Data envelopment analysis (DEA) calculates the relative efficiency of homogenous decision-making units (DMUs) with multiple inputs and outputs. Classic DEA models usually suffer from several issues such as: discrimination power, variable weights of inputs/outputs, inaccurate efficiency estimation for small number of DMUs, incapability in working with zero and negative data, and not having exter...

Helicobacter bacteria colonize in the stomach and induce strong, specific local and systemic humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Helicobacter binds to the host epithelial cells, directly triggering the recruitment of neutrophils. Local inflammatory processes in the gastric mucosa are followed by extensive immune cell infiltration, resulting in chronic active gastritis characterized by a marked ...

Unlike conventional pavements with a service life of 20~30 years, perpetual (PPs) are designed to have 50-year without requiring major maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) activities. In this way, PPs more cost-effective than rigid (CRPs) flexible (CFPs). Nonetheless, even though the economic mechanical aspects been widely studied well documented, literature is limited regarding environment...

Punctal plugs (PPs) are miniature medical implants that were initially developed for the treatment of dry eyes. Since their introduction in 1975, many PPs made from different materials and designs have been developed. PPs, albeit generally successful, suffer from drawbacks such as epiphora and suppurative canaliculitis. To overcome these issues intelligent designs of PPs were proposed (e.g. Sma...

The inpatient psychiatric facility prospective payment system (IPF-PPS), provides per diem payments for psychiatric hospitals and units, including 17 comorbid condition payment adjustors that cover 11 percent of patients. This study identifies an alternative set of 16 adjustors identifying three times as many high-cost patients and evaluates the improved predictive power in log per diem cost re...

Postcoital psychological symptoms (PPS) is a virtually unexplored phenomenon in the female population even though women frequently complain about irritability and motiveless crying after intercourse and/or orgasm. The aim of this study was to explore the epidemiology and genetic influences of PPS in a UK population sample of women. 1,489 unselected female twins aged 18-85 completed questions on...

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition, in which an obstruction of blood flow in veins is found due to the formation of blood clots in the deep veins. An objective diagnosis of DVT is based on ultrasonography examination. However, in poor countries, including Indonesia, many hospitals still do not have the facilities of ultrasonography, less vascular specialists, or D-dimer examination and t...

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is the methodology for evaluating the relative productive efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) that produce multiple-outputs using multiple-inputs. DEA was proposed for the first time in 1957 by Farrell; nonetheless, the wide usage of this method begun with its generalization and the linear programming formulation which is due to Charnes et al. (1978) (for ...

OBJECTIVE This paper aims to examine the association between painful physical symptoms (PPS) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a naturalistic clinical practice setting within a Korean population. METHODS Patients with acute MDD that joined a multicountry, observational, three-month study in six Asian countries and regions were classified as PPS+ (mean score >/=2) and PPS- (mean score <2)...