OPTIMISING FACILITY MANAGEMENT (FM) COMMUNICATION IN SWISS HOSPITALS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FM COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK

The thesis combines and contributes literature on healthcare, facility management (FM) com-prising the non-medical processes in hospitals, organisational theory and organisational com-munication in light of FM communication in hospitals. It addresses the research gap of non-existing evidence-based research focusing on FM communication in Swiss hospitals for the benefit of FM executives. This is a gap because well-defined organisational communication is a prerequisite for any organisation to function. Nested within business and management research, a mixed-method case study research de-sign was applied, following a primarily inductive approach led by pragmatism. A series of in-terviews with, and a survey addressed to, FM executives with an analysis of FM meeting minutes established characteristics and challenges of formal and informal communication ac-tivities within the context of hospitals’ FM departments. Results show that traditional channels such as e-mail, phone and scheduled meetings domi-nate. Digitalisation is still in its early stages. Meetings and e-mail communication consume substantial resources while there is a risk that these are not used effectively and efficiently. The majority of hospitals’ FM departments do not have specific and consciously aligned com-munication guidelines available. Meeting minutes revealed that the “FM diversity”, by providing a variety of support processes managed by staff with different professional backgrounds and expert knowledge, is not thoroughly used as an asset to collaboratively achieve tasks together. The research implication is a framework optimising communication procedures in Swiss hos-pitals’ FM departments. The framework supports FM executives to check and if necessary, adjust communication procedures within their respective areas of responsibility. The frame-work consists of 10 key elements supporting effective and efficient FM communication. They are put together in a stand-alone 7-page readily understood document. It includes 27 self-check questions raising FM executives’ awareness regarding these elements as a basis to optimise communication activities in their areas of responsibility. The thesis contributes to op-timising FM communication in Swiss hospitals and to knowledge by taking into account the communication requirements within this particular context. Research limitations include that the implications are subject of the particular context of Swiss hospitals’ FM departments. Further does the framework not provide a specific recipe to ensure effective and efficient FM communication. It raises awareness for FM executives to develop communication procedures tailored to their respective areas of responsibility. Nevertheless, the framework does provide a first step as a basis for future research opportunities considering more detailed the “recipe” aspect desired by FM executives

Development of integrated, zero-G pneumatic transporter/rotating paddle incinerator/catalytic afterburner subsystem for processing human wastes on board spacecraft

A four component system was developed which consists of a particle size reduction mechanism, a pneumatic waste transport system, a rotating-paddle incinerator, and a catalytic afterburner to be integrated into a six-man, zero-g subsystem for processing human wastes on board spacecraft. The study included the development of different concepts or functions, the establishment of operational specifications, and a critical evaluation for each of the four components. A series of laboratory tests was run, and a baseline subsystem design was established. An operational specification was also written in preparation for detailed design and testing of this baseline subsystem

Development of an integrated, zero-G pneumatic transporter/rotating-paddle incinerator/catalytic afterburner subsystem for processing human waste on board spacecraft

A baseline laboratory prototype of an integrated, six man, zero-g subsystem for processing human wastes onboard spacecraft was investigated, and included the development of an operational specification for the baseline subsystem, followed by design and fabrication. The program was concluded by performing a series of six tests over a period of two weeks to evaluate the performance of the subsystem. The results of the tests were satisfactory, however, several changes in the design of the subsystem are required before completely satisfactory performance can be achieved

Das Duopol der legitimen Gewalt im schweizerischen Bundesstaat : zwei Fallstudien zu Armee und Polizei

Das Monopol der legitimen Gewalt ist ein wichtiges Merkmal des modernen, souveränen Staates. Doch handelt es sich eigentlich um ein Duopol, denn diese Gewalt ist zwischen Armee und Polizei auf­geteilt. Diese Trennung ist für die Modernisierung der Gesellschaft ebenfalls zentral, unterliegen doch die beiden Corps völlig andern Einsatzdoktrinen. Doch wie steht es damit nun im Bundesstaat, in welchem auch den Gliedern staatliche Qualität zukommt? Verein­facht lautet die Antwort: Die Armee dem Bund, die Polizei den Kantonen. Doch bei der Gründung des schweizerischen Bundesstaa­tes hatten die Kantone noch bedeutende Kompetenzen im Bereich der Armee. Die Studie zeigt, wann und nach welcher Logik diese im Laufe der Zeit an den Bund übertragen worden sind. Komplizierter ist es bei der Polizei, wo gewisse Aufgaben ebenfalls schon früh an den Bund übergegangen sind, die Kantone jedoch das Gros der Kompetenzen behalten haben. Dazu kommt, dass die Armee im Rahmen ,,subsidiärer Einsätze" auch immer wieder polizeiliche Auf­gaben übernimmt. Mittels einer funktionalen Analyse erarbeitet der zweite Teil der Studie Kriterien für eine optimale Aufgabentei­lung. Le monopole de la violence légitime est une caractéristique impor­tante de l'Etat souverain moderne. En réalité il s'agit d'un duopole, puisque l'armée et la police se partagent les moyens de force. Cette séparation est essentielle pour la modernisation des sociétés. Les doctrines de mission des deux corps se distinguent profondément. Comment ce duopole se présente-t-il dans un Etat fédéral qui est caractérisé par deux niveaux étatiques ? Réponse simplifiée : L'Etat central dispose de l'armée, les Etats fédérés de la police. La réalité est plus complexe : Lors de la création de l'Etat moderne en 1848, les compétences des Cantons dans le domaine de la défense furent encore considérables. L'étude retrace les étapes et les causes de la perte de ces attributions. Les compétences policières sont par contre largement restées auprès des Cantons, mais les attributions de la police fédérale s'élargissent continuellement, les gardes-frontières collaborent avec les polices cantonales et les missions subsidiaires de l'armée se multiplient. L'attribution des tâches policières et les mo­des de collaboration entre Cantons et Confédération sont depuis un certain temps déjà en discussion. L'étude donne quelques critères pour une répartition fonctionnelle. Selon quels critères fonctionnels se « partage des pouvoirs » devrait-il être organisé ? La deuxième partie de l'étude donne quelques réponses

The influence of artificially increased hip and trunk stiffness on balance control in man

Lightweight corsets were used to produce mid-body stiffening, rendering the hip and trunk joints practically inflexible. To examine the effect of this artificially increased stiffness on balance control, we perturbed the upright stance of young subjects (20-34years of age) while they wore one of two types of corset or no corset at all. One type, the "half-corset”, only increased hip stiffness, and the other, the "full-corset”, increased stiffness of the hips and trunk. The perturbations consisted of combined roll and pitch rotations of the support surface (7.5deg, 60deg/s) in one of six different directions. Outcome measures were biomechanical responses of the legs, trunk, arms and head, and electromyographic (EMG) responses from leg, trunk, and upper arm muscles. With the full-corset, a decrease in forward stabilising trunk pitch rotation compared to the no-corset condition occurred for backward pitch tilts of the support surface. In contrast, the half-corset condition yielded increased forward trunk motion. Trunk backward pitch motion after forwards support-surface perturbations was the same for all corset conditions. Ankle torques and lower leg angle changes in the pitch direction were decreased for both corset conditions for forward pitch tilts of the support-surface but unaltered for backward tilts. Changes in trunk roll motion with increased stiffness were profound. After onset of a roll support-surface perturbation, the trunk rolled in the opposite direction to the support-surface tilt for the no-corset and half-corset conditions, but in the same direction as the tilt for the full-corset condition. Initial head roll angular accelerations (at 100ms) were larger for the full-corset condition but in the same direction (opposite platform tilt) for all conditions. Arm roll movements were initially in the same direction as trunk movements, and were followed by large compensatory arm movements only for the full-corset condition. Leg muscle (soleus, peroneus longus, but not tibialis anterior) balance-correcting responses were reduced for roll and pitch tilts under both corset conditions. Responses in paraspinals were also reduced. These results indicate that young healthy normals cannot rapidly modify movement strategies sufficiently to account for changes in link flexibility following increases in hip and trunk stiffness. The changes in leg and trunk muscle responses failed to achieve a normal roll or pitch trunk end position at 700ms (except for forward tilt rotations), even though head accelerations and trunk joint proprioception seemed to provide information on changed trunk movement profiles over the first 300ms following the perturbation. The major adaptation to stiffness involved increased use of arm movements to regain stability. The major differences in trunk motion for the no-corset, half-corset and full-corset conditions support the concept of a multi-link pendulum with different control dynamics in the pitch and roll planes as a model of human stance. Stiffening of the hip and trunk increases the likelihood of a loss of balance laterally and/or backwards. Thus, these results may have implications for the elderly and others, with and without disease states, who stiffen for a variety of reason

The effect of voluntary lateral trunk bending on balance recovery following multi-directional stance perturbations

Stabilising shifts of the centre of mass (COM) are observed during balance recovery when subjects simultaneously execute voluntary unilateral knee flexion or unilateral arm raising. Here, we examined whether voluntary lateral trunk bending provided more beneficial stabilising effects, and how motor programs of balance corrections are combined with those of the focal voluntary action. The upright balance of 24 healthy young subjects (19-33years of age) was perturbed using multi-directional rotations of the support-surface. The perturbations consisted of combined pitch and roll rotations (7.5° and 60°/s) presented randomly in six different directions. Three conditions were tested: perturbation of stance only (PO); combined balance perturbation and cued uphill bending of the trunk (CONT); and combined perturbation and cued downhill bending of the trunk (IPS). For comparison, subjects were required to perform trunk bending alone (TO). Outcome measures were biomechanical responses and surface EMG activity of several muscles. Calculated predicted outcomes (PO+TO) were compared with combined measures (CONT or IPS). CONT trunk bending uphill showed two phases of benefit in balance recovery for laterally but, in contrast to voluntary knee bending, not for posterior directed components of the perturbations. IPS trunk bending had negative effects on balance. Early balance correcting muscle responses were marginally greater than PO responses. Prominent secondary balance correcting responses, having a similar timing as voluntary responses observed under TO conditions, were seen under CONT only in trunk muscles. These, and later stabilising, responses had amplitudes as expected from PO+TO conditions being significantly greater than PO responses. The ability with which different muscle synergies for balance corrections and voluntary trunk bending were integrated into one indicates a flexible adjustment of the CNS programs to the demands of both task

Control of roll and pitch motion during multi-directional balance perturbations

Does the central nervous system (CNS) independently control roll and pitch movements of the human body during balance corrections? To help provide an answer to this question, we perturbed the balance of 16 young healthy subjects using multi-directional rotations of the support surface. All rotations had pitch and roll components, for which either the roll (DR) or the pitch (DP) component were delayed by 150ms or not at all (ND). The outcome measures were the biomechanical responses of the body and surface EMG activity of several muscles. Across all perturbation directions, DR caused equally delayed shifts (150ms) in peak lateral centre of mass (COM) velocity. Across directions, DP did not cause equally delayed shifts in anterior-posterior COM velocity. After 300ms however, the vector direction of COM velocity was similar to the ND directions. Trunk, arm and knee joint rotations followed this roll compared to pitch pattern, but were different from ND rotation synergies after 300ms, suggesting an intersegmental compensation for the delay effects. Balance correcting responses of muscles demonstrated both roll and pitch directed components regardless of axial alignment. We categorised muscles into three groups: pitch oriented, roll oriented and mixed based on their responses to DR and DP. Lower leg muscles were pitch oriented, trunk muscles were roll oriented, and knee and arm muscles were mixed. The results of this study suggest that roll, but not pitch components, of balance correcting movement strategies and muscle synergies are separately programmed by the CNS. Reliance on differentially activated arm and knee muscles to correct roll perturbations reveals a dependence of the pitch response on that of roll, possibly due to biomechanical constraints, and accounts for the failure of DP to be transmitted equally in time across all limbs segments. Thus it appears the CNS preferentially programs the roll response of the body and then adjusts the pitch response accordingl

A lichen protected by a super-hydrophobic and breathable structure

A species of lichen, Lecanora conizaeoides, is shown to be super-hydrophobic. It uses a combination of hydrophobic compounds and multi-layered roughness to shed water effectively. This is combined with gas channels to produce a biological analogue of a waterproof, breathable garment. The particular lichen grows mostly during wet seasons and is unusually resistant to acid rain [Hauck, M., 2003. The Bryotogist 106(2), 257-269; Honegger, R., 1998. Lichenologist 30(3),193-212]. The waterproof, breathable surface allows this lichen to photosynthesise when other species are covered with a layer of water. In addition, rainwater runs off the surface of the organism, reducing its intake of water from above and probably contributing to its resistance to acid rain

Sparse Coding Predicts Optic Flow Specificities of Zebrafish Pretectal Neurons

Zebrafish pretectal neurons exhibit specificities for large-field optic flow patterns associated with rotatory or translatory body motion. We investigate the hypothesis that these specificities reflect the input statistics of natural optic flow. Realistic motion sequences were generated using computer graphics simulating self-motion in an underwater scene. Local retinal motion was estimated with a motion detector and encoded in four populations of directionally tuned retinal ganglion cells, represented as two signed input variables. This activity was then used as input into one of two learning networks: a sparse coding network (competitive learning) and backpropagation network (supervised learning). Both simulations develop specificities for optic flow which are comparable to those found in a neurophysiological study (Kubo et al. 2014), and relative frequencies of the various neuronal responses are best modeled by the sparse coding approach. We conclude that the optic flow neurons in the zebrafish pretectum do reflect the optic flow statistics. The predicted vectorial receptive fields show typical optic flow fields but also "Gabor" and dipole-shaped patterns that likely reflect difference fields needed for reconstruction by linear superposition.Comment: Published Conference Paper from ICANN 2018, Rhode