Cyprus-EU Relations: Possible Scenarios For The Future

Cyprus Problem is being discussed from a different perspective since the application of South Cyprus for full membership to the European Union. Today the problem came to a turning point where the efforts for solving the problem would end up at a point where the division of the island becomes permanent. The study first evaluates the relations between Cyprus and the Union. Then it examines the application of GCA to the EU, the reasons for application, Turkish Cypriot’s response to the application and possible future scenarios that are likely to take place. It is concluded that the acceptance of Cyprus to the Union in its current state is a highly possible scenario and this would lead to the permanent division of the island.Cyprus problem; EU; Turkish Cyprus; GCA

Metabolic Transition in Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer Larva

Under unfavorable environmental conditions Caenorhabditis elegans larvae enter a dauer stage which is a specialized non-feeding larval stage. In the dauer stage, worms display astonishingly low metabolism, which allows them to adapt themselves to environmental stress and to dwell without food for several months. Dauer larvae can enter into the reproductive larval stage, when environmental conditions become favorable. In this study, the metabolic transition of dauers into the reproductive larval stage is analyzed in detail: a. During the exit of dauers, several metabolic traits were examined. Primarily, dauer larva initiates the metabolic transition by activating feeding, which is followed by upregulated oxygen consumption and mitochondrial remodeling, as well as enhanced protein synthesis. b. To better understand the metabolic transition, inhibitors of the dauer exit were introduced. Lithium ions were shown to inhibit the transition of dauers to reproductive larvae and prevent the upregulation of metabolic activities required for this process. c. In liquid culture, the transition from the dauer to the reproductive larva is also inhibited, presumably because of the hypoxic character of the liquid culture. Thus, hypoxia has a negative effect on the metabolic transition. d. In the course of our investigation we discovered that the dauer larva is not a closed system but indeed, it can dwell on the externally available ethanol as a carbon source by incorporating it into the energy metabolism. This allows dauers to survive for longer periods in the absence of bacteria, the preferred food of worms. These findings clarify the nature of dauers, how they utilize distinct pathways during the metabolic transition and how they take advantage of the externally available carbon source. These results may in the future enable us to elucidate the complex pathways of metabolism, as well as the ways in which it can be regulated

SEISMIC BASE ISOLATION AND ENERGY ABSORBING DEVICES

Passive energy dissipation systems are described for the control of structures against earthquake vibrations. Classification of passive energy dissipation systems is given and the discussions of the behavior of individual passive devices and systems are provided.In order to investigate the effects of these systems on the response of structures, a typical model building frame is selected. Passive energy dissipation systems are introduced to the model frame and the results are then compared. Although, the UniformBuilding Code (UBC-97) is taken as a base for all design calculations, a series of formulation is proposed in accordance with the Turkish Earthquake Code.Firstly, in order to meet with the objectives of the study, a theoretical four-story plane frame is selected without any passive energy dissipation system. Secondly, the structure is assumed to be base isolated using high damping laminated rubber pads. Thirdly, the viscoelastic dampers are diagonally installed at each floor level of the frame and the seismic analyses are repeated with and without base isolation. In each scenario, the calculations have been carried out using both the equivalent seismic load method and also the linear time history analyses. Linear time history analyses have been based on two different earthquake records, with T1 = 0.13 sec and T2 = 1.43 sec predominant spectral periods. The N-S component of the earthquake ground motion recorded at the Tofaş automobile factory in Bursa, during the August 17, 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake, is taken as a basis. In each case the maximum ground acceleration has been raised to 0.40g. The results for these two different earthquakes, which represent the hard and soft soil conditions, respectively, have been compared by each other.The base shears, storey drifts, and the bending moments at the top of the columns, are presented in a comparative fashion. For all these four different structural models, the relative merits of viscodampers and base isolation are discussed in detail

Risk assessment for transporting ammonium nitrate-based fertilizers with bulk carriers

Population growth has enhanced the need for agricultural products. Ammonium nitrate (AN)-based fertilizers are well known to increase product yield. Unfortunately, this type of fertilizer presents serious risks on account of its volatile nature. Accidents continue to occur despite international regulations and practices to eliminate or reduce risks arising from maritime transport to acceptable levels. In the present study, risks related to the transport of AN-based fertilizers were identified through root cause analysis of the M/V Cheshire accident. The relationships between the detected risks and probabilities were quantitatively evaluated using the Bayesian network method, and suggestions to prevent accidents caused by mistakes made during the transport of AN-based fertilizers were provided

Reducing the Lower Bound on Market Interest Rates

This paper critically discusses three proposals to overcome the zero interest bound, which have recently been proposed by prominent economists. We trace back the historical origins of these proposals, reaching back to the late 19th century, and comment on their theoretical and practical deficiencies. We propose a much simpler method to spur real investment in times of a deep recession, based on long term central bank loans with low but non-negative base rates. With the prospect of decreasing default risks after the recession, this measure has a similar effect like negative base rates in time of crisis. We therefore hope to convey the message that the effects of the zero interest bound can at least be mitigated without substantially changing the existing monetary regime.negative interest rates, lower zero bound, monetary policy

Metabolic Transition in Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer Larva

Under unfavorable environmental conditions Caenorhabditis elegans larvae enter a dauer stage which is a specialized non-feeding larval stage. In the dauer stage, worms display astonishingly low metabolism, which allows them to adapt themselves to environmental stress and to dwell without food for several months. Dauer larvae can enter into the reproductive larval stage, when environmental conditions become favorable. In this study, the metabolic transition of dauers into the reproductive larval stage is analyzed in detail: a. During the exit of dauers, several metabolic traits were examined. Primarily, dauer larva initiates the metabolic transition by activating feeding, which is followed by upregulated oxygen consumption and mitochondrial remodeling, as well as enhanced protein synthesis. b. To better understand the metabolic transition, inhibitors of the dauer exit were introduced. Lithium ions were shown to inhibit the transition of dauers to reproductive larvae and prevent the upregulation of metabolic activities required for this process. c. In liquid culture, the transition from the dauer to the reproductive larva is also inhibited, presumably because of the hypoxic character of the liquid culture. Thus, hypoxia has a negative effect on the metabolic transition. d. In the course of our investigation we discovered that the dauer larva is not a closed system but indeed, it can dwell on the externally available ethanol as a carbon source by incorporating it into the energy metabolism. This allows dauers to survive for longer periods in the absence of bacteria, the preferred food of worms. These findings clarify the nature of dauers, how they utilize distinct pathways during the metabolic transition and how they take advantage of the externally available carbon source. These results may in the future enable us to elucidate the complex pathways of metabolism, as well as the ways in which it can be regulated

At the Nexus between the National and the Global: The Discursive Construction of the Turkish Halal Market in the Neoliberal Age

This article analyzes a recently emerging halal market in Turkey and illuminates how discursive strategies foster the halal movement in an Islamic culture, and in a neoliberal economy. By exploring websites of the Turkish halal regulatory institutions and employing critical discourse analysis of the media materials, I demonstrate how Islamic actors (halal certification institutions and businesses) adapt, appropriate, and contest different discursive strategies to achieve legitimacy, to compete for distinction and to acquire power in a newly emerging and fiercely competitive, yet a globally defined field in a national economy. The discursive contestations of the actors shaped by the ambivalent structure of the Turkish halal market and accompanied by the deregulation principal of neoliberalism create equivocal meanings of halal-ness, symbolic consumption and education in this emergent field

Discrimination and Social Exclusion in Sweden in the Age of Globalization. The Case Study of Thai Migrants

International migration facilitated by contemporary globalization has brought about feelings of insecurity in terms of identity for both the host societies as well as incoming immigrants posing a major obstacle in host countries to integrate immigrants into society. In such context, social exclusion and discrimination can occur. The author argues that this is not a one-directional process. In order to better understand this, psycho-political concepts have been employed to explain how socio-cultural boundaries are hardened in the context of globalization by the feeling of ontological insecurity, which in turn has intensified social exclusion and discrimination and how social exclusion and discrimination exist with help of in-group and out-group biases developed in the social identification process. With the case study of Thai migrants in Sweden, this thesis aims to investigate the two following questions: 1) How do Thai migrants in Sweden react to ontological insecurity caused by migration? And 2) How do Thai migrants experience social exclusion and discrimination in daily life? The author relies on the data from semi-structured interviews that he conducted with ten Thai migrants who have a Swedish permanent residency