Current Account Deficits, Macroeconomic Policy Stance and Governance: An Empirical Investigation

This paper empirically investigates the effects of institutional and macroeconomic policy stance variables on current account deficits (CAD). Based on cross-section data for a broad number of developing and industrial countries, the results strongly suggest that better governance increases whilst the presence of original sin decreases the ability of an economy to sustain CAD. Exchange rate flexibility and openness appear to put a discipline on CAD. Consistent with the equity home bias and Feldstein-Horioka puzzle, CAD decrease with country size. The net impacts of the financial deepening and monetary credibility on CAD are found to be insignificant.Current Account, Exchange Rate Regimes, Original Sin

Do PPP and UIP Need Each Other in a Financially Open Economy? The Turkish Evidence

This paper investigates the empirical validity of the capital enhanced equilibrium exchange rates (CHEERs) model for the Turkish data. The results of the Johansen cointegration analyses for the variable system containing Turkish and US inflation rates, interest rates, and exchange rate suggest the existence of two stationary relationships explaining the long run evolution of Turkish interest rates and inflation rates, respectively. The results of the structural model obtained by data-acceptable over-identifying restrictions over the cointegration space suggest the non-rejection of the hypothesis that the first vector contains uncovered interest parity (UIP) and the second vector contains purchasing power parity (PPP) with proportionality and symmetry conditions. Consistent with the CHEERs approach, each of the international parity hypotheses is strongly rejected when formulated independently. This is a theory-consistent result for a financially open economy for which equilibrium conditions of asset and commodity markets may not be independent of each other.PPP, UIP, Exchange rates, cointegration, Turkey

Determination of science student teachers’ conceptions about ionization energy

AbstractDetermination of preservice science teachers’ conceptions and alternative conceptions about ionization energy were aimed in this study. To achieve this aim, a two-tier multiple-choice test with ten questions was implemented to 300 preservice science teachers in their second and third year in Science Division of Fatih Faculty of Education at Karadeniz Technical University. The test was taken from literature. Researcher redesigned the original form of the test for the sample and the phrase “I do not know the answer” found in the first section of the original questions was extracted from the question for this study. Both first and second parts of the questions were analyzed and the percentages of students’ responses were calculated. Results showed that most of the preservice science teachers did not have an adequate understanding on ionization energy and had different alternative conceptions

Çiftçi Koşulunda Yetiştirilen Elma Ağacının Sulamaya Tepkileri: Düzce Yöresi Örneği

Bu çalışma, Düzce yöresi ikliminde “Granny Smith” elma ağacının (Malus domestica Borkh.) çiftçi koşulları altındaki sulamaya tepkilerinin araştırılmasını amaçlamıştır. Bu çalışmada, sulama sezonu içerisinde elma ağaçlarında yaprak su potansiyeli (LWP), stoma iletkenliği (gs) ve fotosentetik aktif radyasyon (PAR) gibi bazı fizyolojik gözlemler ele alınan dönem içerisinde her sulamadan önce bir hafta aralıklar ile yapılmıştır. Eşzamanlı olarak, tüm sulama sezonu boyunca, elma bahçesinde farklı toprak katmanlarındaki (0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, 60-90 cm, 90-120 cm) toprak su içeriği (SWC) de izlenmiştir. Hasat sonrasında tüm gözlemler kendi arasında değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları, sulama sezonu içerisinde, SWC değerlerinin tarla kapasitesi (FC) ile solma noktası (PWP) arasında değiştiğini ortaya koymuştur. SWC değeri, aşırı yağışlı bazı günler hariç, elma bahçesi toprak profilinde tüketilmesine izin verilebilir %50’lik miktarına ulaşılamamıştır. LWP, gs ve PAR, tüm toprak katmanlarında, SWC’nin artışı ile artmıştır. Ele alınan tüm karşılaştırmalara ait en güçlü ilişki, elma bahçesinde tüm toprak katmanları içerisinde, 30-60 cm toprak katmanından elde edilmiştir. LWP~gs arasındaki ilişkiler (R2=0,53) hafif iken LWP~PAR arasındaki ilişkilerin (R2=0,84) güçlü olduğu saptanmıştır. Sonuçta, ele alınan tüm gözlemler doğrultusunda, yaz döneminde yağışın sık ve düzensiz olmasına rağmen, uygun bir sulama programına ihtiyaç olduğu anlaşılmıştır.This study aimed to investigate response of “Granny Smith” apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) tree to irrigation under farmer condition in Düzce Region. In this study, some physiological measurements, such as leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal conductance (gs) and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) on the apple trees, were performed weekly before irrigation in the selected period during the irrigation season. Concurrently, in irrigation season, soil water content (SWC) in the different soil layers (0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, 60-90 cm, and 90-120 cm) was also monitored at the apple orchard. Study results showed that SWC was fluctuated between field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) during irrigation season. The value of SWC didn’t reach up to 50%, which is the allowable depletion value at the soil of apple orchard, except some high rainy days. LWP, gs and PAR were increased by increasing of SWC in all soil layers. The strongest relationship for all correlations in all soil layers was obtained in 30- 60 cm soil layers. It was found that LWP had strong relationships with PAR (R2=0.84) while LWP~gs relationships were weak (R2=0.53). Finally, by considering the all results in this study, it may be concluded that a proper irrigation scheduling was needed for such as apple orchards even though precipitation was frequently and unevenly happened in the summer

A framework for working with digitized cultural heritage artefacts

In this paper, we present our work in designing, implementing, and evaluating a set of 3D interactive spatial measurement tools in the context of Cultural Heritage Toolbox (CH Toolbox), a framework for computer-aided cultural heritage research. Our application utilizes a bi-manual, spaceball and mouse driven user interface to help the user manage visualized 3D models digitized from real artifacts. We have developed a virtual radius estimator, useful for analyzing incomplete pieces of radial artifacts, and a virtual tape measure, useful in measurement of geodesic distances between two points on the surface of an artifact. We tested the tools on the special case of pottery analysis

An Underwater Town in Turkey: Halfeti

Halfeti, posta sulla riva dell’Eufrate, è una piccola città nel sud-est della Turchia. Il centro storico è situato sul pendio roccioso a partire dalle rive del fiume. L’architettura vernacolare segue la topografia lungo il ripido pendio. Strade strette si incurvano tra case in pietra, composte da due-tre piani con giardino, formando una composizione architettonica tradizionale. Con la costruzione della diga di Birecik nel 1999, quasi metà della città storica è stata sommersa e la maggioranza della popolazione locale fu riallocata dallo Stato in un nuovo sito. Quest’area, a 10 km dal centro storico, è stata bruscamente trasformata da zona rurale a nuovo centro della città. D’altra parte, la città vecchia si è recentemente trasformata in un’attrazione turistica, a causa di questi marcati cambiamenti e l’amministrazione comunale ne ha approfittato per trasformare nuovamente la città. In breve tempo, grazie alle strategie di sviluppo economico orientato al turismo, le case tradizionali sono state trasformate in albergo e sono stati fondati nuovi poli ricreativi e sportivi sulla riva del lago. Con l’aiuto di queste misure comunali, Halfeti nel 2013 è diventata Cittaslow. Ciò ha sembrato rivitalizzare la città, ma non ha rallentato i cambiamenti, continuando nell’abbandono delle tradizioni. In sintesi, questo lavoro, condotto attraverso la letteratura e indagini in loco, punta a sottolineare come una città si scontri con i drammatici cambiamenti provocati dalle decisioni imposte dallo Stato e come si possa riformare grazie a nuove strategie, valutandone le qualità e le criticità. An Underwater Town in Turkey: HalfetiHalfeti, located on the shore of the Euphrates River, is a small town in southeast Turkey. The historic centre of town is situated on a rocky slope starting from the banks of the river. Along the steep incline, vernacular architecture, formed by 2-3 storey limestone masonry houses with courtyards, clambers up, being compatible to the topography. However, after construction of the Birecik Dam in 1999, almost half of the historic town was submerged and majority of local people were settled in a new area by the state. The new area, 10 km far from the old centre, was transformed from a rural area to the new town centre . However, old town has recently been turned into a touristic attraction because of these dramatic changes. Local authorities regarded this as an opportunity to develop the town once again. In record time, traditional houses were turned into guest houses, recreational activities and water sports facilities were established on the lakeshore by adopting tourism-oriented development strategies. Halfeti became a Cittaslow in 2013 via these municipal measures. Being a Cittaslow seems to have revitalized town, but not decelerated change nor recall its past. Briefly, this paper, the result of literature research and on site investigations, aims to show how a town has struggled with dramatic changes caused by state-led decisions and thereafter shaped itself with new strategies.Halfeti, located on the shore of the Euphrates River, is a small town in southeast Turkey. The historic centre of town is situated on a rocky slope starting from the banks of the river. Along the steep incline, vernacular architecture, formed by 2-3 storey limestone masonry houses with courtyards, clambers up, being compatible to the topography. However, after construction of the Birecik Dam in 1999, almost half of the historic town was submerged and majority of local people were settled in a new area by the state. The new area, 10 km far from the old centre, was transformed from a rural area to the new town centre . However, old town has recently been turned into a touristic attraction because of these dramatic changes. Local authorities regarded this as an opportunity to develop the town once again. In record time, traditional houses were turned into guest houses, recreational activities and water sports facilities were established on the lakeshore by adopting tourism-oriented development strategies. Halfeti became a Cittaslow in 2013 via these municipal measures. Being a Cittaslow seems to have revitalized town, but not decelerated change nor recall its past. Briefly, this paper, the result of literature research and on site investigations, aims to show how a town has struggled with dramatic changes caused by state-led decisions and thereafter shaped itself with new strategies. Una città sommersa in Turchia: HalfetiHalfeti, posta sulla riva dell’Eufrate, è una piccola città nel sud-est della Turchia. Il centro storico è situato sul pendio roccioso a partire dalle rive del fiume. L’architettura vernacolare segue la topografia lungo il ripido pendio. Strade strette si incurvano tra case in pietra, composte da due-tre piani con giardino, formando una composizione architettonica tradizionale. Con la costruzione della diga di Birecik nel 1999, quasi metà della città storica è stata sommersa e la maggioranza della popolazione locale fu riallocata dallo Stato in un nuovo sito. Quest’area, a 10 km dal centro storico, è stata bruscamente trasformata da zona rurale a nuovo centro della città. D’altra parte, la città vecchia si è recentemente trasformata in un’attrazione turistica, a causa di questi marcati cambiamenti e l’amministrazione comunale ne ha approfittato per trasformare nuovamente la città. In breve tempo, grazie alle strategie di sviluppo economico orientato al turismo, le case tradizionali sono state trasformate in albergo e sono stati fondati nuovi poli ricreativi e sportivi sulla riva del lago. Con l’aiuto di queste misure comunali, Halfeti nel 2013 è diventata Cittaslow. Ciò ha sembrato rivitalizzare la città, ma non ha rallentato i cambiamenti, continuando nell’abbandono delle tradizioni. In sintesi, questo lavoro, condotto attraverso la letteratura e indagini in loco, punta a sottolineare come una città si scontri con i drammatici cambiamenti provocati dalle decisioni imposte dallo Stato e come si possa riformare grazie a nuove strategie, valutandone le qualità e le criticità

Reconciling Architectural Design with Seismic Codes; A Comparative Architectural Analysis for Mid-Rise Reinforced Concrete Residential Buildings in Turkey

Seismic codes include strict requirements for the design and construction of mid-rise reinforced concrete residential buildings. These requirements call for the symmetric and regular arrangement of the structural system, increased cross-sections for columns, and the introduction of shear walls to counteract the effects of lateral seismic loads. It is challenging for architects to reconcile the demands of these codes with the spatial arrangement and commercial appeal of their designs. This study argues that such reconciliation is possible through an architectural analysis. First, the effectiveness of applying the seismic design principles required by the codes is demonstrated with the comparative analysis of two finite element models. Then three pairs of architectural models, representing the most common floor plan arrangements for such buildings in Turkey, are architecturally analyzed before and after the application of seismic design principles in terms of floor area and access to view. The results demonstrate that within the context defined by the methodology of this study, considerable seismic achievement can be achieved in mid-rise reinforced concrete residential buildings by the application of relatively few, basic design features by the architects

Filmden/senaryodan romana: Türkiye'de çeviri sinema romanlar (1944-1957)

Dünyada çeviri üzerine yapılan çalışmalarda, film ve çeviri ilişkisi altyazı ve dublaj konularıyla sınırlı kalmakta; Türkiye'de ise filmler çeviri araştırmalarında çok az yer bulmaktadır. Her iki durumda da çeviri edebiyat ile sinema arasındaki yakın ilişki göz ardı edilmektedir. Bu tezin amacı, çeviri popüler edebiyat ve sinema arasındaki ilişkileri sorunsallaştırmak ve yabancı filmlerin çeviri popüler edebiyatı etkilediğini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Bu çalışmada, erken Cumhuriyet dönemi Türkiyesi'nde özel yayınevlerinin çoğunun seyircinin filmlere olan ilgisinden faydalanmak istediği ve bu amaçla bir çok çeviri sinema roman yayımladığı bulgulanmıştır. Çeviri sinema romanlar ile yabancı filmler arasındaki karmaşık ilişkinin incelenmesi için bir sınıflandırma önerilmiş ve farklı gruplar altına giren, farklı zamanlarda basılmış (1944 ve 1957) iki çeviri sinema roman, barındırdıkları karmaşık çeviri yapılarını analiz etmek için inceleme konusu olarak seçilmiştir. Bu romanları oluşturuldukları bağlamdan soyutlamamak için 1933 ve 1960 arasında yayımlanmış olan çeviri ve yerli popüler sinema romanlardan meydana gelen bir veri tabanı oluşturulmuş ve bu veri tabanının eleştirel incelemesi yapılmıştır. Tüm bunların sonucunda; Türkiye'de ilk defa yapılan bu çalışma, erken cumhuriyet döneminde yabancı filmlerin -Türkiye'de gösterilsin ya da gösterilmesin- çeviri popüler edebiyatı etkilediğini, Türk edebiyatına yeni bir tür ?sinema roman- kazandırdığını ve Türk kültür repertuarına farklı çeviri tanımları getirdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bununla birlikte, bu tez erken Cumhuriyet dönemi çeviri tarihi ile ilgili Türkiye'de yapılan çalışmaları tamamlayıcı nitelikte olup, çeviri sinema romanları çeviribilimin araştırma konusu olarak sunmuştur. Researches on the relationship between film and translation are mostly restricted to subtitling and dubbing in the world; as for Turkey, films are hardly subjects of translation studies. In any case, the close relationship between translated literature and cinema is disregarded. This thesis, by problematizing the relations between foreign films and novels, aims to reveal that foreign films are influential on translated popular literature. In the present study, it is discovered that in the early republican Turkey, many private publishers wanted to capitalize on the popularity of films and published numerous cinema novels. A classification is proposed for analyzing the complex relations between translated cinema novels and foreign films. Two translated cinema novels which fall under different groups and were published in different years (1944 and 1957), are taken as case studies with a view to explore the complex translation practices they harboured. In order to contextualize the novels, a database including translated and indigenous cinema novels published between 1933 and 1960 is established and its critical analysis is provided. As a result; this study, which will be the first in Turkey, concludes that in the early republican Turkey, foreign films ?whether screened or not- influenced the translated popular literature; introduced a new genre ?cinema novel- to Turkish literature and brought diverse aspects of translation into Turkish culture repertoire. Moreover; being complementary to the studies of translation which focus on the early republican Turkey, this thesis presents translated cinema novels as a reseach subject for translation studies