The impact of social media on consumers' acculturation and purchase intentions

YesSocial media has emerged as a significant and effective means of assisting and endorsing activities and communications among peers, consumers and organizations that outdo the restrictions of time and space. While the previous studies acknowledge the role of agents of culture change, it largely remains silent on the role of social media in influencing acculturation outcomes and consumption choices. This study uses self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 514 Turkish-Dutch respondents and examines how their use of social media affects their acculturation and consumption choices. This research makes a significant contribution to consumer acculturation research by showing that social media is a vital means of culture change and a driver of acculturation strategies and consumption choices. This study is the first to investigate the role of social media as an agent of culture change in terms of how it impacts acculturation and consumption. The paper discusses implications for theory development and for practice

Prevalence and genotypic distribution of hepatitis GB-C/HG and TT viruses in blood donors, mentally retarded children and four groups of patients in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

We investigated the prevalence and genotypic distribution of GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus (GBVC/HGV) and TT virus (TTV) in blood donors, mentally retarded children and four groups of patients living in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The prevalence and genetic analysis of TTV were determined by using the primers of the UTR and ORF1 regions of TTV, respectively. Reverse transcription nested (RT-n)-PCR was used to amplify 5' UTR of GBV-C/HGV Genotyping of HGV was carried out by PCR-based genotyping assay while RFLP was conducted to determine the genotypes of TTV. TTV DNA was detected in 118 of 4 10 sera tested, giving an overall prevalence of 28.7%; GBV-C/HGV-RNA was detected in only 17 cases, giving an overall prevalence of 4.1%. No significant differences were observed in the number of positive or negative tests for GBV-C/HGV and TTV according to duration of illness or mean duration of institutionalization in any of the groups studied. Although all samples from the study population belonged to genotypes I and 4, the most common TTV genotype is G2. In conclusion, our results indicate a low endemicity of GBV-C/HGV and TTV infection in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The presence of G2 strains reveals the limited genetic diversity of the GBV-C/HGV circulating in Turkey. We suggest that TTV infection of genotypes I and 4 is prevalent in the same region

Mediterranean Fever

BackgroundCirculating levels of Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) have been shown to increase in several inflammatory conditions. However, there is no information about the levels of PTX3 in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). This study was designed to evaluate the serum PTX3 levels in patients with FMF during attack and free-attack periods.MethodsTwenty FMF patients in attack and free-attack period, and 20 age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained within the first 24 h of the attack period and between attacks, and levels of white blood cell, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Fibrinogen, high sensitive CRP, and PTX3 were determined.ResultsPTX3 levels during the attack period were not significantly different from those in free-attack patients (4.9 4.6 ng/ml vs. 2.8 +/- 1.4 ng/ml, P > 0.05). However, both attack and free-attack patients had significantly higher PTX3 levels than healthy controls (4.9 +/- 4.6 ng/ml vs. 1.8 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, P < 0.001; 2.8 +/- 1.4 ng/ml vs. 1.8 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, P < 0.025, respectively).ConclusionsPTX3 levels were not markedly affected from FMF attacks, but high level of PTX3 in free-attack period of FMF patients shows ongoing subclinical inflammation. However, further studies are needed to determine its usefulness as a marker in clinical practice

Combined branched-DNA and conventional HBV PCR assays for detection of serum HBV-DNA in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients

Background/Aims: Monitoring of HBV replication level is very useful for the management of patients with chronic HBV. However, the use of the correct tools to quantify HBV-DNA levels in serum and monitor the replication of HBV is of paramount importance in terms of diagnosis, and antiviral treatment of patients with chronic HBV infection. The aim of this study was to combine the bDNA assay and HBV PCR to improve detection of viremia the patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B infection