LEISURE SATISFACTION IN RECREATIONAL PHYSICAL FITNESS PARTICIPANTS

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the leisure satisfaction, in physical fitness participants. One hundred male physical fitness participants and 123 male control subjects aged 18–35 years and who usually exercised at least 3 times per week voluntarily participated in this study. The control subjects consisted of footballers, basketball players, volleyball players, etc. Professional players were excluded from both groups. Leisure satisfaction was determined using the Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS) developed by Beard & Raghed (1980), which was adapted into Turkish by Gökçe as a short form scale (2011). This scale contains 24 items in six subscales: a) psychological, b) educational, c) social, d) relaxation, e) physiological, and f) aesthetic satisfaction. The scale is a 5-point Likert-type scale. The Cronbach’s alpha value for the whole LSS was .90. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to test for normality. As the data were not normally distributed, the Mann-Whitney U-test was used to determine differences between the groups. The chi-square test was used to compare sports experience between the groups. Statistical analysis revealed that the physiological subscale score was higher in the physical fitness participants than in control participants (16 versus 15, p<0.005). None of the other LSS subscales significantly differed. There were significant differences in age (p<0.001), educational level (p<0.001), and monthly income (p<0.001) between the groups. Both this study and the assessment guide of the LSS indicated that physical fitness participants evaluated themselves as fitter, healthier, and of a more normal weight than the control group. This might be due to differences in age, monthly income, and educational level between the groups. We suggest that similar studies be carried out using larger samples to obtain clearer results.  Article visualizations

DOES HAND GRIP STRENGTH CHANGE WITH GENDER? THE TRADITIONAL METHOD VS. THE ALLOMETRIC NORMALISATION METHOD

The results of muscle strength and force tests were complicated by various factors, such as age, gender and level of physical activity. The most well-known factor is body size. The allometric normalising method has been recommended to obtain more precise results from strength and force tests. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if gender plays a role in hand grip strength (HGS), and we used two methods: the traditional method (TM; non-normalised strength) and the allometric normalisation method (ANM; strength independent of body size). A total of 124 men (age: 21.0 ± 2.0 yr; BMI: 23.42 ± 2.47 kg/m2) and 77 women (age: 21.0 ± 2.0 yr; BMI: 21.07 ± 2.02 kg/m2) participated in this study. The HGS was measured in kilograms using the dominant hand via an adjustable hand grip dynamometer. When the traditional method was used, HGS was expressed in Newtons (kg × 9.81). Otherwise, a formula (Sn= S / m0,67) was used for the allometric normalisation scaling (Sn = normalized strength, S = recorded strength, m = body mass and 0.67 = allometric coefficient). Both the TM (women: HGS of 323.7 N vs. men: HGS of 461.1 N; p˂0,001) and the ANM (women: HGS of 21.31 ± 2.54 N vs. men: HGS 26.39 ± 3.78 N; p˂0,001) confirmed that there are differences in HGS as a function of gender. Replication studies are required to determine which method is more appropriate for determining the gender differences in HGS.  Article visualizations

Comparison of artificial neural networks and logistic regression analysis in determining factors affecting alcohol consumption among medicine students

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, öğrencilerin alkol kullanımını etkileyen faktörler lojistik regresyon analizi (LR) ve yapay sinir ağları (YSA) ile incelendi ve bu yöntemlerin alkol kullanan ve kullanmayan öğrencileri ayırmadaki etkinlikleri ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) eğrisi yöntemiyle karşılaştırıldı. Çalışma Planı: Çalışmada, 2003-2004 eğitim-öğretim yılında Trakya Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi’nin 1-4 sınıflarında okuyan öğrencilere Frontal Lob Kişilik Ölçeği ve alkol kullanma alışkanlıklarını belirlemeye yönelik bir anket uygulandı. Bulgular: Lojistik regresyon analizinde, ders dı.ındaki zamanlarda bar, disko, kafe ya da kahvehaneye gitme (OR=1.920; p<0.05), dinin önem düzeyi (OR=0.454; p<0.001), alkol kullanan arkada. sayısı (OR=2.441;p<0.001), alkol kullanması için arkada.ların ısrar düzeyi (OR=1.557; p<0.01) ve dürtüsellik (OR=1.826; p<0.001)değişkenlerinin öğrencilerin alkol kullanımı üzerinde etkili oldukları bulundu. Lojistik regresyon analizi ile YSA’lar karşılaştırıldığında, hiperbolik tanjant-hiperbolik tanjant fonksiyonlu ve hiperbolik tanjant-lojistik fonksiyonlu YSA’ların ROC eğrisi altında kalan alanlarının farklı olmadığı, fakat bu modellerin diğer modellerin alanlarından daha büyük oldukları görüldü. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada YSA’ların LR’ye göre avantaj ve dezavantajları göz önünde bulundurularak amaca göre sınıflandırma ve modelleme çalışmalarının yürütülmesi gerektiği, LR yönteminin önemsiz değişkenlerin elenmesi için YSA’da bir ön eleme yöntemi olarak kullanılabileceği sonucuna varıldı.Objectives: The factors that affect students&amp;#8217; alcohol use behaviors were examined by logistic regression analysis and artificial neural networks and the efficiency of these methods in identifying alcohol users and non-users was compared using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve method. Study Design: Graduate students of 1-4 years in Trakya University Medical Faculty (2003-2004) were administered a questionnaire to predict their alcohol use behaviors and were assessed with the Frontal Lobe Personality Scale. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that the following variables highly affected alcohol use behaviors of the students: visiting bars, discos or cafes in their spare time (OR=1.920; p&lt;0.05), the importance of religion (OR=0.454; p&lt;0.001), the number of alcohol-user friends (OR=2.441; p&lt;0.001), insistence of friends on taking alcohol (OR=1.557;p&lt;0.01), and impulsiveness (OR=1.826; p&lt;0.001). Comparison between logistic regression analysis and artificial neural Networks showed no differences in terms of the areas under the ROC curves of hyperbolic tangent-hyperbolic tangent function and hyperbolic tangent-logistic function artificial neural networks, but these models showed statistically larger areas than the other models. Conclusion: It may be necessary to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of artificial neural networks and logistic regression in classification and modelling, and to use artificial neural networks to eliminate insignificant variables of logistic regression analysis

Evaluation of sleep quality in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

AMAÇ: Karpal tünel sendromu (KTS) median sinirin el bileği düzeyindeki tuzak nöropatisidir. Geceleri şiddetlenen ağrı ve dizesteziler hastalığın tipik bulgusudur. Çalışmamızın amacı KTS hastalarında uyku kalitesinin araştırılması, mevcut uyku bozukluklarının semptom şiddeti ve fonksiyonel bozuklukla ilişkisinin saptanmasıdır. GEREÇ VE YÖNTEMLER: Elektrodiagnostik olarak KTS tanısı alan 29 kişi ve kontrol grubu olarak hastane personelinden 25 sağlıklı kişi çalışmaya alındı. Tüm katılımcıların bilgilendirilmiş onamı alındı. Hastaların semptom şiddeti ve fonksiyonel bozukluklarını değerlendirmek üzere Boston sorgulaması kullanıldı. Çalışmaya katılan hastaların ve sağlıklı kontrol grubunun uyku kalitesi Pittsburgh Uyku Kalitesi İndeksi ile değerlendirildi. BULGULAR: Karpal tünel sendromlu hastaların genel uyku kalitesinin kontrol grubuna kıyasla anlamlı olarak daha kötü olduğu saptandı (p=0,046). Pittsburgh skoru bileşenleri ayrıntılı olarak değerlendirildiğinde alışılmış uyku etkinliğinin karpal tünel sendromlu hastalarda anlamlı düzeyde bozulmuş olduğu saptandı (p=0.001). SONUÇ: Uyku kalitesi KTS’li hastalarda anlamlı düzeyde bozulmaktadır ve gece uykuda geçirdikleri toplam süre azalmaktadır.OBJECTIVE: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is defined as entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist. Pain and disestesia that worsen at night are characteristic features of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine sleep quality of patients with CTS and also defining the association between symptom severity, functional impairment with existing sleep disturbance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with CTS according to electrodiagnostic evaluation and 25 healthy volunteers recruited from hospital staff were included into the study. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Boston Questionnaire was used to evaluate symptom severity and functional impairment. Sleep quality of the participants was assessed with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: Overall sleep quality of the CTS patients was significantly worse than control group (p=0.046). Detailed analysis of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index components revealed that habitual sleep efficiency was significantly impaired in patients with CTS (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Sleep quality was significantly disturbed in patients with CTS, and also the total time that patients were asleep was shortened

Common Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms (A1298C & C677T) in Ectopic Trophoblasts and Methotrexate Treatment Failure in Tubal Pregnancies

Objectives: The success rate of methotrexate (MTX) therapy varies among tubal ectopic pregnancies. Commonmethylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms (C677T&amp;A1298C) have been suggested to alter MTX effect. This study aimed to assess and compare MTX treatment failure rates with respect to MTHFR polymorphisms in trophoblasts of ectopic tubal pregnancies.Material and methods: A retrospective chart review of tubal ectopic pregnancies was conducted and 34 eligible cases were found. Paraffinized blocks of ectopic trophoblastic tissues were retrieved from the archives of pathology department.Common MTHFR polymorphisms were studied on microdissected trophoblastic tissues. Sixteen cases with history of failed MTX therapy (study group) and 18 control cases were compared for their pertinent clinical characteristics and common MTHFR polymorphisms (C677T&amp;A1298) data.Results: In the study group, there were 8 (50%) C677T single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and 9 (56.7%) A1298C SNP. Polymorphism rates were not found to be different between two groups for neither polymorphism (p &gt; 0.05 for both). Number of compound heterozygotes was 3 (18.7%) in study group and 5 (27.7%) in controls (p = 0.693). In addition, MTHFR polymorphism presence seemed to have no effect on interval serum β-hCG concentration change in MTX-fail group (p=0.693).Conclusions: Our data implied that common MTHFR polymorphisms of ectopic trophoblastic tissue are not associated with MTX failure in patients with tubal pregnancies. Additionally, serum β-hCG concentration changes caused by MTX treatment and studied MTHFR polymorphisms are likely independent

Evaluation of frequencies of HLA-A, B and DR in thracian population and examination of its relationship with Balkan populations

Amaç: Bu çalışmada Trakya bölgesinde yaşayan Türk popülasyonunun insan lökosit antijenleri (HLA) allel dağılımları belirlendi. Çalışma Planı: Çalışma grubu, üç kuşaktır Trakya bölgesinde yaşayan ve benzer linguistik özellikler gösteren 105 doku vericisinden oluşturuldu. HLAA, B ve DRB1 allellerinin genotiplendirmesinde Polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu-sekans spesifik primer (PZR-SSP) yöntemi kullanıldı. Tüm alleler içinde en sık gözlenenler HLA-A*02 (%20.5), HLA-B*35 (%22.9), HLA-DR*11 (%17.6) oldu. Bulgular: HLA allellerinin frekansları, HLA gen bölgesinin fazla polimorfik yapısından dolayı popülasyonlar arasında farklılık göstermektedir. Dağılımdaki bu farklılıklar ve benzerlikler toplumların birbirleriyle akrabalıklarını ortaya koymada en tercih edilen genetik yaklaşımlardan biridir. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada da diğer Türk popülasyonları ile farklı Balkan popülasyonları arasındaki akrabalıkları belirlemek amacıyla HLA-DR frekansları karşılaştırıldı. Trakya Türklerinin Balkan popülasyonlarına benzer bir HLA-DR dağılımı sergilediği görüldü.Objectives: In this study, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allel frequencies of Thracian Turkish population were determined. Study Design: The study group consisted of 105 tissue donors who live in Thrace region of Turkey for three generations and have similar linguistic features. Polymerase chain reaction-sequencespecific primer (PCR-SSP) method was used for genotyping of HLA-A, B and DRB1 alleles. The most frequent HLA alleles were HLA-A*02 (20.5%), HLA-B*35 (22.9%) and HLA-DR*11 (17.6%). Results: Conclusion: In this study also, HLA-DR allel frequencies were compared in order to determine the relationship between other Turkish populations and Balkan populations. It is observed that Thracian Turkish population has similar HLA-DR distributions with Balkan populations

Comparing Performances of Logistic Regression, Classification & Regression Trees and Artificial Neural Networks for Predicting Albuminuria in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

In this study, performances of classification methods were compared in order to predict the presence of albuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. A retrospective analysis was performed in 266 subjects. We compared performances of logistic regression (LR), classification and regression trees (C&amp;RT) and two artificial neural networks algorithms. Predictor variables were gender, urine creatinine, weight, blood urea, serum albumin, age, creatinine clearance, fasting plasma glucose, post-prandial plasma glucose, and HbA1c. For validation set, the best classification accuracy (84.85%), sensitivity (68.0%) and the highest Youden index (0.63) was found in the MLP model but the specificity was 95.12%. Additionally, the specificity of all the models was close to each other. For whole data set the results were found as 84.21%, 53.95%, 0.50 and 96.32% respectively. Consequently, the model had the highest predictive capability to predict the presence of albuminuria was MLP. According to this model, blood urea and serum albumin were the most important variables for predicting the albuminuria. On the basis of these considerations, we suggest that data should be better explored and processed by high performance modeling methods. Researchers should avoid assessment of data by using only one method in future studies focusing on albuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients or any other clinical condition