Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diabetes Mellitus Health Care Provision Audit at Primary Health Care Facilities in Dubai

Background: Quality indicator is a measurable element of practice performance for which there is evidence that it can be used to assess the quality and hence change the quality of care provided. Objectives: To study Care provision (process and outcome indicators) to patients with diabetes at primary care facility in Dubai. Methodology: Cross sectional study was conducted in primary health care centers DHA Dubai. Dubai are divided into two regions: deira and Bur Dubai. All adult (18 years and above) diabetic patients attending PHC centers, with available record, both males and females were selected. Patient should be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus for at least one year. Patient should have at least two visits to the study clinic in the 24 month at the start of the study. Gestational diabetes were excluded. By using EPIINFO version 6.04 program the minimal sample size required is calculated to be 362. Multi stage stratified random sampling method was used. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: The quality indicators of care provided to diabetic patients. As regards the process of care, the blood pressure was measured in every visit in all cases, the LDL was measured in the last 12 months in 98.9%, 93.5% had foot examination in the last 12 months, 83.5% had eye examination in the last 12 months and only 60.7% had their Hba1c measured every 3 months. For the outcome of care indicators, it can be noted that 60.2% had their blood pressure at target controlled as compared to 53.1% for LDL and only 44.1% for HbA1c. Conclusions: Auditing process and outcome of care which have been delivered revealed a reasonable adherence to the guideline, the process of care showed better adherence than the outcome of care as the process were more related to the system where the health care delivered while the outcome of care is multi-factorial product. Recommendations: Filling the gap shown by this study in the diabetic care system at PHC/ Dubai health authority, through proper address of the weakness in the domain of continuity of care which showed low diabetes control.
Efficacy and safety of typical and atypical antipsychotic medications in the treatment of delirium

Background Most previous studies on the efficacy of antipsychotic medication for the treatment of delirium have reported that there is no significant di fference between typical and atypical antipsychotic medications. It is known, however, that older age mi ht be a predictor of poor response to antipsychotics in the treatment of delirium. The obje ctive of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of haloperidol, risperidone, olanzapine, and queti apine for the treatment of delirium with consideration of patient age. Methods This study was a 6-day, prospective clinical trial of haloperidol, r ispe idone, olanzapine, and quetiapine in patients with delirium at a tertiary l evel hospital. The subjects were referred to the consultation-liaison psychiatric service f or management of delirium and were screened before enrollment in this study. A total of 80 subje cts were assigned to receive either haloperidol (N=23), risperidone (N=21), olanzapine (N=18), or quetia pine (N=18). The efficacy was evaluated using the Korean version of the Deliri um Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-K) and the Korean version of the Mini Mental Status Examinat io (K-MMSE). The safety was evaluated by the Udvalg Kliniske Undersogelser side effect ra ting scale. Results There were no significant differences in mean DRS-K severi ty o K-MMSE scores among the four groups at baseline. In all groups, the DRS-K severity score decreased and the K-MMSE score increased significantly over the study period. How ever, there were no significant differences in the improvement of DRS-K or K-MMSE scores among the four groups. Similarly, cognitive and non-cognitive subscale DRS-K scores decreased regardless of the treatment group. The treatment response rate was lower in patie ts over 75 years old than in patients under 75 years old. Particularly, the response ra te to olanzapine was poorer in the older age group. Fifteen subjects experienced a few adverse event s, but here were no significant differences in adverse event profiles among the four groups. Conclusions Haloperidol, risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine were equally effic acious and safe in the treatment of delirium. However, age is a factor that needs to be considered when making a choice of antipsychotic medication for the treatment of delirium.
Absorptive capacity as a determinant of innovation in SMEs: A study of Bengaluru high-tech manufacturing cluster

ABSTRACT It is generally known that clusters are the sources of innovation and therefore, of late, the focus of researchers has been increasing to unearth the factors driving innovation among the SMEs in a cluster. Researchers have identified the absorptive capacity, which is a measure of dynamic capability of an SME, as one of the critical factors that determine the innovation propensity of an SME. However, due to a lack of consensus among researchers about the factors determining the absorptive capacity of a firm in general and SMEs specifically, quantifying the absorptive capacity has remained a challenge. Within the context of a Bengaluru cluster which houses a densely interconnected network of high-tech manufacturing SMEs, this paper attempts to quantify the absorptive capacity of a firm taking into account both internal/firm-level and external/industry-level factors. Subsequently, this paper probes the impact of the absorptive capacity of an SME on the innovation performance of an SME.
Microbial colonization of the upper gastrointestinal tract in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

BACKGROUND Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease, in which patients are at greatly increased risk of esophageal dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. Over the past 2 decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of both BE and adenocarcinoma; however, the involvement of microorganisms in BE is uncertain. The aim of this study was to characterize microbial communities in esophageal aspirate specimens and on distal esophageal mucosal samples from patients with BE. METHODS Biopsy and aspirate specimens were obtained by endoscopic examination from 7 patients with BE and 7 control subjects without BE. Samples were cultured under aerobic, anaerobic, and microaerophilic conditions for yeasts and bacteria, including Helicobacter pylori. Bacterial isolates were identified by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Fluorescence microscopic examination was also used to determine the spatial localization of these organisms on mucosal surfaces. Significant colonization was detected in 6 patients with BE and in 4 control subjects. RESULTS Overall, 46 bacterial species belonging to 16 genera were detected, with 10 species being common in both groups. Both aspirate and biopsy samples from patients with BE contained complex populations of bacteria. Uniquely, high levels of Campylobacter species (Campylobacter concisus and Campylobacter rectus), which have been linked to enteritis, periodontal infections, and tumor formation in animals, were found in 4 (57%) of 7 patients with BE but in none of the control subjects. Microscopic examination revealed that bacteria on mucosal biofilms often occurred in microcolonies. CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of nitrate-reducing Campylobacter species in patients with BE may suggest that there is a link in either the initiation, maintenance, or exacerbation of disease processes leading to adenocarcinoma formation.
Design of Regulatory Contracts – Example of the Urban Transport Industry

The present article discusses economic issues related to the design of optimal regulatory contracts on the example of the urban public transport industry. It highlights the importance of the design of efficient regulatory contracts in the context of changes facing the urban transportation industry in the European Union. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the main issues put forward in economic literature related to the design of regulatory contracts. It discusses several problems relevant in this context such as informational asymmetries, transaction costs, and regulatory capture. It also comments on a selection of views presented in economic literature dealing with these issues. Finally, the article presents the regulatory framework, contractual practices and characteristics of the French urban public transport industry. France is well known for its long standing tradition of contracting between the State and the private sector in transportation. The analysis of the French example may help to prove useful insights in this regard.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Polish Economy: A Comparison with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Countries

Following the collapse of the communist regime, Poland began the transition toward a market economy and identified the positive effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the transition process. Foreign capital inflow is considered an important factor facilitating the privatization and reconstructing process of Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies. The first section of this paper provides an overview of the basic trends of FDI in Poland, such as the size of FDI inflow, its accumulated value, structure of FDI according to the forms of investment, the country from which it’s originated and the sectors of the economy. The second section examines FDI inflow in Poland in comparison with the other CEE countries and discusses the size of FDI inflow and FDI stock as a percentage of GDP. High foreign capital inflows and very high percentage share of Foreign Direct Investment stock in Gross Domestic Product indicate that foreign capital plays a vital role in CEE economies and be-comes an important indicator of globalization processes in CEE countries.
Host-defence peptides from the glandular secretions of amphibians: structure and activity.

Covering: up to the end of 2005 This review covers the literature on the subject of biologically active peptides from the glands of amphibians. These include neuropeptides, antimicrobial and anticancer active peptides, antiviral agents, fungicides and peptides which complex with Ca2+ calmodulin. Other topics covered include sex pheromones from amphibians, and the use of peptide profiling to differentiate between species and different populations of the same species.
The Division of Endosymbiotic Organelles

Mitochondria and chloroplasts are essential eukaryotic organelles of endosymbiotic origin. Dynamic cellular machineries divide these organelles. The mechanisms by which mitochondria and chloroplasts divide were thought to be fundamentally different because chloroplasts use proteins derived from the ancestral prokaryotic cell division machinery, whereas mitochondria have largely evolved a division apparatus that lacks bacterial cell division components. Recent findings indicate, however, that both types of organelles universally require dynamin-related guanosine triphosphatases to divide. This mechanistic link provides fundamental insights into the molecular events driving the division, and possibly the evolution, of organelles in eukaryotes.
External Monitoring and Returns to Hedge Fund Activist Campaigns

Firms targeted by hedge fund activists experience significantly higher returns when there are fewer external monitors in place at the target firm. Using analyst coverage and institutional ownership as measures of external monitoring presence, we find that low-monitored activist targets experience abnormal returns 17.52% above that of high-monitored targets in the two-year period following the initial campaign start date. The significant effect of external monitoring remains after controlling for target firm and activist characteristics. We also document improved operating performance and an increased monitoring presence at low-monitored target firms across the same two-year period, consistent with the observed market performance.
Demand for Tax-Preparation Services: An Exploratory Examination of Client Versus Tax-Preparer Expectation Gaps

Abstract This research explores the expectation gap between tax clients’ motivations to hire tax preparers versus tax preparers’ perceptions of those client motivations. The study builds on limited previous research by examining preparers primarily from local firms rather than focusing solely on large international firms. The Gaps Model of Service Quality provides the theoretical lens for the paper. We employ the recently developed Taxpayer Motivation Scale (TMS) to measure four client motivations to hire a preparer: (1) saving money, (2) saving time, (3) legal compliance, and (4) protection from the IRS. We measure expectation gaps for those four motivations using matched tax preparer–tax client dyads. We employ statistical sub-group analyses to investigate the effects of both clients’ and preparers’ demographic characteristics that influence tax-expectation gaps. Results suggest client gender plays a noteworthy role in predicting many of the gaps. In addition, complexity of tax returns, children in the home, and client perceptions of tax-preparer advocacy help explain gaps. Finally, female preparers appear to be relatively more sensitive to client needs. We conclude that tax preparers need to (1) better understand their clients’ motivations for hiring them and (2) reexamine marketing efforts to educate clients about preparer credentials and potential strategy options for tax preparation.
The early risk of multiple sclerosis following isolated acute syndromes of the brainstem and spinal cord

A combined clinical and magnetic resonance imaging follow‐up study was undertaken to determine the risk of early progression to multiple sclerosis in patients who present with clinically isolated lesions of the brainstem or spinal cord. Progression to multiple sclerosis was seen in 13 patients (57%) who had a brainstem syndrome and in 14 patients (42%) who had a spinal cord syndrome after mean intervals of 15 and 16 months, respectively. The risk of progression was increased by the presence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with either syndrome and by the presence of disseminated brain lesions, as detected by magnetic resonance imaging, in those with a spinal cord syndrome. Follow‐up revealed evidence of multiphasic disease in 24 (69%) of 35 patients who had disseminated lesions on magnetic resonance imaging scans at presentation, suggesting that multiple sclerosis is the usual cause of such lesions.
Regulation of flt‐1 expression during mouse embryogenesis suggests a role in the establishment of vascular endothelium

Flt‐1 is a high affinity binding receptor for the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and is primarily expressed in endothelial cells. In this study we have investigated the temporal and spatial regulation of its expression by establishing mouse lines containing the lacZ gene targeted into the flt‐1 locus through homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells. In the yolk sac as well as in the embryo proper, lacZ expression faithfully reflected the endogenous expression pattern of the flt‐1 gene. LacZ staining of heterozygous embryos led to the following observations: (1) the onset of flt‐1 expression is detected at the early primitive streak stage in the extraembryonic mesoderm, and is strongly up‐regulated thereafter, reaching a maximum by early to midsomite stages and declining subsequently; (2) while flt‐1 is widely expressed within the developing vascular endothelium, its expression level is differentially regulated both spatially and temporally. The pattern of flt‐1 expression suggests that it may play an important role in the initiation of endothelium development; and (3) flt‐1 is expressed in essentially all the cells in early blood islands, but later its expression is gradually restricted to the endothelial lineage. Our results indicate that flt‐1 is a marker for hemangioblasts, the presumed progenitor for both hematopoietic and angioblastic lineage. The flt‐1 expression pattern also suggests that it may play important roles in both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
How Firms Export: Processing vs. Ordinary Trade with Financial Frictions

The fragmentation of production across borders allows firms to make and export final goods, or to perform only intermediate stages of production by processing imported inputs for re-exporting. We examine how financial frictions affect companies' choice between processing and ordinary trade – implicitly a choice of production technology and position in global supply chains – and how this decision affects performance. We exploit matched customs and balance sheet data from China, where exports are classified as ordinary trade, import-and-assembly processing trade (processing firm sources and pays for imported inputs), and pure assembly processing trade (processing firm receives foreign inputs for free). Value added, profits, and profitability rise from pure assembly to processing with imports to ordinary trade. However, more profitable trade regimes require more working capital because they entail higher up-front costs. As a result, credit constraints induce firms to conduct more processing trade and pure assembly in particular and preclude them from pursuing higher value-added, more profitable activities. Financial market imperfections thus impact the organization of production across firms and countries and inform optimal trade and development policy in the presence of global production networks.
Patients' perceptions of health, chronic illness, and nursing diagnoses.

This descriptive, exploratory study sought to determine how persons with chronic health problems define their experiences of health and illness and to collect information from these subjects regarding their ability to identify their health problems on the list of NANDA-approved nursing diagnoses. A convenience sample of 19 subjects was interviewed using qualitative triangulation methods. Subjects defined experiences of health in terms of their abilities to perform functions independently. Illness was defined primarily in terms of physical symptoms. Thirteen subjects identified self-initiated activities oriented toward alleviation of physical symptoms as strategies for helping themselves get better or feel better when "sick. " Subjects were able to use nursing diagnoses to identify their health problems, selecting 61 of the 106 NANDA-approved diagnoses. Data related to subject-selected diagnoses are compared with available NANDA diagnoses by taxonomy category and nurse-interviewer diagnoses. Moving, Perceiving, and Valuing were the taxonomy categories that were most frequently identified by this sample. A new nursing diagnosis of altered nutrition: regimentation (in timing, amounts, and types of food), as well as the need for additional diagnostic development in the areas of urinary frequency, disrupted relationships, and medications were identified by the subjects. Finally, the researchers propose the development of nursing diagnoses that foster health promotion and illness prevention based on the health orientation of this sample, despite their chronic health problems.
Physical and sensory functioning over time and satisfaction with care: the implications of getting better or getting worse.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether those persons whose sensory or physical functioning improved or worsened over one year are more or less satisfied with their health care. DATA SOURCES 1996 and 1997 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). STUDY DESIGN The MCBS surveys a nationally representative, longitudinal panel of Medicare beneficiaries about their sociodemographic attributes; vision, hearing, and various mobility functions; and 10 items representing satisfaction with and access to health care. Using multivariable logistic regression and controlling for sociodemographic factors, we computed adjusted odds ratios of dissatisfaction with care, examining the effects of changes in sensory or physical functioning. Analyses accounted for MCBS sampling weights. DATA EXTRACTION METHODS We identified 9,974 community-dwelling respondents, 18 years old and over who answered the 1996 and 1997 MCBS. We assessed five categories of sensory or physical functioning (vision; hearing; walking; reaching overhead; and grasping and writing) and compared 1996 and 1997 responses to identify those whose functioning improved or worsened. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Worsened functioning was strongly associated with older age, low income, and low educational attainment. Improved functioning was rarely significantly associated with satisfaction; an exception involved substantially lower rates of dissatisfaction with "ease and convenience" of getting to physicians. Worsened functioning was often statistically significantly associated with dissatisfaction, always with adjusted odds ratios >1.0. Across all five functional categories, persons whose functioning worsened displayed significantly greater dissatisfaction with overall quality, ease, and costs or care. CONCLUSIONS Persons whose functioning improved rarely reported better satisfaction than did those whose functioning did not improve, while those whose functioning worsened expressed more systematic reservations about their care.
Man vs. Machine in Predicting Successful Entrepreneurs: Evidence from a Business Plan Competition in Nigeria

This paper compares the relative performance of man and machine in being able to predict outcomes for entrants in a business plan competition in Nigeria. The first human predictions are business plan scores from judges, and the second are simple ad hoc prediction models used by researchers. The paper compares these (out-of-sample) performances with those of three machine learning approaches. The results show that (i) business plan scores from judges are uncorrelated with business survival, employment, sales, or profits three years later; (ii) a few key characteristics of entrepreneurs such as gender, age, ability, and business sector do have some predictive power for future outcomes; (iii) modern machine learning methods do not offer noticeable improvements; (iv) the overall predictive power of all approaches is very low, highlighting the fundamental difficulty of picking winners; and (v) the models do twice as well as random selection in identifying firms in the top tail of performance.
Clomipramine, Tryptophan and Lithium in Combination for Resistant Endogenous Depression: Seven Case Studies

Seven patients suffering from severe endogenous depression who had proven resistant to lengthy trials of treatment with tricyclic and other antidepressants are described. Their successful treatment with a combination of clomipramine, L-tryptophan and lithium is discussed in the context of other strategies for the treatment of resistant depression.