Barriers of Developing Medical Tourism in a Destination: Case of Antalya

The aim of this study is to determine the factors that prevent the development of medical tourism in Antalya. To explore the current medical tourism trend, a qualitative procedure was adopted. Besides analyzing the current situation of medical tourism in Antalya through a systematic searching on the available information and publications, in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from relevant authorities and representatives of medical tourism associations in this country. The data were derived from interviews with 42 key informants. Data analysis of the study was conducted through employing the software NVivo-11. Data gathered at the end of the study were grouped into 8 main themes and 40 sub-themes. The results show that insurances, language and communication, management, policies and rules, prices and treatments, structural, transfer and terminology problems are the main barriers to the development of medical tourism. Several strategies are required in order to address and combat these barriers, such as governmental support, ethical practices, pricing and enhance personnel linguistic competence on an international scale. In this context, the study is expected to contribute to national and regional planning on medical tourism

TravelBuddy: a closed-community carpooling system as a case study for web development with focus on usability, design and infrastructure

The Web and the technologies that revolve around it are on a rapid rise. As the use and utilization of Web grows broader, so does the dependency on Web technologies. If a web site aims to survive and mature, in a world where 10.000 web sites per day are published, the web designer/developer must assess the factors associated with Web site success during the development process. While a web site's long-term success is dependant on many factors, this thesis's focus is on its initial development which consists of three interconnected factors; usability, design and responsiveness provided with infrastructure. Usability, design and responsiveness provided with infrastructure are the three primary factors needed to establish a quality and complex web site. While each factor has its own priorities and requirements, they are all dependant on each other. Establishing a balance between these factors are key to success. This thesis will discuss how to utilize the three factors to create a successfull web site. The concluded information will be used with the aid of research on carpooling, to create "TravelBuddy", a closed-community carpooling system prototype. The thesis will also discuss the development process in association with Web site success factors and planned future work

Genetic Diversity of Eight Domestic Goat Populations Raised in Turkey

The objective of this study was to determine the intra- and intergenetic diversities of eight different goat populations in Turkey including Hair, Angora, Kilis, Yayladag, Shami, Honamli, Saanen, and Alpine. A total of 244 DNA samples were genotyped using 11 microsatellites loci. The genetic differentiation between breeds was considerable as a result of the statistically significant (P0.05). Heterozygosity values ranged between 0.62 and 0.73. According to the structure and assignment test, Angora and Yayladag goats were assigned to the breed they belong to, while other breeds were assigned to two or more different groups. Because this study for the first time presented genetic data on the Yayladag goat, results of structure analysis and assigned test suggest that further analyses are needed using additional and different molecular markers

Mandibular Prognathism and Genetic Transmission in Turkish Families

Objective:Mandibular prognathism (MP), defined as the difference in the size and relationship of maxilla and mandible, is the most serious anomaly in the practice of orthodontics. Incidence of MP varies among different populations; it is highest in Asian populations (15–23%) and lowest in Caucasian populations (0.48–4%). Genetic and environmental factors are suggested in the etiology of MP, but the contribution of these factors is not known. This study was designed to determine patients with MP in 3 generations of the families and to evaluate familial transmission of MP in Turkish families.Materials and Method:To reveal the effect of genetic factors on MP, we created pedigree charts for 99 subjects with severe skeletal Class III MP who planned to undergo or had undergone orthognathic surgery. Three generations of each patient's family was assessed on pedigree charts. The relatives of the probands were evaluated with photos and a detailed interview to confirm the prognathic phenotype.Results:The average ANB, SNA, and SNB angles in the probands were −2.65°, 79.92°, and 82.57°, respectively. A total of 1847 family members were examined, and 12.7% had MP. Men were slightly more affected than women. Most families (89%) had at least 1 member with MP other than the proband. The affected ratios of the first- and second-degree relatives were 20% and 7.3%, respectively. The affected ratio of fathers of probands (25.7%) was more than twice that of mothers of pronbands (9.9%), and siblings showed a 17.8% affected ratio.Conclusion:A high frequency of MP was seen in families of patients with skeletal Class III, suggesting a genetic transmission