Performance increasing of the Dusseldorf Turkish General Consulate

This study aims to reduce the citizens’ waiting time by increasing employees’ performance in the Turkish General Consulate (TGC). The current waiting time to complete processes for citizens is not satisfactory. Therefore, both the TGC administration and citizens complain about this issue. In this study, the client is the TGC administration. The first step is performance analysis. It includes organizational analysis, environmental analysis, and gap analysis. The first step also includes examining the TGC’s mission, vision, human resources policies, workflow and other aspects. The second step is investigating the gap between current waiting time and ideal waiting time. The third step is finding out the reasons that cause the gap between current and desired performance by implementing cause analysis. The interview questions are based on Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model (BEM). Telephone interviews are conducted with 16 employees to collect data. According to findings, the employees perceive the long waiting time as the most critical problem. The factors that cause the long waiting time can be stated as follows: inappropriate physical and psychological work environment, the lack of materials, tools, and time, inadequate financial and non-financial incentives. In this study, human performance technology model’s performance analysis and cause analysis stages are practiced

An author report: Elfreda Annmary Chatman

The main aim of this report is to become familiar with Elfreda A. Chatman and her major works and theories. She has contributed information science by producing several theories such as “the theory of information poverty,” “the normative behavior theory” and “the theory of life in the round” and implemented many studies about information seeking behavior of ordinary people. Although her major is library and information science, she focused on women in prison, the feminist movement, poor workers and janitors at large universities by using an ethnographic perception. She emphasized their information seeking behaviors in small communities and tried to describe their approach about information poverty. Also, she studied public libraries and the role of mentorship of the library leaders. The findings she found in her studies are useful not only for information science but also other disciplines such as sociology and psychology

Cognitive analysis of the (Bingol Anti Terror Police Department) BATPD Buddy Program

Buddy programs help newcomers to smooth transition. The programs also try to increase the performance of the new personnel, give them a moral support and provide a proper atmosphere. This study aims to figure out the deficiencies of the buddy program implemented in Bingol Anti-Terror Police Department (BATPD) and try to develop effective solutions for the program’s shortages. Thus, the newcomers are able to adapt to the organization in the fastest way without losing time and energy. In this study, the researcher applied observations and interviews to measure the effectiveness of the program. The participants were selected all of the newcomers who joined the organization in 2012. Data collection process took almost 12 months. According to results of the research, insufficient physical conditions of the unit, multitasking character of the personnel, and incompetent buddies are three reasons that hinder the program from being more successful. Training programs for buddies, focusing on one task at the one time, and more comfortable designed atmosphere in the organization are potential solutions for a better program

A common genetic variation of melanoma inhibitory activity-2 labels a subtype of pancreatic adenocarcinoma with high endoplasmic reticulum stress levels.

HNF1 homeoboxA(HNF1A)-mediated gene expression constitutes an essential component of the secretory pathway in the exocrine pancreas. Melanoma inhibitory activity 2 (MIA2), a protein facilitating protein secretion, is an HNF1A target. Protein secretion is precisely coordinated by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress/unfolded protein response (UPR) system. Here, we demonstrate that HNFA and MIA2 are expressed in a subset of human PDAC tissues and that HNF1A induced MIA2 in vitro. We identified a common germline variant of MIA2 (c.A617G:p.I141M) associated with a secretory defect of the MIA2 protein in PDAC cells. Patients carrying MIA2(I141M) survived longer after tumor resection but the survival benefit was restricted to those patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. The MIA2(I141M) variant was associated with high expression of ER stress/UPR genes - in particular those of the ERN1/XBP arm - in human PDAC samples. Accordingly, PDAC cell lines expressing the MIA2(I141M) variant expressed high levels of ERN1 and were more sensitive to gemcitabine. These findings define an interaction between the common MIA2(I141M) variant and the ER stress/UPR system and specify a subgroup of PDAC patients who are more likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy

Experimental Investigation of Delamination Formed by Bone Drilling

Bone drilling is a common method for fixing implants used in bone fractures. Because of the fibre-reinforced composite structure of bone, parameters such as feed rate, spindle speed and drill type affect the hole surface quality. After drilling, the quality of the bore surface, burr formation and delamination at the hole entrance and exit affect the ability of the screw to cause implant failure and fusion problems of the fracture. For this reason, it is very important to conduct drilling with optimum speed and feedrate values. In this study, the effects of processing parameters on hole surface quality and delamination were studied experimentally. In the experiment, bovine bone, which has similar structural properties to human bone, was used. The hole surface quality and delamination formed at the exit of the hole were examined for three different feed rates and spindle speeds. As a result of the experiments, it was seen that the feed rate had more effect on both delamination and hole surface quality than the spindle speed. It was also determined that the cortical part of the bone and the cancellous part of the bone affected the production of heat and drill wear differently

The impact of economic crisis on agricultural macroeconmic variables in turkey for the period of 1980-2008.

This study explores the impact of the economic crisis on the agricultural sector of Turkey. The data used covers the period of 1980-2008. This study employs some agricultural macro variables namely, gross value added of the agricultural sector, quantity index of agricultural export and import values, relative prices of agricultural goods and the reel exchange rate. The framework of the analysis is a five variables VAR model. Via this VAR model the study try to assess the impact of the economic crisis that occurred after the 1980’s on the agricultural sector of Turkey. Applying the VAR model a robust relationship is found between agricultural GDP, import, export, relative prices and exchange rates. The assessment of the effect of the economic crisis is being captured by adding a dummy variable to the model. The results show that there is no robust relationship between agricultural GDP and the indicator of the years of the (dummy) crisis. Moreover, there seems to be a positive relationship between the dummy and agricultural export and exchange rate while a negative one between import and relative prices.Economic Crisis, VAR, Agricultural Macro-Variables, Turkey

The effect of entrepreneurial personality traits of undergraduates in the area of education of physical education and sports on the entrepreneurship tendency

The aim of the study is to identify the existing situation of entrepreneurship, whose importance gradually increases for the last 20 years, among university students taking education in the area of education of physical education and sports; to study whether or not entrepreneurial personality traits (desire to succeed, resolution, practical intelligence, innovativeness, independence, self-confidence) affect entrepreneurship tendency; and to try to identify the degree of this effect. The sample of the study consist of 610 students from the Departments of Physical Education Teaching, Coaching Education, and Sports Management, who receive undergraduate education in Collegeges of Physical Education and Sports in Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey, Niğde, Aksaray, and Erciyes Universities and Faculty of Sport Sciences, Gazi and Selcuk  University. In the study, sociodemographic form as well as “Entrepreneurial Personality Traits Inventory” to identify entrepreneurial personality traits, and Entrepreneurship Education Inventory were utilized. As a result of the study, among entrepreneurial personality traits, other than the factors of innovativeness and independence, it revealed that entrepreneurial personality traits had an effect on entrepreneurship education. In addition, it was also identified that there was a positive directional significant relationship between entrepreneurial personality traits and entrepreneur education. As also understood from here, among the other elements (family, belief, culture, etc.) affecting entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial personality traits have an important place in terms of entrepreneurship education

Knowledge-sharing Practices Among Turkish Peacekeeping Officers

The Turkish National Police (TNP) peacekeeping officers experience poor knowledge-sharing practices before, during, and after their tours of duty at the United Nations (UN) field missions, thus causing knowledge loss. The study aims to reveal the current knowledge-sharing practices of the TNP peacekeeping officers and proposes a knowledge-sharing system to share knowledge effectively. It also examines how applicable the knowledge management models are for their knowledge-sharing practices. In order to gain a better understanding about the knowledge-sharing practices of TNP officers, the researcher used a qualitative research method in this study. The researcher used semi-structured interviews in data collection. The participants were selected based on the non-probability and purposive sampling method. Content analysis and constant comparison was performed in the data analysis process. The most important knowledge sources of the peacekeeping officers are their colleagues, the Internet, and email groups. The peacekeepers recommend writing reports, organizing training programs, conducting exit interviews, adopting best practices, and creating a knowledge depository. The study uncovers that organizational culture, hierarchy, and physical proximity are significant factors that have a vital impact on knowledge sharing. Knowledge Conversion Model is substantially applicable for the knowledge-sharing practices of the TNP peacekeeping officer

Dijitalleşen Dünyada Akıllı Afet ve Acil Durum Uygulamaları

Dijitalleşen dünyada akıllı uygulamalar hızla etrafımızı sarmakta, insanlığı ileri ufuklara taşımaktadır. Bu kapsamda dünyanın varoluşundan beri süre gelen ve insanlara maddi/manevi ağır zararlar veren afet ve acil durum yönetimi konusunda da bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin kullanımı önemli faydalar sağlayacaktır. Özellikle bu konuda geliştirilebilecek akıllı afet ve acil durum uygulamalarının maddi/manevi getirisi büyük olacaktır. Akıllı afet ve acil durum uygulamaları geliştirmek için büyük veri kaynaklarına ihtiyaç vardır ve bunun kaynağı ise akıllı kentlerdir. Sağlanacak bir kurumlararası işbirliği ile akıllı kent bileşenleri ve mobil cihazlardan gelen veriler, akıllı afet ve acil durum konusunda akıllı uygulamalara dönüştürülecektir. Bu noktada çalışmanın ana teması, “dijitalleşen dünyada afet ve acil durum yönetimi nasıl akıllı hale getirilebilir? Sorusu üzerine kurulmuştur

Optik atrofi, maküler incelme ve arkuat skotom gibi atipik klinik bulgular gösteren çoklu geçici beyaz nokta sendromu olgusu

A 57-year-old man presented with a sudden loss of vision, central scotoma, and photopsia in the left eye. Grayish-white spots localized in the deep retina around the macula and optic disc were observed in the left eye on funduscopic examination. We observed a hyperfluorescence in a wreath-like pattern with late staining in retinal lesions during the early stage of fundus fluorescein angiography. Disruption was observed in an ellipsoid zone in optical coherence tomography. Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome was diagnosed based on findings and followed up without medication. The visual acuity of the left eye improved from 1/20 to 6/10 after a 7-week follow-up. Dilated fundus examination showed optic atrophy, and visual field examination revealed an arcuate scotoma.Elli yedi yaşında erkek hasta, sol gözde ani görme kaybı, santral skotom ve fotopsi şikâyetleri ile kliniğimize başvurdu. Funduskopik muayenesinde, sol gözde makula ve optik disk etrafında, retinanın derin katlarında lokalize olmuş grimsi beyaz lezyonlar gözlendi. Fundus floresan anjiyografi erken dönemi boyunca retinal lezyonlarda gözlenen çelenk benzeri hiperfloresans, geç boyanma ile devam etti. Optik koherens tomografide, fotoreseptör iç ve dış segment tabakasında harabiyet görüldü. Mevcut bulgular eşliğinde hastaya, çoklu geçici beyaz nokta sendromu teşhisi kondu ve ilaçsız takip edildi. Yedi haftalık takip sonrası hastanın görme keskinliği 1/20’den 6/10’a yükseldi. Dilate fundus muayenesinde, optik atrofi ve görme alanında arkuat skotom oluştuğu gözlendi