The impact of strategic alignment and responsiveness to market on manufacturing firm's performance

Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory and a sample based on the Indian manufacturing industry, we examine the influence of manufacturing operations' functioning, strategic alignment and responsiveness to market need for customization and firm performance. A multi-variate regression method is applied on the factors identified using confirmatory factor analysis. Our findings indicate that operations' strategic alignment to the firm's objectives is the single most key contributor to firm performance. The operations' capability to respond to market need for customization also significantly contributes to firm performance. Plant technology capability is also essential to respond effectively to market need for customization, and is positively and significantly related to firm performance. On the other hand, while delivery capability and cost control of the manufacturing operation are positively related to firm performance, they are not significant. Operations and marketing managers and firms' policy makers should emphasize operations' strategic alignment to firms' performance objectives, and build dynamic operational capability to be responsive to changing market needs

Development of small and medium enterprises through clusters and networking : a comparative study of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Clusters have several advantages. These include a high degree of networking which stimulates productivity, ability to diversify and to acquire the capacity to new products when the demand for existing products falls. The policy makers are searching ways to create new clusters. With an even more globalized world and increased competition the appeal of clusters has become stronger and more urgent. Yet, the formation and the sustenance of the clusters has somehow remained a mystery. There has been a limited research carried out in this direction. No doubt it is a complex area and no figurative results can be highlighted to show as to how the development of industrial clusters has taken place. The authors go about seeking answers to these questions by examining the experience of some of the prominent and successful clusters, their formation and sustenance in the three countries. The study further investigates various initiatives, the role and the results thereof in development of clusters.peer-reviewe

Association between Psychosocial Factors, Quality of Life and Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with cognitive and psychosocial comorbidities, and poorer quality of life (QOL). In this study, we aimed to study the association between cognition, psychosocial status and QOL at baseline and AF recurrence. Methods: We enrolled 222 symptomatic AF patients (64±10.0 years, 36% women) treated with a rhythm-control strategy. We performed cognitive, psychosocial, and QOL assessments using Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA, cognitive impairment Results: A total of 123 (55%) participants experienced an AF recurrence over the 6-month follow-up period. Participants with an AF recurrence had higher rates of depression (31% vs.14%, p=0.022) and lower QOL (62±24 vs. 72±21, p=0.003) at baseline than did participants free from recurrence. In multivariable logistic regression models, lower baseline QOL, but not depression, anxiety, or cognition, was associated with a significantly higher odds of AF recurrence event (Odds Ratio: 0.98, CI 0.97-0.99). Conclusion: Lower AF-related QOL is associated with higher odds of AF recurrence over 6 months among symptomatic AF patients treated with rhythm control. Patient-reported variables have not previously been considered as risk factors for disease progression or prognosis. Our data suggests QOL may serve as a useful tool to aid clinicians in the management of AF patients

Analysis of waiting time for elective surgical procedures in neurosurgery department at a tertiary care teaching hospital in NCT, India

Background: Reported increases in waiting times for publicly-funded elective surgeries have intensified the need to decrease wait by healthcare providers and hence the study.Methods: Descriptive study done in neurosurgery department, to ascertain waiting times for its elective surgeries, included a retrospective analysis of admitted post-surgical patients and a prospective study using interviews with relevant stakeholders to do a process mapping.Results: Median time from decision of surgery to actual date of surgery was found to be 110.5 days. It was calculated that for optimum utilization of present available OTs, 19 extra beds are required and to address the existing load of patients waiting for their respective surgeries there is a need of 63 additional beds with 2 additional OTs functioning per day.Conclusions: The most common cause of waiting time was unavailability of vacant beds due to mismatch in demand-supply. The reason for postponement of surgery after admission was found to be lack of availability of theatre time followed by patient not being fit for surgery. Shortage of operating time was due to delayed start of operation theatre time. The study recommends improving admission process, restricting OPD time, standardized patient prioritization depending on relevant clinical criteria

Association of Left Atrial Function Index with Atrial Fibrillation and Cardiovascular Disease: The Framingham Offspring Study

BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) size, a marker of atrial structural remodeling, is associated with increased risk for atrial fibrillation (AF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). LA function may also relate to AF and CVD, irrespective of LA structure. We tested the hypothesis that LA function index (LAFI), an echocardiographic index of LA structure and function, may better characterize adverse LA remodeling and predict incident AF and CVD than existing measures. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 1786 Framingham Offspring Study eighth examination participants (mean age, 66+/-9 years; 53% women), we related LA diameter and LAFI (derived from the LA emptying fraction, left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral, and indexed maximal LA volume) to incidence of AF and CVD on follow-up. Over a median follow-up of 8.3 years (range, 7.5-9.1 years), 145 participants developed AF and 139 developed CVD. Mean LAFI was 34.5+/-12.7. In adjusted Cox regression models, lower LAFI was associated with higher risk of incident AF (hazard ratio=3.83, 95% confidence interval=2.23-6.59, lowest [Q1] compared with highest [Q4] LAFI quartile) and over 2-fold higher risk of incident CVD (hazard ratio=2.20, 95% confidence interval=1.32-3.68, Q1 versus Q4). Addition of LAFI, indexed maximum LA volume, or LA diameter to prediction models for AF or CVD did not significantly improve model discrimination for either outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In our prospective investigation of a moderate-sized community-based sample, LAFI, a composite measure of LA size and function, was associated with incident AF and CVD. Addition of LAFI to the risk prediction models for AF or CVD, however, did not significantly improve their performance

Genetic resources of pulse crops - present status and future plans

Plant genetic resources (PGR) are essential for a sound and successful crop improvement programme and insurance against nature's vagaries. India has been considered a p~imary centre of diversity for urdbean, mothbean and pige~pea; a secondary centre of diversity for cowpea, and regional (Asiatic) centre of diversity for crops like chickpea and mungbean. Several exploration missions have been undertaken for collection of available indigenous diversity in different legume crops especially in chickpea, pigeon pea, urdbean, mungbean, cowpea, peas, lentil, lathyrus, mothbean, horsegram and cowpea. About 42,425 accessions representing 26 pulse crops are stored at -20°C in long-term repository of. National Gene Bank of NBPGR. Evaluation of germplasm has led to the release of more than 60% of total pulse varieties as direct selection from the germplasm in India. PGRs are also being used in hybridization programmes for genetic upgradation of cultivars as well as creation of new varieties. So far, 434 varieties have been developed in different pulse crops following this approach. However, due to rapid agro-ecological changes, many species, old and primitive cultivars, land raceS and their wild relatives are being eroded. Hence, concerted and systematic efforts for collection, conservation, evaluation, and utilization of germpJasm need to be undertaken

Indexed Left Atrial Adipose Tissue Area Is Associated With Severity of Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence Among Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been associated with adverse left atrial (LA) remodeling and atrial fibrillation (AF) outcomes, possibly because of paracrine signaling. Objectives: We examined factors associated with a novel measure of EAT i.e., indexed LAEAT (iLAEAT) and its prognostic significance after catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 274 participants with AF referred for CA. LAEAT area was measured from a single pre-ablation CT image and indexed to body surface area (BSA) to calculate iLAEAT. Clinical, echocardiographic data and 1-year AF recurrence rates after CA were compared across tertiles of iLAEAT. We performed logistic regression analysis adjusting for factors associated with AF to examine relations between iLAEAT and AF recurrence. Results: Mean age of participants was 61 +/- 10 years, 136 (49%) were women, mean BMI was 32 +/- 9 kg/m(2) and 85 (31%) had persistent AF. Mean iLAEAT was 0.82 +/- 0.53 cm(2)/m(2). Over 12-months, 109 (40%) had AF recurrence. Participants in the highest iLAEAT tertile were older, had higher CHA2DS2VASC scores, more likely to be male, have greater LA volume, and were more likely to have persistent (vs. paroxysmal) type AF than participants in the lowest iLAEAT tertile (p for all \u3c 0.05). In regression analyses, iLAEAT was associated with higher odds of AF recurrence (OR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.34-6.43). Conclusions: iLAEAT can quantify LA adipose tissue burden using standard CT images. It is strongly associated with AF risk factors and outcomes, supporting the hypothesis that EAT plays a role in the pathophysiology of AF

The rs738409 (I148M) Variant of the PNPLA3 Gene and Type 2 Diabetes in Yakutia

The purpose of our research was to study the association of the PNPLA3 SNP rs738409 (C>G) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the Yakuts. The frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes of the PNPLA3 rs738409 SNP was in accordance with HWE. There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of alleles and genotypes of the PNPLA3 SNP rs738409 (C>G) between T2D patients and non-T2D patients (P>0.05); the G allele and homozygous GG genotype prevailed in both groups. In T2D patients, a high frequency of the G allele (74.1%) was found, with a predominance of the GG genotype (58.5%). We also found that the mutant allele frequency is higher than in the studied populations of the world. Further studies with larger sample size are required to achieve sufficient statistical power to detect the association of the PNPLA3 SNP (rs738409 with the development of T2D in Yakut patients