Accurate Binary Decisions For Assessing Coronary Artery Disease

Generalized linear models offer convenient and highly applicable tools for modeling and predicting the behavior of random variables in terms of observable factors and covariates. This paper investigates applications of a special case of generalized linear model to improve the accuracy of predictions and decisions adopting Bayesian methods, in the specific context of assessing coronary artery disease. The basic model is developed for this application using binary response. The results clearly demonstrate the potential advantages offered by this approach

Model selection in multivariate adaptive regressions splines (MARS) using alternative information criteria

Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) is a useful non-parametric regression analysis method that can be used for model selection in high-dimensional data. Since MARS can identify and model complex, non-linear relationships between the dependent variable and independent variables without requiring any assumptions, it has advantage over simple linear regression techniques. Also, for simplifying the model building process and preventing overfitting, MARS can select automatically the variables to be included in the model, which is useful for datasets with many variables. While MARS is a flexible non-parametric regression method, generalized cross validation (GCV) technique is used within the MARS framework to avoid overfitting and to select the best model. GCV criterion is widely used and can be effective in many situations, however it has some criticism. These criticism are the arbitrary value of the smoothing parameter used in the algorithm of the GCV criterion and the models obtained using this criterion are high-dimensional. In this paper, it is aimed to obtain the barest model that best explains the relationship between the dependent variable and independent variables by using alternative information criteria (Akaike information criterion (AIC), Schwarz Bayesian criterion (SBC) and information complexity criterion (ICOMP(IFIM)PEU)) instead of the use of smoothing parameters in order to put an end to the criticism. To achieve this goal, a simulation study was first conducted with a data set composed of variables that do and do not contribute to the dependent variable to test the success of the information criteria. As a consequence of this simulation work, when variables (which do not contribute to the dependent variable) are not included in the regression model, it demonstrates the success of the criteria in model selection. As a real data set, the reasons for loan defaults were investigated between the years 2005–2019 by utilizing data from 18 banks operating in Türkiye. The results obtained reveal the success of ICOMP(IFIM)PEU criterion in model selection

COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT FOOT BASE SIZES WITH Y BALANCE TEST PERFORMANCE IN SEDENTARY WOMEN

Recently, the effects of some physical fitness variables on performance have emerged as popular research topics for many researchers working in the field of sports sciences. Factors affecting this performance, which is the center of attention of researchers, bring along many different studies. A group of 40 women with a sedentary lifestyle residing in Gaziantep participated voluntarily. 24 hours before the start of the study, the subjects were asked to make preparations for the workout, were informed regarding the details of the research, were asked to wear clothes in the manner required by this study. Care was taken for the subjects participating in the study to be selected by individuals whose age, height, weight and body mass index values were close to each other. In addition, the subjects selected for our study were selected from healthy individuals without anatomical disorders by determining the lower and upper limits of foot sole and foot comb measurements. The tests used in the study were carried out in the Indoor Sports Hall by using the necessary tools and equipment and by resting the participants in the test. In this study, in order to evaluate balance performance, which is an important factor in sportive performances, Y balance scores will be compared with foot sole and comb measurements and the results will be tried to contribute to science. Article visualizations

Evaluating Value-at-Risk in BIST Using Copula Approach

Modelling dependence structure between variables is commonly investigated in literature. A large variety of methods have been improved in recent times. One of the methods is the copula which models accurately dependency regardless of marginal distributions. In this paper Value-at-Risk (VaR) is computed using the copulas. It is assumed that the dependency does not vary through time since small time interval is used. The study composes of two steps. In the first step the best fitted copula is determined by ML (Maximum likelihood). In the second step equal-weighted portfolio analysis is performed by joint distribution function obtained from the copula and maximum possible losses of the portfolio are evaluated. The main challenge in portfolio analysis is that joint distribution function for stocks cannot be correctly constructed by considering dependence structure among them. We obtain joint distribution function for stocks using the copula approach that has been commonly used in recent times. After the best fitted copula is determined using the criterions such as AIC (Akaike information criterion) and SBC (Schwar

RESEARCH OF THE EFFECTS OF FOOT SIZES ON QUICKNESS AND AGILITY PERFORMANCE IN SEDENTARY WOMEN

In this study, it was aimed to research the effect of foot sole measurements on quickness and agility in sedentary women aged 14-16 years. Eighty women living in Gaziantep city center and leading a sedentary lifestyle participated in the study voluntarily. In measuring the foot length and comb width of the subjects, the soles of the feet were placed on a clean paper and the sensitivity was measured with a 0.01 m stadiometer (SECA, Germany) in accordance with the desired measurement technique. Illinois agility test is used to measure the agility values of the subjects. 5 meter quickness test was used. As a result of the statistical analysis of the data obtained from the study; It was observed that the differences in foot sole dimensions had an effect on the quickness and agility performance values. It is thought that individuals with longer and wider soles may have more developed balance skills due to the pressure distribution on the soles of their feet, and this may positively affect the values of quickness and agility. Article visualizations

Management of rectal foreign bodies

BACKGROUND: Entrapped anorectal foreign bodies are being encountered more frequently in clinical practice. Although entrapped foreign bodies are most often related to sexual behavior, they can also result from ingestion or sexual assault. METHODS: Between 1999 and 2009, 15 patients with foreign bodies in the rectum were diagnosed and treated, at Izmir Training and Research Hospital, in Izmir. Information regarding the foreign body, clinical presentation, treatment strategies, and outcomes were documented. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of these unusual patients. RESULTS: All patients were males, and their mean age was 48 years (range, 33–68 years). The objects in the rectum of these 15 patients were an impulse body spray can (4 patients), a bottle (4 patients), a dildo (2 patient), an eggplant (1 patient), a brush (1 patient), a tea glass (1 patient), a ball point pen (1 patient) and a wishbone (1 patient, after oral ingestion). Twelve objects were removed transanally by anal dilatation under general anesthesia. Three patients required laparotomy. Routine rectosigmoidoscopic examination was performed after removal. One patient had perforation of the rectosigmoid and 4 had lacerations of the mucosa. None of the patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Foreign bodies in the rectum should be managed in a well-organized manner. The diagnosis is confirmed by plain abdominal radiographs and rectal examination. Manual extraction without anaesthesia is only possible for very low-lying objects. Patients with high- lying foreign bodies generally require general anaesthesia to achieve complete relaxation of the anal sphincters to facilitate extraction. Open surgery should be reserved only for patients with perforation, peritonitis, or impaction of the foreign body

Financial Crisis - U.K. Policy and Regulatory Response

WOS: 000405283200015PubMed ID: 2875201

Interrupted inferior vena cava and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return with atrial septal defect in a 38-year-old adult: a case report

We present a woman having congenital anomalies of the inferior vena cava and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return from the right lung with atrial septal defect in a 38-year-old. Congenital anomalies of inferior vena cava are rare. They are seen more often in young males. If there are not other anomalies, they are latent for a long time. Peripheral venous thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, dyspnea and fatigue are often the first symptoms of these anomalies. Surgical repair of atrial septal defect with partial anomalous pulmonary venous return include provision of durably unobstructed systemic and pulmonary venous pathways, closure of the atrial septal defect, and avoidance of arrhythmias. The diagnosis has been determined by compression ultrasonography with color doppler assessment, multidetector computed tomography angiography and echocardiography

Studying the nonreligious quests in Turkey: A conceptual framework for the tendencies of disengagement and departure from religion

Dinden uzaklaşma meselesine odaklanan bazı yeni din sosyolojisi çalışmaları, İngiltere, Almanya, Kanada gibi Batı toplumlarında sekülerizmin nüfusun çoğunluğunun içine doğduğu, düşünmeden kabul ettiği, sıradan bir olgu haline geldiğini; hatta bu durumun kendine has bir alt kültür yarattığını; dinden uzaklaşmanın özgül beğeni ve davranış kalıplarının ve dine benzer ritüellerinin ortaya çıktığını iddia ediyorlar. Bu makalede önce Batı literatüründe “nonreligion” kavramı altında çalışılan ve bizim lâdînîlik olarak adlandırmayı önerdiğimiz din dışı arayışlar olgusunun kavramsal içeriğini, sonrasında ise Türkiye’deki gelişmeleri anlamak için bu kavrama ilişkin nasıl bir yaklaşım benimsenebileceğini tartışacağız. İşe neden lâdinî kavramını seçtiğimizi ve bu kavramı ne anlamda kullandığımızı söyleyerek başlayacak; literatürdeki lâdinîlik tartışmasını “negatif” ve “pozitif” olarak iki başlık altında ele aldıktan sonra meseleye “ilişkisel” açıdan yaklaşmanın en uygun yol olduğunu iddia edeceğiz.Recent sociology of religion studies focusing on the issue of disengagement from religion argue that in Western societies (i.e. UK, Germany and Canada) secularism is an ordinary phenomenon that everyone accepts without thinking and/or they are born into. This ordinary phenomenon has even created a subculture of its own. However, the move away from religion has its own taste and behavior patterns and rituals similar to religion. In the last two decades, there has been a scholarly interest to explore the newly emerged concept of nonreligion. In this article, first, we attempt to examine the conceptual framework of nonreligious beliefs, practices and experiences which is studied in the Western literature under the concept of nonreligion, and which we propose to call “lâdînîlik” in Turkish. Then we discuss what kind of approach can be adopted to understand the developments in Turkey with this concept. We begin with explaining why we have chosen the term 'lâdinî' and what we mean by this term. Then, after reviewing the discussions on “lâdînîlik” in the literature under two headings "negative" and "positive", we argue that approaching the issue from a "relational" perspective is the most appropriate way to understand this complex issue

Child-Pugh classification dependent alterations in serum leptin levels among cirrhotic patients: a case controlled study

BACKGROUND: As anorexia and hypermetabolism are common in cirrhosis, leptin levels may be increased in this disease. In this study, we investigated the relation between the severity of disease and serum leptin levels in post-hepatitis cirrhosis and the role of body composition, gender and viral aetiology of cirrhosis in this association. METHODS: Thirty-five cases with post-hepatitis cirrhosis and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Body composition including body mass index, body fat percentage and body fat mass were determined. Serum leptin levels were assayed. RESULTS: Leptin levels were significantly higher among cirrhotic patients independent of sex compared to controls (p = 0.001). Female patients in both groups have had higher leptin levels than males (in cirrhotics p = 0.029, in controls p = 0.02). Cirrhotic patients in each of A, B and C subgroups according to the Child- Pugh classification revealed significantly different levels compared to controls (p = 0.046, p = 0.004, p = 0.0001, respectively). Male cirrhotics in Child-Pugh Class B and C subgroups had significantly higher leptin levels compared to male controls (p = 0.006, p = 0.008). On the other hand, female patients only in Child Pugh class C subgroup have had higher levels of serum leptin compared to controls (p = 0.022). Child-Pugh classification has been found to be the sole discriminator in determination of leptin levels in cirrhotics by linear regression (beta: 0.435 p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels increase in advanced liver disease independently of gender, body composition in posthepatitic cirrhosis. The increase is more abundant among patients that belong to C subgroup according to the Child- Pugh classification