Military regimes, their constitutions, and post-transition challenges: comparative amendment-making in Chile and Turkey

The primary focus of this study is the analysis of constitutional amendment-making processes following transitions from authoritarian regimes. Based on an extended longitudinal comparative case study of Chile and Turkey, the body of the work focuses on the experience of constitution-making during military rule and amendment-making following the transition to elected civilian governments. While both countries suffered a breakdown of democracy and ensuing new military-imposed constitutions, their amendment-making processes after the restoration of democracy were quite different. Chile developed a largely consensual approach while Turkey moved increasingly toward dissonance and confrontation. Extensive field research and personal interviews in both countries found that the procedural rigidity of amendment-making processes is insufficient to explain the extent and direction of constitutional change adopted under elected civilians after the transition from military rule (Chile in 2005, Turkey in 2010). Therefore a central feature of this study is the development of an analytical framework to explore both demand and supply side factors. This framework deconstructs the amendment making mechanism by examining such demand-side factors as shifts in the balance of power; societal forces and external actors; political, social and cultural context; characteristics of the constitution; and constitutional tradition. Supply-side factors addressed are the procedural and informal institutional elements, including the role of veto powers; informational constraints; and the content of the proposed amendments themselves. This dissertation contributes to the expanding literature on authoritarian constitutions and amendment-making processes and breaks new ground by systematically comparing the experience of Chile and Turkey, as key actors attempted to gradually amend their military-imposed constitutions. The different outcomes in these two cases, this study argues, were shaped by variations in historical context, the balance of power, the number of veto players, and different incentives for reform, i.e., the reassertion of democratic practices in Chile and a reactive response to political and constitutional crises in Turkey

Türkiye’de fizyoloji lisansüstü eğitimine genel bakış

A questionnaire was prepared to determine the current situation, characteristics, main problems and solution proposals of post-graduate physiology education in Turkey. The questionnaire was answered by 40% of the physiology departments with post-graduate programs. The results of the questionnaire demonstrate that 31% of master students and 45% of PhD students have academic positions. Most of the post-graduate physiology students are employed in the "academic staff training program" (62% of master and 59% of PhD students). Post-graduate physiology students were mainly composed of biologists (25%) and medical doctors (21%). All or the majority (81%) of postgraduate students have completed their education within the legal periods. We have observed that post-graduate physiology students do not sufficiently benefit from the national and international student exchange programs, scholarships and do not participate in academic activities. Publication rates of the post-graduate thesis in national and international journals are also below the anticipated level. The general problems faced in providing post-graduate physiology education are insufficiency of available academic positions, scholarships, number of academic staff, inadequate financial support in producing qualified research as well as lack of infrastructure. The results of the questionnaire demonstrate that comprehensive studies with broad participation are necessary in order to improve post-graduate education in our country

Heritage education and active learning: Developing community and promoting diversity in Turkey

Heritage education is part of the global response to destruction of archaeological sites in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries and will be important in achieving the secondary integration priorities of the Turkish state and NGOs working with Syrian migrants in Turkey. However, the effectiveness and pedagogy of heritage education interventions in diverse MENA communities is under-researched. We present here quantitative and qualitative evaluation data from a pilot project involving 169 teachers and c.2,800 children in Fethiye, SW Turkey. Educational games based on the pedagogic principle of Active Learning were well-received and raised participants' awareness of heritage but teacher confidence in delivering them remained low, even after training. Active Learning effectively engages both local and migrant groups with the shared space that they inhabit, even where its heritage has contested meanings, and heritage education and may have long-term social benefits for communities experiencing disruption and migration caused by conflict

Effects of Saccharomyces boulardii on antibiotic induced orocecal transit in rats

Clarithromycin is an antibiotic widely used for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and together with amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitors they constitute the first line triple treatment regimen against H. pylori. Diarrhoea is one of the major drawbacks during H. pylori eradication and is majorly attributed to clarithromycin, while Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic and is shown to be effective in the treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. We aimed to evaluate the effect of clarithromycin on orocecal transit in rats and to identify whether the supplementation with S. boulardii has a role on orocecal transit index. Adult rats of both sexes were divided into two groups to determine immediate or chronic effects of S. boulardii and clarithromycin on orocecal transit. The first group was given single dose of the test drug, while the second group received the test drugs for one week through orogastric intubation. Both groups were randomly distributed into four subgroups; the placebo group (group A), the S. boulardii group (group B), the clarithromycin group (group C), and the co-administration that is clarithromycin plus S. boulardii group (group D). Rats were given 20 mg kg−1 clarithromycin and 500 mg kg−1S. boulardii. We did not find any difference among the subgroups in group 1, where only single dose of the test drugs was administered. In chronic administration group, that is group 2, significant differences among the subgroups were observed (P=0.004). Post-hoc comparisons of orocecal transit index between group “2A and 2C” and “2C and 2D” were significantly different (P=0.013 and P=0.005, respectively). Our results show that long term clarithromycin administration leads to rapid orocecal transit index and S. boulardii supplementation to clarithromycin can abolish this adverse effect in rats. Those findings suggest the beneficial use of S. boulardii in H. pylori eradication regimens

Age, length-weight relationships and condition factors of endemic Antalya barb Capoeta antalyensis (Battalgil, 1943)

The aim of this study was to determine the length-weight, length-length relationships (LWR and LLR) and condition factors of Antalya barb Capoeta antalyensis, an endemic species to Turkey. The specimens (N = 125) were caught using the gill nets in the Sorgun Dam (Aksu, Isparta). The age of the study specimens varied between one and six years. The total length and body weight of the specimens varied from 17.7 – 36.7 cm and 57.03 – 526.91 g respectively. A negative allometric growth (b = 2.7743) was recorded for the species whereas the LWR and total length (TL) – fork length (FL) equations were W = 0.0203 × TL2.7743 (R2 = 0.95) and TL = 0.402 + FL × 1.061 (R2 = 0.99) respectively. The condition factor was determined for every specimen. In light of the results obtained in the study this species may be considered for aquaculture ensuring sustainable population in the wild. This study provides new information that can play an important role in the sustainable management this species

Pre-operative Serum CEA and CA19-9 Levels in Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Single-Center Experience

Introduction: To evaluate the preoperative CEA and CA19-9 levels and their association with clinicopathologic features and mortality. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent gastric surgery due to gastric adenocarcinoma from 2008 to 2015. Preoperative serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were compared according to the TNM classification and survival data were compared. Results: A total of 335 patients were included in the study with the mean age of 66.1±11.0 years. CEA and CA19-0 positivity were 29.1% and 28.1%, respectively. According to the CEA groups, T stages of the cases were statistically significant (p = 0.013). The rates of T stage 1 in group 1 (CEA positive) were significantly higher than the group 2 (CEA negative) (p=0.007). According to the CA19-9 positivity; rate of stage 2 was significantly higher in the group 1 (CA19-9 positive) (p=0.001); however, rates of stage 2 and 3 were significantly higher in the group 2 (CA19-9 negative) (p=0.004 and p=0.007, respectively). Mortality information could be accessed for 309 cases and 108 deaths (36%) were observed. The mean survival time was 45.21±2.42 months. No significant difference was observed between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Patients with higher levels of CEA and CA19-9 seem to have higher grades of gastric cancer. However, CEA and CA19-9 level does not seem to be in association in our study population

A Primary Leiomyosarcoma of the Thyroid Gland: A Case and Literature Review

Introduction: We want to present a rare case of Primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid (PLT) gland and review the literature on PLT including the differential diagnoses, pathology, and alternative treatment strategies.Presentation of Case: A 56-year-old man who underwent left side total thyroidectomy with diagnosis of substernal goiter. On pathologic examination, three different pathology clinics had a common opinion that this was a grade 3 pleomorphic sarcoma of thyroid itself. Positron Emission Tomography (PET/CT) obtained one month after surgery displayed no distant metastases. Loco regional radiotherapy (RT) to the thyroid bed was delivered up to a dose of 59.4 Gray (Gy) in 1.8 Gy daily fractions. PET/CT obtained three months after RT showed bilateral multiple lung metastases without loco regional recurrence. The patient received 6 courses of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide based chemotherapy. A new PET/CT scan showed only two metabolically active metastases on both lungs. Because of disappearance of small metastases, the patient underwent sequential bilateral metastasectomy in one month interval. Pathology results verified the metastases of PLT. The patient is still alive without any signs of disease 6 years after RT and he is the only long surviving case reported up to now.Conclusion: The treatment protocols for PLT have not been well established yet, because of their rareness and poor prognosis. We believe that our case may be directive for PLT treatment

Chronic pulmonary fibrosis alters the functioning of the respiratory neural network

Some patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis present impaired ventilatory variables characterised by low forced vital capacity values associated with an increase in respiratory rate and a decrease in tidal volume which could be related to the increased pulmonary stiffness. The lung stiffness observed in pulmonary fibrosis may also have an effect on the functioning of the brainstem respiratory neural network, which could ultimately reinforce or accentuate ventilatory alterations. To this end, we sought to uncover the consequences of pulmonary fibrosis on ventilatory variables and how the modification of pulmonary rigidity could influence the functioning of the respiratory neuronal network. In a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis obtained by 6 repeated intratracheal instillations of bleomycin (BLM), we first observed an increase in minute ventilation characterised by an increase in respiratory rate and tidal volume, a desaturation and a decrease in lung compliance. The changes in these ventilatory variables were correlated with the severity of the lung injury. The impact of lung fibrosis was also evaluated on the functioning of the medullary areas involved in the elaboration of the central respiratory drive. Thus, BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis led to a change in the long-term activity of the medullary neuronal respiratory network, especially at the level of the nucleus of the solitary tract, the first central relay of the peripheral afferents, and the Pre-Bötzinger complex, the inspiratory rhythm generator. Our results showed that pulmonary fibrosis induced modifications not only of pulmonary architecture but also of central control of the respiratory neural network