Corporate Sector Financial Structure in Turkey : A Descriptive Analysis

This paper presents and discusses some stylised facts of the corporate sector financial structure in Turkey using the Company Sector Accounts compiled by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT). The findings of the paper suggest that non-financial firms in Turkey have been heavily exposed almost all of the basic balance sheet risks. The corporate sector appears to be excessively leveraged with relatively lower asset tangibility creating also a credit risk for the lenders. The firms rely heavily on foreign currency denominated and short-term debt instruments making them vulnerable to both exchange rate and interest rate shocks through currency and maturity mismatches. The corporate sector can be characterised as financially constrained as the deepening of the Turkish bank-based financial system is rather low and the bank credits to the private sector tend to be crowded out by the mode of domestic debt finance. The corporate sector vulnerabilities to maturity, interest rate and currency risks are found to be improving with the firm size. With the relatively stable macroeconomic environment and stricter prudential regulation on the financial system, the corporate sector balance sheet risks, albeit still are at high levels, tend to be improving after the financial crisis of 2001.Balance sheets, Capital structure, Corporate sector, Debt composition, Financial crowding-out, Liability dollarisation, Turkey

Sixth, seventh and eighth year students' knowledge levels about greenhouse effect, ozone layer and acid rain

The aim of this study is to investigate second stage primary school (6th, 7th and 8th year) students’ knowledge levels about three important environmental topics, namely, the greenhouse effect, the ozone layer and acid rain. The study was carried out with 204 6th, 7th and 8th year students (11-14 year olds) in Turkey. A 25- item scale developed by Khalid (1999) was used as a data collection instrument. The instrument was adapted to the Turkish language and culture, was validated and its reliability co-efficiency was determined. The results of the study showed that 6th, 7th and 8th year students have a very low level of knowledge about the greenhouse effect, the ozone layer and acid rain. The results of this study can be used by experts of environmental education to focus on starting the teaching of environmental topics – like greenhouse effect, ozone layer and acid rain – thoroughly from the primary school to develop more environmentally sensitive citizens.peer-reviewe

Türkiye’de Vergi Gelirleri ile Ekonomik Kalkınma Arasındaki İlişki: Frekans Alanı Nedensellik Analizi

The aim of the study is to investigate the existence of the relationship between tax revenues and development in Turkey for the period 1975-2013 and analyze the direction of the relationship with different econometric tests. According to the analysis results, there was a cointegration relation between the variables. The existence of the cointegration relationship brings with it the expectation that causality relations must also exist. According to Toda-Yamamoto Granger, Hacker and Hatemi causality test findings, unilateal relationship were observed towars development from indirect tax revenues, The Breitung and Caldelon frequency domain causality test, however, it was ascertained unilateal relationships towards development from total tax revenues; and towards development from direct tax revenues; and there also is unilateal relationship towards indirect tax revenues from development.Çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de 1975-2013 dönemine ait yıllık verilerle vergi gelirleri ile kalkınma arasındaki ilişkinin varlığını araştırmakla beraber söz konusu ilişkinin yönünü farklı ekonometrik testlerle analiz etmektir. Hacker ve Hatemi nedensellik testi bulgularına göre, dolaylı vergi gelirlerinden kalkınmaya doğru tek yönlü; Breitung ve Caldelon frekans alanı nedensellik testi ise toplam vergi gelirlerinden kalkınmaya, dolaysız vergi gelirlerinden kalkınmaya ve kalkınmadan dolaylı vergi gelirlerine doğru tek yönlü ilişkiler tespit edilmiştir

Kulinarische Praxen als Medium der Identitätsdarstellung deutscher und türkischer Jugendlicher

"Die Studie geht der Frage nach, welche Bedeutung herkunftskulturelle kulinarische Praxen bei türkischen und deutschen Jugendlichen in ihrer Selbstdarstellung spielen. Darüber hinaus wird in den jeweiligen Gruppen gendersensibel auf differenzielle Ausformungen zwischen Jungen und Mädchen geachtet und herausgearbeitet, wie über kulinarische Praxen Geschlechterordnung hergestellt wird. Nicht zuletzt wird der Fokus auf die soziale Dimension des Essens gerichtet. Methodisch sind hierzu nach Geschlecht, Alter und kulturellem Hintergrund differenzierte Gruppendiskussionen mit einer Stichprobe von N=60 durchgeführt worden, um so geschlechts- und herkunftstypische Orientierungen der Jugendlichen eruieren zu können. Die Daten wurden mithilfe des Computerprogramms Atlas.ti in einem mehrstufigen Verfahren qualitativ inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass es Unterschiede gibt, inwieweit herkunftskulturelle Aspekte des Essens in den Narrationen eine Rolle spielen (hohe Bedeutung für Türkeistämmige) und dass Essenspräferenzen sich entlang der Geschlechterlinie abbilden: Jungen orientieren sich herkunftsübergreifend an Genuss und Geschmack, bei Mädchen stehen gesundheitliche Dimensionen des Essens im Vordergrund. Die Ergebnisse liefern wertvolle Hinweise für eine kultur- und gendersensible Ausrichtung von Adipositaspräventionsprogrammen für Jugendliche." (Autorenreferat)"The study examines what significance Turkish and German adolescents attach to culinary practices associated with their native culture when forming their own sense of identity. At the same time the study picks up on gender-specific differences within the groups, pinpointing how culinary practices can serve to establish gender hierarchies. The social aspects of eating are also considered. Group discussions differentiated according to sex, age and cultural background were conducted using a sample of N=60 in order to elicit gender- and culturally specific orientations among adolescents. A qualitative content analysis was made of the data in a multi-level procedure using the Atlas.ti computer program. On the one hand, the results reveal that there are differences in the extent to which eating habits specific to native culture play a narrative role (major significance among ethnic Turks), while also depicting eating preferences along genderspecific lines: Adolescent males across the board focus on enjoyment and flavor, whereas adolescent girls attribute greater importance to the health aspects of eating. The results provide valuable information on ways in which to target juvenile obesity prevention programs according to culture and gender." (author's abstract

ISWI chromatin remodeling complexes in the DNA damage response

Regulation of chromatin structure is an essential component of the DNA damage response (DDR), which effectively preserves the integrity of DNA by a network of multiple DNA repair and associated signaling pathways. Within the DDR, chromatin is modified and remodeled to facilitate efficient DNA access, to control the activity of repair proteins and to mediate signaling. The mammalian ISWI family has recently emerged as one of the major ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex families that function in the DDR, as it is implicated in at least 3 major DNA repair pathways: homologous recombination, non-homologous end-joining and nucleotide excision repair. In this review, we discuss the various manners through which different ISWI complexes regulate DNA repair and how they are targeted to chromatin containing damaged DNA

Synthesis of conductive carbon aerogels decorated with β-tricalcium phosphate nanocrystallites

There has been substantial interest in research aimed at conductive carbon-based supports since the discovery that the electrical stimulus can have dramatic effect on cell behavior. Among these carbon-aerogels decorated with biocompatible polymers were suggested as future materials for tissue engineering. However, high reaction temperatures required for the synthesis of the aerogels tend to impair the stability of the polymeric networks. Herein, we report a synthetic route towards carbon-aerogel scaffolds decorated with biocompatible ceramic nanoparticles of tricalcium phosphate. The composites can be prepared at temperature as high as 1100 °C without significant effect on the morphology of the composite which is comparable with the original aerogel framework. Although the conductivity of the composites tends to decrease with the increasing ceramic content the measured conductivity values are similar to those previously reported on polymer-functionalized carbon-aerogels. The cell culture study revealed that the developed constructs support cell proliferation and provide good cell attachment suggesting them as potentially good candidates for tissue-engineering applications

EVALUATION OF THE CASES WITH TUBOOVARIAN ABSCESSES

Amaç: Kliniğimizde Tuboovarian Abse nedeniyle cerrahi operasyon uygulanan hastalarınretrospektif olarak araştırılarak, klinik ve laboratuar sonuçlarını, uygulanan tedaviyöntemlerini ve gelişen komplikasyonlarını incelemektir.Gereç ve yöntem: Ocak 2003 - Mart 2007 tarihleri arasında tuboovarian abse tanısıile opere edilen 39 hasta retrospektif olarak incelendi. Hastaların klinik ve laboratuarsonuçları, uygulanan operasyon yöntemleri ve gelişen komplikasyonlar kaydedildi.Bulgular: Hastaların %71,7'si multipardı. Hastaların başlıca şikayetleri pelvik ağrı(%92,3) ve ateş (%69,6)'idi. Rahim içi araç kullanımı prevelansı %48,7, son 6 ay içindegeçirilmiş intrauterin veya intraabdominal operasyon prevelansı %33,3 ve pelvikinflamatuar hastalık prevelansı %28,2 olarak saptandı. Klinik bulgu olarak; %69,2 hastada38,3ËšC üzerinde ateş, %64,1 hastada lökositoz, %92,3 hastada yükseksedimentasyon hızı, %89,7 hastada C-reaktif protein yüksekliği tespit edilmiştir. Doğurganlığınıkorumak isteyen hastalara abse drenajı uygulandı. TOA drenajı yapılan hastalarınoranı %71,8 idi. Kullanılan rezektif cerrahi yöntemler arasında; total abdominalhisterektomi oranı (%12,8), unilateral salpingoooferektomi oranı (%10,3), bilateralsalpingoooferektomi oranı (%5,1) saptandı. Hastaların 5'inde (%12,8) intra-operatifkomplikasyon olarak barsak hasarı gelişirken, 4 hastada (%10,3) postoperatif komplikasyonolarak yara yeri enfeksiyonu ve atelektazi gelişti.Sonuç: TOA'yi takip eden yüksek morbidite ve azalmış fertilite oranları nedeniyle erkentanı ve cerrahi müdahale oldukça önemlidir.Objective: The aim of study is retrospective evaluation of the clinical and laboratoryresults, the treatments and complications in patients who were managed for tuboovarianabscess (TOA) clinic in our department.Materials and method: The records of 39 patients who has operated with thediagnosis of tuboovarian abscess between January 2003 and March 2007 were studiedretrospectively. The patients clinical and laboratory results, operational methods appliedand the complications raised were recorded.Results: 71.7% of the patients were multipar. The main complaints of the patientswere pelvic pain (92.3%) and fever (69.6%). Prevelance of intrauterine device (IUD)usage, intrauterin or intraabdominal operations applied in the last 6 months, previouspelvic inflamatuary disease (PID) were as 48.7%, 33.3 %, 28.2%. As clinical andlaboratory signs; in 69.2 % of patients high axillary fever (>38.3ºC), in %64.1 of patientsleukocytosis, in 92.3 % of patients high sedimentation rate and in 89.7 % of patientshigh C-Reactive Protein (CRP) detected. For the patients who would like to preservereproductivity; TOA abscess drainage is applied with a ratio of 71.8%. As resectivesurgery methods that were applied; total abdominal hysterectomy ratio was 12.8 %,unilateral salphingoophorectomy ratio was 10.3 %, bilateral salphingoophorectomy ratiowas 5.1%. Intraoperative complications were observed in 5 (12.8%) patients (bowelinjury) where as postoperative complication were observed in 4 (10.3%) patients(wound enfection and atelectasia).Conclusion: Due to minimizing decreased fertility and high morbidity following TOA; itis important for the women health to apply early diagnosis and early surgery