An evaluation of digital marketing applications in airline sector

In the age of digital transformation , enterprises use digital marketing practices effectively in order to increase customer loyalty considering customer relationship management, to create difference and to provide competitive advantage. The airway sector, where the acceleration is fast and the competition is high, aims to present fast and secure user experience and make the customer live a different traveler experience by using all technology and marketing related  platforms. Research problem is that it is a necessity for airline brands to digitalize by utilizing the richness of technology and to offer digital applications to consumers at the local / global platform. The aim of this study is to investigate the digital marketing strategies of a number of national and international airway companies such as e-mail marketing, web marketing, social media marketing and mobile applications and to analyze the positioning of digital marketing applications. Because digital marketing is the leading actor of marketing and it is presented as the real throne of virtual world in the airway sector. For this reason, best practices from Turkey and abroad were analyzed in the context of the effect of digital marketing on the customer relations management by using descriptive method and screening method. The findings of the research shows that, by the changes in the customer expectations and demands, the airway companies try to use the digital marketing tools effectively. However, the usage of right strategy for digital management is important to make difference and compete in the airway sector

Prognostic significance of N-Terminal Pro-BNP in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia without previous history of heart failure

Introduction:The objective of the present research was to evaluate the possible association between the N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and in-hospital mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia patients who did not have pre-existing heart failure (HF). Methods:A total of 137 consecutive patients without pre-existing HF and hospitalized due to COVID-19 pneumonia were enrolled into the current research. The main outcome of the research was the in-hospital death. The independent parameters linked with the in-hospital death were determined by multivariable analysis. Results: A total of 26 deaths with an in-hospital mortality rate of 18.9% was noted. Those who died were older with an increased frequency of co-morbidities such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, stroke and dementia. They had also increased white blood cell (WBC) counts and had elevated glucose, creatinine, troponin I, and NT-pro-BNP levels but had decreased levels of hemoglobin. By multivariable analysis; age, NT-pro-BNP, WBC, troponin I, and creatinine levels were independently linked with the in-hospital mortality. After ROC evaluation, the ideal value of the NT-pro-BNP to predict the in-hospital mortality was found as 260 ng/L reflecting a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 93% (AUC:0.86; 95%CI:0.76-0.97). Conclusion: The current research clearly shows that the NT-proBNP levels are independently linked with the in-hospital mortality rates in subjects with COVID-19 pneumonia and without HF. Thus, we believe that this biomarker can be used as a valuable prognostic parameter in such cases

Morphological and Physiological Responses to Drought Stress of European Provenances of Scots Pine

Increased frequency and intensity of drought episodes as a consequence of current and predicted climatic changes require an understanding of the intra-specific variability in structural and physiological characteristics of forest trees. Adaptive plasticity and genotypic variability are considered two of the main processes by which trees can either be selected or can acclimate to changing conditions. We tested for the relative importance of genotypic variability, phenotypic plasticity and their interaction by comparing the growth and physiological performance of 15 provenances of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), under two contrasting irrigation regimes. Selected provenances representing the distribution range of the species in Anatolia, Turkey, were contrasted with seed sources spanning the range from Spain to the UK, in Europe. We found a strong latitudinal differentiation among the 15 provenances for survival after drought, largely the result of the higher mortality of some western and central European provenances. Differentiation in diameter and height growth was also clear with the worst provenance coming from Western Europe (UK). Among the Turkish provenances, the more extreme southern high-elevation populations showed greater survival and lower growth rates overall. Differences in growth and survival were related to differences in photosynthetic pigment and nutrient contents and in the photosynthetic efficiency of photosystem II. Plasticity was strongest for growth characters and pigment contents.WoSScopu

ARPA BİTKİSINDE ULTRAVIYOLE-B STRESİNİN FOTOSİSTEM II ETKİNLİĞİ ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ

Bu çalışma, farklı sürelerde [0 (kontrol), 1, 3 ve 5 saat] UV-B ışımasının arpa (Hordeum vulgare L., Bülbül 89) yapraklarının fotosistem II (PSII) etkinliği üzerine etkisini araştırmak için yapılmıştır. UV-B stresinin, PSII etkinliği üzerine etkisini değerlendirmek için klorofil a fluoresansındaki polifazik artış (OJIP) kullanılmıştır. UV-B stresi, arpa bitkisinin JIP-Testine göre hesaplanan fonksiyonel parametrelerini ve yapısal parametrelerini önemli düzeyde etkilemiştir. Farklı sürelerdeki UV-B’nin polifazik klorofil a fluoresansı üzerine etkisi, PSII’nin donör ve akseptör kısmının kısmi öneminin değerlendirilmesi perspektifinden tartışılmıştı

Current approaches in non-invasive prenatal tests: Nursing, counseling and ethics

Prenatal dönemde uygulanan genetik taramalar ülkemizde ve dünyada hergeçen gün gelişmektedir. Prenatal genetik taramalardaki en güncel yaklaşımlardan birisi non-invaziv prenatal tanı testleridir (NIPT). Süreç içerisindeçiftler için NIPT’in uygulama şekli ve sunulacak genetik danışmanlık konularıoldukça önemlidir. Testin ne olduğu, nasıl yapıldığı, nelerin değerlendirildiğive NIPT’in avantaj ve dezavantajları gibi bilgilerin sağlık hemşireleri tarafından danışmanlık sürecine entegre edilmesi gerekmektedir. Danışmanlıksürecinde hemşirelerin nerede yer aldığı ve ne düzeyde sorumluluk alacağıise tartışmalı bir konudur. Sonuç olarak; sağlık profesyonelleri non-invazivprenatal tanı testleri konusunda gelişmeleri takip ederek, gebelere etik ilkelere uygun danışmanlık vermeli ve farkındalıklarını artırmada aktif rol almalıdır.The genetic screenings applied in the prenatal period develops day by day in our country and in the world. One of the most current approaches to prenatal genetic screening is non-invasive prenatal diagnostic tests (NIPT). The application of NIPT for couples in the process and the genetic counseling issues to be presented are very important. Information such as what the test is, how it is done, what is being assessed and the advantages and disadvantages of the NIPT needs to be integrated into the consulting process by the health personnel. It is controversial where the nurses take part in the consulting process and at what level of responsibility they will take. As a result; nurses professionals should follow the developments in non-invasive prenatal diagnostic tests and should take an active role in providing counseling and increasing awareness in accordance with ethical principles

Age and source of the Kure/Odemis arsenopyrite-gold mineralization (Menderes Massif, Turkey) determined by Re-Os-He isotopes

The Menderes Massif (MM) is considered to be one of the principal regions hosting vein-type quartz-arsenopyrite orogenic gold deposits and occurrences in Turkey. Gold mineralizations in the MM can be grouped into: (i) schistosity-conformable E-trending veins and (ii) shear-controlled NW-trending veins. Arsenopyrite is one of the major gold-bearing minerals in these deposits or occurrences. Rhenium-Osmium isotopic dating of two types of arsenopyrite from the schistosity-conformable and vein-type Kure (Odemis) gold deposit has yielded two groups of model ages (maximum ages) at 557-574 Ma and 246-250 Ma, respectively. The data suggested that the quartz-arsenopyrite gold deposit formed in the Neoproterozoic and Early Triassic, with the former and the latter corresponding to Pan-African compressional orogenesis and Palotethys rifting, respectively. Fluid inclusions in Kure arsenopyrite have He-3/He-4 ratios of similar to 0.08-0.09 Ra (Ra = 1.39x10(-6), the He-3/He-4 ratio of air) being within the range of middle to upper crustal values. A minor helium contribution of mantle fluids to the Kure gold deposit is possible because the He-4 concentrations in arsenopyrite are enriched 170 to 9520 times relative to argon and typical atmospheric values, indicating that contribution of atmospheric He to the mineralizing fluids is negligible, and 0.08-0.09 Ra is slightly above typical crustal He-3/He-4 ratios. Arsenopyrite yields relatively non-radiogenic initial Os isotopic compositions, also indicating possiblecontribution from mantle fluids. Carbonic fluid inclusion type-2 (H2O-CO2-NaCl +/- CH4) in quartz of NW-trending veins at Kure are gas-liquid-hydrate-crystal-rich and their homogenization temperatures (T-h) range from 244 to 387 degrees C. Salinity values range from 0.2 to 5.7 wt% NaCl equiv. The homogenization temperatures (T-h) of aqueous fluid inclusions type 1 (H2O-NaCl) in quartz from NW-trending veins at Kure vary between 237 and 358 degrees C whereas salinity values range from 1.7 to 7.7 wt% NaCl equiv. Quantitative EPMA spot analyses on arsenopyrite minerals have shown that As concentrations in EW-trending and NW-trending veins range from 32.5 to 33.8% and 32.3-33.8%, respectively. Based on a phase diagram for the Fe-As-S system along with the arsenopyrite geothermometer, the ranges of temperature and corresponding logf S2, at which arsenopyrite is in equilibrium with pyrite are between 380 and 480 degrees C, and -7.4 and -4.3 for Apy-1, respectively. These values are between 390 and 475 degrees C, and -7.0 and - 4.5 for Apy-2, respectively

Antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant acinetobacter baumannii Isolated in an university hospital

WOS: 000387771500002PubMed: 28124957Acinetobacter baumannii, an aerobic, non-motile, gram-negative bacterium is an important nosocomial pathogen which shows resistance to the most antibiotics. Carbapenems are the most commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by this pathogen. However the emergence of resistance against carbapenems in an increasing rate generates serious problems for antimicrobial therapy. The aims of this study were to detect the antibiotic susceptibility, and the presence of bla(OXA) resistance genes of clinical A. baumannii isolates and to determine the clonal relationship between these isolates. A total of 79 A. baumannii strains isolated from various clinical specimens (37 respiratory tract samples, 11 wound, 10 blood, 8 catheters, 6 tissue, 5 urine, 2 abscess) of the patients admitted to Mersin University Medical School Hospital between May 2012-January 2013, were included in the study. The isolates were identified by conventional methods and Vitek (R) 2 Compact automated system. Antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates were determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and evaluated according to CLSI criteria. The presence of bla(OXA-51), bla(OXA-23), bla(OXA-24), bla(OXA-48) and bla(OXA-58) genes were detected by an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the clonal relationship between the isolates were identified by pulsed-field gel electroforesis (PFGE) using the ApaI restriction enzyme. In our study, all of the isolates were susceptible to colistin, while the resistance rates against piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, meropenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ceftazidime, levofloxacin, gentamicin, tetracycline, ampicillin-sulbactam, amikacin, netilmicin and tigecycline were 97.5%, 96.2%, 94.9%, 94.9%, 93.6%, 91.1%, 88.6%, 86%, 83.6%, 77.2%, 69.6%, 55.7%, 27.8% and 3.8%, respectively. All the isolates were identified as A. baumannii with the OXA-specific PCR and OXA16S rDNA sequence analysis. All of the isolates (100%) harboured bla(OXA-51) and 71 (89.9%) harboured bla(OXA-23) gene, however they were all negative for bla(OXA-24), bla(OXA-48) and bla(OXA-58) genes. According to PFGE results 10 pulsotypes were identified, of these eight pulsotypes formed 77 (97.5%) similar strains with indistinguishable PFGE profiles ranging between 3-30 [A (n=30), B (n=20), C (n=9), D (n=5), E (n= 4), F (n=3), G (n=3), H (n=3)]. When compared with the other clones, clones A and B were dominant among the samples and they have exhibited high level of antibiotic resistance. The rest two pulsotypes [I (n=1), J (n=1)] were in close relation with the main cluster. No common outbreak isolate was detected, but the relationship between the majority of the strains pointed out that there was a cross contamination problem in our hospital. In conclusion bla(OXA-51) and bla(OXA-23) were detected as predominant genes responsible from carbapenem resistance in our clinical A. baumannii strains, and it was considered that the high prevalence of clones A and B may constitute a threat in terms of hospitalized patients