Vitamin D is an essential steroid involved in bone metabolism, cell growth, differentiation, and regulation of the minerals in the body. The main sources of this vital vitamin are adequate diet and photosynthesis in the skin. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of vitamin D synthesis in 48 premenopausal women (14-44 years) in relation to three different types of dressing in summer. Women in the first group (Group I) dressed in a style which exposed the usual areas of the skin to sunlight; women in the second group (Group II wore traditional clothing with the skin of the hands and face uncovered, while the third group (Group III) dressed in traditional Islamic style, covering the whole body including hands and face. Serum 25OHD levels of Group I, Group II, and Group III were 56+/-41.3 nmol/l, 31.9+/-24.4 nmol/l, 9+/-5.7 nmol/l, respectively (Group I vs Group III, p<0.001; Group II vs Group III, p<0,03; Group I vs Group II, p>0.05). Vitamin D levels were low in 44 percent of the Group I and 60% of the Group II, which suggested that sun exposure of skin areas of hands and face may partially provide vitamin D synthesis, but may not be enough to eliminate vitamin D deficiency. All the patients in group III had vitamin D levels below normal. This study emphasizes the necessity of vitamin D fortification of food even in a sunny country where some people may not be exposed to sunlight because of inappropriate clothing or an indoor-life.

Evidence suggests that differences in fatty acid composition among various fish species may be due to differences in diet or to environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, and depth at which the fish are caught. The beneficial effects of a diet containing fish on cardiovascular or other diseases have been associated with their high content of eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) acids. In this study we analyzed the fatty acid composition of the flesh of 18 different species of marine fish and of cultured rainbow trout. The fish were obtained from the Black and the Marmara Seas, both of which have unique biological and ecological systems as well as eutrophication and pollution. The contents of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in the marine fish ranged from 4.2 to 13.3 wt% of total fatty acids, and from 6.6 to 40.8 wt%, respectively. The most important differences from other studies on oceanic fish were the tendencies toward higher percentages of 16:0 and 22:6n-3. The n-3 series of polyunsaturated fatty acids were present as 32.4+/-1.9% of the total fatty acids. The present study suggests that mature and immature Pomatomus saltator as well as Engraulis encrasicolus, Mullus surmuletus, Sardina pilchardus, Mugil cephalus, and Sarda sarda may be preferred for the Turkish diet as a result of their high 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 contents. The cultured rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss is not as good a source of n-3 fatty acids as are the marine fish.

Hyperparathyroidism is nowadays diagnosed early and asymptomatically with the improvements in routine biochemical tests and radiological procedures. The late bony complications of the disease have therefore started to decline rapidly. Brown tumours are one of the bony complications of hyperparathyroidism. The mandible is the predominantly affected site in the maxillofacial area. Maxillary involvement is rare. Here, an extremely rare case of a 19-year-old male patient with brown tumours in his maxilla and mandible associated with tertiary hyperparathyroidism is presented. A thorough diagnostic work-up was carried out and treatment options for both hyperparathyroidism and brown tumours were discussed. The importance of different radiological evaluation methods and the consultation between the oral and maxillofacial surgeons, general practitioner dentists, endocrinologists and radiologists are emphasised.

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Between 1986 and 1991, thyroidectomy was performed on 138 patients with hyperthyroidism. Thyroid carcinoma was found in eight patients (5.8 per cent). Eighty (58.0 per cent) of the 138 patients had toxic nodular goitre, 33 (23.9 per cent) toxic diffuse goitre and 25 (18.1 per cent) toxic adenoma. Concurrent carcinoma was more frequent in patients with toxic adenoma (8 per cent) than in those with Graves' disease (6 per cent) and toxic nodular goitre (5 per cent). Papillary carcinoma was found in seven patients and follicular carcinoma in one. Three papillary carcinomas were occult with a diameter less than 1.5 cm. Five patients received 100 mCi 131I after operation. There was no morbidity. During follow-up of 10-45 months, there was neither death nor recurrence.