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Objective: DNA damage that can be caused by workplace exposure to antineoplastic drugs in health workers has been shown in many scientific studies. It is aimed to evaluate whether the risk of genotoxicity in health workers decreases after the regulations and measures taken by national and international health authorities in our work. Methods: For this purpose, DNA damage was assessed by using alkaline comet technique in lymphocytes isolated from blood samples of health workers (n=29) who were involved in preparing and / or administering antineoplastic agent at Trakya University Health Research and Application Center and compared with the control group (n=30). Also, those who prepare and/or administer antineoplastic agents; (n=16) and manual (n=13) preparations. Results: As a result of the evaluation, there was no statistically significant difference between health personnel and control group in preparing and / or administering antineoplastic agent (p>0,05, Mann-Whitney U) and there was no difference in the genotoxic risk between preparation forms. Furthermore, when the exposed control group was assessed for DNA damage as smokers and nonsmokers, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of DNA damage (p>0.05). Conclusion: At the center where our samples were taken, the resulting measures resulted in the control of the risk of genotoxicity due to occupational exposure to antineoplastic agents.

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Antimicrobials have been known for millennia, but innovative antibiotics are currently in short supply. New antimicrobial discoveries are being threatened by planetary scale loss of biodiversity that has important impacts on species and ecosystems. This expert review underscores that microorganisms in nature and their diversity are essential cornerstones to revitalize the antibiotic innovation and discovery pipeline. The recent rise of systems ecology and planetary health offers new and actionable potentials in this regard. Without a systems scale focus and appreciation of systems ecology, the global threats to human and planetary health from inappropriate use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance will continue to escalate with serious consequences to all life on the planet. With acutely pressing research and development needs to revitalize antibiotic treatment and novel diagnostic tools for personalized medicine, national health systems ought to work across knowledge silos not only within but also across the ministries, for example, health, agriculture, environment, economy, trade, and social services ministries that collectively impact on systems ecology and by extension on health innovations including the antibiotic discovery pipeline. Such systems vision can also help to revitalize antibiotic discovery pipeline as most antibiotics have natural origins or have designs inspired or based on molecules in the environment and microorganisms that produce antibiotics. Above all, our audience and responsibility include every person who has an interest in his or her own health, in the health of his or her fellow human beings and all life on the planet, and in the health of future generations.

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Antioxidant activities of the different extracts (n-heptane, chloroform, methanol) from the roots and aerial parts of Scorzonera veratrifolia by maceration method, as well as total phenolic and flavonoid content were examined first time in this study. The findings revealed that the methanol extract from S. veratrifolia aerial parts exhibited greater DPPH radical scavenging (IC50: 0.62±0.60 mg/mL) and iron (III) reduction capacity (1.56±0.03 mM Fe 2+ /mg extract). Furthermore, aerial parts methanol extract has the highest concentration of total phenolic (46.3±1.1 mgGAE/g extract) and flavonoid (0.013±0.002 mg QE/mg extract) compounds. Based on these findings, the main phenolic content of aerial parts methanol extract was analyzed by LC-ESI-QTOF/MS, as this extract was found to contain the strongest antioxidant as well as the highest amount of phenolics and flavonoids as compared to the others. Quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, liquiritin, quercetin hexoside, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, and di-O-caffeoylquinic acid compounds were identified as major compounds in methanol extract. The findings showed that aerial parts of S. veratrifolia, rather than its roots, could be used as a source of antioxidants.

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