Assessment of Turkish HR Professionals on Determining the Importance of Factors in Point Factor as a Method of Job Evaluation

Job evaluation is a procedure for assessing the relative jobs with a view to differentiating jobs to positions. In this study, it is aimed to redetermine the importance of main and sub factors used in point factor method which is one of job evaluation methods by human resource professionals located in different sectors based on the manifacturing sector. The determining factors importance is a phenomenon open to subjective judgments. Also, with some developments such as change of technology and ways of doing business, factors weights should be redetermined or updated now and again. So, it is thought that the explore of reviews from different parties (job evaluation experts, technical managers, HR professionals, employees, etc.) about importance of all factors is very important. Accordingly, data about importance of factors were received from 40 human resource professionals through survey method and they were analyzed by analytic hierarchy process. At the end of research, similar results to job evaluation scale generated and used by Turkish Metal Industry Employer’s Union (MESS) were achieved. However, it was found that “education and basic knowledge” which was the most important sub factor in job evaluation scale developed by Turkish Metal Industry Employer’s Union was least important sub factor as result of study. Keywords: job evaluation, point factor method, analytic hierarchy process, multi criteria decision making, Turkish HR professionals

Phytochemistry and biological activity of Onosma rascheyana extracts (Boiss.)

In recent years, it has been determined that Onosma species exhibit interesting biological/pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of the methanol (MeOH), water and ethyl acetate extracts obtained from the aerials parts of Onosma rascheyana (Boiss.). The chemical compositions of the extracts were determined using spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. Biological activities of the extracts were determined using antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory test systems. The MeOH extract was found to be rich in both phenolics and flavonoids (31.55 mg GAEs/g and 15.20 mg REs/g, respectively). The MeOH extract also contained higher amounts of 4-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acids compared to other phytochemicals. The MeOH extract exhibited remarkable activity in all antioxidant test systems. However, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical cation (ABTS) scavenging assay resulted in superiority of water extract (88.90 mg TEs/g). The relative antioxidant capacity indices (RACI) of the extracts and the correlations between these values and antioxidant activities confirmed the high activity of the MeOH extract. In the α-amylase, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity tests, the ethyl acetate extract showed high activity, while the tyrosinase inhibitory activity assay resulted in the superiority of the MeOH extract (59.72 mg KAEs/g). It was concluded that the extracts of O. rascheyana could be used as alternative agents in the food, cosmetic and medical industries due to their antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities

A simplified acute kidney injury predictor following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: ACEF score

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an effective, less invasive treatment alternative for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). Acute kidney injury (AKI) following TAVI is a common complication and is associated with worse outcomes. The age, creatinine, ejection fraction (ACEF) score is a simple scoring method, including only three parameters: age, creatinine, and ejection fraction (EF). The score was well established in predicting AKI after coronary interventions.Aims: We aimed to evaluate whether this simple scoring method, ACEF, may predict a development of AKI in patients who underwent TAVI.Methods: A total of 173 consecutive patients with symptomatic severe AS who underwent TAVI were included retrospectively. The primary endpoint of the study was the development of AKI. Study population was divided into two groups according to the presence of AKI. The ACEF score was calculated with the formula: age/EF + 1 (if baseline creatinine >2 mg/dl).Results: Twenty-nine patients developed AKI. The median (interquartile range) ACEF score was 1.36 (1.20–1.58). The ACEF score was found to be an independent predictor of AKI (P <0.001). The ACEF score ≥1.36 predicted AKI development with a sensitivity of 96.6% and specificity of 58.8%. Moreover, hypertension, hemoglobin levels, contrast volume, and aortic valve area (AVA) were found to be independent predictors of AKI.Conclusions: Our study revealed that the ACEF score was an independent predictor of AKI. A simple and objective score might be very useful in predicting AKI development in patients undergoing TAVI