Low skeletal muscle mass index is associated with function and nutritional status in residents in a Turkish nursing home

Introduction: To determine the prevalence of low muscle mass (LMM) and the relationship between LMM with functional and nutritional status as defined using the LMM evaluation method of European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria among male residents in a nursing home.

Methods: Male residents aged?>60 years of a nursing home located in Turkey were included in our study. Their body mass index (BMI) kg/m², skeletal muscle mass (SMM-kg) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI-kg/m²) were calculated. The participants were regarded as having low SMMI if they had SMMI?<9.2?kg/m² according to our population specific cut-off point. Functional status was evaluated with Katz activities of daily living (ADL) and Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Nutritional assessment was performed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). The number of drugs taken and chronic diseases were recorded.

Results: One hundred fifty-seven male residents were enrolled into the study. Their mean age was 73.1?±?6.7 years with mean ADL score of 8.9?±?2.0 and IADL score of 8.7?±?4.6. One hundred twelve (71%) residents were aged?>70 years. Thirty-five men (23%) had low SMMI in group aged?>60 years, and twenty-eight subjects (25%) in the group aged?>70 years. MNA scores were significantly lower in residents with low SMMI compared with having normal SMMI (17.1?±?3.4 versus 19.6?±?2.5, p?=?0.005). BMI was significantly lower in the residents with low SMMI compared with normal SMMI (19.6?±?2.7 versus 27.1?±?4.1, p70 years (8.1?±?2.6 versus 9.1?±?1.6, p?=?0.014). In regression analyses, the only factor associated with better functional status was the lower age (p?=?0.04) while the only factor associated with better nutrition was higher SMMI (p?=?0.01).

Conclusions: Low SMMI detected by LMM evaluation method of EWGSOP criteria is prevalent among male nursing home residents. There is association of low SMMI with nutritional status and probably with functional status within the nursing home setting using the EWGSOP criteria with Turkish normative reference cut-off value.     

Psychometric Properties of the Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale–Turkish (LGBIS-TR)

The aim of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS; Mohr & Kendra, 2011) in a Turkish sample. Three hundred and ten LGB individuals participated and completed the Turkish version of the LGBIS (LGBIS-TR) along with the Satisfaction with Life, Positive and Negative Affect, and Self-Compassion Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis results yielded a good-fit for eight subscales of the LGBIS-TR. We also obtained satisfactory criterion validity and internal consistency reliability. Based on this initial study, the LGBIS-TR appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument to gauge LGB individuals’ identity experiences in Turkey. We discuss the results along with previous findings and limitations of the study, and we provide implications for further research and practice.     

A new test to detect monotonic and non-monotonic types of heteroscedasticity

A direct parametric test is proposed to detect monotonic and non-monotonic types of heteroscedasticity. After giving brief information about non-monotonic types of heteroscedasticity, the test algorithm is introduced. Proposed test and usual heteroscedasticity tests are compared on monotonic and non-monotonic types of heteroscedasticity in real and artificial data.     

Marshall–Olkin distribution: parameter estimation and application to cancer data

In this study, as alternatives to the maximum likelihood (ML) and the frequency estimators, we propose robust estimators for the parameters of Zipf and Marshall–Olkin Zipf distributions. A small simulation study is given to illustrate the performance of the proposed estimators. We apply the proposed estimators to a real data set from cancer research to illustrate the performance of the proposed estimators over the ML, moments and frequency estimators. We observe that the robust estimators have superiority over the frequency estimators based on classical sample mean.     

Optimal experimental plan for multi-level stress testing with Weibull regression under progressive Type-II extremal censoring

In the design of constant-stress life-testing experiments, the optimal allocation in a multi-level stress test with Type-I or Type-II censoring based on the Weibull regression model has been studied in the literature. Conventional Type-I and Type-II censoring schemes restrict our ability to observe extreme failures in the experiment and these extreme failures are important in the estimation of upper quantiles and understanding of the tail behaviors of the lifetime distribution. For this reason, we propose the use of progressive extremal censoring at each stress level, whereas the conventional Type-II censoring is a special case. The proposed experimental scheme allows some extreme failures to be observed. The maximum likelihood estimators of the model parameters, the Fisher information, and asymptotic variance–covariance matrices of the maximum likelihood estimates are derived. We consider the optimal experimental planning problem by looking at four different optimality criteria. To avoid the computational burden in searching for the optimal allocation, a simple search procedure is suggested. Optimal allocation of units for two- and four-stress-level situations is determined numerically. The asymptotic Fisher information matrix and the asymptotic optimal allocation problem are also studied and the results are compared with optimal allocations with specified sample sizes. Finally, conclusions and some practical recommendations are provided.     

Developing a restricted two-parameter Liu-type estimator: A comparison of restricted estimators in the binary logistic regression model

In the context of estimating regression coefficients of an ill-conditioned binary logistic regression model, we develop a new biased estimator having two parameters for estimating the regression vector parameter β when it is subjected to lie in the linear subspace restriction Hβ = h. The matrix mean squared error and mean squared error (MSE) functions of these newly defined estimators are derived. Moreover, a method to choose the two parameters is proposed. Then, the performance of the proposed estimator is compared to that of the restricted maximum likelihood estimator and some other existing estimators in the sense of MSE via a Monte Carlo simulation study. According to the simulation results, the performance of the estimators depends on the sample size, number of explanatory variables, and degree of correlation. The superiority region of our proposed estimator is identified based on the biasing parameters, numerically. It is concluded that the new estimator is superior to the others in most of the situations considered and it is recommended to the researchers.     

Feminist Politics in Contemporary Turkey: Neoliberal Attacks,Feminist Claims to the Public

This article aims to offer a critical reading of the feminist claims to the public sphere in Turkey in the 2000s when there was transformation in the way public and private spheres are defined. We try to link the feminist claims to the public with the shifts in the patriarchal regime of the country in the decade. The main argument of the article is that feminist politics of the 2000s had the potential for an alternative imagination of the public and that they also faced the risk of assimilation into the de-/re-publicization process of the same period. The article starts with a brief outline of the post-1980 period, which hosted both the emergence of independent feminist organizing and the neoliberal restructuration of Turkey’s politics. It continues with the analysis of the Justice and Development Party’s terms in government, as the consolidation of neoliberal restructuration process. We conclude with the (possible) feminist interventions to the new mode of patriarchy that emerges out of this process.     

Export, Import and Economic Growth: The Case of Transition Economies

This study analyses the relationships between export, import and economic growth for the 13 transition economies. Empirical results show that there is a unidirectional causality from economic growth to export. Empirical findings show that the growth-led export hypothesis is valid in those countries and growth is rather shaped by increase in import demand.