Unpacking the Role of Socioeconomic Factors in Insurance Inclusion: Evidence from The E-7 Countries

In this study, the socioeconomic factors determining the insurance inclusion variable, constructed using principal component analysis, were tested using the Parks-Kmenta estimator and quantile regression for the E7 countries. In this context, the data used in the study were obtained between 2004 and 2017, depending on the accessibility of the variables. The empirical results show that while inclusion in the insurance sector is positively influenced by macroeconomic factors such as economic growth, sustainable development, urbanization, and public expenditure variables, it is negatively affected by risk components such as global uncertainty and political risk. Thus, the results suggest that socioeconomic factors significantly influence involvement in the insurance sector. In addition, thanks to financial inclusion, the revival of E7 countries will be ensured, and the growth of the economies of these countries will accelerate

Choroidal Thickness in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Type Dementia

Aim. To asses both choroidal thickness differences among Alzheimer’s type dementia (ATD) patients, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and healthy control (C) subjects and choroidal thickness relationships with cognitive performance. Methods. A total of 246 eyes of 123 people (41 ATD, 38 MCI, and 44 healthy C subjects) were included in this study. Complete ophthalmological and neurological examination was performed in all subjects. Choroidal thicknesses (CT) were measured at seven locations: the fovea, 500-1500-3000 μm temporal and 500-1500-3000 μm nasal to the fovea by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Detailed neurological examination including mini mental state examination (MMSE) test which evaluates the cognitive function was applied to all participants. Results. The ages and genders of all participants were similar in all groups. Compared with healthy C subjects, the CT measurements at all regions were significantly thinner both in patients with ATD and in patients with MCI than in healthy C subjects (p<0.05). The MMSE scores were significantly different among ATD patients, MCI patients, and healthy C subjects. They were 19.3±1.8, 24.8±0.9, and 27.6±1.2 in ATD, MCI, and healthy controls, respectively (p<0.001). There were also significant correlation between MMSE score and choroidal thickness at each location (p<0.05). Conclusions. CT was reduced in ATD patients and MCI patients. Since vascular structures were affected in ATD patients and MCI patients, they had thin CT. Besides CT was correlated with degree of cognitive impairment. Therefore CT may be a new biomarker in diagnosis and follow-up of MCI and ATD patients

Türkiye'deki İslami banka müşterilerinin mali iİhtiyaçlarının ve tercihlerinin ampirik araştırılması

Many interest-free financial organs are operating in a similar system all over the world, especially in Muslim countries. Islamic banks are banks that operate in the financial sector, support the real economy, and offer banking services. Islamic banks collect funds from savers, make them available in industry and trade sectors according to interest-free financing ethics and share profit or loss with savers. Alternative financing systems are one of the issues discussed in recent years to reduce the problems arising from the traditional banking system, which has become controversial especially with the recent crises. One of these alternatives is Islamic finance practices. As in all the world, the rising market share in Türkiye is increasing interest in the bank. This study aims to guide banks in product development by using data mining techniques in Islamic banking in terms of being a service enterprise. For this purpose, a face-toface survey was conducted with 212 customers registered at 5 branches of an Islamic bank. In the study in which decision tree methodology is conducted, the satisfaction, needs, and expectations of the bank are determined according to the different characteristics of the customers (socio-economic factors, financial and Islamic literacy levels etc.). From this point of view, product and policy development suggestions were brought to Islamic banks according to customer characteristics.Birçok faizsiz finans kurumu, başta Müslüman ülkeler olmak üzere tüm dünyada benzer bir sistem içinde faaliyet göstermektedir. Ġslami bankalar, finans sektöründe faaliyet gösteren, reel ekonomiyi destekleyen ve bankacılık hizmetleri sunan bankalardır. Ġslami bankalar tasarruf sahiplerinden fon toplar, bunları faizsiz finansman etiğine göre sanayi ve ticaret sektörlerinde kullanılabilir hale getirir ve kâr veya zararı tasarruf sahipleriyle paylaşır. Alternatif finansman sistemleri, özellikle son dönemde yaşanan krizlerle birlikte tartışmalı hale gelen geleneksel bankacılık sisteminden kaynaklanan sorunları azaltmak için son yıllarda tartışılan konulardan biridir. Bu alternatiflerden biri de Ġslami finans uygulamalarıdır. Tüm dünyada olduğu gibi Türkiye'de de artan pazar payı bankaya olan ilgiyi artırıyor. Bu çalışma, bir hizmet işletmesi olması açısından Ġslami bankacılıkta veri madenciliği tekniklerini kullanarak ürün geliştirmede bankalara rehberlik etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla, Ġslami bir bankanın 5 şubesinde kayıtlı 212 müşteri ile yüz yüze anket yapılmıştır. Karar ağacı metodolojisinin uygulandığı çalışmada, müşterilerin farklı özelliklerine (sosyo-ekonomik faktörler, finansal ve Ġslami okuryazarlık düzeyleri vb.) göre bankanın memnuniyet, ihtiyaç ve beklentileri belirlenmektedir. Bu açıdan Ġslami bankalara müşteri özelliklerine göre ürün ve politika geliştirme önerileri getirilmiştir

Dynamic interlinkages between geopolitical stress and agricultural commodity market: Novel findings in the wake of the Russian Ukrainian conflict

This study examines time-varying connectedness between agricultural commodities and geopolitical risk in terms of volatility. In this context, we employ the time- and frequency-based network connectedness approaches based on a time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) model and use data from January 1, 2020, to January 4, 2023. Our findings indicate that (1) overall time-varying connectedness indexes are sharply amplified around geopolitical stress episodes; (2) wheat and the daily geopolitical risk index (GPRD) transmit notable volatility shocks starting in March 2022 because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (RIU) on February 24, 2022; (3) persistent connectedness is sharply amplified around the RIU; and (4) temporary linkages dominate most of the period studied. Our findings have implications for investors, stakeholders, and policymakers in terms of their investment strategies and risk monitoring

Disappearance of Biodiversity and Future of Our Foods

“I. Uluslararası Organik Tarım ve Biyoçeşitlilik Sempozyumu 27-29 Eylül Bayburt