Efficiency Analysis of Project Management Offices for Large-scale Information System Projects: Insights for Construction Megaprojects

In this study, the efficiencies of Project Management Offices (PMOs) in large-scale information system (IS) projects are addressed by using data envelopment analysis. Moreover, the potential improvement levels for each input and output factors of inefficient PMOs are examined. The effects of performance levels of PMO functions on project outcomes with respect to efficiency levels are also analyzed. A total of forty-nine PMOs are analyzed for this study. The result shows that twenty-four PMOs are found to be efficient. As a result of analyzing the impact of efficiency on project performance depending on the functional levels of PMOs, those groups with a high degree of efficiency show higher outcomes compared with the groups with a low degree of efficiency regardless of the functional levels of PMOs. Furthermore, the gap in outcome between the groups with a high degree of efficiency and the groups with a low degree of efficiency is maintained at almost the same level, regardless of the functional levels of PMOs, with the exception of the case of practice management. This indicates that even those groups with a low degree of efficiency could expect high outcomes in terms of schedule and cost compliance if their level of practice management is high

House of Commons Library: Briefing paper: Number 07147, 13 April 2018: School places in England: applications, allocations and appeals

Background: We previously reported that ginsenoside Re (GRe) attenuated against methamphetamine (MA)-induced neurotoxicity via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials. We also demonstrated that dynorphin possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials against dopaminergic loss, and that balance between dynorphin and substance P is important for dopaminergic neuroprotection. Thus, we examined whether GRe positively affects interactive modulation between dynorphin and substance P against MA neurotoxicity in mice. Methods: We examined changes in dynorphin peptide level, prodynorphin mRNA, and substance P mRNA, substance P-immunoreactivity, homeostasis in enzymatic antioxidant system, oxidative parameter, microglial activation, and pro-apoptotic parameter after a neurotoxic dose of MA to clarify the effects of GRe, prodynorphin knockout, pharmacological inhibition of κ-opioid receptor (i.e., nor-binaltorphimine), or neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor (i.e., L-733,060) against MA insult in mice. Results: GRe attenuated MA-induced decreases in dynorphin level, prodynorphin mRNA expression in the striatum of wild-type (WT) mice. Prodynorphin knockout potentiated MA-induced dopaminergic toxicity in mice. The imbalance of enzymatic antioxidant system, oxidative burdens, microgliosis, and pro-apoptotic changes led to the dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Neuroprotective effects of GRe were more pronounced in prodynorphin knockout than in WT mice. Nor-binaltorphimine, a κ-opioid receptor antagonist, counteracted against protective effects of GRe. In addition, we found that GRe significantly attenuated MA-induced increases in substance P-immunoreactivity and substance P mRNA expression in the substantia nigra. These increases were more evident in prodynorphin knockout than in WT mice. Although, we observed that substance P-immunoreactivity was co-localized in NeuN-immunreactive neurons, GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes, and Iba-1-immunoreactive microglia. NK1 receptor antagonist L-733,060 or GRe selectively inhibited microgliosis induced by MA. Furthermore, L-733,060 did not show any additive effects against GRe-mediated protective activity (i.e., antioxidant, antimicroglial, and antiapoptotic effects), indicating that NK1 receptor is one of the molecular targets of GRe. Conclusions: Our results suggest that GRe protects MA-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity via upregulatgion of dynorphin-mediated κ-opioid receptor and downregulation of substance P-mediated NK1 R

Different contribution of extent of myocardial injury to left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in early reperfused acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the influence of the extent of myocardial injury on left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in patients after reperfused acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Thirty-eight reperfused AMI patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging after percutaneous coronary revascularization. The extent of myocardial edema and scarring were assessed by T2 weighted imaging and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging, respectively. Within a day of CMR, echocardiography was done. Using 2D speckle tracking analysis, LV longitudinal, circumferential strain, and twist were measured. RESULTS: Extent of LGE were significantly correlated with LV systolic functional indices such as ejection fraction (r��=��-0.57, p��<��0.001), regional wall motion score index (r��=��0.52, p��=��0.001), and global longitudinal strain (r��=��0.56, p��<��0.001). The diastolic functional indices significantly correlated with age (r��=��-0.64, p��<��0.001), LV twist (r��=��-0.39, p��=��0.02), average non-infarcted myocardial circumferential strain (r��=��-0.52, p��=��0.001), and LV end-diastolic wall stress index (r��=��-0.47, p��=��0.003 with e') but not or weakly with extent of LGE. In multivariate analysis, age and non-infarcted myocardial circumferential strain independently correlated with diastolic functional indices rather than extent of injury. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with timely reperfused AMI, not only extent of myocardial injury but also age and non-infarcted myocardial function were more significantly related to LV chamber diastolic function.ope

The Effects of Maturity of Project Portfolio Management and Business Alignment on PMO Efficiency

The purpose of this research is to analyze efficiencies of project management offices (PMOs) using the data envelopment analysis (DEA). As the post-analysis of the efficiency analysis, the causal factors affecting the efficiencies of PMOs were tested. 87 PMOs were used to analyze their efficiencies. In the constant returns-to-scale model, 11 PMOs were completely efficient and 76 PMOs were inefficient. In the variable returns-to-scale (VRS) model, 26 PMOs were efficient and 61 PMOs were inefficient. The efficiency analysis by the DEA has the advantage of deriving the scale efficiency for each DMU. From the result of the post-analysis, it was found that the PMO efficiency was positively influenced by the project portfolio management maturity (PPMM) and the degree of strategic alignments with the business goals. In conclusion, by improving PPMM and strengthening the strategic alignments with business goals, higher efficiency and performance of the PMO can be expected

The Impact of Hospital Specialization on Congestion and Efficiency

The purpose of this study is to verify the existence of congestion in Korean hospitals, to identify the causes of congestion, and to suggest directions for efficiency improvement of hospitals. The result showed that congestion occurred in 71.90% of 1185 hospitals. In addition, it was found that hospital specialization has a negative effect on congestion. In other words, the higher the hospital specialization, the lower the overall congestion rate of the hospital. More specifically, the specialization of hospitals also showed a negative effect on congestion of nurses. On the other hand, hospital specialization was found to have a positive effect on the congestion of the number of doctors, but it does not have a significant effect on the congestion of hospital beds. It was also found that hospital size has an effect on the relationship between hospital specialization and congestion, but the location of the hospital and the type of ownership did not act as a moderator

A dry and flexible electrode for continuous-EEG monitoring using silver balls based polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)

Purpose: Continuous-electroencephalograph (cEEG) monitoring has become one of the hottest issues in the neurology field. However, the conventional EEG electrode is unsuitable for EEG monitoring because drying conductive paste leads to increase in impedance and skin trouble. Therefore, we manufactured and tested a new dry and flexible surface electrode for cEEG monitoring. Methods: The electrode was constructed using a nontoxic, nonflammable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate and a contacting silver balls electrode. A patient in a comatose state due to subarachnoid hemorrhage in the intensive care unit was studied over 48 h, and EEG data were recorded for 10 minutes every hour. The proposed electrode was evaluated using impedance, power spectral density, and coherence. Results: The fabricated electrode is sufficiently flexible and biocompatible. Impedance of the dry and flexible electrode (10. 6±2. 7 kΩ) was higher than that of the conventional Ag/ AgCl electrode (2. 8±0. 4 kΩ). However, the power spectral characteristics of the developed dry and flexible electrode and conventional Ag/AgCl electrode are similar throughout 36 h of recording. Conclusions: Our dry and flexible electrode, compared with a conventional wet electrode, showed comparable data quality in terms of impedance, visual interpretation, and spectral characteristics during cEEG monitoring. © 2012 Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering and Springer.N

Time-specific stroke onset pattern with data on temperature, PM10, and O3 for the time of stroke onset divided into quartiles and medians for each 4-hour interval and O3 for the time of stroke onset divided into medians for each 1-hour interval by the average hourly values for every month during the 7-year study period.

<p>Time-specific stroke onset pattern with data on temperature, PM10, and O3 for the time of stroke onset divided into quartiles and medians for each 4-hour interval and O3 for the time of stroke onset divided into medians for each 1-hour interval by the average hourly values for every month during the 7-year study period.</p