A Risk Management Framework Using Digital Transformation for the Healthcare Sector during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Despite the many changes in the orientation of the world economy and the spotlight positioning, the healthcare sector remains one of the most important and critical sectors for its contribution in every aspect of human life. Improvements in the healthcare sector are seen and evident on a daily basis to cope with the technological and digital advancements in the world, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic has put these improvements into a faster pace. Several challenges in the health sector have risen to surface since the beginning of the pandemic; some of these challenges have been properly addressed and tackled, while others have shown the flaws in the healthcare sector in several countries around the world. These challenges have come with risks that can be projected on the sector as a whole, and thus this has given researchers a golden chance to dig further deep into more improvements in the sector, to have these risks identified, assessed, and eliminated or monitored in the future. Digital transformation has recently become one of the most robust tools to improve the processes and operations of organizations as whole and paramount ones in particular. Digital transformation brings however its own risks and thus a lot of research has been previously addressed the risks of digital transformation, whereas no research has yet been done on digital transformation by itself being used as a risk management and mitigation tool despite its effective use as an improvement tool and for other organizational goals. Our research comes to address the main risks in the healthcare sector and to match these risks with monitoring actions that use digital transformation as a tool. One of the main challenges the healthcare sector has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, was the ability to maintain ordinary operations while handling COVID-19 cases and controlling the spread of the virus in the healthcare facility. This situation has called for segregation of COVID-19 patients from other patients whether it was in the same facility or by adapting them into different facilities. The segregation of patients has been done using two digital solutions; embedment of automatic thermometers, and the development of an efficient scheduling strategy for COVID-19 symptomatic patients. Furthermore, other challenges have risen due to the pandemic and caused major risks that called for monitoring actions and solutions, whether digital or non-digital ones. To investigate these challenges, a literature review was conducted in this research to highlight the 11 most common challenges that can be included in a survey to be distributed to different healthcare organizations for the purpose of prioritization and ranking of these challenges and ultimately conclude the associated risks based on the results of the survey. In this research, a survey was conducted with over 100 hospitals inside and outside the UAE to identify the main challenges in the healthcare sector faced during the pandemic. The survey addressed the challenges that were found in the literature review to be the most impactful on the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges acted as an inspiring source for the associated risks to be identified accordingly based on their impact result from the survey. Furthermore, an assessment of these risks was conducted to evaluate the likelihood of each risk and ultimately the risk rank and priority. The final step in the risk management strategy entailed the recommendation of monitoring actions based on digital transformation tools and techniques. Basing the monitoring actions on digital transformation will pose the trademark of this research and will highlight its originality. Moreover, the survey has also addressed three factors by questions that were answered by the respondents. These factors included the country, the size of the healthcare organization, and its technological readiness. The correlation of these factors with the collected responses of healthcare organizations is investigated using statistical tools to study the effect of these factors on the impact level of COVID-19 on the healthcare organization. This risk management framework will act as a guideline for any healthcare organization Finally, a risk management framework is drawn from these findings involving a risk response strategy and a risk control plan as part of risk registers. The main and ultimate goal of this research is to outline a recommended management approach to the healthcare sector risks caused by an event of a pandemic in general and COVID-19 in specific. This risk management framework designed in this report will act as a guideline for any healthcare organization of any size, with any level of technological readiness, and at any level outbreak severity in the country

Development of mathematical models for predicting the iron concentrations of Lake Oubeira waters (ne Algerian)

Facing the increase of surface water samples contaminated by ETMs, usually from the geochemical background, the emergence of new human diseases is worrying. To solve this problem, we have developed several models based on different learning algorithms qualified by high performance, using different transfer functions. We have shown that all the Neural Models presented more or less important performance  compared to the one based on multiple linear regressions. The best revealed model ANN in the current work is a MLP type that uses the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm as a learning algorithm, with Tansig and Purelin as transfer functions, respectively in the hidden layer and the output layer. This successful model can be considered as an important tool of great effectiveness in the context of environmental prediction and especially in anticipation of the iron contents of the Oubeira Lake water.Keywords: Prediction, heavy metals, Linear multiple regression, artificial neural  networks, Oubéira Lake

EVOLUTION SPATIALE DES CARACTERISTIQUES PHYSICO-CHIMIQUES DES EAUX DU LAC OUBEIRA IMPOSE PAR LES CONDITIONS SEVERES DE LA SECHERESSE (EXTREME NE ALGERIEN)

The endoreic lake Oubeira, vast lake located in Algeria (36°51' N- 8°23' E), at an altitude of 23 m, is subject to severe natural and anthropic constraints during the dry season, which generally begins in April and is completed in October. Due to its geometrical configuration and wind exposure, the water of the lake is well brewed within the entire water column. The first results, covering all the shallow water level, show the average mineralisation of hot moderate water, which releases CO2 in the atmosphere, an alkaline pH, higher than 8, related to intense evaporation and biological activity, in particular photosynthesis and calcite precipitation. Physicochemical measurements brought a considerable contribution to identify the individualization of two distinct water masses, one in the East and the other in the West, and the absence of limnologic layers. The conditions of the environment make organic particles degraded in the water column. Conservation of organic remains in the reducing environment, represented by the mud, is much reduced. Almost circular, the lake Oubeira has a flat bottom, generally covered with greyish mud, because of the presence of reduced iron, less than 2 m thick. The thickness of the water blade hardly exceeds 1.50 m and the maximum depth, between the surface of the lake and the substratum is about 3.50 m, in period of dryness

The Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation on Balance and Functional Mobility in Patients with Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effectiveness of telerehabilitation on improving balance and functional mobility in stroke survivors. Methods: Comprehensive searching was conducted from inception to May 2022. The inclusion criteria were studies evaluating the effectiveness of telerehabilitation in stroke survivors. Data regarding participants, intervention, outcome measures, and main results were extracted. PEDro scale and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) were used to assess the methodological quality and quality of evidence, respectively. Data Analysis: A total of fourteen articles )594 patients) were included. A meta-analysis using a random-effect model was performed on thirteen studies )530 patients). Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for balance and functional mobility. Results: PEDro scale revealed ten good-quality studies, three fair-quality studies, and one poor-quality study. According to the available evidence, telerehabilitation has a small effect size in improving both balance (SMD 0.33 [95% CI 0.03 to 0.63]; P =0.03; low quality of evidence) and functional mobility (SMD 0.27 [95% CI 0.02 to 0.52]; P =0.03; low quality of evidence). Conclusion: Telerehabilitation may improve balance and functional mobility in stroke survivors. However, it is evident that more high-quality research is required due to the existence of low to very low-quality evidence with limited confidence in the effect estimate. Registration: PROSPERO registration number (CRD42022306410)

Factors affecting the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services by physicians in Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To investigate physicians’ attitudes, opinions and experiences towards physiotherapy services as well as to identify the potential factors that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services (based on physicians’ beliefs) in Saudi Arabia (SA). Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Results: A total of 108 respondents met the inclusion criteria. The respondents’ attitude towards physiotherapy was slightly low (53.5%), while their opinions and experiences of physiotherapy indicated some important issues. For example, 50% of them believed that physiotherapists did not create a good awareness about physiotherapy services and 55.5% admitted that they did not have enough information about physiotherapy services. The most potential factor reported by physicians that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services was the lack of physiotherapist’s skills and knowledge to assess and treat patients (55.3%), followed by the limited knowledge of physicians regarding the types of physiotherapy services (44.5%) and the lack of cooperation between physicians and physiotherapists (40.7%). Conclusion: There were some factors that limited the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services in SA. Physiotherapy academics and clinicians should attempt to change physicians’ negative attitudes, promoting awareness to provide them with a better understanding of physiotherapy services

Les eaux superficielles et la nappe phréatique de la plaine d'Annaba : bilans de l'ecoulement annuel aux limites de la plaine d'Annaba pour trois récurrences caractéristiques et réflexions sur la gestion au mieux de l'ensemble des ressources superficielles et souterraines d'Annaba et sa région

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Normer på Stockholms Hyresrättsmarknaden Sedda Ur Ett Queerteoretiskt Perspektiv

Swedish Instrument of Governance and Housing Sustention Responsibility state that everyone living in Stockholm County has the right to housing. This thesis deals with norms created by the first-, second-hand rental market and priority housing rules and regulations in the Stockholm County. Using a queer theoretical framework this thesis analyses the situation of young adults and students, elderly, homeless, LGBTQ and abused persons in housing market in relation to “housing for all” policy and suggests possible policy changes in order to make the rental housing market more inclusive. Queer theory asserts that subjects are precisely constituted by the existing power structures through socio-political arrangements that are based on assumptions. Urban planning by its nature also uses assumptions therefore it also reproduces accepted truths and risks generalizing heterogeneous social groups’ needs, these generalizations might also create cases that are insensitive to personal needs. According to queer theory identities change over time and individuals can belong to more than one category simultaneously and therefore rental housing market requires having awareness of fluidity. This study by using the queer theoretical framework, analyzes the situation of young adults and students, elderly, homeless, LGBTQ and abused persons in Stockholm’s rental housing market by using stories, interviews, policy documents, reports and statistical data to clarify how accepted truths/norms effects the constitution of housing categories, and how these housing categories, for that matter norms that are created by rules and regulations, exclude/include different social groups from the rental housing market. In order to fulfil the laws for “housing for all”, there is a need for more affordable rental housing units as well as regulation luxury renovations, supporting research that is related to housing prices and so on. The laws can also be fulfilled by changing in the norm for rental housing tenants; this can be done decreasing the demands for being eligible tenants including requirement on income for regular queue and requirement of study phase of 50 percent for students. For the second-hand rental housing there is a need of a system that minimizes possible discrimination, a database of accessible housing units could help those that need accessibility issue solved and a wider variety with a bigger housing stock for homeless could benefit homeless that want to change their realities. Concerning usage of housing stock in Stockholm, policy changes like “kompis kontrakt” make it possible to use the existing rental housing stock more efficiently. The conclusions of this study shows that the requirements set by the rules and regulations on first-hand rental housing excludes individuals that have record of non-payment related to housing, an income that is lower than the total of the monthly rent and 4 675 SEK, and that are not credit worthy. For many including homeless sensitiveness to personal needs are critical. The results show that there is number of shelters in Stockholm County is insufficient and the aid given by the social services to shelters reproduces gender binaries through laws. Sveriges grundlag samt Bostadsförsörjninglag fastslår att alla boende i Stockholms län har rätt till bostad. Denna uppsats berör de normer som skapats av första- och andrahandsuthyrning på bostadsmarknaden samt regler om förtur i Stockholms län. Med ett queerteoretiskt ramverk analyserar denna uppsats situationen för unga unga vuxna och studenter, äldre, hemlösa, LBGTQ samt misshandlade personer i behov av skydd på bostadsmarknaden i relation till principen om "bostad för alla" och föreslår möjliga policyförändringar med syfte att att göra hyresmarknaden mer inkluderande.  Queerteori menar att subjekt är precist skapade av befintliga maktstrukturer genom sociopolitiska uppställningar baserade på antaganden. Även stadsplanering använder genom sin natur antaganden och reproducerar på detta sätta accepterade sanningar och riskerar på detta sätt att generalisera behoven hos heterogena sociala grupper. Dessa generaliseringar kan även skapa scenarion okänsliga för personliga behov. Enligt queerteori ändras identiteter över tid och individer kan tillhöra mer än en kategori samtidigt varför hyresmarknaden fordrar medvetenhet om denna fluiditet.  Denna studie undersöker bostadssituationen i Stockholm för unga vuxna, studenter, pensionärer, hemlösa, HBTQ och utsatta personer, ur ett queerteoretiskt perspektiv. Genom metoder som berättelser, intervjuer, dokument, rapporter och statistik är syftet att klargöra hur vedertagna sanningar och normer ligger till grund för boendekategorier, och hur dessa boendekategorier utesluter eller inkluderar olika sociala grupper från hyresmarknaden. För att nå målet ”bostad åt alla”, behövs prisvärda hyresrätter, åtstramning/minskning av renovering av lyxlägenheter samt forskning kring hyressättning, och så vidare. Lagarna kring ”bostad åt alla” kan även följas genom att ändra på normen för hyresvärden, bland annat genom att minska på kraven för vem som anses vara en lämplig hyresgäst (och stå i bostadskö) på basis av sin inkomst samt minimum 50 procent studiefart för studenter. När det gäller andrahandsuthyrning finns ett behov av att minska risken för diskriminering. En möjlig lösning är en databas med lediga lägenheter som finns tillgängliga för de som är i behov av tillgänglighetslägenheter och således nå grupper som, tex hemlösa, som vill ändra sina levnadsförhållanden. Ytterligare en lösning är möjligheten till ”kompiskontrakt” som skulle göra utnyttjandet av hyresbeståndet mer effektivt. Denna studie visar att reglerna kring förstahandskontrakt utesluter vissa individer/grupper som har ett förflutet av att inte kunna betala hyran, lägre inkomst än den totala månadshyran eller som inte är kreditvärdiga. Särskild hänsyn bör därför tas till många gruppers, även hemlösas personliga situation. Resultaten från denna studie visar även att antalet härbärgen i Stockholms län är för få och att Socialstyrelsens bidrag till dessa reproducerar könsbinärer.

Assessment of Wind Energy Potential as a Power Generation Source: A Case Study of Eight Selected Locations in Northern Cyprus

This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of the wind power potential for eight locations distributed over the Northern part of Cyprus. The wind speed data were collected from the meteorological department located in Lefkoşa, Northern Cyprus.Ten distribution models were used to analyze the wind speed characteristics and wind energy potential at the selected locations. The maximum-likelihood method was used for calculating the parameters of the distribution functions.The power law model is utilized to determine the mean wind speed at various heights. In addition, the wind power density for each location was estimated. Furthermore, the performances of different small-scale vertical axis 3–10 kW wind turbines were evaluated to find those that were suitable and efficient for power generation in the studied locations.The results showed that the annual mean wind speed in the regions is greater than 2 m/s at a height of 10 m. Moreover, it is indicated that Generalized Extreme Value distribution provided the best fit to the actual data for the regions of Lefkoşa, Ercan, Girne, Güzelyurt, and Dipkarpaz. However, the Log-Logistic, Weibull, and Gamma distributions gave a better fit to the actual data of Gazimağusa, YeniBoğaziçi, and Salamis, respectively. The Rayleigh distribution does not fit the actual data from all regions. Furthermore, the values of wind power densityat the areas studied ranged from 38.76 W/m2 to 134.29 W/m2 at a height of 50 m, which indicated that wind energy sources in these selected locations are classified as poor. Meanwhile, based on the wind analysis, small-scale wind turbine use can be suitable for generating electricity in the studied locations. Consequently, an Aeolos-V2 with a rating of 5 kW was found to be capable of producing the annual energy needs of an average household in Northern Cyprus

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILICA NANOSPRINGS-SUPPORTED FISCHER-TROPSCH CATALYSTS FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

This dissertation presents findings on the preparation and characterization of silica nanosprings (NS) supported Fe and Co catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactions. Silica NS with a high surface area of 400 m2/g were chosen as a new 1-dimensional nanostructured support for Fe and Co based FT catalysts and divided into three sections. Section 1 involved the preparation and characterization of Co/NS catalysts as well as to examine the effects of two different reduction temperatures on the FT catalytic performance of this Co/NS catalyst. The prepared Co/NS catalysts were characterized before the FT reaction by various analytical techniques such as surface area, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy , energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, temperature programmed reduction (CO and H2), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The activity and selectivity of all catalysts were evaluated in a quartz fixed bed micro-reactor (H2/CO of 2:1, 230-270 oC). The effect of reaction temperature on the catalytic performance of Co/NS catalyst was studied. The results showed that the catalyst reduced at a temperature of 609 oC had higher production rate of C6-C17 hydrocarbons than the catalyst reduced at 409 oC. It also was found that the Co/NS catalyst resulted in more stability compared to with conventional catalysts. Section 2 examined the effect of three preparation techniques (impregnation, precipitation and 2-step sol-gel) and activation conditions (H2, CO or H2+CO) on catalytic performance of these Fe/NS catalysts. It was found that the Fe/NS catalyst prepared by impregnation technique and activated with CO displayed the highest CO conversion (76.6%) and a wide distribution of light hydrocarbon (C6 to C14). Moreover, the XRD and XPS results of Fe/NS catalysts showed three different Fe crystalline phases with different particle sizes. Section 3 examined the addition of Ru, Mo, Co and Cu as promoters on the Fe/NS catalysts. It was found that the promotion of the Fe catalyst supported on NS with Ru, Mo, Co and Cu increased the CO conversion, shifted the FTS product distributions and improved the selectivity towards C6-C16 olefins instead of aromatics in unpromoted Fe/NS catalyst. New types of Co and Fe catalysts were synthetized using silica nanosprings (NS) as a new 1-dimensional nanostructured support, and used in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. By using these catalysts, good activity, selectivity to C6-C16 hydrocarbons (liquid fuels) and catalytic stability have been achieved. Furthermore, the incorporation of promoters, such as Ru, Mo, Co and Cu, into these catalysts can have effect leading to both high conversion and selectivity.doctoral, Ph.D., Environmental Science -- University of Idaho - College of Graduate Studies, 2018-0