Objective: To evaluate emotional (depression) and behavioural (nutritional behaviours, physical activity status and sleep patterns) of Turkish adult individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. The participants filled out a questionnaire (developed by using Google Forms) that contained descriptive characteristics, nutritional behaviours, sleep patterns, physical activity status, anthropometric measurements, COVID-19-related level of knowledge and the questions of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale through e-mail or social media (WhatsApp). Setting: Turkey. Participants: Totally, 1120 adult individuals who completed an online survey between April and May 2020. Results: It was determined that 29·1 % of the individuals showed mild, 34·2 % moderate and 23·4 % severe depression symptoms during the pandemic period. A significant relationship was found between gender, age and educational status, marital status and depression levels of the individuals, respectively (χ2 = 35·292, χ2 = 103·46, χ2 = 24·524 and χ2 = 86·208, P < 0·05). The top three foods consumed most during the pandemic period are tea and coffee (66·6 %), pastry (e.g. cake and cookie) (56·4 %) and desserts (49·6 %). During the pandemic period, 42·5 % of the individuals stated that they slept more and 40·2 % stated that there was no change in their sleep patterns. Daily physical activity durations were determined as 8·25 ± 1·77 h for sleep, 4·21 ± 2·68 h for lying down, 5·42 ± 2·64 h for sitting and 6·16 ± 4·82 h for standing activities. Conclusion: It was determined that the individuals showed different levels of depression symptoms during the pandemic period. Especially, carbohydrate food consumption increased, and physical activity status and sleep patterns changed due to the increased time spent sitting and lying.

In hemodialysis patients, the prevalence of malnutrition is high; a decrease in muscle strength is observed.  The objective of the research was to evaluate the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients and the relationship between the nutritional status and muscle strength. Materials and Methods. Sixty hemodialysis patients (38 males, 22 females) were chosen from among volunteers. Food consumption, biochemical values, anthropometric measurements, body composition, physical activity status, subjective global assessment, and handgrip strength in individuals were examined. Results. According to subjective global assessment, 73.3% of patients were well-nourished, 26.7% of patients were moderately malnourished. In male patients, a moderate positive correlation was determined between handgrip strength and lean body mass (r=0.359, p<0.05), albumin level (r=0.408, p<0.05), energy intake (r=0.437, p<0.05), protein intake (r=0.345, p<0.05). In female patients, a moderate positive correlation was determined between handgrip strength and body weight (r=0.470, p<0.05), body mass index (r=0.472, p<0.05), triceps skinfold thickness (r=0.530, p<0.05), mid-upper arm circumference (r=0.515, p<0.05), mid-upper arm muscle circumference (r=0.557, p<0.05), lean body mass (r=0.470, p<0.05), body fat content (%) (r=0.588, p<0.05), albumin level (r=0.565, p<0.05). Conclusions. Handgrip strength alongside with more than one method of food consumption, biochemical parameters, subjective global assessment, anthropometric measurements, and body composition should be used for assessing the nutritional status in hemodialysis patients.

The aim of this study was to examine the drive to be muscular (DM), and the use of nutritional ergogenic supplements in athletes. 440 male athletes who are active in different sports branches participated as voluntarily. In the study, the data were obtained using the “Impulse to Be Muscular Scale” developed by McCreary and Sasse in 2000 and adapted to Turkish by Selvi and Bozo (2019) and the “Attitude Scale for Use of Nutritional Ergogenic Supplements” developed by Argan and Köse (2009). When comparing dependent and independent variables in statistical analysis; the Kruskal Wallis-H test and the One-Way ANOVA test were used. Pearson chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between quantitative variables. Results: Athletes DM and sub-dimensions; Attitudes toward being muscular (ATBM), training behaviors toward being muscular (TBTBM), and use of eating and reinforcements to be muscular (UERM) mean scores were determined to be 43.2±12.3, 21.8±7.7, 12.2±4.0 and 9.1±3.9 respectively. In the attitude scale towards nutritional ergogenic supplements, the mean scores of benefits, side effects and ethical and natural nutrition sub-dimensions were determined as 3.5±0.8, 2.4±0.8, and 2.8±0.7, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found between the education level of the athletes and their attitudes towards being muscular. In addition, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the training behaviors to be muscular, the use of eating and supplements to be muscular, side effects, and ethical and natural nutrition sub-dimensions between sports branches (p&lt;0.05). DM was found to have a statistically significant relationship at a high level with ATBM (0.86), TBTBM (0.76), and UERM (0.65); at a low level with the benefit sub-dimension of the attitude scale towards nutritional ergogenic supplement (0.26), and at a negative and weak level with a duration of exercise (0.23). It was determined that the drive to be muscular score was higher in men, strength/power athletes, and those with high school and pre-school education. “Freedom of access to the products and believing that there is a doping effect” are among the reasons for the use of nutritional support products by athletes.

Purpose: Reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) have been shown in the pathogenesis of acrylamide neurotoxicity. Hippophae rhamnoides L. extract (HRE) has a cytoprotective effect by stabilizing the production of ROS, IL-1β and TNF-α. The objective of the article was to investigate the effect of HRE on acrylamide-induced brain damage in rats biochemically and histopathologically. Methods: To the HRE+acrylamide only (ACR) group (n=6) of the animals, HRE was administered orally at a dose of 50 mg / kg into the stomach by gavage. The same volume of solvent (olive oil) was administered orally to the ACR (n=6) and healthy (HG) (n=6) groups. One hour after HRE administration, acrylamide was given orally at a dose of 20 mg/kg to HRE+ACR and ACR groups in the same way. This procedure was repeated once a day for 30 days. At the end of this period, brain tissues extracted from animals killed with 50 mg/kg thiopental anesthesia were examined biochemically and histopathologically. Results: It has been shown that HRE prevents the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-1β and TNF-α with acrylamide and the decrease of total glutathione (tGSH) and glutathione reductase (GSHRd) levels in brain tissue. Conclusions: HRE may be useful in the treatment of acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity.

Aim: This study is aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and metabolic syndrome in hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with participation of 80 patients undergoing hemodialysis for more than 6 months three times a week, aged > 18 years. Their height, dry weight, waist circumference were measured. Biochemical parameters such as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, lipid profile, and fasting blood glucose were analyzed. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Severe vitamin D deficiency, 25 (OH) vitamin D < 5 ng/ml; mild vitamin D deficiency, 25 (OH) vitamin D 5-15 ng/ml; vitamin D insufficiency, 25 (OH) vitamin D 16-30 ng/ml, and vitamin D sufficiency, 25 (OH) vitamin D > 30 ng/ml were categorized. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with the use of SPSS version 21.0. Results: 48.4% of hemodialysis patients were identified to have metabolic syndrome. According to the serum levels of vitamin D; 35.0% of patients had severe vitamin D deficiency, 37.4% of patients had mild vitamin D deficiency, 18.8% of patients had vitamin D insufficiency and 8.8% of patients had vitamin D sufficiency (> 30 ng/ml). Vitamin D insufficiency was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and central obesity. Conclusions: Deficiency/insufficiency is observed in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in hemodialysis patients. Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with metabolic syndrome.