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This study investigated the practical feasibility of synergistically and optimally applying ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) practices for the pineapple slice picking process (in sugar osmotic solution), with potential implications for improving current practices. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different treatment conditions of single (40 and 80 kHz)/multiple (40/80 kHz) frequencies, output powers (300, 450, and 600 W), and treatment time (5–40 min) at 30, 45, and 60 °Brix applied, respectively, on the pineapple slices picking process. The sound pressure of the UA was also measured to confirm that it provided the corresponding effect stably under different conditions. The ideal UAOD operating condition for pineapple slices is a 45 °Brix sugar osmotic solution, with frequency multiplexing at 40/80 kHz and an output power of 450 W for 25 min, which yields the optimal solids gain (SG) rate of 7.58%. The above results of this study indicated that UAOD could improve the accelerated quality transfer of pineapple slices and enhance the final product quality, thereby increasing the efficiency of the dehydration process and saving processing costs and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delays in construction are a widespread global problem, leading to potential cost overruns and legal disputes. Additionally, delays can result in a decline in construction quality and loss of public trust. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of project delays in various regions and the preventive role of optimizing concrete works. Literature review and bibliometric analysis are carried out to determine global research trends. Findings show that optimizing concrete works can provide benefits such as cost savings, time savings, improved quality and safety, and environmental benefits. Optimization of concrete material composition is one of the most examined topics in this field. Based on the findings, construction firms have the potential to attain cost efficiencies while concurrently mitigating carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting text from images and videos is an emerging field of research with a wide range of applications, including video search, video editing, and translation. Nowadays, book promotion videos in different languages are shared on social media and especially on YouTube. In this study; It is recommended to take book titles through book promotion videos. The developed system takes video as input and separates the names of the books. The viewer can select the desired book by clicking on the detected book titles and watch the relevant part of the video. This application result in time saving by the viewer. In order to achieve this application, a deep learning-based system was developed to retrieve the names of books from videos. YOLO-based method was used in the study. Different YOLO algorithms were used in the study, and YOLOv5 was found to be more successful. This study contributes to the field of text extraction and video analysis by developing a deep learning-based approach to extract book titles from book promotion videos.

Estimating the prevalence of an infectious disease in a big population typically requires testing a specimen (e.g., blood, urine, or swab) for the disease. When the disease spreads quickly, time constraints and limited resources often restrict the number of tests that can be performed. In such cases, if the prevalence is not too high, the group testing procedure can be employed to save time, money, and resources. The procedure tests pooled specimens of groups of individuals, rather than testing each individual for the disease. This technique is also used in other contexts, for example, to detect abnormalities or contamination in animals, plants, food, or water. Although methods exist for estimating a prevalence conditional on the explanatory variables from the group testing data, they require the specimen to be available for all individuals, which is not always possible. Therefore, we construct new nonparametric estimators that are consistent when some of the specimens are missing. We demonstrate the numerical performance of our methods using simulations and a hepatitis B example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of drones in plant inspection, in particular inspection involving tall stacks, to reduce safety risks has picked up considerably in the recent past. However, there are essential plant inspections that involve detailed contact-based inspection, which cannot be achieved using drones. Such cases include close-up inspections like ultrasonic inspection for corrosion studies and inspections that require customized tools. In these scenarios, use of robotic crawlers is the superior option. Leaks or accidental release of chemicals in process plants can have severe consequences, not only for workers and neighboring populace but also for the reputation and financial stability of organizations. Thus safety risk management becomes a crucial component in any work undertaken in every industry. Ultrasonic inspections involve nondestructive testing of wall thickness of tanks and piping to assess the risk of failure. Such inspections require elaborate access arrangements to preclude the possibility of fall from height accidents. The optimal way to prevent accidents to eliminate the hazard as far as reasonably practical. When work-related specific hazards are eliminated, the probability of accidents in that work becomes zero. The paper presents two practical case studies implemented in two different industries, where safetyrelated risk was completely eliminated using robotics, with collateral benefits in the form of reduction in outage times and a significant 60-90% overall costs savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting text from images and videos is an emerging field of research with a wide range of applications, including video search, video editing, and translation. Nowadays, book promotion videos in different languages are shared on social media and especially on YouTube. In this study; It is recommended to take book titles through book promotion videos. The developed system takes video as input and separates the names of the books. The viewer can select the desired book by clicking on the detected book titles and watch the relevant part of the video. This application result in time saving by the viewer. In order to achieve this application, a deep learning-based system was developed to retrieve the names of books from videos. YOLO-based method was used in the study. Different YOLO algorithms were used in the study, and YOLOv5 was found to be more successful. This study contributes to the field of text extraction and video analysis by developing a deep learning-based approach to extract book titles from book promotion videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Almost 80% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa relies on traditional biomass for cooking, which is typically associated with negative environmental, health, economic, and social impacts. Thus, many stakeholders, including development agencies and national governments in the Global South are promoting the use of the improved cookstove in order to save cooking time, save financial assets, maximize fuel efficiency, and reduce indoor air pollution. However, little attention is paid to the heating practices among households, which can determine food safety levels. Specifically, cooked food should be kept at temperatures above the danger zone (from 5 to 57 °C) prior to its consumption to prevent its contamination by bacteria and other unhealthy contaminants. In general, many studies address food preparation and storage separately, despite being complementary. In this study, we attempt to understand whether, the use of improved cookstove combined with heat retention box would result in improvements with regard to fuel and time saving, and adequate food storage temperatures. Furthermore, we examine the acceptability of food prepared with these two systems based on consumers’ preference analysis. Involving 122 participants, the study was conducted in Gurué district, central Mozambique. Results The use of improved cookstove resulted in energy savings of 9% and 17% for cooking maize porridge and beans curry, respectively. The overall time consumption for cooking decreased by 14% (beans curry) and 24% (maize porridge). The use of heat retention boxes shows a better heat retention ability as compared to the locally used heat retention systems (leftovers, banana leaves). Conclusions The study concludes that improved cookstove is a sustainable mean for saving cooking time and fuel. Heat retention box has a potential to maintain adequate food storage temperatures. Both improved cookstove and heat retention box present a superior performance compared to traditional technologies; thus, can easily be diffused for not affecting the quality of food.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether kiosk users' characteristics can be explained by the technology acceptance model (TAM). Additionally, the goal of this research is to closely examine antecedents relevant to usefulness and ease of use. For the purposes of this study, the determinants of usefulness, degree of non-contact, time-saving efficiency, order accuracy, and ease of use were examined as important factors of kiosk design. The ease of use antecedents mainly consisted of payment and navigability. This study also attested to the relationships among a variety of TAM attributes: ease of use, usefulness, attitude, and intention to use. A survey was used to collect the majority of the data. Amazon Mechanical Turk was used for the recruitment of survey participants, and the number of valid observations was 346. A structural equation model was employed to test the study's research hypotheses. It was found that time saving, order accuracy, and ease of use are positively associated with the level of usefulness. Ease of use is positively influenced by navigability, and attitude is positively determined by both ease of use and usefulness. Additionally, intention to use is positively impacted by both attitude and usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Almost 80% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa relies on traditional biomass for cooking, which is typically associated with negative environmental, health, economic, and social impacts. Thus, many stakeholders, including development agencies and national governments in the Global South are promoting the use of the improved cookstove in order to save cooking time, save financial assets, maximize fuel efficiency, and reduce indoor air pollution. However, little attention is paid to the heating practices among households, which can determine food safety levels. Specifically, cooked food should be kept at temperatures above the danger zone (from 5 to 57 °C) prior to its consumption to prevent its contamination by bacteria and other unhealthy contaminants. In general, many studies address food preparation and storage separately, despite being complementary. In this study, we attempt to understand whether, the use of improved cookstove combined with heat retention box would result in improvements with regard to fuel and time saving, and adequate food storage temperatures. Furthermore, we examine the acceptability of food prepared with these two systems based on consumers' preference analysis. Involving 122 participants, the study was conducted in Gurué district, central Mozambique. Results: The use of improved cookstove resulted in energy savings of 9% and 17% for cooking maize porridge and beans curry, respectively. The overall time consumption for cooking decreased by 14% (beans curry) and 24% (maize porridge). The use of heat retention boxes shows a better heat retention ability as compared to the locally used heat retention systems (leftovers, banana leaves). Conclusions: The study concludes that improved cookstove is a sustainable mean for saving cooking time and fuel. Heat retention box has a potential to maintain adequate food storage temperatures. Both improved cookstove and heat retention box present a superior performance compared to traditional technologies; thus, can easily be diffused for not affecting the quality of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of convenience stores is not only the proximity factor but also time, especially for postmodern individuals who are characterized by the need for speed and social interaction. Research linking proximity and time is still very limited, while the two variables are closely related to shopping activities. This study aims to examine the relationships between both material and immaterial proximity to retail loyalty; and the mediating role of time management and time saving (time convenience). This study used quantitative methods by means of PLS, where a total of 150 responses were collected from minimarket consumers in residential areas in Indonesia using a purposive sampling method. The results show that access, functional and social proximities affect time management, while time saving factors are only functional and relational proximities. Both time management and time saving have a positive relationship with loyalty. The mediation test found that time management mediates the effects of access, functional and social proximities on loyalty. Meanwhile, time saving mediates the effects of functional and relational proximities on loyalty. This finding mainly fills a gap in research that is still limited in linking the immaterial dimensions of intimacy and customer loyalty. This research enriches the concept of location for the service industry, especially retailers and provides practical implications in store operational management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Size is a biological characteristic that drives ecological processes from microscopic to geographic spatial scales, influencing cellular energetics, species fitness, population dynamics, and ecological interactions. Methods to measure size from images (e.g., proxies of body size, leaf area, and cell area) occur along a gradient from manual approaches to fully automated technologies (e.g., machine learning). These methods differ in terms of time investment, expertise required, and data or resource availability. While manual methods can improve accuracy through human recognition, they can be labor intensive, highlighting the need for semi‐automated, and user‐friendly software or workflows to increase the efficiency of manual techniques.Here, we present SizeExtractR, an open‐source workflow that enables faster extraction of size metrics from scaled images (e.g., each image includes a ruler) using semi‐automated protocols. It comprises a set of ImageJ macros to speed up size extraction and annotation, and an R‐package for the quality control of annotations, data collation, calibration, and visualization.SizeExtractR extracts seven common size dimensions, including planar area, min/max diameter, and perimeter. Users can record additional categorical variables relating to their own study, for example species ID, by simply adding alphanumeric annotations to individual objects when prompted. Using a population size structure case study for hard corals as an example, we show how SizeExtractR was used to quantify the impact of mass coral bleaching on coral population dynamics. Lastly, the time saving benefit of using SizeExtractR was quantified during a series of timed image analyses, revealing up to a 49% reduction in image analysis time compared to a fully manual approach.SizeExtractR automatically archives results, allowing re‐analysis of size extraction and promoting quality control and reproducibility. It has already been employed in marine and terrestrial sciences to assess population dynamics and demography, energy investment in eggs, and growth of nursery reared corals, with potential to be applied to a wide range of other research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent clinical trials of amyloid beta (Aβ)-targeting therapies in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have demonstrated a clinical benefit over 18 months, but their long-term impact on disease trajectory is not yet understood. We propose a framework for evaluating realistic long-term scenarios., Methods: Results from recent phase 3 trials of Aβ-targeting antibodies were integrated with an estimate of the long-term patient-level natural history trajectory of the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score to explore realistic long-term efficacy scenarios., Results: Three distinct long-term efficacy scenarios were examined, ranging from conservative to optimistic. These extrapolations of positive phase 3 trials suggested treatments delayed onset of severe dementia by 0.3 to 0.6 years (conservative), 1.1 to 1.9 years (intermediate), and 2.0 to 4.2 years (optimistic)., Discussion: Our study provides a common language for long-term impact of disease-modifying treatments. Our work calls for studies with longer follow-up and results from early intervention trials to provide a comprehensive assessment of these therapies' true long-term impact., Highlights: We present long-term scenarios of the efficacy of AD therapies. In this framework, scenarios are defined relative to the natural history of AD. Long-term projections with different levels of optimism can be compared. It provides a common language for expressing beliefs about long-term efficacy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Background: At times, electronic medical records (EMRs) have proven to be less than optimal, causing longer hours behind computers, shorter time with patients, suboptimal patient safety, provider dissatisfaction, and physician burnout. These concerning healthcare issues can be positively affected by optimizing EMR usability, which in turn would lead to substantial benefits to healthcare professionals such as increased healthcare professional productivity, efficiency, quality, and accuracy. Documentation issues, such as non-standardization of physician note templates and tedious, time-consuming notes in our mother-baby unit (MBU), were discussed during meetings with stakeholders in the MBU and our hospital's EMR analysts.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess physician note optimization on saving time for patient care and improving provider satisfaction.Methods: This quality improvement pilot investigation was conducted in our MBU where four note templates were optimized: History and Physical (H and P), Progress Note (PN), Discharge Summary (DCS), and Hand-Off List (HOL). Free text elements documented elsewhere in the EMR (e.g., delivery information, maternal data, lab result, etc.) were identified and replaced with dynamic links that automatically populate the note with these data. Discrete data pick lists replaced necessary elements that were previously free texts. The new note templates were given new names for ease of accessibility. Ten randomly chosen pediatric residents completed both the old and new note templates for the same control newborn encounter during a period of one year. Time spent and number of actions taken (clicks, keystrokes, transitions, and mouse-keyboard switches) to complete these notes were recorded. Surveys were sent to MBU providers regarding overall satisfaction with the new note templates.Results: The ten residents' average time saved was 23 min per infant. Reflecting this saved time on the number of infants admitted to our MBU between January 2016 and September, 2019 which was 9373 infants; resulted in 2.6 hours saved per day, knowing that every infant averages two days length of stay. The new note templates required 69 fewer actions taken than the old ones (H and P: 11, PN: 8, DCS: 18, HOL: 32). The provider surveys were consistent with improved provider satisfaction.Conclusion: Optimizing physician notes saved time for patient care and improved physician satisfaction.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been supporting our digital life for decades, but public interest in this has exploded with the recognition of large language models, such as GPT-4. We examine and evaluate the potential uses for generative AI technologies in epilepsy and neurological services. Generative AI could not only improve patient care and safety by refining communication and removing certain barriers to healthcare but may also extend to streamlining a doctor's practice through strategies such as automating paperwork. Challenges with the integration of generative AI in epilepsy services are also explored and include the risk of producing inaccurate and biased information. The impact generative AI could have on the provision of healthcare, both positive and negative, should be understood and considered carefully when deciding on the steps that need to be taken before AI is ready for use in hospitals and epilepsy services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate whether kiosk users’ characteristics can be explained by the technology acceptance model (TAM). Additionally, the goal of this research is to closely examine antecedents relevant to usefulness and ease of use. For the purposes of this study, the determinants of usefulness, degree of non-contact, time-saving efficiency, order accuracy, and ease of use were examined as important factors of kiosk design. The ease of use antecedents mainly consisted of payment and navigability. This study also attested to the relationships among a variety of TAM attributes: ease of use, usefulness, attitude, and intention to use. A survey was used to collect the majority of the data. Amazon Mechanical Turk was used for the recruitment of survey participants, and the number of valid observations was 346. A structural equation model was employed to test the study’s research hypotheses. It was found that time saving, order accuracy, and ease of use are positively associated with the level of usefulness. Ease of use is positively influenced by navigability, and attitude is positively determined by both ease of use and usefulness. Additionally, intention to use is positively impacted by both attitude and usefulness.

Cost-benefit analysis of road investments involves models that generate travel time savings as the main economic benefit. Monitoring of traffic flows after the widening of the section of the M25 London orbital motorway between Junctions 23 and 27 found substantial increases in traffic volumes, of up to 23% two to three years after opening, but no increase in speed of travel beyond the first year. Comparison was made with the forecast traffic flows, made using a variable demand model based on SATURN software. The model projected increased traffic volumes and speeds as a consequence of road widening, but underestimated traffic volumes and overestimated traffic speeds compared to outturn. The forecast of faster traffic speeds was the input to the economic model used to compare investment benefits with costs, yielding a benefit-cost ratio of 2.9, which justified the investment. However, the absence of observed increase in traffic speed raises questions about the applicability of a long-established transport model and of travel time savings as the main economic benefit of road investment, as well as about the value of investment to increase the capacity of strategic roads where these are used extensively for local trips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies on power of social media. There are different types of media like Face book, twitter, u tube etc... In my concept how social media interacts with each other. It's true power is influence and understanding how social media system affect the way of people work, learn and live requires examination of the ways. It instantly transfer messages quickly and also how it reacts. It also helps in various aspects like chatting, networking, online magazines, market research, viral marketing etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Guard cell protoplasts (GCPs) isolated from various plants have proven to be especially useful for studies of signal transduction pathways and plant development. But it is not easy to isolate highly purified preparations of large numbers of GCPs from plants. In this research, our focus is on a method to isolate large numbers of guard cells from tomato leaves. The protocols described yield millions of highly purified, viable GCPs, which are also suitable for studies on guard cell physiology. Results We developed an efficient method for isolating GCPs from epidermal fragments of tomato leaves. The protocol requires a two-step digestion to isolate high-quality tomato GCPs. In this procedure, cellulysin (in method L) was replaced by cellulose “Onozuka” RS (in method S) in the first digestion step, which indicated that cellulase RS was more effective than cellulysin. Method S dramatically shortened the time required for obtaining high yields and high-quality GCPs. Moreover, according to the GCP yields, hydroponic plants were more effective than substrate-cultured plants. Conclusions In this paper, protocols for large-scale preparation of GCPs and mesophyll cell protoplasts were described, followed by some success examples of their use in biochemical and molecular approaches such as reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, real-time polymerase chain reaction and sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The method was proved to be a more efficient GCP-isolating method, capable of providing high yields with better quality in less time.

Objective: To critically appraise the literature to determine the cost and time savings for institutions when pharmacy technicians practice in advanced scope roles.Methods: A systematic review was registered with Prospero and conducted in January 2019. Searches were conducted in Business Source Pro, CINAHL, EconLit, EMBASE, InformGlobal, Medline, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Search terms included pharmacy technician/pharmacy assistant and cost or time or economic evaluation. After article selection in the web-based platform Covidence©, data was extracted, and a narrative review was performed.Results: A total of 16 publications were eligible for inclusion in the review. Pharmacy technicians practicing at advanced scope led to both cost savings and time savings. Six studies reported a cost saving, six reported a time saving and four reported both time and cost savings. Annual savings ranged from AUD $4526 - $88,719.89, linked primarily to the difference in wages between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Studies that focused on time savings evaluated checking dispensed items, taking medication histories and entering chemotherapy orders; demonstrating savings of up to 5 min per task completed.Conclusion(s): Appropriately trained pharmacy technicians practicing at advanced scope have the potential to save time and reduce hospital costs. Identifying the cost saving opportunities from technicians acting in advance scope roles will provide incentives for hospitals to expand their technician workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative paper examines the importance of both situational factors and adoption constructs in the decision to use online grocery services for the first time. To that end, we have conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with (one or more representatives of) 15 households in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), who all use Collect & Go, Belgium's most popular online grocery service. The content analysis shows that adoption is often induced by situational factors (such as health problems or changes in family circumstances), but not in isolation from an evaluation of technology adoption constructs (such as performance expectancy and social influence). Indeed, we find that immediately or soon after the emergence of the initial trigger, consumers start thinking of the service in terms of innovation characteristics. Moreover, unlike what the literature suggests, adoption is not discontinued when the initiating trigger disappears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a fast depth map encoding for 3D-High Efficiency Video Coding (3D-HEVC) based on static decision trees. We used data mining and machine learning to correlate the encoder context attributes, building the static decision trees. Each decision tree defines that a depth map Coding Unit (CU) must be or not be split into smaller blocks, considering the encoding context through the evaluation of the encoder attributes. Specialized decision trees for I-frames, P-frames and B-frames define the partitioning of $64\times 64$ , $32\times 32$ , and $16\times 16$ CUs. We trained the decision trees using data extracted from the 3D-HEVC Test Model considering all-intra and random-access configurations, and we evaluated the proposed approach considering the common test conditions. The experimental results demonstrated that this approach can halve the 3D-HEVC encoder computational effort with less than 0.24% of BD-rate increase on the average for all-intra configuration. When running on random-access configuration, our solution is able to reduce up to 58% the complete 3D-HEVC encoder computational effort with a BD-rate drop of only 0.13%. These results surpass all related works regarding computational effort reduction and BD-rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Son yıllarda tanıklık edilen internet ve yazılım alanındaki hızlı gelişmeler sonucu, örgütlerde oluşturulan bilginin de hacminin aynı oranda arttığı gözlemlenmektedir. Bu bağlamda, hızla büyüyen bu bilginin etkili yönetimi de yönetsel zorunluluklardan biri olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bilginin hızla artmasını sağlayan teknolojik gelişmeler, bilgi akışı ile başa çıkmak amacıyla örgütlere bazı kolaylıklar sunmaktadır. Elektronik Belge Yönetim Sistemleri bu noktada örgütlerin en önemli yardımcılarından birisi olarak değerlendirilebilir. Bu araştırma okul yöneticilerinin Doküman Yönetim Sistemi’ne (DYS) yönelik görüşlerini belirlemeye yönelik nitel bir çalışmadır. Bu çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden fenomenoloji (olgu bilim) deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini; Amasya ilinde görev yapmakta olan 23 okul yöneticisi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmaya katılan okul yöneticileri maksimum çeşitlilik örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Okul yöneticilerinin, DYS’ye ilişkin görüşlerini belirlemek üzere araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan ve iki bölümden oluşan yarı-yapılandırılmış bir görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin çözümlenmesinde içerik analizi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre, yöneticiler temel olarak resmi yazışmalar için ve gelen ve giden evrak takibi amacı ile DYS’yi kullanmaktadırlar. DYS’deki eksikliklere yönelik olarak yöneticiler, teknolojik eksikliklere ilişkin internet hızını, DYS kullanımına yönelik verilen eğitimlerin sayısının ve niteliğinin azlığı sistem ara yüzünün pratik olmayışı, okul dışında kişisel bilgisayar ya da mobil cihazlardan erişime izin vermemesi, geçmişe dönük belge taraması yapmanın zor olması, sistem metin editörünün yetersiz oluşu yöneticiler tarafından dile getirilen temel sıkıntılar olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Diğer taraftan, okul yöneticileri, DYS’nin kendilerine en çok zaman ve kırtasiye malzemesi kullanımı olmadığından maddi açısından tasarruf sağladığını ifade etmişlerdir. Buna göre, döküman yönetimi bir organizasyondaki insanların yönetimi gibi belgelere erişim ve erişilmezlik güvenliği, hızlı ve tam metin arama, farklı formatta belge görüntüleyebilme, arşiv, tarihçe ve dokümanın yaşam çevrimi, sağlamaktadır.

Son yıllarda tanıklık edilen internet ve yazılım alanındaki hızlı gelişmeler sonucu, örgütlerde oluşturulan bilginin de hacminin aynı oranda arttığı gözlemlenmektedir. Bu bağlamda, hızla büyüyen bu bilginin etkili yönetimi de yönetsel zorunluluklardan biri olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bilginin hızla artmasını sağlayan teknolojik gelişmeler, bilgi akışı ile başa çıkmak amacıyla örgütlere bazı kolaylıklar sunmaktadır. Elektronik Belge Yönetim Sistemleri bu noktada örgütlerin en önemli yardımcılarından birisi olarak değerlendirilebilir. Bu araştırma okul yöneticilerinin Doküman Yönetim Sistemi’ne (DYS) yönelik görüşlerini belirlemeye yönelik nitel bir çalışmadır. Bu çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden fenomenoloji (olgu bilim) deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini; Amasya ilinde görev yapmakta olan 23 okul yöneticisi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmaya katılan okul yöneticileri maksimum çeşitlilik örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Okul yöneticilerinin, DYS’ye ilişkin görüşlerini belirlemek üzere araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan ve iki bölümden oluşan yarı-yapılandırılmış bir görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin çözümlenmesinde içerik analizi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre, yöneticiler temel olarak resmi yazışmalar için ve gelen ve giden evrak takibi amacı ile DYS’yi kullanmaktadırlar. DYS’deki eksikliklere yönelik olarak yöneticiler, teknolojik eksikliklere ilişkin internet hızını, DYS kullanımına yönelik verilen eğitimlerin sayısının ve niteliğinin azlığı sistem ara yüzünün pratik olmayışı, okul dışında kişisel bilgisayar ya da mobil cihazlardan erişime izin vermemesi, geçmişe dönük belge taraması yapmanın zor olması, sistem metin editörünün yetersiz oluşu yöneticiler tarafından dile getirilen temel sıkıntılar olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Diğer taraftan, okul yöneticileri, DYS’nin kendilerine en çok zaman ve kırtasiye malzemesi kullanımı olmadığından maddi açısından tasarruf sağladığını ifade etmişlerdir. Buna göre, döküman yönetimi bir organizasyondaki insanların yönetimi gibi belgelere erişim ve erişilmezlik güvenliği, hızlı ve tam metin arama, farklı formatta belge görüntüleyebilme, arşiv, tarihçe ve dokümanın yaşam çevrimi, sağlamaktadır.

Background: Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) programming for dystonia patients is a complex and time-consuming task. Objective: To analyze whether programming a programming paradigm based on patient's self-adjustment is practical, effective and time saving in dystonia. Methods: We retrospectively compared dystonia rating scales as well as the time necessary to optimize programming and the number of in-hospital visits in all patients (n = 102) operated at our center who used simple mode (SM) or advanced mode (AM) programming; the latter uses groups of different stimulation parameters and allows the patient and their caregiver to change stimulation groups at home, using the patient remote control. Results: Both AM- and SM-allocated patients improved clinically to the same extent after DBS, as assessed by the Burke–Fahn–Marsden (BFM) and the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis (TWSTRS) dystonia rating scales. All subscores improved after DBS without statistically significant differences in improvement between AM and SM (BFM: − 43% vs. − 53%, p = 0.569; TWSTRS: − 63% vs. − 72%, p = 0.781). AM and SM patients reached optimization within a similar median time [5.5 months (95% CI 4.6–6.3) for AM vs. 6.2 months (4.2–7.6) for SM, p = 0.674) but patients on advanced programming needed fewer in-hospital visits to achieve the same improvement [median of 5 visits (95% CI 4–7) for AM vs. 8 visits (7–9) for SM, p = 0.008]. Conclusions: Advanced DBS programming based on patient's self-adjustment under the supervision of the treating physician is feasible, practical and significantly reduces consultation time in dystonia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time factor plays one of the major roles in today's steel building. Particularly in the field of traffic infrastructure operational interruptions caused by assembly or repair work cause financial and economic trouble. New solutions for repair and assembly aimed at reducing costs and time are therefore in great demand, whether in the form of new materials or innovative application methods. A novel gap compensation material based on high strength polymers developed in Germany reduces time and cost in steel construction and assembly. The material works as a "liquid shim plate" and joins steel elements with a 100% force and form fit connection. The product can be applied in situ without machining or disassembly flexibility and safety for construction and maintenance works. The "liquid shim material" DIAMANT MM1018 is the first of its kind to be awarded the general building authority approval (abZ) by the German Institute of Building Technology (DIBt) [1] and approved by German railways (Deutsche Bahn) through intern regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of microwave (MW) energy processing have been verified in the sintering of a ceramic frit at a pre‐industrial scale. The challenge of achieving high temperature using MW energy at such dimensions was overcome and a mix of natural raw materials was heated until its fluxing point. Changes in dielectric properties of the raw materials mix were also measured in situ with the increase in temperature, being in accordance to thermal processes of a conventional heating process. The properties of the resulting ceramic frit were compared with the same frit obtained by the conventional sintering method. Both frits showed similar thermal behavior regarding DTA‐TGA, heating microscopy and XRD (only glassy phase was present). A Raman study confirms the existence of the mentioned glass phase. The application of the frits as glazes were performed and their properties were studied. As a result, glazes with similar properties were obtained which confirms that the MW energy processed frit is suitable for its application as a ceramic glaze. Obtaining ceramic frit in a pre‐industrial scale by applying MW energy. Validation of frit as ceramic glaze. Comparison of time, energy and CO2 removal in standard and MW heating processes. From laboratory results, a sustainable industrial process is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological development of furnaces over conventional melting methods of diesel or gas‐fired furnaces is necessary. These furnaces have large amount of heat losses and hence their thermal efficiency is very low. Moreover, these furnaces do not produce good quality melt because of the chances of embedment of impurities from after‐combustion gases and agitation. The time required for melting in such furnaces is more. Also, insulation is not provided and there are heat losses which increase the time of melting. An electric resistance heating furnace is developed which overcomes all the problems associated with the fuel‐fired conventional furnace. The thermal efficiency of this developed furnace is found to increase quite drastically up to 85%, which is by about 33% more than conventional furnace; while reducing the operating cost of furnace. This benefits industry overall by profit of 70% and certainly can replace the existing conventional fuel‐fired furnaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Bus passengers and car drivers stated their preferences for road safety projects. • Two different stated preference methods were applied. • Bus passengers' valuation was lower. • The difference is statistically significantly with 4 of 6 modelling approaches. • However, the derived VSL are statistically similar. Abstract Introduction The economic value of safety represents an important guide to transport policy, and more studies on individuals' valuation of road safety are called for. This paper presents a stated preference study of the value of preventing fatal and serious injuries involving bus passengers and car drivers in road accidents. Objectives Former valuation studies based on travel behaviour and route choice have involved primarily car drivers. Our study also included bus passengers, thus providing a comparison of two types of transport mode users. Moreover, the comparison was based on two different valuation methods. Methodology About 600 bus passengers and nearly 2300 car users from different areas of Norway reported a recent trip, described by its distance and travel cost. Then they answered stated choice tasks that took a reference in the reported trip and involved trade-offs among travel time, fatal and seriously injured victims and travel costs. Afterwards, they faced a simple trade-off between travel costs, and fatal and seriously injured victims. Findings Pooling the data from the two stated preference formats, we derived values of a statistical life and of a statistical seriously injured victim. Regarding the value of statistical life, our point estimates were NOK 45.5 million and NOK 58.3 million for bus users and car users respectively. Discussion The point estimates for bus passengers and car users were not statistically different given their confidence intervals. Thus, we recommend the use of a single value, identical for both modes of transport, for the prevention of a statistical fatality as well as for a statistical injury [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]