Hospital process orientation from an operations management perspective: Development of a measurement tool and practical testing in three ophthalmic practices

Background: Although research interest in hospital process orientation (HPO) is growing, the development of a measurement tool to assess process orientation (PO) has not been very successful yet. To view a hospital as a series of processes organized around patients with a similar demand seems to be an attractive proposition, but it is hard to operationalize this idea in a measurement tool that can actually measure the level of PO. This research contributes to HPO from an operations management (OM) perspective by addressing the alignment, integration and coordination of activities within patient care processes. The objective of this study was to develop and practically test a new measurement tool for assessing the degree of PO within hospitals using exist

Effect of sodium and nitrogen on yield function of irrigated maize in Southern Portugal

Salinization and nitrate leaching are two of the leading threats to the environment of the European Mediterranean regions. Inefficient use of water and fertilizers has led to a nitrate increase in the aquifers and reduction in crop yields caused by salts. In this study, a triple emitter source irrigation system delivers water, salt (Na+), and fertilizer (N) applications to maize (Zea mays L.). The objective of the study was to evaluate the combined effect of saline water and nitrogen application on crop yields in two different textured soils of Alentejo (Portugal) and to assess if increasing salinity levels of the irrigation water can be compensated by application of nitrogen while still obtaining acceptable crop yield. Maximum yield was obtained from both soils with an application of 13 g m−2 of nitrogen. Yield response to Na+ application was different in the two studied soils and depended on the total amount of Na+ or irrigation water applied. No significant interaction was found between nitrogen and sodium, but a positive effect on maize yield was observed in the medium textured soil for amounts of Na+ less than 905 g m−2 when applied in the irrigation water

Strain rhodococcus sp. ED55 isolated from a WWTP in Macao degrades β-estradiol and removes toxicity of treated effluents

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clinicopathological and toxicological aspects of poisoning by the clomazone herbicide in sheep

AbstractClomazone (2-[(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-4,4-dimethyl-3-isoxazolidinone) is a herbicide which has been widely used in southern Brazil in the rice cultivation and can be toxic for humans and animals. This study reports the first outbreak poisoning due to clomazone in a flock of 103 sheep, 20 of which showed mainly neurological and respiratory signs. Clomazone was detected in soil and vegetation samples and in the liver, kidney and muscles of poisoned animals. The poisoning was experimentally reproduced in three sheep by the administration of a 134mgkg body weight dose of clomazone. In both the natural and experimental cases, the clinical signs included tachypnea, anorexia, somnolence, weakness and ataxia. Macroscopically, there were no significant changes. Histologically, vacuolization in the white matter, perineuronal vacuoles and congestion of the leptomeningeal and brain vessels were observed. Ultrastructurally, the vacuolar lesions in the brain corresponded to swelling of the dendrites and astrocytic processes. It is concluded that clomazone causes toxic neuropathy in sheep

Project Proof: Internet Enabled Process Reengineering at J.D. Edwards & Company

J.D. Edwards is a provider of the new generation of ERP and collaborative commerce solutions. This case study describes the challenges faced internally by the company to upgrade to the latest enterprise software it would sell to the world. Dubbed Project PROOF, the project started in June 2001 and was completed in November 2002. The perspectives of the CIO, the program manager, and other key personnel are presented. The case study highlights the issues that arise in an enterprise software implementation project. In addition, the case touches upon issues of project management, process redesign, and marketing. The case study uses a multimedia format to add richness and detail. Although J.D. Edwards was acquired in 2003, the issues discussed are relevant to current business practices

Electrochemical studies on small electron transfer proteins using membrane electrodes

Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 541 (2003) 153-162Membrane electrodes (ME) were constructed using gold, glassy carbon and pyrolytic graphite supports and a dialysis membrane, and used to study the electrochemical behavior of small size electron transfer proteins: monohemic cytochrome c522 from Pseudomonas nautica and cytochrome c533 as well as rubredoxin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris . Different electrochemical techniques were used including cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SW) and differential pulse voltammetry (DP). A direct electrochemical response was obtained in all cases except with rubredoxin where a facilitator was added to the protein solution entrapped between the membrane and the electrode surface. Formal potentials and heterogeneous charge transfer rate constants were determined from the voltammetric data. The influence of the ionic strength and the pH of the medium on the electrochemical response at the ME were analyzed. The benefits from the use of the ME in protein electrochemistry and its role in modulating the redox behavior are analyzed. A critical comparison is presented with data obtained at non-MEs. Finally, the interactions that must be established between the proteins and the electrode surfaces are discussed, thereby modeling molecular interactions that occur in biological systems

Relative Growth Of Carcass Tissues Of Goat Kids From Five Breed Types Finished On Pasture Or Feedlot

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cross breeding, finishing system, and gender on the relative growth of carcass tissues of dairy kids. Seventy eight kids (39 male and 39 female) from five breed types were used: Alpine; 1/2 Boer + 1/2 Alpine (1/2 BA); 1/2 Nubian + 1/2 Alpine (1/2 ANA); 3/4 Boer + 1/4 Alpine (3/4 BA); and 1/2 Nubian + 1/4 Boer + 1/4 Alpine (TC). Kids were distributed into two finishing systems: in pasture with doe (FS1) and weaned in feedlot (FS2). Kids were slaughtered at a mean age of 128.4 ± 7.9 days and mean live weight of 22.07 kg. The mean weight of half carcasses was 5.09 kg. To determine allometric growth, we used the exponential equation Y= aXb. In the half carcass, muscle tissue showed comparatively early growth in group 1/2 BA, whereas fat tissue of animals in FS1 had relatively late growth. Females exhibited early growth of muscle tissue, while in males this tissue was intermediate. The 1/2 BA first-cross improved carcass characteristics by enhancing the growth of muscle tissue.37298999

Lee Index variation and glucose clearance rate in an animal model of obesity with animals supplemented with Ganodema lucidum

The consumption of diets high in sugars and saturated fat are associated with obesity and other comorbidities, as well as glucose intolerance1. Obesity can be influenced by the regular consumption of natural bioactive compounds like those found in Ganoderma lucidum mushroom (GL)2. The main objective of this work is to determine body mass variations (Lee Index) and serum glucose levels in animals fed with diets supplemented with three concentrations of an hydroethanolic extract of GL. The fruiting bodies of GL were provided by Bioreishi- Agricultura Bioliogica, Lda. Forty-eight male mice (C57BL/6) were acquired and divided into 5 groups: G1-Western Diet 0.2% Cholesterol (WD); G2-Western Control (WC); G3-WD+0.7%g/kg of G. lucidum; G4-WD+1.4%g/kg of G. lucidum; G5- WD+2.8%g/kg of G. lucidum. At 7th and 13th weeks of study, the animals were measured (nasoanal distance in cm) in order to calculate the Lee Index (cubicle root of the weight (g)/the nasoanal length (cm) x 1000). Obesity was defined by a Lee index>310. Glucose intolerance test was performed on 4 animals in each group. The animals were fasted overnight and in the early morning, a 50% glucose solution (2g/kg) was injected intraperitoneally. Blood samples were collected one hour before glucose (time zero) administration and 30, 60 and 120 minutes later. Serum glucose was determined with the OGCare equipment. Glucose concentration values at time zero were considered control values. All ethical issues were followed (approval nº 8776). The chemical composition of the extract was profiled by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. All data were analyzed using the GraphPad Prism® for Windows software (version 7.0). Ganoderic acid H and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the main triterpenic and phenolic acids found in the extract, respectively. In respect to the Lee index, the values show that all animals in the experimental groups became obese. In both weeks, G5 showed the highest values (353.45 ± 12.43 and 351.77 ± 12.24 respectively). At week 7, G1 and G2 differed statistically (p<0,05) from G5. Although G1 and G2 have the lowest Lee values in both weeks, they are the only ones that increase from week 7 to week 13, in contrast to the groups supplemented with GL. Regarding the glucose intolerance test, recorded glucose values at 30 minutes after the injection were increased in all groups, returning to normal values two hours later. At 13th week, the glucose values were increased in all groups in the 30 and 60 minutes after the intraperitoneal injection. At the end of two hours, the values decreased, but did not return to normal values in all the groups. Although animals in all experimental groups remained obese, animals supplemented with GL decreased their Lee Index. At 7th week the animals showed a normal glucose clearance, but in the last week of the study glucose values did not return to the values initially recorded after two hours, showing that the animals were not able to maintain the glucose clearance rate.This work was supported by VALORIZEBYPRODUCTS Project, reference n.º029152; CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); Project MicoCoating (PDR2020-101-031472); and L. Barros thanks the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract. No conflict of interest was declared.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ganoderma lucidum in an animal model of obesity: preliminary results

Obesity is an emerging health problem worldwide. Hypercaloric or hyperlipidemic diets have been used as models of obesity induction in laboratory animals. Obesity can be influenced by regular consumption of natural bioactive compounds. Mushrooms, such as Ganoderma lucidum (GL), have been used in the human diet since ancient times and include a wide variety of biomolecules with medicinal properties. The main objective of this work was to study the effects of G. lucidum in an animal model of obesity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio