ISLAMIC PENSION FUNDS PERFORMANCE IN TURKEY

Pension funds poses an important place in terms of increasing and encouraging savings for economies of countries. Accordingly, the private pension system in Turkey, which entered into force on 27 October 2003, has been still under development. Therefore, the performance of the pension funds has a considerable indicator characteristic for investors to utilize their savings with these investment instruments. Beside these, in Turkey, for spreading saving ability to all components of the society investors who have Islamic sensitiveness have been channelized into pension funds with new “helal” pension funds. In this study, performance of these pension funds operating in Turkey in the period of January 2013 and August 2015 will be measured by using regression analysis with explanatory benchmarks. For this purpose single and multi regression models will be employed. BIST 100, Government Debt Securities (GDS), and Gold Price Indices will be employed as explanatory variables for the single and multi regression models applied to pension funds

İlköğretim Birinci Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Kalem Tutma Biçimleri ve Kavrama-Sıkıştırma Kuvvetlerinin Yazma Hızı ve Hatalarına Etkisi

This is a survey model descriptive study which aims at testing the impact of the way the first grade students in primary school hold the pencil, grip the pencil and the compressive strength on the writing speeds and mistakes. The survey has been made with the first grade students (n=412) in the primary schools located in the city center of Kütahya. According to the data obtained, it can be said that the pencil gripping style of the students is a kind which is supported with thumb, index and middle finger; there is low negative level meaning correlation between writing mistake point and compressive strength and there is low positive level meaning correlation between writing speed and gripping strength.İlköğretim birinci sınıf öğrencilerinin kalem tutma biçimleri, kavrama ve sıkıştırma kuvvetlerinin yazma hızı ve hatalarına etkisini test etmeyi amaçlayan bu çalışma tarama modelinde betimsel bir çalışmadır. Araştırma Kütahya il merkezinde bulunan ilköğretim okullarının birinci sınıf öğrencileriyle (n=412) yapılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgulara göre öğrencilerin tercih ettikleri kalem tutma şeklinin baş, işaret ve orta parmakla desteklenen tutuş şekli olduğu, yazma hata puanı ile kavrama ve sıkıştırma kuvveti arasında düşük negatif düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişkinin olduğu bulunmuştur. Bunun yanı sıra yazma hızı ile kavrama kuvveti arasında düşük pozitif düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişkinin olduğu söylenebilir

A Rare Cause of Neck Mass: Pilomatrixoma

Pilomatrixoma (pilomatricoma) (Malherbe’s calcifying epithelioma), although rare, is the second most frequent benign skin tumour in childhood. It originates from the hair follicles. It is most commonly seen on the head and in the neck region, it also may be located on the upper extremities. Diagnosis may be confused with other skin tumours and malignancies. In this case, we report on a patient who presented with a mass on the neck diagnosed as a pilomatrixoma

Aktivierung von MigrantInnen zur energetischen Gebäudemodernisierung - Kurzbericht für Praxispartner

In dem von der Stiftung Mercator geförderten Projekt AMeG - Aktivierung von MigrantInnen zur energetischen Gebäudemodernisi erung - wurden neue Kommunikationswege erprobt, um mit der Hilfe von Migrantenselbstorganisationen und MultiplikatorInnen sowohl migrantische EigentümerInnen als auch MieterInnen persönlich und kultursensibel anzusprechen, über das Thema Energieeffizienz zu informieren und zur Nutzung der bestehenden Informations- und Beratungsangebote, kommunaler Förderprogramme usw. zu motivieren. Um Zugang zu den Zielgruppen der MigrantInnen zu bekommen, wurden unterschiedliche Strategien verfolgt: Quartiersbezug, Community-Bezug, Aktivierung über Unternehmernetzwerke sowie aufsuchende Beratung für EigentümerInnen. Über die begleitenden Evaluation konnte das Wissen über EignetümerInnen und MieterInnen mit Migrationshintergrund in dem Themenfeld Energieeffizienz erweitert werden. Zudem wurden wesentliche Erkenntnisse über den Prozess der Aktivierung von MigrantInnen und der Zusammenarbeit mit Migrantenselbstorganisationen generiert. Die zentralen Ergebnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen wurden in einem Workshop mit Praxispartnern reflektiert und in der Broschüre "Aktivierung von MigrantInnen zur energetischen Gebäudesanierung" für Akteure, die Maßnahmen zur Aktivierung von MigrantInnen planen, leicht verständlich und praxisnah zusammengefasst

A Rare Cause of Acute Abdominal Pain in Childhood: Peptic Ulcer Perforation

Four children with a mean age of 12 years were referred to our emergency department with a history of abdominal pain. Examination revealed tenderness in the lower abdomen, in particular the left iliac fossa. The youngest child, who was 3 years old, also presented with shock. Abdominal X-rays revealed free air under both hemidiaphragms. Subsequent surgery was administered as the primary treatment of three patients and a partial resection was performed in the remaining one. The youngest child died and the others were discharged. These cases emphasize that although uncommon, alternate diagnoses must be kept in mind in children presenting with lower abdominal pain

The Comparison of Reported Ingested Paracetamol Dose with Serum Blood Concentrations and Their Relationship with N-Acetylcysteine Administration: A Retrospective Study of 117 Patients

Introduction:We aimed to compare the patient reported ingested and blood paracetamol concentrations (BPC) and to investigate the indications for N-acetylcysteine (NAC) administration in referred patients.Methods:This is a retrospective study of acute paracetamol intoxications (API) at the tertiary paediatric emergency department (ED) between June 2015-June 2019. We evaluated the demographics, cause of intoxications, reported doses (mg/kg), BPCs (8/4/12/16 and/or 24th hours). Indications of antidote usage and referral to ED were accepted as BPC >150 mg/kg.Results:Overall, we reviewed 117 cases of acute API. The mean age was 8.97 (±6.0) years, and 68.3% were female. The reported ingested of paracetamol (RIP) median dose was 2725 mg (mean 138±51.9 mg/kg). Adolescents had a significantly higher RIP than that of younger subjects (p150 mg/kg, physicians at the first healthcare facility tended to administer activated charcoal (90.9%), gastric lavage (68%) and intravenous NAC (48%). The referring healthcare facility physicians-initiated NAC particularly for patients who reported ingesting >150 mg/kg (p=0.001).Conclusion:RIP doses should not be used to determine the need for NAC. The antidote should be used in centres where BPCs are not available or in a group of patients who cannot be transferred to a referral centre within the first eight hours

Presentations of children to emergency departments across Europe and the COVID-19 pandemic: A multinational observational study

During the initial phase of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reduced numbers of acutely ill or injured children presented to emergency departments (EDs). Concerns were raised about the potential for delayed and more severe presentations and an increase in diagnoses such as diabetic ketoacidosis and mental health issues. This multinational observational study aimed to study the number of children presenting to EDs across Europe during the early COVID-19 pandemic and factors influencing this and to investigate changes in severity of illness and diagnoses. Routine health data were extracted retrospectively from electronic patient records of children aged 18 years and under, presenting to 38 EDs in 16 European countries for the period January 2018 to May 2020, using predefined and standardized data domains. Observed and predicted numbers of ED attendances were calculated for the period February 2020 to May 2020. Poisson models and incidence rate ratios (IRRs), using predicted counts for each site as offset to adjust for case-mix differences, were used to compare age groups, diagnoses, and outcomes. Reductions in pediatric ED attendances, hospital admissions, and high triage urgencies were seen in all participating sites. ED attendances were relatively higher in countries with lower SARS-CoV-2 prevalence (IRR 2·26, 95% CI 1·90 to 2·70, p < 0.001) and in children aged <12 months (12 to <24 months IRR 0·86, 95% CI 0·84 to 0·89; 2 to <5 years IRR 0·80, 95% CI 0·78 to 0·82; 5 to <12 years IRR 0·68, 95% CI 0·67 to 0·70; 12 to 18 years IRR 0·72, 95% CI 0·70 to 0·74; versus age <12 months as reference group, p < 0.001). The lowering of pediatric intensive care admissions was not as great as that of general admissions (IRR 1·30, 95% CI 1·16 to 1·45, p < 0.001). Lower triage urgencies were reduced more than higher triage urgencies (urgent triage IRR 1·10, 95% CI 1·08 to 1·12; emergent and very urgent triage IRR 1·53, 95% CI 1·49 to 1·57; versus nonurgent triage category, p < 0.001). Reductions were highest and sustained throughout the study period for children with communicable infectious diseases. The main limitation was the retrospective nature of the study, using routine clinical data from a wide range of European hospitals and health systems. Reductions in ED attendances were seen across Europe during the first COVID-19 lockdown period. More severely ill children continued to attend hospital more frequently compared to those with minor injuries and illnesses, although absolute numbers fell. ISRCTN91495258 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN91495258

Наследие средневековой анатолийской турецкой архитектуры: от прошлого к будущему

Medieval Anatolian Turkish architecture is the result of the passion to create architectural space for functional and artistic purposes in Anatolian lands in the historical phase that emerged after the 1071 Battle of Malazgirt. In fact, it would be a much more correct approach to evaluate this passion not as a result but as a process. After the commanders declared their independence in the regions given to them because of serving in the Great Saljūq army, the Artukids, Saltūkids, Danishmends and Mengüjeks were established as the Early Turkish Principalities. These principalities synthesize several architectural elements in Central Asia, the elements being confronted on the way from Central Asia to Anatolia and currently existing elements in Anatolia together with the structural features of the neighboring states. They built many architectural structures such as mosque, madrasah, bridge, caravansary, shrine, and cupola. In this study, the typical characteristics of the Medieval Anatolian Turkish architecture, the sources that feed it and its specific aspects will be examined by making references to the structures built by the above-mentioned principalities. Since most of the legacy left by these principalities is still standing, it gives us important clues in terms of understanding the architectural aesthetics that prevailed at that time. When all these considered together, it is possible to mention about the existence of a Renaissance in the architectural field in Anatolia in the course of Middle Ages

Sisplatine bağlı gelişen ototoksisitede risk faktörleri ve DNA tamir gen polimorfizmleriyle ilişkisinin araştırılması

Amaç: Bu çalışmada sisplatin bazlı kemoterapi alan hastalarda gelişen işitme kaybı ile DNA tamir genleri olan ERCC1, ERCC2 ve XRCC1 gen polimorfizmleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmak istedik. Gereç-Yöntem: Bu amaçla kemoterapi protokolleri içinde sisplatin infüzyonlarını tamamlayan 50 hasta çocuk ve erişkin alındı. Yaş ortalaması 13.9±5.9 olan (2-23 yaş) 29 kız, 21 erkek çalışmaya alındı. Hastaların tanıları arasında santral sinir sistemi tümörleri (16), osteosarkom (13), germ hücreli tümörler (7), nöroblastom (6), karsinom (5) ve hepatoblastom (3) bulunmaktaydı. Sağlıklı kontrol grubunda ise yaş ortalaması 13.4±3.7 olan (7-24 yaş) 29 kız, 30 erkek alındı. DNA tamir genlerindeki polimorfizm, PCR ile DNA izolasyonu yapıldıktan sonra Light Cycler cihazında primer ve problar kullanılarak yapıldı. Bulgular: ERCC1 geni için genotip dağılımı, işitme kaybı olan 22 hastada GG genotipi (yabanıl tip) % 50 (11); AG genotipi (heterozigot) % 40 (9), AA genotipi (homozigot) % 10 (2) iken; işitme kaybı olmayan 28 hastada GG genotipi % 28.6 (8), AG genotipi % 53.5 (15), AA genotipi % 17.9 (5) bulundu. Kontrol grubunda ise bu dağılım GG genotipi için % 49.2 (29), AG genotipi % 42.3 (25), AA genotipi % 8.5 (5) olarak bulundu. ERCC2 geni için genotip dağılımı, işitme kaybı olan 22 hastada GG genotipi (yabanıl tip) %18.2 (4); TG genotipi (heterozigot) %40.9 (9), TT genotipi (homozigot) %40.9 (9) iken; işitme kaybı olmayan 28 hastada GG genotipi %10.7 (3), TG genotipi %39.3 (11), TT genotipi %50 (14) bulundu. Kontrol grubunda ise bu dağılım GG genotipi için % 17 (10), TG genotipi % 44 (26), TT genotipi %39 (23) olarak bulundu. XRCC1 geni için genotip dağılımı, işitme kaybı olan 22 hastada CC genotipi (yabanıl tip) %18.2 (4); CT genotipi (heterozigot) %59.1 (13), TT genotipi (homozigot) %22.7 (5) iken; işitme kaybı olmayan 28 hastada CC genotipi %35.7 (10), CT genotipi %50 (14), TT genotipi %14.3 (4) bulundu. Kontrol grubunda ise bu dağılım CC genotipi için % 31 (18), CT genotipi % 54 (32), TT genotipi %15 (9) olarak bulundu. Chi kare testi sonucuna göre bakılan her üç genin dağılımında gruplar arasında fark bulunmadı. Sonuç: Bu bulgular ışığı altında DNA tamir genleri olan ERCC1, ERCC2, XRCC1 genotipleri ile sisplatine bağlı işitme toksisitesi arasında ilişki olmadığı sonucuna varıldı. Bu çalışma aynı zamanda sağlıklı Türk popülasyonunda bu genlerin genotip dağılımının belirlenmesine de katkıda bulunmuştur

Iconografía de manos en la pintura renacentista

Renaissance style of painting reflects all types of plastic design principles, approaches and understanding as a standard character of historical, political, religious, cultural, and economic features of that era. Disposing of unadulterated strict and church focused kind of perspective, Renaissance artists practically start to look on nature, science, literature, philosophy, and obviously human anatomy in a different set of minds. Reasonable, balanced, scientific and logical portrayal of human life leads painters to focus closer on pieces of the human body. Aside from the faces of the figures, hands become essential body parts to hold a mirror to the interior universe of the figures. They were included within the iconographic program such mirrored the emotions and contemplations of the figure, and the connection among figures and objects. In this study, an examination through various Renaissance paintings will shed light on how the painters like Giotto, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Francesca, and more utilized the portrayal of hands as an apparatus and as a language of their creative purposes. Thusly, an iconography of hands in Renaissance painting will be manifested.El estilo de pintura renacentista refleja todo tipo de principios, enfoques y comprensión del diseño plástico como un carácter estándar de las características históricas, políticas, religiosas, culturales y económicas de esa época. Al deshacerse de un tipo de perspectiva estricta y puramente centrada en la iglesia, los artistas del Renacimiento prácticamente comienzan a mirar la naturaleza, la ciencia, la literatura, la filosofía y, obviamente, la anatomía humana en un conjunto de mentes diferente. Una descripción razonable, equilibrada, científica y lógica de la vida humana lleva a los pintores a centrarse más en las partes del cuerpo humano. Aparte de los rostros de las figuras, las manos se convierten en partes esenciales del cuerpo para sujetar un espejo al universo interior de las figuras. Se incluyeron dentro del programa iconográfico tal que reflejaban las emociones y contemplaciones de la figura, y la conexión entre figuras y objetos. En este estudio, un examen a través de varias pinturas renacentistas arrojará luz sobre cómo los pintores como Giotto, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Francesca y más utilizaron la representación de las manos como un aparato y como un lenguaje de sus propósitos creativos. Así, se manifestará una iconografía de manos en la pintura renacentista