Correlation of suicidal thoughts and toxoplasmosis in patients with depression

Objective We investigated the correlation between serum anti-Toxplasma gondii IgG and suicidal thoughts in depressive patients. Methods Depressive patients with (n = 100) and without (n = 100) suicidal thoughts along with 100 healthy control subjects were recruited for this study. In all three groups, a semi-structured clinical interview form called Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) Axis-I Disorder (SCID-I), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), suicidal behavior scale, and a sociodemographic data form were completed. Sera from all participants were taken, and anti-toxoplasma IgG was measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)-Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay. Statistical analysis of the data was performed. Results The serum anti-toxoplasma IgG levels of patients with suicidal thoughts were significantly higher than those without suicidal thoughts and the controls, which were 80.04 +/- 40.66, 78 +/- 14.82, and 19.98 +/- 14.65, respectively, p < 0.001. There was no correlation between toxoplasma IgG and HAMD score in patients lacking suicidal thoughts (r = -0.112, p = 0.463). Conclusion This study shows a correlation between seropositivity for anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG and depression with suicidal thoughts

The GRAVITY+ Project: Towards All-sky, Faint-Science, High-Contrast Near-Infrared Interferometry at the VLTI

The GRAVITY instrument has been revolutionary for near-infrared interferometry by pushing sensitivity and precision to previously unknown limits. With the upgrade of GRAVITY and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in GRAVITY+, these limits will be pushed even further, with vastly improved sky coverage, as well as faint-science and high-contrast capabilities. This upgrade includes the implementation of wide-field off-axis fringe-tracking, new adaptive optics systems on all Unit Telescopes, and laser guide stars in an upgraded facility. GRAVITY+ will open up the sky to the measurement of black hole masses across cosmic time in hundreds of active galactic nuclei, use the faint stars in the Galactic centre to probe General Relativity, and enable the characterisation of dozens of young exoplanets to study their formation, bearing the promise of another scientific revolution to come at the VLTI.Comment: Published in the ESO Messenge

KURUMSAL SOSYAL SORUMLULUK VE KURUMSAL İTİBAR İLİŞKİSİ

Corporate social responsibility has become a concept that hasbeen taken into consideration in our country towards the end of1980s.While the studies on the subject were first in the field of privatesector, the mission and vision determination task of the institutions inthe public sector has become mandatory since the beginning of the2000s.The purpose of these practices is that the private sector and thepublic sector are aware of the responsibility of the stakeholders. Thus,these organizations will ensure their sustainability by takingresponsibility for both employees and their environment. Therefore,companies will have the opportunity to create a strategic competitiveadvantage in the medium and long term in the global competitionenvironment. Today, various practices related to corporate socialresponsibility are also common.This research was carried out on the students and employeesattending a university in the Eastern Black Sea Region. The aim of thisstudy is to examine the effects of corporate social responsibilityperceptions on corporate perception and dimensions (Emotional Attractiveness, products and services, Vision and Leadership,Workplace environment, social and environmental responsibility,financial performance).As a result of the survey conducted on a total of 328 participants,it was observed that the perceptions of the students and theiremployees regarding the increase of corporate social responsibilityincreased significantly and in the same direction and this relationshipwas very strong. On the other hand, participants perceived social andenvironmental responsibility as more meaningful than other corporatereputation dimensions. Vision and leadership are perceived as leastsignificant in terms of corporate reputation. There were also significantdifferences between age, gender, seniority, education level anddepartmental perceptions.Kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk, ülkemizde 1980’li yılların sonundanitibaren dikkate alınan bir kavram haline gelmiştir. Konuyla ilgiliçalışmalar özel sektörde ilk sırada yer bulurken, kamu sektöründekikurumların misyon ve vizyon belirleme görevi 2000’lerin başından berizorunlu hale gelmiştir.Bu uygulamaların amacı, özel sektörün ve kamu sektörününpaydaşların sorumluluğunun farkında olmasıdır. Böylelikle, buorganizasyonlar hem çalışanlar hem de çevreleri için sorumluluk alaraksürdürülebilirliklerini sağlayacaktır. Bu nedenle, şirketler küreselrekabet ortamında orta ve uzun vadede stratejik bir rekabet avantajıyaratma fırsatına sahip olacaklardır. Günümüzde kurumsal sosyalsorumuluk ile ilgili çeşitli uygulamalara da çok sık rastlanmaktadır.Bu araştırma, Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi'nde bir üniversiteye devamedenöğrencilervebuüniversiteninçalışanlarıüzerindegerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, kurumsal sosyal sorumlulukalgılarının kurumsal algı ve boyutlar üzerindeki etkilerini (DuygusalEtkililik, ürün ve hizmetler, Vizyon ve Liderlik, İşyeri ortamı, sosyal veçevresel sorumluluk, finansal performans) incelemektir.Toplam 328 katılımcı üzerinde yapılan anket sonucunda,öğrencilerin ve çalışanlarının kurumsal sosyal sorumluluğun artmasınailişkin algılarının anlamlı ve aynı yönde arttığı ve bu ilişkinin çok güçlüolduğu görülmüştür. Öte yandan, katılımcılar sosyal ve çevreselsorumluluğu diğer kurumsal itibar boyutlarından daha anlamlı olarakalgılamıştır. Vizyon ve liderliği kurumsal itibar açısından en az anlamlıolarak algılılamıştırlar. Ayrıca çalışılan yaş, cinsiyet, kıdem, eğitimdüzeyi ve bölüm algıları arasında anlamlı farklar olduğu dagözlemlenmiştir

Squamous Metaplasia and Its Management in Non-malignant Bladder Diseases

Objective: To reveal possible associations between non-malignant bladder disease and malignancy by evaluating the pathologic examination results of patients who underwent cystectomy for non-malignant diseases and to suggest a point of view for disease management. Materials and Methods: Medical records of patients, who underwent cystectomy in our clinic between January 2005 and January 2015 for non-malignant diseases, were examined retrospectively. Results: A total of 14 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 58.7±9.3 years. Of the patients eight of them were followed up with interstitial cystitis (IC), five with neurogenic bladder and one with hemorrhagic cystitis. Time from diagnosis to cystectomy was 6.1±5.8 years on average in IC patients, 13.8±9.8 years in neurogenic bladder patients and 10 years in hemorrhagic cystitis patients. No malignancy finding was observed according to the pathologic examination results of the cystectomy specimens. However, either chronic or active inflammation was observed in all the patients. In addition to other pathologies non-keratinized squamous metaplasia was detected in five patients. Conclusion: Patients with non-malignant diseases should be followed-up with cystoscopy and bladder biopsy as a pre-malign lesion caution. Although cystectomy and urinary diversion are surgery methods with high complication rates, they could be suggested to well-informed patients as treatment alternatives

Comparison of different growth curves in the assessment of extrauterine growth restriction in very low birth weight preterm infants

Background: Preterm infants are at risk of extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) and associated complications in the long term. Growth curves are important in assessing postnatal growth in these infants. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of EUGR in preterm infants and the factors associated with EUGR using two different growth curves. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 596 preterm infants with birth weight ≤1500 g. Small for gestational age (SGA) was defined as birth weight 16 days to full enteral feeding (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.22–2.68). Similarly, independent risk factors for EUGR according to the IG-21 curve were SGA (OR: 16.3, 95% CI: 7.23–36.9), RDS (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.16–2.83), LNS (OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.43–3.68), and >16 days to full enteral feeding (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.38–3.23). Conclusion: The growth curves used for diagnosis may lead to differences in EUGR rates in intensive care units and the factors identified as associated with EUGR. At-risk infants should be evaluated for EUGR and their weight and nutritional support should be monitored carefully. Comparisons of long-term outcomes are needed to assess the suitability of growth curves used for EUGR follow-up