Diversification in banking and its effect on banks’ performance: evidence from Turkey

This paper examines the effect of sectoral and geographical diversification on the performance of Turkish banks and try to show how the diversification affects banks’ performance. The study asks whether diversification via sectoral and geographical credits helps banks. To investigate the relationship between the credit diversification and performance of 50 Turkish banks between the time period of 2007 and 2011, data sources of Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA), The Banks Association of Turkey (BAT) and Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) is used. Because of the mergers and acquisitions and being closed, it is failed to reach some of bank data in 2007-2011. In this manner the study is analysed on 40 banks’ data. In the present study, ROA (Return on Assets) and ROE (Return on Equity) are used as measure of performance and Herfindahl Index (HI) is used as a measure of diversification of banks. The number of credits and the amount of credits that banks let borrewers’ use are employed as control variables. According to the result of the analysis it is determined that dependent variables ROA and ROE are explained by diversification

Traditional Turkish Coffee with Medicinal Effect

Traditional Turkish coffee (TTC) is highly associated with caffeine and is known as a mind and heart stimulant as it helps keep tiredness at bay. Daily consumption of TTC naturally benefits human health such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, improved energy, anti-depression, reduced risk of heart disease, etc. The TTC was derived from particular types of Arabic coffee beans (ACB), and the preparation method of TTC is unique from other types of coffee. The main objective of the study was to investigate the therapeutic and biological effects of TTC. The ACB powder was characterized physicochemically using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). In vitro analysis using HaCaT (Human keratinocyte cell line) proved the biocompatibility of ACB powder. Case studies which were focusing on healthy individuals as the research populace were conducted using TTC. Consumption of TTC was found beneficially compared to other types of coffee. The TTC was obtained from ACB, which was characterized by spectroscopic techniques and displayed biocompatibility due to the results on HaCaT cell lines. The TTC has beneficial therapeutic effects on individuals. According to statistical analysis, the disease-affected ratio of diabetes, heart disease, and depression was significantly decreased

The population structure and growth prorperties of Chalcalburnus mossulensis (Heckel, 1843) caught from Aşkale Region of River Karasu

Bu çalışmada, Karasu Irmağı'nın Askale Mevkiinden Şubat 1996 ve Ocak 1997 tarihleri arasında yakalanan 375 adet Gümüş Balığı (Chalcalburnus mosullensis, Heckel 1843)'nın populasyon yapısı ve büyüme özellikleri incelenmiştir. Populasyonda yaş kompozisyonu I-VI yaşlar arasında dağılım göstermiş olup, %42.13'lük oranla II. yaş grubunun dominant olduğu gözlenmiştir. Populasyonun %51.74'ünü dişiler, %48.26'sını ise erkekler oluşturmuştur. Çatal boy erkeklerde 8.9-18.1 cm, canlı ağırlık 3.6-67.9 g, dişilerde 8.5-18.5 cm, 5.1-79.5 g arasında değişmiştir. Boyca ve ağırlıkça oransal ve spesifik büyüme en yüksek II. yaşta gerçekleşmiştir. Yaş-boy, yaş-ağırlık (Von Bertalanffy eşitlikleri) ve logaritmik boy-ağırlık ilişkileri erkek ve dişiler için sırasıyla; Lt=20.41 (1-$e^-0.2485(t+1.47)$), Lt=21.59 (1-$e^-0.1978(t+2.13)$), Wt=80.77 (1-$e^-0.2485(t+1.47)$)2.828, Wt= 103.63 (1-$e^-0.978(t+2.13)$)3.082 ve LogW= -1.796+2.828LogFL (r=0.943), LogW= -2.097+3.082LogFL (r=0.946) olarak hesaplanmıştır. Ortalama kondisyon faktörü erkeklerde 1.023 dişilerde ise 1.047 olarak hesaplanmıştır.In this study, the population structure and growth properties of Chalcalburnus mossulensis (Heckel, 1843) caught from Askale Region of River Karasu betwen February 1996 and January 1997 were examined. The age composition of population varied between I and VI ages, and the most abundant age group was the third age group (42.13%). The population was composed of 51.74% females and 48.26% males. The fork length and the body weights of males and females varied between 8.9-18.1 cm, 3.6-67.9 g and 8.5-18.5 cm, 5.1-79.5 g respectively. The specific and relative growth for length and weight were maximum in the second age. The age-length, age-weight (Von Bertalanffy equations) and length-weight relationships of males and females were calculated as Lt=20.41 (1-$e^-0.2485(t+1.47)$), Lt=21.59 (1-$e^-0.1978(t+2.13)$), Wt=80.77 (1-$e^-0.2485(t+1.47)$)2.828, Wt= 103.63 (1-$e^-0.978(t+2.13)$)3.082 and LogW= -1.796+2.828LogFL (r=0.943), LogW= -2.097+3.082LogFL (r= 0.946) respectively. The mean condition factor of males and females were found as 1.023 and 1.047 respectively

İskenderun Körfezi’ndeki Çizgili Mercan Balığının, Lithognathus mormyrus L., Büyüme Özellikleri, Cinsiyet Dönüşümü ve Ölüm Oranları

The total length of examined samples of striped sea bream in ‹skenderun Bay ranged from 9.1 to 27.7 cm. The lengthweight relationship constants for males (a = 0.0112, b = 3.042) and females (a = 0.0105, b = 3.069), showed no significant difference from isometric growth (P < 0.05). Von Bertalanffy growth parameters in length were L∞ = 26.55 cm, K = 0.203 y-1 and to = -1.81 y for males and L∞ = 32.64 cm, K = 0.136 y-1 and to = –2.12 y for females. Sex inversion occurred at lengths between 11.2 and 22.9 cm in age groups I-VI. Males were observed up to a length of 22.8 cm. Total, natural and fishing mortality rates were Z = 1.15 y-1, M = 0.48 y-1 and F = 0.67 y-1 respectively. The exploitation rate of E = 0.60 indicates that the population is being heavily exploited. Reproductive activity of striped sea bream in ‹skenderun Bay took place between the second half of April and early August, with the greatest intensity in May. Lengths at first maturity were 13.4 cm for males and 13.9 cm for females.iskenderun Körfezi’ndeki çizgili mercan balığının incelenen örneklerinde toplam boy 9,1-27,7 cm arasında değişmiştir. Boy-ağırlık illişkileri erkek (a = 0,0112, b = 3,042) ve dişilerde (a = 0,0105, b = 3,069) izometrik büyümeden önemli bir farklılık göstermemiştir (P > 0,05). Boyca von Bertalanffy büyüme parametreleri erkekler ve dişiler için sırasıyla, L∞ = 26,55 cm, K = 0,203 y›l-1, to = -1,81 y›l ve L∞ = 32,64 cm, K = 0,136 y›l-1, to = –2,12 yıl olarak hesaplanmıştır. Eşey oranının (E:D) 1,09/1,00 olarak saptandığı bu çalışmada, eşey dönüşümünün I ve VI. yaşlar arasında (11,2-22,9 cm boy aralığında) gerçekleştiği ve maksimum 22.8 cm’e kadar erkek bireylerin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Toplam (Z), doğal (M) ve balıkçılık nedeniyle olan (F) ölümlerin sırasıyla, Z = 1,15 y›l-1, M = 0,48 y›l-1 ve F = 0,67 yıl-1 olarak hesaplandığı; ve E = 0,60 olarak bulunan sömürülme oranı ile populasyonun yoğun bir şekilde avcılık baskısı altında olduğu belirlenmiştir. Nisanın ikinci yarısından Ağustos başına kadar uzun bir süreyi kapsayan üreme faaliyeti, yoğun olarak Mayıs ayında gerçekleşmiştir. İlk eşeysel olgunluk boyları erkekler ve dişiler için sırasıyla 13,4 ve 13,9 cm olarak hesaplanmıştır

Karasu Irmağı’nın Aşkale Mevkiinden Yakalanan Gümüş Balığı (Chalcalburnus mosullensis, Heckel 1843)’nın Populasyon Yapısı ve Büyüme Özellikleri

Bu çalışmada, Karasu Irmağı'nın Aşkale Mevkiinden Şubat 1996 ve Ocak 1997 tarihleri arasında yakalanan 375 adet Gümüş Balığı (Chalcalburnus mosullensis, Heckel 1843)'nın populasyon yapısı ve büyüme özellikleri incelenmiştir. Populasyonda yaş kompozisyonu I-VI yaşlar arasında dağılım göstermiş olup, %42.13'lük oranla II. yaş grubunun dominant olduğu gözlenmiştir. Populasyonun %51.74'ünü dişiler, %48.26'sını ise erkekler oluşturmuştur. Çatal boy erkeklerde 8.9-18.1 cm, canlı ağırlık 3.6-67.9 g, dişilerde 8.5-18.5 cm, 5.1-79.5 g arasında değişmiştir. Boyca ve ağırlıkça oransal ve spesifik büyüme en yüksek II. yaşta gerçekleşmiştir. Yaş-boy, yaş-ağırlık (Von Bertalanffy eşitlikleri) ve logaritmik boy-ağırlık ilişkileri erkek ve dişiler için sırasıyla; Lt= 20.41 (1-e-°.2485(t+1.47)), L = 21.59 (1-e-0.1978(t+2.13)), W = 80.77 (1-e-0.2485^1.47))2.828, Wt= 103.63 (1-e-0.978(t+2.13))3.082 ve LogW= -1.796+2.828LogFL (r=0.943), LogW= - 2.097+3.082LogFL (r=0.946) olarak hesaplanmıştır. Ortalama kondisyon faktörü erkeklerde 1.023 dişilerde ise 1.047 olarak hesaplanmıştır.In this study, the population structure and growth properties of Chalcalburnus mossulensis (Heckel, 1843) caught from Aşkale Region of River Karasu betwen February 1996 and January 1997 were examined. The age composition of population varied between I and VI ages, and the most abundant age group was the third age group (42.13%). The population was composed of 51.74% females and 48.26% males. The fork length and the body weights of males and females varied between 8.9-18.1 cm, 3.6-67.9 g and 8.5-18.5 cm, 5.1-79.5 g respectively. The specific and relative growth for length and weight were maximum in the second age. The age-length, age-weight (Von Bertalanffy equations) and length- weight relationships of males and females were calculated as Lt= 20.41 (1-e-0.2485(t+1.47)), Lt= 21.59 (1-e-°-1978(t+2-13)), W = 80.77 (i-e-0-2485^-47))2-828, W = 103.63 (1_e-°-1978(t+2.i3))3.082 and LogW= -1.796+2.828LogFL (r=0.943), LogW= -2.097+3.082LogFL (r= 0.946) respectively. The mean condition factor of males and females were found as 1.023 and 1.047 respectively

Coexistence of a Bifid Median Nerve and Persistent Median Artery in a Pediatric Trauma Case

Knowledge regarding the variations of median nerve branching is particularly important in surgical decompression and trauma cases. A bifid median nerve together with a palmar-type median artery is a rare anatomical variation. The importance of a persistent median artery lies in the fact that the one with a large caliber may lead to an early compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel in patients. In the presence of a persistent median artery, surgeons must be aware regarding possibility of additional median nerve anomalies

Antimuscarinic-Induced Convulsions in Fasted Rats after Food Intake: EEG Patterns of Fasting, Scopolamine Treatment, and Convulsions

Objective:Antimuscarinic treatment in fasted mice and rats causes clonic convulsion soon after food intake. This study was designed to evaluate the electrophysiological markers of these convulsions and fasting in electrocorticograms in rats.Methods:Male Wistar albino rats were stereotaxically implanted with 10 cortical electrodes, and baseline electroencephalogram recordings were taken for 10 minutes. After weighing, rats were deprived of food for 52 hours. At the 24th and 52nd hours of deprivation, continuous electroencephalogram recordings were repeated. After the deprivation period, animals were treated with saline or scopolamine (3 mg/kg). Twenty minutes after injections, animals were given food pellets. After eating food, electroencephalogram recordings were taken for 60 minutes and all animals were observed simultaneously to determine the incidence and onset of convulsions.Results:These results show that food deprivation for 52 hours decreased the amplitude of the gamma band when compared to basal (P <.05) and 24 hours (P <.008) food deprivation. And the amplitude of the beta band in the 52nd hour decreased when compared to the 24th hour of food deprivation (P <.05). The treatment with scopolamine changes the effects of food deprivation on the electroencephalogram. As a typical epileptiform manifestation, refeeding after scopolamine treatment caused a series of high-voltage polyspikes and synchronized spikes with a predominant frequency in the 1-3 Hz range.Conclusions:It was revealed that the behavioral patterns of rats and the electroencephalogram properties in these convulsions are in accordance with each other