Improving business processes of service companies

This article considers the problem of improving business process through analysis “Highlighting areas of concern”. In the process, we formulated a number of requirements that should meet the functionality of the information system and highlighted advantages of the"Selection concerns" method

Drivers for international innovation activities in developed and emerging countries

This paper aims to shed light on firm specific drivers that lead firms to internationalise their innovation activities. The paper draws a comprehensive picture of driving forces by including firm capabilities, characteristics of the firm’s competitive environment and the influence of innovation obstacles in the home country. In particular, the role of the potential driving forces is tested on the probability to carry out different innovative activities abroad (R&D, design/conception of new products, manufacturing of innovative products and implementation of new processes). In a second step these driving forces are used to observe their impact on the decision to locate innovation activities in various countries and regions (China, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and North America) as well as in groups of countries with similar levels of knowledge (country clubs). The analysis is based on the Mannheim Innovation Panel survey which represents the German CIS (Community Innovation Survey) contribution. Two survey waves are combined and result in a sample of about 1400 firms. The results show that the decision to perform innovation activities abroad is mainly driven by organisational capabilities such as absorptive capacities, international experience and existing technological competences of the respective firm. Innovation barriers at the German home base such as lack of labour and high innovation costs foster the set up of later-stage innovation activities abroad while the lack of demand demonstrates a barrier to the internationalisation decision for the development and manufacturing of new products. Location decisions receive the strongest influencing effects from the international experience of the firm. Firms which innovate in developing countries seem to require a more extensive level of international experience by international R&D cooperation

Triple-drug regimen for first kidney transplants in developing countries

PubMedID: 1412875[No abstract available

Management of urological complications and diseases in renal transplant recipients [Böbrek Nakli Alicilarinda Görülen İstenmeyen Ürolojik Yan Etkiler ve Hastaliklarin Tedavisi]

Introduction: Although rarely life-threatening, urological complications are associated with significant morbidity in the immunosuppressed patient and ultimately may be associated with long-term allograft dysfunction and loss. Urological complications of renal transplantation are relatively uncommon although the incidence differs among various. Herein therapies for urological diseases and complications which occured in renal transplant recipients were evaluated retrospectively. Materials and methods: Between 1989 and 2004, 242 consecutive renal transplantations were performed at our center. Patterns and incidence of urological complications and therapies which were applied for these complications were investigated in these cases. The data were collected from file enrollment of patients and compared with the findings reported in the literature. No change was done in immunosuppressive protocols. Antibiotic therapy was started preoperatively and was continued according to the urine cultures and antibiograms postoperatively. Complications in the posttransplantation period such as urine leakage from ureterovesical junction, necrosis of the distal ureter, stenosis of the ureterovesical junction and lymphocele were interfered by either endoscopical or open surgical techniques under general anesthesia. Results: Between 1989 and 2004, 57 urological interferences were applied to 46 renal transplant recipients (28 male and 18 female). The mean age of recipients was 35 years (range 9-67 years). Thirty two of these patients underwent renal transplantation in our center and the others (14 patients) underwent out of our center. Twenty four operations applied for complications were performed in the posttransplantation first month. When the interference were applied, graft age ranged between 1 day and 120 months (mean 14.4±27.1). Urological complications were detected in 32 of 242 patients (13.2%), including 10 urinary fistula (4.1%) (with 1 distal ureteral necrosis), 3 ureteric stenosis (1.2%), 1 renal calculus (0.4%), 1 bladder calculus (0.8%) 15 graft nephrectomy (due to acute and chronic rejection), 3 clinically significant renal arterial stenosis (1.2%) and 8 lymphocele requiring intervention. Renal allograft rupture due to accelerated rejection was developed in one pediatric case. Conclusion: Urological complications constitute significant problems following renal transplantation. The most important aspects concerning these complications are early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Delay in diagnosis and management may lead to deterioration of renal graft function or graft loss. Most common complications seen after renal transplantations are ureterovesical fistula, ureterovesical stenosis and lymphocele formation. All urological interventions were successful if the graft nephrectomies were ignored. This shows that endoscopical and open surgical methods can be performed successfully for the therapy of urological problems occurring in patients with renal transplantation and these methods result in success. We did not find any relationship between the appearance of urological complications and the graft survival

Beneficial effects of verapamil in renal transplantation

PubMedID: 8516864[No abstract available

Effects of using a double J stent after renal trasplantation [Böbrek nakli·sonrasi çi·ft J stent kullaniminin etki·le?i]

Introduction: In modern urology, ureteral stents are playing significant role in avoiding complications after endoscopic or open surgery. In this study, the association between double J stent and ureteral complications, urinary tract infections and creatinine levels in renal transplant recipients after renal transplantation was prospectively assessed. Materials and methods: Between January 2002 and March 2005, 60 recipients after renal transplantation from relative living donors in Cukurova University were observed prospectively. Lich-Gregoir reimplantation was used as ureteroneocystostomy technique. 4.8 French 12 cm double J stent was placed in 30 recipients (Group I). No double J stent was placed in 30 recipients (Group II). Double J stents were removed 14 days after renal transplantation. More than 105 colonies of bacteria in urine culture were considered as urinary tract infection. The creatinine levels and urine volumes of recipients were documented for 7 days postoperatively. Results: There was no difference between two groups according to age, sex, donor's age, operation time and cold ischemia time. Ureteral complications were seen in 6 recipients in group II (no double J) while no complication was seen in group I (p=0.024). Urinary tract infection occurred in 6 recipients in group I and in 3 recipients in group II (p=0.72). The average creatinine level in group I was lower than group II in postoperative 1st, 2nd and 3rd days (p=0.024, p=0.029 and p=0.041) while there was no significant difference preoperatively (p=0.688). There was no significant difference between two groups in after postoperative 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th days (all p>0.05). The average urine volume in group I was more than group II in postoperative 1st day (p=0.017). Conclusion: Ureteral complications after renal transplantation may cause graft loss and mortality. The ureteral stents were used successfully to avoid and reduce the complications. Some centers have suggested that brief stenting could stop minor leakage due to partial disruption of the ureterovesical anastomosis and prevent early obstruction secondary to anastomotic edema or small tunnel hematoma. However, using double J stent routinely was not suggested in some centers because of the stent complications like urinary tract infection, hematuria, stent migration, stone formation, frequency, flank pain, suprapubic pain, dysuria, reflux, stent fracture. As a result, we believe that the double J stents have a significant role in avoiding the ureteral complication and in forming the ureterovesical anastomosis. However, double J stents have to be removed as soon as possible in the recipients who are under serious immunosupressive treatment. Further studies with larger series are necessary to confirm these results

Low-versus high-dose corticosteroid therapy in living-related kidney transplantation

PubMedID: 8516890[No abstract available

An Image Is Worth a Thousand Words: Exploring Visual Imagery About Trafficking in the Online Domain – an Italian Case Study

Despite literature critically examining trafficking representations, few studies have investigated visual representations of trafficking, or done so with reference to the national policy context wherein they are being utilized. This article explores visuals associated with trafficking in Italy with a focus on digital imagery retrieved via Google. The findings show that more “international” understandings of trafficking coexist alongside national conceptualizations, expressed through representations which conflate irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking. These representations convey national anxieties, that are reflected in policy and practice. The article discusses how visuals can help construct trafficking within a given society as well as raises questions and makes tentative suggestions about their interaction with policy-making. Given the critical lens adopted throughout the paper – including crucially as concerns raced and gendered representations – and its critique of images which are produced and circulated in the online space, this article supports progress toward UN SDG 5- Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and 12- Responsible Production and Consumption

Comparison between spousal donor transplantation treated with anti-thymocyte globulin induction therapy and, living related donor transplantation treated with standard immunosuppression.

PubMedID: 24821146The worldwide shortage of organs available for transplantation has led to the use of living-unrelated kidney donors. In this context, spouses represent an important source of organ donors. We compared the allograft outcomes of spousal donor transplantation (SDT) with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction therapy and living related donor transplantation (LRDT) with triple immonosuppression and basiliximab, in addition. Among the 335 living and deceased donor kidney transplantations performed between April 2001 and June 2010, there were 274 living donor kidney transplantations including 34 SDT and 240 LRDT. The minimum follow-up period was 36 months. All recipients of SDT received ATG (1.5 mg/kg) induction therapy, which was stopped five to seven days after surgery. Maintenance immunosuppression included tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and prednisolone. LRDT recipients received triple immunosuppressive protocol consisting of cyclosporine or TAC, MMF and prednisolone, in addition to basiliximab. There was a significant difference between the two groups in recipient age, while pre-operative duration on dialysis, recipient sex and donor age and sex were not significantly different. There was also a significant difference between the two groups in the number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches. The 1-, 3- and 5-year graft survival rates of SDT were 94.1%, 88.2% and 79.4%, respectively, and the frequency of acute rejection episodes was 5.8% (two cases). The 1-, 3- and 5-year graft survival rates of LRDT were 95.8%, 91.6% and 83.3%, respectively, with the frequency of acute rejection being 16.2%. The graft survival rates of SDT were as good as LRDT, while the acute rejection rates in SDT were lower than in LRDT, although the difference was not statistically different (P = 0.13)

The Effects of Electromagnetic Fields Generated from 1800 MHz Cell Phones on Erythrocyte Rheological Parameters and Zinc Level in Rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the electromagnetic field generated from the 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation (EF) on erythrocyte rheological parameters and erythrocyte zinc levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four male Wistar Albino rats were randomly grouped as follows: 1) two control groups and 2) study groups: i) Group A: EF exposed group (2.5 h/day for 30 days, the phone on stand-by), and ii) Group B: EF exposed group (2.5 min/day for 30 days, the phone ringing in silent mode). At the end of the experimental period erythrocyte rheological parameters such as erythrocyte deformability and aggregation were determined by an ectacytometer. Erythrocyte zinc level, which affects hemorheological parameters, was also measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. RESULTS: Erythrocyte deformability was decreased in both study groups but the decrease in group A was not statistically significant. Exposure to EF did not have any significant effect on erythrocyte aggregation. On the other hand, erythrocyte zinc level was significantly reduced in both study groups. CONCLUSION: Exposure to EF may have decreased tissue oxygenation due to reduced erythrocyte deformability. Decrease in erythrocyte zinc level may have caused the impairment in erythrocyte deformability