Urban planning has witnessed the profound changes in the methodologies of modelling during the last 50 years. Spatial interaction models have passed from social physics, statistical mechanics to non-spatial and spatial information processing stages of progress that can be designated as paradigm shifts. This thesis traces the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) approach in urban planning as pioneered by Wilson (1967,1970) and Spatial Entropy concept by Batty (1974) based on the Information Theory and its developments by Shannon (1948), Jaynes (1957), Kullback (1959) and by Tribus (1962,1969). Information-theoric methods have provided the theoretical foundation for challenging the uncertainty and incomplete information issues concerning the complex urban structure. MaxEnt, as a new logic, gives probabilities maximally noncommittal with regard to missing information. Wilson (1967,1970) has replaced the Newtonian analogy by the entropy concept from statistical mechanics to alleviate the mathematical inconsistency in the gravity model and developed a set of spatial interaction models consistent with the known information. Population density distribution as one of the determinants of the urban structure has been regarded as an exemplar to show the paradigm changes from the analysis of density gradients to the probabilistic description of density distributions by information-theoric methods. Spatial Entropy concept has introduced the spatial dimension to the Information Theory. Thesis applies Spatial Entropy measures to Ankara 1970 and 1990 census data by 34 zones and also obtains Kullback&rsquo / s Information Gain measures for population changes during the two decades. Empirical findings for Spatial Entropy measures show that overall Ankara-1970 and 1990 density distributions are &lsquo / &rsquo / Uneven&rsquo / &rsquo / and the uniform distribution hypothesis is not confirmed. These measures also indicate a tendency towards &ldquo / More Uniformity&rdquo / for density distributions in comparison to 1970. Information Gain measure for population changes also deviates from zero and direct proportionality hypothesis between posterior 1990 and prior 1970 population distributions by zones is not confirmed. Current research is focused on information processing with more engagement in the urban spatial structure and human behavior. This thesis aims to participate with these efforts and concludes that Information Theory has the potential to generate new profound changes in urban planning and modelling processes.

Spatial and temporal variations and factors affecting these variations in concentrations of measured parameters at two different groups of stations in Ankara are investigated in this study. The first group consists of three curbside stations that are under the direct influence of traffic emissions, on the other hand, the other group is composed of eight residential stations in which domestic heating is the main emission source. State of air quality in Ankara is determined through comparison with air quality data generated in other countries and available air quality standards. Based on this comparison, although air quality has improved in recent years, it is still not one of the clean cities around the world. Although measured concentrations of pollutants comply with standards in the Turkish Air Quality Regulation, further reduction in concentrations will be necessary, if EU directives become effective in the country. Relation between measured concentrations and meteorological parameters are also investigated. Wind speed and mixing height are the two parameters that are most closely related to measured concentrations at residential stations. However, at curbside stations concentrations are determined by emissions. Qualitative comparison of two groups of stations emphasizes the contribution of motor vehicle emissions on residential areas. Seasonal and diurnal variations of measured parameters and lower winter-to-summer ratio of SO2 indicate contribution of diesel vehicle emissions to SO2 levels at curbside stations. Contribution of traffic emissions are also observed in terms of well defined bimodal traffic pattern of SO2 and PM-10 at non-curbside stations. Seasonal and diurnal pollutant ratios are investigated to apportion different source types that are effective in each group of station. PM-to-SO2, NO-to-NO2, PM-10-to-NOX and SO2-to-NOX ratios are found to be good tracers for qualitative assessment of source groups, namely traffic and domestic heating. Different statistical methodologies are demonstrated to determine the source regions of pollutants with respect to wind direction. Air quality level of Ankara, instead of air quality level in each station, is determined in terms of daily API. One by one correlation between API and meteorological factors are investigated, maximum wind speed and daily thermic excursion is found to be the highest correlated variables. The relation between API and these variables is analyzed by multiple linear regression method and then air pollution forecast model highly correlated with API and meteorological variables is developed. The assimilative capacity of Ankara is calculated in terms of ventilation coefficient and found to be highest in summer and lowest in winter. In winter poor dispersion conditions favor the poor air quality in the city.

The purpose of this study is to assess the engineering geological and geotechnical characteristics and to perform seismic hazard studies of the Upper Pliocene and Quaternary deposits located towards the west of Ankara. Based on a general engineering geological and seismic characterization of the site, site classification systems are assigned for seismic hazard assessment studies. The objective of the research is to determine the regional and local seismic soil conditions, predominant periods and ground amplifications, and to idealize the soil profile of the sites by the aid of surface geophysical methods. These studies are combined and integrated with the geotechnical database from a variety of in-situ and laboratory studies that are compiled from present and previous studies regarding the project area and then transferred to an analytical environment for creating relevant information for our site. Then, engineering geological and geotechnical seismic characterization along with seismic zoning map preperation is accomplished. Finally, based on a general engineering geological and geotechnical site characterization, site classification systems are assigned to account for site effects in seismic hazard assessments along with the assessment of mitigation and remediation of seismic hazards.

This study gives a description about the development of a computer model, RealPipe, which relates genetic algorithm (GA) to the well known problem of least-cost design of water distribution network. GA methodology is an evolutionary process, basically imitating evolution process of nature. GA is essentially an efficient search method basically for nonlinear optimization cases. The genetic operations take place within the population of chromosomes. By means of various operators, the genetic knowledge in chromosomes change continuously and the success of the population progressively increases as a result of these operations. GA optimization is also well suited for optimization of water distribution systems, especially large and complex systems. The primary objective of this study is optimization of a water distribution network by GA. GA operations are realized on a special program developed by the author called RealPipe. RealPipe optimizes given water network distribution systems by considering capital cost of pipes only. Five operators are involved in the program algorithm. These operators are generation, selection, elitism, crossover and mutation. Optimum population size is found to be between 30-70 depending on the size of the network (i.e. pipe number) and number of commercially available pipe size. Elitism rate should be around 10 percent. Mutation rate should be selected around 1-5 percent depending again on the size of the network. Multipoint crossover and higher rates are advisable. Also pressure penalty parameters are found to be much important than velocity parameters. Below pressure penalty parameter is the most important one and should be roughly 100 times higher than the other. Two known networks of the literature are examined using RealPipe and expected results are achieved. N8.3 network which is located in the northern side of Ankara is the case study. Total cost achieved by RealPipe is 16.74 percent lower than the cost of the existing network / it should be noted that the solution provided by RealPipe is hydraulically improved.

Urban land prices have important effects on urban development and locational distribution of land-uses. Housing is one of those sectors. There are high-density residential areas covering high-rise apartments at the city center where the land prices are quite high. Here, sizes of the plots and the housing units are relatively small. However, land prices begin to decrease with the increasing distance from the city center and the production of low-density, low-rise housing which is economically unfeasible at the center turns to be feasible for the housebuilders at the outskirts. Low-rise houses at the urban fringe provides various opportunities for the households. In these areas, plots and housing units are relatively larger due to cheap and available land. In addition to this, better urban services, quiet and clean environment as well as privacy contribute to create a livable urban environment. However, households living in low-rise housing units are subject to high transportation and maintenance costs. It is expected that they would compensate these costs with larger housing units, prestigious urban environment and many opportunities that their neighborhoods offer. Urbanization processes may be differ from one country to another with respect to the socio-economic and political structures, and the environmental characteristics. In that sense, low-rise housing areas at the urban fringe of Ankara were found to be developed highly compatible with urban land use theories / but different from the processes experienced in developed countries, to some extent. With regard to these, low-rise housing development in Ankara is discussed according to plan decisions, housebuilders, households and urban development pattern, considering the theoretical basis and historical processes.

To enhance the global control of encephalitis and hepatitis caused by rabies virus (RABV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), enterovirus 71 (EV71) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), novel immunisation strategies are needed. All four diseases particularly affect low income countries with marginal health services – an affordable combined vaccine strategy could alleviate the large burden of disease. Therefore, we aimed to construct a multipathogen vaccine assessing the immunising activity of a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA), expressing key antigens (RABV-glycoprotein, JEV pre-membrane & envelope protein, EV71-P1 protein and large hepatitis B surface antigen) from the various pathogens. Successful delivery of the pathogen sequences into non-essential sites (deletion site I, II, VI) of MVA via homologous recombination with a transfer plasmid, was demonstrated by transient color selection (LacZ-marker) in vitro. The stable insertion of the expression cassettes was validated over ten virus passages by PCR with specific primer sets, targeting the pathogen sequence. Two recombinants, one carrying the EV71 and JEV pathogen sequence and one carrying the RABV-HBV pathogen sequence were generated and validated by PCR.To ensure similar expression of the key antigens, a T7-promoter was linked to the expression cassettes of all pathogen sequences. Direct regulation of this promoter was achieved through co-infection with a second T7-polymerase expressing MVA under the control of a vaccinia p7.5 promoter. Protein expression from recombinant MVA using the co-infection model of expression in vitro, was further characterised by Western blot, dot blot and immunocytochemistry. All inserted transgenes were expressed using an avian (chicken embryo fibroblasts) or mammalian (human fetal lung fibroblasts) cell culture system. To investigate the co-infection model of antigen delivery in vivo, a pilot murine immunogenicity study was performed in six Balb/c mice using the MVA-RABV-HBV recombinant in a homologous prime-boost regimen two weeks apart. To detect antibodies against the expressed pathogen sequences in the mouse serum an antibody-capture assay was performed (Western blot, dot blot). The antigen (used to capture murine antibodies) was purified RABV-glycoprotein or large hepatitis B surface antigen expressed from a baculovirus. The murine antibodies were detected by a secondary anti-mouse antibody, conjugated with horseradish peroxidase for a chemiluminescent reporter assay. Although, serum antibodies against MVA were induced in all mice, no serum antibodies against RABV or HBV could be detected. In summary, we were able to demonstrate that two transgenes, when inserted into one or two different loci in the MVA genome, can be expressed in vitro when using the co-infection model of gene expression with a T7-expression system. This project has provided new insights into a novel group of vaccines, the multipathogen viral vector vaccines, employing MVA as a vector. Future studies will be needed to further explore this vaccine-group, as well as the co-infection model of expression.

No description available.

Since September 2020, Germany has experienced the first ever outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). The first known cases occurred exclusively in wild boar in forest areas in Brandenburg and Saxony; in July 2021, infected domestic pigs were also confirmed for the first time. As wild boar are considered the main reservoir for the virus in the European region, an effective interruption of this infection chain is essential. In particular, the removal and safe disposal of infected carcasses and the direct disinfection of contaminated, unpaved ground are priorities in this regard. For the disinfection, highly potent as well as environmentally compatible disinfectants must be used, which are neither influenced in their effectiveness by the soil condition nor by increased organic contamination. Thus, in this study, slaked lime, milk of lime and quicklime (1% to 10% solutions) were selected for efficacy testing against the test virus recommended by the German Veterinary Society (DVG), Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus (MVAV), and ASF virus (ASFV) in conjunction with six different forest soils from Saxony in two different soil layers (top soil and mineral soil) each. In summary, 10% of any tested lime type is able to inactivate both MVAV and ASFV under conditions of high organic load and independent of the water content of the soil. At least a 4 log reduction of the virus titer in all tested forest soil types and layers and by all applied lime types was observed. In conclusion, the high efficacy and suitability of all tested lime products against both viruses and in the presence of high organic load in forest soil can be confirmed and will help to control ASF spread.

Au cours des cinq dernières décennies, la Turquie n’a cessé de montrer son désir profond de devenir un Etat membre de l’Union européenne. Cette étude aura pour but de mettre en exergue l’évolution des relations euro-turques depuis 1959 à nos jours étant précisé que le point de départ sera marqué par le traité d’Ankara, signé en 1963, connu également sous le nom de Traité d’association. En effet, bien que la candidature turque occupe une place importante dans les débats européens, les bases juridiques de la relation euro-turque ne sont quasiment jamais évoquées. La recherche portera également sur les évolutions survenues dans le sillage du Conseil Européen d’Helsinki (1999) qui accorda à la Turquie le statut de candidate à l’adhésion. Malgré de substantielles évolutions positives, les négociations avancent au ralenti. L’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union européenne ne pourra donc être clairement envisagée que lorsque des réformes réelles et concrètes auront été engagées en Turquie. En effet, même si ces dernières années ont profondément transformé le paysage turc dans de nombreux domaines, on s’aperçoit que les pratiques ne sont pas encore à la hauteur des législations communautaires. Enfin, la persistance du gouvernement turc à ne pas se conformer aux recommandations européennes sur des sujets très sensibles semble remettre en cause la probabilité d’adhésion de la Turquie au sein de l’Union européenne. / In the past five decades, Turkey has consistently demonstrated its deeply felt desire to become a European Union Member State. The purpose of the present study is to highlight the development of Euro-Turkish relations from 1959 to nowadays, it being specified that the starting point of this study is the Ankara Treaty, signed in 1963, also known as the Association Treaty. Indeed, although Turkey candidacy is now an important part of the European debates, the legal basis of the Euro-Turkish relations are rarely mentioned. The study will also focus on the developments that occurred when the Helsinki European Council of December 1999 stated that Turkey was a candidate for accession to the European Union. Despite substantial and positive developments, the negotiations are progressing very slowly. Therefore, the Turkish accession to the European Union will only be actively considered, when Turkey incurs tangible and real reforms. Indeed, even though changes in recent years have profoundly transformed the Turkish landscape in many areas, it has been noticed that its practices are still not up to Community legislation. Finally, the likelihood of Turkey’s accession to the European Union seems to be questioned by the Turkish government persistence not to comply with European recommendations on highly sensitive issues.

The aim of this thesis is to explain the production of urban space at the southwestern periphery of Ankara between 1985 and 2007. It has been argued that urban development is not a self-regulatory process / on contrary it is a process produced by urban planning practice. In this respect this thesis asks how and what extent urban planning produces particular urban pattern at the peripheral areas. The southwestern periphery is taken into account as a field of case study due to the peculiar development dynamics. Historical development in this area reveals a contrast between planned development directed by master plans and problematic development that has been produced by fragmented and incoherent planning processes. The difficulties of urban plans and urban planning are intimately related with the legal and administrative structures of the planning system. A methodology offered in this thesis is devised to analyze the incremental and piecemeal nature of planning process with reference to these structures. The results of the research has shown that when confronted with legal and administrative conflicts and struggles, fragmented planning decisions manipulating the existing master plan intensify and become the root cause of dispersed, awkward and haphazard spatial patterns of urban expansion.