Political relations between Turkey and Georgia in the post-soviet era

Georgia and Turkey has become important partners in the Caucasus region after independence of Georgia in 1991. Two countries preferred to follow pro-West policies in their foreign policy against Russian factor. They have geopolitical importance and geostrategic location for Russia throughout history. This article analyzes foreign policies of Georgia and Turkey and examines Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline as a common foreign policy between them. The paper found out that this kind of projects between Georgia and Turkey would make them important actors rising from regional level to global level in the future

Acute brucella melitensis M16 infection model in mice treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors

Introduction: There is limited data in the literature about brucellosis related to an intracellular pathogen and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) medication. The aim of this study was to evaluate acute Brucella infections in mice receiving anti-TNFα drug treatment. Methodology: Anti-TNFα drugs were injected in mice on the first and fifth days of the study, after which the mice were infected with B. melitensis M16 strain. Mice were sacrificed on the fourteenth day after infection. Bacterial loads in the liver and spleen were defined, and histopathological changes were evaluated. Results: Neither the liver nor the spleen showed an increased bacterial load in all anti-TNFα drug groups when compared to a non-treated, infected group. The most significant histopathological findings were neutrophil infiltrations in the red pulp of the spleen and apoptotic cells with hepatocellular pleomorphism in the liver. There was no significant difference among the groups in terms of previously reported histopathological findings, such as extramedullary hematopoiesis and granuloma formation. Conclusions: There were no differences in hepatic and splenic bacterial load and granuloma formation, which indicate worsening of the acute Brucella infection in mice; in other words, anti-TNFα treatment did not exacerbate the acute Brucella spp. infection in mice. © 2015 Kutlu et al

Seismic load tests on exterior beam-column connections of existing RC structures

U radu su izneseni prijedlozi za poboljšanje svojstava spojeva greda-stup postojećih AB konstrukcija uslijed potresnog djelovanja. Analizirana je uporaba betona niske čvrstoće, glatkog armaturnog čelika bez spona u spojevima te je ispitano ponašanje spojeva u uvjetima pod cikličnim opterećenjem. U okviru eksperimentalnog istraživanja proizvedeno je i ispitano pet uzoraka s različitim rasporedom armature. Na temelju rezultata zaključeno je da su kritični parametri koji određuju svojstva postojećih konstrukcija, raspored spona u spojevima i upotreba kuka za sidrenje uzdužne armature koje su savijene pod kutom od najmanje 90°.Suggestions for improving seismic performance of beam-column connections of the existing RC structures are presented in this paper. The use of low-strength concrete with plain bars without stirrups in joints is analysed, and behaviour of joints in the aforementioned conditions under cyclic load is investigated. Five specimens with different reinforcement configurations were produced and tested in the experimental process. Based on results, it was concluded that critical parameters for the performance of existing structures are: stirrup arrangement in joints, and the use of at least 90-degree hooks in longitudinal reinforcement of beams

Clinical Study Spinal Anaesthesia with Hyperbaric Prilocaine in Day-Case Perianal Surgery: Randomised Controlled Trial

Background. The local anaesthetics used in day-case spinal anaesthesia should provide short recovery times. We aimed to compare hyperbaric prilocaine and bupivacaine in terms of sensory block resolution and time to home readiness in day-case spinal anaesthesia. Methods. Fifty patients undergoing perianal surgery were randomized into two groups. The bupivacaine-fentanyl group (Group B) received 7.5 mg, 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine + 20 g fentanyl in total 1.9 mL. The prilocaine-fentanyl group (Group P) received 30 mg, 0.5% hyperbaric prilocaine + 20 g fentanyl in the same volume. Results. Time to L1 block and maximum block was shorter in Group P than in Group B (Group P 4.6 ± 1.3 min versus Group B 5.9 ± 01.9 min, = 0.017, and Group P 13.2 ± 7.5 min versus Group B 15.3 ± 6.6 min, = 0.04). The time to L1 regression and S3 regression of the sensorial block was significantly shorter in Group P than in Group B (45.7 ± 21.9 min versus 59.7 ± 20.9 min, = 0.024, and 133.8 ± 41.4 min versus 200.4 ± 64.8 min, < 0.001). The mean time to home readiness was shorter for Group P than for Group B (155 ± 100.2 min versus 207.2 ± 62.7 min ( < 0.001)). Conclusion. Day-case spinal anaesthesia with hyperbaric prilocaine + fentanyl is superior to hyperbaric bupivacaine in terms of earlier sensory block resolution and home readiness and the surgical conditions are comparable for perianal surgery

Intrapericardial Bronchogenic Cyst: An Unusual Clinical Entity

Mediastinal cysts are extremely rare clinical disorders. They usually have a pericardial origin. In this report, we present a 27-year-old male patient with a mediastinal bronchogenic cyst together with clinical presentation and management of the pathology

Endovascular Stent Grafting for Aortic Arch Aneurysm in Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease following Aortic Arch Debranching and Aortobifemoral Reconstruction

Treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms constitutes high mortality and morbidity rates despite improvements in surgery, anesthesia, and technology. Endovascular stent grafting may be an alternative therapy with lower risks when compared with conventional techniques. However, sometimes the branches of the aortic arch may require transport to the proximal segments prior to successful thoracic aortic endovascular stent grafting. Atherosclerosis is accounted among the etiology of both aneurysms and occlusive diseases that can coexist in the same patient. In these situations stent grafting may even be more complicated. In this report, we present the treatment of a 92-year-old patient with aortic arch aneurysm and proximal descending aortic aneurysm. For successful thoracic endovascular stent grafting, the patient needed an alternative route other than the native femoral and iliac arteries for the deployment of the stent graft. In addition, debranching of left carotid and subclavian arteries from the aortic arch was also required for successful exclusion of the thoracic aneurysm

Köprülüzade El-Hac Hafız Ahmet Paşa’nın H. 1150 / M. 1737 Tarihli Vakfiyesi

Bu çalışma, Köprülüzade el-Hac Ahmet Paşa’nın Üsküdar Kuzguncuk’ta bulunan H. 11 Muharrem 1150 / M. 21 Mayıs 1737’de vakfettiği ve H. 1214 / M. 1800 tarihinde kızı Aliye Hanım tarafından Anadolu Muhasebesine kaydettirilen, Nakkaş Paşa Yalısı ve diğer gayrimenkulleri içeren bir vakfiyeyi konu almaktadır. Vakfiyeden hareketle, vakfın ve vakıf mülklerinin bu günkü durumu, o dönem vakıf gelirlerinin ne kadar olduğu ve bu gelirin nerelere harcandığı gibi bilgiler ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Yine Köprülüzade el-Hac Hafız Ahmet Paşa’ya ait diğer vakfiyelerden, çalışma konusu olan vakfiyede zikredilen eserlerle ilgili bilgilere ulaşılmaya çalışılmıştır. This study is the subject a waqfiya including Nakkaş Paşa Mansion and other realities that Köprülüzade al-Haj Hafız Ahmet Pasha devoted it in Üsküdar-Kuzguncuk in H. 11 Muharrem 1150/ A.D. 21 May 1737 and registered to Anadolu Muhasebesi by his daughter Aliye Hanım in H. 1214 / A.D. 1800. According to waqfiya, the situation of waqf and waqf’s realities, how much waqf’s income in past period and where had been spent these incomes as knowledges are tried to bring up. Once more, trying to the knowledges, related to works that mention in waqfiya from the other waqfiyas of Köprülüzade el-Hac Hafız Ahmet Pasha

Effect of injection timing on the exhaust emissions of a diesel engine using diesel-methanol blends

Environmental concerns and limited resource of petroleum fuels have caused interests in the development of alternative fuels for internal combustion (IC) engines. For diesel engines, alcohols are receiving increasing attention because they are oxygenated and renewable fuels. Therefore, in this study, the effect of injection timing on the exhaust emissions of a single cylinder, naturally aspirated, four-stroke, direct injection diesel engine has been experimentally investigated by using methanol-blended diesel fuel from 0% to 15% with an increment of 5%. The tests were conducted for three different injection timings (15 degrees, 20 degrees and 25 degrees CA BTDC) at four different engine loads (5 Nm, 10 Nm, 15 Nm, 20 Nm) at 2200 rpm. The experimental test results showed that Bsfc, NOx and CO2 emissions increased as BTE, smoke opacity, CO and UHC emissions decreased with increasing amount of methanol in the fuel mixture. When compared the results to those of original injection timing, NOx and CO2 emissions decreased, smoke opacity, UHC and CO emissions increased for the retarded injection timing (15 CA BTDC). On the other hand, with the advanced injection timing (25 degrees CA BTDC), decreasing smoke opacity, UHC and CO emissions diminished, and NOx and CO2 emissions boosted at all test conditions. In terms of Bsfc and BTE, retarded and advanced injection timings gave negative results for all fuel blends in all engine loads. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved