Općeniti postupak za i ntegracijsko testiranje ETL procedura

In order to attain a certain degree of confidence in the quality of the data in the data warehouse it is necessary to perform a series of tests. There are many components (and aspects) of the data warehouse that can be tested, and in this paper we focus on the ETL procedures. Due to the complexity of ETL process, ETL procedure tests are usually custom written, having a very low level of reusability. In this paper we address this issue and work towards establishing a generic procedure for integration testing of certain aspects of ETL procedures. In this approach, ETL procedures are treated as a black box and are tested by comparing their inputs and outputs – datasets. Datasets from three locations are compared: datasets from the relational source(s), datasets from the staging area and datasets from the data warehouse. Proposed procedure is generic and can be implemented on any data warehouse employing dimensional model and having relational database(s) as a source. Our work pertains only to certain aspects of data quality problems that can be found in DW systems. It provides a basic testing foundation or augments existing data warehouse system’s testing capabilities. We comment on proposed mechanisms both in terms of full reload and incremental loading.Kako bi se ostvarila određena razina povjerenja u kvalitetu podataka potrebno je obaviti niz provjera. Postoje brojne komponente (i aspekti) skladišta podataka koji se mogu testirati. U ovom radu smo se usredotočili na testiranje ETL procedura. S obzirom na složenost sustava skladišta podataka, testovi ETL procedura se pišu posebno za svako skladište podataka i rijetko se mogu ponovo upotrebljavati. Ovdje se obrađuje taj problem i predlaže općenita procedura za integracijsko testiranje određ enih aspekata ETL procedura. Predloženi pristup tretira ETL procedure kao crnu kutiju, te se procedure testiraju tako što se uspoređuju ulazni i izlazni skupovi podataka. Uspoređuju se skupovi podataka s tri lokacije: podaci iz izvorišta podataka, podaci iz konsolidiranog pripremnog područja te podaci iz skladišta podataka. Predložena procedura je općenita i može se primijeniti na bilo koje skladište podatka koje koristi dimenzijski model pri čemu podatke dobavlja iz relacijskih baza podataka. Predložene provjere se odnose samo na određene aspekte problema kvalitete podataka koji se mogu pojaviti u sustavu skladišta podataka, te služe za uspostavljanje osnovnog skupa provjera ili uvećanje mogućnosti provjere postojećih sustava. Predloženi postupak se komentira u kontekstu potpunog i inkrementalnog učitavanja podataka u skladište podataka

Understanding the Success Factors in Adopting Business Process Management Software: Case Studies

A number of studies on the successes and failures of business process management (BPM) have been conducted with the aim of identifying BPM adoption success factors. The complex and comprehensive nature of BPM has resulted in the lack of a generally accepted framework for successful BPM adoption. One general means of ensuring BPM success is through the adoption of business process management software (BPMS). The fact that there is currently no consensus as to a generally accepted definition of BPM software makes it difficult to define the criteria for its selection. There are several reasons for this: (i) the size and complexity of the field, (ii) determining business needs is not always straightforward, and (iii) the BPM software market is complex and its features and capabilities vary greatly across vendors. In this article, we examine the contextual and technical perspectives of BPMS adoption and related critical success factors (CSF). The goal of this study was to propose BPMS selection guidelines with regard to the organizational, environmental and technological CSFs of BPMS adoption, to support decision makers in selecting the right BPMS. To accomplish this, we applied a multiple-case study approach and carried out a set of interviews in companies that have fully or partly adopted BPMS. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather quantitative data for those topics that can be evaluated numerically, and qualitative contextual (organizational and environmental) CSFs relevant for BPMS adoption success

A Framework for BPM Software Selection in Relation to Digital Transformation Drivers

Business process management (BPM) is nowadays almost a traditional paradigm of assuring operational excellence. Within emerging approaches for boosting organizational readiness and maturity to cope with digital challenges, BPM transforms as well. In order to investigate the role of BPM and BPM software (BPMS) in relation to these approaches we explore drivers of digital transformation (DT). Based on the mapping of BPMS dimensions and drivers of DT, we propose a framework for self-assessment which allows evaluation of the significance of BPMS dimension in relation to DT. The framework was tested on multiple case-studies to analyse what their BPMS priorities are and how these priorities influence their digital transformation. AHP analysis was performed by prioritizing BPM\u27s dimensions mapped with DT drivers and it served as a basis for assessing the level of digital maturity of the observed companies. This article therefore deals with the following: (1) it briefly discusses BPM and DT as concepts, (2) it demonstrates how AHP can serve for selecting BPM software and (3) it shows that BPM dimensions can be linked to Digital Transformation

Racionalna upotreba antibiotika u bolničkim uslovima - studija slučaja

Between 25% and 50% of hospitalized patients receive antibiotics. Some studies estimate that 25-68% of hospital antibiotic prescribing is suboptimal. The aim of this study was to analyse antibiotic use in Medical Center 'Bežanijska Kosa'. For the period 2008-2012, yearly data on antibiotic use in inpatients were obtained from the database of the hospital pharmacy and expressed as DDD per 100 bed-days. The total antibiotic use varied during the study period from 62,3 to 65,6 DDD per 100 bed-days. The most frequently used antibiotics were cephalosporins, followed by fluoroquinolones, penicillins and aminoglycosides. Ceftriaxone was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic. The findings emphasize the need for effective measures to reduce widespread antibiotic misusage in hospitals.Između 25% i 50 % hospitalizovanih pacijenata prima antibiotike. Neke studije procenjuju da je 25-68% antibiotika u Bolnicama propisano neadekvatno. Cilj ovog rada je bio da se Analizira upotreba antibiotika u Kliničko-bolničkom centru 'Bežanijska kosa'. Za period od 2008. do 2012. godine podaci o upotrebi antibiotika na godišnjem nivou su dobijeni iz baze podataka bolničke apoteke i izraženi kao DDD/100 postelja/dan. U toku petogodišnjeg perioda praćenja, ukupna upotreba antibiotika se kretala od 62,3do 65,6 DDD/100 postelja/dan. Najčešće propisivani antibiotici su bili cefalosporini, a zatim fluorohinoloni, penicilini i aminoglikozidi. Ceftriakson je bio najčešće propisivani antibiotik. Ovi rezultati ističu potrebu za sprovođenjem efikasnih mera kako bi se smanjila široko rasprostranjena neadekvatna upotreba antibiotika u stacionarnim zdravstvenim ustanovama

Učinak farmaceuta na kliničke ishode kod pacijenata u palijativnoj nezi - kratak pregled

Pharmacists as the most accessible health care professionals in outpatient settings can improve palliative patient care. The aim of this review was to assess utility of pharmacists (the effectiveness of pharmacists' interventions) on clinical outcomes of patients in palliative care at all levels of health care and in home care. Two electronic databases were searched: PubMed and SCOPUS (last searched August 2014). Primary studies, of any type of research design, in English, related to clinical outcomes of patients in palliative care and pharmacists' interventions were eligible. Studies that used surrogate outcome measures, such as number of pharmacists' recommendations were excluded. A total of 764 reports were found, and only three of them met our inclusion criteria. All of them assessed effects of pharmacists' interventions in outpatient settings and were case series. Symptoms improvement and stabilization of patients' conditions has been the main utility of pharmacists' interventions. Assessed quality of two studies was moderate, and one study had low quality. As number of studies and quality of the evidence were limited, and results of reviewed studies indicate that pharmacists' interventions potentially could improve clinical outcomes of patients in palliative care, more research is needed to provide evidences in this field.Farmaceuti, kao najdostupniji zdravstveni radnici u vanbolničkim uslovima, mogu unaprediti zdravstvenu zaštitu pacijenata u palijativnoj nezi. Cilj ovog pregleda bio je da se proceni učinak farmaceuta (efektivnost intervencija farmaceuta) na kliničke ishode kod pacijenata u palijativnoj nezi na svim nivoima zdravstvene zaštite i u kućnim uslovima. Pretražene su dve elektronske baze naučnih radova: PubMed i SCOPUS (poslednji put u avgustu 2014. godine). Uključeni su originalni naučni radovi na engleskom jeziku, bez obzira na dizajn studije, koji se odnose na kliničke ishode kod pacijenata u palijativnoj nezi i intervencije farmaceuta. Studije koje su koristile surogatne mere ishoda, kao što je broj preporuka farmaceuta, su isključene. Od inicijalno pronađena 764 rada, samo tri su zadovoljila kriterijume za uključivanje u pregled, i svi su se odnosili na intervencije farmaceuta u vanbolničkim uslovima. Sve 3 studije su bile prikazi studija slučajeva. U svim studijama intervencije farmaceuta su dovele do stabilazicije ili poboljšanja simptoma kod pacijenata. Procenjen kvalitet dve studije je bio srednji, a jedna studija je bila lošeg kvaliteta. Kako je broj studija i nivo dokaza ograničen, a rezultati studija ukazuju da intervencije farmaceuta potencijalno mogu imati pozitivan uticaj na kliničke ishode kod pacijenata u palijativnoj nezi, potrebna su dalja istraživanja u ovoj oblasti

Uloga omjera E2/P u etiologiji fibrocistične bolesti dojke, mastalgije i mastodinije

The aim of the study was to assess the role of the estradiol and progesterone relationship during the late luteal phase and the occurrence of fibrocystic breast disease (FBD). The concentration of estradiol/progesterone was measured in the group of women with FBD as study group (n=50) and control group of women without FBD (n=40). All women had regular ovulation cycles. Blood samples for estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and prolactin determination were obtained in the morning at 8 am on days 21 and 24 of menstrual cycle. Significant mastalgia and mastodynia history in women with FBD was obtained with yes or no questionnaire. FBD diagnosis was confirmed with ultrasound (size and number of simple cysts). In the control group, a reduced E2/P ratio was noticed from day 21 to day 24 of the cycle (from 14.8±11.5 pg/mL to 9.1±6.1 pg/mL; p<0.05), which was not recorded in the group of women with FBD (study group). Even the slightest disturbance of the E2/P ratio may contribute to the occurrence of FBD with clinical manifestations of mastalgia and mastodynia.Namjera rada je bila ispitati ulogu odnosa estradiola i progesterona za vrijeme lutealne faze ciklusa u pojavljivanju fibrocistične bolesti dojke (FBD). Koncentracija odnosa estradiol/progesteron je bila mjerena u skupini žena s FBD (n=50) (studijska skupina) i u kontrolnoj skupini žena bez FBD (n=40) (kontrolna skupina). Sve su žene imale redovite ovulacijske cikluse. Krvni uzorci estradiola (E2), progesterona (P) i prolaktina određivali su se u 8 h ujutro 21. i 24. dana menstruacijskog cikusa. Određivanje značajnosti mastalgije i mastodinije bila je ispitana upitnikom da/ne. Dijagnoza FBD je bila potvrđena ultrazvukom dojke (veličina i broj jednostavnih cista). U kontrolnoj skupini smanjen odnos E2/P zabilježen je od 21. do 24. dana ciklusa (od 14,8±11,5 pg/mL do 9,1±6,1 pg/mL; p<0,05), za razliku od žena studijske skupine gdje ta promjena nije bila zapažena. Čak i mala promjena odnosa E2/P može doprinijeti nastanku FBD s kliničkim manifestacijama mastalgije i mastodinije

Hematološki efekti herbicida Avalon® (bentazon+dikamba) za pacova

Hematological effects of the herbicide Avalon (GAL-57), a mixture of bentazon and dicamba, were tested on rats. Avalon was administered by gavage at three and four dose levels (250, 500, 1000 and 1250 mg/kg weight/day) for 28 and 90 days. Hematological parameters, number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and erythrocyte indexes (MCV, MCH and MCHC) were monitored. The results showed that the herbicide Avalon caused decrease in the values of hemoglobin, hematocrit and erythrocyte indexes (both males and females). The changes (mostly) correlated with the doses administered and, in most cases, a lower susceptibility of females than males was observed. The herbicide GAL-57 had no adverse effect on the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes and thrombocytes (both sexes, all doses tested). The results showed that the herbicide Avalon causes weak anemia to the animals tested. Reversibility was apparent during the recovery period of 28 days.U radu su ispitivani hematološki efekti herbicida Avalon (GAL-57), koji je mešavina bentazona i dikambe kao aktivnih materija, na pacovima. Preparat je doziran oralnim putem (sondom u želudac) u više nivoa doza (250, 500, 1000 i 1250 mg/kg/telesne mase/dan) tokom 28 i 90 dana. Praćeni su sledeći pokazatelji: broj eritrocita, leukocita i trombocita, koncentracija hemoglobina, hematokrit i eritrocitni indeksi (prosečna zapremina eritrocita, srednja vrednost hemoglobina po eritrocitu i prosečna koncentracija hemoglobina u eritrocitima). Rezultati ovih ispitivanja su pokazali da herbicid Avalon kod oba pola izaziva smanjenje vrednosti hemoglobina, hematokrita i eritrocitnih indeksa, dok kod drugih ispitivanih pokazatelja (broj leukocita, eritrocita i trombocita) nisu registrovane promene u odnosu na kontrolu. Sve promene su, najčešće, u korelaciji sa primenjenim dozama a uočena je, u najvećem broju slučajeva, i nešto manja osetljivost ženki u odnosu na mužjake. Rezultati ispitivanja su, takođe, pokazali da Avalon izaziva blagu anemiju kod ispitivanih životinja s tim da je efekat reverzibilnog karaktera; nakon isteka perioda oporavka od 28 dana vrednosti za sve ispitivane parametre se vraćaju na normalu i ne razlikuju se značajnije u odnosu na kontrolu

Applicability of EU(7)-PIM criteria in cross-national studies in European countries

[Abstract] Background: The European Union (EU)(7)-PIM (potentially inappropriate medication) list presents the most comprehensive and up-to-date tool for evaluation of PIM prescribing in Europe; however, several country-specific studies have documented lower specificity of this list on pharmaceutical markets of some countries. The aim of our study was to describe approval rates and marketing of PIMs stated by EU(7)-PIM criteria in six EU countries [in comparison with the American Geriatric Society (AGS) Beers 2015 criteria]. Methods: Research teams of six EU countries (Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Serbia, Hungary and Turkey) participated in this study conducted by WG1b EU COST Action IS1402 group in the period October 2015–November 2018. Data on approval rates of PIMs and their availability on pharmaceutical markets have been obtained from databases of national drugregulatory institutes and up-to-date drug compendia. The EU(7)-PIM list and AGS Beers 2015 Criteria (Section 1) were applied. Results: PIMs from EU(7)-PIM list were approved for clinical use more often than those from the AGS Beers 2015 criteria (Section 1). Approval rates for EU(7)-PIMs ranged from 42.8% in Serbia to 71.4% in Spain (for AGS criteria only from 36.4% to 65.1%, respectively). Higher percentages of approved PIMs were documented in Spain (71.4%), Portugal (67.1%) and Turkey (67.5%), lower in Hungary (55.5%), Czech Republic (50.2%) and Serbia (42.8%). The majority of approved PIMs were also currently marketed in all countries except in Turkey (19.8–21.7% not marketed PIMs) and less than 20% of PIMs were available as over-thecounter medications (except in Turkey, 46.4–48.1%). Conclusions: The EU(7)-PIM list was created for utilization in European studies; however, applicability of this list is still limited in some countries, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe. The EU project EUROAGEISM H2020 (2017–2021) that focuses on PIM prescribing and regulatory measures in Central and Eastern European countries must consider these limits.European Commision; project INOMED CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/18_069/001004

Medication use in older patients and age-blind approach: narrative literature review (insufficient evidence on the efficacy and safety of drugs in older age, frequent use of PIMs and polypharmacy, and underuse of highly beneficial nonpharmacological strat

IntroductionThe importance of rational drug therapy is increasing with the aging of the population. Since one of the main reasons for inappropriate drug prescribing is also the age-blind approach, which results in ageist practices, this narrative literature review focuses on the description of the main barriers related to insufficient individualization of drug regimens associated with such age-blind approaches.MethodologyA narrative literature review using the PubMed, WoS, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted by the EU COST Action IS1402. Experts in different scientific fields from six countries (the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Serbia, and Turkey) worked in four specific areas: (1) underrepresentation of older adults in clinical trials and clinical and ethical consequences; (2) insufficient consideration of age-related changes and geriatric frailty in the evaluation of the therapeutic value of drugs; (3) frequent prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs); and (4) frequent underuse of highly beneficial nonpharmacological strategies (e.g., exercise).ResultsOlder patients are underrepresented in clinical trials. Therefore, rigorous observational geriatric research is needed in order to obtain evidence on the real efficacy and safety of frequently used drugs, and e.g. developed geriatric scales and frailty indexes for claims databases should help to stimulate such research. The use of PIMs, unfortunately, is still highly prevalent in Europe: 22.6% in community-dwelling older patients and 49.0% in institutionalized older adults. Specific tests to detect the majority of age-related pharmacological changes are usually not available in everyday clinical practice, which limits the estimation of drug risks and possibilities to individualize drug therapy in geriatric patients before drug prescription. Moreover, the role of somenonpharmacological strategies is highly underestimated in older adultsin contrast to frequent use of polypharmacy. Among nonpharmacological strategies, particularly physical exercise was highly effective in reducing functional decline, frailty, and the risk of falls in the majority of clinicalstudies.ConclusionSeveral regulatory and clinical barriers contribute to insufficient knowledge on the therapeutic value of drugs in older patients, age-blind approach, and inappropriate prescribing. New clinical and observational research is needed, including data on comprehensive geriatric assessment and frailty, to document the real efficacy and safety of frequently used medications

Passive Constructions in M. Ende's Novel "The Neverending Story" and their Croatian Equivalents

In dieser Diplomarbeit werden passivische Konstruktionen aus dem Werk "Die unendliche Ge-schichte" von Michael Ende und ihre kroatischen Übersetzungen untersucht. Die Arbeit besteht aus zwei Teilen. Im ersten Teil wird die theoretische Grundlage für die Entstehung und Verwen-dung des Passivs in der deutschen Sprache gegeben. Es wird erklärt, was der Unterschied zwi-schen Aktiv und Passiv ist, was passivfähige Verben sind, was das Vorgangspassiv und Zu-standspassiv beschreiben und wie sie durch die Zeitformen (auch mit Modalverben) gebildet werden. Danach wird vom kroatischen Passiv die Rede sein. Es wird erklärt, was das kroatische Passiv beschreibt und wie das Passiv gebildet wird. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit werden Beispiele in der deutschen Sprache und die Übersetzungen ins Kroatische verarbeitet und die erzielten Er-gebnisse werden auf der Grundlage der kontrastiven Analyse interpretiert