Evaluating Employees Job Performance After Training and Development in Public Sector Organizations

This study evaluated employees’ job performance after training and development in public sector organizations in Tanzania with a focus on the Bank of Tanzania. The specific objectives were to; to assess (i) the effects of training and development programs on employee job performance at the Bank of Tanzania (ii) the factors facilitating to and or hindering the effectiveness of training and development programs in employee job performance. The study adopted a case study design research method and used purposive sampling procedures to select respondents. The sample size for the study included 120 staff purposefully selected from among 792 staff at the Bank of Tanzania headquarters. A questionnaire was administered to low and middle level staff for them to freely express their opinion. Face to face interviews were administered to senior managers to gather their perceptions on the management of training and development programs at BoT. The study findings indicate that training and development programs have had some effects on employee job performance but could have had major impact if they were preceded by training needs assessments and employee performance assessment. Even where training and development programs were responding to technological changes and other factors, the study findings confirm that training needs assessment are important to align training design and content to employee job performance requirements. Limited use of TNA result by BoT Learning department limit the positive impact of learning and development programs on employee job perfomance. Henceforth, the study recommended that policy makers should review the organization training policy in order to ensure that training and development programs offered to staff are informed by employee performance appraisals and training needs assessment. Aligning training and development programs to employee performance appraisal and training needs assessment is likely to t add value to the overall organization objectives

Combustion characterization of coal-water slurry fuel

As a result of coal cleaning operations, a substantial amount of coal is disposed as waste into the ponds, effecting and endangering the environment. This study includes a technique to recover and utilize the waste coal fines from the preparation plant effluent streams and tailing ponds. Due to the large moisture content of the recovered coal fines, this investigation is focused on the utilization of coal fines in the coal-water slurry fuel. It is our belief that a blend of plant coal and waste coal fines can be used to produce a coal-water slurry fuel with the desired combustion characteristics required by the industry. The coal blend is composed of 85% clean coal and 15% recovered coal fines. The coal-water slurry is prepared at 60% solids with a viscosity less than 500 centipose and 80-90% of solid particles passing through 200 mesh. This paper contains analysis of clean coal, recovered coal fines, and coal-water slurry fuel as well as combustion characteristics

Oral health status, knowledge, attitude and practice of patients with heart disease

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients about their oral health status. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the data of 150 CVD patients that collected by a self-administered questionnaire consists of demographic characteristics and KAP. Oral health indicators calculated based on the results of oral examination by an expert dentist. RESULTS: CVD patients had an overall moderate level of knowledge and attitude, but their practice was lower than moderate. There were important associations between knowledge scores with gender, education, residential area and financial status, between attitude scores with education and residential area, and between practice scores with education and financial status. There were no associations between KAP and age, marital status or job. Significant positive correlations were found between KAP components. Significant negative correlations were found between oral hygiene index with knowledge and practice. CONCLUSION: The practice of heart disease patients about their oral health was poor, and declares that increasing awareness and attitude may not promote practice. Efficient programs are needed to promote oral health practice of adult populations in special groups. © 2016, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved

Effects of Zingiber Offcianille Essential Oil on Compressive Strength of Fluorescent Orthodontic Adhesive

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the compressive strength of a fluorescent orthodontic adhesive modified by the incorporation of different concentrations of Zingiber officinale essential oil. Materials and Methods: Compressive strength test groups consisted of the control group, orthodontic adhesive modified with 1% Zingiber Officinale essential oil, and 2%, (5 specimens for each group). Cylindrical rubbery molds were utilized to fabricate the study specimens, their diameter was three millimeters while their height was six millimeters, each specimen was constructed by utilizing an incremental approach. Each layer of Fix fluorescent orthodontic adhesive was about 2 mm level, the curing light was applied for 20 seconds. A universal testing apparatus with a cross-head velocity of 1 millimeter/ minute was used to assess the compressive strength. Statistical comparisons were conducted at p> 0.05. Results: The compressive strength of the control group was higher than orthodontic adhesive modified with 1%, and 2% Zingiber Officinale essential oil, but no statistically significant differences were shown among them. Conclusion: The current study concluded that compressive strength reduced after incorporation of Zingiber Officinale essential oil with orthodontic adhesive, however, no evident differences were noticed

Enhanced removal of soluble and insoluble dyes over hierarchical zeolites: Effect of synthesis condition

A hierarchical zeolite ZSM-5 with micro and meso-pore was prepared by optimising the most affecting parameter in sequence of desilication and dealumination. The physicochemical properties of zeolite were characterised with XRD, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, FTIR and SEM. The potential of this zeolite for decolorisation of CR, RY, MB, RhB, DB-1 and DB-14 was evaluated with adsorption isotherm, thermodynamics, kinetics, and influencing parameter for adsorption. The unique modification of ZSM-5 resulted in lower crystallinity, easier porosity control, rich terminal silanol and unbridged silanol groups which assisted in higher adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacity of the optimum ZSM-5 was 323, 435, 589, 625, 61 and 244 mg/g for CR, RY, MB, RhB, DB-1 and DB-14, respectively. The dye adsorption progressed through pseudo-first-order kinetic and close to the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism is proposed mainly through interaction between deprotonated silanol site and the electron-rich dye site

Comparing performance of Tabriz obstetrics and gynaecology hospitals managed as autonomous and budgetary units using Pabon Lasso method

Background: Considering governmental scrutiny and financial constraints in medicine, the need for improved performance, which can provide acceptable care for medical consumers, leads to the conduct of new managerial methods to improve effectiveness. Aims: This study aimed to compare performance indicators of obstetrics and gynaecology teaching hospitals in Tabriz. Method: A longitudinal, retrospective study was conducted to compare performance indexes of Tabriz obstetrics and gynaecology teaching hospitals during 2010-2012. Al-Zahra is Tabriz's central teaching hospital in obstetrics and gynaecology that is authorised under a board of trustees as an autonomous hospital and Taleghani hospital is managed under centralised administration. Study variables included: Average Length of Stay (ALOS), Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR), and Bed Turnover Ratio (BTR). The data was extracted via the Hospital Information Systems (HIS) within the hospitals' admission and discharge units. Pabon Lasso model was used to assess hospital performance. Data was analysed and graphs were plotted using the SPSS-17 software package. Results: According to study findings, overall ALOS in Al-Zahra hospital is 3.15 (2.15) days (1.88 (0.97) days for prenatal wards and 6.13 (0.97) days for neonatal wards) and ALOS in Taleghani Hospital is 3.37 (3.09) days (1.74 (0.14) days for perinatal wards and 5.96 (3.55) days for neonatal wards). In this regard, Al-Zahra hospital holds the maximum BOR with 86.92 per cent and the minimum BOR was attributed to Taleghani hospital at 68.44 per cent (P<0.001). Study findings indicate that BOR in neonatal wards is greater than prenatal wards. On the other hand, BOR in Al-Zahra is greater than Taleghani (P<0.001), whereas BOR trend shows an increasing pattern in both hospitals. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that the performance of Al- Zahra Hospital is better than Taleghani Hospital. These two hospitals are similar in different aspects except Al-Zahra is under a board of trustees and Taleghani is not. We should also consider that Al-Zahra Hospital has more facilities than Taleghani

A novel mixed-methods platform study protocol for investigating new surgical devices, with embedded shared learning: Ibra-net breast lesion localisation study

Introduction: New medical devices must have adequate research, such that outcomes are known, enabling patients to be consented with knowledge of the safety and efficacy of the device to be implanted. Device trials are challenging due to the learning curve and iterative assessment of best practice. This study is designed to pilot a national collaborative approach to medical device introduction by breast surgeons in the UK, using breast localisation devices as an exemplar. The aim is to develop an effective and transferable surgical device platform protocol design, with embedded shared learning. Methods and analysis: The iBRA-net localisation study is a UK based prospective, multi-centre platform study, comparing the safety and efficacy of novel localisation devices with wire-guided breast lesion localisation for wide local excision, using Magseed® as the pilot intervention group. Centres performing breast lesion localisation for wide local excision or excision biopsy will be eligible to participate if using one of the included devices. Further intervention arms will be added as new devices are CE marked. Outcomes will be collected via an online database. The primary outcome measure will be identification of the index lesion. Participating surgeons will be asked to record shared learning events via online questionnaires and focus group interviews to inform future study arms. Ethics and dissemination: The study will aim to collect data on 950 procedures for each intervention (Magseed® and wire localisation) from UK breast centres over an 18-month period. Shared learning will be prospectively evaluated via thematic analysis to refine breast localisation technique and to promote early identification of potential pitfalls and problems. Results will be presented at national and international conferences and published in peer reviewed journals. Registration: This is a UK national audit registered with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Outpatient treatment of decompensated heart failure: a systematic review and study level meta-analysis

Patients with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) are usually admitted to hospital for management. There is growing interest in delivering intravenous (IV) diuretic therapy at home, in the community or at hospital day-care units; the safety and effectiveness of outpatient-based management (OPM) for ADHF has not been established. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to investigate the short-term safety and effectiveness of OPM compared with inpatient management (IPM) of ADHF. Pre-specified endpoints were 30 day mortality and 30 day hospitalization. The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 software. Twenty-nine studies of OPM were identified, including 7683 patients. Only five studies directly compared OPM (n = 1303) with IPM (n = 2047), including three observational studies, and two randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The other 24 studies only stated OPM outcomes. For the five studies comparing IPM versus OPM, patients were generally aged &gt;75 years and of similar age for each strategy, with a similar proportion of men (56%). In a study-level, aggregate analysis, 30 day all-cause mortality was 9.3% (121/1303) for OPM, compared with 15.6% (320/2047) for IPM [OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.09, 0.93) P = 0.04]. Four studies reported 30 day all-cause hospitalization; 22.0% for IPM versus 16.8% for OPM [OR 0.73 (95% CI 0.61, 0.89), P = 0.001]. In the two RCTs, we found no difference in 30 day mortality or hospitalization. In observational studies, OPM of ADHF is associated with lower 30 day hospitalization and lower 30 day mortality; such differences were not observed in two small, single-centre RCTs. A substantial, multicentre RCT is required to confirm the safety and effectiveness of OPM for ADHF

Household and community socioeconomic and environmental determinants of child nutritional status in Cameroon

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a leading cause of child mortality in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We examine the household and community level socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with child nutritional status in Cameroon, and changes in the effects of these factors during the 1990s economic crisis. We further consider age-specific effects of household economic status on child nutrition. METHODS: Child nutritional status was measured by weight-for-age (WAZ) and height-for-age (HAZ) z-scores. Data were from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1991 and 1998. We used analysis of variance to assess the bivariate association between the explanatory factors and nutritional status. Multivariate, multilevel analyses were undertaken to estimate the net effects of both household and community factors. RESULTS: Average WAZ and HAZ declined respectively from -0.70 standard deviations (SD), i.e. 0.70 SD below the reference median, to -0.83 SD (p = 0.006) and from -1.03 SD to -1.14 SD (p = 0.026) between 1991 and 1998. These declines occurred mostly among boys, children over 12 months of age, and those of low socioeconomic status. Maternal education and maternal health seeking behavior were associated with better child nutrition. Household economic status had an overall positive effect that increased during the crisis, but it had little effect in children under 6 months of age. Improved household (water, sanitation and cooking fuel) and community environment had positive effects. Children living in the driest regions of the country were consistently worst off, and those in the largest cities were best off. CONCLUSION: Both household and community factors have significant impact on child health in Cameroon. Understanding these relationships can facilitate design of age- and community-specific intervention programs