Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Public-Private Partnership in Health Care: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study of Perceived Quality of Care Among Parents of Children Admitted in Two Government District-hospitals, Southern India.

INTRODUCTION Perceived better quality of care draws lower socio-economic classes of Indians to more expensive private setups, leading to poverty illness poverty cycle. Urgent measures need to be taken to improve perceived quality of public hospitals. The present study compares the difference in perceived quality of care among parents of children admitted at two government district hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional, comparative, questionnaire based study was conducted between February 2011 and February 2012 at Government medical college hospitals of two district headquarters in South-India: one with private-public-partnership (PPP-model); another directly operated by government - Public Hospital-model (PH-model). A total of 461 inpatients from the PH model hospital and 580 from the PPP model hospital were eligible. Patients who left against advice (LAMA) (n=44 in PH and 19 in PPP) and expired (n=25 in PH and 59 in PPP) were excluded. Fourteen incomplete forms from PH and 10 from PPP model hospital were also excluded. Responders rated perception on a 1-5 scale in each domain: accessibility of health-facility, time spent waiting, manner and quality of physician, manner and quality of nurse, manner and quality of supporting staff, perception of equipment, explanation of treatment details and general comfort. The responders also rated overall satisfaction on a 1-10 scale. In the 1-5 scale, rating≥4 in each domain was considered good. Rating≥8 in 1-10 scale was considered satisfaction. RESULTS Responders from PPP-model hospital were significantly more satisfied than those from PH-model {n=529 (91.2%) vs. n=148 (32.1%) p<0.001}. This was true even when controlled for age-group, sex, maternal education, family-type, days of hospital-stay and socioeconomic class {O.R. (CI) =23.58 (16.13-34.48); p<0.001} by binary logistic regression model. In the PPP-model hospital the time spent waiting for treatment {4.28(2.07-8.82), p<. 001} and manner of support staff {3.64(1.02-12.99), p=0.04} significantly predicted satisfaction. In PH-model hospital explanation given regarding treatment details significantly predicted overall satisfaction {2.99(1.61-5.54), p<. 001}. CONCLUSION Perceived quality of hospital care, as evidenced by the satisfaction and perception ratings of responders, was better in PPP-model hospital. This model could be emulated in developing countries to draw patients of lower socio-economic classes to tertiary-care public hospitals which are less expensive.
Working conditions of the governmental and private hospital doctors in North Cyprus

Purpose – Recent concern about governmental hospital performance has intensified interest in the working conditions of doctors. In North Cyprus, there are several problems related with the functioning and performance of hospitals, such as lack of patient satisfaction, long waiting times for treatment, and dissatisfaction from doctors. In analyzing the reasons for such problems and proposing solutions, components of the hospital system, namely, the doctors and the patients and other health personnel, are considered to be important. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the satisfaction and importance levels of doctors from their working conditions and environment which are key determinants of patient satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire consisting of two main sections was constructed. The first section included personal information and the second section consisted of perceptional questions about importance and satisfaction levels related to the working conditions of doctors. The sam.
Occurrence of gout in rheumatoid arthritis: it does happen! A population-based study.

AIM It has been a popular belief that gout does not typically occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our aim was to assess the occurrence, prevalence, clinical presentation and possible risk factors for gout in patients with RA. PATIENTS & METHODS We retrospectively reviewed a population-based incidence cohort of patients who fulfilled 1987 ACR criteria for RA between 1980 and 2007. The cumulative prevalence of gout in RA adjusted for the competing risk of death was estimated. RESULTS Among the 813 patients with RA, six were diagnosed with gout prior to RA incidence and 22 patients developed gout during a total of 9771 person-years of follow-up. Nine out of 22 patients had crystal-proven gout. The 25-year cumulative prevalence of gout diagnosed by clinical criteria in patients with RA was 5.3%. CONCLUSION Gout does occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, however, at a lower rate than in the general population.
Impact of Psycho-Demographic Variables on Organizational Commitment in Banking Sector: A Comparative Study

The paper is a comparative study of organizational commitment of public and private bank employees and it also compare the managers and non-managers. Assessment of Organizational Commitment was done with the help of Organizational Commitment Scale by AllenaMayer (1990). The obtained data was analyzed through the statistical techniques of Independent t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to meet the objectives of the study. The study indicated that organizational commitment level of SBI, PNB and HDFC (0.70) banks employees is almost same but the organizational commitment level of ICICI bank employees was lower (0.64). On the basis of work experience there was no difference in the organizational commitment level of bank employees of two sectors. Further it was also found that managerial (0.69) and male (0.69) employees have high level of organizational commitment than the non-managerial (0.67) and female (0.66) employees of selected banks.
Primary health-care patients’ reasons for complaint-related worry and relief

Aim Primary care patients are commonly worried about their complaints when consulting their doctor. Knowing the reasons behind patients’ worries would enhance consultation practices. The aim of this study was to find out the reasons patients themselves give for their worries before a consultation and for possible relief or persistent worry after the consultation. Background Our previous study using quantitative methods suggested that worried patients were uncertain about what was wrong with them and they perceived their complaints as serious. These results left some aspects unanswered; for instance, why did the patients consider their complaints severe. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews of patients, aged 18–39 years, with somatic complaints other than a common cold (n = 40), both before and after a consultation, and the patients described their reasons for worry in their own words. These qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings The patients gave as reasons for their worries uncertainty, consequences of their complaints (eg, inability to work), insufficient control (eg, inadequate treatment) and prognosis. The patients were relieved when their uncertainty was diminished by getting an explanation for their complaint or when they achieved more control by getting treatment for their complaint. After a consultation, their reasons for worry, except for concern about the ability to function, tended to be replaced by other reasons. Psychological consequences and mistrust in health care also played a role in persistent worry. Our findings offer support to the patient-centred clinical method in primary care. To address the patients’ worries properly, the GP should bring them up for discussion. Special attention should be given to worries about the ability to function, as they tend to persist even after a consultation.
Fully automated GMP production of [ 68 Ga ] GaDO 3 AVS-Cys 40-Exendin-4 for clinical use

[68Ga]Ga-DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4/PET-CT targeting glucagon like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) has previously demonstrated its potential clinical value for the detection of insulinomas. The production and accessibility of this radiopharmaceutical is one of the critical factors in realization of clinical trials and routine clinical examinations. Previously, the radiopharmaceutical was prepared manually, however larger scale of clinical trials and healthcare requires automation of the production process in order to limit the operator radiation dose as well as improve tracer manufacturing robustness and on-line documentation for enhanced good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliance. A method for 68Ga-labelling of DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4 on a commercially available synthesis platform was developed. Equipment such as 68Ge/68Ga generator, synthesis platform, and disposable cassettes for 68Ga-labelling used in the study was purchased from Eckert & Ziegler. DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4 was synthesized in-house. The parameters such as time, temperature, precursor concentration, radical scavenger, buffer concentration, pH, product purification step were investigated and optimised. Reproducible and GMP compliant automated production of [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4 was developed. Exendin-4 comprising methionine amino acid residue was prone to oxidation which was strongly influenced by the elevated temperature, radioactivity amount, and precursor concentration. The suppression of the oxidative radiolysis was achieved by addition of ethanol, dihydroxybenzoic acid and ascorbic acid to the reaction buffer as well as by optimizing heating temperature. The non-decay corrected radiochemical yield was 43±2% with radiochemical purity of over 90% wherein the individual impurity signals in HPLC chromatogram did not exceed 5%. Automated production and quality control methods were established for paving the pathway for broader clinical use of [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4.
MEASURING THE EFFECT OF MARKETING INFORMATION ON BUYING INTENTIONS

The ABC measure was developed to replace the less flexible and less comprehensive traditional measure of marketing effectiveness—market share. The ABC measure is based upon concepts and theory that were used in developing a buyer behavior model that has been successfully applied to a range of products. This article demonstrates the design and application of the ABC measure by analyzing the experience of four financial institutions, each of which markets a managed cash account. Finally, using the results of the managed cash accounts study, it discusses the application of this measure in meeting the management needs.
The Effects of Task Interdependency on Cooperative and Competitive Group Processes: An Example of Scheduling Audit Engagements

Our study investigates and tests the interaction of cooperative and co mpetit ive group processes and high and low task interdependencies on performance in scheduling staff auditors to audit areas. The task examined is the scheduling of staff auditors to audit areas. In one case, we assume managers schedule staff auditors to audit areas and in the other we assume staff auditors schedule themselves to audit areas. We measure performance as the total expected time of those scheduled to complete the audit areas, where less time t ranslates to better performance. Task interdependency varies depending on who performs the task. When managers schedule audit areas, task interdependencies arise related to information and scarce human resources, neither of which exist when staff auditors schedule themselves. Accordingly, because of the difference in task interdependencies, cooperative and competit ive group processes result in larger performance differences for managers scheduling staff auditors than for staff auditors scheduling themselves. The results of our laboratory experiment support this conclusion.
Value-Added Tax and Shadow Economy: The Role of Input-Output Linkages

In the VAT system, formal traders report their purchases to the administration for a deduction in their tax bill. I model this third-party reporting feature of the VAT in an input-output economy and quantify it among different activities using a forward linkages index. The administration can reduce the size of shadow economy by reallocating visiting audits to backwardly linked activities and cross-checking VAT payments with input credit claims in forwardly linked activities. Empirical evidence from Indian service sector justifies the assumptions and suggests a significant increase in the tax compliance of forwardly linked activities following VAT adoption in 2003.
Absence of an effect of partial hepatectomy on aflatoxin B 1 carcinogenesis.

Summary The effect of partial hepatectomy on aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) carcinogenesis in rat liver has been examined in Fischer and Sprague-Dawley rats. Partial hepatectomy performed before or after the administration of AFB 1 had no effect on the development of hepatocarcinoma, compared to either sham hepatectomy or no operation. When AFB 1 administration was begun 6 hr after either hepatectomy or sham operation, the incidence of carcinoma was less than that found when AFB 1 treatment was begun between 24 hr and 6 days after surgery. Sprague-Dawley rats were less sensitive than Fischer rats to the carcinogenic effects of AFB 1 .
Vaginal Lactobacilli Reduce Neisseria gonorrhoeae Viability through Multiple Strategies: An in Vitro Study

The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) underline the need of “antibiotic-free” strategies for the control of gonorrhea. The aim of this study was to assess the anti-gonococcal activity of 14 vaginal Lactobacillus strains, belonging to different species (L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. vaginalis), isolated from healthy pre-menopausal women. In particular, we performed “inhibition” experiments, evaluating the ability of both lactobacilli cells and culture supernatants in reducing GC viability, at two different contact times (7 and 60 min). First, we found that the acidic environment, associated to lactobacilli metabolism, is extremely effective in counteracting GC growth, in a pH- and time-dependent manner. Indeed, a complete abolishment of GC viability by lactobacilli supernatants was observed only for pH values < 4.0, even at short contact times. On the contrary, for higher pH values, no 100%-reduction of GC growth was reached at any contact time. Experiments with organic/inorganic acid solutions confirmed the strict correlation between the pH levels and the anti-gonococcal effect. In this context, the presence of lactate seemed to be crucial for the anti-gonococcal activity, especially for pH values in the range 4.4–5.3, indicating that the presence of H+ ions is necessary but not sufficient to kill gonococci. Moreover, experiments with buffered supernatants led to exclude a direct role in the GC killing by other bioactive molecules produced by lactobacilli. Second, we noticed that lactobacilli cells are able to reduce GC viability and to co-aggregate with gonococci. In this context, we demonstrated that released-surface components with biosurfactant properties, isolated from “highly-aggregating” lactobacilli, could affect GC viability. The antimicrobial potential of biosurfactants isolated from lactobacilli against pathogens has been largely investigated, but this is the first report about a possible use of these molecules in order to counteract GC infectivity. In conclusion, we identified specific Lactobacillus strains, mainly belonging to L. crispatus species, able to counteract GC viability through multiple mechanisms. These L. crispatus strains could represent a new potential probiotic strategy for the prevention of GC infections in women.
DISCLOSURE QUALITY ON THE POLISH ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT MARKET NEWCONNECT

The scope of our research was to examine the relationship between disclosure quality and firms’ characteristics of the issuers listed on the Polish alternative investment market NewConnect. On the basis of the sample of 200 issuers, we demonstrated that disclosure quality is only significantly and positively correlated with the firm’s size and provided no evidence for relation among disclosure quality, debt ratio and issuers’ listed history. Our findings support the low level of investors’ relation. Issuers are not willing to help the investors to understand the reasons for such performance and refuse to give a complex picture of companies’ goals, strategic success factors, investments’ plan and risk management particulars. These results are consistent with our observations and we indicate the low level of issuers’ corporate governance, which is characteristic for the first stage of market development, as the main reason: issuers are still learning disclosing obligations, investors adopt passive behaviour and financial investors have low significance as market participants.
Diurnal Variation of Visual Function and the Signs and Symptoms of Dry Eye

Purpose: Subjects with dry eye often complain of disturbances in visual function and worsening of symptoms in the evening. To clinically substantiate these reports of diurnal variations, the present study tested subjects with dry eye on a series of visual function and ocular physiology measures. Methods: Twenty-one subjects with dry eye were enrolled and underwent ophthalmic examinations, including best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, visual function decay as measured by the interblink interval visual acuity decay test without ocular anesthetic, reading rate test, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and tear film breakup time. Keratitis, conjunctival redness, and corneal sensitivity were also assessed. Examinations occurred once during the morning and for a second time in the evening. Subjects also completed a modified version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index at both study visits. Results: Subjects with dry eye showed impaired visual function in the evening, as compared to that in the morning; they maintained their best spectacle-corrected visual acuity for a shorter time between blinks (P < 0.01) and had longer readings times (P < 0.05) in the evening as compared with that in the morning. These findings were qualified by Ocular Surface Disease Index results showing greater subjective visual impairment in the evening. Subjects also demonstrated a significant increase in keratitis and conjunctival redness from morning to evening testing. Less ocular discomfort was reported in the evening than in the morning; this effect significantly correlated with corneal sensitivity in the evening. Conclusions: Subjects with dry eye experience significant diurnal variations of visual function and ocular surface physiology. These daily rhythms should be considered when designing clinical trials and when quantifying disease severity.
Differential importance of trehalose in stress resistance in fermenting and nonfermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

The trehalose content in laboratory and industrial baker's yeast is widely believed to be a major determinant of stress resistance. Fresh and dried baker's yeast is cultured to obtain a trehalose content of more than 10% of the dry weight. Initiation of fermentation, e.g., during dough preparation, is associated with a rapid loss of stress resistance and a rapid mobilization of trehalose. Using specific Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants affected in trehalose metabolism, we confirm the correlation between trehalose content and stress resistance but only in the absence of fermentation. We demonstrate that both phenomena can be dissociated clearly once the cells initiate fermentation. This was accomplished both for cells with moderate trehalose levels grown under laboratory conditions and for cells with trehalose contents higher than 10% obtained under pilot-scale conditions. Retention of a high trehalose level during fermentation also does not prevent the loss of fermentation capacity during preparation of frozen doughs. Although higher trehalose levels are always correlated with higher stress resistance before the addition of fermentable sugar, our results show that the initiation of fermentation causes the disappearance of any other factor(s) required for the maintenance of stress resistance, even in the presence of a high trehalose content.
Statistical analysis of MMR vaccine adverse events on aseptic meningitis using the case cross‐over design

Vaccination is quite effective in reducing the incidence of disease. However, it may cause some adverse events. For example, one of the adverse events of measles‐mumps‐rubella(MMR) vaccination is the occurrence of aseptic meningitis. Since the vaccination rate is usually quite high, it is not plausible to use popular study designs such as cohort or case‐control studies. We considered a case cross‐over design to investigate the association between MMR vaccination and aseptic meningitis in Korean children. We used the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel(CMH) approach, and obtained a Mantel–Haenszel odds ratio estimator as a measure of association. However, the validity of case cross‐over design or the CMH approach in vaccine adverse studies has not been fully investigated. In this paper, through Monte Carlo simulation studies, we show the appropriateness of the case cross‐over design and the CMH approach. We also discuss alternative approaches such as Poisson regression using offset and a simple uniformity test. In conclusion, the case cross‐over design seems useful to investigate the association between vaccination and occurrence of acute adverse events. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation the performance of fully convolutional networks for building extraction compared with shallow models

With the development of machine learning, many researchers have used machine learning models for building extraction in high resolution remote sensing images. Especially for the recently proposed deep learning models, it has been widely used for building detection in the urban monitoring. In this study, the performances of images segmentation for building extraction based on Fully Convolutional Networks (FCN) model and shallow models are qualitatively and quantitatively compared. Firstly, the public aerial dataset of Massachusetts building dataset[1] are preprocessed to extract features. Then, we trained shallow models and deep model on Massachusetts building dataset. Moreover, the trained FCN model and shallow models are used to extract the building on the same image. Finally, we compared performances between shallow models and deep model. It is found that FCN gives the highest recall 0.63, precision 0.62, and F-measure rate 0.63. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the building extraction results fully demonstrates that FCN gives the best performance compared with traditional shallow models.
Managerial determinants of decision speed in new ventures

The affect entrepreneurs' individual characteristics on decision speed in new ventures is investigated. Hypotheses are developed and tested using a sample of new ventures and their entrepreneur founder-managers. Data were collected from questionnaires sent to 98 founders/managers of independent, full-time enterprises in "Silicon Alley", New York City. Post hoc analysis was conducted to explore the survival implications of decision speed. Results show that individual differences affect decision speed but also raise questions about the value of decision speed in certain contexts. One finding indicated that age was a factor in decision making, in that older managers feel they have to make quicker decisions because their "career clock" is ticking and they wish to make the most of the time they have before retirement. Another possibility is that older managers' decisions may be more routine and efficient over the years. Conclusions indicate that fast decisions can lead firms to a speed trap that is ultimately detrimental to the firm's performance. (JSD)