Search

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the economic and environmental effects of increasing indigenous coal share in electricity generation by using extended input–output analysis. The policy scenario is a $1 million increase in demand for investment in the coal mining sector. In order to analyze this policy option, we specifically developed an extended input–output analysis associated with disaggregating the electricity sector into electricity generation transmission and distribution and the mining sector into coal and oil–gas mining. Furthermore, we use a range of key economic and environmental indicators to evaluate the effects of increasing indigenous coal production on these indicators. The results indicate that the $1 million increase in final demand for indigenous coal produces an increase in economic output for all sectors of $1,389,241 and an increase in total greenhouse gases of 229,572 CO2-equivalents (kg CO2-e) as well.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are an important group of ectoparasites of vertebrates. Most species are known vectors of diseases including Lyme disease, Q fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. A 3-year research was conducted in Antalya, Turkey, to determine tick species composition, seasonal abundance, and spatial distribution. The study was carried out in five districts (Aksu, Dosemealtı, Kepez, Konyaaltı, and Muratpasa) of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality area in Turkey, between May 2010 and May 2013, where 1393 tick specimens were collected from domestic and wild animals (cattle, goats, sheep, hedgehogs, tortoises, dogs, cats, chickens) and from the environment. The collected ticks were preserved in 70 % alcohol and then were identified. Five genus and eight hard and soft tick species were identified, including Argas persicus, Rhipicephalus annulatus, R. sanguineus, R. turanicus, Hyalomma aegyptium, H. marginatum, Haemaphysalis parva, and Dermacentor niveus. Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. turanicus, and H. aegyptium were the most common tick species in Antalya city. Rhipicephalus turanicus and R. sanguineus were the most abundant tick species infesting dogs in the city. The hosts of H. aegyptium are primarily tortoises in Antalya. The results of this research will contribute to establishing appropriate measures to control tick infestations on animals and humans and their environment in the city of Antalya.

The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infections in rural areas of Bursa Province, where vector ticks and blood-sucking flies are commonly found. In total, 150 blood samples were collected from people living in four different locations where vector ticks are common, and 45 blood samples were collected from people living in non-tick-infested areas. Giemsa-stained blood smears were prepared from the blood samples and examined by light microscopy. The blood samples were also serologically examined using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). One sample (0.7%) from a patient with a tick bite history was positive, as determined by the IFAT; however, the same sample was negative when its Giemsa-stained smear was examined. The co-seroprevalence of A. phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi was not observed. Key words: Bursa, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, human, serology, prevalence.

Because of material anisotropy in fiber-reinforced composites, design, and optimization processes do become very important and needed more complex analysis compared with isotropic materials. Therefore, it cannot be achieved by only sizing the cross-sectional areas and thickness of the members. In these cases, design process for laminated composites must include (i) tailoring the material properties, that is, selection of fiber, resin, and fiber volume fraction and the lamina-stacking sequence, (ii) selection of the number of ply orientations, (iii) and determination of final thickness. In this chapter, we first introduce design issues relevant to fiber-reinforced laminated composites. Then, fundamental design processes are reviewed including material selection and requirements. The use of macromechanical equations in composite design and optimization problems is also well established. In the optimization section, stochastic search methods such as genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, differential evolution, and their applications in optimum laminated composite design problems are addressed.

The objective of this part is to emphasize the context in which the mechanics of fiber composites is examined. Constitutive equations describing the stress-strain relations are introduced. Micromechanics and macromechanics approaches for analysis are well established. Since interfacial mechanics of composites is of primary importance in discussing the mismatch in Poisson's ratios and coefficients of mutual influence between various layers, this concept is also presented with its constitutive and governing equations. Finally, at the end of the chapter, strength failure theories including Tsai-Hill, Hoffman, and Tsai-Wu criteria for orthotropic materials and dynamic behavior of composites, which focuses on vibration of beams, rods, and plates, are discussed.

Tum dunyada oldugu gibi ulkemizde de aricilikta bircok hastalik ve zararlilarla karsi karsiya bulunmaktayiz. Bunlardan bazilari aricilar ve bilim insanlari tarafindan goz ardi edilmesine karsin arilara ve ari urunlerine zararlar vermektedir. Bu nedenle bu zararlilari iyi tanimak ve varsa mucadele etmek kovanin surekliligi acisindan oldukca onemlidir. Bugune kadar bircok tecrubeli arici bu zararlilari ve olumsuz etkilerini kismi olarak bilmesine ragmen mucadele yontemleri ve gerekliliginin olup olmadigi konusunda bilgi eksiklikleri bulunmaktadir. Arilarin en onemli ve en cok bilinen ektoparaziti olan Varroa (Oudemans 1904) bir akar’dir. Bu makalede Varroa disindaki ari kolonilerine zarar veren diger akarlar ve daha cok tarlaci ergin arilari avlayarak zararli olan bazi orumcek ve akar turleri, bunlarin biyolojileri ve mucadeleleri hakkinda degisik kaynaklara dayali bilgiler verilmistir.

In the literature, it is proved that grooved pipe models are thermally more efficient than the smooth pipe model. Different than the previous studies in which the groove dimensions are constant along the pipe, we study the effect of groove radius and the gap between adjacent grooves on the local heat transfer coefficients using computational fluid dynamics software. The grooved section consists of three sub-sections to see the effects of groove dimension in stream-wise flow direction. We vary the radius of circular grooves parametrically in each section to optimize the local groove radius throughout the pipe. We couple the fluid flow (1200

This paper analyzes the impact of Turkey's regional integra- tion with the neighbourhood in an applied general equilibri- um framework. The standard GTAP model has been extend- ed to address the two main components of Turkey's possible integration: mutual elimination of import tariffs and free movement of labor among regions. The results suggest that all regions (Turkey, Russia, Former Soviet Union and the Mid- dle East) would experience welfare gain under trade liberaliza- tion policy reform. Labor mobility does not cause considera- ble changes in real GDP (less than 0.1 percent) through in- creasing real wages in the labor exporting regions.

In Turkey, arthropod-borne diseases such as human babesiosis, dirofilariasis, leishmaniasis, malaria, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, anthrax, bartonellosis, louse-borne relapsing fever, lyme disease, plague, trench fever, tularemia, epidemic typhus, tick-borne typhus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, phlebovirus infections, tick-borne encephalitis and west nile virus in humans; animal trypanosomiasis, avian haemosporidiasis, babesiosis, canine hepatozoonosis, canine lesihmaniosis, dipetalonemiasis, dirofilariosis, habronemiasis, onchocerciasis, parafilariasis, setariasis, theileriosis, thelaziasis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, feline infectious anemia, akabane, bluetongue, bovine ephemeral fever, equine infectious anemia, louping ill, west nile virus, colony collapse disorders (CCD) were reported in domestic animals and Wolbachia endobacteria infection was also reported in mosquitos so far. On the other hand, aphids (Aphididae), leafhoppers (Cicadellidae), white flies (Aleyrodidae), beetles (Coleoptera), trips (Thysanoptera), gal mites (Eriophyidae), and nematodes are also very important vectors of plant diseases in Turkey. Some of the most harmful plant viruses in the world such as tristeza, plum pox virus, and tomato ringspot viruses are also transmitted by arthropod vectors. In recent years, in spite of changes in ecological balance caused by abandoning agricultural land, use of natural areas to farm, release of rabbits, preventing water flooding, leaving the fields uncultivated, migration from urban to rural areas, hunting of wild animals, the dramatic drop in the number of farm animals, global warming and the strengthening of wild life was probably responsible for the increase of tick populations. The construction of ponds and dams, changes in riverbeds, drying out of swamps and marshes, dense ad-hoc and haphazard construction, changes in picnicking habits, wild irrigation in agriculture, and the use of unsuitable control measures by local authorities, resulted in an increase of flies. This led to an increase in infected vector populations and vector-borne diseases and a decrease in the potential for economic development. In conclusion, it is very important to initiate and develop integrated control programs targeting arthropod vectors, disease agents of human, animal and plants and natural reservoirs. These diseases have been caused high economic losses in Turkey, and therefore they should be further investigated, Türkiye’de insanlarda babesiosis, dirofilariasis, şark çıbanı, sıtma, lenfatik filariasis, onchocerciasis, şarbon, bartonellosis, bitle bulaşan dönemli ateş (louse-borne relapsing fever), lyme, veba, siper ateşi, tularemia, epidemik tifüs, tick-borne tifus, Kırım-Kongo kanamalı ateşi, phlebovirus enfeksiyonu, tick-borne encephalitis ve batı nil virusu; evcil hayvanlarda trypanasomiasis, kanatlı haemosporidiasisi, babesiosis, köpek hepatozoonosisi, köpek leishmaniosisi, dipetalonemiasis, dirofilariosis, yaz yarası, onchocerciasis, yaz kanaması, seteriasis, theileriosis, thelaziasis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, kedi enfeksiyöz anemisi, akabane, mavidil, üçgün hastalığı, loupingill, enfeksiyöz at anemisi, arıların colony collapse hastalığı (CCD) ve sivrisineklerde Wolbachia endobakteri enfeksiyonu şimdiye kadar rapor edilen artropod kaynaklı hastalıklardır. Diğer taraftan, Türkiye’de yaprak bitleri (Aphididae), yaprak zararlıları (Cicadellidae), beyazsinekler (Aleyrodidae), kın kanatlılar (Coleoptera), kirpik kanatlılar (Thysanoptera), gal akarları (Eriophyidae) ve nematodlar da bitki hastalıklarının önemli vektörleridirler. Tristeza, şarka, domates halkalı leke virüsleri gibi dünyadaki en zararlı bitki patojenlerinin de uygun vektörleri olmadan epidemi yapamadıkları bilinmektedir. Tarım alanlarının terk edilmesi, doğal alanların tarıma açılması, doğaya tavşan salınması, su taşkınlarının önlenmesi, yayla yasağı, av yasağı, tarlaların işlenmemesi, kırsal hayattan şehirlere göç, yırtıcı hayvanların öldürülmesi, çiftlik hayvanlarının sayısındaki dramatik düşüşe karşın yaban hayatının güçlenmesi ve küresel ısınma gibi son yıllarda ekolojik dengelerin değişmesine yol açan faktörler kene sayısında artışa yol açan olası nedenlerdir. Fizibilite yapılmadan gölet ve baraj inşası, nehir yataklarının değiştirilmesi, bataklık ve sazlıkların kurutulması, plansız ve gelişigüzel yoğun yapılaşma, piknik kültüründeki değişiklik, tarımda vahşi sulama, yerel yöneticilerin bilimsel yaklaşımdan yoksun, bilinçsiz vektör mücadelesi de sinek populasyonlarında artışa sebep olmuştur. Bu durum da vektör populasyonunda, vektörlerle bulaştırılan hastalıklarda artışa ve dolayısıyla ekonomik gelişmelerde azalmalara veya yavaşlamalara yol açmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, Türkiye’de insan, hayvan ve bitki sağlığını tehdit ederek ekonomik kayıplara yol açan vektörlere ve bu vektörlerin bulaştırdıkları hastalıklara karşı mücadele programları geliştirmek ve başlatmak, bu konuda daha ileri araştırmalar yapmak oldukça önemlidir

Three-dimensional (3d) bio-printing is one of the major research fields of future, as yet at the beginning stage but producing promising solutions in medicine. As technology evolves, novel systems emerge for positioning even a single cell to the desired place to create functional tissues. The precision of these systems determine the functionality of outputs. In general, bio-printers use Ink-jet, Micro-extrusion and Laser Assisted printing methods to construct a solid tissue or a part of an organ. Ink-jet method, also known as drop-on-demand bio-printing approach, is based on spraying cells by means of thermal or piezo electric pulses from numerous nozzles and is commonly used when forming tissues like skin and cartilage. Micro-extrusion method is used when complex biological structures like blood vessels or solid organs are bio-printed. Laser Assisted method is more preferred for biomaterial or implant production. Components of these systems have direct effects on the output since they determine where and how much biological material will be deposited in every layer. The aim of this study is to design and construct a novel micro-extrusion module for bio-printing applications. The designed module consists of three-dimensional (3d) printed body parts from Polylactic acid (PLA), Nema type stepper motors, ball screws (SFU1204), ball screw nuts (M12), flexible couplings (5 x 8 x 25 mm), steel rods (M8), SCE UU series bearings (SCE 8 UU), UFL series bearings (UFL 08), LMEF series bearings (LMEF 8 UU), SK series rod holders (SK 08) and has an ability to control three commercially available syringes with blunt ended needles. For precise micro-extrusion, galvanized steel rods support ball screw driven linear motions. Ergonomically, syringes can be easily mount and locked and this system also has laser holders that can be used for targeted photo polymerization.

In this study, an optimization procedure is proposed to find the optimum stacking sequence designs of laminated composite plates in different fiber angle domains for maximum buckling resistance. A hybrid algorithm combining genetic algorithm and trust region reflective algorithm is used in the optimization to obtain higher performance and improve the quality of solutions. As a novelty, Puck fiber and inter-fiber failure criteria are directly implemented to the optimization problems as nonlinear function constraints, which have allowed more consistent and feasible results. The performance of the hybrid algorithm is demonstrated by comparing with the individual performances of genetic and trust region reflective algorithms via test problems from the literature. Also, a study is performed to exhibit the effectiveness of the selected failure criterion as constraint among the other common criteria. The proposed procedure is used to solve many problems including various design considerations. The results indicate that reliable stacking sequence designs can be achieved in specific configurations even for the composite plates subjected to superior buckling loads when Puck physically based (3D) failure theory is considered as a first ply failure constraint in the buckling optimization.

In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of Nosema spp. in honeybees of Turkey. For this aim, adult honeybee (Apis mellifera) samples were collected from 1621 colonies within 95 apiaries located in 22 provinces of Turkey. Samples were examined microscopically. In case of positivity, spore identification was done by multiplex PCR. At the end of microscopic examination, Nosema spp. spores were detected in 7 out of 22 provinces (31.8 %), and 16 out of 95 colonies (16.8 %) that represent 1621 colonies. According to PCR results, 1 out of 16 isolates (6.25 %) was Nosema apis, and 15 out of 16 isolates (93.75 %) were Nosema ceranae. The result of our study indicated that N.ceranae is the dominant species in Turkey. © 2015, INRA, DIB and Springer-Verlag France.

Aydin, Levent/0000-0001-8179-7418 WOS: 000301616100016 The aim of this paper is to examine the economic impact of the royalty reform. The draft Turkish petroleum Law introduces two important fiscal changes to increase to increase domestic petroleum production, further national petroleum supply, attract investors and harmonize its laws with those of the European Community: (1) progressive sliding royalty relief on oil and gas production leases and (2) 50% of the royalty shall be transferred to province where the production lease exists. Results included in this analysis indicate that there would be 2% increase in oil production thanks to 128 oil fields extending economic life and 0.5% increase in gas production thanks to 63 gas fields due to their profitability in the forecasted period. Half of royalty is transferred to low per capita income provinces and tends to contribute distribution of income. However, half of gas royalty is transferred to high income per capita provinces. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Colony defence differences between two honey bee subspecies Apis mellifera cypria and A. m. caucasica are reported. A. m. cypria formed significantly (P < 0.001) more defensive balls of bees covering intruders than A. m. caucasica in response to a predatory wasp attack. Although there were differences in ball formation, the number of bees attacking the wasp did not differ in the balls that were formed (P > 0.10). In addition to ball formation, A. m. cypria was tested for differences in frequency of attacking, shaking, shimmering, line formation and lunging when confronted with a live tethered wasp, dead tethered wasp or just the tethering line. Only the dead wasp elicited differential response. It is suggested that these difference in anti-predator behaviour are related to the high predation risks of A. m. cyrpria. Caucasian bees and their hybrids do not face to such wasp predation due to the cool weather in the Caucasus region. National Science Foundation (NSF) - DBI 0552717

Aydin, Levent/0000-0001-8179-7418; Acar, Mustafa/0000-0002-7426-6747 WOS: 000288971100069 As a small open economy, Turkey depends on both imported oil and natural gas, importing almost two-thirds of its primary energy demand. This paper analyzes the economic effects of oil price shocks for Turkey as a small, open oil- and gas-importing country. To analyze the potential long-term effects of oil price shocks on macroeconomic variables of interest, including GDP, consumer price inflation, indirect tax revenues, trade balance, and carbon emissions, we developed TurGEM-D, a dynamic multisectoral general equilibrium model for the Turkish economy. Using TurGEM-D, we analyzed the impact of oil price shocks under three distinct scenarios: reference, high and low oil prices. The simulation results show that these oil prices have very significant effects on macro indicators and carbon emissions in the Turkish economy. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Without being a full member of the European Union, Turkey’s participation to the Unity raised some substantial and continued questions in Turkey about the economic results of an regional integration. Some argue that, particularly adoption of the Union’s common external tariff regime would have a devastating effect on Turkey’s trade. The aim of this paper is to search the pros and cons of customs union associated with common external tariff between Turkey and European Union. Our study especially focuses on the effects of common external tariff to Turkey’s trade. The simulation results show that Turkey has been benefiting from the noticeable tariff liberalization as well as improved market conditions in line with EU since it ratified custom union with EU.

Background Although some investigators believe that the rate of postoperative instability is low after lumbar spinal stenosis surgery, the majority believe that postoperative instability usually develops. Decompression alone and decompression with fusion have been widely used for years in the surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. Nevertheless, in recent years several biomechanical studies have shown that posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization provides stabilization that is like the rigid stabilization systems of the spine. Recently, posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization has been more commonly used as an alternative treatment option (rather than rigid stabilization with fusion) for the treatment of degenerative spines with chronic instability and for the prevention of possible instability after decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis surgery. Methods A total of 30 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (19 women and 11 men) were included in the study group. The mean age was 67.3 years (range, 40–85 years). Along with lumbar decompression, a posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization (dynamic transpedicular screw–rigid rod system) without fusion was performed in all patients. Clinical and radiologic results for patients were evaluated during follow-up visits at 3, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Results The mean follow-up period was 42.93 months (range, 24–66 months). A clinical evaluation of patients showed that, compared with preoperative assessments, statistically significant improvements were observed in the Oswestry and visual analog scale scores in the last follow-up control. Compared with preoperative values, there were no statistically significant differences in radiologic evaluations, such as segmental lordosis angle (α) scores (P = .125) and intervertebral distance scores (P = .249). There were statistically significant differences between follow-up lumbar lordosis scores (P = .048). There were minor complications, including a subcutaneous wound infection in 2 cases, a dural tear in 2 cases, cerebrospinal fluid fistulas in 1 case, a urinary tract infection in 1 case, and urinary retention in 1 case. We observed L5 screw loosening in 1 of the 3-level decompression cases. No screw breakage was observed and no revision surgery was performed in any of these cases. Conclusions Posterior dynamic stabilization without fusion applied to lumbar decompression leads to better clinical and radiologic results in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. To avoid postoperative instability, especially in elderly patients who undergo degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis surgery with chronic instability, the application of decompression with posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization is likely an important alternative surgical option to fusion, because it does not have fusion-related side effects, is easier to perform than fusion, requires a shorter operation time, and has low morbidity and complication rates.

This paper presents a closed form solution to the dynamic stability problem of a beam-column system with hinged ends loaded by an axial periodically time-varying compressive force of an elliptic type, i.e., a 1cn 2(τ, k 2) + a 2sn2(τ, k 2) + a 3dn2(τ, k 2). The solution to the governing equation is obtained in the form of Fourier sine series. The resulting ordinary differential equation is solved analytically. Finding the exact analytical solutions to the dynamic buckling problems is difficult. However, the availability of exact solutions can provide adequate understanding for the physical characteristics of the system. In this study, the frequency-response characteristics of the system, the effects of the static load, the driving forces, and the frequency ratio on the critical buckling load are also investigated. © 2010 Shanghai University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

This article describes the clinical and radiological outcomes of a comparison of posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization and posterior rigid transpedicular stabilization with fusion after decompression in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis. This prospective clinical and radiologic study was conducted between 2004 and 2007 and included 46 patients, of whom 33 were women (71.7%) and 13 were men (28.3%). Mean patient age was 61.67±10.80 years (range, 45–89 years). Twenty-six patients who underwent lumbar decompression and posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization were followed for a mean of 38 months (range, 24–55 months). In the fusion group, 20 patients who underwent lumbar decompression and rigid stabilization with fusion were followed for a mean of 44 months (range, 26–64 months). The intervertebral space measurements of the dynamic group at the preoperative examination and at 12 and 24 months postoperatively were statistically significantly higher than the intervertebral space measurements of the fusion group ( P

The objective of this article is to evaluate two-year clinical and radiological follow-up results for patients who were treated with microdiscectomy and posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilisation (PDTS) due to recurrent disc herniation. This article is a prospective clinical study. We conducted microdiscectomy and PDTS (using a cosmic dynamic screw-rod system) in 40 cases (23 males, 17 females) with a diagnosis of recurrent disc herniation. Mean age of included patients was 48.92 ± 12.18 years (range: 21-73 years). Patients were clinically and radiologically evaluated for follow-up for at least two years. Patients’ postoperative clinical results and radiological outcomes were evaluated during the 3rd, 12th, and 24th months after surgery. Forty patients who underwent microdiscectomy and PDTS were followed for a mean of 41 months (range: 24-63 months). Both the Oswestry and VAS scores showed significant improvements two years postoperatively in comparison to preoperative scores (p 0.05). New recurrent disc herniations were not observed during follow-up in any of the patients. We observed complications in two patients. Performing microdiscectomy and PDTS after recurrent disc herniation can decrease the risk of postoperative segmental instability. This approach reduces the frequency of failed back syndrome with low back pain and sciatica.

Since Turkey’s economy and population is rapidly growing, Turkey mostly meets its energy demand from imported fossil sources due to the very limited indigenous oil and natural gas resources. However, Turkey has abundant renewable resources especially, hydro power potential to be used for generation of electricity. But only one-third of this significant economical potential could be used. This usage seems insufficient when compared with that of European countries. In order to analyze the potential long term impacts of the hydro power expanding shock on some macroeconomic variables of interest such as GDP, real consumption, real investment, exports, imports, trade balance, and carbon emissions, we developed TurGEM-D, a dynamic multisectoral general equilibrium model of the Turkish economy. Using TurGEM-D, we analyzed the impact of hydro power shock under policy scenario doubling hydro power generation. The simulation results show that doubling hydro power have slightly positive effects on macro indicators and carbon emissions for Turkish economy.

Spinal epidural abscess is a collection of suppurative material that forms between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum. If not recognized early and treated correctly, it can lead to life-threatening sepsis. Here we report the case of a female patient, 51 years of age, with difficulty walking and bilateral leg pain after having had degenerative discogenic pain for many years. The patient had occasionally received intramuscular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug injections. The current report is that of an unusual case of epidural abscess that formed following multiple dose of intramuscular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug over a 1-year period. Hematogenous or direct dissemination is the suspected cause. To prevent serious morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis is essential. Patients with localized back pain who are at risk for developing such epidural spinal abscesses should receive a magnetic resonance imaging scan with contrast enhancement without delay. The existence of predisposing factors such as intramuscular injections should be considered in the assessment of suspected spinal epidural abscess.

Background Prosthetic replacement of spinal discs is emerging as a treatment option for degenerative disc disease. Posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization (PDTS) and prosthetic disc nucleus (PDN) devices have been used sporadically in spinal surgery. Methods This was a prospective study of 13 patients averaging 40.9 years of age with degenerative disc disease who underwent posterior placement of a PDN with a PDTS. The Oswestry low-back pain disability questionnaire and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain were used to assess patient outcomes at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th postoperative months. Lumbar range of motion was evaluated using a bubble inclinometer preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively. Radiological parameters including lumbar lordosis angle (LL), segmental lordosis angle (α), disc height at the operated level (DHo), and disc height of the adjacent level (DHu) were evaluated. A typical midline posterior approach for complete discectomy was followed by the simultaneous placement of the PDN with PDTS. Results Both the Oswestry and VAS scores showed significant improvement postoperatively (P < .05). There were no significant differences in LL, α, DHo, and DHu parameters. We observed complications in 3 patients including 2 patients who had the PDN device embedded into the adjacent corpus; 1 had massive endplate degeneration, and the other experienced interbody space infection. In 1 patient, the PDN device migrated to one side in the vertebral space. Conclusion The use of a PDN in combination with posterior dynamic instrumentation can help to restore the physiologic motion of the anterior and posterior column and could help to establish posterior dynamic instrumentation as an important treatment of degenerative disc disease. Theoretically this concept is superior, but practically we need more advanced technology to replace disc material. Because this study examined the combination of the PDN and stabilization instrumention, the results cannot be compared with those reported in the literature for either PDN alone or dynamic screws alone. Level of Evidence Prospective cohort study with good follow-up (level 1b).

This study is concerned with the fracture of an infinite thick-walled cylinder. The inner surface of the cylinder is stress free and the outer is rigidly fixed. The cylinder having a ring-shaped crack located at the symmetry plane is subjected to distributed compressive load on its surfaces. The Hankel and Fourier transform techniques are used for the solution of the field equations. By applying the boundary conditions, the singular integral equation in terms of crack surface displacement derivative is derived. By using an appropriate quadrature formula, the integral equation is reduced to a system of linear algebraic equations. Numerical results are obtained for the stress intensity factors at the edges of the crack, surfaces of which are subjected to uniform, linear and parabolic load distributions.

In recent years, tick-borne diseases like ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis became widespread worldwide threatening the health of both human and companion animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the presence of Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp. in dogs and ticks in the Thrace Region of Turkey. A total of 400 blood samples and 912 ticks were collected from dogs living in shelters that are located in four cities (Istanbul, Edirne, Tekirdag and Kirklareli) of the Thrace Region. Blood and buffy coat smears were prepared for microscopic examination. Hematologic and serologic analyses were performed using cell counter and commercial Snap3Dx test kit, respectively. Eight hundred fifty of collected ticks were classified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 33 as Rhipicephalus turanicus and 29 as Ixodes ricinus. After DNA extraction from blood samples and pooled ticks (127 tick pools, in total), nested PCR was performed to detect the DNA of Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp. The seroprevalence of Ehrlichia canis was 27.25% (109) by Snap3Dx test and the total molecular positivity was 11.75% (47) in dog blood samples and 21.25% (27) in tick pools by nested PCR. The frequencies of the infected blood samples with E. canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys were detected as 6%, 4% and 6%, respectively. E. canis and A. platys were detected in R. sanguineus pools with a ratio of 15.75% and 0.7%, respectively. In addition, A. platys was also detected in R. turanicus pools (0.7%). A. phagocytophilum was found only in I. ricinus pools (3.93%). Morulae of three species were detected in buffy coat and blood smears. While anemia was observed in dogs infected with E. canis and co-infected (with one or more species), thrombocytopenia was observed only in co-infected dogs. This is the first study providing evidence for the presence of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. in dogs and ticks in the Thrace Region of Turkey. Based on the results of the tests used in this study, we recommend the combined use of serologic, molecular, cytologic, hematologic analyses and physical examination of tick exposure for an accurate diagnosis of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. İstanbul Üniversitesi - 625/28062007

Background: To identify the role of the hypercholesterolemia as a starting factor in discovertebral degeneration that ultimately causes lower back pain, and investigate the role of Vitamin E in this process. Methods: The rabbits (n = 32) were divided into two broad experimental groups: A control group, and a hypercholesterolemia group, namely cholesterol, and cholesterol plus Vitamin E groups and they were fed sequentially for 4 or 8 weeks. Serum cholesterol and Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) levels were determined; vascular tissue was prepared for histopathological analyses and vertebra was decalcifed for the study. Results: Cholesterol diet group resulted approximately 44-fold of increase plasma cholesterol levels over the 4-week control values. Additional supplementation with Vitamin E group induced a plasma cholesterol level increase of only 37-fold as compared to the control group. In the cholesterol groups, light microscope examination revealed atherosclerotic plaque in major arteries. However, in the cholesterol plus Vitamin E treatment groups, no lipid accumulation or foam cell formation was visible in the abdominal aorta and vertebral segmental artery. In histopathological examination, we found degenerative changes in the discovertebral unit in cholesterol treated groups. Conclusion: Hypercholesterolemia causes fat accumulation in the disc endplate and vertebral body that causes blood supply disturbances which might be a starting factor of discovertebral degeneration. This event was not reversed by the elimination of cholesterol from the diet. Vitamin E supplementation was not effective in reducing fat accumulation in vertebral bone marrow. As a result, we conclude that degeneration of the discovertebral unit is not related to atherosclerotic changes in the major blood vessels. © 2016 Surgical Neurology International | Published by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow., NA

Hedgehogs are small, nocturnal, spiny-coated animals that have been growing in popularity as exotic pets. However, these animals are host to a wide variety of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, some of which are of zoonotic character. Thus, because hedgehogs have a potential role to transmit zoonoses including arthropod-borne diseases, we examined them for their ectoparasites. The study was carried out on hedgehogs found dead mainly due to road casualties in the Bursa province of Turkey. The ectoparasites were collected by both insecticide spraying of the body and inspection on a white paper carefully. Totally three species of ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Hyalomma aegyptium, Haemophysalis parvo) and one flea species (Archeopsylla erinacei) were detected. The prevalence of mixed infestation with both ticks and fleas was 45.5%. Haemaphysalis parva was reported for the first time from hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) in Turkey. The occurrence of ectoparasites and their potential role as vectors of certain zoonotic diseases are briefly discussed.

SUMMARYThis is the first extensive study of the incidence of varroa (Varroa destructor) and tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi) in Turkish honey bees (Apis mellifera). Samples were taken from 204 colonies in 39 apiaries spread over five regions of Turkey. Fifty bees from each colony were dissected in the laboratory and examined under stereo and compound microscopes using four different techniques to detect the presence of A. woodi. Presence of varroa was determined from samples of approximately 200 workers from each of the sampled colonies. Neither A. woodi nor other Acarapis spp. were found in any of the 10 200 bees examined. Conversely, varroa was found in 84 of the 204 colonies sampled. Varroa incidence per apiary was approximately Poisson distributed with a mean of 2.17 infested colonies per five sampled. The data suggest that for unknown reasons tracheal mites appear to be very rare in Turkey, but not varroa, which has endemic rather than epidemic disease distribution properties.

Acaricidal effects of three Labiatae essential oils extracted from ariel parts of Thymus sipyleus Boiss. subsp. sipyleus, Mentha longifolia L., and Dorystoechas hastata Boiss. & Heldr. ex Bentham on 10-day-old Rhipicephalus turanicus Pom. (Acari: Ixodidae) larvae were evaluated by using the larval packet test bioassay. Serial dilutions of the three essential oils were tested from a starting concentration of 1-0.1 % (1.0, 0.5, 0.25, and 0.1 % w/v). Results showed that all essential oils had very similar activity, producing complete mortality (100 %) in all tested concentrations on 10-day-old R. turanicus tick larvae. Akdeniz University

Neck pain is a common problem that may result from abnormalities in the soft tissues, bones and joints of the spine. However, upper neck and occipital pain syndrome due to unilateral idiopathic arthrosis of a C1-2 lateral articulation is a very rare condition.We describe two patients with unilateral arthrosis of a C1-2 lateral articulation who were successfully treated with C1-2 fusion.The patients presented with severe headache and/or neck pain. The diagnosis was made with a careful history and imaging studies, including X-ray films, CT scans, and MRI studies. Posterior atlanto-axial transfacet screw fixation was performed in both patients. There were no surgical complications.C1-2 fusion is necessary to relieve intractable pain after failure of conservative treatment and/or invasive pain procedures in unilateral C1-2 arthrosis.

Objective: Posterior dynamic stabilization is an effective alternative to fusion in the treatment of chronic instability and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine. This study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of dynamic stabilization in chronic degenerative disc disease with Modic[for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], 65. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC)

Tumors of the paraganglionic system include pheo- chromocytomas, carotid body tumors (chemodectoma), jugulo- tympanic paragangliomas (glomus jugulare tumors), and the rare aorticopulmonary and aorticosympathetic paragangliomas. Paragangliomas are generally well-differentiated tumors, with only a minority (7% to 10%) behaving in a malignant fashion by causing distant spread. The case report of a 37-year-old male patient, with a medical history of glomus jugulare tumor resected 1 year ago, attending with a spinal column metastasis is presented. Surgical resection of the metastases, combined with radiotherapy, was performed on the patient. Paragangliomas have the potential to be malignant and although rare, the spinal column is one of the targets of spread.

AIM Comparison of long-term preoperative and postoperative clinical and radiological results for patients diagnosed with degenerative disc disease that underwent posterior dynamic stabilization. Lumbar disc degeneration is caused by a variety of factors. Disruptions in the vertebral endplate result in defects in disc nutrition and, thus, disc degeneration. The aims of dynamic stabilization are to unload the disc/facet joints, preserve motion under mechanical load, and restrict abnormal motion in the spinal segment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-five patients diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disc disease were enrolled. Totally, 25 vertebral segments were subjected to posterior dynamic stabilization. Patients were clinically evaluated in the preoperative and postoperative periods using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Segmental movement was evaluated radiologically in the late postoperative period by measuring the segmental angles during flexion and extension. RESULTS Significant postoperative improvements were observed in the ODI and VAS measurements (P < 0.01). During the long postoperative period (averaging 5 years and 2 months), lumbar lordosis angles, intervertebral space ratio and segmental ratio were measured and compared statistically. Adjacent segment disease developed in two patients. Both patients received L5-S1 discectomy. CONCLUSION Good clinical outcomes were observed in the treatment of lumbar degenerative disc disease with a posterior dynamic system.

of lung, and 10% of prostate cancer patients. The bony lesions in spinal cord metastasis may be either lytic or blastic lesions (18). Lung cancer usually produces lytic bone lesions. Spinal metastases from a lung cancer may develop at any time during the natural course of lung cancer (18). Metastasis to the spine may be via hematogenous, lymphatic or direct extension. At least 5% of patients with malignancies suffer from this condition. All these patients suffer from back pain, followed by weakness and ataxia (3). The clinical aspects of vertebral metastasis depends on the primary tumor. The cause of less frequent neurological deficit in lung metastasis may be severe pain and consequently early surgery for spinal metastasis (16). Metastatic lesions of the spine represent a continuum of the disease process that affects patients with cancer. Spinal metastasis was seen in 90% of prostate, 75% of breast, 55% of melanoma, 45% of lung, and 30% of renal cell carcinoma patients (18). Symptomatic spinal cord compression is less common and was found in 22% of breast, In patients affected by malignant tumors, spinal column metastases are frequent. The incidence varies between 30% and 70%. Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer invading the spine in women, following breast cancer. All patients are under risk of symptomatic spinal cord compression. The prognosis is poor. Indications for surgery are progressive neurologic deficit, intractable pain, and impending vertebral fracture. Treatment is to preserve neurological functions, promote pain relief and provide functional improvement. Five patients, with symptomatic metastatic spinal cord compression at the thoracic level secondary to lung cancer were operated on. Invasion of the spinal column was from neighbouring lung tissue by direct extension or through segmental arteries. The patients were evaluated regarding neurological status, pain and disability scores, tumor type, level, and surgical procedure. Lung cancer is an aggressive tumor. Patients with symptomatic spinal cord compression must be treated aggressively. With current spinal surgical techniques and a coordinated effort, the life expectancy and quality of these patients are extended.

AIM Minimally invasive surgical techniques for spine surgery have gained popularity over the last decade. In this study, the authors describe a unilateral dynamic stabilization for unilateral spinal pathologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 7 patients with an average age of 46.1 years (range 21-80 years) were included in this study. They are represented various spinal pathologies (degenerative disorders, various tumor pathologies) and having undergone a unilateral facetectomy (or facetectomies) with or without a hemilaminectomy procedure were analyzed in this study. The surgical stabilization was achieved with unilateral dynamic stabilization. RESULTS The new surgical concept is described here, and the comparative early results of the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and the visual analog scale (VAS) are presented as well. The preoperative average ODI was 73.14 (range 62-94), and the average VAS was 8.14 (range 7-10). Twelve months after the surgery, ODI was 10.6 (range 0-16), and the average VAS was 1 (range 0-2) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Although the limited number of cases analyzed reflects data of only early patient outcome, the procedure is safe, feasible, and cost effective. The unilateral dynamic pedicle screw stabilization without fusion is as a technical option to avoid possible segmental instability after unilateral total facetectomy procedure.

Flumethrin is one of many pesticides used for the control and treatment of varroatosis in honey bees and for the control of mosquitoes and ticks in the environment. For the control of varroatosis, flumethrin is applied to hives formulated as a plastic strip for several weeks. During this time, honey bees are treated topically with flumethrin, and hive products may accumulate the pesticide. Honey bees may indirectly ingest flumethrin through hygienic behaviors during the application period and receive low doses of flumethrin through comb wax remodeling after the application period. The goal of our study was to determine the acute oral toxicity of flumethrin and observe the acute effects on motor coordination in honey bees (Apis mellifera anatoliaca). Six doses (between 0.125 and 4.000 mu g per bee) in a geometric series were studied. The acute oral LD50 of flumethrin was determined to be 0.527 and 0.178 mu g per bee (n = 210, 95% CI) for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Orally administered flumethrin is highly toxic to honey bees. Oral flumethrin disrupted the motor coordination of honey bees. Honey bees that ingested flumethrin exhibited convulsions in the antennae, legs, and wings at low doses. At higher doses, partial and total paralysis in the antennae, legs, wings, proboscises, bodies, and twitches in the antennae and legs were observed. National Science Foundation (NSF) - 0851651 Uludağ Üniversitesi AGAM

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an increasing health concern in Turkey since 2002. There were also some recent human cases from the South Marmara region of Turkey; thus, a tick survey was performed, and possible vector tick species for the CCHF virus were determined in the region. A total of 740 adult ticks were collected from infested livestock from five locations: Canakkale-Biga, Bursa-Orhaneli, Bursa-Keles, BalA +/- kesir and Bilecik. Total of 11 tick species from the genera Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, Ixodes and Haemaphysalis were identified. Rhipicephalus ticks were dominant in the region; the most frequently observed tick species was R. turanicus, (53.1 %), and only 15.4 % of the identified ticks were H. marginatum. The occurrence of H. rufipes infestation in the region fort he first time. A total of 73 pools of adult ticks were tested with both an antigen-detecting ELISA and RT real-time PCR (RT rt PCR). The presence of the CCHF virus was demonstrated in 9 (12.3 %) of the tested tick pools. Although seven of the tick pools were positive for the CCHF virus with both of the methods, one pool was positive only with RT rt PCR and the other pool was only positive with the ELISA. Positive results were obtained from ticks collected from cattle, sheep and goats from two locations, Bursa-Orhaneli and Bilecik. The CCHF virus was detected in R. turanicus (n = 3), R. bursa (n = 2), H. marginatum (n = 2) and D. marginatus (n = 2) ticks. The results of this study confirm the presence of the CCHF virus and present preliminary data on the vector tick species in the southern Marmara region of Turkey.

The aim of the present study was to determine the identity, seasonal activity and distribution of tick species of cattle in the West Aegean region of Turkey between June 2006 and May 2008. Nine villages within three provinces, viz. Manisa, Izmir and Aydin, were included in the study and a total of 75 animal barns were visited monthly for a period of 24 months and 443 cattle were examined for the presence of ticks. It was determined that 23% of cattle were infested with ticks. A total of 19,679 adult ticks were collected. The most abundant tick species was Hyalomma marginatum (33.5%) and H. excavatum (16.9%) in the study area. Seasonal appearance of the adult ticks varied among species. Adult ticks of the Hyalomma genus were present throughout the year, although in smaller numbers during the winter. Species of Rhipicephalus were detected in all seasons except autumn. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus was identified in July and August, Haemaphysalis parva was detected during the autumn. Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor marginatus were identified during spring, autumn and winter. The study demonstrated the presence of I. ricinus, D. marginatus, Hyalomma rufipes and Hae. parva for the first time in the West Aegean region of Turkey. Wellcome Trust European Commission - 075820/A/04/Z Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi - VFT- 06002

6* The improvements in non fusion techniques for the treatment of degenerative spinal discs disease and the other related conditions commenced a new era of spine surgery. This new techniques are different from conventional fusion methods. Fusion methods for treating degenerative segmental disc disease which knowingly impair normal motion by disrupting articular surfaces and locking two or more spinal vertebrae segments as a single unit. Non fusion methods aim to provide stabilization while maintaining the mobility and function of the spine. Many instruments were developed to provide stabilization without fusion. Among them, the application of pedicle screw-based systems is more familiar to spine surgeons. The development of posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization systems was reviewed in this article. Low back pain (LBP) is the most frequent clinical problem of the adult spine. Although LBP is a multifactorial disease with mechanical, organic, and psychosocial aspects, one of the most important causes of chronic LBP is thought to be intervertebral disc degeneration [1,2]. Despite numerous research studies, the physiopathology and etiology of disc degeneration remain unknown [3]. The intervertebral discs undergo changes in metabolism, structure, and mechanical function through the ages. The normal ageing process could be accelerated by multiple factors like genetics, nutrition, and life style, excessive and repetitive movements. The intervertebral disc is composed of the two basic components. The inner part is the nucleus pulposus and the outer part is the annulus fibrosis that is composed of concentric layers of intertwined annular bands. It is thought that the degenerative processes affect firstly the nucleus pulposus. The nucleus pulposus is a semi-fluid gel comprising 40-60 % of the disc. At birth, the nucleus contains 88 % water; by the age of 75 this has dropped to 65-72 %, the major part of this morphological change occures before early adult life [4]. The reduction of water content is associated with the amount of proteoglycans in the nucleus. Proteoglycan molecules have the property of attracting and retaining water. The proteoglycan content of the disc decreases with ageing and degeneration. This reduction accounts for increase the relative proportion of collagen in both

AIM Chordoma is a rare, slow-growing primary malignant tumor of the axial skeleton, arising from the embryonic cells of primitive notochord. Chordomas may arise at different sites of the vertebral column simultaneously or more probably they may metastasise along the neural axis insidiously. Recurrence despite radical surgery and following adjuvant therapy is possible. MATERIAL AND METHODS A 46-year-old female patient presented weakness and numbness of the lower extremities. She was operated for clivus chordoma five years ago at another institute. RESULTS First the patient underwent surgery for resection of the tumor at the cervical region. a second surgery was performed to resect tumor on the foramen magnum and at the C1 level. Histologic examination of the removed vertebra confirmed the diagnosis of chordoma involving the vertebral body. Radiotherapy was administered after the second surgery. Follow-up neurological and radiological examinations revealed no abnormal neurological symptoms 2,5 years after second surgery. There were no distant organ metastases. CONCLUSION A patient with diagnosed chordoma of the spine must be investigated with MRI of other regions of the neuraxis to exclude second or even third source of chordoma metastases. In metastatic chordoma cases, radical or gross total resection should be performed for each lesion but if complete surgical resections are impossible, preoperative or postoperative radiation therapy should be planned to improve life expectancy.

This study was performed to determine the efficacies of Lavandula officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare, and Laurus nobilis essential oils on the control of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the most common parasite of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Experimental colonies from the province of Bursa, Turkey, were divided into 5 homogeneous groups of 8 hives each. The 3 essential oils plus thymol (Thymovar (R), an essential oil-based drug with known efficacy that was used for comparison) were applied to 1 group each and 1 group was left untreated as a control. Each group was treated during 3 seasons, 2 consecutive autumns and 1 spring. Efficacies of the essential oils were determined by the Henderson-Tilton formula and the significance between the oils was determined by Tukey's multiple comparison test. In the first autumn, the highest efficacy was detected in Thymovar (79.4%) followed by L. nobilis (76.7%), L. officinalis (76.4%), and F. vulgare (74.5%) essential oils. In spring, the efficacy rates were 83.8% in L. officinalis, 81.8% in Thymovar, 78.8% in F. vulgare, and 70.8% in L. nobilis. In the second autumn, the efficacy rates were 78.4% in Thymovar, 76.6% in L. officinalis, 71.9% in F. vulgare, and 65.2% in L. nobilis respectively. No abnormal deaths were seen in adult bees during the treatment period. Eskişehir Anadolu Üniversitesi

Objective. To date, there is still no consensus on the treatment of spinal degenerative disease. Current surgical techniques to manage painful spinal disorders are imperfect. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the prospective results of posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization, a novel surgical approach that skips the segments that do not produce pain. This technique has been proven biomechanically and radiologically in spinal degenerative diseases.Methods. A prospective study of 18 patients averaging 54.94 years of age with distant spinal segment degenerative disease. Indications consisted of degenerative disc disease (57%), herniated nucleus pulposus (50%), spinal stenosis (14.28%), degenerative spondylolisthesis (14.28%), and foraminal stenosis (7.1%). The Oswestry Low-Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain were recorded preoperatively and at the third and twelfth postoperative months.Results. Both the Oswestry and VAS scores showed significant improvement postoperatively (P<0.05). We observed complications in one patient who had spinal epidural hematoma.Conclusion. We recommend skipping posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization for surgical treatment of distant segment spinal degenerative disease.

A total of 19,679 adult ticks were collected from 443 cattle in 9 villages in the West Aegean region of Turkey over 2 years (June 2006-May 2008). Thirteen out of the 19,679 adult ticks were identified as Hyalomma rufipes (12 adult males and 1 female). The ticks were identified according to their characteristic dark coloured conscutum and scutum along with the presence of small to medium but uniform and numerous punctations. Dimensions (length and width) of male and female H. rufipes ticks were 3075 and 1880 mu m and 3213 and 2181 mu m, respectively. The present study not only confirms previous observations demonstrating the presence of H. rufipes in cattle in Turkey, but also demonstrates for the first time its existence in the West Aegean region of the country. Wellcome Trust European Commission (075820/A/04/Z) Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi (VTF-06002)