Keys to successful balanced scorecard implementation and use based on published implementation attempts

In recent years many companies have evolved from being centrally located and managed to decentralized, multi-national companies consisting of many separate entities to be strategically managed. In response to this and other changes, such as the need for better measurement of performance, a strategic management tool was developed called the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). This research provides a tool to guide and evaluate BSC implementation. A meta-synthesis approach was used to examine qualitative BSC data available in the literature that suggested eleven keys to successful BSC implementation and use. These keys are then used to benchmark an implementation in a government logistics organization

Migration and allergic diseases in a rural area of a developing country.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2017-02-10T17:02:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodriguez A Migration and allergic....pdf: 149809 bytes, checksum: dd2e77d239dd95d5fbf01198a195d13a (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2017-02-10T17:40:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodriguez A Migration and allergic....pdf: 149809 bytes, checksum: dd2e77d239dd95d5fbf01198a195d13a (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-10T17:40:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodriguez A Migration and allergic....pdf: 149809 bytes, checksum: dd2e77d239dd95d5fbf01198a195d13a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Wellcome Trust (grant nos. 072405/Z/03/Z and 088862/Z/09/Z).Laboratorio de Investigaci on FEPIS. Quinind e, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador / Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. London, United Kingdom / Universidad Internacional del Ecuador. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de la Salud y la Vida. Quito, EcuadorLaboratorio de Investigaci on FEPIS. Quinind e, Esmeraldas Province, EcuadorLaboratorio de Investigaci on FEPIS. Quinind e, Esmeraldas Province, EcuadorFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. London, United KingdomFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Universidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Saúde Coletiva. Salvador, BA, BrasilLaboratorio de Investigaci on FEPIS. Quinind e, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador / Universidad Internacional del Ecuador. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de la Salud y la Vida. Quito, Ecuador / St George’s University of London. Institute of Infection and Immunity. London, United Kingdo

Risk Factors for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections during the First 3 Years of Life in the Tropics; Findings from a Birth Cohort.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infect more than 2 billion humans worldwide, causing significant morbidity in children. There are few data on the epidemiology and risk factors for infection in pre-school children. To investigate risk factors for infection in early childhood, we analysed data prospectively collected in the ECUAVIDA birth cohort in Ecuador. Methods and Findings: Children were recruited at birth and followed up to 3 years of age with periodic collection of stool samples that were examined microscopically for STH parasites. Data on social, demographic, and environmental risk factors were collected from the mother at time of enrolment. Associations between exposures and detection of STH infections were analysed by multivariable logistic regression. Data were analysed from 1,697 children for whom a stool sample was obtained at 3 years. 42.3% had at least one STH infection in the first 3 years of life and the most common infections were caused by A. lumbricoides (33.2% of children) and T. trichiura (21.2%). Hookworm infection was detected in 0.9% of children. Risk of STH infection was associated with factors indicative of poverty in our study population such as Afro-Ecuadorian ethnicity and low maternal educational level. Maternal STH infections during pregnancy were strong risk factors for any childhood STH infection, infections with either A. lumbricoides or T. trichiura, and early age of first STH infection. Children of mothers with moderate to high infections intensities with A. lumbricoides were most at risk. Conclusions: Our data show high rates of infection with STH parasites during the first 3 years of life in an Ecuadorian birth cohort, an observation that was strongly associated with maternal STH infections during pregnancy. The targeted treatment of women of childbearing age, in particular before pregnancy, with anthelmintic drugs could offer a novel approach to the prevention of STH infections in pre-school children

Urbanisation is associated with prevalence of childhood asthma in diverse, small rural communities in Ecuador

BACKGROUND: Studies conducted in transitional communities from Africa and Asia have pointed to the process of urbanisation as being responsible for the increase in asthma prevalence in developing regions. In Latin America, there are few published data available on the potential impact of urbanisation on asthma prevalence. The aim of the present study was to explore how the process of urbanisation may explain differences in asthma prevalence in transitional communities in north-eastern Ecuador. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An ecological study was conducted in 59 communities in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. Indicators of urbanisation were grouped into three indices representing the processes associated with urbanisation: socioeconomic, lifestyle and urban infrastructure. Categorical principal components analysis was used to generate scores for each index and a fourth index--a summary urbanisation index--was derived from the most representative variables in each of the three indices. The authors analysed the associations between community asthma prevalence and the indices, as well as with each indicator variable of every group. The overall prevalence of asthma was 10.1% (range 0-31.4% between communities). Three of the four indices presented significant associations with community asthma prevalence: socioeconomic (r = 0.295, p = 0.023), lifestyle (r = 0.342, p = 0.008) and summary urbanisation index (r = 0.355, p = 0.006). Variables reflecting better socioeconomic status and a more urban lifestyle were associated with greater asthma prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that the prevalence of asthma increases with increasing levels of urbanisation in transitional communities, and factors associated with greater socioeconomic level and changes towards a more urban lifestyle may be particularly important

Modelling and simulation of Space Station Freedom berthing dynamics and control

A large-angle, flexible, multibody, dynamic modeling capability has been developed to help validate numerical simulations of the dynamic motion and control forces which occur during berthing of Space Station Freedom to the Shuttle Orbiter in the early assembly flights. This paper outlines the dynamics and control of the station, the attached Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, and the orbiter. The simulation tool developed for the analysis is described and the results of two simulations are presented. The first is a simulated maneuver from a gravity-gradient attitude to a torque equilibrium attitude using the station reaction control jets. The second simulation is the berthing of the station to the orbiter with the station control moment gyros actively maintaining an estimated torque equilibrium attitude. The influence of the elastic dynamic behavior of the station and of the Remote Manipulator System on the attitude control of the station/orbiter system during each maneuver was investigated. The flexibility of the station and the arm were found to have only a minor influence on the attitude control of the system during the maneuvers

Effects of maternal geohelminth infections on allergy in early childhood.

BACKGROUND: Maternal geohelminth infections during pregnancy may protect against allergy development in childhood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the effect of maternal geohelminths on the development of eczema, wheeze, and atopy during the first 3 years of life. METHODS: A cohort of 2404 neonates was followed to 3 years of age in a rural district in coastal Ecuador. Data on wheeze and eczema were collected by means of questionnaire and physical examination at 13, 24, and 36 months of age. Atopy was measured based on skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to 9 allergens at 36 months. Maternal stool samples were examined for geohelminths by microscopy. Data on potential confounders was collected after birth by questionnaire. RESULTS: Geohelminths were observed in 45.9% of mothers. Eczema and wheeze were reported for 17.7% and 25.9%, respectively, of 2069 (86.1%) children with complete follow-up to 3 years, and allergen SPT reactivity to any allergen was present in 17.2% and to house dust mite in 8.7%. Maternal geohelminth infections were not significantly associated with eczema (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.26; 95% CI, 0.98-1.61), wheeze (adjusted OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.82-1.27), and SPT reactivity to any allergen (adjusted OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61-1.01). In subgroup analyses maternal geohelminths were associated with a significantly reduced risk of SPT reactivity to mite and other perennial allergens, and maternal ascariasis was associated with an increased risk of eczema and reduced risk of SPT reactivity to all allergens. CONCLUSION: Our data do not support a protective effect of maternal infections with geohelminth parasites during pregnancy against the development of eczema and wheeze in early childhood, although there was evidence in subgroup analyses for a reduction in SPT reactivity to house dust mites and perennial allergens

Mercury Exposure and Antinuclear Antibodies among Females of Reproductive Age in the United States: NHANES

Background: Immune dysregulation associated with mercury has been suggested, though data in the general population are lacking. Chronic exposure to low levels of methylmercury (organic) and inorganic mercury is common, such as through fish consumption and dental amalgams. Objective: To examine associations between mercury biomarkers and antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and titer strength. Methods: Among females 16-49 years (n=1352) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004, we examined cross-sectional associations between mercury and ANAs (indirect immunofluorescence; cutoff ≥1:80). Three biomarkers of mercury exposure were utilized: hair (available 1999-2000) and total blood (1999-2004) predominantly represented methylmercury, and urinary (1999-2002) inorganic. Survey statistics were used. Multivariable modeling adjusted for several covariates, including age and omega-3 fatty acids. Results: 16% of females were ANA-positive; 96% of ANA-positives had a nuclear staining pattern of speckled. Mercury geometric means (standard deviations) were: 0.22 (0.03) ppm hair, 0.92 (0.05) µg/L blood, and 0.62 (0.04) µg/L urinary. Hair and blood, but not urinary, mercury were associated with ANA positivity (sample sizes 452, 1352, and 804, respectively), adjusting for confounders: hair odds ratio (OR)=4.10 (95% CI: 1.66, 10.13); blood OR=2.32 (95% CI: 1.07, 5.03) comparing highest versus lowest quantiles. Magnitudes of association were strongest for high-titer (≥1:1280) ANA: hair OR=11.41 (95% CI: 1.60, 81.23); blood OR=5.93 (95% CI: 1.57, 22.47). Conclusions: Methylmercury, at low levels generally considered safe, was associated with subclinical autoimmunity among reproductive-age females. Autoantibodies may predate clinical disease by years, thus methylmercury exposure may be relevant to future autoimmune disease risk.This work was supported by NIH/NIEHS K01ES019909, NIH/NIEHS P30ES017885, and NIH/NCRR UL1RR024986. ECS was supported in part by an Arthritis Foundation Health Professional New Investigator Award.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110512/1/SOMERS_EHP.AdvancePubl 02102015.acco.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110512/2/Somers_EHP Suppl-1408751.s001.508.pdf114Description of SOMERS_EHP.AdvancePubl 02102015.acco.pdf : Main ArticleDescription of Somers_EHP Suppl-1408751.s001.508.pdf : Supplementary Materia

Prediction of storm transfers and annual loads with data-based mechanistic models using high-frequency data

Excess nutrients in surface waters, such as phosphorus (P) from agriculture, result in poor water quality, with adverse effects on ecological health and costs for remediation. However, understanding and prediction of P transfers in catchments have been limited by inadequate data and over-parameterised models with high uncertainty. We show that, with high temporal resolution data, we are able to identify simple dynamic models that capture the P load dynamics in three contrasting agricultural catchments in the UK. For a flashy catchment, a linear, second-order (two pathways) model for discharge gave high simulation efficiencies for short-term storm sequences and was useful in highlighting uncertainties in out-of-bank flows. A model with nonlinear rainfall input was appropriate for predicting seasonal or annual cumulative P loads where antecedent conditions affected the catchment response. For second-order models, the time constant for the fast pathway varied between 2 and 15 h for all three catchments and for both discharge and P, confirming that high temporal resolution data are necessary to capture the dynamic responses in small catchments (10–50 km2/. The models led to a better understanding of the dominant nutrient transfer modes, which will be helpful in determining phosphorus transfers following changes in precipitation patterns in the future

Patent Human Infections with the Whipworm, Trichuris trichiura, Are Not Associated with Alterations in the Faecal Microbiota

Background: The soil-transmitted helminth (STH), Trichuris trichiura colonises the human large intestine where it may modify inflammatory responses, an effect possibly mediated through alterations in the intestinal microbiota. We hypothesised that patent T. trichiura infections would be associated with altered faecal microbiota and that anthelmintic treatment would induce a microbiota resembling more closely that observed in uninfected individuals. Materials and Methods: School children in Ecuador were screened for STH infections and allocated to 3 groups: uninfected, T. trichiura only, and mixed infections with T. trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides. A sample of uninfected children and those with T. trichiura infections only were given anthelmintic treatment. Bacterial community profiles in faecal samples were studied by 454 pyrosequencing of 16 S rRNA genes. Results: Microbiota analyses of faeces were done for 97 children: 30 were uninfected, 17 were infected with T. trichiura, and 50 with T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides. Post-treatment samples were analyzed for 14 children initially infected with T. trichiura alone and for 21 uninfected children. Treatment resulted in 100% cure of STH infections. Comparisons of the microbiota at different taxonomic levels showed no statistically significant differences in composition between uninfected children and those with T. trichiura infections. We observed a decreased proportional abundance of a few bacterial genera from the Clostridia class of Firmicutes and a reduced bacterial diversity among children with mixed infections compared to the other two groups, indicating a possible specific effect of A. lumbricoides infection. Anthelmintic treatment of children with T. trichiura did not alter faecal microbiota composition. Discussion: Our data indicate that patent human infections with T. trichiura may have no effect on faecal microbiota but that A. lumbricoides colonisation might be associated with a disturbed microbiota. Our results also catalogue the microbiota of rural Ecuadorians and indicate differences with individuals from more urban industrialised societies