Evaluation of urban public transportation efficiency in Kutahya, Turkey

In this study, the public transport system in the city of Kutahya and its current transportation problems were firstly mentioned. Then, the transit quality of service in Kutahya was evaluated from various aspects such as transit availability, comfort and convenience. For this purpose, at first, transit availability was examined in terms of service frequency, hours of service and service coverage. Secondly, the comfort and convenience provided by the transit system in Kutahya was studied. For this reason, the overall crowding levels within the vehicles, headway adherence, and transit-automobile travel time were considered. In order to carry out most of these analyses, the procedures in Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 100 were followed. However, determining the level of service of public transport in terms of transit-automobile travel time by comparing the public transport travel times with automobile travel times constituted the essence of this study. In order to accomplish this aim, the feature of “driving directions” in Google Maps was used in terms of being a reference to automobile usage. So, the travel times on all the bus transit lines in Kutahya were compared with private car travel times determined by Google Maps for the same routes. By founding the difference between the public transport and car travel times, the public transport service level in terms of transit-automobile travel time was evaluated. Finally, several recommendations for increasing public transport usage were given

Article Commentary: Spinal Tuberculosis

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a significant form of TB, causing spinal deformity and paralysis. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for avoiding multivertebral destruction and are critical for improving outcomes in spinal TB. We believe that appropriate treatment method should be implemented at the early stage of this disease and that the Gulhane Askeri Tip Akademisi classification system can be considered a practical guide for spinal TB treatment planning in all countries

The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment in Congenital Scoliosis

SUMMARY AIM: this study evaluates how early diagnosis of congenital scoliosis affects results and complication rates of of surgical treatment. METHOD: We have evaluated the efficiency and effectivity of modern posterior spinal instrumentation methods in congenital scoliosis cases who were diagnosed and treated in Gulhane Military Medical Academy Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department. We have evaluated 53 patients (13 male,29 female) who were operated for congenital scoliosis between 1995 and 2009. Patients were divided into two groups according to the time of diagnosis to evaluate fusion levels, numbers of surgery, surgery methods, reduction rate, intraspinous and other system abnormalities and complications. RESULTS: 9 of 24 patients with diagnosis age before 5 and 11 of 29 patients with diagnosis age after 5 treated with single operation. Correction of main curve was %35.4 and compensatory curve was %13. Main curve correction of patients under 5 age was %36,3 and main curve correction of older group was %34,8 (p>0.05). Average number of fused levels in first group was 2,3±2,1 and in the older group 7,5±3,1. CONCLUSION: In patients before 5 age less invasive surgeries were needed to accomplish succesful treatment and early diagnosis of congenital scoliosis is the most important part of the treatment. KEY WORDS: Congenital ,Scoliosis, Posterior, Instrumentation [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(4.000): 441-446

Use of Nucleic Acid Probes for Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Directly from MB/BacT Bottles

The feasibility of using nucleic acid probes directly from positive MB/BacT broth to identify mycobacteria was determined in this study. A total number of 2,727 specimens were cultured into the MB/BacT (Organon Teknika) automated system and on conventional Loweinstein-Jensen (LJ) slants. The Gen-Probe AccuProbe culture identification tests (DNA probes) were used on samples from bottles which were identified as positive for mycobacteria by MB/BacT. Samples of positive MB/BacT broth (0.1 ml) were used directly in the broth culture method for the DNA probes as published by Gen-Probe. Centrifugation of the contents of the bottle was not done prior to probe testing. The number of mycobacteria detected by MB/BacT and LJ was 253 (221 isolates of M. tuberculosis and 32 isolates of mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis [MOTT]). A total of 96.4% (213 of 221) of the bottles growing M. tuberculosis produced a positive direct DNA probe result for M. tuberculosis complex. One hundred percent (16 of 16) of the bottles growing M. gordonae produced a positive direct DNA probe result for M. gordonae. A total of 3.6% (8 of 221) of the bottles growing M. tuberculosis did not yield a positive direct DNA probe result for M. tuberculosis complex. The testing of subcultures made onto solid media from the positive bottles by AccuProbe identified six of these eight M. tuberculosis isolates. Two (0.9%) M. tuberculosis isolates gave a negative result for the M. tuberculosis probe test applied on the MB/BacT broth and its subculture. The rest of the positive MB/BacT bottles growing MOTT (16 of 32) were negative for M. gordonae, M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. kansasii probes. The sensitivity and specificity of AccuProbe for the identification of M. tuberculosis and M. gordonae directly from MB/BacT broth were 96.4 and 100% for M. tuberculosis and 100 and 100% for M. gordonae, respectively. The direct testing of positive MB/BacT broth by AccuProbe, without prior centrifugation, allows for the accurate and rapid identification of M. tuberculosis and M. gordonae

Brucellosis in pregnancy: results of multicenter ID-IRI study

WOS: 000471726700008PubMed ID: 30989418Brucellosis in pregnant women is reported to be associated with obstetric complications (OCs), and adequate data for human brucellosis during pregnancy are largely lacking. We performed this multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical course, treatment responses, and outcomes of brucellosis among pregnant women. The study period comprised a 14-year period from January 2002 to December 2015. All consecutive pregnant women diagnosed with brucellosis in 23 participating hospitals were included. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, therapeutic, and outcome data along with the assessment data of the neonate were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Data of 242 patients were analyzed. The OC rate was 14.0% (34/242) in the cohort. Of the 242 women, 219 (90.5%) delivered at term, 3 (1.2%) had preterm delivery, 15 (6.2%) aborted, and 5 (2.1%) had intrauterine fetal demise. Seventeen (7.0%) of the newborns were considered as low birth weight. Spontaneous abortion (6.1%) was the commonest complication. There were no maternal or neonatal deaths and pertinent sequelae or complications were not detected in the newborns. Splenomegaly (p=0.019), nausea and/or vomiting (p41IU/L; p=0.025), oligohydramnios on ultrasonography (p=0.0002), history of taking medication other than Brucella treatment during pregnancy (p=0.027), and Brucella bacteremia (p=0.029) were the significant factors associated with OCs. We recommend that pregnant women with OC or with fever should be investigated for brucellosis if they live in or have traveled to an endemic area