ABSTRACT Objective. To investigate of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in humans and calves in the province of Van, Turkey. Materials and methods. Included in this research were 150 patients, comprising 50 hemodialysis patients, 40 immunosuppressed patients with diarrhea, 30 patients with diarrhea only, and 30 immunocompetent patients. Collected were stool rectal samples from 50 calves that were housed in stables and farms in 10 central villages of Van, Turkey. Results. Cryptosporidium parvum was detected in 17.3% of the 150 human stool samples. C. parvum was observed in 20% of the 50 samples from the hemodialysis patients, 32.5% of the 40 samples from the immunosuppressed patients with diarrhea, and 10% of the 30 samples from patients with diarrhea only, whereas no Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in the samples from the immunocompetent patients. C. parvum was observed in only 6% of the samples from the diarrheic 30 calves. Conclusions. It was clearly understood that cryptosporidiosis was detected at a high rate in the samples from the immunosuppressed patients and those who were immunosuppressed with diarrhea, and that the active and effective species that causes cryptosporidiosis in the Van region is C. parvum. Hence, these patient groups should be evaluated in terms of cryptosporidiosis.

RESUMEN Objetivo. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la prevalencia de especies de Cryptosporidium en humanos y terneros en la provincia de Van, Turquía. Materiales y métodos. Se incluyeron en el estudio un total de 150 pacientes, incluidos 50 pacientes en hemodiálisis, 40 pacientes inmunosuprimidos con diarrea, 30 pacientes con diarrea solamente y 30 pacientes inmunocompetentes. Se recolectaron muestras de heces rectales de un total de 50 terneros alojados en establos y granjas en 10 aldeas centrales de Van, Turquía. Resultados. Se detectó Cryptosporidium parvum en el 17.3% de las 150 muestras de heces tomadas de seres humanos. C. parvum se observó en el 20% de los 50 pacientes en hemodiálisis, el 32.5% de los 40 pacientes inmunosuprimidos con diarrea y el 10% de los 30 pacientes con diarrea solamente, mientras que no hubo Cryptosporidium spp. detectado en los pacientes inmunocompetentes. C. parvum se observó en sólo el 6% de los 30 terneros diarreicos. Conclusiones. Claramente se entendio que la Criptosporidiosis fue detectada en una alta tasa en las muestras de los pacientes inmunosuprimidos sin y con sintomas de diarrea, y que además la especie activa que causó la enfermedad fue el agente etiologico Criptosporidium parvum. Por lo tanto, estos dos grupos de pacientes deben ser evaluados en lo que a términos de Criptosporidiosis se refiere.

ABSTRACT We analyzed the efficiency of farmers in the dairy production using cross-sectional data collected from 92 sample dairy farmers in the West Mediterranean Region of Turkey. The study used the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) to measure the technical efficiency of farmers in milk production. The technical efficiency of the sample of dairy farms ranged from 0.30 to 1.00. The mean efficiency of the sample of farmers was 0.55, indicating the presence of substantial scope for improving the competitiveness of dairy sector in the region by improving the efficiency of farmers. While some of these variations could be attributable to random factors, we calculated that 97.3% of the variations was attributable to the inefficient use of inputs, leaving only 2.7% to random factors. This shows the possibility of increasing average output by about 0.45 without the use of additional inputs. The most significant factors affecting the efficiency of dairy production were household size, total number of cattle, and ratio of the total number of dairy cows to total number of cattle, technological level, barn type, and production of maize silage. This study, by measuring the levels of efficiency and by identifying factors explaining the differences in efficiency, gives useful information for designing policy interventions targeting to improve the competitiveness of the Turkish dairy sector.

Resumen La meta de este artículo fue identificar el enfoque de liderazgo y las dimensiones que influyen en las percepciones gerenciales del presidente de una organización agrícola. Esta investigación se llevó a cabo con presidentes de organizaciones agrícolas usando cuestionarios. Para tal propósito, a los presidentes se les entregaron 29 ítems usando la escala de Likert para ver en qué grado estaban de acuerdo con cada ítem. En el análisis de factorial, el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach se ubicó en 0,933. Para especificar las dimensiones que influyen en la percepción gerencial del presidente de una organización agrícola se usó el análisis de componentes de principales con rotación Varimax. El valor propio se calculó por encima de 1 en siete de los 29 ítems. Como resultado de este análisis, se examinaron siete dimensiones. Esas dimensiones aclararon el 75,75% de la variación total. Se determine que los principales aspectos que influyeron en la percepción gerencial del presidente de una organización agrícola fueron la motivación y el espíritu de trabajo en equipo, el poder de la iniciativa, poner los intereses de la organización por encima de sus intereses individuales, la dedicación al deber, el espíritu emprendedor, la capacidad de empatía y el sentido de pertenencia a una organización.

Abstract The goal of this paper was to identify the leadership approach and dimensions influencing the managerial perceptions of the agricultural organization’s president. This research was carried out with agricultural organization presidents by using questionnaires. For this purpose, 29 items were given to presidents and a Likert scale used for the degree of agreement of each item. Factor analysis, Cronbach alpha coefficient was situated to be 0.933. To specify the dimensions influencing the managerial perception of agricultural organization’s president principle component analysis with varimax rotation was used. Eigenvalue belongs to seven of 29 items was calculated higher than one. As a result of this analysis, seven dimensions were examined. These dimensions clarified 75.75% of the total variance. The main aspects influencing the managerial perception of agricultural organization’s president were constructed to be motivation and team spirit, the power of initiative, put the organization interests over their individual interests, devotion to duty, entrepreneurial spirit, empathy ability and sense of belonging to an organization. La meta de este artículo fue identificar el enfoque de liderazgo y las dimensiones que influyen en las percepciones gerenciales del presidente de una organización agrícola. Esta investigación se llevó a cabo con presidentes de organizaciones agrícolas usando cuestionarios. Para tal propósito, a los presidentes se les entregaron 29 ítems usando la escala de Likert para ver en qué grado estaban de acuerdo con cada ítem. En el análisis de factorial, el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach se ubicó en 0,933. Para especificar las dimensiones que influyen en la percepción gerencial del presidente de una organización agrícola se usó el análisis de componentes de principales con rotación Varimax. El valor propio se calculó por encima de 1 en siete de los 29 ítems. Como resultado de este análisis, se examinaron siete dimensiones. Esas dimensiones aclararon el 75,75% de la variación total. Se determine que los principales aspectos que influyeron en la percepción gerencial del presidente de una organización agrícola fueron la motivación y el espíritu de trabajo en equipo, el poder de la iniciativa, poner los intereses de la organización por encima de sus intereses individuales, la dedicación al deber, el espíritu emprendedor, la capacidad de empatía y el sentido de pertenencia a una organización.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Aim of this study is to investigate bacterial growth on non-infected devices and compare antibiotic-coated and non-coated implants. Materials and methods: The charts of 71 patients who underwent revision surgeries for penile prosthesis between 1995 and 2013 were reviewed. Of those, 31 devices were antibiotic-coated prostheses, while 40 of the implants were non-coated. Swab cultures were routinely obtained from corporal, pump or reservoir site during the operation. If a bacterial biofilm was determined on the prosthesis, it was also cultured. Results: A total of 5 different organisms were cultured from 18 patients. Of them, 4 devices were antibiotic-coated and the other 14 were non-coated devices. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common organism, while Staphylococcus hominis, beta hemolitic streptococcus, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis were also cultured. All patients who had positive cultures were treated with appropriate antibiotics for four weeks postoperatively. Median follow-up time was 41 months, ranging between 8 and 82 months. One prosthesis (non-coated) became clinically infected in the follow-up period with a totally different organism. Culture positivity rates of antibiotic-coated and non-coated devices were 13% and 35% respectively and the result was significant (p=0.00254). Conclusions: Positive bacterial cultures are present on non-infected penile prostheses at revision surgeries in some of the patients. Antibiotic coated prostheses have much less positive cultures than non-coated devices.

ABSTRACT This study estimates the technical efficiency of goat rearing in the province of Isparta in Turkey using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The data used were collected from 92 goat farmers using the stratified sampling method by means of a questionnaire. The technical efficiency of the goat farming varied widely between 0.13 and 1.00. The mean efficiency of 92 goat farms was calculated to be 0.44 and 0.66 for constant and variable returns to scale assumptions, respectively. The greatest slacks were in feedstuff concentrates and labour used. The most significant factors affecting efficiency of goat production were farmer experience, cooperative membership, milk yield per goat, and family and hired labour. Technical efficiency should be improved by providing farmers with well-organised education, an extension program, and research and development programs on goat rearing.

Introduction We aimed to assess the relationship between prostate volume (PV) and high grade prostate carcinoma (HGPCa) in patients with benign and suspicious digital rectal examination (DRE) in our prostate biopsy cohort. Materials and methods Between 2009-2012, 759 consecutive initial transrectal systematic 12 cores prostate biopsies were included. PVs were calculated with transrectal ultrasound. Only prostate adenocarcinomas (PCa) were included into the study. For standardization, patients with missing data, and who have been exposed to any form of hormonal or radiation therapy were excluded. Patients were categorized with DRE (negative or positive) and Gleason sum [<7: low grade PCa(LGPCa), ≥7: HGPCa]. Results Median PV was significantly lower in patients with HGPCa. There was a significantly increased risk of HGPCa with PV according to all groups in univariate logistic regression (LR). The significant relationship continued in multivariate LR with PSA and age. We found a PV cut-off value of 47.9cc for HGPCa. HGPCa was significantly higher in <47.9 volume, both in DRE positive and negative patients and in the whole cohort, although LGPCa did not differ significantly. Conclusions There is a significant relationship between HGPCa and decreasing PV. The continued significant relationship both in DRE negative and positive patients reinforces this relation.