Quantifying intelligence cooperation: The United States International Intelligence Behavior (USIIB) dataset

Cataloged from PDF version of article.This report describes the creation of the United States International Intelligence Behavior dataset (USIIB). The USIIB represents the first collection of event data specifically intended for exploring in a quantifiable manner the international intelligence cooperation behaviors of the United States. A total of 293,615 events are recorded in the USIIB, covering the years 2000–09. The report first provides a detailed description of the steps involved in building such a dataset, including the development of search terms, the use of a machine coding program (TABARI – Text Analysis by Augmenting Replacement Instructions) to extract data from wire news releases, and the extension of an existing coding scheme (CAMEO) to include intelligence behaviors. Following a discussion of issues related to the reliability and validity of event datasets in general and the USIIB in particular, the report then includes suggestions and examples for how the data in the current USIIB dataset may be used in order to add to our understandings of patterns and anomalies in international intelligence cooperation behavior. As a specific example, it offers results from an empirical test exploring variation in intelligence cooperation behaviors among democracies and non-democracies, asking specifically whether the United States has been more likely in the early 21st century to cooperate on intelligence matters with democratic states, and finding this not to have been the case. Finally, it aims to provide a guide for others who would like to extend this dataset to explore intelligence cooperation activity of other countries or regions

SEGMENTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES ACCORDING TO FIRMS’ EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS DIMENSIONS IN THE EMPLOYER BRANDING CONCEPT

Brands are among firms’ most valuable assets: consequently brand management is a key activity in many firms. Although firms commonly focus their branding efforts toward developing product and corporate brands, branding can also be used in the area of human resource management. The application of branding principles to human resources management has been termed “employer brandingâ€. Increasingly, Firms are using employer branding to attract recruits and assure that current employees are engaged in the culture and the strategy of the firm. The employer brand puts forth an image showing the organization a “good place to workâ€. The purpose of this paper is to determine the components of employer attractiveness from the perspective of potential employees. Throughout this study, the potential employee segments that are related to the attractiveness components and their demographic characteristics are also examined. 475 respondents were given a questionnaire of employer attractiveness scale and demographic question. Final-year undergraduate Business Administration Faculty’s students at Istanbul University were segmented according to two employer attractiveness components clusters with each cluster acquiring its own demographic characteristics.Branding, Employer Attractiveness, Employer Branding, Potential Employees, Dimensions of Employer Branding

Comparison of combined application treatment with one-visit varnish treatments in an orthodontic population

Objective: To evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine-thymol varnish alone, its combination with chlorhexidine-fluo - ride containing dentifrice and fluoride varnish on oral hygiene and caries prevention in orthodontic patients. Study design: Sixty patients, aged 12-18, with orthodontic fixed appliances were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: Group 1 (n=20): 1% chlorhexidine and 1% thymol varnish (Cervitec ® Plus); Group 2 (n=20): Cervitec ® Plus+ 0.2% chlorhexidine and 0.2% sodium fluoride (900 ppm fluoride) (Cervitec ® Gel)); and Group 3 (n=20): 0.1% fluoride varnish (Fluor Protector ® ). Mutans streptococci (MS), lactobacilli (LB) levels, buffering capacity (BC), visible plaque index (VPI), and gingival bleeding index (GBI) scores were evaluated at four stages: T 0 , before orthodontic bonding; T 1 , one week after orthodontic bonding; T 2 , one week; and T 3 , four weeks after the first application, respectively. Inter and intra group comparisons were made by the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann- Whitney U, Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with Bonferroni step-down correction ( P< 0.017). Results: Significantly lower MS and LB levels were found in Group 2 than Group 1 (T 2 ) and 3 (T 2 , T 3 ) ( P< 0.017). Groups 1-2 (T 2 ) showed significantly higher BC ( P< 0.017) and lower VPI and GBI ( P< 0.017) scores compared with Group 3. Decreased MS levels at T 2 ( P< 0.017) and T 3 ( P> 0.017) were found in Group1-2 compared with T 0 . Significantly lower LB levels were recorded in Group 2 at T 2 compared with T0 ( P< 0.017) while no significant differences were seen in Group 1 and 3 ( P> 0.017). Conclusions: Addition of Cervitec ® Plus+Cervitec ® Gel combination to the standard oral hygiene regimen may be beneficial for orthodontic patients for maintaining oral health by reducing bacterial colonisation and gingivitis

Cytotoxicity of a new hemostatic agent on human pulp fibroblasts in vitro

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the plant extract ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) in vitro. Study Design: ABS was eluted with fresh Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) without serum for 72 h, at 37°C. The cells treated with various dilutions of ABS were seeded into 96-well microplate at 10 4 /well in triplicates. Cells without treatment served as a control group. The number of viable cells after 48 h incubation was determined by a modified 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The relative viability of pulp cells was expressed as color intensity of the number in the experimental wells relative to that of the control group. Absorbances were read at 570 nm on a microplate reader with a background subtraction at 620 nm. Result: The results showed that ABS was cytotoxic to human pulp fibroblasts by MTT assay. Conclusions: The influence of cytotoxicity to human pulp fibroblasts depended on concentration of ABS. The more dilutions exhibited less cytotoxic characteristics compared to the more concentrated forms. © Medicina Oral S. L

Release of cetyl pyridinium chloride from fatty acid chelate temporary dental cement

Objective To determine whether the antimicrobial nature of a fatty acid chelate temporary dental cement can be enhanced by the addition of 5% cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC). Materials and methods The temporary cement, Cavex Temporary was employed, and additions of CPC were made to either the base or the catalyst paste prior to mixing the cement. Release of CPC from set cement specimens was followed using reverse-phase HPLC for a period of up to 2 weeks following specimen preparation. Potential interactions between Cavex and CPC were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and antimicrobial effects were determined using zone of inhibition measurements after 24 h with disc-shaped specimens in cultured Streptococcus mutans. Results FTIR showed no interaction between CPC and the components of the cement. CPC release was found to follow a diffusion mechanism for the first 6 h or so, and to equilibrate after approximately 2 weeks, with no significant differences between release profiles when the additive was incorporated into the base or the catalyst paste. Diffusion was rapid, and had a diffusion coefficient of approximately 1 × 10−9 m2 s−1 in both cases. Total release was in the range 10–12% of the CPC loading. Zones of inhibition around discs containing CPC were significantly larger than those around the control discs of CPC-free cement. Conclusions The antimicrobial character of this temporary cement can be enhanced by the addition of CPC. Such enhancement is of potential clinical value, though further in vivo work is needed to confirm this

Volunteer Surgical Camp at Gombe Hospital in Uganda

Background: The Islamic University Habib Medical School in Uganda (IUIU), in collaboration with Doctors Worldwide (DWW) from Turkey, organized a surgical camp in April 2014. In this camp, different types of hernia repair, among other general surgical procedures were conducted. The target population was the population within the Gombe hospital serving districts.Methods: The defined area for the surgical camp was Butambala and neighboring districts including Mpigi; Gomba, Mityana, and parts of Wakiso district. The IUIU team and Gombe hospital team were respectful to the sensitivities of the community, district and government officials. The surgical team composed of 4 surgeons (three from DWW-Turkey and one from Uganda), 3 Anesthesiologists, (two from DWW-Turkey and one from Uganda), 2 nurses and 2 intern doctor, (one from DWW-Turkey and one from Uganda).Results: The total number of patients operated was 115; however the total number of operations performed was 130. One hundred and fourteen operations were different types of hernia repair. The ages of hernia patients ranged between 1 and 80 years (mean±SD is 27.46±24.55). Hemoglobin values ranged between 9.2 and 17 (mean±SD is 12.5±1.48). Only two (1.8%) of 114 hernia patients had positive results on HIV serology. Sixteen patients underwent circumcision. Of those, only two (12.5%) patients had positive results on HIV serology.Conclusion: Hernia is a common surgical problem in all age groups. It is more common in men. In addition to the operations conducted, the need for surgery for 187 patients was detected. This condition shows that the hernia operation is commonly accepted as a negligible condition.Keywords: Global surgery; Provincial; Hernia; World Wide Doctors; Ugand

GIANT CERVICAL LIPOMA, RARE BENIGN TUMOR OF CERVICAL REGION: TWO CASE REPORTS

Lipomlar, en sık saptanan mezenşimal orjinli benign tümörlerdir. Vücutta herhangi bir yerde izlenebilirler, servikal bölgede ise oldukça nadir olarak karşımıza çıkarlar ve posterior cilt altı düzeyde daha sık rastlanırlar. Asemptomatik yavaş büyüyen yumuşak doku kitlesi olarak karşımıza çıkan lipomlar, dev boyutlara ulaşabilirler. Bu olgu bildirisinde nadir rastlanmaları nedeniyle anterior ve posterior servikal bölgede yerleşimli histopatolojik olarak tanısı doğrulanmış iki dev lipom olgusunun radyolojik bulguları literatür eşliğinde tartışılmıştır. Lipomas are the most frequent benign tumors of mesencymal origin. Even though they can be viewed anywhere in the body, come as quite rare in the cervical region and can be seen more common in the posterior cervical region subcutaneously. Lipomas which appear as asymptomatic, slow growing soft tissue masses can reach giant proportions. In this case report, due to seeing rarely, two cases of giant lipomas in the anterior and posterior servical region are discussed by radiologic findings; the diagnosis was histopathologically confirmed