Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An organisational performance measurement model based on AHP sensitivity analysis

This research proposes an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) sensitivity analysis to evaluate organisational performance of hospitals. The relative weights of evaluation criteria are determined using the AHP sensitivity analysis, followed by ranking of the hospitals for decision makers to evaluate in medical-related sectors. The AHP sensitivity analysis-based decision-making method is used to construct an evaluation method, which can provide decision makers or administrators of hospital with a valuable reference for evaluating the organisational performance. Consequently, the proposed model can assist the medical sector to assess the organisational performance of hospitals, making it highly applicable for academia and commercial purposes.
Characteristics of new product development activities in SMEs: an empirical analysis of the Korean IT sector

Recognising the importance of new product development (NPD) process in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve NPD quality, this research aims to analyse the characteristics of R&D activities in SMEs. We first defined 21 NPD activities for SMEs and collected data about them from 250 Korean SMEs in the IT industry. Then we identified the activities required by SMEs considering their actual use and recognised importance, classified them according to the patterns of use, and finally examined the activities significantly related to NPD performance. The research findings are expected to provide a useful basis for improving NPD process in SMEs.
Propofol Depresses Angiotensin II–induced Cell Proliferation in Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts

Background:Propofol may have beneficial effects on the prevention of angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced cardiac fibroblast proliferation via its antioxidative properties. The authors hypothesized that propofol may alter Ang II–induced cell proliferation and aimed to identify the putative underlying signaling pathways in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Methods:Cultured rat cardiac fibroblasts were pretreated with propofol then stimulated with Ang II; cell proliferation and endothelin-1 gene expression were examined. The effect of propofol on Ang II–induced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate–oxidase activity, reactive oxygen species formation, extracellular signal–regulated kinase phosphorylation, and activator protein 1–mediated reporter activity were also examined. The effect of propofol on nitric oxide production and protein kinase B and endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylations were also tested to elucidate the intracellular mechanism of propofol in proliferation. Results:Ang II (100 nm) increased cell proliferation and endothelin-1 expression, which were partially inhibited by propofol (10 or 30 &mgr;m). Propofol also inhibited Ang II–increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate–oxidase activity, reactive oxygen species formation, extracellular signal–regulated kinase phosphorylation, and activator protein 1–mediated reporter activity. Propofol was also found to increase nitric oxide generation and protein kinase B and nitric oxide synthase phosphorylations. Nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (N-nitro-l-arginine methylester) and the short interfering RNA transfection for protein kinase B or endothelial nitric oxide synthase markedly attenuated the inhibitory effect of propofol on Ang II–induced cell proliferation. Conclusions:The authors' results suggest that propofol prevents cardiac fibroblast proliferation by interfering with the generation of reactive oxygen species and involves the activation of the protein kinase B–endothelial nitric oxide synthase–nitric oxide pathway.
Analysis and evaluation of incentive mechanisms in P2P networks: a spatial evolutionary game theory perspective

In peer‐to‐peer (P2P) networks, contributions are made by peers voluntarily for the autonomous character of peers. However, selfish peers may refuse to be cooperative when considering their limited transmission resources. Incentive mechanisms are always used to guarantee successful cooperations among peers. Although the inventive mechanisms have been widely investigated on the basis of game theory, most researches assume that peers are well mixed in the network, regardless of the influence of peers' transaction relationships. In this paper, a novel analysis framework based on spatial evolutionary game theory is proposed to verify the effectiveness of incentive mechanisms. In the framework, a transaction overlay network is used to model the transaction relationships of peers. The transactions between clients and servers are modeled as the donor‐recipient game to satisfy their asymmetric characters. Influences of the learning noise and some common behaviors of peers on incentive mechanisms are also considered. Moreover, in order to demonstrate the utility of the framework, a reciprocation‐based incentive mechanism, which considers the requestors' behaviors of providing and consuming services, is thoroughly investigated under the framework in scenarios with homogeneous and heterogeneous benefits of services. By using the framework, besides the effectiveness of incentive mechanisms, the detailed spatiotemporal evolutions of peers' strategies driven by incentive mechanisms can also be obtained. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of the housing market in Lithuania

Cointegration and Granger causality tests were used for the statistical analyses of the housing market in Lithuania. The relationship between the cost of housing and affordability on the one hand, and interest rates, GDP and average incomes on the other was not proven to exist using the given statistical methods. The period of increase in the cost of housing in Lithuania over the last five years is exceptional and difficult to explain using fundamental economic factors and their fluctuation trends alone. The cost of housing has made a clear departure from the economic (business) cycle; the economy has grown, however at a much slower rate than rising costs in the housing market. The reasons for this situation are record lows in interest rates, good conditions to gain financing, the liberalisation of financial markets, speculative attitudes in expectation of the introduction of the Euro, and a divide between the supply and demand of housing that is available. It should be noted that the evaluation of the influence of these factors on fluctuations in costs in the housing market is more hypothetical in nature.
Income and inequality as determinants of mortality: An international cross-section analysis

Summary This paper analyses the effects of income and income distribution on mortality. The likely relation between income and mortality for individuals is discussed, and implications for the determinants of mortality at the community level inferred. Measures of income inequality are likely to be related to mortality on aggregate data because of the non-linearity of income effects. An international cross-section analysis is then undertaken in which different measures of income and income distribution are investigated as determinants of mortality, with life expectancy at birth and age five, and infant mortality taken as measures of the dependent variable. It is found that income distribution is consistently and strongly related to mortality; in a relatively inegalitarian country life expectancy may be between five and ten years lower than in a more egalitarian country.
Japanese listeners' identification of English voiceless fricatives in reverberant listening environments

This research investigated the identification ability of English voiceless fricatives by Japanese listeners with high and low English proficiency. A perceptual experiment was carried out in five listening environments: RT (Reverberation Time) = 0.78 s, 1.12 s, 1.43 s, RT = 0.78 s + background noise at SNR (Signal-to-Noise ratio) = 10 dB, and quiet. Correct identification rates were calculated and influence of the Japanese listeners’ English proficiency was considered by means of TOEIC® scores. In addition, confusion matrices were created to investigate the misperception patterns. The results were then compared with those of native English listeners’. Results showed that there was a significant difference between English and Japanese listeners, but no significant difference between English listeners and Japanese listeners with higher English proficiency. However, detailed analyses of misperception patterns revealed differences between the two groups as well as similarities between Japanese with higher and lower English proficiency.
Drivers of antibiotic prescribing in children and adolescents with febrile lower respiratory tract infections

Background Knowledge of key drivers for antibiotic prescribing in pediatric lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) could support rational antibiotic use. Thus, we aimed to determine the impact of clinical and laboratory factors on antibiotic prescribing in children and adolescents with febrile LRTI. Methods Pediatric patients from the standard care control group of a randomized controlled trial (ProPAED) investigating procalcitonin guided antibiotic treatment in febrile LRTI were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis to evaluate the impact of laboratory and clinical factors on antibiotic prescribing. Results The standard care control group of the ProPAED study comprised 165 LRTI patients (median age: 2.7 years, range: 0.1–16), out of which 88 (55%) received antibiotic treatment. Factors significantly associated with antibiotic prescribing in patients with complete clinical and laboratory documentation (n = 158) were C-reactive protein (OR 5.8 for a 10-fold increase, 95%CI 2.2–14.9), white blood count beyond age-dependent reference range (OR 3.9, 95%CI 1.4–11.4), body temperature (OR 1.7 for an increase by 1°C, 95%CI 1.02–2.68), and pleuritic pain (OR 2.8, 95%CI 1.1–7.6). Dyspnea (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1–0.7) and wheezing (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.13–0.95) were inversely associated with antibiotic prescribing. Conclusion Laboratory markers were strong drivers of antibiotic prescribing in children with febrile lower respiratory tract infections, in spite of their known poor prediction of antibiotic need. Building on current guidelines for antibiotic treatment in children with febrile LRTI, a reliable decision algorithm for safe antibiotic withholding considering the laboratory and clinical factors evaluated in this study has the potential to further reduce antibiotic prescribing.
Vascular effects of dietary salt

Purpose of reviewHigh dietary salt intake is detrimental in hypertensive and salt-sensitive individuals; however, there are a large number of normotensive salt-resistant individuals for whom dietary salt may also be harmful as a result of the blood pressure-independent effects of salt. This review will focus on the growing evidence that salt has adverse effects on the vasculature, independent of blood pressure. Recent findingsData from both animal and human studies provide evidence that salt impairs endothelial function and increases arterial stiffness, independent of blood pressure. High dietary salt results in oxidative stress and increased endothelial cell stiffness, which impair endothelial function, whereas transforming growth factor beta promotes increased arterial stiffness in the presence of endothelial dysfunction. SummaryHealth policies and most clinical research are focused on the adverse effects of dietary salt on blood pressure; however, there is an increasing body of evidence to support a deleterious effect of dietary salt on endothelial function and arterial stiffness independent of blood pressure. Endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness are predictors of cardiovascular disease; therefore, reducing excess dietary salt should be considered important for overall vascular health in addition to blood pressure.
Paternal Deprivation Affects the Development of Corticotrophin‐Releasing Factor‐Expressing Neurones in Prefrontal Cortex, Amygdala and Hippocampus of the Biparental Octodon degus

Although the critical role of maternal care on the development of brain and behaviour of the offspring has been extensively studied, knowledge about the importance of paternal care is comparatively scarce. In biparental species, paternal care significantly contributes to a stimulating socio‐emotional family environment, which most likely also includes protection from stressful events. In the biparental caviomorph rodent Octodon degus, we analysed the impact of paternal care on the development of neurones in prefrontal‐limbic brain regions, which express corticotrophin‐releasing factor (CRF). CRF is a polypeptidergic hormone that is expressed and released by a neuronal subpopulation in the brain, and which not only is essential for regulating stress and emotionality, but also is critically involved in cognitive functions. At weaning age [postnatal day (P)21], paternal deprivation resulted in an elevated density of CRF‐containing neurones in the orbitofrontal cortex and in the basolateral amygdala of male degus, whereas a reduced density of CRF‐expressing neurones was measured in the dentate gyrus and stratum pyramidale of the hippocampal CA1 region at this age. With the exception of the CA1 region, the deprivation‐induced changes were no longer evident in adulthood (P90), which suggests a transient change that, in later life, might be normalised by other socio‐emotional experience. The central amygdala, characterised by dense clusters of CRF‐immunopositive neuropil, and the precentral medial, anterior cingulate, infralimbic and prelimbic cortices, were not affected by paternal deprivation. Taken together, this is the first evidence that paternal care interferes with the developmental expression pattern of CRF‐expressing interneurones in an age‐ and region‐specific manner.
Detrimental Effects of Corruption and Subjective Well-Being

Both corruption and subjective well-being (SWB) are of concern to academics, governments, and policy makers. Although intuition suggests that corruption deteriorates SWB, some evidence suggests that corruption can enhance the economy, which may in turn improve SWB. We seek to explore whether, how, and when corruption is related to SWB using representative data from 150 nations. Surprisingly, we find that perceptions of national corruption are high across many nations. Mediation analyses and longitudinal modeling show some support that national corruption lowers national income and institutional trust, which in turn lowers SWB, particularly for life satisfaction. Moderators were found such that national corruption and individual perceptions of corruption enhance the effect of income for SWB; further, the detrimental effect of national corruption was more pronounced in Western as compared to non-Western nations. Overall, the results provide robust evidence that both individual and societal perceptions of corruption are detrimental to SWB.
Medication adherence and long-term functional outcomes in the treatment of schizophrenia in usual care.

BACKGROUND Relatively little is known about the relationships between medication adherence and long-term functional outcomes in the treatment of schizophrenia. To extend previous research, we prospectively examined the relationships between adherence with any antipsychotic medication and functional outcomes among schizophrenia patients treated over a 3-year period, assessed the stability of adherence over time, and examined whether adherence in the first year predicts changes in functional outcomes over the following 2 years. METHOD Analyses included 1906 participants with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder in a multi-site, 3-year, prospective, naturalistic study conducted in the United States between July 1997 and September 2003. Outcome measures were assessed at 6-month intervals using systematic medical record abstraction and structured interview of patients. Adherence with antipsychotic regimen was assessed using patient-reported adherence and the medication possession ratio (percent days with prescription for any antipsychotic), dichotomized into adherence and non-adherence. Analyses employed generalized estimating equations and mixed models with repeated measures. RESULTS Nonadherence was associated with poorer functional outcomes, including greater risks of psychiatric hospitalizations, use of emergency psychiatric services, arrests, violence, victimizations, poorer mental functioning, poorer life satisfaction, greater substance use, and more alcohol-related problems (all p < .001). Adherence was relatively stable, with 77.3% of patients maintaining the same adherence status from the first year to the second year. Nonadherence in the first year predicted significantly poorer outcomes in the following 2 years. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of adherence with antipsychotic medication in the long-term treatment of schizophrenia and its potential beneficial impact on the mental health and criminal justice delivery systems.
The radiosensitivity of hair follicles in mouse dorsum and tail.

The radiosensitivity of murine hair follicles was measured in two skin sites, dorsal body and tail. Follicles were considered viable if they appeared histologically similar to controls 4 or 8 weeks after irradiation or similar to growing follicles 12 days after plucking. Dorsal follicles were either unplucked or plucked after and/or before irradiation. Tail follicles were unplucked, but at the time of irradiation the tails were either in air or clamped to induce severe hypoxia, or the mice were anesthetized. The differences in dorsal follicle sensitivity were compared with other widely varying values reported in the literature. The relative sensitivities of the tail follicles in different conditions at the time of irradiation were similar to previous relative sensitivities measured for tail necrosis.
Contemporary costs of HIV healthcare in the HAART era

Background:The delivery of HIV healthcare historically has been expensive. The most recent national data regarding HIV healthcare costs were from 1996–1998. We provide updated estimates of expenditures for HIV management. Methods:We performed a cross-sectional review of medical records at 10 sites in the HIV Research Network, a consortium of high-volume HIV care providers across the United States. We assessed inpatient days, outpatient visits, and prescribed antiretroviral and opportunistic illness prophylaxis medications for 14 691 adult HIV-infected patients in primary HIV care in 2006. We estimated total care expenditures, stratified by the median CD4 cell count obtained in 2006 (≤50, 51–200, 201–350, 351–500, >500 cells/μl). Per-unit costs of care were based on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data for inpatient care, discounted average wholesale prices for medications, and Medicare physician fees for outpatient care. Results:Averaging over all CD4 strata, the mean annual total expenditures per person for HIV care in 2006 in three sites was US $19 912, with an interquartile range from US $11 045 to 22 626. Average annual per-person expenditures for care were greatest for those with CD4 cell counts 50 cell/μl or less (US $40 678) and lowest for those with CD4 cell counts more than 500 cells/μl (US $16 614). The majority of costs were attributable to medications, except for those with CD4 cell counts 50 cells/μl or less, for whom inpatient costs were highest. Conclusion:HIV healthcare in the United States continues to be expensive, with the majority of expenditures attributable to medications. With improved HIV survival, costs may increase and should be monitored in the future.
Mothers Incarcerated, Children in Crisis: Private Troubles and Public Issues

This qualitative study using C. Wright Mills‘ construct of private troubles and public issues focused on the experience of being a child with a mother incarcerated. I interviewed 17 adults, ranging in age from18 to 60, about their experiences growing up with a mother in jail or prison. Five research participants were in jail awaiting sentencing; one of them had two incarcerated children. I also interviewed professionals who worked on behalf of children with incarcerated mothers. I was a participant observer with 20 girls and their social workers on several visits to a state women‘s correctional facility. I used interpretive interactionist theory to analyze private troubles and Foucault‘s concepts of regimes of truth, subjugated knowledge and disciplinary power to analyze public issues. Data showed the instability of home life prior to a mother‘s arrest. After the arrest, children moved up to 30 times. With few exceptions, life in foster homes or with relatives was difficult and often abusive. Though participants were ambiguous in feelings for their mothers, their mothers were central in their lives. Few participants, even as adults, recognized the socio-economic conditions of their mother‘s lives, and so were critical of their mothers. Data showed a lack of a systematic process for identifying and tracking children left behind when mothers are incarcerated; few opportunities for prison visitation; minimal support from schools, social services and inadequate mental health services. I recommend educational efforts to change the prevailing discourse that disregards and stigmatizes children of incarcerated mothers. Institutions serving children need to recognize and respond to children of incarcerated mothers.
Investigating the Written Assessment Practices of Turkish Teachers of English at Primary Education

Problem Statement: Since the late 1990s, Turkey has witnessed two major curriculum reforms in English language teaching at the primary level education. However, the situation of the assessment practices of the teachers has been unclear due to lack of relevant research, particularly in Turkish context. Purpose of Study: This study aims to investigate the written assessment practices of young English language learners in Grades 4-5 in state Turkish primary schools with a focus on comparing the question types posed by the teachers prior to and following the 2005 curriculum innovation in English language teaching (ELT) in primary education in Turkey. Method: In order to identify the teachers’ written assessment practices, 100 written examination papers were collected from 25 teachers who had been teaching in grades 4 and 5 since 1997, the papers were analyzed with regard to the question types based on the categorization suggested by Brown and Hudson (1998), and descriptive statistics was used in comparing the question types. Findings: As a result, no major differences were found between the types of questions directed to 4th and 5th graders prior to and following the 2005 curriculum innovation. Conclusion and Recommendations: Additionally, constructed response question types grew noticeably in number, particularly when the examination papers prepared for 4th and 5th graders were compared prior to and after the 2005 curriculum innovation.
Identifying Nominals with No Head Match Co-references Using Deep Learning

Identifying nominals with no head match is a long-standing challenge in coreference resolution with current systems performing significantly worse than humans. In this paper we present a new neural network architecture which outperforms the current state-of-the-art system on the English portion of the CoNLL 2012 Shared Task. This is done by using a logistic regression on features produced by two submodels, one of which is has the architecture proposed in [CM16a] while the other combines domain specific embeddings of the antecedent and the mention. We also propose some simple additional features which seem to improve performance for all models substantially, increasing F1 by almost 4% on basic logistic regression and other complex models.