Does more energy consumption support economic growth in net energy-importing countries?

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effects of energy consumption on economic growth by means of a panel data analysis of 75 net energy-importing countries for the period 1990 to 2012. Design/methodology/approach – For the purpose of the analysis, the countries are classified into two groups, and each group is then classified into subgroups. The first group is formed based on the energy import dependence of the countries and is classified into two subgroups according to whether their dependence is greater than or less than 50 per cent. The second group is formed based on the income level of the countries and is classified into four subgroups, specifically, low-income economies, lower-middle-income economies, upper-middle-income economies and high-income economies. Findings – The findings obtained for both panel data and for each country indicate that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between energy consumption and economic growth over the long term such that energy consumption contributes more to economic growth as the import dependence of the country decreases. Moreover, the effect of energy consumption on economic growth decreases as the income level of the country increases. This indicates that the efficient use of energy is as important as energy consumption, which is regarded as an important indicator of economic development. Originality/value – The authors expect that these findings will make a valuable contribution to the results of future studies, as they analyze the relationships among the variables by including the energy intensities of the countries.Propósito – Este estudio examina los efectos del consumo de energía en el crecimiento económico, mediante un análisis de datos de panel de 75 países importadores netos de energía para el período 1990-2012. Diseño/metodología/enfoque – A los efectos del análisis, los países se clasifican en dos grupos y cada grupo luego se clasifica en subgrupos. El primer grupo se forma en base a la dependencia de los países en materia de importación de energía y se clasifica en dos subgrupos según su dependencia sea superior o inferior al 50%. El segundo grupo se forma sobre la base del nivel de ingresos de los países y se clasifica en cuatro subgrupos: economías de ingresos bajos, economías de ingresos medios-bajos, economías de ingresos medios-altos y economías de ingresos altos. Hallazgos – Los hallazgos obtenidos, tanto para los datos de panel como para cada país, indican que existe una relación positiva y estadísticamente significativa entre el consumo de energía y el crecimiento económico a largo plazo, de modo que el consumo de energía contribuye más al crecimiento económico a medida que disminuye la dependencia de las importaciones del país. Además, el efecto del consumo de energía en el crecimiento económico disminuye a medida que aumenta el nivel de ingresos del país. Esto indica que el uso eficiente de la energía es tan importante como el consumo de la misma, que se considera un indicador importante del desarrollo económico. Originalidad/valor – Los autores esperan que estos hallazgos aporten una valiosa contribución para estudios futuros, ya que analizan las relaciones entre las variables mediante la inclusión de las intensidades de los países

Do energy taxes reduce the carbon footprint? Evidence from Turkey

This study examines the effect of energy taxes on the carbon footprint in Turkey using the data set for 1994-2017. Johansen cointegration tests were used in this study to analyze the existence of a long-term relationship between the variables. Moreover, the estimation methods “dynamic ordinary least squares” (DOLS) and “fully modified ordinary least squares” (FMOLS) were applied to determine the long-term cointegration coefficients. The results of the Johansen cointegration analysis confirm that there is a long-term cointegration relationship between the variables. In addition, the results of DOLS and FMOLS show that an increase in energy taxes reduces the carbon footprint in the long term. In conclusion, the results of the study suggest that environmental taxes can be used as an effective alternative policy tool to achieve certain environmental quality standards. In addition, the results provide evidence that such taxes can influence costs and, by doing so, have an effect on the economic decision units’ habits of environmentally harmful production and consumption

Security of the Energy Supply in Turkey: Prospects, Challenges and Opportunities

In today's world, energy is one of the most important inputs for a multitude of industries and production branches. Access to uninterrupted, adequate, reliable, cheap, stable and sustainable energy has become essential to the basic functioning of modern societies. Ensuring energy security is of critical importance in terms of economic stability and sustainable growth. Interruptions in the energy supply can cause serious economic and social losses. Lack of energy security discourages investors by threatening production and increasing costs. The aim of this study is to identify the primary risks concerning the security of the energy supply in Turkey and to propose solutions. The study discusses the current state of energy security in Turkey, which is substantially dependent on foreign supply to meet its energy needs. The study also examines the importance of the advantages and opportunities offered to Turkey by both domestic and renewable resources, which are not being fully utilized, despite their high potential, and Turkey's potential to become an energy transit hub in terms of energy security. Keywords: Turkey; energy security; energy diversity; transit route JEL Classifications: Q41; Q43; Q4

Analyzing the economic development-driven ecological deficit in the EU-15 countries: new evidence from PSTR approach

This paper empirically analyzes the non-linear effect of economic activities on ecological balance indicators that estimate the balance between economies' pressure on nature and the biologically productive resource areas affected by human activity and the earth's ecological carrying capacity. In measuring this balance, ecological balance sheet indicators are divided into four sub-components: cropland, fishing grounds, forest area, and grazing land. The sample of the study consists of the EU-15 countries over the period 1995-2016. To render the study robust with respect to econometric issues such as potential endogeneity bias, cross-country heterogeneity, non-linearity, and time instability, the panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) method is adapted. The empirical findings reveal that up to a certain threshold level, economic activities do not affect the ecological balance as nature can compensate for the resulting externalities, but beyond this threshold, waste accumulation and pollution exceed nature's capacity to absorb. Consequently, these findings do not empirically support the EKC hypothesis with an inverted U-shaped curve and suggest that active environmental policies are needed to improve the environment

Öğrencilerin Kimyasal Denge Konusundaki Kavram Yanılgıları

The purpose of this study was to determine students’ misconceptions regarding the concepts of chemical equilibrium. To diagnose students’ misconceptions in this area, a written test was administered to 216 11th grade high school students after their formal class schedule. The original test was developed by Hackling and Garnett, 1984 and translated and adopted into Turkish by the authors. The test included 47 multiple choice and true-false items and its reliability coefficient was found to be 0,87. An interview was also conducted with 20 students to establish their reasons for misconception with the open-ended questions. Analysis of responses revealed widespread misconceptions among students in the areas related to (1) approaches to chemical equilibrium, (2) characteristics of chemical equilibrium, (3) changing chemical equilibrium conditions, and (4) adding a catalyst.Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, öğrencilerin kimyasal denge ile ilgili kavram yanılgılarını belirlemektir. Öğrencilerin bu konudaki yanlış kavramlarını tespit etmek için, hazırlanan bir test, 216 lise üçüncü sınıf öğrencisine, konu sınıfta anlatıldıktan sonra uygulanmıştır. Testin orijinali Hackling and Garnett tarafından 1984 yılında geliştirilmiştir. Bu test Türkçe'ye çevrilmiş ve yeniden gözden geçirilerek Türkiye şartlarına uyarlanmıştır. Test doğru- yanlış ve çoktan seçmeli sorulardan oluşmuş ve güvenirlik katsayısı 0,87 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca, öğrencilerin kavram yanılgılarının nedenlerini anlamak için 20 öğrenci ile mülakat yapılmıştır. Cevapların analizi, öğrencilerin şu konularda yaygın olarak yanlış kavramlara sahip olduğunu göstermiştir: (1) Tepkime dengeye gelirken, (2) kimyasal dengenin özellikleri, (3) kimyasal denge koşullarının değiştirilmesi ve (4) katalizör ilavesi

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on return and risk transmission between oil and precious metals: Evidence from DCC-GARCH model

It is frequently discussed in the literature that the correlation between low-correlation assets under ordinary market conditions may increase during crisis periods. To contribute to the ongoing debates, this paper empirically examines risk transmission between oil and precious metal markets induced by the COVID-19 pandemic using the DCC-GARCH model. The findings reveal evidence of a significant risk transmission between oil prices and precious metal prices, particularly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings point out that the negative relationship between oil and all precious metals returns in the pre-COVID-19 period has changed with the effect of the pandemic. In this process, it is revealed that the negative relationship between oil and gold has strengthened, but the negative relationship between oil and silver has weakened. In addition, the correlations between oil and platinum and palladium turn positive. The empirical findings imply that investors and portfolio managers seeking portfolio diversification and hedging opportunities in a high-risk environment such as the COVID-19 pandemic should consider gold and silver assets for investment

Does Too Much Energy Consumption Harm Economic Growth for Turkish Republics in The Transition Process? New Evidence on Threshold Effects

This paper examines whether the effect of energy consumption on economic growth is dependent on the level of energy intensity for 5 Turkish republics in the transition process over the period 1991–2012. These economies are divided into two groups in the context of their energy balance. The first group comprises all of the Turkish republics in the transition process while the second group is composed of only the net energy exporter countries among them. Using an innovative dynamic panel threshold technique, the estimated threshold of the energy intensity for the first group is 0.68 per cent, while for the second group countries the threshold is 0.44 per cent. The empirical results indicate that the energy consumption rate above the threshold energy intensity level adversely affects the economic growth, but this negative relationship becomes positive one when the energy consumption is below the threshold level. These findings reveal that the energy consumption is beneficial to economic growth only up to a certain threshold of the energy intensity; beyond the threshold level further the consumption tends to adversely affect the growth. In this regard, policy makers in the transition economies should not ignore threshold levels within the context of energy intensity while determining energy policies. Keywords: Dynamic Panel Threshold Analysis, Energy Consumption, Economic Growth, Energy Intensity JEL Classifications: C24, Q43, O1

KORONER ARTER HASTALIĞININ BELİRLEYİCISI OLARAK PENIL DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAFİ İLE SAPTANAN KAVERNOZ ARTER STENOZU: OLGU SUNUMU

An association between Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Erectile Dysfunction (ED) has been described. We aimed to show that cavernous artery stenosis may be an important predictor of a silent but serious CAD. A 56-year-old man who had moderate ED was evaluated for risk factors. He had several vascular risk factors for ED and CAD including age, smoking, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia and hyperlipidemia. His penile colour Doppler ultrasonography revealed multiple stenotic area in the right cavernous artery. His treadmill exercise test showed significant changes. Then, coronary angiography was performed and it showed the patient had doublevessel CAD. Findings of atherosclerotic plaques in cavernosal arteries with penile Doppler ultrasonography may be address subclinical coronary artery stenosis in patients with ED. Koroner arter hastalığı ile erektil disfonksiyon arasındaki ilişki belirgindir. Bu yazıda kavernozal arter darlığının sessiz fakat ciddi koroner arter hastalığını gösterebileceğinin ortaya konulması amaçlandı. Orta şiddette erektil disfonksiyon yakınması olan 56 yaşındaki hasta risk faktörleri açısından değerlendirildi. Hastanın yaş, sigara, hipertansiyon, hiperhomosisteinemi ve hiperlipidemi olmak üzere çok sayıda vasküler risk faktörü vardı. Penil Doppler ultrasonografide sağ kavernozal arterde çok sayıda darlık saptandı. Treadmill egzersiz testinde belirgin değişiklikleri olan hastanın yapılan koroner anjiografisinde iki damarda stenoz saptandı. Erektil disfonksiyonlu hastalarda penil Doppler ultrasonografi ile kavernozal arterlerde saptanan aterosklerotik plaklar subklinik koroner arter hastalığı habercisi olabilir

EVALUATION OF THE CLINICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC PROPERTIES OF PATIENTS WITH

Amaç: Çalışmamızda Prematür Ejakülasyon (PE) tanısı konulan hastaların klinik ve demografik özelliklerinin incelenmesi amaçlandı. Gereç ve yöntem: Kliniğimize erken boşalma nedeniyle Ocak-Haziran 2004 tarihleri arasında başvuran 53 hasta çalışmaya alındı. Hasta bilgilerine, cinsel işlev bozuklukları için oluşturulmuş Microsoft Access veri tabanından ulaşıldı. İlk cinsel ilişkiden itibaren PE yakınması olanlar Primer (PPE), yakınması daha sonra başlayan hastalar Akkiz PE (APE) olarak kabul edildi. Her iki grup yaş, eş yaşı, evlilik süresi, sünnet yaşı, nokturnal kontinans yaşı, PE süreleri, ilk koitus yaşı, ejakülasyon latans zamanı, ön sevişme süreleri, sistemik hastalıkları, uluslar arası prostat semptom skoru (IPSS), uluslar arası erektil fonksiyon indeksi (IIEF) ve Amerikan Ulusal Sağlık Örgütüprostatit (NIH-prostatit) skorları açısından karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: Primer PE'li 27, APE'li 26 hastanın ortalama yaşları, sırasıyla 50,6 ± 12,3 (27-70 yıl) yıl ve 53,5 ± 10,4 (32-68 yıl) yıl olarak saptandı. Çalışmaya alınan hastaların 39'unda (%74) erektil disfonksiyon varlığı saptandı. Çalışmaya alınan hastaların ortalama sünnet yaşı 5,7 ± 2,6 (1-14) yıl, ilk koitus yaşı 19,0 ± 2,7 (13-29) yıl idi. Her iki grup arasında yaş, eş yaşı, evlilik süresi, sünnet yaşı, nokturnal kontinans yaşı, PE süreleri, ilk koitus yaşı, ejakülasyon latans zamanı, ön sevişme süreleri, IPSS, IIEF alt grupları ve NIH-prostatit skorları açısından anlamlı fark saptanmadı (p>0,05). Sistemik hastalık varlığı primer PE grubunda 9 hastada (%32) APE grubunda ise 19 hastada (%68) saptandı (p 0.05). Of the 53 patients 14 (74%) had erectile dysfunction. Mean circumcision age of the total 65 patients was 5.9 ± 2.8 (range 1-14) years. First coitus age was 19.4 ± 3.1 (range 13-29) years. There were no significant differences between two groups in the mean of age, partners' age, marriage duration, circumcision age, nocturnal continence age, first coitus age, ELT, foreplay duration, IPSS, IIEF doamins and NIHprostatitis scores. The presence of systemic disease was detected in 9 patients (32%) in PPE group and 19 patients (68%) in APE group (p<0.05). The most common detected diseases were diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion: Our results showed that the majority of the patients with PE had ED. The co occurrence of PE and ED should be questioned in patients admitted to an andrology outpatient clinic who had the history of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus

Strain relatedness in gram-negative bacteremia: Cause or contamination?

Aim: Bloodstream infections are a major cause of mortality, 25% of which are associated with gram-negative bacteremia. To avoid the inappropriate use of antibiotics, it is important to differentiate the bacteremia from contamination. In general, gram-positive bacteria were more likely to be contaminants than gram-negative-bacteria. There is little information in the literature concerning the epidemiology of gram-negative bacteria isolated from sequential blood cultures. Therefore, we aimed to examine the molecular epidemiology of gram-negative bacteria isolated from sequential blood cultures. Material and Methods: A total of 56 patients (112 samples and strains) with two or more sequential positive blood cultures for gram-negative bacteria with the same antibiogram were included in the study. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) were performed for the determination of strain relatedness. Results: While PFGE analysis demonstrated relatedness in 6 isolates, AP-PCR demonstrated 9 relatedness in 112 isolates. Discussion: The results of our study suggest that, although the possibility of contamination is very low in gram-negative bacteremia, this can still take place, as shown in sequential blood cultures with the same antibiogra