Northwestern Syria Research Articles

Infant formula donations and code violations during earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye in 2023: an observational study

BackgroundOn 6 February 2023, an Mw 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye and north-western Syria, affecting the lives of 4.6 and 2.5 million children, respectively. In such crises, infants who are dependent on commercial milk formula (CMF) face increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition as safe preparation of CMF becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) provides guidance on protecting and supporting recommended infant and young child feeding and minimizing the risks that come with CMF feeding. In addition, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) ensures adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper usage of CMF. This study aims to document violations of the Code and the OG-IFE during the earthquake relief efforts to help strengthen infant and young child feeding emergency responses and inform future disaster relief policies.MethodsData was collected from 6 February to 10 March 2023 through Internet sources. Social media, news websites, and the Emergency Nutrition Network forum were used for data collection. Turkish content was translated into English for analysis, with a focus on donation-related information and Code violations related to baby food and infant feeding.ResultsA total of 40 reports on CMF, complementary food, and feeding equipment donations were collected. Three main types of violations of the OG-IFE and the Code were identified, with the majority of them being incidences of individuals, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies seeking or accepting donations. Infant formula companies continued to violate the Code by donating large quantities of CMF and feeding equipment to the Turkish Red Crescent, government agencies, and disaster relief infant and young child feeding (IYCF) coordination authorities.ConclusionsThese incidents reflected a systematic violation of the Code and non-compliance with the OG-IFE. Globally accepted IYCF standards and recommendations were not consistently followed due to fragmented early responses. There is a critical need to step up efforts to ensure appropriate and safe IYCF practice protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants in emergencies.

Assessing the Severity of Earthquake Trauma on Syrian Refugee Survivors in Southern Turkey and Displaced Individuals in Northwest Syria

The study sought to investigate the extent and intensity of earthquake-related psychological distress experienced by Syrian refugee survivors residing in southern Turkey and displaced individuals in northwest Syria. A technique focused on providing detailed descriptions and conducting thorough analysis was employed. Three scales of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Trauma History Screen (THS), and Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) were used. The study included 600 participants, with 300 participants from each region. The prevalence rate of PTSD among survivors one year after the 2023 Turkey earthquake was high, around 68%. while the prevalence rate of THS and BTQ was low. The results for PTSD indicated that there were statistically significant differences only between age and marital status in southern Turkey. As for northwest Syria, there were statistically significant differences only in gender. The results for THS and BTQ indicated statistically significant differences only between gender, age, and working status in southern Turkey. As for northwest Syria, there were statistically significant differences between gender, education level, and working status. There was a positive direct correlation between PTSD on the one hand and THS and BTQ on the other hand. This indicates that the level of PTSD increases as THS and BTQ increase. In regression analysis, the results showed that THS and BTQ contribute to interpreting the variance in PTSD. When THS and BTQ increase, they contribute to increased symptoms of PTSD. The beta value for THS in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria was (β = 1.127, β = 0.793), respectively. While the beta value for BTQ in southern Turkey was (β = 0.70) .Conclusions: Both THS and BTQ make a statistically significant contribution to explaining the variations in PTSD among survivors in the research of the two locations. The incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among survivors was 68%. PTSD was found to be linked with older age, female gender, widowhood, and divorce.

Analysis of Active Compounds in Hawthorn Species Widespread in Northwestern Syria

The research was conducted during the year 2022 to estimate the most important active compounds in the different plant parts of some types of hawthorns (Crataegus L.) widespread in northwestern Syria (Aronia, Yellow Azarolus, Red Azarolus, and Monogyna). The plant material was collected during the growth period. Flavonoids were estimated in the dry matter of the leaves, flowers, and fruits of the studied hawthorn types, vitamin C in the dry flowers and fresh fruits, carotenoids in the dry fruits, total acidity (TA%), and total soluble solids (TSS%) in the fresh fruits. The results showed that the value of flavonoids in the leaves reached 29.66, 15.76, 14.42, and 14.66 mg/g DM in the studied hawthorn types Monogyna, Aronia, Red Azarolus, and Yellow Azarolus, respectively. The leaves outperformed the flowers and fruits in their flavonoid content in most types, as the average flavonoid content of the leaves, flowers, and fruits in the different types was 18.60, 17.71, and 10.90 mg/g DM, respectively. The highest value of flavonoids (29.66 kg/g) was in the leaves of the Monogyna type, and the lowest value (6.23 mg/g) was in the fruits of the Red Azarolus type. As for vitamin C in the dried flowers of the different types, its value reached 1018.6, 917.5, 814.9, and 799.1 mg/100g, while the value of vitamin C in fresh fruits was 11, 8.14, 7.04, and 6. 53 mg/g, in Monogyna, Aronia, Yellow Azarolus and Red Azarolus, respectively (in dried flowers and fresh fruits). The Monogyna type outperformed the other types of vitamin C content, whether in dried flowers or fresh fruits. As for carotenoids, the values were 0.202, 0.077, 0.093, and 0.156 mg/cm³, respectively, for the types Monogyna, Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, and Aronia. The Monogyna type outperformed the other types in the carotenoid content of its fruits. As for the total acidity, the Red Azarolus type outperformed the other types. The total acidity values were 2.54, 1.94, 1.8, and 0.46% for Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, Aronia, and Monogyna, respectively. Finally, there were no significant differences between the total soluble solids content of the fruits of the different types, as the TSS values reached 24.60, 23.33, 21.27, and 20.97%, in the Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, Monogyna, and Aronia types. Respectively.

Metal phosphide poisoning in a disaster-stricken area. Can early hemodialysis improve outcomes?

Phosphide metal poisoning results in tens of thousands of fatalities per year worldwide. The mortality in critically ill patients often exceeds 50%. The available treatment is supportive and there is no antidote. Dialysis is recommended to treat advanced complications but has not been prescribed early in the process. In this study we report our experience in using dialysis in the early hours of presentation of the patients and suggest it can favorably improve the prognosis. We also draw attention to the risk of suicide under conditions of chronic conflict such as those in northwestern Syria, and to the lack of necessary mental health support for patients after suicide attempts. Retrospective review of records of patients poisoned with aluminum phosphide and admitted to critical care facilities in northwestern Syria between July 2022 and June 2023. During the observation period 16 cases were encountered. Suicide was the reason of the poisoning in 15 patients, the median patient age was 18 years and over two thirds of the patients were female. Early dialysis was used in 11 patients who were critically ill and their mortality rate was 18%. Phosphide metal poisoning is common in the disasters stricken area of northwestern Syria. Most cases are suicidal and impact young females. Early dialytic interventions may favorably impact the outcomes.

Analysis of interhospital emergency referrals despite safety concerns on the roads: Emergency referrals in Northwest Syria intraregional borders

Objectives This study aims to assess emergency patient referrals between hospitals in the northwestern region of Syria. In this way, determining the patient profiles referred in the region can help shed light on the reasons for avoidable referrals, reduce referrals, and reduce the risks associated with referrals. Methods This retrospective study investigated the patients who were referred to AAA Hospital, BBB Hospital, and CCC Hospital and from these facilities within the borders of the northwestern region of Syria between 01/01/2020-01/01/2021. Referral records of patients transferred between hospitals and ambulance stations were searched in files and computer records. Because there was no automation system in the healthcare facilities involved in the study, data were recorded manually on the data collection form and processed for statistical analysis. Statistical analyzes of the study were performed as descriptive statistics of variables are reported as mean∓standard deviation, median (min-max), and n(%). Statistical analyzes of categorical variables were performed using the chi-square test and Fisher Freeman Halton Exact test. Results The mean age of the patients of 899 patients included in the study was 33.68∓26.80 years, 530(59.0%) were male and 369(41.0%) were female. 27.3% of patients were trauma patients and of both sexes. Male trauma patients were approximately 2.5 times more common than female trauma patients. Among pediatric referrals, trauma was present in one out of every three patients. Patients were most frequently referred in February, March, and June and least frequently in January (p < 0.05). It was found that the need for adult, newborn, and pediatric intensive care, the need for medical material and equipment, the need for further examination/treatment, followed by the need for treatment under the supervision neurosurgeon, obstetric and gynecologist, cardiology specialist, or pediatrician. It was also noted that referrals for COVID -19 (SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Disease 2019) service needs due to the impact of the COVID -19 outbreak during the study period were among the most common reasons. COVID -19, falls, respiratory distress, traffic accidents, and acute MI were the most common diagnoses in all referred age groups. Conclusion In northwestern Syria, emergency patients are most often referred from one hospital to another because they require all types of intensive care units, medical materials and equipment, advanced diagnostic treatment, and specialists in neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, and pediatrics. Increasing hospital capacity and qualifications of hospitals within the humanitarian response and increasing the number of specialists, may be considered to reduce inter-hospital referrals of emergency patients.

Prediction Results for the Strongest Earthquakes in Southern Turkey on February 6, 2023

On February 6, 2023, two devastating earthquakes struck southern central Turkey, nin hours apart. The ground shaking from these earthquakes even swept over a significant part of northwestern Syria. In this paper, we consider the locations of the epicenters of these earthquake relative to the prediction of М ≥ 6.5 earthquake epicenters in Anatolia and adjacent regions, which was made in 1973 by I.M. Gelfand, V.I. Keilis-Borok and their colleagues using the Kora-3 pattern recognition algorithm based on morphostructural zoning data. We also present the results of early detection of periods with an increased probability of the strongest earthquakes as determined by the medium-term prediction algorithm for M8 earthquakes. It is found that the epicenters of the February 6, 2023 earthquakes occurred in a knot identified in 1973 as potentially earthquake-prone for М ≥ 6.5, and both events occurred within the spatial and temporal boundaries of the alert area diagnosed by the M8 algorithm in July 2021.

Fault Coalescence, Slip Distribution, and Stress Drop of the February 2023 Southeast Türkiye Earthquakes from Joint Inversion of SAR, GNSS, and Burst Overlap Interferometry

Abstract Two devastating earthquakes struck southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria on 6 February 2023: an Mw 7.8 mainshock, followed 9 hr later by an Mw 7.6 aftershock. To recover and separate the subsurface geometry and slip distributions along the two earthquake faults, we jointly invert Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Synthetic Aperture Radar pixel offset tracking, burst overlap interferometry (BOI), Global Navigation Satellite System, and aftershock datasets. We introduce a new Kalman filter-based approach for merging spatially dense azimuth offset (AZO) data with the more precise yet spatially sparse BOI data. This procedure yields improved measurements of the displacements parallel to the near north-south satellite tracks, which are critical for resolving slip along most of the Mw 7.8 fault segments. We optimize the inversion using a new metric for assessing the degree of spatial correlation between the coseismic slip gradients and early aftershocks, resulting in a stable solution honoring the complementarity between the geodetic and aftershock datasets. The analysis suggests that the Mw 7.8 rupture consisted of three large segments and two short fault branches, covering about 300 km along the East Anatolian fault (EAF), whereas the Mw 7.6 rupture consisted of three segments extending for about 160 km along the nearby Sürgü fault (SF). On the basis of moment-to-stress-drop scaling relations, we show that the Mw 7.6 stress drop is four times larger than the Mw 7.8 stress drop, consistent with the larger recurrence intervals for Mw > 7 earthquakes on the SF than on the EAF. The moment released during the 2023 Mw 7.8 earthquake is 2–4 times larger than the sum of the moments released during individual historical Mw > 7 earthquakes along the three segments of the 2023 Mw 7.8 earthquake. Thus, when considering moment release for multisegment earthquakes, one should note that the final moment of fault coalescence is likely larger than the arithmetic sum of individual segment ruptures.

Burnout and job satisfaction among nurses in northwestern Syria during war time

Burnout and job satisfaction among nurses in northwestern Syria during war time

Вопрос Византийской Армении в «Древнеармянской географии» (или «Ашхарацуйце»)

Introduction. Until now, the issue of four Byzantine (Justinian) Armenias in historiography has been considered according to the data of the Byzantine historian of the 6th century Procopius of Caesarea, which does not give grounds for a final answer to the questions posed. Analysis. When comparing the data of Procopius with the information of “Ashkharatsuyts” (“Ancient Armenian Geography”), we find many discrepancies (especially when considering the contour of the borders of I, II and III Armenias). According to the “Ancient Armenian Geography”, the territory of I Armenia was expanded both at the expense of the other two, and at the expense of Cilicia and northwestern Syria. Results. So, under Emperor Justinian, a new defensive line was created, which we for the first time in historiography called the “Mamikonyan line”. One can rely on the information of Ashkharatsuyts almost without hesitation, since this work was written in the 5th – 7th centuries, and the lion’s share of the information was supplemented by the second author of the work, Anania Shirakatsi (it is convincingly proven that the first author was the father of Armenian historiography, Movses Khorenatsi). Justinian trusted the Mamikonyan family, being convinced that they had previously faithfully served the kings of Greater Armenia, the Arshakids, and was practically not mistaken in his calculations.

Characterization and Classification of Some Soils Formed on Ophiolitc Rocks in Al-Bassit Region /Northwestern Syria

The aim of this study is to characterize and classify soils formed from ophiolitic rocks (mafic and ultramafic) by determining their morphological, physical and chemical properties, petrographic and elemental composition studies. The profiles were prepared under forest vegetation (pines) and described based on the referenced methods in Al-Bassit region (NW Syria) between the coordinates: N: 35° 41` - N: 35° 57`, E: 35° 42` - E: 36° 05`, which belongs to Mediterranean climate regime. Samples were collected from horizons of all profiles and some physical and chemical analyses were performed in addition to petrographic and Chemical composition studies. The horizons were of the form A (Mollic)-Cr-R in profile P1, and A (Mollic)-BW-C- in the profile P2, and of the form A ((Mollic)-C1-Cr2- in the profile P3. They were ordered as: A(Ochric)-C1-C2 in the profile P4. The fires that took place in the region affected the characteristics of surface horizons of some soils, such as the percentage of organic matter, structure, and the degree of soil interaction .The ultramafic derived soils in the P1 profile contained a high level of clay, while the percentage of sand increased in mafic derived soil P2, P4. The soil contained high levels of exchangeable Ca+2 and Mg+2, likely because they are in the structure of the rock. Carbonates are in low levels and are absent in some horizons, this is due to the composition of the parent material. The soil classification for studied profiles show that the profiles (P1, P2, P3) classified as Mollisols and the Profile P4 as Entisols.

Complex multi-fault rupture and triggering during the 2023 earthquake doublet in southeastern Türkiye

Two major earthquakes (MW 7.8 and MW 7.7) ruptured left-lateral strike-slip faults of the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) on February 6, 2023, causing >59,000 fatalities and ~$119B in damage in southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria. Here we derived kinematic rupture models for the two events by inverting extensive seismic and geodetic observations using complex 5-6 segment fault models constrained by satellite observations and relocated aftershocks. The larger event nucleated on a splay fault, and then propagated bilaterally ~350 km along the main EAFZ strand. The rupture speed varied from 2.5-4.5 km/s, and peak slip was ~8.1 m. 9-h later, the second event ruptured ~160 km along the curved northern EAFZ strand, with early bilateral supershear rupture velocity (>4 km/s) followed by a slower rupture speed (~3 km/s). Coulomb Failure stress increase imparted by the first event indicates plausible triggering of the doublet aftershock, along with loading of neighboring faults.

Coseismic Faulting Model and Post-Seismic Surface Motion of the 2023 Turkey–Syria Earthquake Doublet Revealed by InSAR and GPS Measurements

On 6 February 2023 (UTC), an earthquake doublet, consisting of the Mw 7.8 Pazarcik earthquake and the Mw 7.5 Elbistan earthquake, struck south-central Turkey and northwestern Syria, which was the largest earthquake that occurred in Turkey since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake. The faulting model of this earthquake was estimated based on the coseismic InSAR and GPS displacements. In addition, the best-fitting coseismic faulting model indicates that both the Pazarcik earthquake and the Elbistan earthquake were controlled by predominated left-lateral strike-slip motion, with slip peaks of 9.7 m and 10.8 m, respectively. The Coulomb failure stress (CFS) change suggests that the Pazarcik earthquake has a positive effect in triggering the rupture of the seismogenic fault of the Elbistan earthquake. Furthermore, these two main shocks promoted the occurrence of the Mw 6.3 strong aftershock. Additionally, it is found that the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake doublet increased the rupture risk of the Puturge segment of the EAF fault and the northern segment of the Dead Sea Fault (DSF). It is crucial to note that the northern segment of the DSF has not experienced a large earthquake in several centuries, highlighting the need for heightened attention to the potential seismic hazard of this segment. Finally, a deformation zone adjacent to the DSF was identified, potentially attributed to the motion of a blind submarine fault.

STUDY ON THE PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM IN CALVES SUFFERING FROM DIARRHEA IN NORTHWESTERN SYRIA

Cryptosporidium is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in calves worldwide, and the risk factors contributing to its control and prevention are extensively studied. This epidemiological study was conducted in an unstable breeding environment. Ninety-six (96) calves suffering from diarrhea were studied from five regions in northwestern Syria. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of cryptosporidium in fecal samples and to measure the expected risk and regression for assumed risk factors that may cause diarrhea in calves up to 60 days old. Fecal samples were tested using direct ELISA. The results showed 9.1% (1/11) cases in the western Aleppo countryside, 21.1% (4/19) in the eastern Idlib countryside, 13.6% (3/22) in the Northern Idlib countryside, 2.9% (1/35) in the Jisr Al-Shughur countryside, while no positive case was recorded in the western countryside. This is the first study conducted in the region showing the incidence, regression, and risk rates, and it accentuates the need for a broader study on the effect of certain drugs used in the treatment of diarrhea and its consequences. Keywords: newborn calves, diarrhea, multiscreen ELISA, Cryptosporidium

Evaluation of Some Morphological Characteristics of Several Genotypes of Capsicum Plant (Capsicum annuum L.) in northwestern Syria

For protect biodiversity and preserve local genetic types, the research was carried out to evaluate some morphological traits of several locally types from Capsicum annuum Plant (Qarn-Aljamous, Qarn-Alghazal, Haskuria, Long-Mutabasha, Short-Mutabasha, Safrania, and Harimia) of Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria for the agricultural season 2022. The morphological characterization was carried out by applying 20 qualitative characterizations that included the characteristics of plants, flowers, fruits and seeds. The distinctive qualitative morphological characteristics were the nature of the flower growth, the shape of the fruit, the appearance or absence of the base of the fruit, and the wavy cross-section of the fruit. Morphological characterization results of the studied types, based on some morphological characteristics, showed that there is a difference between these types, especially in the character of the nature of flower growth and fruit traits. The results of the cluster analysis also showed that the studied models were distributed into two groups: the first included (Long-Mutabasha, Short-Mutabasha, Safrania, and Qarn-Aljamous) and the second included (Qarn-Alghazal, Haskuria, and Harmia

Pregnancy and delivery characteristics and outcomes in Northwestern Syria: A prospective cohort study.

Detail a picture of the current pregnancy and delivery characteristics and outcomes in Northwestern Syria. This is a prospective observational study, using an electronic health information system, from four healthcare centers in two provinces in Northwestern Syria. We classified the population into two groups: Displaced people are those who live inside refugee camps; and residents are housed outside the camps. We analyzed data from 21 294 pregnant women. Among them 69.6% were displaced. Less than 1% of all care met the standard WHO's antenatal guidelines, and 3.9% met the focused WHO guidelines. Displaced women were more likely to have no antenatal visits (35.8% vs. 25.4%). We found a high rate of anemia (45.8%), prevalence of adolescent pregnancy (20.7%), cesarean-section (25.2%), preterm birth (4.2%), low birth weight (8.3%), and newborn mortality rate within 24 hours of birth (1.2%). Preterm births were more likely to occur in women who had no record of antenatal visits (4.2%) and the prevalence decreased with the increasing number of antenatal visits. We found huge deficiency in perinatal care among all women in this region. We found high cesarean-section rate, anemia, premature birth, newborn mortality within 24 h of birth, and high adolescent pregnancy.

The Destructive Earthquake Doublet of 6 February 2023 in South-Central Türkiye and Northwestern Syria: Initial Observations and Analyses

AbstractOn 6 February 2023, two large earthquakes with magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 rocked south-central Türkiye and northwestern Syria. At the time of writing, the death toll exceeded 50,000 in Türkiye and 7200 in Syria. The epicenter of the first mainshock was located ∼15 km east of the east Anatolian fault (EAF), the second large earthquake (9 hr later) initiated ∼90 km to the north on the east–west-trending Sürgü fault. Aftershocks delineate fault lengths of ∼350 and ∼170 km, respectively. Using satellite and seismic data for first-order analyses of surface-fault offsets, space–time rupture evolution, and recorded ground motions, our study sheds light on the reasons for the extensive destruction. The first event ruptured the EAF bilaterally, lasted for ∼80 s, and created surface fault offsets of over 6 m. The second event also ruptured bilaterally with a duration of ∼35 s and more than 7 m surface offsets. Horizontal ground accelerations reached locally up to 2g in the first mainshock; severe and widespread shaking occurred in the Hatay-Antakia area with values near 0.5g. Both earthquakes are characterized by directivity effects and abrupt rupture cessation generating stopping phases that contributed to strong seismic radiation. Shaking was further aggravated locally by site-amplification effects.

Evaluation of clinical outcomes and comparison of prediction models in the burn population hospitalized from the emergency department: Can burn mortality scores be used in a post-conflict area such as northwest Syria?

Burns are a global health problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The use of models to predict mortality is more common in developed countries. In northern Syria, internal unrest has continued for 10 years. A lack of infrastruc-ture and difficult living conditions increase the incidence of burns. This study in northern Syria contributes to the predictions of health services provided in conflict regions. The first objective of this study specific to northwestern Syria was to assess and identify risk factors in the burn victim population hospitalized as emergencies. The second objective was to validate the three well-known burn mortality prediction scores to predict mortality: the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) score, Belgium Outcome of Burn Injury (BOBI) score, and revised Baux score. This was a retrospective analysis of the database of patients admitted to the burn center in northwestern Syria. Patients who were admitted to the burn center as emergencies were included in the study. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the effectiveness of the three included burn assessment systems in determining the risk of patient death. A total of 300 burn patients were included in the study. Of them, 149 (49.7%) were treated in the ward, and 46 (15.3%) in the intensive care unit; 54 (18.0%) died, and 246 (82.0%) survived. The median revised Baux scores, BOBI scores, and ABSI scores of the deceased patients were significantly higher than those of the surviving patients (p=0.000). The cut-off values for the revised Baux, BOBI, and ABSI scores were set at 105.50, 4.50, and 10.50, respectively. For predicting mortality at these cut-off values, the revised Baux score had a sensitivity of 94.4% and a specificity of 91.9%, and the ABSI score had a sensitivity of 68.8% and a specificity of 99.6%. However, the cut-off value of the BOBI scale, calculated as 4.50, was found to be low (27.8%). The low sensitivity and negative predictive value of the BOBI model suggest that it was a weaker predictor of mortality than the others. The revised Baux score was successful in predicting burn prognosis in northwestern Syria, a post-conflict region. It is reasonable to assume that the use of such scoring systems will be beneficial in similar post-conflict regions where limited opportunities exist.

Kuzeybatı Suriye'de COVID-19 aşısı ile ilk aşılanan sağlık çalışanlarının değerlendirilmesi: Acil servislerde aşı yan etkisi gözlemleri

Aim
 In this study, we investigated the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine administered to health workers in northwestern Syria.
 Materials and Methods
 The study retrospectively analyzed data from 260 health care workers who received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine between May 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021, in the northwestern Syria region by searching the Syrian Immunization Group database (SIG) and patient records from hospital or health center emergency departments.
 Results
 The mean age of health care personnel was 35.86∓8.03 years, and 9.6% were women. Of those who participated in the study, 5.8% had comorbid diseases. 109 (42.1%) were vaccinated in hospital emergency departments and 151 (57.9%) in health center emergency departments. It was found that 63.5% (n=165) of those vaccinated experienced adverse reactions to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The most common adverse reactions to the vaccine were fever in 128 individuals (49%), fatigue in 89 individuals (55.6%), headache in 54 individuals (20.8%), weakness in 53 individuals (20.4%), joint pain in 50 individuals (19.2%), injection site pain in 47 individuals (18.1%), and muscle pain in 33 individuals (12.7%). The side effects noted were classified as severe, moderate, and mild. Of these, fever 15.4% (n=40), fatigue 11.9% (n=31), and headache 9.6% (n=25) were the most common severe side effects. It was found that 14 (5.4%) individuals required hospitalization and medical treatment due to adverse reactions to the vaccine. When evaluating the side effects observed in hospitalized patients, the most common side effects were fever, chills, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue, and weakness. 
 Conclusion
 It was concluded that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine administered to health care workers in northwestern Syria had no fatal side effects and that fewer side effects were generally observed in this study compared with the literature. Research on side effects through independent studies will help address global and regional concerns about vaccines.

The Great 1822 Aleppo Earthquake: New historical sources and strong ground motion simulation

El terremoto de 1822 fue devastador y se considera uno de los eventos relativamente recientes que azotaron el noroeste de Siria y las áreas cercanas del centro-sur de Turquía, es decir, en la unión del sistema de fallas del Mar Muerto con el sistema de fallas del este de Anatolia. En este trabajo, se vuelve a estudiar este terremoto, con base en nuevas fuentes de información originales contemporáneas y casi contemporáneas, que no habían sido citadas anteriormente.El análisis de estas fuentes revela lo siguiente:(1) se proporcionan descripciones más detalladas de los efectos del terremoto para las ciudades de Aleppo, Antakia y Latakia, y la identificación de seis nuevas ubicaciones afectadas; (2) evaluación de los parámetros pertinentes del terremoto, como el epicentro, la onda de superficie, las magnitudes de momento y la intensidad sísmica; (3) se muestra documentación de evidencias de una ola marina sísmica que ocurrió entre las costas chipriota y Siria, e (4) identificación de la falla de San Simeón, ubicada al oeste de Aleppo, como la probable falla causante. Además, el movimiento del suelo generado por el terremoto de 1822 ha sido simulado utilizando el método de estocástica extendida. Se generaron series temporales de aceleración y espectros de pseudoaceleración amortiguados para la ciudadela de Aleppo, donde la aceleración máxima del suelo, debido al terremoto, se estimó en 0.4 g.Los resultados contribuirán a actualizar la configuración de riesgo sísmico en el noroeste de Siria y el centro-sur de Turquía.

Whole-genome resequencing of the wheat A subgenome progenitor Triticum urartu provides insights into its demographic history and geographic adaptation

Triticum urartu is the progenitor of the A subgenome in tetraploid and hexaploid wheat. Uncovering the landscape of genetic variations in T. urartu will help us understand the evolutionary and polyploid characteristics of wheat. Here, we investigated the population genomics of T. urartu by genome-wide sequencing of 59 representative accessions collected around the world. A total of 42.2 million high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 3 million insertions and deletions were obtained by mapping reads to the reference genome. The ancient T. urartu population experienced a significant reduction in effective population size (Ne) from ∼3 000 000 to ∼140 000 and subsequently split into eastern Mediterranean coastal and Mesopotamian-Transcaucasian populations during the Younger Dryas period. A map of allelic drift paths displayed splits and mixtures between different geographic groups, and a strong genetic drift towards hexaploid wheat was also observed, indicating that the direct donor of the A subgenome originated from northwestern Syria. Genetic changes were revealed between the eastern Mediterranean coastal and Mesopotamian-Transcaucasian populations in genes orthologous to those regulating plant development and stress responses. A genome-wide association study identified two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the exonic regions of the SEMI-DWARF 37 ortholog that corresponded to the different T. urartu ecotype groups. Our study provides novel insights into the origin and genetic legacy of the A subgenome in polyploid wheat and contributes a gene repertoire for genomics-enabled improvements in wheat breeding.