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BACKGROUND: Humic acid is a soil extract found widely around the world. This product includes some trace elements important for human's health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphometric and histopathological changes associated with an experimental periodontitis model in rats in response to systemic administration of humic acid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into five experimental groups: non-ligated (NL, n = 6) group; ligature-only (LO, n = 8) group; ligature + systemic administration of humic acid (20, 80 and 150 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 d respectively) (S-20, S-80 and S-150) groups. 4/0 silk ligatures were placed at the gingival margin of lower first molars of the mandibular quadrant. The animals were killed at the end of 15 d. Changes in alveolar bone levels were clinically measured, using a stereomicroscope (× 25), as the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest. Tissues were histopathologically examined to assess the differences of osteoclast numbers, osteoblastic activity and inflammatory cell infiltration among the study groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-10 levels in serum and gingival homogenates were evaluated. RESULTS: At the end of 15 d, the alveolar bone loss was significantly higher in the LO group compared to the NL, S-80 and S-150 groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the alveolar bone loss in the S-80 group was significantly lower than the LO and S-20 groups (p < 0.05). The osteoblastic activity in the S-80 and S-150 groups was significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). The osteoclast number in the LO group was significantly higher than the NL, S-80 and S-150 groups (p < 0.05). Inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly higher in LO and S-20 groups than the other groups (p < 0.05). The highest serum and gingival homogenate IL-10 levels were determined in the S-80 group (p < 0.05). The serum and gingival homogenate IL-1ß levels in the LO group were significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). Both 80 and 150 mg/kg dosages of humic acid significantly reduced the periodontitis-related bone loss and inflammation, but the differences between these two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of this study, it can be suggested that humic acid, when administered systemically as an 80 mg/kg dose, may prevent alveolar bone loss and reduce inflammation in the rat model.

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This study was conducted to determine the effect of hen production cycle (HPC) and the effect of egg weight (EW) at the same egg production level on egg quality, egg composition, hatchability, duckling quality, and first-week BW in Pekin ducks. For HPC, hatching eggs were obtained from different Pekin-duck breeder flocks, aged 31 wk for the first production cycle (HPC1) and 78 wk for the second production cycle (HPC2). For EW, there were 3 categories: heavy (H), medium (M), and light (L). Ten eggs from each HPC and EW group were analyzed for the determination of egg quality, and albumen and yolk compositions. Ninety eggs from each HPC and EW group were incubated for the determination of hatchability, and duckling weight and quality. After quality scoring, 20 ducklings (10 male and 10 female) from each group were weighed, and reared to 1 wk of age in a brooder machine to determine relative growth (RG). The results showed that the albumen index; Haugh unit; shell percentage; yolk moisture, ash, protein, lipids, and triglycerides; albumen moisture, ash, and protein; yolk fatty acid contents; hatching weight; duckling weights at 1 wk of age; and RG were significantly affected by HPC. Egg weight affected shell thickness, yolk and albumen indices, Haugh unit, yolk and albumen percentages, yolk to albumen ratio, shell percentage, yolk fatty acid content, hatching weight, duckling weight at 1 wk of age, and RG.

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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are among the most devastating health problems in the world, including Turkey. The route of transmission of HBV and HCV is mainly parenteral, a small number of epidemiological studies demonstrating that perinatal, sexual, household and occupational transmission occurs. Contact of a patient's blood or bodily fluids with non-intact skin is another mode of HBV and HCV transmission. Barbers in Turkey may often be exposed accidentally to the blood and bodily fluids of their customers. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in barbers. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of antibodies against HBV and HCV among 176 barbers and 180 control subjects in the Sivas region of Turkey. The prevalence of HBV and HCV was found to be higher in barbers (39.8 and 2.8%, respectively) than in a comparison group (28.3 and 1.1%, respectively). No significant relationship was found with the duration of occupation. Among the seropositive subjects, it was found that most had been exposed to needle pricks or scissor cuts. Our data suggest that both HBV and HCV infections may constitute occupational hazards for barbers. The sources of infection could be not only such personal risk factors as 'sharps' injuries and scissor cuts, but may also include other unknown factors.

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The prevalence of intestinal parasites in students of Adult Educational Center (Halk Egitim Merkezi) in Sivas, Turkey was assessed. All of the students were females and their age ranged from 12 to 46 with a mean age of 19. Diagnosis was made following examination of stool specimens and cellophane tape preparations (CTP). From each stool specimen only one preparation prepared in saline was searched for both protozoon and helminth parasites. A total of 524 stool specimens and 504 CTP were examined. One or more parasites were detected in 34.5% the former and 23.8% of the latter. When the findings in both specimens were combined the infection rate raised to 48.0%. 176 of the 485 students harboured one, whereas 57 had more than one parasite; 87 had only protozoa, 104 only helminths whereas 42 were infected with parasites of the two groups. The rate of parasites found was as follows: G. intestinalis 8.2%, E. histolytica 1.2%, E. coli 17.9%, A. lumbricoides 2.3%, T. trichiura 0.8%, E. vermicularis 12.6%, T. saginata 16.7%, H. nana 1.0%, and others 0.6. Findings were evaluated from several points.

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In this study, total 1699 sera collected from patients suspected viral hepatitis were investigated by means of Hepatitis B markers by ELISA method between June 1991-June 1992 in Microbiology laboratory of Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Sivas. HBsAg, Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc IgM were screened as Hepatitis B markers. As a result, 16.9% of 1699 patients' sera were positive for HBsAg, 28.9% of 1318 sera were positive for Anti-HBs and 5% of 1056 sera were positive for Anti-HBc IgM. The results were discussed in terms of prevalence of Hepatitis B infection and carrier state.

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In this study, the sera taken from 34 prostitutes, 34 women having spontaneous abortion and 34 control group were tested for C. trachomatis IgA and IgG antibodies. C. trachomatis antibodies were found positive in 30 (88.2%) of prostitutes, 11 (32.3%) of women having spontaneous abortion, 9 (26.4%) of controls. When the positivity rate of prostitutes and women having spontaneous abortion compared with control groups statistically, it was found significant in prostitutes (p < 0.05), but not found significant in women having spontaneous abortion (p > 0.05).

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In this study, 92 patients sera which were found to be HBsAg positive by ELISA method were investigated for hepatitis A. In this study Anti-HAV IgM antibody was investigated to determine acute cases. Anti-HAV IgM was found to be positive in 3 (3.2%) of 92 patients sera whose HBsAg were positive.

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In our study, 68 hemodialysis patients and 50 controls were investigated for HBsAg and Anti-HBs by ELISA method. HBsAg positivity was found as 6% in controls and 13.6% in patients group. Anti-HBs positivity was found as 24% in controls and 53% in patients group. While the total positivity of HBsAg and Anti-HBs was found as 30% in controls, it was found as 66.6% in patients group. The difference among HBsAg, Anti-HBs and total positivity was also found to be significant statistically (p less than 0.05).

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