Structural Capital Management: A Guide For Indicators

Intellectual Capital is of vital importance, both for the scientific community and business reality. For this reason, over the past decades its relevance has rapidly increased. Within Intellectual Capital (from here on IC), Structural Capital (from here on, SC) plays an outstanding paper, given that is represents the part of knowledge that the organization is able to explicit, systematize and internalize and that, initially, is latent in employees or teams. This type of capital allows for organizational effectiveness improvement through the transmission of knowledge.The objectives of this paper is, first, to identify the elements of IC that help to guarantee the success of companies belonging to a given sector, paying special attention to the contributions of SC to IC. Second, and after observing that most existing papers are centered only on the measurement of SC and, therefore, leave aside elements regarding its management, our proposal fills this gap and includes various general indicators for SC that may help to manage it adequately. The basic aim is to allow managers themselves to choose the most adequate indicators within those presented, taking into account, of course, characteristics, objectives and strategies of the companies they manage

Regulation of burstiness by network-driven activation

We prove that complex networks of interactions have the capacity to regulate and buffer unpredictable fluctuations in production events. We show that non-bursty network-driven activation dynamics can effectively regulate the level of burstiness in the production of nodes, which can be enhanced or reduced. Burstiness can be induced even when the endogenous inter-event time distribution of nodes' production is non-bursty. We find that hubs tend to be less susceptible to the networked regulatory effects than low degree nodes. Our results have important implications for the analysis and engineering of bursty activity in a range of systems, from communication networks to transcription and translation of genes into proteins in cells

Geometric detection of hierarchical backbones in real networks

Hierarchies permeate the structure of real networks, whose nodes can be ranked according to different features. However, networks are far from treelike structures and the detection of hierarchical ordering remains a challenge, hindered by the small-world property and the presence of a large number of cycles, in particular clustering. Here, we use geometric representations of undirected networks to achieve an enriched interpretation of hierarchy that integrates features defining the popularity of nodes and similarity between them, such that the more similar a node is to a less popular neighbor the higher the hierarchical load of the relationship. The geometric approach allows us to measure the local contribution of nodes and links to the hierarchy within a unified framework. Additionally, we propose a link filtering method, the similarity filter, able to extract hierarchical backbones containing the links that represent statistically significant deviations with respect to the maximum entropy null model for geometric heterogeneous networks. We applied our geometric approach to the detection of similarity backbones of real networks in different domains and found that the backbones preserve local topological features at all scales. Interestingly, we also found that similarity backbones favor cooperation in evolutionary dynamics modeling social dilemmas

Evaluating an implementation programme for medication review with follow-up in community pharmacy using a hybrid effectiveness study design: translating evidence into practice.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate an implementation programme of a community pharmacy medication review with follow-up (MRF) service using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study design, and to compare the clinical and humanistic outcomes with those in a previously conducted cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT). SETTING: Community pharmacies in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 135 community pharmacies and 222 pharmacists providing MRF to polymedicated patients aged 65 or over. INTERVENTION: The intervention was an implementation programme for the MRF service. A national level group was established, mirrored with a provincial level group. A series of interventions were defined (1) to engage pharmacy owners with the implementation model and (2) to provide training to pharmacists consisting of clinical case studies, process of MRF, communication skills and data collection methods and (3) practice change facilitators. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes for the implementation programme were progress, reach, fidelity and integration. The secondary outcomes were number of medications, non-controlled health problems, emergency visits, hospitalisations and health-related quality of life, which were compared with a previous 6-month cluster RCT. RESULTS: 55% of pharmacies reached the implementation phase and 35.6% remained in the testing phase at 12 months. A reach of 89.3% (n=844) was achieved. Fidelity average score was 8.45 (min: 6.2, max: 9.3) out of 10. The integration mean score was 3.39 (SD: 0.72) out of 5. MRF service outcomes were similar to the cluster RCT study; however, the magnitude of the outcomes was delayed. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of pharmacy services is a complex multifactorial process, conditioned by numerous implementation factors. In the absence of remuneration, the implementation of the MRF service is a slow process, taking at least 12 months to complete. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CGFTRA-2017-01

Chemical composition, physicochemical evaluation and sensory analysis of yogurt added with extract of polyphenolic compounds from Quercus crassifolia oak bark

Introduction: A diet high in calories and saturated fats has been associated with health problems that have been increasing worldwide. Therefore, it is required to increase the number of formulated foods that generate well-being to health. Yogurt is a widely consumed food by all sectors of the population and it can be used as a vehicle to incorporate bioactive compounds. The phenolic compounds present in forest residues, such as those from oak bark, can be used and incorporated into yogurt, to increase its benefits as a functional food. Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a multifunctional yogurt enriched with vegetable oil (2.3% w/w) as a source of omega 6 and 3 and adding nanocapsules (24.5% w/w) of an extract of oak bark from Quercus crassifolia, rich in in phenolic compounds and high antioxidant capacity. Methods: Three yogurt formulations were prepared: F1: yogurt was made with non-fat milk, used as a control, F2: yogurt was prepared with non-fat milk and added with vegetable palm oil, and F3: non-fat yogurt was added with vegetable oil and nanoencapsulated oak bark phenolic extract. The yogurts were characterized in their chemical composition, microbiological analysis, and sensory analysis. Results: The multifunctional product F3 and product F2 presented lactic acid bacteria in concentration of 3.01X106 and 4.73x106, respectively, preserving characteristics of probiotic food. Product F3 presented low levels of syneresis (7.34%) and it was significantly different from the control yogurt (9.01%). The viscosity increased from 150 cP in the control yogurt to 341 cP in F3, due to the increase in the concentrations of solids by nanoencapsulating the phenolic. The wall material used for nanoencapsulation was sodium caseinate and mantodextrin. However, this increase in viscosity did not affect the sensory evaluation of the product. There were no significant differences between the control yogurt and the F2 and F3 products. Conclusion: A yogurt added with vegetable oil and nanoencapsulated oak bark phenolic extract was obtained. It was enhanced by the presence of probiotics, bioactive compounds, and essential fatty acids, and then evaluated and accepted by a sensory panel. Nanoencapsulation is a viable alternative to mask the characteristic astringent taste of phenolic compounds because it was not detected by the panelists

Potential of anaerobic co-fermentation in wastewater treatments plants: A review

Fermentation (not anaerobic digestion) is an emerging biotechnology to transform waste into easily assimilable organic compounds such as volatile fatty acids, lactic acid and alcohols. Co-fermentation, the simultaneous fermentation of two or more waste, is an opportunity for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to increase the yields of sludge mono-fermentation. Most publications have studied waste-activated sludge co-fermentation with food waste or agri-industrial waste. Mixing ratio, pH and temperature are the most studied variables. The highest fermentation yields have been generally achieved in mixtures dominated by the most biodegradable substrate at circumneutral pH and mesophilic conditions. Nonetheless, most experiments have been performed in batch assays which results are driven by the capabilities of the starting microbial community and do not allow evaluating the microbial acclimation that occurs under continuous conditions. Temperature, pH, hydraulic retention time and organic load are variables that can be controlled to optimise the performance of continuous co-fermenters (i.e., favour waste hydrolysis and fermentation and limit the proliferation of methanogens). This review also discusses the integration of co-fermentation with other biotechnologies in WWTPs. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive and critical review of the achievements on co-fermentation research and lays the foundation for future researc

Naturally Light Neutrinos and Unification in Theories with Low Scale Quantum Gravity

Within low scale theories traditional see-saw and scalar triplet mechanisms, for neutrino mass suppression, do not work out anymore and for realistic model building some new ideas are needed. In this paper we suggest mechanism, different from existing ones, which provides natural suppression of the neutrino masses. The mechanism is realized through extended scalars of 4, 5 or 6 dimensional $SU(2)_L$ multiplets. Scenario, with fundamental mass scale $M_f$ in a $\sim 10^{3}$ TeV range, requires 4-plets guaranteeing neutrino masses $\stackrel{<}{\sim}1$ eV. For theories with $M_f= few \cdot 10$ TeV 5-plets should be involved, while in scenarios with $M_f=$ few TeV, 6-plets could be efficient. The considered mechanism could be successfully applied also for supersymmetric theories, building scenarios with various values of low $M_f$. Within considered models we also address the question of gauge coupling unification. For low scale unification, existence of compact extra dimensions turns out to be crucial. Due to additional scalar multiplets, some new examples of unification are found for both - non SUSY and SUSY cases. Within non SUSY scenarios introduced $SU(2)_L$ scalars take advantage and are important for successful unification.Comment: LaTex, 1 eps figure, discussions and references adde

Enhancement of Water Transport and Microstructural Changes Induced by High-Intesity Ultrasound Application on Orange Peel Drying

The main aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity ultrasound (US) on the drying kinetics of orange peel as well as its influence on the microstructural changes induced during drying. Convective drying kinetics of orange peel slabs were carried out at a relative humidity of 26.5±0.9%, 40 °C and 1 m/s with (AIR+US) and without (AIR) ultrasound application. In order to identify the US effect on water transport, drying kinetics were analyzed by taking the diffusion theory into account. Fresh, AIR and AIR+US dried samples were analyzed using Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy. Results showed that the drying kinetics of orange peel were significantly improved by US application, which involved a significant (p<0.05) improvement of mass transfer coefficient and effective moisture diffusivity. The effects on mass transfer properties were confirmed with microstructural observations. In the cuticle surface of flavedo, the pores were obstructed by the spread of the waxy components, this fact evidencing US effects on the air solid interfaces. Furthermore, the cells of the albedo were disrupted by US, as it created large intercellular air spaces facilitating water transfer through the tissue.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of MICINN and CEE (European Regional Development Fund) from projects Ref. DPI2009-14549-C04-04, PSE-060000-2009-003, and FP6-2004-FOOD-23140 HIGHQ RTE.García Pérez, JV.; Ortuño Cases, C.; Puig Gómez, CA.; Cárcel Carrión, JA.; Pérez Munuera, IM. (2012). Enhancement of Water Transport and Microstructural Changes Induced by High-Intesity Ultrasound Application on Orange Peel Drying. Food and Bioprocess Technology. 5(6):2256-2265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-011-0645-0S2256226556Alandes, L., Perez-Munuera, I., Llorca, E., Quiles, A., & Hernando, I. (2009). 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Cost-Utility Analysis of a Medication Adherence Management Service Alongside a Cluster Randomized Control Trial in Community Pharmacy.

Background: It is necessary to determine the cost utility of adherence interventions in chronic diseases due to humanistic and economic burden of non-adherence. Purpose: To evaluate, alongside a cluster-randomized controlled trial, the cost-utility of a pharmacist-led medication adherence management service (MAMS) compared with usual care in community pharmacies. Materials and Methods: The trial was conducted over six months. Patients with treatments for hypertension, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were included. Patients in the intervention group (IG) received a MAMS based on a brief complex intervention, whilst patients in the control group (CG) received usual care. The cost–utility analysis adopted a health system perspective. Costs related to medications, healthcare resources and adherence intervention were included. The effectiveness was estimated as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), using a multiple imputation missing data model. The incremental cost–utility ratio (ICUR) was calculated on the total sample of patients. Results: A total of 1186 patients were enrolled (IG: 633; CG: 553). The total intervention cost was estimated to be € 27.33 ± 0.43 per patient for six months. There was no statistically significant difference in total cost of medications and healthcare resources per patient between IG and CG. The values of EQ-5D-5L at 6 months were significantly higher in the IG [IG: 0.881 ± 0.005 vs CG: 0.833 ± 0.006; p = 0.000]. In the base case, the service was more expensive and more effective than usual care, resulting in an ICUR of € 1,494.82/QALY. In the complete case, the service resulted in an ICUR of € 2,086.30/QALY, positioned between the north-east and south-east quadrants of the cost–utility plane. Using a threshold value of € 20,000/QALY gained, there is a 99% probability that the intervention is cost-effective. Conclusion: The medication adherence management service resulted in an improvement in the quality of life of the population with chronic disease, with similar costs compared to usual care. The service is cost-effective

Effectiveness of a medication adherence management intervention in a community pharmacy setting: a cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundNon-adherence to medications continues to be a burden worldwide, with significant negative consequences. Community pharmacist interventions seem to be effective at improving medication adherence. However, more evidence is needed regarding their impact on disease-specific outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the impact of a community pharmacist-led adherence management intervention on adherence and clinical outcomes in patients with hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).MethodsA 6-month cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in Spanish community pharmacies. Patients suffering from hypertension, asthma and COPD were recruited. Patients in the intervention group received a medication adherence management intervention and the control group received usual care. The intervention was based on theoretical frameworks for changing patient behaviour. Medication adherence, disease-specific outcomes (Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores, Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) scores and blood pressure levels) and disease control were evaluated. A multilevel regression model was used to analyse the data.ResultsNinety-eight pharmacies and 1186 patients were recruited, with 1038 patients completing the study. Patients receiving the intervention had an OR of 5.12 (95% CI 3.20 to 8.20, pConclusionsA community pharmacist-led medication adherence intervention was effective at improving medication adherence and clinical outcomes in patients suffering from hypertension, asthma and COPD. Future research should explore the implementation of these interventions in routine practice.Trial registration numberACTRN12618000410257