Measuring the quality of life in European Union: The case of Turkey as a candidate country

This paper is aimed at measuring and comparing the quality of life in European Union (EU) and Turkey as an important candidate country on the process of integrating with the EU. Rather than using per capita income as a classical measure, this study uses social indicators of development as a measure of well-being. Instead of using human development index (HDI) - an index commonly referred as "deprivation index" - we adopt the indices that are developed in Zaim, Fare and Grosskopf. The "achievement index" measures the success of a country in the provision of standard of life. On the other hand "improvement index" is used to measure the improvement of the country over time in terms of its life quality. The stated results suggest that Turkey should improve its quality of life on the way of integrating with the EU

The value of Nigella sativa in the treatment of experimentally induced rhinosinusitis

Obiettivo del presente studio è stato quello di investigare leffetto della Nigella sativa e della cefalexina nel trattamento della rinosinusite batterica indotta in setting sperimentale. La rinosinusite batterica è stata indotta mediante stafilococco aureo. I conigli sono stati suddivisi in 5 gruppi; uno di controllo (n = 6), N. sativa 50 mg/kg/d (n = 6), N. sativa 100 mg/kg/d (n = 6), N. sativa 200 mg/kg/d (n = 6), e cefalexina 20 mg/kg/d (n = 6). La N. sativa è stata somministrata per via orale per 7 giorni. Lo stesso volume di soluzione salina (% 0,9 NaCl) è stato quindi somministrato al gruppo di controllo per lo stesso periodo di tempo. Dopo il periodo di trattamento i campioni di mucosa dei seni mascellari sono stati valutati utilizzando metodologie istopatologiche e stereologiche. La metà dei campioni di mucosa del seno mascellare sono stati congelati a -80°C per una successiva analisi dei livelli di ossido nitrico. Lanalisi patologica ha rivelato un intenso processo infiammatorio in atto nei conigli trattati con sola soluzione salina. Solo un lieve grado di infiammazione è stato invece rilevato nei conigli nei gruppi trattati con cefalexina, N. sativa 100 mg/kg/d, e N. sativa 200 mg/kg/d. Il livello di ossido nitrico, elevato nel gruppo placebo, è risultato invece essere ridotto negli altri gruppi. La N. sativa potrebbe prevenire i ambiamenti istopatologici indotti dalla rinosinusite mediante una riduzione dei livelli di ossido nitrico con andamento dose dipendente, e potrebbe essere usata nel trattamento della rinosinusite

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

Productivity growth in OECD countries: A comparison with Malmquist productivity indexes

Cataloged from PDF version of article.We utilize two alternative indices to measure productivity growth for all but two OECD countries. First, we employ a Malmquist productivity index without considering the existence of hazardous by-products of production processes. To address the shortfalls of this index, we construct an alternative Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index and find that the Malmquist index underestimates the productivity growth. Finally, we investigate the effects of an international protocol on reducing global emissions and country-specific effects on Malmquist-Luenberger productivity measures. (c) 2005 Association for Comparative Economic Studies. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Characterization of Ni3AlNi_3Al and Ti3AlTi_3Al Coatings Produced by Electric Current Activated Sintering Method

The present study reports on $Ni_3Al$ and $Ti_3Al$-based intermetallics coated on AISI 1010 steel substrate by one-step pressure assisted electric current activated sintering method. Ni, Ti, and Al elemental powders were mixed in the stoichiometric ratio corresponding to the $Ni_3Al$ and $Ti_3Al$ intermetallics at molar proportion of 3:1. The mixed coating powders were placed onto the steel substrate in a mold, and pressed with compressive stress of 100 MPa and then, electric current: 1100-1200 A, voltage 2.9-3.4 V was applied for 15 min during coating. As-synthesized coatings seem to have good adherence with many small porosities. The phases formed in the $Ni_3Al$ coating layer were $Ni_3Al$ as a major phase beside NiO and $NiAl_2O_4$ trace phases, which were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. However, TiAl and Ti trace phases besides major $Ti_3Al$ phase were detected in the $Ti_3Al$ coating. The hardness of the $Ni_3Al$, $Ti_3Al$ coatings and AISI 1010 substrate was approximately 321 ± 18, 445 ± 13 and 157 $HV_{0.5}$, respectively