Reduction in the balanced scorecard performance measurement systems in manufacturing organizations by PCA

In this paper, we compare PCA and ordinal logistic regression in ranking the manufacturing systems. In this regard we present an integrated framework for assessment and ranking of manufacturing systems based on management and organizational performance indicators. To achieve the objectives of this study, a comprehensive study was conducted to locate all economic and technical indicators which influence organizational performance. Sixty one indicators were identified and classified in .five categories, namely, (1) financial, (2) customer satisfaction, (3) process innovation, (4) production process and (5) organizational learning and growth. These indicators are related to organizational and managerial productivity and efficiency. One actual test problem and a random sample of 12 indicators were selected to show the applicability of the integrated approach. The results of PCA and OLR showed the weak and strong points of each sector in regard to the selected indicators. Furthermore, it identifies which indicators have the major impacts on the overall performance of industrial sectors. The modeling approach of this paper could be easily utilized for managerial and organizational ranking and analysis of other sectors. The results of such studies would help top managers to have better understanding and improve existing systems with respect to managerial and organizational performance.Keywords: Productivity and competitiveness; Multivariate statistics integrated assessment, BC

Assessment of the tissue distribution of transplanted human endothelial progenitor cells by radioactive labeling

Background— Transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) improves vascularization and left ventricular function after experimental myocardial ischemia. However, tissue distribution of transplanted EPCs has not yet been monitored in living animals. Therefore, we tested whether radioactive labeling allows us to detect injected EPCs

MHD heat transfer in W-shaped inclined cavity containing a porous medium saturated with Ag/Al2O3 hybrid nanofluid in the presence of uniform heat generation/absorption

© 2020 by the Authors. In this paper, a 2D numerical study of natural convection heat transfer in a W-shaped inclined enclosure with a variable aspect ratio was performed. The enclosure contained a porous medium saturated with Ag/Al2O3 hybrid nanofluid in the presence of uniform heat generation or absorption under the effect of a uniform magnetic field. The vertical walls of the enclosure were heated differentially; however, the top and bottom walls were kept insulated. The governing equations were solved with numerical simulation software COMSOL Multiphysics which is based on the finite element method. The results showed that the convection heat transfer was improved with the increase of the aspect ratio; the average Nusselt number reached a maximum for an aspect ratio (AR) = 0.7 and the effect of the inclination was practically negligible for an aspect ratio of AR = 0.7. The maximum heat transfer performance was obtained for an inclination of ω = 15 and the minimum is obtained for ω = 30. The addition of composite nanoparticles ameliorated the convection heat transfer performance. This effect was proportional to the increase of Rayleigh and Darcy numbers, the aspect ratio and the fraction of Ag in the volumetric fraction of nanoparticles

A Cost Analysis of the 1-2-3 Pap Intervention

Background: Cervical cancer places a substantial economic burden on our healthcare system. The three-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series is a cost-effective intervention to prevent HPV infection and resultant cervical cancer. Despite its efficacy, completion rates are low in young women aged 18 through 26 years. 1-2-3 Pap is a video intervention tested and proven to increase HPV vaccination completion rates. Purpose: To provide the full scope of available evidence for 1-2-3 Pap, this study adds economic evidence to the intervention’s efficacy. This study tested the economies of scale hypothesis that the cost of 1-2-3 Pap intervention per number of completed HPV vaccine series would decrease when offered to more women in the target population. Methods: Using cost and efficacy data from the Rural Cancer Prevention Center, a cost analysis was done through a hypothetical adaptation scenario in rural Kentucky. Results: Assuming the same success rate as in the efficacy study, the 1-2-3 Pap adaptation scenario would cover 1000 additional women aged 18 through 26 years (344 in efficacy study; 1346 in adaptation scenario), and almost three times as many completed series (130 in efficacy study; 412 in adaptation scenario) as in the original 1-2-3 Pap efficacy study. Implications: Determination of the costs of implementing 1-2-3 Pap is vital for program expansion. This study provides practitioners and decision makers with objective measures for scalability

Self-Reported Fever and Measured Temperature in Emergency Department Records Used for Syndromic Surveillance

Many public health agencies monitor population health using syndromic surveillance, generally employing information from emergency department (ED) visit records. When combined with other information, objective evidence of fever may enhance the accuracy with which surveillance systems detect syndromes of interest, such as influenza-like illness. This study found that patient chief complaint of self-reported fever was more readily available in ED records than measured temperature and that the majority of patients with an elevated temperature recorded also self-reported fever. Due to its currently limited availability, we conclude that measured temperature is likely to add little value to self-reported fever in syndromic surveillance for febrile illness using ED records

Mucosal Administration of Collagen V Ameliorates the Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden by Inducing Interleukin 35-dependent Tolerance

We have shown previously that collagen V (col(V)) autoimmunity is a consistent feature of atherosclerosis in human coronary artery disease and in the Apoe(-/-) mouse model. We have also shown sensitization of Apoe(-/-) mice with col(V) to markedly increase the atherosclerotic burden, providing evidence of a causative role for col(V) autoimmunity in atherosclerotic pathogenesis. Here we sought to determine whether induction of immune tolerance to col(V) might ameliorate atherosclerosis, providing further evidence for a causal role for col(V) autoimmunity in atherogenesis and providing insights into the potential for immunomodulatory therapeutic interventions. Mucosal inoculation successfully induced immune tolerance to col(V) with an accompanying reduction in plaque burden in Ldlr(-/-) mice on a high-cholesterol diet. The results therefore demonstrate that inoculation with col(V) can successfully ameliorate the atherosclerotic burden, suggesting novel approaches for therapeutic interventions. Surprisingly, tolerance and reduced atherosclerotic burden were both dependent on the recently described IL-35 and not on IL-10, the immunosuppressive cytokine usually studied in the context of induced tolerance and amelioration of atherosclerotic symptoms. In addition to the above, using recombinant protein fragments, we were able to localize two epitopes of the α1(V) chain involved in col(V) autoimmunity in atherosclerotic Ldlr(-/-) mice, suggesting future courses of experimentation for the characterization of such epitopes