Coopetition as a Small Business Strategy: Implications for Performance

This paper explores coopetition, a strategy that combines cooperation and competition in addressing relationships between firms. We examine the underlying nature of coopetition, and evaluate the extent to which it represents a relevant strategy for small firms. Inherent problems are identified when attempting to collaborate with competitors. We propose an approach to measuring the coopetitive tendencies of small firms. The measurement approach centers on three underlying dimensions: mutual benefit, trust, and commitment. Applying this approach, we assess the relationship between coopetition and firm performance. Based on a survey of 647 small firms in Turkey, a strong, positive relationship is identified. Theoretical and managerial implications are drawn from the findings

Analyzing factors influencing food price dynamics in Turkey: a Bayesian perspective

This study investigates the factors influencing food inflation in Turkey, employing both endogenous and exogenous models and integrating major literature findings. Utilizing monthly data from February 2007 to November 2023, standardized for analysis, it explores the relationship between food inflation and various determinants through classical and Bayesian methods. The analysis reveals that increases in the real effective exchange rate, money supply (M1), Turkish and Federal Reserve interest rates, and the food and beverage price index contribute to rising food inflation. Conversely, higher oil prices have a statistically significant negative effect on food inflation. The most influential variables, determined by their inclusion probabilities in the model, are the money supply, Federal Reserve interest rate, real effective exchange rate, and Turkish interest rate. These findings underscore their importance in understanding and analyzing changes in Turkey's food inflation

Sudden Onset of Oromandibular Dystonia after Cerebellar Stroke

Background: We present the case of a 65-year-old female with sudden-onset involuntary mouth opening, deviation of the jaw, facial grimacing, and tongue movements that started 6 months prior to her admission. Case Report: She was diagnosed with oromandibular dystonia. Differential diagnosis of oromandibular dystonia and various etiologies were investigated. Neuroimaging studies revealed a left cerebellar infarction. Discussion: To our knowledge, this case is the first oromandibular dystonia presenting with cerebellar ischemic stroke. Possible roles of the cerebellum for the pathophysiology of oromandibular dystonia are discussed. Keywords: Dystonia, oromandibular dystonia, cerebrovascular disease Citation: Akin A, Yilmaz R, Selcuk F, et al. Sudden onset of oromandibular dystonia after cerebellar stroke. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov. 2014; 4. doi: 10.7916/D8C24TN

Theoretical Performance Analysis of an R1234yf Refrigeration Cycle Based on the Effectiveness of Internal Heat Exchanger

I n this paper, the effects of internal heat exchanger IHX effectiveness on the performance parameters of the refrigeration cycle with R1234yf were theoretically investigated. For this purpose, a mathematical model was developed based on the energy balance of the cycle. The analysis were performed between -20°C and 0°C evaporation and 40°C and 50°C condensation temperatures based on the effectiveness value of IHX. The cooling capacity, coefficient of performance COP , subcooling, superheat and compressor discharge temperature of the refrigeration cycle was examined. Finally, the performance results of the cycle with R1234yf were compared with the baseline cycle that utilizes with R134a. As a result, it was determined that the critical effectiveness to supply the same COP with R1234yf was determined 50% in comparison the baseline cycl

Epicardial adipose tissue and pericoronary fat thickness measured with 64-multidetector computed tomography: potential predictors of the severity of coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between pericoronary fat and the severity and extent of atherosclerosis, quantified using 64-multidetector computed tomography, in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS: The study population consisted of 131 patients who were clinically referred for noninvasive multislice computed tomography coronary angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Patients were classified as follows: no atherosclerosis, Group 1; nonobstructive atherosclerosis (luminal narrowin

Kısa dental implantların klinik ve radyolojik takibi: retrospektif çalışma

Amaç: Günümüzde kısa dental implantlar, atrofik çenelerde veya anatomik yapıların implant tedavisini sınırladığı olgularda, komplike cerrahi tedavileri uygulamadan, implant yerleştirilmesine olanak sağlamaktadır. Bu makalenin amacı, kliniğimizde uygulanan kısa dental implantların klinik ve radyografik bulgularını, dental implant türü, protez türü ve takip süresi ile ilişkilendirerek sunmaktır.Gereç ve Yöntem: 23 hastaya uygulanan toplam 32 adet kısa dental implant çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Klinik takip implant çevresinden periodontal değerlendirmeler ile radyografik takip ise panoramik radyograflar ile yapılmıştır.Bulgular: Çalışmamızın sonuçları marjinal kemik kaybı değerleri ile periodontal parametreler arasında herhangi bir ilişki olmadığını ortaya koymuştur (P> 0.05). Ayrıca implant ve protez türünün kısa dental implantların etrafındaki marjinal kemik kaybı ile ilişkilendirilemediği tespit edilmiştir (P> 0.05). Son olarak, takip süreleri ve marjinal kemik kaybı arasındaki ilişki istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuştur (P< 0.05).Sonuç: Çalışmamız kısa dental implantların atrofik çenelerde başarı ile kullanılabilecek bir tedavi yöntemi olduğunu göstermiştir

Frequency and Morphometry of the Sternal Foramen

INTRODUCTION: The sternal foramen is a defect associated with incomplete fusion of neonatal sternal cartilage. These variations are frequently observed and usually asymptomatic. The clinical importance of sternal foramen is that if its existence is unknown, can complicate invasive procedures and be confused with pathologies. METHODS: Computed Tomography images of 500 patients were analyzed retrospectively. The sternal foramen's diameters were measured and adjacent organs were recognized. The foramen's distance from the sternum's upper and lower edges, midline, xiphoid's lowest point, and incisura jugularis were measured. RESULTS: 54 foramen sternales were detected in 48(9.6%) patients. When the organs adjacent to foramen sternale were examined, 36(67%) heart, 7(13%) lungs, 5(9%) liver, 2(4%) diaphragm, 1(2%) stomach, 3(5%) were both heart and lung. The mean distance of the highest point of foramen from the midsagittal line to incisura jugularis was 157.6+-23.9 mm in men and 119.9+-15.51 mm in women. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). The position of 38 male patients' foramen with respect to the line connecting nipples was investigated, and it was determined that the highest point of foramen was on the line in 1 patient and below in 37 patients. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although the sternal foramen is an asymptomatic defect, it can confused with pathologies and may cause life-threatening complications during invasive procedures. Relevant physicians and specialists should keep in mind the presence of sternal foramen

Peroxisome proliferators-activated alpha agonist treatment ameliorates hepatic damage in rats with obstructive jaundice: an experimental study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) activation modulates cholesterol metabolism and suppresses bile acid synthesis. This study aims to evaluate the effect of short-term administration of fenofibrate, a PPARα agonist, on proinflammatory cytokines, apoptosis, and hepatocellular damage in cholestasis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: I = sham operated, II = bile duct ligation (BDL), III = BDL + vehicle (gum Arabic), IV = BDL + fenofibrate (100 mg/kg/day). All rats were sacrificed on 7^thday after obtaining blood samples and liver tissue. Total bilirubin, aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase, (GGT), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 β), and total bile acid (TBA) in serum, and liver damage scores; portal inflammation, necrosis, bile duct number, in liver tissue were evaluated. Apoptosis in liver was also assessed by immunohistochemical staining.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fenofibrate administration significantly reduced serum total bilirubin, AST, ALT, ALP, and GGT, TNF-α, IL-1 β levels, and TBA (<it>P </it>< 0.01). Hepatic portal inflammation, hepatic necrosis, number of the bile ducts and apoptosis in rats with BDL were more prominent than the sham-operated animals (<it>P </it>< 0.01). PPARα induction improved all histopathologic parameters (<it>P </it>< 0.01), except for the number of the bile duct, which was markedly increased by fenofibrate therapy (<it>P </it>< 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Short-term administration of fenofibrate to the BDL rats exerts beneficial effects on hepatocellular damage and apoptosis.</p

Impact of clinical phenotypes on management and outcomes in European atrial fibrillation patients: a report from the ESC-EHRA EURObservational Research Programme in AF (EORP-AF) General Long-Term Registry

Background: Epidemiological studies in atrial fibrillation (AF) illustrate that clinical complexity increase the risk of major adverse outcomes. We aimed to describe European AF patients\u2019 clinical phenotypes and analyse the differential clinical course. Methods: We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis based on Ward\u2019s Method and Squared Euclidean Distance using 22 clinical binary variables, identifying the optimal number of clusters. We investigated differences in clinical management, use of healthcare resources and outcomes in a cohort of European AF patients from a Europe-wide observational registry. Results: A total of 9363 were available for this analysis. We identified three clusters: Cluster 1 (n = 3634; 38.8%) characterized by older patients and prevalent non-cardiac comorbidities; Cluster 2 (n = 2774; 29.6%) characterized by younger patients with low prevalence of comorbidities; Cluster 3 (n = 2955;31.6%) characterized by patients\u2019 prevalent cardiovascular risk factors/comorbidities. Over a mean follow-up of 22.5 months, Cluster 3 had the highest rate of cardiovascular events, all-cause death, and the composite outcome (combining the previous two) compared to Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 (all P &lt;.001). An adjusted Cox regression showed that compared to Cluster 2, Cluster 3 (hazard ratio (HR) 2.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.27\u20133.62; HR 3.42, 95%CI 2.72\u20134.31; HR 2.79, 95%CI 2.32\u20133.35), and Cluster 1 (HR 1.88, 95%CI 1.48\u20132.38; HR 2.50, 95%CI 1.98\u20133.15; HR 2.09, 95%CI 1.74\u20132.51) reported a higher risk for the three outcomes respectively. Conclusions: In European AF patients, three main clusters were identified, differentiated by differential presence of comorbidities. Both non-cardiac and cardiac comorbidities clusters were found to be associated with an increased risk of major adverse outcomes

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication