Fracture strength estimation of L3-L4 intervertebral disc using FEA

Mechanical stress and fracture analysis of the human lumbar intervertebral discs are important in assessing disorders related to lower back pain and ageing. Finite element modelling and simulation approaches assist in easier prediction of the disc behaviour under different load conditions. The causes of mechanical failure and morphological changes still remain partially speculative. The present study addresses the issue by developing a finite element model of an L3-L4 lumbar intervertebral disc subjected to different axial compressive loadings. The morphological deformations and stress concentration regions within the disc are analyzed and reported. A mathematical relation is established to estimate the breaking strength of an L3-L4 intervertebral disc, thus indicating the risk of disc failure based on the applied load

The Journey of Rolls-Royce towards Self-Directed Teams: An analysis of the Team Champion Model

Rolls-Royce has embarked on a journey towards Self-directed work teams. A salient feature of being self directed is giving employees the autonomy, the power to self manage, self regulate and self organize. Management have to equip the teams with the right training and development to gain all the knowledge and skills to be self-directed. A part of this has to do with transferring knowledge and skills from the functional domains to the teams. Rolls-Royce has developed a model, called the Team Champion (TC) Model that will enable and facilitate the transfer of knowledge from the functional experts to the team. This project focuses on the application of the TC model. The scope of this project is to uncover three objectives: to assess how well the TC model has been communicated and understood down the multiple layers of the organization, and the extent to which employee and managerial perceptions overlap; to assess the barriers TC model face and will face in the future and to asses the future vision of the model. A qualitative study approach is adopted where an in-depth interview with thirteen informants uncovered some of the research objectives of this study. Due to the lack of literature on transfer of knowledge from support group to teams in the teamworking domain, the author ventured into areas of knowledge transfer, team building, team development and the cultural aspect (dealing with changes in the attitudes and behaviours of employees) of teamworking. The interview findings were carefully coded and presented in themes, which were later analysed with reference to the literature review. A conclusion chapter follows which leads into a section incorporating limitations of the study

Vascular access and its complications in patients with chronic kidney disease on haemodialysis: a retrospective analysis

Background: Inadequate vascular access in patients on haemodialysis is a major cause of hospitalization leading to life threatening complications. This study evaluated the types of vascular access, location and associated complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on haemodialysis.Methods: Patients with CKD stage V on haemodialysis were included in the study. The data was retrospectively collected including demographic details, comorbidities, serum creatinine, haemoglobin, type and site of access and associated complications.Results: A total of 82 patients with mean (SD) age of 56.6(13.9) years were included with 50 (60.9%) patients on arteriovenous fistula (AVF) access and remaining 32 (39.1%) on dual-lumen catheter (DLC). Hypertension (42.6%) was the most common comorbidity reported followed by diabetes (24.3%) and chronic glomerulonephritis (13.4%). In AVF access, 25 (50.0%) had wrist as site of access, 10 (20.0%) had forearm, 11(22.0%) had brachiocephalic and four (8.0%) brachiobasilic. Of 32 DLC access, 27(84.4%) had jugular vein and four (12.5%) femoral vein. One patient with AVF access reported venous hypertension; however, the complications reported in patients with DLC access were infection (n=6, 18.8%) and hematoma and venous hypertension (n=1, 3.7%, each).Conclusions: This study with limited sample size showed that the most common access site for AVF and DLC was wrist and jugular vein, respectively. Infection was the most common complication in patients with DLC. AVF is comparatively safe option for haemodialysis; however, DLC should be used only as a temporary option

Sickle cell nephropathy with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis: a case report

<p/> <p>Background</p> <p>Sickle cell nephropathy (SCN) is an important cause of mortality in patients with sickle cell disease. SCA with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is known in children and less common in adults, however diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) with SCN has rarely been reported in adults. It requires early diagnosis and aggressive management.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present here a 35 years old lady with sickle cell disease who presented with edema, dyspnoea on exertion, pyuria and had raised s. creatinine of 7 mg%. Her biopsy revealed SCN with DPLN. She is on maintenance hemodialysis after 2 months of diagnosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>DPLN with SCN is a rare entity with poor prognosis, which may be overlooked and needs aggressive management.</p

Advancements in Machine Learning for the Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) constitutes a significant global health issue, precipitating damage to the kidneys and stripping many individuals of their most productive years. Alarmingly, 40% of those affected by CKD remain oblivious to their condition, a stark contrast to many other diseases where early detection is more common. Unlike other conditions, CKD eludes cure unless identified promptly in its nascent stages. This research emphasizes the collection of critical indicators such as blood pressure and diabetes status to ascertain the presence of CKD in individuals. It proposes the employment of advanced machine learning techniques, including Random Forest, XGBoost, and Support Vector Machines, aiming to enhance early detection and thereby mitigate the disease's impact. Utilizing a CKD dataset, this study endeavors to predict the likelihood of CKD in individuals, offering a proactive approach to tackle this formidable health challenge

The Journey of Rolls-Royce towards Self-Directed Teams: An analysis of the Team Champion Model

Rolls-Royce has embarked on a journey towards Self-directed work teams. A salient feature of being self directed is giving employees the autonomy, the power to self manage, self regulate and self organize. Management have to equip the teams with the right training and development to gain all the knowledge and skills to be self-directed. A part of this has to do with transferring knowledge and skills from the functional domains to the teams. Rolls-Royce has developed a model, called the Team Champion (TC) Model that will enable and facilitate the transfer of knowledge from the functional experts to the team. This project focuses on the application of the TC model. The scope of this project is to uncover three objectives: to assess how well the TC model has been communicated and understood down the multiple layers of the organization, and the extent to which employee and managerial perceptions overlap; to assess the barriers TC model face and will face in the future and to asses the future vision of the model. A qualitative study approach is adopted where an in-depth interview with thirteen informants uncovered some of the research objectives of this study. Due to the lack of literature on transfer of knowledge from support group to teams in the teamworking domain, the author ventured into areas of knowledge transfer, team building, team development and the cultural aspect (dealing with changes in the attitudes and behaviours of employees) of teamworking. The interview findings were carefully coded and presented in themes, which were later analysed with reference to the literature review. A conclusion chapter follows which leads into a section incorporating limitations of the study

Integrated marketing: success story of Crystal Gallery

The choice of a well planned integrated marketing strategy becomes vital for the success of an organisation. This paper is a case study based description of how Crystal Gallery, a company manufacturing crystal products with eighteen years history in the UAE and rest of the world understood the customer expectations and used integrated marketing to structure the marketing efforts revolving around the customer\u27s needs. The company is a market leader in the industry