Relationship between financial crisis and foreign direct investment in developing countries using semiparametric regression approach

This paper analyzes whether and to what extent the inflow of FDI is affected before and after the occurence of a financial crisis in developing countries. The paper uses a semiparametric Generalized Partial Linear Models (GPLM) regression approach to check the appropriateness and effectiveness of financial crisis in the FDI regression model. The results indicate that FDI inflows decrease in the years after a financial crisis and an upturn in FDI inflows the year before a financial crisis hit the country. Santrauka Straipsnyje keliamas klausimas ‐ kokia kryptimi ir kokiu stiprumu tiesioginiu užsienio investiciju (TUI) iplaukas i besivystančios šalies šeimininkes ūki veikia finansu. krize kapitala priimančioje šaly‐je. Autoriu formuluojamoms hipotezems patvirtinti ar paneigti naudojamas semiparametres regresijos modelis. Gauti rezultatai rodo, kad TUI turi tendencija mažeti ne tik finansu. krizes metais. Būdamos inertiškos, TUI mažeja net finansu. krizei besivystančioje šalyje pasibaigus. First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010 Reikšminiai žodžiai: semiparametres regresijos modelis, finansnkrize, tiesiogines užsienio investicijos, besivystančios šaly

Effects of robotic rehabilitation on walking and balance in pediatric patients with hemiparetic cerebral palsy

Background: The most prominent characteristics of hemiparetic cerebral palsy (hCP) children are structural and functional asymmetries. These children have low walking speeds, endurance and poor balance. The robotic walking devices repeat and experience symmetrical stepping at the corresponding speed and angles of the lower extremities. Research Question 1: Are robotic walking devices effective in the development of walking in hCP children who can walk? Research Question 2: How does the aerobic exercise experience with assisted and symmetrical movement affect the walking and local muscle, peripheral oxygenation of children with hCP? Methods: This prospective, controlled study included 24 children with hCP. All children attended to a standard physiotherapy rehabilitation (PTR) program (three days a week for 12 weeks); those in the study group (n =12) also attended to an Robotic Gait Training (RGT) program three times a week. Evaluations performed before treatment, after treatment, and at the 3rd month after treatment included assessment of balance, functionality walking and measurements for oxygenation of vastus lateralis muscle and peripheral oxygenation.Results: The evaluations were similar for both groups before treatment. After treatment, walking speed, endurance and peripheral O2 saturation were increased and balance abilities and functional performances improved in the RGT group as compared with the pre-treatment evaluations; these improvements in balance and functional performance were generally preserved after 3 months of treatment. An increase in 6-min walking distance and a partial increase in gross motor functions and functional muscle strength were observed in the control group; however, these abilities were not preserved after the treatment. Significance: RGT can provide a faster and higher effect on the development of functional muscle strength, balance, walking speed and endurance than the standard PTR program. It improves functional walking performance. RGT can be used for aerobic exercise training in children with walking hCP

Sleep patterns of young children with newly diagnosed atopic dermatitis

Introduction : Even though atopic dermatitis (AD) most often begins in the first year of life, it is not well known whether sleep disturbances occur following the onset of the disease or whether they develop later. Aim : To determine the sleep patterns of young children already diagnosed with AD in comparison to a control group by using a validated questionnaire, the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ). Material and methods: Forty-six children with a new diagnosis of AD and 60 healthy children, aged 3–36 months, participated in the study. Their sleep behaviors were assessed using the BISQ along with a structured sociodemographic data form. Results: It was found that when compared with healthy children, children with AD did not have decreased daily total sleep duration (p = 0.1); however, it was found that they woke up more frequently at night (52.2% vs. 40%, p = 0.4) and they stayed awake significantly longer than 60 min when they woke up (41.3% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.05). In addition, mothers of children with AD reported that their children had three times as many sleep problems compared to the reports of mothers of healthy children. Conclusions : The findings of this study showed that sleep disturbance was more common in young children with already diagnosed AD, and the BISQ provided a practical way to assess the sleep patterns. The use of a screening tool to enable early identification and treatment of childhood sleep problems among patients with AD should be encouraged

Re-examining the characteristics of pediatric multiple sclerosis in the era of antibody-associated demyelinating syndromes

Background: The discovery of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-IgG and anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4)-IgG and the observation on certain patients previously diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) actually have an antibody-mediated disease mandated re-evaluation of pediatric MS series. Aim: To describe the characteristics of recent pediatric MS cases by age groups and compare with the cohort established before 2015. Method: Data of pediatric MS patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2021 were collected from 44 pediatric neurology centers across Turkiye. Clinical and paraclinical features were compared between patients with dis-ease onset before 12 years (earlier onset) and >= 12 years (later onset) as well as between our current (2015-2021) and previous (< 2015) cohorts. Results: A total of 634 children (456 girls) were enrolled, 89 (14%) were of earlier onset. The earlier-onset group had lower female/male ratio, more frequent initial diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), more frequent brainstem symptoms, longer interval between the first two attacks, less frequent spinal cord involvement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and lower prevalence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-restricted oligoclonal bands (OCBs). The earlier-onset group was less likely to respond to initial disease-modifying treatments. Compared to our previous cohort, the current series had fewer patients with onset < 12 years, initial presentation with ADEM-like features, brainstem or cerebellar symptoms, seizures, and spinal lesions on MRI. The female/male ratio, the frequency of sensorial symptoms, and CSF-restricted OCBs were higher than reported in our previous cohort. Conclusion: Pediatric MS starting before 12 years was less common than reported previously, likely due to exclusion of patients with antibody-mediated diseases. The results underline the importance of antibody testing and indicate pediatric MS may be a more homogeneous disorder and more similar to adult-onset MS than previously thought

The predictors of long-COVID in the cohort of Turkish Thoracic Society- TURCOVID multicenter registry: One year follow-up results

Objective: To evaluate long-term effects of COVID-19, and to determine the risk factors in long-COVID in a cohort of the Turkish Thoracic Society (TTS)-TURCOVID multicenter registry.Methods: Thirteen centers participated with 831 patients; 504 patients were enrolled after exclusions. The study was designed in three-steps: (1) Phone questionnaire; (2) retrospective evaluation of the medical records; (3) face-to-face visit. Results: In the first step, 93.5% of the patients were hospitalized; 61.7% had a history of pneumonia at the time of diagnosis. A total of 27.1% reported clinical symptoms at the end of the first year. Dyspnea (17.00%), fatigue (6.30%), and weakness (5.00%) were the most prevalent long-term symptoms. The incidence of long-term symptoms was increased by 2.91 fold (95% CI 1.04-8.13, P=0.041) in the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and by 1.84 fold (95% CI 1.10-3.10, P=0.021) in the presence of pneumonia at initial diagnosis, 3.92 fold (95% Cl 2.29-6.72, P=0.001) of dyspnea and 1.69 fold (95% Cl 1.02-2.80, P=0.040) fatigue persists in the early-post-treatment period and 2.88 fold (95% Cl 1.52- 5.46, P=0.001) in the presence of emergency service admission in the post COVID period. In step 2, retrospective analysis of 231 patients revealed that 1.4% of the chest X-rays had not significantly improved at the end of the first year, while computed tomography (CT) scan detected fibrosis in 3.4%. In step 3, 138 (27.4%) patients admitted to face-to-face visit at the end of first year; at least one symptom persisted in 49.27% patients. The most common symptoms were dyspnea (27.60%), psychiatric symptoms (18.10%), and fatigue (17.40%). Thorax CT revealed fibrosis in 2.4% patients. Conclusions: COVID-19 symptoms can last for extended lengths of time, and severity of the disease as well as the presence of comorbidities might contribute to increased risk. Long-term clinical issues should be regularly evaluated after COVID-19

Post-discharge mortality in the first wave of COVID-19 in Turkey

© 2022 Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine.Objective: To determine post-discharge mortality and associated factors of the first-wave multicenter Turkish Thoracic Society (TTD)-TURCOVID study. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the data of 18 of 26 centers included in the first TTD-TURCOVID study, and 1 112 cases diagnosed with COVID-19 between 11 March and 31 July 2020 participated in the study. All causes of death after COVID-19 discharge were recorded. Results: The mean age of the patients was (51.07±16.93) years, with 57.6% male patients. In the cohort group, 89.1% of COVID-19 treatment locations were hospital wards, 3.6% were intensive care units (ICUs), and 7.2% were community outpatients. In the longterm follow-up, the in-hospital mortality rate was 3.6% (95% CI 2.64.8), the post-discharge mortality rate was 2.8% (95% CI 1.9-3.9), and the total mortality was 6.3% (95% CI 5.0-7.8). After discharge, 63.3% of mortality overall occurred during the first six months. Mortality rates in post-discharge follow-ups were 12.7% (95% CI 8.0-30.6) in cancer patients, 10.8% (95% CI 6.3-22.9) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, 11.1% (95% CI 4.4-22.7) in heart failure patients, 7.8 (95% CI 3.8-14.3) in atherosclerotic heart disease patients, and 2.3% (95% CI 0.8-5.6) in diabetes mellitus patients. In smokers/ex-smokers, the all-mortality rates were higher than in non-smokers. Conclusions: This multicenter study showed that patients over 65 years of age, males, former/active smoker, ICU stay, lung, heart disease, and malignancy should be followed up for at least the first six months after discharge due to COVID-19