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It is known that acetyl derivatives, Schiff bases, and Mannich bases obtained from 1,2,4-triazol-5-ones have significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Herein, 27 new 1,2,4-triazole derivatives were synthesized, and their antioxidant and antibacterial properties were investigated. The metal chelating activity of the synthesized compounds and especially the effect against gram-positive bacteria were found to be significant. The effect against gram-negative strains was also important. Structure determination of the synthesized com-pounds was performed on the basis of their 1H and 13C NMR, IR, and high-resolution mass spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determine some classes of left modules satisfying the radical formula in a noncommutative ring. We also show that, under a certain condition, a finitely generated module over an HNP -ring (a generalization of the Dedekind domain) both satisfies the radical formula and can be decomposed into a direct sum of torsion and extending modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type people to land relations are dynamic and, as a consequence, the nature of land title and cadastral data is of a dynamic nature. Land title and cadastral data are core components for a lot of property applications (e.g. taxation, valuation, mortgage). Those applications require up to date, complete and reliable data – including temporal data as in use in application forms and transactions. In this paper, the modelling of Rights, Restrictions and Responsibilities (RRR) is discussed with a focus on the modelling of easement rights in a case study in Turkey. Functional requirements with respect to the characteristics of easement rights are investigated based upon interviews with professional experts in the public and private sector. Then a prototype model was built based on a simple implementation of the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) RRR classes and by conforming to the national cadastral data management standards related to land registration systems. This new proposed model includes temporal cadastral attributes related to easements. This is materialised in the 'Administrative Package' and illustrated in the Turkey LADM country profile. We show that the LADM can be used to describe for the time dimension of cadastral information in Turkey, but that there are semantic differences, similarities and mismatches of classes and attributes between the LADM and the cadastral information system in Turkey. Proposed LADM-based model for the time dimension of cadastral information will be of immense advantage to land administrators, the governments and land users in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ring is called left comorphic if, for each there exists such that and Examples include (von Neumann) regular rings, and for a prime and One motivation for studying these rings is that the comorphic rings (left and right) are just the quasi-morphic rings, where is left quasi-morphic if, for each there exist and in such that and If here the ring is called left morphic. It is shown that is left comorphic if and only if, for any finitely generated left ideal there exists such that and Using this, we characterize when a left comorphic ring has various properties, and show that if is local with nilpotent radical, then is left comorphic if and only if it is right comorphic. We also show that a semiprime left comorphic ring is semisimple if either is left perfect or has the ACC on After a preliminary study of left comorphic rings with the ACC on we show that a quasi-Frobenius ring is left comorphic if and only if every right ideal is principal; if and only if every left ideal is a left principal annihilator. We characterize these rings as follows: The following are equivalent for a ring Some examples of these rings are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the adoption of ISO 19152, Geographic information — Land Administration Domain Model (LADM), for improvement of the current Turkey Land Information System (TLIS) data model and provides a brief overview of the current land information system in Turkey emphasising the main issues in creating the national information infrastructure. Then, the general concept of the country profile for Turkey with the adaptation of the LADM is described. In this context, the core data model of TLIS has been reviewed against the corresponding LADM basic classes. The proposed LADM for TLIS can be used to describe LA information in Turkey, although there are similarities, semantic differences and mismatches of classes and attributes between them. The results of study indicate that effective functioning of the information infrastructure requires proper integration of data, proceeded by analysing the contents of existing data sets, indicating key registers and defining a linkage system between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history Turkey and Germany have experienced an intense relationship. Today the relationship continues to develop. This article analyses the relationship from the 16th century up to the First World War. It is a process that varies from friendship to self-interest. The main topic of this article is the triangle of admiration, friendship and self-interest during the period up to the start of the First World War. At times mutual admiration was dominant, and self-interest dominated at other times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The racist approaches has began to take place on international area intensively after Cold-War period in the European Union countries. Generally, when we think about xenophobia and racism in Europe, Germany becomes the first country that comes to mind. However, the European Parliament Election in 2014 has shown that the racist approaches are not restricted to Germany. Xenophobia and racism are increasing day by day in nearly all the European Union countries. So far, the racism has been raised as a form of Islamophobia in expressions of far-right parties in Europe. Today the movement, which arised in September 2014 and called Pegida, has started to use these approaches. In this article the Pegida movement will be examined in the context of rising Islamophobia, racism and xenophobia in the European countries recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the transportation of Armenians according to the Dispatchment and Settlement Law (Tehcir Law) passed in 1915, lots of people lost their life. While it has seen as an issue between the Turks and Armenians, other states have effects on this process also. In this article firstly the relations between the Ottoman Empire and Armenians will be summarized then Germany's policies and attitudes will be analysed before and after the process of Tehcir Law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of postoperative epidural administration of neostigmine and morphine in patients scheduled for caesarean section under epidural anaesthesia. Material and Methods: Sixty ASA I-II patients, scheduled for caesarean section under epidural anaesthesia, were randomly allocated into three groups. Neostigmine (10 μg/kg), morphine (3 mg), and saline (6 mL) were administered to the neostigmine, morphine, and control groups, respectively, 30 minutes after the surgery via the epidural catheter. Afterwards, postoperative pain treatment was administered to all patients with a patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) device, using 0.125% bupivacaine. The patients were followed up for 24 hours. The total volume of local anaesthetics used, the time to first analgesic requirement, analgesic requirements, VAS scores, analgesia quality, first passage of bowel gas, ambulation times, haemodynamic parameters and side effects were evaluated. Results: The time to first analgesic requirement was significantly longer in the morphine group than in the neostigmine and control groups (p<0.01), and in the neostigmine group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The total local anaesthetic consumption and the number of bolus injections were significantly higher in the control group than in the other groups (p<0.01). The first passage of bowel gas occurred significantly sooner in the neostigmine group than in the morphine (p<0.01) and the control (p<0.05) groups. Itching frequency was significantly higher in the morphine group than in the other two groups (p<0.05). VAS scores were similar in the morphine and neostigmine groups. Conclusion: Postoperative single-dose epidural neostigmine reduced the 24-hour analgesic requirements but in the chosen doses presented an analgesic effect significantly lower than morphine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The concept of an enabling ideal is introduced so that an ideal is strongly lifting if and only if it is lifting and enabling. These ideals are studied and their properties are described. It is shown that a left duo ring is an exchange ring if and only if every ideal is enabling, that Zhou’s -ideal is always enabling, and that the right singular ideal is enabling if and only if it is contained in the Jacobson radical. The notion of a weakly enabling left ideal is defined, and it is shown that a ring is an exchange ring if and only if every left ideal is weakly enabling. Two related conditions, interesting in themselves, are investigated: the first gives a new characterization of -small left ideals, and the second characterizes weakly enabling left ideals. As an application (which motivated the paper), let be an -semiregular left module where is an enabling ideal. It is shown that is -semiregular if and only if for some regular element of and, as a consequence, that if is countably generated and is -small in , then where for each . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of sepiolite for the removal of maxilon blue 5G from aqueous solutions at different contact times, stirring speeds, initial dye concentrations, pHs, ionic strengths and temperatures was investigated. The adsorption process attained equilibrium within 60min, which was an economically favorable requisite, in addition to the local abundance of the raw material. The extent of dye removal increased with increasing initial dye concentration, contact time, pH and temperature, and decreased with increasing ionic strength. On the other hand, stirring speed had no important effect on adsorption process. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic and physical in nature. Four kinetic models, the pseudo-first- and second-order equations, Elovich equation and the intraparticle diffusion models were selected to follow the adsorption process. Kinetic parameters, rate constants, equilibrium adsorption capacities and related correlation coefficients for each kinetic model were calculated and discussed. It was shown that the adsorption of maxilon blue 5G onto sepiolite could be described by the pseudo-second-order equation. The diffusion coefficients were calculated and found to be in the range of 3.625×10−8 to 12.100×10−9 cm2/s. Various thermodynamic activation parameters such as enthalpy of sorption ΔH*, Gibbs energy change ΔG* and entropy ΔS* were estimated. The positive value of ΔH* and ΔG* shows the sorption process is endothermic and not spontaneous. The negative value of entropy ΔS* shows the decreased randomness at the solid–liquid interface during the sorption of dye ions onto sepiolite particles. In addition, an activation energy of sorption has also been determined based on the pseudo-second-order rate constants. The activation energy of system (E a) was calculated as 19.25kJ/mol. Sepiolite, an inexpensive and easily available material, could be an alternative for more costly adsorbents used for dye removal in wastewater treatment processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: During recent years international travel, including visits to the developing world, has become increasingly popular. Many of these travelers suffer from some sort of health problem during their trip or after their return. Travelers clinics that give pretravel immunization and counseling have emerged. This study analyzes the incidence and risk factors for health problems among Israelis traveling abroad.Methods: The study surveyed by telephone 200 people who visited the traveler's clinic at Soroka Medical Center in Beer-Sheva during the years 1998 to 1999. The travelers were questioned after returning from their journey about the type and duration of the trip, compliance with medical advice given in the travel clinic, and health problems during the trip.Results: The mean age was 26.4 +/- 9.4 years, 7% went on an organized tour, 23% traveled alone, and 77% traveled with a friend. The mean duration of the trip was 14.7 +/- 13.4 weeks. Of the travelers, 70% reported some health impairment. Problems reported most frequently were gastrointestinal tract diseases (43%), respiratory tract diseases (25%), and injuries (10%). Only 4% were admitted to a hospital during their trip. After their return, 19.5% consulted a physician. Comparing the group of travelers who were sick with the rest, a correlation between noncompliance with the keeping of food hygiene and illness was found (p =.008). Additional risk factors for illness were long duration (p <.001), solitary trip (p =.04), and young age (p <.001). Of the people who were advised to take antimalaria chemoprophylaxis, 55% reported regular use of these drugs. Compliance with treatment correlated with older age (p <.001), short duration of stay (p =.01), previous experience, and travel to Africa (p <.001).Conclusions: Most of the travelers to developing countries are young, travel for long periods, and live in basic conditions during their stay abroad. For these reasons travelers are at increased risk for morbidity. High risk travelers should be identified and counseled in order to increase their compliance with the medical advice and immunizations. A screening program for returning travelers should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the attempt of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel to teach global health and medicine (GHM) as a distinct part of the medical curriculum. Definition of GHM; GHM track courses; Courses integral to GHM; Faculty; Aims of program evaluation.

In this study, 3-alkyl(aryl)-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-ones have been reacted with 3-methoxy-4- isobutyryloxybenzaldehyde 2 to afford the corresponding nine new 3-alkyl(aryl)-4-(3-methoxy-4- isobutyryloxybenzylideneamino)-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-ones 3. Then, the acetylation reactions of compounds 3 have been investigated and 4 type compounds have been obtained. The compounds 3 have also been treated with morpholine/1-methylpiperazine in the presence of formaldehyde according to the Mannich reaction to synthesize 1- (morpholine-4-yl-methyl)-3-alkyl(aryl)-4-(3-methoxy-4-isobutyryloxy-benzylideneamino)-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5- ones 5, and 1-(1-methylpiperazin-4-yl-methyl)-3-alkyl(aryl)-4-(3-methoxy-4-isobutyryloxybenzylideneamino)-4,5-dihydro- 1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-ones 6, respectively. The structures of twenty four new compounds have been characterized by IR, ¹H and 13C NMR and MS spectroscopic methods. In addition, the newly synthesized compounds have been screened for their antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, these twenty four new compounds have been analyzed for their in vitro potential antioxidant activities by three different methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Isolation methods have an intrinsic weakness. [•] Isolated ingredients contain no ignorable inorganics in different forms. [•] The first study dealing with the mineral phases in isolated lignin and holocellulose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Tinea pedis is a common infection in soldiers. However, prevalence and risk factors for tinea pedis in soldiers were investigated in only a few studies. Objectives To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for tinea pedis in Israeli soldiers. Methods A cross-sectional study including interviews, clinical skin examination and mycological tests was performed in Israeli soldiers. The presence of tinea pedis was assessed using the Athlete's Foot Severity Index (AFSI), a scoring system that was developed in order to evaluate the presence and severity of tinea pedis. In soldiers with clinical evidence of tinea pedis (AFSI > 1), scrapings were taken for direct microscopic examination (20% KOH preparation) and fungal culture. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square or Fisher's exact test for dichotomous variables (as needed), or t-tests for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses of dichotomous variables. Results Two hundred and twenty-three soldiers were included in the study: 205 men (91.9%) and 18 women (8.1%). Mean age was 19.6 years (SD 1.0 year). Clinical point prevalence was 60.1%. Mycological point prevalence was 27.3%. Further analyses were performed using the clinical point prevalence. Univariate analyses demonstrated that the prevalence of tinea pedis varied with the setting of military training (basic training: 70.3%, advanced infantry training: 81.5%, armor commander training: 56.4% and armor officer training: 34.8%) and was associated with male gender, frequency of sock changes and the length of military service. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that tinea pedis was associated with the setting of the military training (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.1) and male gender (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4–13.8); however, there was no association with hygiene measures (e.g. frequency of changing socks or sleeping with socks) or the length of military service. Conclusion Tinea pedis is highly prevalent in Israeli soldiers. Association of tinea pedis with the setting of military training suggests that contagious spread may be an important risk factor. We suggest that environmental interventions should be planned to in order to decrease the morbidity of tinea pedis among soldiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. We developed a simple scoring system to evaluate the severity of tinea pedis (Athlete's foot severity score, AFSS). The AFSS consists of a clinical evaluation, using a three-point scale, of erythema and scaling in the plantar and interdigital spaces of the feet, and counts of interdigital spaces involved. Each foot is evaluated separately. The validity of the AFSS was assessed in 224 soldiers of the Israel Defense Force using mycological cultures as the main outcome measure and subjective assessment of pruritus as the secondary outcome measure. Mycological examinations were performed in 106 patients who had clinical evidence of tinea pedis. AFSS was significantly associated with culture results (P <0.0001), as well as with the presence of pruritus (P =0.002), and pruritus scores (P =0.025). We conclude the AFSS is valid for the clinical evaluation of tinea pedis severity in military settings. The application of AFSS to civilian morbidity should be subjected to further evaluation. AFSS: Schweregrad-Beurteilung des Athletenfußes. Ein Vorschlag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaesthetic management of a 29-year-old paraplegic woman suffering from Devic's Syndrome scheduled to undergo Caesarean section under epidural anaesthesia is presented. The case is discussed with particular reference to the risk of autonomic hyperreflexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is a fault zone that produced destructive earthquakes (Erzincan 1939 and 1992, Ladik 1943, Gerede 1944, Duzce 1999, Izmit 1999) in the last century. After this destructive earthquake migration, it is forecasted that the next seismic event on the NAF could be in the western part of the fault, which passes through the Marmara region. Due to the possibility of an earthquake in Istanbul, the most crowded and historical city in Turkey, researchers have increasingly paid attention to the western segment of the NAF within the Marmara Sea since the 1999 earthquakes. Many scientists from different disciplines such as geodesy, geology, geophysics, etc. have been trying to understand this phenomenon. However, it is understood from the literature that a comprehensive geodetic study is crucial to constrain the NAF segment between Istanbul and Tekirdağ provinces. Therefore, we created a new network consisting of continuous GPS stations with 10-km interdistances along the shoreline, which was integrated with existing GNSS networks in the Marmara region. Data acquisition was carried out between August 2017 and February 2020. In this study, preliminary results obtained from the integration of the newly established network with the other GNSS networks are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymerase chain reaction procedure (PCR) was used to detect a polymorphic Hha I site adjacent to the factor IX locus in a panel of 33 phenotypically normal caucasian individuals. This technique was also applied to a haemophilia B family pedigree. The Hha I polymorphic site was located 8 kb 3' to the factor IX gene, and the proportion of female subjects expected to be heterozygous at this site was 0.48. The Hha I locus was in linkage equilibrium with the other polymorphic loci on the factor IX gene. These findings, besides increasing the proportion of caucasian individuals whose haemophilia B carrier state can be diagnosed from 79% to 89%, demonstrate this widely applicable use of PCR for the detection of DNA polymorphism at cytosine phosphoguanadine dinucleotides irrespective of the methylation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every man-made structure creates certain risks — dams are no exception. Most failures in man-made structures that have occurred could have been avoided if the structures' behaviour had been inspected, monitored, and analyzed continuously, and if proper corrective measures had been taken in a timely fashion. The DSI (The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works), which is the institution responsible for dam safety, has long used surveying methods to measure the displacements of geodetic points as a part of dam monitoring policy. In this study, we focus on the dam's mechanical behaviour throughout a time period of more than 10 years. These study results have been derived from a separate, ongoing project that has monitored deformation on the Ataturk Dam and is now determining the water level of the reservoir. The project results show that although the dam body has become more stable and the water load behind the dam has increased, the rate of displacement of the dam has declined significantly. From these results, it can be seen that the reservoir water level can be increased evenly over time and that 542 m is the maximum water level of the dam's reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous estimation of effects of source, propagation path, and local site amplification was carried out using observed strong motion records in a frequency range from 0.8 to 20 Hz for the purpose of empirical evaluation of the local site effects in different geological conditions in the northwestern part of Turkey. The analyzed data are S-wave portions of 162 accelerograms from 39 shallow events observed at 14 sites of BYTNet array. A spectral separation method was applied to the observed S-wave spectra. The solutions for source spectra, inelasticity factor of propagation path for S-waves ( Q -value), and factor of site amplification at each site were obtained in a least squares sense. In the analysis, we assumed that the factor of the site amplification at a reference site is the same as that of theoretical amplification of S-waves to the soil model whose bottom layer has an S-wave velocity around 2.15 km/s. The estimated Q -value of the propagation path is modeled as Q ( f) = 87.4f. The estimated site amplifications are characterized into three groups. The sites in the first group belong to rock site with no dominant peaks at a frequency range of 2 to 10 Hz. The second group of hard soil sites is characterized with moderately dominant peaks at a frequency of 5 Hz. The last group for soft soil sites has common peaks at a frequency of 4 Hz with larger amplitudes than those in the hard soil group. We, then, compare the amplifications with average S-wave velocity in top 30 m of the shallow S-wave profiles and proposed linear empirical formula between them at each frequency. We, furthermore, inverted the observed amplification factors into S-wave velocity and Q -value profiles of the deep soil over the basement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs is a very important and problematic public health issue in Turkey. A longitudinal study was carried out on dogs in selected villages in the Çukurova Plain in Turkey, from July 2011 to June 2013, where cutaneous (CL) and visceral (VL) leishmaniasis is endemic. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of CanL and to evaluate the early diagnostic performance of the non-invasive conjunctival swab nested PCR (CS n-PCR) test in comparison with the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT). The consecutive blood and CS samples from a representative number of dogs (80–100 dogs/each survey) were collected in a cohort of 6 villages located in the area. Clinical symptoms, demographic and physical features about each dog were noted and lymph node aspiration samples were obtained from selected dogs with lymphadenopathy. In four surveys during the period, a total of 338 sets (blood and CS) of samples from 206 dogs were obtained, such that 83 dogs were sampled more than once. In the cross-sectional analysis, the CanL prevalence was found to be 27.18% (between 7.14% and 39.13%) by IFAT and 41.74% (between 29.03% and 46.66%) by CS n-PCR. The isolated strains were identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1 ( n = 9) and MON-98 ( n = 2) by MLEE analysis. Genetic studies targeting the Hsp70 and ITS1 regions performed on 11 dog isolates also showed two clear separate groups. According to IFAT results, 24 of the 83 dogs sampled more than once showed seroconversion ( n = 19) or a four-fold increase in Ab titers ( n = 5), while 17 were positive in the initial screening. Forty-two dogs stayed negative during the whole period. The natural Leishmania exposure rate was detected as 31.14% in the study area. CS n-PCR only detected Leishmania infection earlier than IFAT in 8 dogs. No statistical difference was found after the analysis of demographical and physical data. The results indicated that (i) circulation of the dog population is very common in settlements in the Çukurova Plain, but the disease prevalence is high and stable, (ii) the performance of CS n-PCR for detecting Leishmania -dog contact is higher than IFAT, (iii) and some of the parasites isolated from dogs have different zymodemes and/or genotypes from previous human and sand fly isolates; suggesting the probability of two different cycles of leishmaniasis in this particular area. This hypothesis should be supported by future studies targeting vectors and reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background It is commonly acknowledged that asthma is exacerbated by viral infections. On the other hand, basophil infiltration of lung tissues has been evidenced postmortem in cases of fatal disease, raising the question of a possible link between these two observations. Objectives Herein, we addressed the relationship between asthma exacerbation by viral infection and basophil activation and expansion by investigating how stimulation with the ds RNA polyadenylic/polyuridylic acid [poly(A:U)] affected basophil activities and recruitment in an allergic airway inflammation model. Methods The effect of ds RNA on basophils was assessed by measuring the cytokine levels produced upon stimulation. We used an OVA-induced experimental model of allergic asthma. Airway hyperreactivity, recruitment of infiltrating cells, and cytokine production were determined in the lung of mice having received poly(A:U), as compared with untreated controls. The exacerbating effect of basophils was assessed both by adoptive transfer of poly(A:U)-treated basophils and by their in vivo depletion with Ba103 antibody. Results We found that in vitro treatment with poly(A:U) increased basophil functions by inducing TH2-type cytokine and histamine production, whereas in vivo treatment increased peripheral basophil recruitment. Furthermore, we provide the first demonstration for increased infiltration of basophils in the lung of mice suffering from airway inflammation. In this model, disease symptoms were clearly exacerbated upon adoptive transfer of basophils exposed to poly(A:U), relative to their unstimulated counterpart. Conversely, in vivo basophil depletion alleviated disease syndromes, thus validating the transfer data. Conclusions Our findings provide the first evidence for airway inflammation exacerbation by basophils following ds RNA stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by L. infantum and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. tropica and L. infantum have been reported in Turkey. L. infantum is also responsible for canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and it is widely common in the country. The main aim of the present study was to design a real-time PCR method based on the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region in the diagnosis of all clinical forms of leishmaniasis in Mediterranean, and to identify the species directly from clinical samples. Totally, 315 clinical specimens, human/canine visceral (blood, bone marrow, lymph node) and cutaneous (lesion aspiration) samples, and 51 Turkish Leishmania isolates typed by isoenzymatic method were included in the study. For optimization, DNA samples of the 34 strains were amplified by conventional ITS1-PCR and then sequenced for designing the primers and probes, allowing the species identification. Following the validation with the isolates, the test was applied on clinical samples and melting temperatures were used for genotyping. A group of PCR products were further sequenced for confirmation and assigning the inter- and intraspecies heterogeneity. The diagnosis of leishmaniasis is successfully achieved by the new real-time PCR method, and the test identified 80.43% of human and canine VL samples as L.infantum and 6.52% as L.tropica; 52.46% of CL samples as L. infantum and 26.90% as L. tropica. In 13.04% of visceral and 20.62% of cutaneous samples, two peaks were observed. Hovewer, the higher peak was found to be concordant with the sequencing results in 96.96%, in terms of species identification. The real-time ITS1 PCR assay clearly identified the leishmanial species in 81.58% of all clinical samples. Genotypic variations of Leishmania parasites in Turkey within species and intraspecies were observed, and L. tropica is also found as causative agent of human and canine VL in Turkey. Author Summary: Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania parasites are seen as cutaneous (CL) and visceral (VL) clinical forms in Turkey. Leishmania (L.) tropica and L. infantum were determined as CL agents, while L. infantum was incriminated for VL in the country. Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is widely common throughout the country and L. infantum is the responsible agent of the disease. Related to Leishmania species diversity and different clinical forms in human and dogs in this geographical area, the identification of the parasite species prefers to be done during the time of diagnosis. Internal transcribed spacer region was chosen as the target area for developing a real-time PCR assay to use as a fast and standardized diagnostic method and species identification simultaneously. Clinical samples from parasitologically/serologically proven cases and isolates were included the study, and high positivity rate in species identification was obtained. The method can also determine the intragenomic heterogeneity in Leishmania tropica and L. infantum. The assay presents a sufficient sensitivity for fast and correct detection of leishmaniasis directly from clinical materials. L. tropica and L. infantum were found as causative agents of human CL, VL and CanL in Turkey. Knowledge about differences in the parasites is useful for future studies in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by L. infantum and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. tropica and L. infantum have been reported in Turkey. L. infantum is also responsible for canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and it is widely common in the country. The main aim of the present study was to design a real-time PCR method based on the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region in the diagnosis of all clinical forms of leishmaniasis in Mediterranean, and to identify the species directly from clinical samples. Totally, 315 clinical specimens, human/canine visceral (blood, bone marrow, lymph node) and cutaneous (lesion aspiration) samples, and 51 Turkish Leishmania isolates typed by isoenzymatic method were included in the study. For optimization, DNA samples of the 34 strains were amplified by conventional ITS1-PCR and then sequenced for designing the primers and probes, allowing the species identification. Following the validation with the isolates, the test was applied on clinical samples and melting temperatures were used for genotyping. A group of PCR products were further sequenced for confirmation and assigning the inter- and intraspecies heterogeneity. The diagnosis of leishmaniasis is successfully achieved by the new real-time PCR method, and the test identified 80.43% of human and canine VL samples as L.infantum and 6.52% as L.tropica; 52.46% of CL samples as L. infantum and 26.90% as L. tropica. In 13.04% of visceral and 20.62% of cutaneous samples, two peaks were observed. Hovewer, the higher peak was found to be concordant with the sequencing results in 96.96%, in terms of species identification. The real-time ITS1 PCR assay clearly identified the leishmanial species in 81.58% of all clinical samples. Genotypic variations of Leishmania parasites in Turkey within species and intraspecies were observed, and L. tropica is also found as causative agent of human and canine VL in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniases are present in two clinical forms, as visceral and cutaneous, in Turkey showing a tendency of spreading throughout the country. The aim of the present study was to produce a new model for determining the spatial risk levels using the data in a selected study site in the western part of Turkey. The results of entomological studies in this leishmaniasis focus indicated the presence of suspected vector species Phlebotomus (Larroussius) tobbi and P. (Larroussius) neglectus for the visceral, P. (Paraphlebotomus) similis for cutaneous forms of the disease. The new risk model was developed based on univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses of geographical variables as altitude, aspect, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) values related to the distribution of these three species. The results of the new model were used to produce the risk maps and the potential distribution areas of the incriminated vector species with the use of geographical technologies which allowed the identification of the leishmaniasis risk levels that may provide useful information to guide the control program interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The effects of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on mortality have not been evaluated in patients with well-developed coronary collaterals. We investigated functional capacity, presence of angina, the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction, survival and mortality in patients with well-developed coronary collaterals both undergoing and refusing CABG. METHODS: The study was designed as a retrospective observational case-controlled study. Seventy-eight patients undergoing coronary angiography were included in this study. They had critical occlusion in the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) with Rentrop-3 collateral circulation towards LAD, and to proceed with CABG has been suggested. The patients were divided in two groups; first group proceeding with CABG (n=40) and the second, rejecting the surgery (medical treatment group; n=38). The rates of survival, the incidence of angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction as well as the functional capacities were evaluated in all patients. Survival rates were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the baseline characteristics of patients, the presence of angina pectoris, the severity of angina pectoris according to CCS, the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction or stroke, and the functional capacity according to NYHA (p>0.05). Death due to cardiovascular reasons was observed in eight patients of CABG group and in five patients of medical treatment group (p=0.710). The 5-year survival rate was observed to be 80% in CABG group while it was observed to be 84% in the medical treatment group (p=0.730). CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference regarding the survival rates in patients with well-developed coronary collaterals proceeding with CABG or medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human leishmaniasis, both visceral and cutaneous, and canine leishmaniasis have been reported in Turkey for centuries. However, the advent of new diagnostic tools during the last 30 years has led to the recognition that leishmaniasis is an important public health problem throughout the country. In most disease foci both canine and human leishmaniases exist together and identification of parasite species causing these diseases is a pre-requisite for understanding disease epidemiology. A total of 109 samples obtained from human and canine leishmaniasis cases were examined using internal transcribed spacer 1 PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Our results indicate that two species, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum, are primarily responsible for cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, respectively, in Turkey. However, a new focus of human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum in Hatay region is described. This finding further stresses the importance of Leishmania species molecular characterization in prescribing appropriate therapy and understanding the disease’s transmission in different endemic foci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adsorption, electrokinetic properties and the interactions between polymer and clay minerals have recently received much attention, owing to the physicochemical properties of these materials. In this study, surface properties of poly(vinylimidazole)-adsorbed expanded perlite such as adsorption, adsorption kinetics and electrokinetic properties have been investigated as a function of temperature, ionic strength and pH. The zeta potential measurements have been performed to determine the isoelectric point (iep) and potential determining ions (pdi). Although pH strongly altered the zeta potential of expanded perlite sample, expanded perlite does not yield any isoelectric point in the pH ranges of 2–11, poly(vinylimidazole) (PVI) changes the interface charge from negative to positive for expanded perlite when adsorbed on its surface. Adsorbed amounts (q e) showed a great dependence on pH. The adsorption of PVI increases with increasing pH, ionic strength and temperature. The pH values where the maximum adsorbed mass occurred might be considered as the conditions where electrostatic attraction is the most favourable. Experimental adsorption data were investigated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and found that Langmuir isotherm model gave the best representation of the adsorption equilibrium. In order to investigate the mechanism of adsorption and potential rate controlling step, pseudo-first- and second-order kinetic equations, and intraparticle diffusion model have been used to test the experimental data. The rate constants and the related correlation coefficients were determined in order to assess which model provides the best-fit predicted data with experimental results. Pseudo-first-order kinetic equation provided the best fit to experimental data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: i) To investigate the subtle ToM (theory of mind) deficits in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder. ii) To investigate the impact of non-ToM cognitive deficits on ToM abilities. Method: Forty-three euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 30 healthy control subjects were involved in this study. ToM was assessed by the Eyes test and the Hinting task. Both groups were also evaluated with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery including tasks for basic emotion and face recognition. Results: The patient group was impaired on both of the ToM tasks. The patient group also showed impairment in many cognitive tasks including tasks related to sustained attention. Conclusion: Even euthymic patients with bipolar disorder may be impaired in advanced ToM tasks. Executive dysfunction and some other cognitives deficits such as basic emotion recognition may be at least partly responsible for this result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate clinical signs related with canine leishmaniosis (CanL) and to determine their relation with serological results in the differential diagnosis of this disease in dog populations. A total of 253 dogs from houses and a dog shelter in KuSadasý, an endemic region for leishmaniosis, were investigated for clinical signs related to CanL. Sera collected from the study group were examined by indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA), whole ELISA and rK39 ELISA tests for the serological diagnosis. Popliteal lymph node aspiration materials were examined for the parasitological diagnosis. Clinical signs were separated into two groups as cutaneous and visceral signs and no clinical signs were observed in 51.7% (131/253) of the dogs, while 48.3% (122/253) of the dogs had at least one sign. A total of 42 dogs [29 (23.7%) in the symptomatic and 13 (9.9%) in the asymptomatic group] were diagnosed as CanL serologically and/or parasitologically. Two strains were isolated and identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1. There was no correlation between IFAT titers and the number of the clinical signs (P > 0.05; R square = 0.002). Weight loss was found to be the most common sign of CanL while epistaxis was the least common but specific sign. The seropositivity ratio of CanL is 16.6% (42/253) among dogs in the region and clinical signs were found to be helpful for suspecting CanL but at least one serological and/or parasitological method should be performed for the accurate and differential diagnosis in the dogs. Our findings also showed that the one-third of the dogs in an endemic area for CanL could be asymptomatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing awareness of the importance of international health and medicine (IHM) but there is a paucity of data regarding medical students? attitudes towards and knowledge of the subject. To the best of our knowledge there is currently no validated measure to assess this. The aim of the present study was to develop a validated measure of medical students? attitudes and knowledge of IHM and examine its correlates. A panel experienced in IHM formulated attitude and general knowledge items and clinical cases based on personal experience, literature review and texts. The survey was piloted and then administered to 82 students of the Ben Gurion University-Columbia University MD program in IHM, and 59 students from programs without specific IHM focus. Cronbach's a was 0.87. Test-retest reliability of attitudes was r=0.87. Correlation of openness to experience with attitudes was r=0.376, showing construct validity. Third-year IHM students scored higher than incoming students on IHM knowledge and clinical cases, demonstrating sensitivity. General IHM knowledge was positively correlated to clinical IHM knowledge r=0.36, but not attitude or openness to experience. Those with previous IHM work experience showed greater openness and positive attitude. Women showed more positive attitudes towards IHM than men. Attitude was negatively correlated with number of languages spoken r=-0.198. The survey may be a reliable and valid tool to assess and compare medical students? knowledge and attitude toward international health. This survey can be used to evaluate curricular innovations in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human and canine visceral leishmaniasis cases have been reported from Kufladas›, a town in western Turkey, since 1993. In order to better understand the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanVL) in the region, we aimed: (i) to determine the prevalence of CanVL in Kufladas› using a randomly selected dog population and (ii) to measure the effect of case control on the prevalence of the disease. In this study, all 109 dogs kept at the dog shelter of Kufladas› Municipality (reflecting random selectivity) were screened serologically using IFAT and rK39 ELISA in 1999. Ten dogs (9.1%) were seropositive or borderline in 1 of the 2 tests. Seropositive dogs (8) died spontaneously or were euthanized, while borderline dogs (2) underwent monthly serological examinations. One year later, in a second sampling, a total of 85 dogs were examined (27 previously tested and 58 new). Four dogs (4.7%) showed seropositivity. Seropositive dogs (2) were euthanized while borderline dogs (2) underwent monthly serological examinations. The reduction in the prevalence of the disease (from 9.1% to 4.7%) appears to be the result of culling CanVL positive dogs from the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate predictors of success in training programs for Israeli international medical graduates (IMGs) from the former USSR. Subjects: IMGs up to the age of 45 who passed a national licensing examination and a Hebrew knowledge exam were eligible for participation. Intervention: Each IMG participated in one of three programs that offered similar academic activities. In two programs there was a preliminary selection process and one program had supplementary teaching hours. Main outcome measures: Resident's self-evaluation of skills compared with evaluation by department heads. The evaluation included eight clinical skills, a general evaluation, and the passing rate for Phase I of the National Certification Exam. Findings: A total of 176 IMGs, all graduates from medical schools in USSR who immigrated to Israel from 1990 to 1996, and 20 heads of the participating departments completed the questionnaires. The response rate was 64% among the residents and 71% among the department heads. All residents had a similar level of self-esteem regarding clinical skills and considered themselves equal to or better than Israeli-trained residents. The department heads did not concur with this assessment, particularly for residents who participated in the program with no preliminary selection. Participants in the programs with preliminary selection received better evaluations from department heads than those in the program without and had significantly greater success in the written part of the board certification examination (p < 0.05). Discussion and conclusions: Re-training programs for IMGs should include a preliminary process for participant selection. The training program should be implemented in academic departments, in which case supplementary teaching hours are not required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this prospective study, a significant incidence of fever (47%), true bacteremia (15%), and sepsis (12%), were found in 60 cardiac patients treated with an intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation pump. The benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis in this setting should therefore be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL), caused by Leishmania infantum is mainly observed as sporadic cases in Turkey and dogs are considered as the main reservoir of the disease. The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis among members of households where a HVL infection has already been diagnosed was studied in clusters around the diagnosed cases in different regions in Turkey. A total of 47 serum samples collected from the households of 11 proven visceral leishmaniasis patients were screened for anti-Leishmania antibodies by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Three and one such household members belonging to the different families were found to be seropositive and borderline, respectively. Diagnosis was confirmed with the presence of amastigotes in bone marrow aspiration samples in all seropositives while the borderline case with slight and indefinitive symptoms of VL was followed only serologically at 3-month intervals and improved spontaneously in 1 year. Household members of individuals with previously confirmed visceral leishmaniasis were found to have higher frequency of the disease suggesting the household members should be included in the risk group for visceral leishmaniasis and serological screening should be performed for the detection of possible infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]