This thesis analyzes the process of democratization in Argentina after 1983 by tracing the developments which led to the establishment of civilian control over the military during the periods of President Alfonsin and President Menem. The study first reviewed the political and historical background of Argentina with specific reference to the military interventions. Then, the new democratic order, its economic structure and the position of the military and the civilians after transition to democracy are analyzed. The thesis identified the nature of the transition, the economic reform process, the new elite consensus, the psychology of the military and the international atmosphere as the most important factors which shaped the process of ensuring civilian control over the military.

Ensemble learning is a multiple-classi&amp / #64257 / er machine learning approach which combines, produces collections and ensembles statistical classi&amp / #64257 / ers to build up more accurate classi&amp / #64257 / er than the individual classi&amp / #64257 / ers. Bagging, boosting and voting methods are the basic examples of ensemble learning. In this thesis, a novel boosting technique targeting to solve partial problems of AdaBoost, a well-known boosting algorithm, is proposed. The proposed systems &amp / #64257 / nd an elegant way of boosting a bunch of classi&amp / #64257 / ers successively to form a better classi&amp / #64257 / er than each ensembled classi&amp / #64257 / er. AdaBoost algorithm employs a greedy search over hypothesis space to &amp / #64257 / nd a good suboptimal solution. On the other hand, this work proposes an evolutionary search with genetic algorithms instead of greedy search. Empirical results show that classi&amp / #64257 / cation with boosted evolutionary computing outperforms AdaBoost in equivalent experimental environments.

Obtaining high magnetic susceptibility phases from Hekimhan&amp / #8211 / Deveci siderite orevia preliminary thermal treatment has been the basic target of the thesis study.Thermal decomposition characteristics of samples, determined bythermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were referenced in advancement of thestudy. Heat treatment experiments, particularly roasting, were carried out byconventional heating and microwave heating. Results showed that roasting of Hekimhan&amp / #8211 / Deveci siderite samples could not be achieved by microwave energywhilst conventional heating experiments recorded success. Subsequentlow&amp / #8211 / intensity magnetic separation of roasted samples gave recovery above 90%, where low&amp / #8211 / intensity magnetic separation of run&amp / #8211 / of&amp / #8211 / mine sample had failed. Formation of high magnetic susceptibility phases was verified by magneticsusceptibility balance and x&amp / #8211 / ray diffraction analysis (XRD), on roasted samples. Statistical modeling was applied to determine the optimum conditions of roastingin conventional heating system / based on heating temperature, time of heating, particle size as factors.It was concluded that roasting at T= 560 &ordm / C, for t= 45 minutes was adequate toobtain desired results. Particle size was noted to be not much effective on the process as other factors at the studied size range. Kinetics (E, n) and reaction mechanism for the thermal decomposition in conventional heating system were evaluated with different solid&amp / #8211 / state reaction models by interpretation of the model graphs.Three&amp / #8211 / dimensional diffusion reaction models reported to characterize the thermal decomposition well, with values of activation energy (E), E= 85.53 kJ/mol (Jander) / E= 85.49 kJ/mol, (Ginstling&amp / #8211 / Brounshtein).

This thesis presents synthesis of tertiary &amp / #945 / -hydroxy phosphonate derivatives. &amp / #945 / -Ketophosphonates is known that they are both acyl anion precursors and electrophiles. In this work, &amp / #945 / -ketophosphonates were used as both acyl anion precursors and electrophiles in the presence of catalytic amount of KCN. &amp / #945 / -Ketophosphonates underwent benzoin-type condensation reaction.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death. Atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries is a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a central role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Human paraoxonase 1 (PON1), a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) associated serum esterase/lactonase, protects HDL and LDL from oxidative modifications. Thus, PON1 is protective against the development of atherosclerosis. PON1 gene has two functional coding region (192Q/R and 55L/M) and one promoter region (&amp / #8722 / 107T/C) polymorphism that affect the catalytic efficiency and levels of the enzyme, respectively. In this study, the aim was to determine the importance of PON1 genetic polymorphisms and activity as risk factors for ischemic stroke. The study population was comprised of 172 unrelated adult Caucasian patients with acute hemispheric ischemic stroke and 105 symptom-free controls. Serum and total blood samples were obtained from G&uuml / lhane Military Medical Academy Hospital Neurology Department, Ankara. Hypertension and diabetes were 2 times more common and HDL-C was significantly lower among patients compared to controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed hypertension and smoking to be significant predictors of stroke. Serum PON1 activities towards three substrates, paraoxon (paraoxonase activity / PON), phenyl acetate (arylesterase activity / ARE) and diazoxon (diazoxonase activity), which were measured by spectrophotometric methods, were found to be lower in stroke patients compared to controls. PON and PON/ARE were negatively associated with ischemic stroke by use of logistic regression analysis. PON/ARE was 1.26 times protective against stroke. The frequencies of the risky alleles 192R, 55L and &amp / #8722 / 107T were increased in the patient group. Frequency of the 55L allele of PON1 was significantly increased among patients (0.690) compared to controls (0.628 / P=0.003). Logistic regression analysis revealed PON1 55LL genotype to be associated with a 1.8-fold increase in the risk of ischemic stroke versus control status. Prevalence of triple combined haplotype QRLMTC was significantly lower in stroke patients (4.1%) when compared to controls (11.4% / P=0.019). The combined heterozygote haplotype had around 7 times increased protective effect against stroke in the overall population and 10 times protective effect in the elderly population. The low expressor genotype &amp / #8722 / 107TT was associated with almost 2 times increased risk for stroke in elderly. 192R allele of PON1 represented 1.554 times increased risk for ischemic stroke in hypertensives relative to normotensives. Furthermore, the risk of hypertensive individuals having ischemic stroke was highest in the 192RR group (Odds Ratio / OR=7), followed by 192QR heterozygotes (OR=2.18), and the risk decreased to insignificant levels in 192QQ individuals. 192R allele constituted a 1.55 times increased risk in diabetics. 55L allele was associated with a 1.66 times increased risk of stroke in hypertensives and a 2.6 times increased risk for stroke in diabetics relative to non-diabetics. PON1 &amp / #8722 / 107T allele also represented a 1.35 times risk for stroke in hypertensives.

This thesis aims to measure additionality effect of T&Uuml / BiTAK&rsquo / s Industrial R&amp / D Projects Funding Programme and try to reveal input, output and behavioral additionality effect of it. A pilot evaluation study is conducted on firms from Ankara operating on software development sector where firms who have received T&Uuml / BiTAK funding are subject to the analysis. In order to comprehend results of the analysis, first theoretical background on emergence of industrial R&amp / D funding is explained and the need for evaluation of industrial R&amp / D funding instruments is discussed. Then, focus is turned to major changes in industrial R&amp / D policies in Turkey by taking into account of resolutions of Supreme Council of Science and Technology. After summarizing available industrial R&amp / D funding instruments in Turkey, attention is turned to T&Uuml / BiTAK&rsquo / s Industrial R&amp / D Projects Funding Programme and evaluation of the programme is explained in detail. The impact of T&Uuml / BiTAK funding on firms R&amp / D expenditures, commercial successes and behavioral changes are discussed and finally the thesis ends with a discussion on the organization of this evaluation practice as well as suggestions for further evaluation studies.

Urbanisation and suburban housing development are the foci subjects of this thesis. The process of urbanisation may differ from one country to another in terms of socio-economic and political structures, environmental characteristics and also local features. In this context, housing areas at the urban fringe of Ankara were found to have been developed highly compatible with urban land use theories / but different from the process experienced in developed countries. In this thesis, a different dimension of suburbanisation has been discussed with regards to middle and lower-middle income groups&rsquo / suburban movement. The reasons why lower-middle and lower income residents prefer to live at the urban fringe have been found out. Suburban developments have various opportunities for the households such as larger housing unit due to cheap and available land, better urban services, quiet and clean environment and privacy. However, households living in urban fringe who are relatively from middle and lower-middle income are subject to high transportation cost. It is expected that they make a trade off between lower housing units and greater commuting distances and also many opportunities of living in such a suburb. With regard to these, the process of suburbanisation of middle and lower-middle income groups in Ankara within the boundaries of Sincan and Etimesgut Quarters in terms of their social characters and the features of using their urban space and house is discussed according to plan decisions, house builder and households&rsquo / characteristics, urban development pattern of Turkey and Ankara and then Etimesgut and Sincan, considering the theoretical basis and historical process.

Mobile devices such as PDAs and cellular phones became indispensible part of business and entertainment world. There are a number of applications run on these devices and they tend to increase day by day causing devices tend to consume more battery power. H.264/AVC is an emerging video compression standard that is likely to be used widely in multimedia environments. As a mobile application, video compression algorithm of H.264 standard has a complex structure that increase the power demand of realizing hardware. In order to reduce this power demand, power consuming parts of the algorithm like deblocking filter and transform&amp / quantization need to be specifically changed for low power application. A low power deblocking filter and inverse transform/quantization algorithm for H.264/AVC decoder is to be proposed and implemented on FPGA.

The aim of this study is to analyze the intertwined ontology and hermeneutics of the famous Muslim figure Ibn al-&lsquo / Arab&amp / #299 / with a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. The research subject Ibn al-&lsquo / Arab&amp / #299 / is to be scrutinized in comparison with Western phenomenology and hermeneutics. Hence, both phenomenology and hermeneutics will be not only the subject of the present study, but also its method of analysis. Throughout the study, Ibn al-&lsquo / Arab&amp / #299 / &rsquo / s question of being and hermeneutics will be compared with Western phenomenology and hermeneutics, with particular focus on Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Gadamer. In his account of ontology, the encounter of human being with the world happens always subjectively. On the side of hermeneutics, the world, which is textual, unfolds itself always through and only with interpretation. These two points can be unified and summed up in Ibn al-&lsquo / Arab&amp / #299 / &rsquo / s claim that world is an imagination. World is disclosed always subjectively and via interpretation / it is an imagination both hermeneutically and ontologically.

Increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms are believed to be the important factors contributing to the pathogenesis and progression of diabetes mellitus. The products of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation reactions were all found to be elevated significantly (p&lt / 0.05) in diabetic animals and supplementing the animals either individually or in combination, with two powerful antioxidants DL-&amp / #945 / -lipoic acid (LA) and vitamin C (VC) brought this increment toward the control values. Considering Cu-Zn SOD, CAT and GST-Mu, there was a significant decrease in all activities in diabetic group as compared with control animals. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis results demonstrated that this decrease in activity is regulated at the level of gene expression, as both mRNA and protein expressions were also suppressed for these enzymes. However, in diabetic animals both the mRNA expressions and the activities of two other antioxidant enzymes, namely Mn SOD and GPx, did not change, indicating that the control of activities of these two enzymes were not at the level of genes. Supplementing the diabetic animals with VC increased all CAT, Cu-Zn SOD, GPx, and GST-Mu activities without changing both mRNA and protein expressions suggesting the possible role of post-translational modifications. On the other hand, the effect of VC on Mn SOD was observed at mRNA levels reflecting a transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, supplementing the animals with LA increased the CAT, Cu-Zn SOD, Mn SOD and GPx activities in diabetic rats but different from VC, LA also increased mRNA of CAT and protein levels of CAT, Cu-Zn SOD and Mn SOD suggesting both transcriptional and translational regulation showed by LA. Combined application of antioxidants also increased the CAT, Cu-Zn SOD, Mn SOD and GPx activities toward the control values, but this time there were no statistically significant change in their mRNA expressions even though protein amounts of both CAT and GPx were augmented. That is, when given together, these antioxidants exert their effects mainly at the level of protein synthesis. As a conclusion, diabetes and the resulting oxidative stress coordinately regulate the activities of the antioxidant enzymes at different regulatory points. LA and VC, two powerful antioxidants affect all antioxidant enzyme activities at different levels of transcription and translation. The results indicated the presence of very intricate control mechanisms regulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes in order to prevent the damaging effects of oxidative stress.