The Level of Consumers’ Awareness and Perceptions in Consumption of Halal Certified Products

Based on the fact that, officially, 99 percent of Turkey’s population is Muslim, the purpose of the study was to determine the consumers’ awareness about the concept of halal food and their perceptions regarding halal food certificated products. In this study it was also aimed to determine whether there is a relationship (or difference) between the awareness about halal food certificate and the religious values, and finally to put forth whether the levels of awareness differ according to demographic and socio-economic features. This study was conducted in Kayseri, located in the Middle Anatolian part of Turkey. The data were compiled from the consumers through face-to-face survey method. The sample size was comprised of 430 consumers. The data regarding halal food perceptions of the respondents were tested with factor analysis, MANOVA and t-test method, and then the findings were interpreted. The fundamental findings of the study are as follows: (i) Most of the consumers (76 percent) stated that they heard about halal food certificate; (ii) there were differences with respect to religious values in awareness about halal food certificate; (iii) finally, demographic and socio-economic factors (education status, occupation, age, gender and marital status) were fairly effective about the consumers’ perception levels regarding halal food products. Keywords: Islamic marketing, halal food certificate, consumer awareness and perception

Exploring the Factors Affecting Purchase Intention of Halal Certified Foods in Turkey: A PLS-Path Modeling Study

The global market value of the halal food industry was estimated at US$1.1 trillion in 2013. The halal food industry is growing in a number of markets, mainly in countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the South East Asia region. Indonesia is the biggest halal food market with a market value of$197 billion; Turkey is the second largest market with an estimated market value of $100 billion. The halal food sector has great potential to drive the global economy. Despite the halal food industry having a significant share in the global economy, the number of empirical studies that have been conducted on the consumer purchase behavior of halal food is quite limited. In order to fill this gap, we aimed to investigate the factors influencing intention to purchase halal certified products among Muslim consumers in Turkey. The data were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires from consumers and the study was conducted in Kayseri, Turkey. The convenience sampling method was used and a total of 650 questionnaires were collected between February and March 2014. The PLS-Path modeling analysis results reveal that consumers’ preference for halal certified products, consumers' religiosity level, price and sales promotions are important factors influencing consumers’ halal food purchase intention. Keywords: Consumer behavior, halal certified products, purchase intention, religiosity, and partial least square analysis

Whıstleblowıng ile Örgütsel Sessizlik Arasındaki İlişkiye Örgüt Kültürünün Etkisi: Öğretmenler Üzerine Bir Araştırma

DergiPark: 602518tredBu çalışma, temel olarak “whistleblowing” ile“örgütsel sessizlik” kavramları arasındaki ilişkiye “örgüt kültürü”nün nasılbir etkide bulunduğunu ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu doğrultuda,İstanbul’un Üsküdar ilçesinde bulunan meslek liselerinde görev yapanöğretmenlerin söz konusu üç kavrama ilişkin algıları incelenmiştir. Builişkileri ortaya koymaya yönelik olarak Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi (YEM)kullanılmış olup, “örgüt kültürü” ile “örgütsel sessizlik” ve “whistleblowing”arasında pozitif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Aynı şekilde“örgütsel sessizlik” ile “whistleblowing” arasındaki ilişkiye bakıldığındapozitif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bu anlamda “örgütselsessizlik”, “örgüt kültürü” ve “whistleblowing” arasındaki ilişkide aracı(mediator) etkiye sahip olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır

Effects of Different Forms and Doses of Sulphur Application on Wheat

Deficiency of sulphur (S) is an important limiting factor of plant growth for sustainable agricultural production. The decline in sulphur dioxide emission, decrease in S-containing fertilizer consumption due to the high cost of S-fertilizers, breeding of new high yielding species are the well known causes of S-deficiency. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of several doses of K2SO4-S, CaSO4-S and elemental-S applied on growth, shoot dry matter yield, S and N concentrations of wheat cultivar. The experiments were conducted in three soils differed from available S concentrations. Effects of different S-treatments (0, 25, 50 and 100 mg S kg-1) and S-forms had significant effects on shoot dry matter yields of plants. Sulphur from different S-sources did not increase shoot S-concentrations in Eskisehir and Konya soils, but increase was significant obtained in the Harran soil. Shoot S-concentration in Harran soil for zero K2SO4 treatment was 0.09%, the values were 0.22, 0.26 and 0.27% respectively for 25, 50 and 100 mg kg-1 treatments. The results indicated significant effects of S-treatments on plant growth and yield mostly based on soil properties, especially the available S-level

Deep learning for diagnosis of malign pleural effusion on computed tomography images

Background: The pleura is a serous membrane that surrounds the lungs. The visceral surface secretes fluid into the serous cavity and the parietal surface ensures a regular absorption of this fluid. If this balance is disturbed, fluid accumulation occurs in the pleural space called “Pleural Effusion”. Today, accurate diagnosis of pleural diseases is becoming more critical, as advances in treatment protocols have contributed positively to prognosis. Our aim is to perform computer-aided numerical analysis of Computed Tomography (CT) images from patients showing pleural effusion images on CT and to examine the prediction of malignant/benign distinction using deep learning by comparing with the cytology results. Methods: The authors classified 408 CT images from 64 patients whose etiology of pleural effusion was investigated using the deep learning method. 378 of the images were used for the training of the system; 15 malignant and 15 benign CT images, which were not included in the training group, were used as the test. Results: Among the 30 test images evaluated in the system; 14 of 15 malignant patients and 13 of 15 benign patients were estimated with correct diagnosis (PPD: 93.3%, NPD: 86.67%, Sensitivity: 87.5%, Specificity: 92.86%). Conclusion: Advances in computer-aided diagnostic analysis of CT images and obtaining a pre-diagnosis of pleural fluid may reduce the need for interventional procedures by guiding physicians about which patients may have malignancies. Thus, it is cost and time-saving in patient management, allowing earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Ataturk’s quotes and management: the effect of love - respect, trust - obedience, work discipline and self-efficacy on perceived career success

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin kurucusu Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’ün “Nerede karşılıklı sevgi ve saygı varsa, orada itimat ve itaat vardır. İtimat ve itaatin olduğu yerde disiplin vardır. Disiplinin olduğu yerde huzur, huzurun olduğu yerde başarı vardır.” ve “Zafer, zafer benimdir diyebilenindir. Başarı ise başaracağım diye başlayarak sonunda başardım diyenindir.” özdeyişlerinin günümüz örgütlerinde geçerliliğini irdeleyen bu çalışma, bu özdeyişlerden hareketle, örgütlerde başarının öncelleri ve bu değişkenlerin birbirleriyle ilişkilerini ölçmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Kolayda örnekleme yöntemi ile gönüllü katılımı kabul eden özel sektör sanayi kuruluşlarının İstanbul’da 400 çalışanına anket uygulanmıştır. Değerlendirmeye uygun 367 çalışandan elde edilen verilerin analizi sonucunda sevgi ve saygının itimat ve itaat, itimat ve itaatin iş disiplini, iş disiplini ve özyeterliliğin de algılanan kariyer başarısı üzerinde olumlu etkisi olduğu, aynı zamanda özyeterliliğin iş disiplini ve algılanan kariyer başarısı arasındaki ilişkide düzenleyici role sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu araştırma yerli alanyazında Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’ün özdeyişlerinin ampirik kanıtlarına dair yapılmış ilk çalışmalardan biridir. Atatürk’ün bu özdeyişlerinin günümüz örgütlerine ışık tutarak, çalışma bulgularının örgütlerde karşılıklı sevgi, saygı, güven içeren bir örgüt iklimi yaratmak ve çalışanlara otoriteye itaat, öz disiplin ve özyeterliliğin önemini vurgulamak konusunda yol gösterici olacağını ümit ediyoruz.The present study examines the validity of the quotes of the founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk “Where there is mutual liking and respect, there is trust and obedience. There is discipline where there is trust and obedience. There is peace of mind where there is discipline, and success where there is peace of mind.” and “Victory is for those who can say, “Victory is mine.” Success is for those who can begin saying “I will succeed” and say “I have succeeded” in the end.” in today’s organizations. Based on these quotes, it aims to measure the antecedents of success in organizations and the relationships between these variables. The questionnaire was applied to 400 employees of industry companies working in Istanbul who accepted voluntary participation using convenience sampling method. The analysis of the validated data obtained from 367 employees revealed that liking and respect has a positive effect on trust and obedience to authority, trust and obedience to authority has a positive effect on work discipline, work discipline and self-efficacy has a positive effect on career success. The findings also revealed that selfefficacy has a moderating effect on the relationship between work discipline and career success. This research is one of the first studies on the empirical evidence of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s quotes in the Turkish literature. We hope that these quotes of Atatürk will shed light on today’s organizations with its findings and will guide them in creating an organizational climate that includes mutual liking, respect, trust and emphasizing the importance of self-discipline and self-efficacy

Antituberculosis drug resistance patterns in two regions of Turkey: a retrospective analysis

BACKROUND: The emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains resistant to antituberculosis agents has recently received increased attention owing largely to the dramatic outbreaks of multi drug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB). METHODS: Patients residing in Zonguldak and Kayseri provinces of Turkey with, pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed between 1972 and 1999 were retrospectively identified. Drug susceptibility tests had been performed for isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), streptomycin (SM), ethambutol (EMB) and thiacetasone (TH) after isolation by using the resistance proportion method. RESULTS: Total 3718 patients were retrospectively studied. In 1972–1981, resistance rates for to SM and INH were found to be 14.8% and 9.8% respectively (n: 2172). In 1982–1991 period, resistance rates for INH, SM, RIF, EMB and TH were 14.2%, 14.4%, 10.5%, 2.7% and 2.9% (n: 683), while in 1992–1999 period 14.4%, 21.1%, 10.6%, 2.4% and 3.7% respectively (n: 863). Resistance rates were highest for SM and INH in three periods. MDR-TB patients constituted 7.3% and 6.6% of 1982–1991 and 1992–1999 periods (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the importance of resistance rates for TB. Continued surveillance and immediate therapeutic decisions should be undertaken in order to prevent the dissemination of such resistant strains

PRACTICE OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN CHILDHOOD BY PARENTS

Amaç: Çağlardan beri değişik kültürlerde yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmakta olan "Alternatif Tedavi Yöntemleri", pek çok ülkede tıp fakültelerinde ders olarak verilmekte ve tıbbi tedaviye ek olarak önerilmektedir. Amerika ve Avrupa ülkelerinden yapılan yayınlarda, erişkinlerde %25-50, çocuklarda %1,8-70 oranında bildirilmektedir. Bu tedavilerin büyük çoğunluğu, etkinlik ve güvenilirlikleri açısından test edilmeden kullanılıyor olmaları nedeniyle sakıncalı olabilmekte, ayrıca bazı durumlarda uygun tedavinin başlanmasını geciktirmektedir. Bu çalışma, ülkemizde de bu konuda politika geliştirmek amacıyla, pediatrik yaş grubunda ailelerin ATY kullanımı sıklığı, ailelerin konu ile ilgili görüşleri ve ATY kullanımını etkileyen bazı değişkenlerin etkisini saptamak üzere planlandı. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çoktan seçmeli, kapalı ve açık uçlu sorulardan oluşan anketlerin, hasta yakınlarına stajyer doktorlarımız tarafından gerekli açıklamalar yapılarak uygulandığı kesitsel, tanımlayıcı bir çalışmadır. Bulgular: Ebeveynlerin, %75,8'i (141 ebeveyn) ATY'yi daha önce bir ya da birkaç kez kullanmış olmalarına karşın, yalnızca %38,2'si (71 ebeveyn) başvuru anındaki yakınma için ATY'den yararlanmıştı. ATY, Ebeveynin yaşı, aldığı eğitim durumu, aylık gelir, sosyal güvence ve yaşanan çevre gibi etkenlerden bağımsız olarak kolay ulaşılabilir olmaları nedeniyle yeğlenmekteydi. Sonuç: Yaygın olarak kullanılan ATY, sıklıkla doğal olmaları nedeniyle güvenli tedavi yöntemleri olarak bilindikleri ve pazarlandıkları için yan etkileri, zararlı etkileri olabileceği göz ardı edilebilmektedir. Bu konuda ailelerin ve hekimlerimizin bilgilenmelerinin sağlanmasının, hem duruma ve zamana uygun ATY seçimi hem de yanlış seçim nedeniyle yaşanan olumsuz etkilerin en aza indirgenmesi açısından yararlı olacağı kanısındayız. Objective: Alternative treatment regimens (alternative medicine) that have been commonly used to treat several diseases for decades, have been included into the medical training programs and suggested as complementary to the conventional treatment. Their use has been reported 25-50% percent of adults and 1,8-70 percent of children in America and Europian Countries. Most of those regimens are being used without being tested for their activity or safety so they may be objectionable and also may cause a delay for appropriate management in some cases. The aim of this study was to collect information about the use of alternative therapy regimen among children, opinions of the parents and the influence of some variables on the choice of alternative therapy regimen with the purpose of developing a policy about this subject. Material and Method: Multiple choice, closed and open ended questionnaire was applied to the parents by intern doctors in this cross-sectional, descriptive study. Results: Although 75,8 percent of the parents have used alternative therapy regimen once or twice before, only 38,2 percent of them have applied to alternative therapy regimen for the current disease. Alternative therapy regimens were preferred independently from the age, educational level, income, social security of the parents and the environmental factors but ease of reach. Herbal teas were the most frequently preferred. Conclusion: Alternative treatment regimens that are commonly used are generally known as safe methods because they are "natural". Both parents and doctors should be educated in the choice of alternative therapy regimen to prevent the undesirable effects

Assessment the effect of diabetes education on self-care behaviors and glycemic control in the Turkey Nursing Diabetes Education Evaluating Project (TURNUDEP): a multi-center study

Background: Diabetes education in Turkey is provided by diabetes nurse educators in almost all healthcare organizations. However, the education is not standardized in terms of learning content, duration, and methods. This multi-center study was performed to assess the self-care behaviors and glycemic control following education provided to the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by diabetes nurse educators. Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study and included 1535 patients admitted to 28 public hospitals for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The education was assessed by using a Patient Identification Form and Self-care Scale. Results: The proportion of individuals who received diabetes education within the last year was 78.5%, with 46.7% of them having received it once. Of the patients, 84.8% reported that they received diabetes education individually. It was found that the proportion of individuals who received education about oral antidiabetics (78.5%) and glucose testing at home (78.5%) was higher than the proportion of individuals who received education about exercise (58.8%) and foot care (61.6%). The status of diabetes education, education intervals, and the correlation of the education method with self-care and glycemic control was evaluated. Self-care and glycemic control levels were better among the patients who received diabetes education thrice or more and in patients who received education both individually and in a group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Approximately three-quarters of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus received education by diabetes nurse educators in Turkey. Diabetes education is positively correlated with self-care and glycemic control levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Efforts for generalization and standardized education for all diabetes patients are necessary. © 2022, The Author(s)

Evaluation of Leukemia and Solid Tumors in Refugee Children in Turkey: A Tertiary Center Experience

Cancer care is progressively became as a significant worldwide challenge. Wars can cause destructions and delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment of displaced people. Cancer cure rates need to be improved in indefensible populations such as refugees. In this study, we purposed to highlight the clinical peculiarities and outcomes of refugee children with cancer in our hospital. Our purpose was to present our findings and contribute to improve the health care for these children. Seventy one refugee pediatric patients admitted to the oncology and hematology units of our hospital between April 2011 and January 2019 were included in this study. The demographic characteristics of the patients at the initial diagnosis, their countries of origin, living conditions, histopathological diagnoses, treatments, relapse, and mortality data were analyzed retrospectively from the patient files. The median age of patients was 6.5±4.5 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 39/32. While 44 patients (61.9%) presented with complaints and had primary diagnoses in our hospital, the remaining 27 patients (38.1%) were diagnosed in their country and applied to our hospital for treatment. Our mean follow-up period was 18.2±18.8 months (1-90 months). As a result, 44 patients (62%) were alive and 22 (31%) were dead. The survival rate without relapse in the second year was 83.6%. Two and fiveyear survival rates were 77.5% vs. 58.1% respectively. Compared to Turkish children, lower survival rates were found in refugee children. In addition to cancer-specific factors such as tumor type and stage, some problems such as shelter, communication, adherence to treatment, and difficulties supplying medicine may be responsible for lower survival rates in refugee children. Further studies are needed to improve the survival rates of patients