The Impact of the Board of Directors’ Size on the Bank’s Performance: Evidence from Turkey

The present study investigates the impact of board of directors’ size on bank performance on a sample of 12 banks’ data that were involved in the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) over the period 2005-2010. We mostly used the methods of regression and correlation in conducting the analyses of the research. The findings of the conducted analyses show negative and statistically significant results between such accounting-based performance indicators as Return on Assets (ROA) along with Return on Equity (ROE) and the banks’ board of directors’ size. The research also reveals the evidence of negative and statistically non-significant results between Tobin's Q as a market-based performance indicator and boards’ size. At the same time the research identifies positive relationship between ROA and ROE with banks’ "Free Float Ratio”, whereas on the contrary, the relationship between ROA and ROE with "Number of Employees per Branch and Risk" is negative. Keywords: Boards of Directors’ size, Bank’s Performance, Corporate Governance, Turkey

Development of a Perception Scale of Private Lesson: A Validity and Reliability Study

The purpose of the research is to develop a valid and reliable perception scale that can measure the perception of math teachers (198) and science teachers (120) towards private lesson. In the validity studies, the exploratory factor analysis was made with the SPSS 25.0 package program after that the confirmatory factor analysis was made with Lisrel 8.71 software. To develop the scale; 1. Creation of Item Pool 2. Obtaining Expert Opinion, 3. Creation of Pre-Trial Form 4. Factor Analysis 5. Confirmatory factor analysis. According to factor analysis; Kaiser Meyer Olkin (KMO) rate; .780; Bartlett test result: 7466.539; Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient is: .901. According to confirmatory factor analysis: Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) 0.043 (.05); p-Value for Test of Close Fit .00 (.05, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) .96, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) .93; Normed Fit Index (NFI) .97; Relative Fit Index (RFI) .96; Incremental Fix Index (IFI): .99; Degrees of Freedom: 38; Root Mean Square Residual (RMR): .037 and NonNormed Fit Index (NNFI): .98. According to research findings, the perception scale is valid and reliable so it can be used to determine math teachers and science teachers’ positive and negative perceptions of private lesson

Simple markers for subclinical inflammation in the different phases of bipolar affective disorder

Abstract Background: Recently, a growing number of publications have suggested that the immune-inflammatory system may be involved in the etiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and red cell distribution width (RDW) in the three different phases of BD patients compared to each other and controls. Methods: One hundred eighty-seven bipolar patients (78 euthymic, 53 manic/hypomanic and 56 depressed), and 62 age and sex matched controls were enrolled. Sociodemographic variables and complete blood count parameters of the patients and the control group were recorded. Results: The groups did not differ from each other on the hematological parameters, except for NLR and RDW. Post-hoc analyses revealed that NLR values were significantly higher in the euthymic and manic/hypomanic bipolar groups compared to control group. In addition, post-hoc analyses revealed that RDW values were significantly higher in the manic/hypomanic bipolar group relative to the control group. Discussion: Longitudinal studies evaluating the levels of inflammatory markers in the early phases of the disorder, and their relationship with the development of different episodes and medical comorbidities may be useful to understand the role of inflam mation in BD

ELEKTRONİK DENEYLERİ İÇİN SANAL LABORATUAR UYGULAMASI

Web tabanlı eşzamansız (asenkron) eğitim son zamanlarda ülkemizde ve dünyada yeni ve gelişen bir eğitim modeli olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Selçuk Üniversitesi Mühendislik Mimarlık Fakültesi Bilgisayar Mühendisliği Bölümünde temel donanım derslerini web tabanlı olarak desteklemek ve deneysel uygulamaların altyapısını oluşturmak üzere bir çalışma amaçlanmıştır. Sanal laboratuar sitesi ile öğrenciler için ders materyalleri hazırlanmış, gerçekleştirilecek uygulamaların benzetimleri (simulation) yapılmış, konu testleri eklenmiş ve bir adet dönem sonu sınavı hazırlanmıştır. Öğrenciler web aracılığı ile ders materyallerine ulaşarak uygulamanın nasıl yapılacağını görmekte, benzetim yaparak kurulacak uygulamanın şemasını ve uygulama sonunda elde edeceği sonuçları görebilmekte, konu testleri alabilmekte ve dönem sonunda bir çevrimiçi sınav alabilmektedir. Temel donanım uygulamalarında öğrencilere faydalı olabilmek amacıyla hazırlanan bu çalışmanın uygulamaya girmesiyle birlikte, öğrencilerin derslere daha hazır gelmeleri, gerçekleştirdikleri deneylerin doğruluğunu görerek emin olmaları, hazırlanan testler sayesinde sınavlara daha iyi hazırlanmaları, geribildirimler sayesinde kendilerini daha iyi değerlendirebilmeleri hedeflenmektedir

Investigation of the effects of mir-219-1 gene variants on the development of disease in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background: Various variants of the miR-219-1 gene are one of the first genes associated with NSCLC prognosis in the literature. Objectives: We aimed to genotype two different variants of the miR-219-1 gene and to investigate to using of the result as a biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC. Materials and Methods: The patients were chosen according to International NSCLC criteria and genomic DNA was isolated from blood (138 patients and 100 healthy individuals). Then qRT-PCR was applied to determine the rs213210 and rs421446 variants of miR-219-1 gene polymorphisms. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared using Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests test. Results: We found that TT genotype (p=0,381) in rs213210 compared with CC genotype (p=0,165) and CC genotype (p=0,823) in rs421446 compared with TT genotype (p=0,537) did not show a significantly increased risk of NSCLC. There is no relationship between polymorphisms in miR-219-1 and the outcome of NSCLC. Conclusion: miRNA single nucleotide polymorphisms can be used as genetic biomarkers to predict cancer susceptibility, early diagnosis, and prognosis. Our study has shown that two variants of miR-219-1 were not related to NSCLC in the Turkish population. The reason for this can be differences in ethnicity, regions, and background of population and these differences could lead to various outcomes. Keywords: NSCLC; miR-219-1 gene; single-nucleotide polymorphisms

Analysis of the psychiatric consultations for inpatients and from the emergency room in a university hospital: A comparison with studies from Turkey

Objective: The aim of this research was to assess the characteristics of the consultations required in a psychiatric department of a university hospital, and the distribution of psychiatric disorders in hospitalized patients and patients admitted to the emergency room. Method: In the study, the data of 539 patients 18 years or older (48.67 ± 20.91 years) (46.8% women) who were hospitalized and who presented to the emergency room between 01/01/2015 and 31/12/2015, and for whom a psychiatric consultation was requested were recorded onto a structured form. Patients' electronic databases were reviewed retrospectively for the specified date range. Descriptive statistical analyzes (frequency of data, distribution, mean, standard deviation) were performed for the data examined in the study. Results: Medical departments (42.9%), surgical departments (31.7%) and the emergency medicine department (25.4%) were the most frequently psychiatric consultation requesting departments. The most frequent requests for consultation were agitation (15.4%), depressive symptoms and signs (14.7%) and suicide attempts (12.2%). The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were depressive disorders (19.5%), delirium (18.2%) and schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (7.4%). Musculoskeletal diseases (17.4%), mental disorders (15.0%), oncologic diseases (14.1%) and suicide attempts (12.2%) were the primary diagnoses of patients. Discussion: Consultation and liaison psychiatry services have an important role in our relationship with other departments in medicine. Priority to training of depressive disorders, delirium and suicide attempts should be offered to healthcare providers working in these departments

Paraoxonase (PON1) L55M and Q192R polymorphisms in major depression and bipolar affective disorder

Background: Oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways, along with immune-inflammatory response, might play an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms underlying major depression and bipolar disorder. Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate paraoxonase 1 polymorphisms and its correlations with disease parameters in patients with major depression and bipolar affective disorder. Methods: PON1 L55M and Q192R single nucleotide polymorphisms were analyzed in a group consisted of 100 patients with major depression, and 100 patients with bipolar affective disorder and 96 healthy controls. Polymorphisms were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction. Results: Our findings reported no association between Q192R and L55M polymorphisms of PON1 and major depression and bipolar disorder. Additionally, there was no association between the PON1 genotypes and disease variables in both depressed and bipolar patients. Discussion: Evaluating the different stages of patients with affective disorders and and investigating the connection between PON1 polymorphisms and treatment outcomes will help us to clarify the relationship between PON1 and mood disorders

Suicide Attempts in Turkish University Students: The Role of Cognitive Style, Hopelessness, Cognitive Reactivity, Rumination, Self-esteem, and Personality Traits

Suicide is one of the major public health problems in young adults. Detecting the risk factors and correlates among university students might help identify students who are under risk and who need early interventions for suicide prevention. The current study aimed to investigate the cognitive style, self-esteem, hopelessness, rumination, cognitive reactivity, and personality characteristics of Turkish university students, who previously attempted suicide and who did not. A total of 355 university students (34 previous suicide attempters) were recruited for this study, and they completed the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the Cognitive Style Questionnaire-Short Form (CSQ), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Higher RRS, BHS, CSQ scores and lower TIPI-A and RSES scores were significantly associated with a previous suicide attempt. Negative cognitive style, hopelessness, and rumination were significant correlates of a previous suicide attempt. These cognitive factors may be targets in psychotherapy to reduce suicide attempts in college-age individuals