Encountered Problems and Outcome Status in Nascent Entrepreneurship

The relationship is investigated between outcome status and encountered problems in the business start-up process. Contrary to expectations, we find that starters do not differ from quitters in number and type of problems encountered, and that problems encountered generally do not affect outcome status. This Dutch research uses a design that is comparable to the U.S. PSED (Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics) in which a sample of 414 nascent entrepreneurs were followed over a three year period.encountered-problems;nascent-entrepreneurship;outcome-status

Encountered Problems and Outcome Status in Nascent Entrepreneurship

The relationship is investigated between outcome status and encountered problems in the business start-up process. Contrary to expectations, we find that starters do not differ from quitters in number and type of problems encountered, and that problems encountered generally do not affect outcome status. This Dutch research uses a design that is comparable to the U.S. PSED (Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics) in which a sample of 414 nascent entrepreneurs were followed over a three year period

A structured record to implement the national Guidelines for diabetes and hypertension care

Background. Guidelines to improve standards of care for hypertension and diabetes were disseminated by the National Department of Health in 1996 but have generally not been implemented by health professionals in localprimary care. A strategy for the adoption and implementation of the Guidelines was developed in collaboration with health professionals in primary care.Objectives. The development of a structured record, with prompts for the management of diabetes and hypertension according to the Guidelines.Setting. Three community health centres (CHCs) in the Western Cape.Participants. Doctors and nurses managing patients with diabetes and hypertension.Methods. A draft of the structured record was developed at a single-pilot CHC in the Western Cape. Focus group discussions established the core requirements for a structured record. Process, result and structural indicators in line with the national Guidelines were considered for inclusion in the draft record. This draft record was then piloted at two other CHCs. Comments from semi-structured interviews and pre-and post-test evaluation questionnaires were used to compile the final instrument.Results. Eleven doctors and 8 nurses participated in the development of the final instrument. Important considerations in the design were a single-page, user-friendly format, tick-boxes to reduce writing, prompts, provision for sequential recording, target setting, and compatibility with the Guidelines. The final instrument was piloted and elicited a favourable overall response.Conclusion. The structured record simplifies the application of the Guidelines and the systematic recording of processes of care. The effectiveness of the Guidelines will be evaluated further in a randomised control qial using the structured record

Preparation and shelf life study of probiotic chocolate manufactured using Lactobacillus helveticus MTCC 5463

Current study was taken up to develop probiotic chocolate using indigenous probiotic culture L. helveticus MTCC 5463. Preliminary trials included optimization of culture inoculums and physical form (freeze-dried or frozen concentrated) of addition and finally optimized product was tested for probiotic viability, texture, and organoleptic parameters at regular intervals during storage at 10±2 °C for 30 days. Probiotic chocolates prepared via incorporation of freeze dried culture (3% w/w) had acceptable organoleptic quality and had a similar behaviour as the control chocolate during storage. However, the viability of probiotic bacteria (2.42×108 CFU g–1) was achieved only up to 15 days of storage at 10±2 °C

An evaluation of the relative efficacy of an open airway, an oxygen reservoir and continuous positive airway pressure 5 cmH2O on the non-ventilated lung

Publisher's copy made available with the permission of the publisher © Australian Society of AnaesthetistsThe aim of this study, during one-lung ventilation, was to evaluate if oxygenation could be improved by use of a simple oxygen reservoir or application of 5 cmH2O continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to the non-ventilated lung compared with an open airway. Twenty-three patients with lung malignancy, undergoing thoracotomy requiring at least 60 minutes of one-lung ventilation before lung lobe excision, were studied. After routine induction and establishment of one-lung ventilation, the three treatments were applied in turn to the same patient in a sequence selected randomly. The first treatment was repeated as a fourth treatment and these results of the repeated treatment averaged to minimize the effect of slow changes. Arterial oxygenation was measured by an arterial blood gas 15 minutes after the application of each treatment. Twenty patients completed the study. Mean PaO2 (in mmHg) was 210.3 (SD 105.5) in the 'OPEN' treatment, 186.0 (SD 109.2) in the 'RESERVOIR' treatment, and 240.5 (SD 116.0) in the 'CPAP' treatment. This overall difference was not quite significant (P=0.058, paired ANOVA), but comparison of the pairs showed that there was a significant better oxygenation only with the CPAP compared to the reservoir treatments (t=2.52, P=0.021). While the effect on the surgical field was not apparent in most patients, in one patient surgery was impeded during CPAP. Our results show that the use of a reservoir does not give oxygenation better than an open tube, and is less effective than the use of CPAP 5 cmH2O on the non-ventilated lung during one-lung ventilation.J. Slimani, W. J. Russell, C. Jurisevichttp://www.aaic.net.au/Article.asp?D=200404

Structure and collective dynamics of liquid sodium

The temperature variation of the longitudinal and transverse phonon frequencies of liquid sodium is investigated using the approach by Hubbard Beeby. The molecular dynamics simulation is used to generate the pair correlation function of liquid sodium at various temperatures viz. T = 378 K, 473 K, 573 K, and 723 K, with 672 particles. To describe the electron-ion interaction our own model potential is employed along with a recent local field correction function due to Sarkar et al. To evaluate the parameter of the potential the zero pressure condition has been applied. The present results of g(r) are in good agreement with available experimental findings. The computed g(r) are used to investigate the temperature variation of the collective dynamics of liquid sodium. The amplitudes of the peaks of the longitudinal and transverse frequencies are suppressed while the width of the propagation gap for the transverse sound waves decreases with an increase in temperature. The computed longitudinal and transverse sound velocities at these temperatures are found to be encouraging.За допомогою методу Габбарда-Бiбi дослiджувалась температурна залежнiсть повздовжньої та поперечної фононних частот рiдкого натрiю. Парна кореляцiйна функцiя рiдкого натрiю була запропонована при рiзних температурах, а саме T = 378 K, 473 K, 573 K та 723 K, застосовуючи метод молекулярної динамiки для 672 частинок. Опис електрон-iонної взаємодiї здiйснювався за допомогою запропонованого авторами модельного потенцiалу, доповненого функцiєю Серкара та iн., що описує поправку на локальне поле. Щоб оцiнити параметр потенцiалу, була застосована умова нульового тиску. Отриманi результати для g(r) добре узгоджуються з експериментальними даними. На основi обчисленої g(r) вивчалась температурна залежнiсть колективної динамiки рiдкого натрiю. Показано, що з пiдвищенням температури амплiтуди максимумiв повздовжньої i поперечної частот понижуються, а ширина пропагаторної щiлини для поперечних акустичних хвиль звужується

Hot-Wire Measurements of the Influence of Surface Steps on Transition in Favorable Pressure Gradient Boundary Layers

An examination of the effects of surface step excrescences on boundary layer transition was performed, using a unique experimental facility. The objective of the work was to characterize the variation of transition Reynolds numbers with measurable step size and boundary layer parameters, with the specific goal of specifying new tolerance criteria for laminar flow airfoils, alongside a fundamental investigation of boundary layer transition mechanisms. This paper focuses on interpretation of hot-wire measurements, including supporting stability calculations, undertaken as part of the study. The results for both forward and aft-facing steps indicated a substantial stabilizing effect of favorable pressure gradient on excrescence-induced boundary layer transition. These findings suggest that manufacturing tolerances for laminar flow aircraft could be loosened in areas where even mild favorable pressure gradients exist

A coupled optical-thermal-electrical model to predict the performance of hybrid PV/T-CCPC roof-top systems

A crossed compound parabolic concentrator (CCPC) is applied into a photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) hybrid solar collector, i.e. concentrating PV/T (CPV/T) collector, to develop new hybrid roof-top CPV/T systems. However, to optimise the system configuration and operational parameters as well as to predict their performances, a coupled optical, thermal and electrical model is essential. We establish this model by integrating a number of submodels sourced from literature as well as from our recent work on incidence-dependent optical efficiency, six-parameter electrical model and scaling law for outdoor conditions. With the model, electrical performance and cell temperature are predicted on specific days for the roof-top systems installed in Glasgow, Penryn and Jaen. Results obtained by the proposed model reasonably agree with monitored data and it is also clarified that the systems operate under off-optimal operating condition. Long-term electric performance of the CPV/T systems is estimated as well. In addition, effects of transient terms in heat transfer and diffuse solar irradiance on electric energy are identified and discussed

Single coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva

We describe a case of a single coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus and bifurcating into the left coronary artery (LCA) and right coronary artery (RCA) in a 74-year old woman, with a non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Diagnosis was made by coronary angiography which ruled out stenosis, and showed normal LCA and RCA branching. The connection path of LCA, with the opposite cusp, was defined retroaortic by multislice computed tomography (CT). The variants of this coronary anomaly, together with their clinical implications and pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are discussed. Multislice CT is fundamental for clinical decision making

Guidelines for training in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)

These "Guidelines for training in Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance" were developed by the Certification Committee of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) and approved by the SCMR Board of Trustees