158 research outputs found

    A comparative investigation of the price competitiveness of turkish and southeast asian exports in the european union market, 1990-1997

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    The relative concentration with respect to export markets and products makes export receipts of Turkey vulnerable to fluctuations in the demand conditions. Given that most of the Turkish exports face intense competition from close substitutes produced in other countries, avoiding large fluctuations in export receipts, and maintenance/growth of market shares in such major export destinations as the EU market often require price competition. This paper investigates the significance and nature of price competition between Turkish and Southeast Asian exporters of selected manufacturing products in the EU market where this competition is particularly stiff. For this purpose, we estimate a model that posits that the relative market shares of Turkish and Southeast Asian exporters in the EU markets for commodities we consider are related to © 2002 M.E. Sharpe, Inc. All rights reserved

    The Role Of Diffusion-Weighted Mr Imaging And Adc Values In The Diagnosis Of Gastric Tumors

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    Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of gastric tumors by means of measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of these lesions, and making a comparison with the endoscopic biopsy results. Subjects and Methods: Seventy patients having gastric tumor constituted the case group. For the control group 30 healthy individuals were included. Abdominal MRI examinations were performed with a 1,5 Tesla unit. DWI examinations were obtained by single shot spin echoplanar imaging. The ADC was measured based on the tissue of the gastric tumoral entities and normal gastric mucosa in the control group. Results: Mean ADC values were 0,84 ± 0,17 × 10-3 mm2/s and 1,79 ± 0,08 × 10-3 mm2/s in gastric tumor group and in control group, respectively, being statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no significance among ADC values of adenocarcinoma subgroups. The comparison of the ADC values in the adenocarcinoma and lymphoma cases were also found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: DWI is beneficial in the diagnosis of malignant gastric lesions by the aid of ADC measurements. Although ADC quantification seems to be invaluable in the evaluation of histopathologic subgroups of adeno - carcinoma, it can help in the diagnosis of gastric lymphoma

    Primary intra-abdominal malignant fibrous histiocytoma presenting as pyrexia of unknown origin – report of a case with review of literature

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    Primary intra-abdominal malignant mesenchymal tumours are very rare and there are not many cases of visceral malignant fibrous histiocytoma in the English literature. We report a new case of abdominal malignant fibrous histiocytoma presenting as abdominal pain and pyrexia of unknown origin in a 54 year old female followed by a brief review of literature. Presentation with pyrexia of unknown origin is extremely rare in this condition

    The effect of local corticosteroid injection on F-wave conduction velocity and sympathetic skin response in carpal tunnel syndrome

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    The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of steroid injection for the treatment of the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), with F-wave parameters and sympathetic skin response (SSR). Seventeen hands of 10 women patients were treated with local steroid injection with 2-month follow-up. All patients underwent single injection into the carpal tunnel. Response to injection was measured nerve conduction studies (NCSs), median nerve F waves, and SSR before and after treatment. To determine the normal values, 42 hands of 21 healthy women were also studied. There was a significant improvement of sensory and motor nerve conduction values when compared to baseline values (P < 0.01). At the end of follow-up period, the median sensory distal latency and the sensory latency differences between the median and the ulnar nerve were improved 35 and 65%, respectively. The maximum, mean F-wave amplitudes and chronodispersion showed a slight improvement with respect to baseline values and controls, but statistical significance was not achieved after treatment. Although no statistically significant improvements were observed in SSR parameters, slightly decreased amplitudes and increased habituation of SSR were noted at the end of the treatment. The present study shows that the local steroid injection results in improvement in NCSs values, but the F-wave parameters were not effectual in short-term outcome of CTS treatment. These findings suggest that the sensory latency differences between the median and the ulnar wrist-to-digit 4 are better parameters in the median nerve recovery after treatment than the median sensory distal latency. Furthermore, the SSR does not seem to be a sensitive method in follow-up of CTS treatment

    A Jurisprudential Analysis of Government Intervention and Prenatal Drug Abuse

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    This article takes a different approach in considering the problem of prenatal drug abuse. After briefly discussing government intervention and constitutional issues, this article will consider the concept of duty and correlative rights. This discussion of duty and correlative rights suggests that the government can take measures to curb prenatal drug use without recognizing fetal rights. The article concludes with a discussion of the utility of criminal legislation as compared to public health legislation that treats drug addiction as a disease requiring treatment. As formulated, the proposal for public health legislation is not based on any concept of fetal rights. Instead, it is based on the recognition of societal interests, as well as the woman’s needs

    POU6F2 mutation in humans with pubertal failure alters GnRH transcript expression

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    Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is characterized by the absence of pubertal development and subsequent impaired fertility often due to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficits. Exome sequencing of two independent cohorts of IHH patients identified 12 rare missense variants in POU6F2 in 15 patients. POU6F2 encodes two distinct isoforms. In the adult mouse, expression of both isoform1 and isoform2 was detected in the brain, pituitary, and gonads. However, only isoform1 was detected in mouse primary GnRH cells and three immortalized GnRH cell lines, two mouse and one human. To date, the function of isoform2 has been verified as a transcription factor, while the function of isoform1 has been unknown. In the present report, bioinformatics and cell assays on a human-derived GnRH cell line reveal a novel function for isoform1, demonstrating it can act as a transcriptional regulator, decreasing GNRH1 expression. In addition, the impact of the two most prevalent POU6F2 variants, identified in five IHH patients, that were located at/or close to the DNA-binding domain was examined. Notably, one of these mutations prevented the repression of GnRH transcripts by isoform1. Normally, GnRH transcription increases as GnRH cells mature as they near migrate into the brain. Augmentation earlier during development can disrupt normal GnRH cell migration, consistent with some POU6F2 variants contributing to the IHH pathogenesis
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