Objective: Scientists are looking for new resources which have biological activities. The present study was planned to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of ethanol and acetone extracts, as well as the volatile compounds of two freshwater green algal species Spirogyra spp. and Zygnema stellinum (Vaucher) C. Agardh belonging to Zygnemaphyceae (Conjugatophyceae) obtained from Ordu University Campus wetlands. Methods: The extracts were tested in vitro for their antimicrobial effects using disc diffusion method. Total phenolic content and the antioxidative activity according to FRAP and DPPH methods of the extracts were also determined. The secondary metabolites from the investigated extracts were identified using GC-MS. Results: The extracts dramatically inhibited almost all tested microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the acetone extract of the Zygnema against C. albicans was found as more higher than positive control Nystatin. In accordance with antimicrobial activity, the highest total phenolic content was also determined in the presence of the acetone extract of the Zygnema. Furthermore the highest FRAP value and the lowest EC50 (mg/mL) value were calculated for the same extract. The main components of the all consisted of dimethyl and diethyl ester of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid. However, the abundance of these metabolites in the extracts was not associated with antimicrobial or antioxidant activity. Biological activities of these algal species could be attributed to chemicals such as 1-Pentadecene and 1-Tetradecene which were present in smaller amounts. Conclusion: Investigated algal species can be evaluated to use in biotechnological applications such as food industry and medicine.

Objective: Uric acid (UA) is one of the most powerful antioxidants in human body fluids, as well as being the end product of purine metabolism. UA alone constitutes half of the scavenging effect of oxidant substances in the plasma.It has proinflammatory and metal chelation effects. In this study, UA levels and UA situation according to the normal range were investigated in patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Eighty-two ASD, 28 ADHD patients and 66 healthy control subjects were compared and serum UA levels were measured. ASD and ADHD severity were determined by CARS and Atilla Turgay ADHD scale. K-SADS-PL was administered to all subjects over the age of 6 years. Results: UA levels were found to be significantly lower in the ASD and ADHD groups. UA levels were found to be lower than the normal range in nearly half of the ASD and ADHD groups. This rate was found to be 18.2% in the control group. Conclusion: it was determined that UA levels were low in ASD and ADHD patients. It can be suggested that it may play a role in the pathophysiology of ASD and ADHD. UA may be a potential treatment target.

This study aimed to evaluate the neurological development of infants with transient premature hypothyroxinemia (THOP). This prospective study included newborns who were born between 28-36 weeks of gestation (GW) and were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit. Newborns with maternal thyroid disease, severe intracranial problems, and congenital anomalies were excluded. Study group consisted of infants with THOP. Infants without THOP formed the control group. Subgroups of study group determined as the infants with levothyroxine use and the others without replacement. Neonatal demographics, and morbidities including RDS, BPD and ROP were all evaluated. Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Ages and Stages Questionary-Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) developmental screening tests were administered to the entire study population at the corrected age of 2 years. Seventy infants were included in this study. Control group consisted of 30 infants. Mean GW of study group was 34.4 ± 3.8, was 37.2 ± 2.3 of control group (p=0.69). Mean birth weight was 1640±428gr. Levothyroxine replacement was started in 12 infants (30%). Groups didn't differ in terms of demographic characteristics. BPD, ROP were higher in the treated group (p=0.01). ASQ and ASQ:SE results didn't differ between groups (p=0.75). ASQ and ASQ:SE results didn't differ between those with THOP who received and did not receive replacement (p=0.14). This study showed that although levothyroxine replacement therapy associated with BPD and ROP higher rates, it seems not to improve long-term neurological outcomes in infants with THOP. Prospective controlled studies with larger sample size are needed to clarify the role of levothyroxine replacement in THOP.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the tri‐ponderal mass index (TMI) in identifying metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in obese children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 238 obese children and adolescents were included in the study. Evaluations included anthropometric measurements, liver function tests, lipid parameters, fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA‐IR. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive value of TMI for MAFLD. Results: MAFLD was diagnosed in 55.5% of participants. TMI values were significantly higher in the MAFLD group compared to those without MAFLD (mean TMI: 21.01 ± 3.05 vs. 20.14 ± 2.90, p = 0.026). In logistic regression analyses, male sex was an independent predictor in both models (OR = 3.10, p = 0.003 in the BMI‐SDS model; OR = 2.63, p = 0.008 in the TMI model). HOMA‐IR (OR = 1.10, p = 0.042; OR = 1.11, p = 0.029) and ALT (OR = 1.04, p = 0.002; OR = 1.05, p = 0.002) were also significant in both models. TMI was not independently associated with MAFLD ( p = 0.249). TMI showed positive correlations with age, weight‐SDS, BMI‐SDS, fasting insulin, HbA1c, HOMA‐IR, and the grade of hepatosteatosis. Conclusion: While TMI values were higher in patients with MAFLD, TMI was not an independent predictor of MAFLD in obese children. Male sex, HOMA‐IR, and ALT were consistently associated with MAFLD, suggesting greater predictive value. These findings suggest that TMI may have limited utility as a screening tool for MAFLD in pediatric clinical practice.

Objective: In this study, the aim was to investigate the incidence of intestinal parasites in children, demographic features related to parasite positivity, life style features and accompanying symptoms. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples from 342 children (49.1% girls, 50.9% boys) attending with different symptoms were investigated with native, lugol, trichrome, acid fast, sedimentation and cellophane anal band methods for parasite diagnosis. Results: All cases, 29% were preschool age of 1-5 years, 45.6% were 6-10 years and 25.4% were 11-18 years old. The incidence of intestinal parasites was 51.2% with the most commonly observed parasites identified as Cryptosporidium spp. (41.1%), Blastocystis spp. (40.6%), and Enterobius vermicularis (21.1%). Settlement area was determined to be a lifestyle feature significant for parasite positivity (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was concluded that intestinal parasites were common among children in Ordu province, due to the detection of intestinal parasites (51.2%) in more than half of the children constituting the sample in the study. In line with this, educations should be organized about the transmission of parasites to children and ways of protection against transmission. Also, regular health check-ups of children must be done.