Organic Seed Hydration-Dehydration Techniques Improve Seedling Quality of Organic Tomatoes

The use of pre-sowing organic hydration-dehydration techniques to improve quality and performance of organic seeds has already been lacking in the literature as well as in the organic farming regulations of different countries. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of organic hydration (hydropriming and organic priming) and dehydration treatments on germination and early seedling growth in organic tomato seeds. Following each priming treatment, the seeds were surface dried and divided into two sub-groups. First part of the seeds was taken to the germination tests immediately while the second part was dried back until the original seed moisture content was reached before the germination tests were set up. Then, responses of organic tomato seeds to organic hydration and dehydration treatments were observed on the bases of viability (normal germination rate) and different vigour parameters such as mean germination time, germination index, seedling dry weight and seedling vigour index. When the overall data were assessed, the best results were obtained from the hydropriming and organic priming with 250 ppm seaweed extract solution followed by both dehydration treatments in organic tomato seeds. Consequently, these results suggested that hydropriming and organic priming could be used both in seed and seedling industries to improve organic seed quality and performance. Furthermore, the results indicated that the addition of these organic hydration-dehydration protocols to the current procedures of the regulations of organic tomato production could be a useful strategy.Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, Ascophyllum nodosum, hydropriming, organic priming, seed viability, seed vigou

Salinity Responses of Grafted Grapevines: Effects of Scion and Rootstock Genotypes

Two-year-old Sultana and Mke vines (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto Rupestris du Lot (Vitis rupestris Scheele) and 110 R (Vitis berlandieri Vitis rupestris) were grown in soil, sand, sphagnum peat and farmyard manure mixture (2:1:1:1 v/v) irrigated with 0.3, 2.7 and 5.45 dS m-1 NaCl solutions for a period of 60 days. Biomass accumulation, relative chlorophyll content, leaf water potential, stomatal conductance and transpiration were significantly reduced by salinity in all graft combinations. The inhibiting effect of salinity on growth varied according to the characteristics of the scion genotype and the level of salinity. The results imply the predominance of the scion genotype in determining variation in the leaf-level physiological characteristics of grafted vines because stomatal conductance and transpiration were higher in Sultana than in Mke at the same leaf water potential and the level of salinity, regardless of the rootstock genotype. NaCl treatments did not affect leaf Cu concentration while inducing significant Na, K, Ca, N, P, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn elevations in the leaves of all scion/rootstock combinations. While salinity caused an increase in N content and a decrease in K content in the roots of all graft combinations, it had no influence on Ca, P, Cu and Zn concentrations. In contrast to the Sultana grafted vines, NaCl salinity led to a decrease in Mg, Fe and Mn concentrations in the roots of Mke grafted vines. Nevertheless, ion accumulation in leaves and roots of grafted vines under saline or non-saline conditions was controlled predominantly by the genotype of the scion. In response to salinity, Sultana grafts accumulated higher amounts of ions in their leaves than in their roots. However, in Mke, higher ion concentrations were seen in the roots. Therefore, the increase in the transport of inorganic ions up to the leaves seems to be the major component of osmotic adjustment in salt-stressed Sultana vines

The relationship between vitamin d levels and cardiovascular risk scores in geriatric patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D levels and various cardiovascular risk scoring systems such as QRISK2, BNF, ASSING, SCORE and Framingham in geriatric diabetic patients. Methods: 60 diabetic geriatric patients with vitamin D deficiency (10–30 ng/mL) and 40 geriatric patients with vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/mL) were included in the study. The scores of the patients indicating cardiovascular disease risks such as QRISK2, BNF, ASSIGN, SCORE and Framingham were calculated. All values were compared between these two groups. Results: While the Framingham risk score (p<0.001), BNF (p=0.001) and SCORE (p<0.001) were found to be significantly higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency, other scores did not significantly differ between the groups. There was a weak but statistically significant neg- ative correlation between 25[OH] D levels with Framingham risk score (p<0.001 r=-0.384), BNF score (p=0.003 r=-0.299), and Score score (p=<0.001 r=-0.407). Conclusion: In the present study, we found a close relationship between the Framingham, BNF and ASSIGN cardiovascular risk score and serum vitamin D concentrations in diabetic geriatric patients

Tip 2 diabetes mellitus tanılı hastalarda ortostatik hipotansiyon ile D vitamini eksikliği arasındaki ilişki

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is common in diabetic patients, and studies showed that it could lead to neuropathy. Therefore, we aimed to determine relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and orthostatic hypotension (OH) which is a component of autonomic neuropathy in diabetic patients.Materials and Methods: A total of 118 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and aged 50-65 years were included. Patients were divided into two groups as OH present and OH not present. 25(OH)D and other variable parameters were evaluated between these two groups.Results: A total of 118 patients, 66 female and 52 male, were included in this cross-sectional study. The mean age of the patients was 56.2±3.2 years.25(OH)D levels were found to be significantly lower in the group with OH (p0.05).Conclusion: 25(OH)D levels are significantly lower in diabetic patients with OH. Although an independent relationship between them has not been demonstrated, it can be thought that correcting Vitamin D deficiency will be beneficial in the treatment of OH.Amaç: D vitamini eksikliği diyabetik hastalarda sık görül-mekte ve çalışmalarda nöropatiye yol açabileceği gösteril-miştir. Bu çalışmada diyabetik hastalarda otonom nöropatinin bir bileşeni olan ortostatik hipotansiyon (OH) ile 25-hidroksivitamin D (25(OH)D) seviyesi arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemeyi amaçladık. Materyal ve Metot: Çalışmaya 50-65 yaş arası diyabetik toplam 118 hasta dahil edildi. Hastalar OH varlığına göre iki gruba ayrıldı. 25(OH)D ve diğer değişken parametreler bu iki grup arasında değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya 66 kadın ve 52 erkek olmak üzere toplam 118 hasta dahil edildi. Hastaların yaş ortalaması 56,2±3,2 yıl idi. 25(OH)D düzeyleri OH olan grupta anlamlı olarak daha düşük bulundu (p 0,05). Sonuç: OH'li diyabetik hastalarda 25(OH)D düzeyleri anlamlı olarak daha düşüktür. Aralarında bağımsız bir ilişki gösterilemese de OH tedavisinde D vitamini eksikli-ğinin düzeltilmesinin faydalı olacağı düşünülebilir

Genetic deterioration and repair in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds during storage

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX171706 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The relationship between the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) and the prognosis of COVID-19 in diabetic geriatric patients

Background: Malnutrition is one of the important conditions that determine the course of patients in acute critical illnesses. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) and COVID-19 prognosis in geriatric diabetic patients. Patients and methods: In this study, 110 patients between the ages of 65 and 80 who were interned due to COVID-19 disease with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were included. Biochemical blood tests were analysed. The GNRI was calculated to assess the nutritional risk status. As a result of GNRI, the patients were divided into 4 groups according to their scores: severe risk (&lt; 82 points), intermediate risk (82–91 points), low risk (92–97 points) and no risk (≥ 98 points). The length of stay, saturation levels, intubation status and discharge type of the patients were recorded. All parameters were compared in these groups. Results: According to the GNRI, 11.8% of the patients had severe malnutrition, 20.9% had moderate and 8.1% had mild malnutrition, while 59.0% had no risk of malnutrition. When patients are divided into four groups according to GNRI groups, age, urea, creatinine, lymphocyte, procalcitonin, leukocyte, thrombocyte, haemoglobin, spo2 and po2 levels, intubation, and intensive care referral rates were significant different (p &lt; 0.05). In the correlation analysis, we found a negative significant correlation between GNRI and height, length of hospital stays, d-dimer, CRP, leukocyte, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between GNRI and the prognosis of COVID-19 in geriatric diabetic patients. Patients with a low GNRI score have a longer hospital stay, a higher need for intensive care and mechanical ventilation, and a poor prognosis

Rare severe coagulopathy secondary due to dabigatran use

Dabigatran atriyal fibrilasyon (AF) varlığında oluşabilecek inmelerin önlenmesinde kullanılan oral direkt trombin inhibitörüdür. Vitamin K antagonistleri ve varfarin kullanımına kıyasla kanama yan etkilerinin daha az görülmesi ve laboratuar takibi gerektirmemesi açısından güvenle tercih edilebileceği savunulmaktadır. Bu yazıda dabigatran kullanımına bağlı ciddi kanama bozukluğu gelişen 83 yaşındaki bilinen kronik renal hasar, epilepsi, AF tanıları olan bayan hasta sunuldu. Oral antikoagülan ilaçlar atriyal fibrilasyon olgularında sistemik tromboemboliler ve iskemik inmelerin önlenmesinde önem arz etmektedir fakat vakamızda olduğu gibi ciddi kanamalara yol açabilmektedir. Renal yetmezlik gibi hastalığı olan yaşlı hastalarda antikoagulan ilaçların doz ayarlanması dikkatlice yapılması gerekmektedir. Vakamız dabigatran kullanımına bağlı kanama ile PT, aPTT ve INR değerlerinde belirgin uzamanın görüldüğü nadir vakalar arasında yer alması nedeniyle ilginçtir.Dabigatran is an oral direct thrombin inhibitor used to prevent strokes that may occur in the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Compared to the use of vitamin K antagonists and warfarin, it is argued that it can be safely preferred in terms of less bleeding side effects and not requiring laboratory follow-up. In this case-report, an 83-year-old female patient with known chronic renal damage, epilepsy and AF who developed severe bleeding disorder due to dabigatran use is presented. Oral anticoagulant drugs are important in the prevention of thromboembolism, but they can cause serious bleeding as in our case. In cases such as renal insufficiency, the dose of anticoagulant drugs should be carefully adjusted. Our case is interesting because it is among the rare cases in which a significant prolongation of PT, aPTT and INR values are observed due to bleeding due to dabigatran use

The Relationship Between Frailty and Treatment Compliance in Diabetic and Geriatric Patients Using Insulin

Aim: Understanding and detecting frailty makes convenience to healthcare providers for deciding on appropriate therapy and follow-up strategy.In this study, we tried to determine the relationship between compliance to therapy, hypoglycemia and frailty in the elderly diabetic patients underinsulin therapy.Materials and Methods: One hundred sixty-seven patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and under insulin therapy were recruited for the study.Criteria of frailty according to the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) were used to determine frailty. According to CHS, patients fulfilling three ormore criteria out of five were regarded as frail elderly. Hypoglycemia rates and compliance to treatment were compared between the groups.Results: 44.3% of our patients were regarded as frail elderly and the rate of hypoglycemia was higher in this group. A dignificant relationshipbetween subgroups of frailty and insulin was detected. Frailty rate was 28.6% in the basal insulin therapy group, 37.1% in the basal-bolus therapygroup and 40% in the premixed insulin group. In the frail elderly group, the rate of moderate hypoglycemia was significantly higher than in thenon-frail group (40.2% vs 20%). Severe hypoglycemic episodes were observed more frequently in the frail elderly group than in the non-frail group(24.6% vs 12.7%).Conclusion: Frailty increases the risk of moderate and severe hypoglycemia. Before planning and starting insulin therapy, frailty must be detectedand taken into consideration

Accuracy and Reliability Study of the Simplified Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) in Turkish Patients in Nutritional Evaluation

Aim:This study aims to reveal the accuracy and reliability of Simplified Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ), which is a test relatively simple and easy to apply, in the Turkish population.Materials and Methods:This study was planned as monocentric and prospective. Patients who were hospitalized in the internal medicine ward and over 65 years old participated in the study. Since there is no SNAQ test in Turkish, its English version was translated into Turkish by a certified translator, and then translated back into English again for verification. The sample size of the study was determined as 200 patients. For each patient included in the study, Mini Nutritional Assessment, Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 and SNAQ tests were applied.Results:Participants consisted of 51% female and 49% male. 55.5% were at the age between 65 and 74 years, 23.5% were between 75 and 84 years, and 21% were over 85 years old. The reliability coefficient of the SNAQ test was found as 0.86. This value satisfied the lower limit criterion of 0.60 proposed in the literature.Conclusion:Turkish SNAQ was validated and proved to be reliable for the nutritional evaluation of the geriatric Turkish patient population