Effect of MDR C3435T polymorphism on Varenicline treatment in quit smoking

Despite so many global efforts, smoking still remains to be one of the most common addictions worldwide. Even though most smokers wish to quit smoking, many of them fail. In this respect, genetic variants are thought to be remarkable factors in nicotine dependence and in treatment of smoking cessation. This is a paper investigating a single variant p-glycoprotein (P-gp) polymorphisms and its effect on Varenicline efficacy in the smoking cessation. 158 smokers and 52 non-smoker healthy volunteers were included. We determined the P-gp C3435T gene polymorphisms in all subjects. Face to face interviews with smokers were performed for smoking cessation and Varenicline was given for smoking cessation. Cessation success was evaluated in the 6th month and success rates were compared according to the P-gp genotype distributions. In our study, smoking cessation rate by Varenicline was 57.0%. This rate was 55.0% in females, and 57.2% in males (p=0.85). The P-gp C3435T gene distribution was similar in control, quitters and not-quitter groups. Cessation rate was at highest point in genotype CT (62.2%) and at the lowest in TT (47.6%). It was 53.8% in genotype CC and there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.27). Our results suggest that genetic variants of P-gp C3435T did not significantly affect Varenicline treatment for smoking cessation

The relationship between income ınequality and financial development: Panel data analysis

If all classes of society cannot benefit equally from the blessings of growth, although economic growth rates reach the desired level, an income inequality problem arises. At a time when income inequality is growing at the global level, governments are looking for various remedies to establish a more equitable distribution of income. Regulation and improvement of financial markets and ensuring financial development are among the solution offers. In this study, the relationship between income inequality and financial development in the period of 2000-2015 was examined for 30 countries. The countries covered are divided into three groups as the countries with the best, medium, and poor performance in terms of financial development. Panel data-based analyses were used. In this context, the Durbin-Hausman panel cointegration test and Common Correlated Error (CCE) coefficient estimator were applied. The findings proved the existence of a long-term relationship between the variables in all country groups. As a result of coefficient estimates, it was determined that the inverted U-hypothesis was valid for the countries with the best performance, the mixed results for the countries with a medium performance, and the partially inequality-narrowing hypothesis was valid for the countries with poor performance

Innovative logistics concepts for a versatile and flexible manufacturing of lot size one

Due to the high amount of car models and the increasing number of variations in the premium car segment, production logistics in the automobile industry will face new challenges. Conventional logistics concepts such as Henry Ford and Frederick Taylor’s conveyor technique will become rare. While conveyors are best-practice for high output and economical production, they are inflexible with high variations. Moreover, an assortment of different parts have to be provided at the line, which results in space constraints and inefficiency in increasing product variety. Hence, it is necessary to focus on contemporary logistics concepts and equipment in order to cope with customer demand when producing in lot size one. Therefore, various logistics concepts and components have been developed by the Institute of Mechanical Handling and Logistics (IFT) of the University of Stuttgart over recent years. The new logistics concepts are more versatile and enable a more flexible and changeable production logistics for a wide range of different products. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the current situation of the innovative production logistics concepts and describe possibilities for further developments

Küreselleşmenin enerji tüketimi üzerindeki etkisi: EAGLEs ülkelerinden kanıtlar

Energy is seen as one of the critical inputs of the production process to ensure countries' economic and social development. Due to the increasing economic integration between countries in recent years, the relationship between globalization and energy consumption is frequently discussed. To contribute to the discussions on this subject, the effect of the globalization process on energy consumption was investigated in this study. In addition to globalization, economic growth, urbanization, and changes in public expenditures on energy consumption are also examined. In this context, panel data analysis was made for the period 1990-2019 by using annual data of 9 countries called EAGLEs (Emerging and Growth-leading Economies). The analysis framework applied cross-section dependency and Pesaran's (2007) CADF (Cross Sectional Dickey-Fuller) unit root tests. Then, coefficient estimates were made with the random-effects model. The findings show that the increase in globalization increases energy consumption. In addition, it has been determined that economic growth, included in the model as a control variable, has an increasing effect on energy consumption. In addition, it has been observed that the increase in urbanization has reduced effects on energy consumption, but the change in public expenditures has no effect.Enerji, ülkelerin ekonomik ve sosyal gelişmelerini sağlamaları bakımından üretim sürecinin önemli girdilerinden biri olarak görülmektedir. Son yıllarda ülkeler arasında artan ekonomik entegrasyona bağlı olarak küreselleşme ile enerji tüketimi arasındaki ilişki sıklıkla tartışılmaktadır. Bu konudaki tartışmalara katkı sağlamak amacıyla bu çalışmada küreselleşme sürecinin enerji tüketimine olan etkisi araştırılmıştır. Küreselleşmenin yanında ekonomik büyüme, kentleşme ve kamu harcamalarındaki değişimin de enerji tüketimi üzerindeki etkisi belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu kapsamda EAGLEs (Yükselen ve Büyümede Öncü Ekonomiler) olarak adlandırılan 9 ülkeye ait yıllık veriler kullanılarak 1990-2019 dönemi için panel veri analizi yapılmıştır. Analiz çerçevesinde, ilk olarak yatay kesit bağımlılığı ve Pesaran (2007)’nin CADF (Cross Sectional Dickey-Fuller) birim kök testleri uygulanmıştır. Daha sonra tesadüfi etkiler modeliyle katsayı tahminleri yapılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular küreselleşme düzeyindeki artışın enerji tüketimini arttırdığını göstermiştir. Ayrıca kontrol değişken niteliğinde modele dahil edilen ekonomik büyümenin de enerji tüketimini arttırıcı etkilerde bulunduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca enerji tüketiminde kentleşmedeki artışın azaltıcı etkilerinin olduğu fakat kamu harcamalarındaki değişimin bir etkisinin olmadığı görülmüştür

Enerji tüketimi ve finansal gelişme: Saklı eşbütünleşme ile MENA ülkelerinden kanıtlar

Enerji, ekonomilerin gelişmeleri hakkında ipucu veren önemli bir parametredir. Ülkelerdeki enerji tüketimi ekonomik yapıyı özetlemektedir. Günümüzde ekonomik büyümenin reel sektör belirleyicileri dışında dikkat çeken bileşeni finansal gelişme olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu çalışmada enerji tüketimi ve finansal gelişme ilişkisi MENA ülkeleri için incelenmiştir. 1980-2017 dönemini ele alan araştırmada ekonometrik analizler Hatemi J (2011) Panel Saklı Eşbütünleşme Testi ve Panel VECM analizi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Test sonuçları değişkenlerin orijinal değerleri arasında eşbütünleşme olmadığını, fakat pozitif ve negatif bileşenlerinin bazıları arasında uzun dönemli bir ilişkinin olduğunu göstermiştir. Dolayısıyla seriler arasında saklı eşbütünleşme olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu bulgular ışığında değişkenlerinin bileşenleri arasında eşbütünleşme ve özellikle de uzun dönem nedensellik ilişkisi olması finansal gelişme göstergelerindeki değişikliğin enerji tüketimi üzerinde etkili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.Energy is an important parameter that gives clues about the developments in economies. Energy consumption (EC) in countries gives a summary of the economic structures of those countries. Today, the attention-grabbing component of economic growth, apart from the real sector determinants, is considered to be financial development. In this study, the relationship between EC and financial development in MENA countries is examined. Econometric analyzes are carried out by Hatemi J (2011) Panel Hidden Cointegration Test and Panel VECM analysis in the study covering the period between 1980 and 2017. The test results have showed that there is no cointegration between the original values of the variables, but there is a long-term relationship between some of the positive and negative components. Therefore, it has been determined that there is a hidden cointegration between the series. In light of these findings, the cointegration and especially the long-term causality relationship between the components of the variables reveal that the change in financial development indicators is effective on energy consumption

Avrupa Birliği ülkelerinde cari işlemler hesabının sürdürülebilirlik analizi: FADF ve FKSS birim kök testleri

This paper investigates the sustainability of the current account in 27 European Union countries over the period 2005Q1-2020Q3. First, series which is considered as the ratio of the current account to gross domestic product, was applied to the traditional unit root test ADF and the nonlinear unit root test KSS. According to the ADF test, the current account was stationary in 9 countries and according to the KSS test, current account was stationary in 5 countries. Later, nonlinear FADF and FKSS unit root tests based on Fourier were applied. According to the unit root tests results, series were found stationary in 10 countries for FADF and 3 countries for FKSS. ADF and KSS test results are valid for countries whose trigonometric terms are insignificant. According to these results, it can be said that Fourier terms should be considered in unit root tests on the current account.Bu çalışmada 27 Avrupa Birliği Ülkesinin 2005Q1-2020Q3 periyodu için cari işlemler hesabının sürdürülebilirliğinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Cari işlemler hesabının gayri safi yurtiçi hasılaya oranı olarak ele alınan seriye ilk olarak geleneksel birim kök testlerinden ADF ve doğrusal olmayan birim kök testlerinden KSS testi uygulanmıştır. ADF testine göre 9, KSS testine göre ise 5 ülkede cari işlemler hesabının durağan olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Daha sonra fourier temelli doğrusal olmayan FADF ve FKSS birim kök testlerine yer verilmiştir. Test sonuçlarına göre FADF için 10, FKSS için 3 ülkede durağanlığa rastlanmıştır. Trigonometrik terimleri anlamsız bulunan ülkeler için ADF ve KSS testi sonuçları geçerlidir. Bu sonuçlara göre, cari işlemler hesabı üzerine yapılan birim kök sınamalarında fourier terimlerinin dikkate alınması gerektiği söylenebili

Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Matematiksel Etkinlik Kavramına Dair Algıları

This study examines elementary and secondary school mathematics teachers’ perceptions of educational activities. The data were collected via questionnaires with an open-ended item. The datacollection took place in the southern part of Turkey and 252 mathematics teachers participated in thestudy. Of all, 127 were teachers at elementary level and 125 were teaching secondary level. To analyzethe data, teachers’ definitions are categorized and the frequency of each category is determined.Findings suggest that the participant teachers’ perceptions of educational activities vary widely andmany have a reductionist perception of this notion. Teachers at elementary level are also observed toput more emphasis on visualization and concretization while secondary school mathematics teachersrefer more to discovery and problem solving.Bu çalışmada ilk ve ortaöğretim matematik öğretmenlerinin matematiksel etkinlik kavramına dair algıları incelenmiştir. Verilerin toplanması aşamasında öğretmenlere matematiksel etkinliğintanımı ile ilgili bir anket yöneltilmiştir. Bu kapsamda Türkiye’nin güneyindeki bir ilinde görevyapan 127’si ilköğretim matematik, 125'i ortaöğretim matematik öğretmeni olmak üzere toplam252 öğretmenin matematiksel etkinlik kavramına dair algıları analiz edilmiştir. Analiz kapsamındakatılımcıların cevaplarından temalar oluşturulmuş ve bu temaların frekansları karşılaştırılmıştır.Sonuç olarak öğretmenlerin tanımlarının çeşitlilik gösterdiği ve bir kısmının etkinlik konusundaçok dar bir bakış açısına sahip olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca, matematiksel etkinlik tanımlarında,ilköğretim matematik öğretmenleri somutlaştırmayı ve görselleştirmeyi, ortaöğretim matematiköğretmenleri ise keşfetme/fark ettirme ve alıştırma yapmayı ön plana çıkarmışlardır

Phosphine Resistance in Turkish Populations of Sitophilus oryzae (L., 1763) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

In this study, the status of phosphine resistance in Sitophilus oryzae (L.,1763) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations collected from Sanliurfa, Adana and Kahramanmara province in Turkey were investigated by conducting the discriminating concentration tests and the concentration-mortality bioassays. Low (0.04 mg/L) and high (0.20 mg/L) discriminating concentration tests indicated that there was phosphine resistance of S. oryzae. The survival rates of field population of S. oryzae in Sanliurfa, Adana and Kahramanmara ranged from 0 to 99%, 0 to 90% and 0 to 89% at the low discriminating concentration while it ranged from 0 to 83%, 0 to 46.5% and 0 to 28.5% at the high discriminating concentration respectively. Based on 50% mortality level (LC50), the Sanliurfa 4, Adana 7 and Kahramanmara 8 populations were 57.5, 28.9, and 16.3 times more resistant, respectively, than the susceptible population (Kahramanmara 4). In conclusion, this study revealed that phosphine resistance in S. oryzae is high in the examined areas of Turkey and some populations have levels of resistance that may pose challenges to the continued use of phosphine for their management

Digital sound synthesis via parallel evolutionary optimization (Paralel evrimsel eniyileme ile sayısal ses sentezleme)

In this research, we propose a novel parallelizable architecture for the optimization of various sound synthesis parameters. The architecture employs genetic algorithms to match the parameters of different sound synthesizer topologies to target sounds. The fitness function is evaluated in parallel to decrease its convergence time. Based on the proposed architecture, we have implemented a framework using the SuperCollider audio synthesis and programming environment and conducted several experiments. The results of the experiments have shown that the framework can be utilized for accurate estimation of the sound synthesis parameters at promising speeds

Reflections of Geopolitical Risk on Foreign Direct Investments: The Case of Türkiye

A way to achieve sustainable economic growth in developing countries is to increase investments with domestic savings. However, not every country has an equal opportunity in terms of domestic savings. The desired level of investment expenditures cannot be reached in countries with a savings gap. In this case, foreign direct investment (FDI) becomes more valuable in meeting countries’ investment needs. Nevertheless, companies may not behave very bravely in their investment actions in other countries. There is a considerable risk and uncertainty avoidance in the nature of investment because uncertainty and risk are accepted as harbingers of instability for a country. Since the main goal of companies is to make a profit, they may start thinking that they will not have the opportunity to make a profit in an unstable economy. Hence, the risk perception in the investment environment must be low for developing countries to become attractive for FDI inflows. Geopolitical risks, as well as economic, political, and strategic risks that countries will be exposed to, are important indicators considered in FDI inflows. Literature research shows that investors are aggressive in investing with a profit appetite and, with exceptions, are sensitive to geopolitical risks. In other words, FDI decreases in countries where geopolitical risks tend to increase. The present study tested the validity of this assumption in the literature for Türkiye. The impact of geopolitical risks on FDI was analyzed with the ARDL Boundary Test Approach for the period 1985-2020. FDI inflows were used as the dependent variable, and the Geopolitical Risk (GPR) Index, a measure of geopolitical risk, was used as the independent variable. Moreover, growth, globalization, and inflation are the other independent variables analyzed. The test results demonstrated the negative effect of the increase in the GPR index on FDI inflows. In terms of the results obtained, the study provides an important perspective on the prioritization of the geopolitical risk factor in the evaluation of foreign investment performance