social sensitivity is considered an important factor in the prevention of tobacco use. This study aims to learn about the opinions and attitudes of adults with regards to minors access to tobacco products.

METHODS

The study was a descriptive study conducted in nine city centers in Turkey. The total number of participants reached was 3241. The questionnaire was developed by the research team and consisted of 22 questions concerning knowledge and behaviors of adults on restriction of tobacco sales to minors and their observations with regards tobacco sales to minors. Data was collected through face to face interview. Pearson chi-square test was used for the bivariate analysis whereas logistic regression was investigate the relationship between "the participant's response against tobacco sales to minors" and the following explanatory variables; "age", "educational status", "income level", "working status", "minors access to cigarettes", "smoking ratio in high school" and "sales of tobacco to minors".

RESULTS

More than half of the participants (60.5%) belonged to the age group 25-44 years, 61.3% graduated from high school or university. Most of the participants were smoker (39.2%) or ex-smoker (19.1%), and 41.7% of the participants was non-smoker. A greater proportion of the participants (76.2%) believed that smoking prevalence was greater than 40% among high school students. One in four (27.8%) adults did not know that tobacco control law bans sell of tobacco products to minors in Turkey. More than half of the participants (57.1%) ever witnessed tobacco sales to minors and 63.6% of them did not act when confronted with the event. Almost all (96.8%) of the respondents thought that access of minors to tobacco products was not difficult. The results of logistic regression of participant's response against tobacco sales to minor and related factors for current smokers showed that respondents who believed smoking ratio in high school was 4-5 adolescent out of 10 (aOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.09-2.34) were more likely to give a warning or informing the police or other people as compared to respondents whose perception on the smoking ratio among high school students was 6-7 adolescents out of 10. The results of logistic regression of non-smokers' response against tobacco sales to minor were who are from higher educational level, higher economic status, working status and who believed smoking ratio in high school was 4-5 adolescent out of 10 and 2-3 adolescent out of 10 were more likely to give a warning or informing the police or other people as compared to the others.

CONCLUSIONS

Although laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to the under age group is very important with regards to accessibility of minors to tobacco products, most of the study participants believed that minors can still easily access tobacco products, and more than half of the participants did not act when confronted with the event. The education, information and monitoring program most especially as it concerns salesman, should be reviewed and strengthened to obey the rules on sales of tobacco products to minors. Education program should be carried out to increase the knowledge and awareness of the community for sale of tobacco to minors. Social sensitivity is important for the prevention of tobacco use and every individual have a responsibility in carrying out this society based program, most especially as it related to prevention of tobacco usage among children and youths.

Electrophysiological evaluation of cremasteric reflex in experimental testicular torsion

AIM

The aim of the study was the electrophysiological evaluation of the cremasteric reflex after experimental testicular torsion.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Ten male Wistar rats were enrolled into the study. Genitofemoral nerve (GFN) motor conduction and cremasteric reflex (CR) responses were evaluated electrophysiologically after being subjected to anesthesia with intramuscular ketamin hydrochloride. Testicular torsion was performed by rotating the right testicle 720 degrees in a clockwise direction from a midscrotal incision. Electrophysiological evaluations were repeated in the early (30 minutes) and late (90 minutes) periods of testicular torsion. Subsequently, detorsion of the testicles was performed and electrophysiological recordings were completed after 60 minutes of detorsion. The CR was also evaluated clinically before each electrophysiological evaluation. The latency and duration of GFN motor conduction and CR responses was compared for base, early torsion, late torsion and detorsion recordings. Friedman's test for repeated measurements was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The CR, which was detected clinically before torsion and after detorsion, was not detected during torsion. When base, early torsion, late torsion and detorsion recordings were compared, there was no statistical difference with respect to both latency and duration of GFN motor conduction and CR responses (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Although CR was not detected clinically during testicular torsion, the electrophysiological parameters of the reflex did not differ in the early and late periods of torsion in rats. The GFN motor conduction parameters also showed no differences. In conclusion, the absence of the CR after testicular torsion could not be confirmed by electrophysiological studies.

Submandibular accessory salivary gland causing Warthin's duct obstruction

BACKGROUND

Submandibular masses are mostly secondary to sialolithiasis. Salivary gland tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis. In this case report, an unusual cause of Warthin's duct obstruction caused by an accessory salivary gland tissue is presented.

METHODS

Sialography revealed the submandibular accessory salivary gland.

RESULTS

Submandibular gland excision was performed and histopathologic investigation showed the accessory salivary tissue, which was narrowing the Warthin's duct.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases of a symptomatic submandibular accessory gland, excision extirpation of the submandibular gland and accessory salivary tissue should be undertaken.

Radiographic evaluation of children with nasopharyngeal obstruction due to the adenoid

The adenoidal-nasopharyngeal ratio (ANR) was proposed as a convenient and practical method to evaluate adenoidal enlargement. We analyzed cephalometric radiographs of 150 children divided into 6 subgroups according to clinical assessment (possible adenoidectomy candidates [PACs] and controls) and age. Our purpose was to investigate the predictive reliability of different ANRs calculated on the same reference line. Each of the ANRs described in this study presented statistically significant differences between PACs and control groups, and highly significant correlations with clinical symptoms of nasal obstruction. Further, the mean adenoidal depth was significantly larger in PACs than in normals, and it was found that the adenoidal depth in PACs did not show a significant decrement with age. in contrast to normals. On the other hand, although nasopharyngeal depth was not different between PACs and normals, an age-dependent increment was observed in PACs, in contrast to normals. Thus, it could be said that the ANR is a more reliable method for determining whether adenoidal hyperplasia is clinically significant or not, rather than the size of the adenoid or nasopharynx.

The eustachian tube caliber and craniofacial skeleton in guinea pigs

The temporal bone and eustachian tube (ET) keep developing up to adulthood in conjunction with facial growth, and the researchers considered that insufficient tubal function in childhood might be related to size, shape and position of the ET. In this study, we performed correlation and stepwise regression analyses between craniofacial skeletal parameters and diameter of the cartilaginous ET in 90 guinea pigs. Data showed that, not the potency of the lumen at the superior part of the cartilaginous ET, but the configuration of the cartilage surrounding the superior part of the ET, and position of the lateral lamina appeared to be significantly associated with the balance of the growth potentials between the naso-premaxillary unit, maxillo-zygomatic unit and the anterior cranial base. Therefore, we may hypothesize that the balance between these subunits of the developing craniofacial skeleton has determinative effect on tensor veli palatini muscle (TVPM).

Pleomorphic adenoma of an unusual size in the deep lobe of the parotid gland

Tumors of the salivary glands in children are not as common as in adults and they are mostly benign. The most common benign epithelial neoplasm seen in children is pleomorphic adenoma. As is usually the case in the adult population, it is usually found in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland. Its localization in the deep lobe is rare. Pleomorphic adenomas of the deep lobe present with a neck mass and when it is large, it may have an intraoral extension as well. It may also assume a dumb-bell shape as it enlarges and may be observed on CT or MRI scans as a prestyloid mass. The choice of treatment depends on the localization and the size of the tumor. The method can be transoral, cervical, transmandibular, transparotid, retromandibular fossa or a combination of these. A child with an unusually large pleomorphic adenoma of the deep lobe of the parotid gland is presented in this study. The deep lobe tumor was totally removed using a combination of cervical and transmandibular approaches.

An important anatomic variation in head and neck region: anomaly of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle

Anomalies of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle are not very rare. An anomaly in this region may have clinical significances. In this study, bilateral anomalies of the anterior bellies of both digastric muscles are presented. When an asymmetry in the floor of the mouth is detected during diagnostic procedures like radiologic studies, anomalies of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle should also be considered besides other reasons of asymmetry. Additionally, possible occurrence of this kind of anomalies should be remembered during surgical procedure involving this region.