STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY CONDITION AND ITS AFFECTING FACTORS IN PREGNANT WOMEN LINKED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background: This study intends to address the COVID-19 pandemic process with specific regard to pregnant women, aiming to determine their state-trait anxiety levels. Subjects and methods: The study has a quantitative design. Ethical permissions were obtained, data were collected digitally, and power analysis was performed for sample size. The sample size was calculated as 656 pregnant women. In the collection of the data, the Personal Information Form, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. Results: In our study, the majority of pregnant women (86.3%) were concerned about the pandemic process, with more than half thinking that their pregnancy (62.9%) and delivery processes would be affected (66.2%). In the meantime, 60.2% of the pregnant women postponed their health checks and they indicated being most concerned about their babies (57.1%). In 51.2% of the pregnant women, the state anxiety levels were low, and 89.8% of the trait anxiety levels were moderate. Conclusions: In crisis periods like the pandemic, pregnant women are among the priority groups. Screening, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of affective disorders in the prenatal period are important for maternal and fetal health

Analyzing the factors affecting the use of digital signature system with the technology acceptance model

Abstract. Digital signature is a mechanism that is becoming widespread in the world thanks to its efficiency in electronic environments. The main purpose of the research is to reveal the variables that affect the perception and behaviors of the users using the digital signature system with technology acceptance models to determine the degree of impact of each variable and conceptualize these variables under a structural model. In this regard, 463 questionnaires collected from academic and administrative personnel working at Ataturk and Gümüşhane universities were analyzed. According to analysis results, anxiety has a negative impact on perceived usefulness. It has been obtained that perceived usefulness has a positive effect on attitude, and perceived ease of use does not have a significant effect on attitude. In addition, in the adoption of digital signature technology, it has been seen that personnel actual use is affected by intention to use with a rate of 88.1%.Keywords. Digital signature, Technology acceptance model, Theory of planned behavior, Structural equation model.JEL. C38, M10, M15, M19

Relationship between intracellular pathogens Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi infections and migraine

Aim: In this study, the serological values of our patients followed up with a diagnosis of migraine were compared with the results of healthy controls in terms of possible association with intracellular pathogens, Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi. Methods: Fifty patients with migraine, randomly selected among migraine patients without any additional disease, who applied to Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2015 and August 31, 2019 were included in the study. Fifty subjects without headache were included as control group. The history of infectious diseases of the patient and control groups (Toxoplasma gondii, Borrelia burgdorferi- causing Lyme disease) was determined by serological diagnostic methods. Results: The study group consisted of 64 women with a mean age of 45.5±13.1 (15-76) years. Migraine and control groups were found to be similar in terms of age (p=0.059) and gender (p=0.211) distributions. The frequency of Toxoplasma gondii positivity in the migraine group was 28% (n=14) and 10% (n=5) in the control group. The frequency of Lyme was 19.6% (n=11) in the migraine group and 14.3% (n=8) in the control group. The frequency of Toxoplasma gondii positivity was statistically significantly higher in the migraine group (p=0.022), while the frequency of Lyme was found to be similar in the migraine and control groups (p=0.450). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that there are statistically significant differences between migraine and control groups only in terms of Toxoplasma gondii positivity rates, not Lyme. However, we believe that larger sample studies are needed to determine the detailed relationship between migraine and Toxoplasma gondii infection

Investigation of herbicide group drug residues used in the agricultural field in soil and Oligochaeta class earthworms

Herbicides, such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and chlorsulfuron, are widely used in agricultural areas. In this study, residues of these herbicides were analysed in soil and in earthworms, which are described in ecotoxicological studies as indicator organisms, in agricultural areas in and around Istanbul using the HPLC method. In the field investigations, a wheat field in the I.U. Veterinary Faculty Farm was treated with 2,4-D herbicide at a dose of 200 cc/da. Following this application, soil samples were collected at 1-week intervals in order to determine herbicide's persistence in the soil. 2,4-D was totally dissipated in the wheat field by the end of the 4(th) week. Subsequent field samples were collected in the form of soil and earthworm from the villages of Hadimkoy, Buyukcekmece Karaagac, Buyukcekmece Tepecik, Catalca and Catalca Incegiz. Two different methods were used for soil and earthworms. With the modification of these two selected methods, detection of both herbicides together (2,4-D and chlorsulfuron) was achieved. It was observed that both herbicides accumulated in earthworms

The Microbiological and Physico-Chemical Parameters with Trace Metal Pollution of Coastal Bathing Water in Dardanelles and Thracian Sea

The present study was undertaken to determine the microbiological (total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci and Salmonella sp.) and physico-chemical parameters (pH, conductivity, nitrate and phosphate) with trace metal concentration (arsenic, chromium) and cyanide of 74 coastal bathing water samples obtained from Dardanelles (Site 1) and Thracian Sea (Site 2). About 5 of 74 (6.75%) water samples were of unacceptable quality based on recommended criteria of microbiological (3 of 74, 4.05%) and physico-chemical with trace metal concentration (2 of 74, 2.70%) by Turkish Bathing Water, Turkish Water Pollution and European Community Bathing Water Directives. The results indicated that the value of total coliforms and fecal coliforms provided an adequate indicator of Salmonella sp. presence. Among the trace metals, only arsenic was detected at the below acceptable limits. Therefore, it is necessary cleaning of waste waters by purification plants, infiltration of effluent from sewage treatment plants, control industrial factors and maintaining water quality controls