ANALYSING THE HOUSING MARKET STRUCTURE IN ROMANIA AND TURKEY UNDER THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS EFFECT

Housing is the most important asset in the portfolio of most households. For allhouseholds it is an important determinant of quality of life. It is a relatively illiquid investment, withan uncertain capital value, and it is generally highly leveraged, which makes it a potentially importantchannel of transmission of monetary policy. On the other hand, housing finance is a crucialimportance to the macro-economic system as mortgage loans account for a large proportion ofbank lending. Indicators related to mortgage market activities and banks’ exposures to real estatelending are also useful indicators for monitoring the health of the banking sector. This article aimsto present a comparative analysis of the housing market structure in Romania and Turkey beforeand after the global financial crisis.Housing Market, Mortgage Loans, Bank Lending, Financial Crisis, Romania, Turkey

Conservatory Students’ Music Performance Anxiety and Educational Expectations: A Qualitative Study

Music performance anxiety (MPA) can seriously and negatively affect musicians’ performance and quality of life—physically, mentally, and behaviorally. In the present study, factors related to the MPA of students receiving classical Western music education in the conservatory in a holistic framework were examined to ascertain the physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms; temporal processes; environmental factors; coping strategies; and educational expectations and desires related to this condition. In addition to investigating causative factors in such a framework, the content analysis method was used on data collected from semi-structured interviews with conservatory students. The results show that the main causative factors of MPA included a jury’s negative evaluation, attitudes, and/or behaviors; their symptoms included trembling, muscle contraction, and distraction. The main coping strategy among participants was positive self-talk; remarkably, they had no theoretical knowledge of positive self-talk. Most significantly, considering that performance is integral to musical education training, students stated that the conservatory needs to integrate into the curriculum a course, counseling, and activities that address MPA

Neurološki simptomi nedostatka vitamina B12: analiza pedijatrijskih bolesnika

Vitamin B12 is one of the essential vitamins that affect various systems in the body, including the central nervous system. Vitamin B12 plays an important part in the metabolism of the nervous system, although its exact role under pathological conditions is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency in the light of the characteristics of the patients enrolled. This retrospective, clinical study included 38 children with neurological symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Records of 38 patients referred to a single center of the university hospital outpatient child neurology clinic due to neurological symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency between February 2012 and December 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients aged 0-18 years with symptoms including syncope, dizziness, convulsion, hypotonia, developmental retardation, tremor, ataxia, tingling sensations and paresthesia, blurring of vision, fatigue and concentration difficulty caused by vitamin B12 deficiency were included in the study. Patient neurological findings included syncope (n=6), dizziness (n=4), hypotonia (n=9), inability to sit or walk without support, or gait ataxia (n=2), convulsion (n=4), hand tremor (n=1), tingling sensations and paresthesia (n=3), vision blurring (n=1), fatigue and concentration difficulty (n=8). All patients with neurological symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency recovered within one month after vitamin B12 supplementation. In conclusion, clinical characteristics of vitamin B12 deficiency are broad and nonspecific and may not be associated with anemia and increased mean corpuscular volume. Since different clinical characteristics can be seen without anemia, awareness and cautious approach are essential in order to avoid severe clinical disease, especially in children from underdeveloped countries.Vitamin B12 jedan je od ključnih vitamina koji utječe na razne sustave u organizmu uključujući središnji živčani sustav. Vitamin B12 ima važnu ulogu u metabolizmu živčanog sustava, iako njegova uloga u patološkim stanjima nije u potpunosti razjašnjena. Namjera ovoga istraživanja bila je naglasiti važnost rane dijagnoze nedostatka vitamina B12 u svjetlu karakteristika bolesnika uključenih u istraživanje. Ovo retrospektivno kliničko istraživanje uključilo je 38 djece s neurološkim simptomima nedostatka vitamina B12. Retrospektivno su analizirani podaci za 38 djece upućene u ambulantu za dječju neurologiju jedne sveučilišne bolnice zbog neuroloških simptoma nedostatka vitamina B12 između veljače 2012. i prosinca 2013. godine. Uključeni su bolesnici u dobi od 0 do 18 godina sa sljedećim simptomima uzrokovanim nedostatkom vitamina B12: sinkopa, vrtoglavica, konvulzije, hipotonija, zastoj u razvoju, tremor, ataksija, trnci i parestezije, zamagljen vid, umor i otežana koncentracija. U bolesnika su zabilježeni sljedeći neurološki nalazi: sinkopa (n=6), vrtoglavica (n=4), hipotonija (n=9), nemogućnost da sjedi ili hoda bez potpore, ili ataksija u hodu (n=2), konvulzije (n=4), tremor ruku (n=1), trnci i parestezija (n=3), zamagljen vid (n=1), umor i otežana koncentracija (n=8). Svi bolesnici s neurološkim simptomima nedostatka vitamina B12 oporavili su se kroz jedan mjesec nakon nadomještanja vitamina B12. U zaključku, kliničke značajke nedostatka vitamina B12 široke su i nespecifične te ne moraju biti udružene s anemijom i povećanim srednjim korpuskularnim volumenom. Kako se razne kliničke značajke mogu zapaziti bez anemije, svijest o ovom nedostatku i pažljiv pristup bitni su kako bi se izbjegla teška klinička bolest, poglavito u djece iz manje razvijenih zemalja

Determining Risk Factors of Epilepsy in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Retrospective Study

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the risk factors of epilepsy development in children with cerebral palsy. Materials and Methods: Data of 234 cerebral palsy patients treated at Ege University Pediatrics Department, Child Neurology Division between January 2008 and December 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. All patients were classified into two groups; Group I: cerebral palsy without epilepsy (n=116) and Group II: cerebral palsy with epilepsy (n=118). The clinical and laboratory findings of the groups were compared to each other, a p value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, gestastional age, birth type, birth weight, risk factors for cerebral palsy development (pre-/peri-/postnatal), duration of neonatal intensive care stay and the need for mechanical ventilation (p>0.05). The risk factors of epilepsy were determined as the following; the presence of neonatal convulsions, focal clonic and generalized tonic neonatal seizures, an abnormal baseline rhythm on neonatal electroencephalography (EEG), discharge from neonatal intensive care unit with at least one antiepileptic drug, spastic bilateral (tetraplegic) cerebral palsy, epileptic activity on the sixth month EEG, abnormal cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings, mental retardation, microcephaly and visual problems. Conclusion: Epilepsy is a common problem in children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, cases of cerebral palsy, especially those with the determined risk factors should be closely monitored for epilepsy in order to ensure a timely diagnosis and proper treatment

The value of routine measurement of serum calcitonin on insufficient, indeterminate, and suspicious thyroid nodule cytology

Routine calcitonin measurement in patients with nodular thyroid disease is rather controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of serum calcitonin measurement in the diagnostic evaluation of thyroid nodules with insufficient, indeterminate, or suspicious cytology. Out of 1668 patients who underwent thyroidectomy with the diagnosis of nodular thyroid disease and were screened, 873 patients with insufficient, indeterminate, or suspicious fine needle aspiration biopsy results were included in the study. From the total number of patients in this study, 10 (1.1%) were diagnosed as medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) using histopathology. The calcitonin level was detected to be above the assay-specific cut-off in 23 (2.6%) patients ranging between 6.5 - 4450 pg/mL. While hypercalcitoninemia was detected in all 10 MTC patients, a false positive elevation of serum calcitonin was detected in 13 patients (1.5%). Of the MTC group, 7 patients had cytology results that were suspicious for malignancy (Bethesda V), one patient’s cytology showed atypia of undetermined significance (Bethesda III) and two patient’s cytology results were suspicious for follicular neoplasm (Bethesda IV). Among the cases with non-diagnostic cytology (Bethesda I), none of the patients were diagnosed with MTC. In conclusion, routine serum calcitonin measurement can be performed in selected cases rather than in all nodular thyroid patients. While it is reasonable to perform routine calcitonin measurement in patients with Bethesda IV and Bethesda V, this measurement was not useful in Bethesda I patients. In Bethesda III patients, patient-based decisions can be made according to their calcitonin measurement.

Glutaric Aciduria Type I Diagnosis Case with Normal Glutaryl Carnitine and Urine Organic Acid Analysis

Glutaric aciduria Type I (GA-I) is a rare inherited metabolic disease, deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase results in accumulation of the putatively neurotoxic metabolites glutaric and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid (GA, 3-OH-GA) in body tissues, particularly within the brain. Here we presented a 3-year-old girl with hypotonia and dystonia diagnosed with GA-I although the repeated analysis of the carnitine profile and organic acid analyses were normal. The patient has motor, mental retardation, hypotonia. Her weight standard deviation score (SDS) was -1.86 SDS, height SDS was -0.55 SDS, head circumference SDS was -1.01. The physical examination was normal except severe hypotonia. Spot blood carnitine profile, blood amino acid, urine organic acid, lactic acid and pyruvic acid were normal in repeated analysis. Dystonia and spastic tetraparesis developed on her follow-up. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral cortical atrophy and bilateral striatal and caudate nucleus T2 flair hyperintensities. In GCDH gene analysis p.Y123C (c.368A>G)/p.L340F (c.368A>G) mutation was found. There was no history of encephalopathy. The patient treated with levodopa and trihexyphenidyl and lysine-restricted diet. In the presence of bilateral striatal involvement and cortical atrophy and dystonia, GA-I should be kept in mind. Blood carnitine profile and urine organic acid analyses may not be consistent. It is important to evaluate the cases for genetic investigation

Methods of assessment of patients for Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy that correlate with final visual improvement

BACKGROUND: This paper attempts to clarify the usefulness of various simple pre-operative measures in estimating the potential for a visually successful capsulotomy. METHODS: 24 patients attending for capsulotomy had pre-operative measures of glare with BAT tester, visibility of posterior pole and grading of posterior capsular pearls and fibrosis seen at slit lamp. Visual function was measured before and after standardised capsulotomy. Correlations of the various preoperative measures with eventual visual function improvements were calculated. RESULTS: Pearls at slit lamp and poor posterior pole visualisation were all correlated with improvements in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity after capsulotomy. Amount of fibrosis visible at slit lamp and glare assessment were not correlated with vision improvements after laser. CONCLUSION: Of the various measures that are taken prior to Nd : YAG capsulotomy, some correlate with eventual visual improvement but for others no clinical utility was found. Practitioners should note these findings as they are especially of use in more questionable or high-risk cases to help determine whether referral for PCO treatment by Nd: YAG capsulotomy is likely to benefit the patient

Loan-to-value policy: evidence from Turkish dual banking system

Purpose-This paper aims to answer how effective the loan-to-value (LTV) regulation has been since 2011 for conventional and Islamic (participation) banks in Turkey in terms of curbing mortgage loan growth and delinquency[1]

Optimization of Membrane Fouling Using Experimental Design: An Example from Dairy Wastewater Treatment

The aim of the present study was to investigate the advanced treatment and reuse of dairy industry wastewater using an integrated membrane process that involves nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). The Taguchi L-16 (4(4)) experimental design was used to determine the optimal conditions for the NF process used in the first phase of this study. The following parameters were selected for optimization of the experimental conditions: NF membrane type (NF 90, Desal 5DL, FM NP010, or NF 270), pH (4, 6, 8, or 10), temperature (20, 25, 30, or 35 degrees C), and transmembrane pressure (TMP; 12, 16, 20, or 24 bar). Membrane fouling was optimized by calculating the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the parameters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied, and the results revealed that the pH is the most effective factor. A confirmation experiment performed under the optimum conditions showed good agreement between the observed and calculated results. In addition, the fouling on the membrane was also evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact-angle measurements. In the second phase of this study, the composite permeate obtained from the confirmation experiment in the first part was further purified for reuse with an RO membrane under TMPs of 20 and 40 bar