Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring the operational performance of intensive care units using the analytic hierarchy process approach

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to develop a performance measurement model for service operations using the analytic hierarchy process approach. Design/methodology/approach - The study reviews current relevant literature on performance measurement and develops a model for performance measurement. The model is then applied to the intensive care units (ICUs) of three different hospitals in developing nations. Six focus group discussions were undertaken, involving experts from the specific area under investigation, in order to develop an understandable performance measurement model that was both quantitative and hierarchical. Findings - A combination of outcome, structure and process-based factors were used as a foundation for the model. The analyses of the links between them were used to reveal the relative importance of each and their associated sub factors. It was considered to be an effective quantitative tool by the stakeholders. Research limitations/implications - This research only applies the model to ICUs in healthcare services. Practical implications - Performance measurement is an important area within the operations management field. Although numerous models are routinely being deployed both in practice and research, there is always room for improvement. The present study proposes a hierarchical quantitative approach, which considers both subjective and objective performance criteria. Originality/value - This paper develops a hierarchical quantitative model for service performance measurement. It considers success factors with respect to outcomes, structure and processes with the involvement of the concerned stakeholders based upon the analytic hierarchy process approach. The unique model is applied to the ICUs of hospitals in order to demonstrate its effectiveness. The unique application provides a comparative international study of service performance measurement in ICUs of hospitals in three different countries. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Money aggregates and economic activity during the Great Depression and 2007-11

This working paper examines monetary aggregates as means of explaining economic activity. Comparative analysis of the Great Depression and the years 2007-11 is used to test the explanatory power of monetary aggregates in accordance with their use in monetarist explanations of the Great Depression. A conclusion from this analysis is that monetarist theory can structure monetary-aggregate data to produce useful insights about economic activity for the years 2007-11.
Common-mode rejection ratio analysis of rail-rail input stage fully differential two-stage OP-AMP

A fully differential rail-rail input stage and class AB output stage with and without common-mode feedback circuit are proposed. There are at least 4 schematics to be proposed. The first schematic is CMOS rail-rail input stage and class AB output stage without common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuit. The second schematic is CMOS rail-rail input stage and class AB output stage with CMFB circuit. For low voltage operation, the tail current sources of the first and second schematics are removed. As a consequence, there is no voltage drop between drain and source terminals of the current source, and bulk-source voltage effect of the input transistor is removed.
Langerhans cells, macrophages and lymphocyte subsets in the cervix and vagina of rhesus macaques.

BACKGROUND The lower reproductive tract is an important site of contact with pathogenic microorganisms and local immune responses to a variety of antigens have been reported. The purpose of this investigation was to define the morphology of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the genital tract of rhesus monkeys. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Monoclonal antibodies were used in an immunoperoxidase staining technique to identify immunophenotypic markers on mononuclear cells in the vaginal and cervical mucosa of 14 cycling, multiparous rhesus macaques. RESULTS CD1a+ Langerhans cells were present in the stratified squamous epithelium of the vagina (14 animals) and ectocervix (11 animals). Surprisingly, CD1a+ dendritic cells were also found within the columnar epithelium of the endocervix (5 animals). Moderate numbers of CD68+ macrophages were located in the submucosa of the vagina, ectocervix, and endocervix of all the monkeys. In all of the animals, moderate numbers of CD8+ lymphocytes were present in the submucosa and squamous epithelia of the vagina and ectocervix. Variable numbers of CD20+ B cells and CD4+ lymphocytes were located in the submucosa of all the areas examined. Lymphoid nodules were present in the submucosa of vagina (14 animals) and ectocervix (4 animals), and these nodules contained macrophages, CD4+ T cells and B cells, with fewer numbers of CD8+ T cells and Langerhans cells. CONCLUSIONS These observations provide a morphologic basis for mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the female genital tract. Langerhans cells in the vaginal mucosa and endocervix may be well suited to sample antigen in the lumen of the reproductive tract, travel to the draining lymph node, present the antigen to T lymphocytes and initiate an immune response. This pathway of antigen presenting cell migration from the mucosa to the genital lymph node may represent the inductive arm of the mucosal immune system in the lower female reproductive tract.
Facile preparation of a cationic poly(amino acid) vesicle for potential drug and gene co-delivery

A novel pH-responsive poly(amino acid) grafted with oligocation was prepared through the combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and subsequent atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Firstly, poly(γ-2-chloroethyl-L-glutamate) (PCELG) with a pendent 2-chloroethyl group was synthesized through ROP of γ-2-chloroethyl-L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (CELG NCA) using n-hexylamine as the initiator. Then, PCELG was used to initiate the ARTP of 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AMA), yielding poly(L-glutamate)-graft-oligo(2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride) (PLG-g-OAMA). The pKa of PLG-g-OAMA was 7.3 established by the acid–base titration method. The amphiphilic poly(amino acid) could directly self-assemble into a vesicle in PBS. The vesicle was characterized by TEM and DLS. Hydrophilic DOX·HCl was loaded into the hollow core of the vesicle. The in vitro release behavior of DOX·HCl from the vesicle in PBS could be adjusted by the solution pH. In vitro cell experiments revealed that the vesicle could reduce the toxicity of the DOX·HCl. In addition, the preliminary gel retardation assay displayed that PLG-g-OAMA could efficiently bind DNA at a PLG-g-OAMA/DNA weight ratio of 0.3 or above, indicating its potential use as a gene carrier. More in-depth studies of the PLG-g-OAMA vesicle for drug and gene co-delivery in vitro and in vivo are in progress.
International Students in New Zealand: Needs and Responses

This paper considers the pastoral care needs of international students in New Zealand. Using the relatively new Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students as its departure point, this paper critically evaluates the assertion that there is a crisis in New Zealand’s export education industry. It does this through considering international students’ expectations and experiences in New Zealand and their delineation and evaluation, and criticisms of pastoral care provisions through research and policy documents. Drawing on recent empirical research, the academic, social (including health and safety), and financial needs of international students in New Zealand are identified. The paper concludes by suggesting proactive responses to these needs and asserting that proper pastoral care of international students is essential and necessary for the sustainability of New Zealand’s export education industry.
Characterization of the species of the Tetrahymena pyriformis complex.

MITCHELL, R. W. 1971. Egg and young guarding by a Mexican cave-dwelling harvestman, Hoplobunus boneti (Arachnida). Southwestern Nat., 15: 392-395. MUNOZ-CUEVAS, A. 1971a. Etude du tarse, d l'apotele de la formation des griffes au cours du developpement post-embryonnaire chez Pachylus quinamavidensis (Arachnides, Opilions, Gonyleptidae). Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris (ser. 2), 42: 1027-1036. 1971b. Etude du developpement embryonnaire de Pachylus quinamavidensis (Arachnides, Opilions, Laniatores). Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris (ser. 2), 42: 12381250.
[Relationship between CagA-bearing strains of Helicobacter pylori and gastrointestinal pathology].

AIM To study the prevalence of CagA-positive strains of Helicobacter pylori in Novosibirsk residents and to assess their relation to some clinical parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS Random sample of the population (218 males and 220 females aged 25-64 years) was examined. Antibodies against Helicobacter pylori and CagA protein were tested in the sera using enzyme immunoassay. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated with questionnaire. RESULTS The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 88%, among H. pylori-positive persons CagA-positivity was revealed in 58%. Presence of antibodies to CagA protein was associated with dyspepsia (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.5) and history of peptic ulcer (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-14.5). CagA-positive subjects more frequently reported bowel disturbances, diarrhea, in particular (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.2-7.4). CONCLUSION The data showed similar distribution of H. pylori and CagA-positivity among adult population in Russia and Eastern European countries. CagA-positivity is associated with peptic ulcer and dyspepsia.
Personalised care of patients with stroke in China: a challenge and an opportunity

Interventional treatment of patients with stroke should rekindle a push for ‘personalised’ medicine. In 1988, more than a quarter of a century ago, one of us (LRC) made a plea for personalised care in an editorial ‘What is wrong with Mr. Jones’. 1 At that time, the technological tools available to image the brain and its vascular supply were far inferior to those available now. That editorial was focused on patients with transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs). Now experience has accrued concerning detailed personalised clinical and technological evaluation of patients with brain ischaemia and haemorrhage evaluated urgently and even those who have less urgent presentations seen in outpatient settings. Recent focus has centred on rapid management of patients with acute stroke. Randomised trials have now shown the effectiveness of aggressive interventional endovascular treatment of patients with ischaemic stroke diagnosed using modern brain and vascular imaging technology.2–7 Much has been written about these recent randomised trials of interventional treatment of selected individuals who have acute brain ischaemia. These studies proved that patients carefully selected using advanced brain and vascular imaging had better outcomes by applying interventional techniques that opened occluded brain-supplying arteries than controls primarily treated only with standard intravenous thrombolysis.2–7 The discussions and editorials8 ,9 that followed publication and presentations of the results of these trials have understandably mostly consisted of analyses that answer very practical questions. What is the time frame in which the treatment is likely to succeed? How is success measured? Which patients with what vascular lesions and what volume of brain infarction should be treated? Does the amount of collateral circulation already mobilised matter and, if so, how should it be measured? Does the ‘clot burden’ shown before treatment affect the ability to open the artery or bleeding after clot removal? What technology …
A study on center of a graph complement

Characterization of class of graphs G for which the complements have radius 2, and the subgraphs induced by central vertices of their complements isomorphic to a complete graph, is presented. In addition, the structure and the number of trees whose complements have subtrees induced by central vertices of their complements isomorphic to a complete graph of order n with n > 1 are determined.
ASSESSING FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO LOW PROFITABILITY MARGINS AT KENYA AIRWAYS BETWEEN THE YEAR 2009- 2012

The objective of the study was to establish causes for the low corporate profitability margins at Kenya Airways. The objective was to understand if the management style had an impact on the Kenya Airways (KQs) performance; to investigate if the impact of other world economical forces had impact on the company profit levels, to evaluate the impact of the cost on profitability level and to examine whether the fuel hedging has an impact on profitability level. Due to the continued significant financial losses that had been incurred over time; the share equity value at the stock market declined consequently causing shareholders loose on their wealth, it led to further resulted to low pricing and devaluing of the KQ wealth capital accumulation and the losses resulted to retrenchment of workers/employees. Hence it is from this reasons that the research come up with problem of the statement for these study of the KQ. The study used the survey research design this was because not much studies had been carried out on Kenya airways. The study used desk research, secondary data evaluation and internet. The data was analyzed and presented through use of descriptive analysis, and content analysis. The findings of study concluded that there was positive relationship between the impact of Euro-zone crisis and fuel hedging to Kenya airways Profitability that led to losses. The study recommended the need to search for new untapped emerging markets in Asia that will cushion against the economic downtimes of the Eurozone crises, to adopt new type of air carrier that is cost and fuel efficient that would in turn save on fuel cost to avoid hedging and losses in profits and to broaden
The firm’s and its customers’ views on order-winning criteria

A firm’s ability to win orders on the market depends on its competitiveness. A competitive firm wins orders on the market, which has a positive impact on its sales performance. Order‐winning criteria are those criteria that make a difference to the customer when he decides between qualified offered products. The selling and the buying actors may have the same or different ideas about what constitute these order winners, and they may also differ in their evaluation of the competitive strengths of a firm. Analyses the selling and buying actors’ perceptions of order winners and competitive strengths as the degree of fit between these perceptions. A good fit means that the two actors agree on order‐winning criteria and the firm’s competitive strength on these criteria. It is expected that a good fit relates to a positive sales growth of the selling firm’s product. Analyses different situations of fit and misfit for the ten product families of four small manufacturing Swedish firms, and shows how these situations relate to the sales patterns of the product families. The results reveal that a good fit is related to a stable economic development of sales, while two different situations of misfit may lead to a decline in or an expansion of sales.
Strategies and Tactics in Union Organizing Campaigns

This study assesses the effects of employer and union organizing tactics on union election wins versus losses, the percentage of votes, and the time between election and first contract signing. The data were obtained from the organizing staff of a large international union. The results showed that some tactics resulted in expected election outcomes, but others resulted in unexpected outcomes.
Conflict Management for Effective Top Management Teams and Innovation in China

Top management teams may be critical for developing organizations that can keep abreast of marketplace changes and innovate. Several streams of strategy research have argued that conflict and diversity promote top management team effectiveness. This study proposes that how top management teams manage conflict can greatly contribute to their effective leadership of organizational innovation. A total of 378 executives from 105 organizations in China completed measures of conflict management (cooperative, competitive, and avoiding) and productive conflict (an outcome of conflict). Separately, 105 CEOs from these firms indicated their team's effectiveness and their organization's innovativeness. Results support the theory that conflict management can contribute to making top management teams effective. Structural equation analysis suggests that cooperative conflict management promotes productive conflict and top management team effectiveness that in turn result in organizational innovation. These results, coupled with previous research, were interpreted as suggesting that cooperative conflict management is an important contributor to effective top management teams even in the collectivist culture of China. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2005.
Stromal Rejection After Big Bubble Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty: Case Series and Review of Literature

Purpose: The aim of this study was to report three cases of stromal rejection after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty using big bubble technique in keratoconus. Methods: Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty was performed in 3 cases of keratoconus (11–19 years of age) using the “big bubble” technique. All of them presented 4 to 19 months after uneventful surgeries with variable decrease of vision (1/200–20/200) along with foreign body sensation, mild pain, and corneal edema. Suture infiltrates were present in all eyes. Ultrasound pachymetry showed variable increase in central corneal thickness (711–894 &mgr;m). These patients with stromal rejection were administered pulse intravenous methylprednisolone, 500 mg in 150 mL of 5% dextrose and were started on 1% prednisolone acetate eye drops 1 hourly, moxifloxacin hydrochloride 0.5% 4 times a day along with homatropine 2% eye drops 4 times a day. Results: Complete recovery of the stromal rejections was attained with clear graft and recovery of visual acuity (≥20/40) in all eyes. Central corneal thickness returned to prerejection values in all the eyes after 7 days. There was no significant change in specular count. Conclusions: Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty does not eliminate the risk of stromal rejection. Suture-related factors in the form of suture infiltrates and loose suture are an important risk factor for graft rejection. Graft rejection if treated promptly is reversible.
Production of H₂O₂ in the endoplasmic reticulum promotes in vivo disulfide bond formation.

AIMS Oxidative protein folding in the luminal compartment of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is thought to be accompanied by the generation of H₂O₂, as side-product of disulfide bond formation. We aimed to examine the role of H₂O₂ produced in the lumen, which on one hand can lead to redox imbalance and hence can contribute to ER stress caused by overproduction of secretory proteins; on the other hand, as an excellent electron acceptor, H₂O₂ might serve as an additional pro-oxidant in physiological oxidative folding. RESULTS Stimulation of H₂O₂ production in the hepatic ER resulted in a decrease in microsomal GSH and protein-thiol contents and in a redox shift of certain luminal oxidoreductases in mice. The oxidative effect, accompanied by moderate signs of ER stress and reversible dilation of ER cisternae, was prevented by concomitant reducing treatment. The imbalance also affected the redox state of pyridine nucleotides in the ER. Antibody producing cells artificially engineered with powerful luminal H₂O₂ eliminating system showed diminished secretion of mature antibody polymers, while incomplete antibody monomers/dimers were accumulated and/or secreted. INNOVATION Evidence are provided by using in vivo models that hydrogen peroxide can promote disulfide bond formation in the ER. CONCLUSION The results indicate that local H₂O₂ production promotes, while quenching of H₂O₂ impairs disulfide formation. The contribution of H₂O₂ to disulfide bond formation previously observed in vitro can be also shown in cellular and in vivo systems.
OF FINANCIAL AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS January 1974 A . I ESTIMATE OF CONVERTIBLE BOWD PREMIUMS

A convertible bond is a hybrid financial instrument that incorporates features of a bond (fixed income security) and an equity claim (usually common stock). In most instances the convertible can be exchanged, at the holder's option, for the common shares of the corporation issuing the convertible. The conversion value, or stock value, is the market value of the common shares for which the convertible can be exchanged. The bond value or floor price is the market value of an equivalent bond that does not include a conversion feature. The market price of a convertible will be the conversion value or the bond value, whichever is higher, plus a premium. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model which estimates the premium. The premium estimated is defined as the difference between the market price of the convertible and the bond value or conversion value, whichever is larger. No consideration will be given to convertible preferreds. The literature directly concerned with convertible bond premiums [1, 5, 23, and 29] suggests that the premium will be positive and functionally related to: (1) the insurance aspect of the convertible, or the difference between the risk associated with the convertible and the risk of the bond value, or the conversion value; (2) the potential capital gains associated with the conversion value relative to the bond value; (3) the difference between the future income of the convertible and the future income of the common stock which generates the conversion value; (4) the difference between the transaction costs, including margin requirements, of trading the convertible and trading the equivalent common shares; (5) the duration or life of the convertible option; (6) the characteristics of the antidilution clause or the extent to which the holder of a particular convertible is protected from capital changes in the equity account of the issuing firm; and (7) the call price of the convertible. The estimating model to be developed gives consideration to each of these aspects of the premium except for the antidilution
Electroencephalographic Changes in Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease and Correlation With Clinical Stages: A Retrospective Analysis

Purpose: To analyze clinical features and EEG changes in patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and study the association between different EEG patterns and clinical stages. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and EEG patterns of 3 patients with clinical stage II and 10 patients with stage III sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (EEG n = 17). Chi-square test was used to study the association between EEG features and disease stages. Results: Diffuse slowing of the background was the dominant EEG pattern in stage II disease. All stage III patients showed additional abnormalities, such as frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity, periodic discharges, and nonperiodic triphasic waves. Periodic discharges had significant association with stage III disease, present in 64% of EEGs in this group. Sixty-seven percentage of periodic discharges had a peculiar pattern labeled by us as posterior–anterior–posterior lag. Conclusions: The EEG of stage II sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is characterized by background slowing while the presence of periodic discharge has a significant association with stage III of the disease. The posterior–anterior–posterior lag of periodic discharge is a new observation.