EU-Turkey relations and the stagnation of Turkish democracy

The current stagnation of Turkish democracy goes hand in hand with the current impasse in EU-Turkey relations. A combination of domestic factors with a loss of credibility of EU conditionality led to a situation in which political reform is substantially stalled and in cases where it is realised, it is mostly conducted to serve the interests of the ruling political elite and with no real reference to the EU. The virtuous cycle of reform that characterised the 1999-2005 period has been replaced by a vicious cycle in which lack of effective conditionality feeds into political stagnation which in turn moves Turkey and the EU further away from one another

Fenton's Oxidation for advanced treatment of high strength opium alkaloid industry effluents treated with biological processes

Bu çalışmanın amacı, laboratuvar ölçekli havasız çamur yataklı reaktör (HÇYR) + havalı ardışık kesikli reaktör (AKR) sistemlerinde iki kademeli biyolojik olarak arıtılmış, yüksek KOİ (~700 mg/l), TKN, koyu renk ve biyolojik olarak parçalanamayan organik kirleticilere sahip Afyon Alkaloidleri Endüstrisi (AAE) atıksuları için uygun ve uygulanabilir bir ileri arıtma alternatifi olarak Fenton oksidasyonunun etkisinin araştırılmasıdır. Optimum pH, H2O2 dozu, Fe2+/H2O2 molar oranı ve reaksiyon süresinin belirlenmesi için kesikli deneyler yapılmış ve KOİ için %90, renkte ise %95 giderme verimi elde edilmiştir. Optimum oksidas-yon ve koagülasyonun gerçekleşmesi için gereken H2O2/FeSO4 oranı pH=4'te 200mg/l /600mg/l olarak bulunmuştur. Fenton oksidasyonu prosesi çıkış suları KOİ ve renk açısından alıcı ortama deşarj standart-larını sağlamaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: İleri arıtma teknolojileri, Fenton oksidasyonu, afyon alkaloidleri üretim prosesi atıksu-ları, kalıcı organikler, renk giderimi.The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of Fenton's oxidation as an appropriate alternative for the advanced treatment of opium alkaloid industry (OAI) effluents characterised with high COD (~700 mg/l), TKN, dark color and non-biodegradable organic pollutant contents after undergoing biological treatment with lab-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBR) + aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) configuration. The batch tests were performed to determine the optimum operating conditions including pH, H2O2 dosage, molar ratio of Fe2+/H2O2 and reaction time. It was found that removal efficiencies of COD and color for 30 minutes reaction time were about 90% and 95%, respectively. The ratio of H2O2/FeSO4 was determined as 200mg/l /600mg/l for the optimum oxidation and coagulation process at pH 4. Experimental results of the present study have clearly indicated that the Fenton?s oxidation technology is capable to remove almost all parts of the organics which consist of both soluble initial and microbial inert fractions of COD formed during the biological treatment of opium alkaloid industry effluents. Effluents from the Fenton?s Oxidation process satisfy the local effluent standards for COD and color. Keywords: Advanced oxidation technologies, Fenton's oxidation, opium alkaloid processing wastewater, refractory organics, color reducing

Comparison of CT and PET-CT based planning of radiation therapy in locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract Background To compare computed tomography (CT) with co-registered positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) as the basis for delineating gross tumor volume (GTV) in unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC). Methods Fourteen patients with unresectable LAPC had both CT and PET images acquired. For each patient, two three-dimensional conformal plans were made using the CT and PET-CT fusion data sets. We analyzed differences in treatment plans and doses of radiation to primary tumors and critical organs. Results Changes in GTV delineation were necessary in 5 patients based on PET-CT information. In these patients, the average increase in GTV was 29.7%, due to the incorporation of additional lymph node metastases and extension of the primary tumor beyond that defined by CT. For all patients, the GTVCT versus GTVPET-CT was 92.5 ± 32.3 cm3 versus 104.5 ± 32.6 cm3 (p = 0.009). Toxicity analysis revealed no clinically significant differences between two plans with regard to doses to critical organs. Conclusion Co-registration of PET and CT information in unresectable LAPC may improve the delineation of GTV and theoretically reduce the likelihood of geographic misses.</p